I just got to listen to my Novus. I don't have any issues with fit or comfort, and I use a medium eartip. The sound quality is above and beyond my expectations. I also have the Empire Ears Raven IEMs, and the Bone Conduction Drivers on the Novus hit a lot harder. You can physically feel every hit of the Beat. It really is a tighter cleaner mote refined Raven. The bass hits harder and is more controlled. Larger soundstage better separation and better detail. I love the way my Raven sounds, but my Novus sounds amazing to me. It's the Raven if it go pushed up to another level up in the IEMs sound quality tier list. Also, the build quality of the Novus is everything you would expect from Astell&Kern. It imbues both opulence and strength. Thanks for the review from Bloom Audio. It led me to my Novus pre-order.
I just bought brand new Empire Ears Raven(final version) IEMs a few days ago. I bet Empire Ears comes out with their own version of the Novus that becomes their permanent top tier model. Probably will be cheaper too. Time to start saving up money again!
Excellent review Steve! Was cool to try novus at can jam but Aura is still my favorite Astell n kern collab ! Also agree with your XE6 comparison, that thing is a monster 🔊🔥
I have an A&K SR35 and just "upgraded" from my Westone Mach 60's to the Campfire Supermoons. So I think I'm good for now. Wouldn't mind auditioning these though.
These are the best sounding IEMs I have heard to date. They are a cut above the Empire Ears Raven. When you pair the NOVUS with the Astell&Kern SP3000 DAP and turn on the new NOVUS EQ preset added to the SP3000, you get the very best from these IEMs. The stock cable is good, but I'm going to be trying out the Eletech Plato 8-Wire edition Silver IEMs cable tomorrow on the NOVUS and Raven IEMs. I really hope the Eletech can act as an upgrade cable for. Y Novus and bring out the very best of these. The NOVUS is not even close in sound quality to the Raven. The Novus is on a higher level of sound quality, and the contrast between the two IEMs when played back to back is alarming. The Novus makes the Raven seem inadequate after listening to these for a while. Just be sure to use the Novus EQ preset if you are on an Astell&Kern SP3000T or SP3000. It makes a significant improvement over No EQ at all.
I am tossing between the Novus and the FatFreq Grand Maestro. What would be the better pick for upgrading from Monarch MK3s? I have read quite a few raving reviews about the Grand Maestro, and how people are left speechless on the first listen; but am unable to find a lot of reviews on Novus (probably because it's so new). Is the Novus worth the extra $?
I have a pair on order but unfortunately I'm not able to test these out. I have a couple concerns. Steve, you mentioned something about crackling during break in? Im wondering what kind of amp were you using. I have the SP3000T. With the impedance closer to a dead short, is this going to be too much load on the amp and I for sure dont want to overload the DAP. Any thoughts?
@@Level10Productions I didn’t have any issues with the SP3000T. Most of the crackling issues were with dongle-DAC style products and also the iBasso DX180 had some microphonics.
@@BloomAudioI believe it was in reference to driver flex where pressure builds up inside when taking them off or on which can possibly damage drivers. Maybe they should have been vented.
I have since learned that they are vented. So far so good. Now just waiting to get them and see. If they can beat my Premieres at imaging I will be truly impressed. Here's hoping!
@@Level10Productions Aura was sort of like a perfect execution of a very safe tuning, while Novus is more bold, especially with the bass tuning compared to Aura.
@@Level10Productions Novus is in between Odin and Raven for bass as far as quantity with EE IEMs, but it’s capable of some serious power - and the SP3000T EQ preset for Novus seems designed to really bring out more low end power than you might hear straight out of the box.
I just got to listen to my Novus. I don't have any issues with fit or comfort, and I use a medium eartip. The sound quality is above and beyond my expectations. I also have the Empire Ears Raven IEMs, and the Bone Conduction Drivers on the Novus hit a lot harder. You can physically feel every hit of the Beat. It really is a tighter cleaner mote refined Raven. The bass hits harder and is more controlled. Larger soundstage better separation and better detail. I love the way my Raven sounds, but my Novus sounds amazing to me. It's the Raven if it go pushed up to another level up in the IEMs sound quality tier list. Also, the build quality of the Novus is everything you would expect from Astell&Kern. It imbues both opulence and strength. Thanks for the review from Bloom Audio. It led me to my Novus pre-order.
I just bought brand new Empire Ears Raven(final version) IEMs a few days ago. I bet Empire Ears comes out with their own version of the Novus that becomes their permanent top tier model. Probably will be cheaper too. Time to start saving up money again!
Excellent review Steve! Was cool to try novus at can jam but Aura is still my favorite Astell n kern collab ! Also agree with your XE6 comparison, that thing is a monster 🔊🔥
Stephen, thanks for the review of an INORDINATELY-EXPENSIVE pair of earphones!
Methinks I'll be satisfied with my DITA Project M. ;)
I have an A&K SR35 and just "upgraded" from my Westone Mach 60's to the Campfire Supermoons. So I think I'm good for now. Wouldn't mind auditioning these though.
nice review - comfort could be an issue for many as you mentioned
These are the best sounding IEMs I have heard to date. They are a cut above the Empire Ears Raven. When you pair the NOVUS with the Astell&Kern SP3000 DAP and turn on the new NOVUS EQ preset added to the SP3000, you get the very best from these IEMs. The stock cable is good, but I'm going to be trying out the Eletech Plato 8-Wire edition Silver IEMs cable tomorrow on the NOVUS and Raven IEMs. I really hope the Eletech can act as an upgrade cable for. Y Novus and bring out the very best of these. The NOVUS is not even close in sound quality to the Raven. The Novus is on a higher level of sound quality, and the contrast between the two IEMs when played back to back is alarming. The Novus makes the Raven seem inadequate after listening to these for a while. Just be sure to use the Novus EQ preset if you are on an Astell&Kern SP3000T or SP3000. It makes a significant improvement over No EQ at all.
I am tossing between the Novus and the FatFreq Grand Maestro. What would be the better pick for upgrading from Monarch MK3s?
I have read quite a few raving reviews about the Grand Maestro, and how people are left speechless on the first listen; but am unable to find a lot of reviews on Novus (probably because it's so new). Is the Novus worth the extra $?
Same question here, and GM sounds perfect to me
I couldn't stand it. I ended up pre-ordering the Astell&Kern x Empire Ears Novus. Can't wait.
I’m really considering these but wondering if it’s worth the jump as I’m currently using the AK Odyssey
Same here, but if EE will release their own version, I would probably wait
I wonder how this compares to the APX SE iem.
Geo Tracker puts out more bass... especially when that engine goes pop and grenades itself!
I have a pair on order but unfortunately I'm not able to test these out. I have a couple concerns. Steve, you mentioned something about crackling during break in? Im wondering what kind of amp were you using. I have the SP3000T. With the impedance closer to a dead short, is this going to be too much load on the amp and I for sure dont want to overload the DAP.
Any thoughts?
@@Level10Productions I didn’t have any issues with the SP3000T. Most of the crackling issues were with dongle-DAC style products and also the iBasso DX180 had some microphonics.
@@BloomAudioI believe it was in reference to driver flex where pressure builds up inside when taking them off or on which can possibly damage drivers. Maybe they should have been vented.
I have since learned that they are vented. So far so good. Now just waiting to get them and see. If they can beat my Premieres at imaging I will be truly impressed. Here's hoping!
They are much worse then Aura, listened to them didn’t liked them at all..😢
Yeah, these are a very different sound signature from Aura and bound to be more polarizing.
You say different but in what ways?
@@Level10Productions Aura was sort of like a perfect execution of a very safe tuning, while Novus is more bold, especially with the bass tuning compared to Aura.
@BloomAudio but I heard that the tuning was on the lighter side for bass, no?
@@Level10Productions Novus is in between Odin and Raven for bass as far as quantity with EE IEMs, but it’s capable of some serious power - and the SP3000T EQ preset for Novus seems designed to really bring out more low end power than you might hear straight out of the box.
Naa..a recond sportcar ya noobs..Peace!