64 Audio U12t Review (IEM)

[Mr Swing King]

got cheap epz q5 for 60eur. and its sounds like 50eur,even my airpods pro,bose qc ultra earbuds more detailed and better sounds via bluetooth.

Like I mentioned before; sound quality doesn’t have anything to do with price, unless you’re caught in the Audiophile maelstroem of mo money = better sound….which is sheer nonsense.
I think you just got a bum pair of iems - I have had several pairs myself that sounded awful. Price had nothing to with it though as I paid between 20-1500$ for the iems…and outside of build quality, the sound did not correlate with what I paid for X iem.

 

[leonasj500]

My proposal, get the 7Hz Salnotes Zero 2 for about $20-30, get some really nice aftermarket cable (I recently got this: https://pt.aliexpress.com/item/1005004674982458.html, which I consider beautiful and very functional, no tangling or microphonces) for about $30. If you like, you can get some topnotch tips ( e.g. Azla SednaEarfit Xelastec, any Spinfit model of your liking or Moondrop Springtips) for about $10-20. The Zero 2 sounds very good out of the box, but you might want to add some EQ, with a Mac SoundSource is a very good and convenient option ($39). All together you have spend about $100 and have a SOTA system. Distortion is much lower than in any 64 audio IEM. And sound much better as well. We live in glorious audio times!

I have about 10-20 IEMs, my most expensive, which I traded in quite favourably, is the Moondrop Variations. I hardly use it anymore, as the larger body hurts my ears after some listening time and the sound is not better.

yes,but resolution,soundstage,imaging,clarity,details,separation all in u12t side. maybe sound tone timbre same and thats all. i cant believe 20usd iem can sound technically same as u12t

 

[staticV3]

yes,but resolution,soundstage,imaging,clarity,details,separation all in u12t side. maybe sound tone timbre same and thats all. i cant believe 20usd iem can sound technically same as u12t

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...z-salnotes-zero-iem-review.50226/post-1809743

 

[leonasj500]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...z-salnotes-zero-iem-review.50226/post-1809743

i dont think 1DD can perform better vs multi driver,hybrid iem. its simply impossible.

 

[Jimbob54]

i dont think 1DD can perform better vs multi driver,hybrid iem. its simply impossible.

Better in what regard?

 

[isostasy]

yes,but resolution,soundstage,imaging,clarity,details,separation all in u12t side. maybe sound tone timbre same and thats all. i cant believe 20usd iem can sound technically same as u12t

"sound tone timbre same"

...

"sound"



so, maybe they sound the same but that's all, seems pretty good to me

 

[MacClintock]

yes,but resolution,soundstage,imaging,clarity,details,separation all in u12t side. maybe sound tone timbre same and thats all. i cant believe 20usd iem can sound technically same as u12t

Hi, you really seem to be new to the hobby. With all the due respect, all what you are saying are audiophool myths, backed up by nothing other than by companies producing high priced stuff and an army of reviewers, many on YouTube and many living from this hobby and affiliate links and advertising. Almost none of these have a proper education or profound knowledge of the area. So welcome here on ASR, please be open, listen and learn.

 

[leonasj500]

Better in what regard?

resolution,soundstage,imaging,clarity,details,separation

 

[leonasj500]

Hi, you really seem to be new to the hobby. With all the due respect, all what you are saying are audiophool myths, backed up by nothing other than by companies producing high priced stuff and an army of reviewers, many on YouTube and many living from this hobby and affiliate links and advertising. Almost none of these have a proper education or profound knowledge of the area. So welcome here on ASR, please be open, listen and learn.

yes,i know that all drivers made in china and usa,europe makers use them in its iem shell and sells 10-100x overpriced. but i have airpods pro2,airpods3, noble mystique and epz q5. from those im hear big sound quality difference vs them. best detailed sounds noble mystique,even via bluetooth way better vs wired epz q5. also airpods pro2 better sounds vs epz q5 too. but noble mystique sounds 3x better vs airpods pro2. so,maybe army of reviewers some talks,but im listen diferent sound quality. also i have first wired apple earbuds and compared sound vs airpods3 again ,day and night difference in tone,timbre ,details,clarity,etc. just got bose qc ultra earbuds and immersive sound like it.epz q5 paired with fiio utws5. looking at thieaudio monarch mk3 or u12t or iem-z1r. does they worth ?

 

[Mr Swing King]

I’m willing to bet a bag of beets on the fact that this is a combination of expectation bias and a peak in the treble making the sound presentation seem that more ‘detailed’. The Noble has got a large peak which could be the culprit.
If you dig that sound then maybe look for iems with a similar sound signature.
My buddy has the same problem with my Sennheisers…but he is also used to the DT1990 Pro which, opposite my Sennies, has got a mountain of treble underlining that ‘ultra-detailed sound’. It’s not really though - it’s just the treble being pushed forward.

 

[leonasj500]

I’m willing to bet a bag of beets on the fact that this is a combination of expectation bias and a peak in the treble making the sound presentation seem that more ‘detailed’. The Noble has got a large peak which could be the culprit.
If you dig that sound then maybe look for iems with a similar sound signature.
My buddy has the same problem with my Sennheisers…but he is also used to the DT1990 Pro which, opposite my Sennies, has got a mountain of treble underlining that ‘ultra-detailed sound’. It’s not really though - it’s just the treble being pushed forward.

im EQ'ed on noble app mystique to neutral sound,but its 1DD 2BAA is always more detailed sounds vs 1DD iem or tws. from list epz Q5 has very extended treble,but is very muddy dark not detailed sound. very strange ? not,at all- in audio world what pay -what is get im read. so,its normal as noble mystique priced 380eur ,and apple airpodspro 250eur vs EPZ Q5 only 60eur. Sound for its price. Also read nobly mystique easy comapred sound quality vs >1Kilobuck IEMs. After EQ im got mystique curves as shows photos factory tune/neutral tune after EQ.im like sound from tws/iems get like speakers with good calibrated subwoofer. not boomy,natural,with subbass feeling.

 

[markanini]

im EQ'ed on noble app mystique to neutral sound,but its 1DD 2BAA is always more detailed sounds vs 1DD iem or tws. from list epz Q5 has very extended treble,but is very muddy dark not detailed sound. very strange ? not,at all- in audio world what pay -what is get im read. so,its normal as noble mystique priced 380eur ,and apple airpodspro 250eur vs EPZ Q5 only 60eur. Sound for its price. Also read nobly mystique easy comapred sound quality vs >1Kilobuck IEMs. After EQ im got mystique curves as shows photos factory tune/neutral tune after EQ.im like sound from tws/iems get like speakers with good calibrated subwoofer. not boomy,natural,with subbass feeling.

You are comparing two different IEMs though, not just different driver configs and price points. It can skew your conclusions if you assume each piece is representative.

If you know about the conditions of the global IEM market it's not a stretch that an inexpensive IEM can compete with an expensive one acoustically. Consider the economics of Chinese manufacturing and export subsidies, the rapid introduction of new models, the parity of R&D tools, and the competition that exists between multiple brands. That's how statistics start to work in favor of value for money, and these have been the conditions for a number of years.

 

[Pe8er]

yes,but resolution,soundstage,imaging,clarity,details,separation all in u12t side. maybe sound tone timbre same and thats all. i cant believe 20usd iem can sound technically same as u12t

If you can't believe it, nobody here will convince you. The only way out of your predicament is to buy both, compare and let us know.

 

[Mr Swing King]

im EQ'ed on noble app mystique to neutral sound,but its 1DD 2BAA is always more detailed sounds vs 1DD iem or tws. from list epz Q5 has very extended treble,but is very muddy dark not detailed sound. very strange ? not,at all- in audio world what pay -what is get im read. so,its normal as noble mystique priced 380eur ,and apple airpodspro 250eur vs EPZ Q5 only 60eur. Sound for its price. Also read nobly mystique easy comapred sound quality vs >1Kilobuck IEMs. After EQ im got mystique curves as shows photos factory tune/neutral tune after EQ.im like sound from tws/iems get like speakers with good calibrated subwoofer. not boomy,natural,with subbass feeling.

I kinda get your drift as I not that long ago was in the same boat. I thought I could hear all kinds of ‘resolution’, ‘ooomphh’, ‘stage’ and that special ‘Je ne sais quoi’. I’ve gone through very very expensive dacs, amps, cables headphones and iems…and well at one point my mind was just hardwired to believe the mo money = better sound quality…because well that made sense to me.
I also imagined all kinds of crazy stuff the more I climbed the ladder of expensive gear, yet it was my mind that boosted the sound quality. Knowing that I was sitting with say a pair of IE900 or my old Susvara had me conjuring up all kinds of unicornesque sound quality.
Luckily I have a friend who helped me out with a number of blindtests as well as layman-explaining the principles of sound production and reproduction…and there was no hocus pokus - no secret sauce, just facts….and somehow he got through to me. Took him a while though because I insisted on much of the same stuff that you bring up
I hope you stick around this place and read through some of the threads. There’s a wealth of knowledge..and maybe you end up with a few misconceptions less at the end of the day.

 

[MacClintock]

I kinda get your drift as I not that long ago was in the same boat. I thought I could hear all kinds of ‘resolution’, ‘ooomphh’, ‘stage’ and that special ‘Je ne sais quoi’. I’ve gone through very very expensive dacs, amps, cables headphones and iems…and well at one point my mind was just hardwired to believe the mo money = better sound quality…because well that made sense to me.
I also imagined all kinds of crazy stuff the more I climbed the ladder of expensive gear, yet it was my mind that boosted the sound quality. Knowing that I was sitting with say a pair of IE900 or my old Susvara had me conjuring up all kinds of unicornesque sound quality.
Luckily I have a friend who helped me out with a number of blindtests as well as layman-explaining the principles of sound production and reproduction…and there was no hocus pokus - no secret sauce, just facts….and somehow he got through to me. Took him a while though because I insisted on much of the same stuff that you bring up
I hope you stick around this place and read through some of the threads. There’s a wealth of knowledge..and maybe you end up with a few misconceptions less at the end of the day

im EQ'ed on noble app mystique to neutral sound,but its 1DD 2BAA is always more detailed sounds vs 1DD iem or tws. from list epz Q5 has very extended treble,but is very muddy dark not detailed sound. very strange ? not,at all- in audio world what pay -what is get im read. so,its normal as noble mystique priced 380eur ,and apple airpodspro 250eur vs EPZ Q5 only 60eur. Sound for its price. Also read nobly mystique easy comapred sound quality vs >1Kilobuck IEMs. After EQ im got mystique curves as shows photos factory tune/neutral tune after EQ.im like sound from tws/iems get like speakers with good calibrated subwoofer. not boomy,natural,with subbass feeling.

Really, for me as well, much more than more knowledge or seing measurments, by far the most shocking and eye-opening experience was performing blind tests. They don't need to be 100% scientifically correct or anything, just with an open mind, switching between gear, where one is an expensive praised one and the other one being a cheapish one recommended by people here. I know this is for headphones and IEMs much harder to do than with amps and DACs, but somehow it can be done (at least using EQ) and it will change your judgment.

 

[Mr Swing King]

Headphones are indeed the wild card. Even changing headphones and positioning them ever so slightly different will yield a slightly different presentation…not that you’re going to spot the pidgeon under normal usage. Iems should be easier to get a better comparison…but yeah placebo, expectation bias and so forth are all factors we all bring with us regardless of where we’re coming from.
Biggest thing for me was trying out my other headphones after some two weeks of listening with my newest toy. Got me sober in a jiffy…yet that is difficult to do if one is jumping from can to can. Something like an HD580/600/650 is always recommended for a pallette cleanser every once in a while…or perhaps even as a vehicle to get you back on earth

 

[leonasj500]

maybe any from europe has on sale u12t. i would like to buy them.

 

[music_lover]

I can’t justify the price at all. I have not tried the U12t, but I have tried Theiaudio monarch mk 2. It sounded nice but I don’t think it was any better sounding than my nova or zero blue. I did hear the spatial quality, but I think it was probably a by-product of its frequency response. If you dip the mids and lift the upper treble up, you get that spacious sound.

 

[leonasj500]

I can’t justify the price at all. I have not tried the U12t, but I have tried Theiaudio monarch mk 2. It sounded nice but I don’t think it was any better sounding than my nova or zero blue. I did hear the spatial quality, but I think it was probably a by-product of its frequency response. If you dip the mids and lift the upper treble up, you get that spacious sound.

i have epz q5, good sounding vs 1-2kilobuck iem?

 

[JanL]

I don't mean to beat a long dead and decomposing horse, but I just read through the entire thread and wanted to throw in my 2 cents.
I owned maybe 15 different IEMs over the last two years. I sold or gave away what IEMs I didn't care for and I'm holding on to a few that I actually regularly use.
I'm a frugal person and I know my way around audio and measurements. I classify myself as a trained listener and don't spend money I don't need to get the performance I want.
Seeing how the published FR graphs often don't really reflect my personal impressions, and Youtube reviewers are not a good source of recommendations, I bought the passes to the CanJam in NYC earlier this year and made a point of listening to many IEMs as to have a better insight into the market.

I eventually made my way to 64 Audio table and got to listen to the U4S and the U12T. U4S sounded OK but definitely not worth the asking price, but the U12T was indeed special.
My U12T impression was actually the opposite of what the graphs show. The female vocals in a really congested tune that I often use for evaluation were well defined and right in my face, whereas typically on textbook IEMs they are more thin sounding and further back in the mix.
The measured dip at 3kHz would suggest the vocals would be disadvantaged, but that's not what I heard. Whatever psychoacoustic effect was at play was very beneficial to my ear. The music overall sounded full and warm and pleasant without loss of detail. It might not be the most analytical IEM, but it's what I would want as my daily driver. I totally understand the high rankings it gets from reviewers. 64 Audio got the euphony right here.

The asking price for the U12t (even on the used market) is more than I like to spend on an IEM, but a used 64 Audio Nio came up for sale for less and I bought it. The Nio is very similar to the U12T, it replaces the 4 BA's responsible for bass with one DD. The midrange and treble are the same configuration from what I can tell. It's not quite the same experience as I remember from the U12T at CanJam, but it still is subjectively better than my Hype 4 and my Dusk which measure better.