Audiophilepure

It’s a 14.5mm driver, we have more than twice the effective diaphragm than that of a 10mm dynamic driver. Of course, there is bass and it’s nothing short of jaw-dropping. There’s extension that goes all the way down; how low down, you might ask? Well, inspired by the company name, I went ahead and generated a 7Hz sine wave in Audacity and hit play. Naturally, no human can hear the 7Hz fundamental tone but what I heard made the hair stand up on my back and other hairy places. What I could hear was the Doppler modulation of environmental noise as the diaphragm wiggled the air. There was zero noise and no distortion and I almost got sick.

To fully show off the thunderous capabilities of the 7Hz Timeless II, electronic music is perfect. This time I chose Lorne and Monolake for a clean sub-bass to gauge how well the 14.5mm planar driver does and at all times it impressed me. Not only is there depth, but the driver also seems extremely clean to the point of what’s usually called “planar bass”. Even real kickdrum like on Shelby Lynne’s Just a Little Lovin’ came through with aplomb and even on high SPL’s the rest of the spectrum played completely unscathed.

Isolation from the SONORA is better than I expected given the large vents on the rear of each housing. Taking the SONORA to a busy coffee shop, I only needed to raise the volume mildly to listen comfortably and nullify the sounds of people and clattering dishes nearby.

Fit is personal and the SONORA may slot into your ear perfectly, but I found them cumbersome and at their best when listening from a stationary position. They’re not uncomfortable, but they’re also not something I can wear for multiple hours at a time before taking a mandatory break.

Any illusion of a mosh pit-type staging experience due to my characterization of the Onyx as a darker-sounding monitor would be erroneous.

Granted, it is not as sparkling as the Ragnar or Ronin, but there is enough of a lift around 6-8k and decent headroom to ensure it doesn’t sound claustrophobic. Where the Onyx soundstage excels is its excellent level of depth and impressive channel separation with above-average width. 

Flea’s excellent bass line on the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s Heavy Metal cover of Stevie Wonder’s Higher Ground comes in with dynamics and a natural image. This is one of my personal favorites and you can almost feel Flea snapping those bass strings.

Moving to some electronic pieces, like Aphex Twin’s CheetahT7b. The EXT MK II delivers a snappy and dynamic bass with excellent sub-bass reach and rumble. This track also shows the beauty of the EST drivers in my opinion. In Underworld’s Two Months Off the bass shows wonderful grip and authority, while providing superb precision. LFO’s hectic Freak has a full-bodied and excellently executed bass response with high dynamics and superb weight.

The reduced nozzle diameter and what seems to be just a hint of additional smoothness on the perpendicular angling of the EXT MKII’s unique shell reduce the outward pressure on my ear canal making it a comfortable yet very secure fitting.

The circular nozzle is most appreciated with the supplied stock tips. On the older model, I had a horrible time fitting the AZLA crystal tips and ended up using the SpinFit CP145 stock tips instead for the last 3 years. The offshoot after 3 years is a warped tip stem that only works with the EXT nozzle and is now too loose for other IEMs.

Now I know these little portable video devices and where you can buy them. They do not cost that much but using them as part of IEM packaging is a stroke of genius and elevates the ARTHA unboxing experience massively.

Granted, after lifting the lid about 20 times you might get bored of the video but pay careful attention to the accessories since the box is packed with a small USB cable that not only charges the media player but allows you to mount the device on your PC and change the movie file. 

Aside from the media, you get two sets of ear tips, a large leather carry case with decent room to fit the shells and cable, a cleaning tip, a cable organizer velcro strap, and a cleaning cloth. It’s a pretty decent lineup of gear with a great unboxing experience.

https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2024/9/1/psb-speakers-m4u-twm-true-wireless-micro-planar-earphones

In conclusion, these PSB earbuds feature a unique dual driver, a planar magnetic transducer paired with a dynamic transducer, as far as I know, a first for a true-wireless component. This combination results in a sweet and natural sound. At USD 199, they are priced well. If you’re into the tech that comes with earbuds at that price, these PSB earbuds may not be for you. However, if you’re looking for a more analog sound, comfortable, and natural-sounding earbuds that can be used anywhere, even in the gym, with buttons instead of those dreadful touch sensors, then these PSB earbuds are your best bet.

There is roughly a 5 dB drop from 20Hz to 200Hz with less presence from the sub-bass right up to lower mids. Thereafter, or from around 1k there is roughly 2 dB less elevation than the default tuning up to 7k so vocal imaging drops back a little creating a slightly more relaxed midrange presentation.

Switch 3 also has more treble energy than the rest of the switch options and it’s the option where you can best hear the EST driver’s presence on higher-pitching instrumental timbre.

The packaging includes a finely designed plastic ear tips container featuring Noble’s logo, containing both wide-bore single-flange tips and more stubby double-flange tips, much like what was provided with the Mystique. Additionally, a nicely made velvet pouch is provided to protect the Alcantara charging case from drops. As for charging, you get a USB-A to USB-C cable, and due to the slightly recessed USB-C port on the case, Noble includes a C-female to C-male adapter, allowing you to charge the case with standard USB-C cables, which typically have a shorter connector length.