This picture has a lot of meaning to what I will write. I will use other tracks for other reasons but this is why I say what I say. The visual is symbolic. Lost in the desert and pulled right into an Oasis

 

I was standing,

I hit play on a D.S.D of  Pink Floyd’s “Welcome to the Machine”

I slowly sat down.

 

Welcome to the Machine…indeed

 

This isn’t a review it’s a story. You virtually walk while I virtually talk and my story will be over in 5 minutes.

That’s not bad,

Indulge me man..

Give me undo favor of your time…just trust me. Thanks in advance

 

 

Request #1

Note and then listen to the portion mentioned then stop.

From 0 – :45 seconds is an intro (elevator taking you to the machine)

Within that frame is a rhythmic panning from left to right channel that comes in around second :30 of this :45 second part

 

 

 

Request #2

Note and then listen to the portion mentioned then stop.

From 2:43 begins a series of 3 sonic buildups :

Stage 1 is from 2:43  and “happens” at 2:55

Stage 2 is from 3:06 and “happens” at 3:16

3:21 – 3:37 is Nick Mason ripping what sounds like multiple bass drums and was as clear as I have ever heard in my life. Worth a listen.

Stage 3 is from 3:36 and “happens” at 3:48

 

David Gilmour links the 3 with an acoustic guitar. You can just play 2:43- 3:48

The 3 part build-up was impressive even when I was a kid. The elevator to open the track, the hard rhythmic panning that morphs into what sound like air blasts panning hard left to right for a few seconds. It always blew me away since I was maybe 7 years old.

Now, the whole thing on the Empire Ears LEGEND X floored me but the clarity of the drum 3:21-3:27 was like hearing it for the first time in my life. I could hear every point of contact on what sounds like 7 strikes a second in bursts.

 

That track, that I have heard sooooooo many times just impressed the shit outta me. Holy ….the fuuuuuck?? It was big and wide and dynamic and had all I knew like the back of my hand and a couple new treats.

 

Then I set off on my regular listening after having been sat down in my tracks by the “Welcome to the Machine”….experience

 

 

The MIDS

 

Gold Dust Woman

 

Every bit of detail in the mids is fantastic with nothing getting in the others way. Have never heard Stevie sound as good. Feels like you can visualize her mouth getting closer and moving away from the mic in the studio. Fucking amazing stuff. Seriously, how many IEM can convey the live/I can hear her breath feeling on this track? Only this set can

The entire album, vocal and guitar-centric as it is, absolutely shines on the LEGEND-X.

 

 

The STAGE

Foreplay/It’s been such a long Time

 

This is a track that is studio recorded…. stadium mixed. Like Floyd, BOSTON is taking you on a ride as far as your gear can take you. They use panning a lot and put parts of the track as far around your head as your gear allows. It goes total spacial out of head with these IEM

The LEGEND X is again blowing my mind a little. I have a complete system properly crossed over in my fraking ear. Don’t ask how it compares to ________ because it is better.

 

 

The BASS

I imagined LEGEND X  was sent to me because it has 2 subwoofers, but I imagine lots of stuff. No way this very expensive kit was sent for just bass? No way… If they read any review at all they know I like Pink Floyd, Fleetwood mac, BOSTON, Bob Marley…and on and on. Hip hop thumps with authority but the separation and impact and detail of Nick Mason’s drums on the track mentioned to open this review/rant was mind blowing. My car audio and home systems have always been geek level in quality and price and time corrected and everything,…. but these little IEM are blowing my mind.

 

 

The TREBLE

 

Wanna be Startin’ Somethin’

 

Synesthesia:

The guy that mixed this has that and he put a lot of silver and gold on this track. He described the high frequency as being those colors iirc and again the LEGEND X is just glittering and sparkling with all kinds of well played silver and gold. Masterpiece of a production. Mike went sideways but this album is a piece done by masters…so it is a masterpiece….that shines on the Legend X

 

 

 

 

 

What the hell is Empire Ears doing?

From E.E

“While neutral in tone and a balanced signature throughout, an addictive treble energizes the music, while simultaneously remaining smooth. But our greatest challenge yet was incorporating the low-reaching, impactful bass of the W9 subwoofers, with technical performance rivaling any in-ear monitor on the market; a challenge we can proudly proclaim we have overcome. Offering top-tier levels of transparency and separation, as well as one of the widest sound stages in the industry, our flagship has earned its position at the top of the lineup: a Legend is reborn.”

 

 

Let me translate that for ya:

Most music from Symphony to Street Rap has bass and putting that with accurate mids and detailed and spacious highs is really freaking hard. Most of our rivals fail right here. We think we nailed that.

 

I think they did

 

 

 

Technical Specifications

7 Proprietary Drivers, Hybrid Design

2 W9 Subwoofers, 2 Mid, 1 Mid-High, 1 High, 1 Super High

10-Way synX Crossover System

A.R.C. Resonance Mitigation Technology

26AWG UPOCC Litz Copper Cable, Handcrafted by Effect Audio

 

 

 

They got a 10 way x-over system and (2) w9 subwoofers. I am a car audio guy and loved my JL Audio “W” series subs so…I am digging this on all levels.

 

Hey NOBLE..

 

 

Ever heard their flagship and felt confused?

Your like me then…lets keep going…

 

 

The crossover system has never been played with by me because it sounds epic as is but the design should be absolutely amazing for folks who tweak with EQ as the adjust will really…REALLY only relate to the single driver assigned to that freq region

 

synX Crossover Technology

 

The brains of the Machine. My personal thought is this is where the whole thing goes from a part of the TOTL pack to the top of it. Having a properly crossed over system is basic audio 101 for any set-up with multiple drivers. This is very basic to the whole thing coming together

 

 

Weapon IX

 

From E.E

“Weapon IX (W9), a proprietary 9mm rare-earth magnet subwoofer with the ability to deliver extreme output, accurate dynamics and sublime sound quality all at the same time. The keys to these performance capabilities lie at the very core of its design, where the woofer is enclosed in a tuned bass-reflex system with a front-firing sound port and rear-firing vent for maximum efficiency.”

 

Let me translate that for ya:

 

Bass is a full 1/3 portion of the audio spectrum and taking greater care with that 1/3 is over looked by many of our competitors. We tried harder, we think we nailed it.

 

I think they did too.

 

 

 

From E.E

The Legend X utilizes a number proprietary balanced armature drivers by Knowles and Sonion, each one purpose built for a specific target response. Our drivers feature specialized reeds and low-mass diaphragms to reproduce incredible detailed, true-to-recording sound while remaining efficient enough to be powered by everyday devices.

Furthermore each Empire driver utilizes a NASA-born ferromagnetic liquid technology, Ferrofluid, to dampen acoustics peaks and reduce vibrations in combination with our A.R.C. technology. The end result is extraordinary clarity and increased shock durability.

 

Let me translate that for ya:

 

A recent tend in the industry is to stuff a crazy # of BA drivers in a shell and charge extra for it. More drivers is more money and sometimes, way too often that does not result in improved audio quality, in–fact, the exact opposite often occurs because of little thought to acoustics…which is puzzling as the science ..acoustic science predicts the issues that doing multiple horns in a single enclosure might cause. We think we found a way to deal with that using science.

 

I think they did too

 

 

 

 

 

Cable included with LEGEND X

3.5 / 2.5/ .4.4 available

 

What’s you get with the LEGEND

 

• In Ear Monitor
• Empire Aegis Case
• Empire Dust Bag
• Empire IEM Pouch
• Empire Cleaning Cloth
• Empire Cleaning Tool

 

About Me:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would advise you sell your gear, get out of the $500 zone and stop chasing your tail. I have been there.

It would be wiser to buy an item like this and get off the hype train and all of it’s routes and stops and save your sanity, time and get back to enjoying music if that’s why you are in this.

 

That is my Review of Empire Ears LEGEND-X

I may edit and update but my opinion of it being the best set of IEM your money can buy will not be changed or edited

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Official site for purchasing

Legend X (Custom)

Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/EmpireEars/

Head-Fi thread for reading more about the Empire Ears LEGEND X

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/empire-ears-discussion-impressions-formerly-earwerkz.786335/