Happiness lies in the satifsaction

It's all about perspective, isn't it?

Like if you're starving a biscuit can feel like a feast, if you're lonely a mouse can be your best friend, or if you're sick you might give anything to be well again etc.

When it comes to pursuing excellent sound it's all too easy to fall into the Captain Ahab syndrome and become obsessed with searching for something that might not exist. Many voices encouraging you along the way, and hardly any (except partners and spouses maybe) warning you of the pitfalls..

Satisfaction follows pleasure, so be sure you have an idea of what makes you happy. And what the true costs of attaining it might be. 

I have what might be considered a decent main system, but it has never come close to giving the same pleasure I gained whilst listening to a cassette compilation on a Sony radio cassette player whilst sat on a flat roof balcony enjoying a panoramic view on holiday way back in 1995.

Actually it sounds much better than old cassette.

The Empire Zeus IEM with seven drivers is amazing with excellent nuanced details and realistic soundstage.

Another thing is that internet connection is very stable and fast in Seoul, Korea.

While in suburb of Seattle, I had some discontinuity of music through Youtube.

This IEM almost sounds like floor standing speaker except body slamming bass.

Seattle, WA, home of Microsoft and Amazon, utterly infested with techies, and we can't get good internet.

Okay. Comcast. I get that. 

But flying to Seoul for dental work? I mean I know medical is expensive here but dental?

You are right. Millercarbon

The Empire Zeus IEM with seven drivers is amazing with excellent nuanced details and realistic soundstage even without tube in the chain.

Another thing is that internet connection is very stable and fast in Seoul, Korea.

While in suburb of Seattle, I had some discontinuity of music through Youtube.

This IEM almost sounds like floor standing speaker except body slamming bass.

I have 87 years old mother in Seoul, Korea so I had come here for dental work to see her too.

Usually I used to stay in her place in Seoul.

But this time, it is too hot here around 95 degrees so I had decided to stay in hotel instead of my mom’s apartment.

Empire Zeus IEM technical Spec.

• Transparent blue ABS plastic shell and faceplate
• 14 balanced-armature drivers: 2 low, 6 mid, 6 high
• Stainless steel canal with 4 sound bores
• 7-way proprietary crossover network
• Frequency response: 10 Hz–20 kHz
• Impedance: 10 ohms at 1 kHz
• Input sensitivity: 119 dB at 1 mW
• Noise isolation: -28 dB +/- 2 dB
• 48 in (122 cm) silver-plated copper insulated cable
• 2-pin 0.78mm connectors
• ⅛ in (3.5 mm) gold-plated TRS plug

It is amazing that 14 drivers are included in small enclosures and its tweeter sounds so clean and amazing considering I am very sensitive to clean treble having used plasma tweeter for 12 years.

Although I liked Hifiman Sundara headphone, this Empire Zeus IEM is another lever above it with nuanced details and dynamics.

I never imagined that IEM could sound so musical with gaming laptop.


Stax 009S and Carbon Amp is another level above Empire Zeus IEM in naturalness.

But Empire Zeus IEM is portable and not far behind Stax 009S.

If you have a chance, I would recommend you to try it.

Is this Zeus the one you got a while back, or did you just get it?

I had got it about 2 months ago from Massdrop for 1K$.

It is worth every penny.

Only few days ago, I found out that with stable streaming out of Youtube in Seoul, Korea, it sounds fantastic with gaming laptop without any additional amplifier.

Miller,

If you had ever been to Seoul you would know why one
would take "every opportunity" to visit again. Beyond that
I may not be more specific.

@gadios, there’s no need.

Let’s just leave it as err, ‘dental’ work.

Seoul is a paradise to audition high end audio.

There are several places.

I can recommend Yongsan Electronic Complex or Seocho  Electronic Complex.

But it is too hot to move around on August with temperature reaching 95 degree.