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NuForce Primo8 Earphones
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NuForce Primo8 Earphones
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Product Description
Packing a whole lot of tech into a compact, metallic-blue package, the Optoma NuForce Primo8 delivers a bright, clear sound and an extremely secure fit. Along with a convenient detachable cable, the IEMs come with a treasure chest of accessories: 10 pairs of eartips, a gold-plated quarter-inch adapter, and a silky microfiber cleaning cloth, to name a few Read More
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keyboard_arrow_downBN73
10
Dec 29, 2017
I received these last week i believe on the 22nd took them out had a good long listen on my Opus#1 tried multiple EQ settings and the sound was the worst iem I have ever heard so in my mind these are a defective pair. I can’t believe that these once sold for 500.00 these are not worth 20.00 I contacted massdrop several times about the issue and they responded and ask to have photos and a description to be sent back to them of the problem I sent them everything they ask for and have emailed them multiple times since with no response this will be the first and last purchase I will ever make with this company bad business practices shame on you massdrop.
Xpfreaky
69
Jun 13, 2017
These must be "really" special to retail for nearly $500.00, however massdrop's collaboration lets you have these for a "wonderful" price of nearly $200.00! Wow! Betcha, all plastic, with some fab magnets for drivers that will underwhelm you once you listen to them. Oh but hold on, lets not forget the "real " leatherette pouch as part of the purchase, yay! Really peeps? Quite sure that there are comparable IEM's that will "excel" at a much lower price point fer sure...Oh well in this age of consumerism we gotta have it, cause it will make me "special" for a few minutes until the next better thing comes along...
Stereotomy
25
Jul 25, 2017
Yeah, I am pretty sure the tips will do the job. I am going to pick some up for sure! I looked at the Comply P series or some longer pro Etymotics.
sirkuttin
145
Jul 25, 2017
StereotomyAhh i have been meaning to get some comply p series. Another trick for the comply that came with it, use a larger size tip than you normally do. That also helped balance it out for me. I had used med size in the past for other is. However, with such a small bore on these I opted for the large tip. They fit great and balanced the sound.
salander1800
66
Jan 26, 2018
I freaking love these iems. The sound is so full and the mids are detailed without being overbearing. The bass is quick and the highs are just sweet as honey without being sharp as a knife. All around good for 500 but a damn steal for 150
Will_F
54
Feb 7, 2018
My guess is they’re not getting a good seal or the tips aren’t working for their ears.
hiilari
70
Feb 7, 2018
Will_FI think you have a point. Being a huge fan of large magnetoplanar over-ear phones, but sometimes wanting tiny IEMS too, I originally struggled with the tips. Even tiniest of changes in IEM position in the ear canal or seal affects bass. And without that big, solid and warm bass everything sounds crappy and thin. In that way large over-ear phones are so easy.
dgt5
245
Jul 28, 2018
Forgive my ignorance but can these be driven ok with just an iPhone? Was debating between this and EDC3. These seem like a nice step up from the EDCs but should I stick with something lower impedance? The T2s are tempting but not wild about the looks. Just getting into sound equipment and looking for my first pair of IEMs. Want something for traveling that I can enjoy without amp. I prefer neutral sound.
GunsOfBrixton
911
Jul 29, 2018
dgt5Since you say you're new to the audio world, I'll just say that when you are looking at audio equipment (especially on an audiophile site like this) you will see a lot of discussions about amps, and will be tempted to think that you need one. I'll give you a couple of quick general guidelines to help you get started.
1. There aren't very many IEMs that truly need an amp. There are a (very) few that may benefit but for the most part you don't have to worry about it with IEMs. 2. I'm going to oversimplify to make it easy (the fine points can get really confusing, and despite the arguments you'll see, there is a lot of gray area). Here are the two main measurements you need to look at to tell whether you need an amp: impedance, which you correctly identified, and sensitivity - how loud they get with a given amount of power. Anything roughly 50 ohms and below could be considered low impedance, i.e., it's easy to power the drivers. Anything above, say, 106 dB sensitivity could be considered high sensitivity, i.e., they get loud easily. With 38 Ohm impedance and 118dB sensitivity, these are very easy to drive on pretty much any phone or other audio device, and don't need an amp to enjoy.
Again, there are a lot of details to get lost in as you dive deeper, but just wanted to give you a starting point to help understand what the heck people are talking about.
1. There aren't very many IEMs that truly need an amp. There are a (very) few that may benefit but for the most part you don't have to worry about it with IEMs. 2. I'm going to oversimplify to make it easy (the fine points can get really confusing, and despite the arguments you'll see, there is a lot of gray area). Here are the two main measurements you need to look at to tell whether you need an amp: impedance, which you correctly identified, and sensitivity - how loud they get with a given amount of power. Anything roughly 50 ohms and below could be considered low impedance, i.e., it's easy to power the drivers. Anything above, say, 106 dB sensitivity could be considered high sensitivity, i.e., they get loud easily. With 38 Ohm impedance and 118dB sensitivity, these are very easy to drive on pretty much any phone or other audio device, and don't need an amp to enjoy.
Again, there are a lot of details to get lost in as you dive deeper, but just wanted to give you a starting point to help understand what the heck people are talking about.
Jyri
818
Nuforce
Apr 5, 2017
Just to give a brief update to everyone...
While the previous Primo8 drop was for the B-stock, the current drop is for brand new units which we are manufacturing now. The units come with same accessories as before while there are small improvements/updates (for example MMCX connectors, earpiece paint quality etc). After we ran the last few drops with Massdrop, we received huge amount of requests that we should continue the product as especially with Massdrop´s price point the Primo8 offers amazing value for a 4 driver IEM. So, here we are. Hopefully the drop is successful. If anyone have any questions - please feel free to write below.
- Jyri/NuForce
While the previous Primo8 drop was for the B-stock, the current drop is for brand new units which we are manufacturing now. The units come with same accessories as before while there are small improvements/updates (for example MMCX connectors, earpiece paint quality etc). After we ran the last few drops with Massdrop, we received huge amount of requests that we should continue the product as especially with Massdrop´s price point the Primo8 offers amazing value for a 4 driver IEM. So, here we are. Hopefully the drop is successful. If anyone have any questions - please feel free to write below.
- Jyri/NuForce
zombywoof
121
Jul 1, 2017
JyriJyri...
I received my Primo8's from the June drop this week, and am very pleased. I primarily use them with my iPod and would like a cable option that does not have the microphone. What do you recommend? I did not see any reference to replacement cables of any type, with or without the microphone on the Nuforce website. Should I find that I need for a replacement cable, how do I go about acquiring one from Nufoce? Thanks.
I received my Primo8's from the June drop this week, and am very pleased. I primarily use them with my iPod and would like a cable option that does not have the microphone. What do you recommend? I did not see any reference to replacement cables of any type, with or without the microphone on the Nuforce website. Should I find that I need for a replacement cable, how do I go about acquiring one from Nufoce? Thanks.
doctorpangloss
6
Mar 27, 2018
Just received mine.
- The nozzles turned out to be maybe even 1mm larger than Westone and Shure nozzles, which is too bad. - They sound muddier than the Westone 4R using the included Comply tips. - They sound and seal better with tri-flange tips, but they don't ship with them. - The microphone is positioned poorly, it falls somewhere in the middle of my belly. It should really be positioned where it is with iPhone headphone cables, on the right headphone's cable. - EQ adding another 20db to the 10khz-20khz range significantly reduces the muddiness of the sound. This is consistent with their frequency response (https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/NuForcePrimo8.pdf) and compared to the Westone 4R (https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/Westone4R.pdf). With respect to my personal preferences, my hearing is pretty consistently good and I'm a classically trained musician. - You get less telephoning with braided cables than the one it ships with.
With EQ, they sound as good as the 4-armature Westones. That's a big achievement! I got my W4 used for $180 in 2013, so this is a pretty great deal in that respect.
To put something more concrete to a description of the detail: - EQ greatly improves the rendering of noisey/glitchy music and church & chamber reverb. It's super clear. - For noisey artists like Sleigh Bells, Anamanaguchi and Marnie Stern, all the harmonic interference and heterodyne comes in great. - Contraltos and mezzo-sopranos don't sound as good as they do on the Westones. This would be the vast majority of the female voices in Indie music I listen to. It's just a little clipped and muddy. - Baritones in the contemporary music sound a little muddy too. - High voices come through less muddily generally. - EQ improves the quality of voices overall.
This is consistent with the Westone 4, but exceeds the $100 Shure E3C lineage of IEMs.
The detachable cable will be handy and I'm glad this uses the contemporary MCMX standard.
The copy on Amazon indicates these are Knowles drivers (i.e. use the Knowles patents). I wonder who manufactures these.
- The nozzles turned out to be maybe even 1mm larger than Westone and Shure nozzles, which is too bad. - They sound muddier than the Westone 4R using the included Comply tips. - They sound and seal better with tri-flange tips, but they don't ship with them. - The microphone is positioned poorly, it falls somewhere in the middle of my belly. It should really be positioned where it is with iPhone headphone cables, on the right headphone's cable. - EQ adding another 20db to the 10khz-20khz range significantly reduces the muddiness of the sound. This is consistent with their frequency response (https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/NuForcePrimo8.pdf) and compared to the Westone 4R (https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/Westone4R.pdf). With respect to my personal preferences, my hearing is pretty consistently good and I'm a classically trained musician. - You get less telephoning with braided cables than the one it ships with.
With EQ, they sound as good as the 4-armature Westones. That's a big achievement! I got my W4 used for $180 in 2013, so this is a pretty great deal in that respect.
To put something more concrete to a description of the detail: - EQ greatly improves the rendering of noisey/glitchy music and church & chamber reverb. It's super clear. - For noisey artists like Sleigh Bells, Anamanaguchi and Marnie Stern, all the harmonic interference and heterodyne comes in great. - Contraltos and mezzo-sopranos don't sound as good as they do on the Westones. This would be the vast majority of the female voices in Indie music I listen to. It's just a little clipped and muddy. - Baritones in the contemporary music sound a little muddy too. - High voices come through less muddily generally. - EQ improves the quality of voices overall.
This is consistent with the Westone 4, but exceeds the $100 Shure E3C lineage of IEMs.
The detachable cable will be handy and I'm glad this uses the contemporary MCMX standard.
The copy on Amazon indicates these are Knowles drivers (i.e. use the Knowles patents). I wonder who manufactures these.
hiilari
70
Apr 23, 2018
doctorpangloss20 dB sounds like a HUGE boost in the last octave. But my Primo8's sure lack treble sparkle and extension compare dto UE900 or even the nice& affordable NuForce Massdrop EDC. That's why my initial impression ws a huge disappointment. But first impressione sometimes are - I hope some burn-in helps.
doctorpangloss
6
Apr 24, 2018
hiilariI’m pretty confident about the lack of treble, both based on the real measurements and listening. Maybe it’s improved on better amplified sources. I listen on the iPhone X’s lightning adapted connection with Spotify extreme codec.
Regarding comparisons to other headphones I’m most familiar with the Westone 4 and it’s a little less flat sounding. It also costs a lot more. A $30 pair of Sony amplified headphones sound better than both. It’s not a really fair comparison, if you want to use over ear headphones they will almost all sound better than the Primo8 or indeed any IEM.
Regarding comparisons to other headphones I’m most familiar with the Westone 4 and it’s a little less flat sounding. It also costs a lot more. A $30 pair of Sony amplified headphones sound better than both. It’s not a really fair comparison, if you want to use over ear headphones they will almost all sound better than the Primo8 or indeed any IEM.
HenKi
42
Jun 4, 2017
Got main today, paired with Samsung s7 edge. I'm far from being impressed, can't figure why they had 500$ price tag.
Malpensa
15
Jun 9, 2017
HenKiThis IEM sound gets better after burn in 50 hours. And will becomes great after 200 hours
YankeeRider
57
Apr 22, 2018
Does anyone have these and the EDC3’s? Not sure if these are worth getting in addition to them or if finding something higher up the food chain is better.
salander1800
66
Apr 26, 2018
If you want to do good classical music I would say get the isine. The openness of their sound really brings to life strings and brass
YankeeRider
57
Apr 26, 2018
salander1800I’m assuming no in ear will ever do that as well as open style like the isine
Scarce97
238
Apr 10, 2017
I have absolutely no idea why this product is so underrated, online reviews compare this product with the se846 and claim that this reminds them of the se846.
Absolute stunning reviews of this iem so far, with issues being cable and paint flaking off, which nuforce is fixing. People complaining that this doesn't sound that good is due to the improper fit that they are having and once fit has been sorted out, these iems are perfect.
http://www.head-fi.org/products/nuforce-primo-8/reviews/14782
"Sound Although this section will be a little tougher to describe I am going to go off the basis whatever I say about these earphones holds true generally overall because your milage will vary! From recordings,
ear tips to fit the sound becomes somewhat of an enigma. Swiftly moving on let's explorer that airy, detailed sound I started to tease you with in the start.
Treble
Screw saving the best till last, let’s start with one of the best features you get from this earphone from the get go! Right, now on a poor recording or on an overly bassy track things will get masked a bit, a smear will occur detracting from some of that drool inducing timber and neutrality.
Natural and organic are just two words I want to use so much with this earphone. When listening to “Sound of your voice” one of the soundtracks from “Courageous” (The Movie), strings and instruments just come across with such a timber and sparkle it’s almost unreal. But that is a choice of word I can’t use as the guitar strings just twinkle and mesmerize you with its own reality and truth.
Air! My word talk about room to breathe if you ever needed a light spacious display you need to hear these for yourself! Honestly yes it can cause its own issues but overall the soft touch and presentation combined with the immersive soundstage just adds to the depth, sparkle and neutrality these earphones offer.
I am in love with the treble of these earphones everything is so well presented there isn’t a slight hint of grain or too much warmth, or even a tinge of metallic texture just unadulterated brilliance. Smooth incredibly detailed treble is what this earphone brings to the table with just the right amount of weight to make everything sound oh so perfect.
Midrange
A few reviews have mentioned this section a lot and in all honesty I expected something so different when I heard these for myself now I will go on to describe my own experience with vocals and midrange in this section however there is a paragraph I read in another review which mirrors my own impressions so well there is almost no point in writing it myself so I am using it as a quote.
“The mid-range however seemed a bit veiled, hanging around in the back of the mix, like it was quite possibly shy and didn't want to join the party. After a few days of listening the mid-range decided to join the fray, and like a dance floor after the drop, the party erupted.” Quote from: http://www.audio360.org/iems_a0026_review_nuforce_primo_8.php
(Also please check out their review as it’s offers more detail than the review I am writing, only due to time constraints)
Now adding to this well-articulated analogy of the midrange I’d like to throw in some of my own impressions of how the midrange comes across after brain burn in and with the right track. Smooth, gorgeous, liquid and actually slightly forward. It’s almost too natural especially when listening to some acoustic recordings. What I mean by this is it’s almost like your sitting in the microphone as you hear the subtle details of the singer open their lips or strings as you breathe in this totally immersive sound. I love it, I wouldn’t say it’s been my favourite earphone for vocals but that is simply a preference thing as I prefer a more coloured syrupy type of sound. On the other hand I have discovered a whole new appreciation for vocals and the way they are reproduced which has lead me away from some of my typical conventions.
I am going to miss this earphone when it’s gone but man when I look for my next big choice of earphone the presentation of this earphone will be used a reference. I can’t get over the space and spatial cues and organic sound this earphone offers. Truly as cliché as this sounds because the term has been so excessively used I’m tentative to say it, but still tempted, this may be one of the truest and closest representations of vocal reproduction I have ever heard in an earphone.
Bass
Awkward, why? Because this area is so good and really one of the areas that stops me from making it my go to earphone and potentially settling with it for the rest of my life. The bass reproduction is accurate fast paced and actually not timid.
Mid bass is present on tracks when it’s called for and there is even a deep sub bass rumble that really adds to the overall flavour of the sound. Unfortunately, I always ask myself where the body to the sound is, it doesn’t sound hollow or empty because you know it’s there but it lacks that fullness and meaty texture you expect and get used to with so many earphones. I don’t know if it’s the bass that is causing this or just how the earphones were created to sound but this is literally one of its biggest pit falls.
The bass rarely bleeds into the midrange and remains extremely clean, clear and tactile. But there is something about the sound which reminds me of the echo heard in in a great hall. You hear and feel the bass and it’s of great quality but the soul of it fails to add to the sound like it’s missing the part of the music that makes it complete.
Sound stage and Imaging
Amazing what a new sound can do to your thinking. Absolutely love this hobby as you discover sound reproduction more and more just when you think you’ve sussed it all out. The soundstage is vast on these bad boys. If I could find an earphone that had the soundstage of these earphones added comfort more body and thicker vocals think I’d be sold for a good long while. (A cry out to anyone who has).
So with the Primo 8’s soundstage you get a hall like sound, spacious breathy, wide and fairly deep. Listening to well mastered tracks in DSD quality just add a whole new lease of life to the music. These earphones make the top 5 list of most competent earphones I’ve heard for soundstage perhaps not imaging but I’ll get to that.
I hope you’ve managed to get how spacious these things sound, with this also comes the spatial cues it throws out. Instruments decide to be played from wherever there positioned although I find sometimes because of its try hard attitude placement is slightly alluded. Most of the time everything is accurate but sometimes because these offer so much detail you end up feeling like too much is happening all, at once." -Dnun8086, head-fi
http://www.headfonia.com/nuforce-primo-8-boundless-mids/
"Primo 8’s got mids out the wazoo. But they’re anything but whack. They’re anything but schmaltzy. Primo 8’s mids anything are spacious, clear, forward, lovely. Wait, let me back up a bit- mids are so perfectly clear and spacious that, while defining the earphone’s sound, they basically disappear. So often, mid-forward earphones come away sounding hot, bothered, bloomy, blurred, thick, or strident.
Primo just melts in front of the music."
"Essentially, mids melt into all the right crannies and nooks. Their meltyness extends high, and wide, and relatively low. They never, ever, bump against bass, and they jive perfectly with highs. Vocal regions are the furthest forward, followed by percussion. It’s a lounge-style live sound, but you’re rocking out in the sweet spot, and the venue is set for three-hundred people."
"Speaking of, guitars are clean, open, smooth, balanced, and so on. They are neither what I would call meaty, nor are they aggressive, they are sweet, limber, and graceful. They do not grate. If you are a fan of folk, blue grass, Swedish fiddle music, say hello to Primo 8.
It’s not just guitars; everything in the midrange expands laterally, with a somewhat fat blip around vocals. Mean, fast bass buttresses it all up.
And again, Primo puts you in the centre, and wraps you in your favorite music in a way that is quite unique among universal earphones. The veil, my friends, has been torn."
"Getting into Primo 8 takes a little longer than getting into some other earphones. But the getting into is, in the longer run, more worth it. And while it may bear a passing resemblance to my favorite Shure SE846, its super-duper wide, airy midrange isn’t Shure’s forte. Outside of Primo 8, it may be no one’s thing."
-Nathan, headphonia
Absolute stunning reviews of this iem so far, with issues being cable and paint flaking off, which nuforce is fixing. People complaining that this doesn't sound that good is due to the improper fit that they are having and once fit has been sorted out, these iems are perfect.
http://www.head-fi.org/products/nuforce-primo-8/reviews/14782
"Sound Although this section will be a little tougher to describe I am going to go off the basis whatever I say about these earphones holds true generally overall because your milage will vary! From recordings,
ear tips to fit the sound becomes somewhat of an enigma. Swiftly moving on let's explorer that airy, detailed sound I started to tease you with in the start.
Treble
Screw saving the best till last, let’s start with one of the best features you get from this earphone from the get go! Right, now on a poor recording or on an overly bassy track things will get masked a bit, a smear will occur detracting from some of that drool inducing timber and neutrality.
Natural and organic are just two words I want to use so much with this earphone. When listening to “Sound of your voice” one of the soundtracks from “Courageous” (The Movie), strings and instruments just come across with such a timber and sparkle it’s almost unreal. But that is a choice of word I can’t use as the guitar strings just twinkle and mesmerize you with its own reality and truth.
Air! My word talk about room to breathe if you ever needed a light spacious display you need to hear these for yourself! Honestly yes it can cause its own issues but overall the soft touch and presentation combined with the immersive soundstage just adds to the depth, sparkle and neutrality these earphones offer.
I am in love with the treble of these earphones everything is so well presented there isn’t a slight hint of grain or too much warmth, or even a tinge of metallic texture just unadulterated brilliance. Smooth incredibly detailed treble is what this earphone brings to the table with just the right amount of weight to make everything sound oh so perfect.
Midrange
A few reviews have mentioned this section a lot and in all honesty I expected something so different when I heard these for myself now I will go on to describe my own experience with vocals and midrange in this section however there is a paragraph I read in another review which mirrors my own impressions so well there is almost no point in writing it myself so I am using it as a quote.
“The mid-range however seemed a bit veiled, hanging around in the back of the mix, like it was quite possibly shy and didn't want to join the party. After a few days of listening the mid-range decided to join the fray, and like a dance floor after the drop, the party erupted.” Quote from: http://www.audio360.org/iems_a0026_review_nuforce_primo_8.php
(Also please check out their review as it’s offers more detail than the review I am writing, only due to time constraints)
Now adding to this well-articulated analogy of the midrange I’d like to throw in some of my own impressions of how the midrange comes across after brain burn in and with the right track. Smooth, gorgeous, liquid and actually slightly forward. It’s almost too natural especially when listening to some acoustic recordings. What I mean by this is it’s almost like your sitting in the microphone as you hear the subtle details of the singer open their lips or strings as you breathe in this totally immersive sound. I love it, I wouldn’t say it’s been my favourite earphone for vocals but that is simply a preference thing as I prefer a more coloured syrupy type of sound. On the other hand I have discovered a whole new appreciation for vocals and the way they are reproduced which has lead me away from some of my typical conventions.
I am going to miss this earphone when it’s gone but man when I look for my next big choice of earphone the presentation of this earphone will be used a reference. I can’t get over the space and spatial cues and organic sound this earphone offers. Truly as cliché as this sounds because the term has been so excessively used I’m tentative to say it, but still tempted, this may be one of the truest and closest representations of vocal reproduction I have ever heard in an earphone.
Bass
Awkward, why? Because this area is so good and really one of the areas that stops me from making it my go to earphone and potentially settling with it for the rest of my life. The bass reproduction is accurate fast paced and actually not timid.
Mid bass is present on tracks when it’s called for and there is even a deep sub bass rumble that really adds to the overall flavour of the sound. Unfortunately, I always ask myself where the body to the sound is, it doesn’t sound hollow or empty because you know it’s there but it lacks that fullness and meaty texture you expect and get used to with so many earphones. I don’t know if it’s the bass that is causing this or just how the earphones were created to sound but this is literally one of its biggest pit falls.
The bass rarely bleeds into the midrange and remains extremely clean, clear and tactile. But there is something about the sound which reminds me of the echo heard in in a great hall. You hear and feel the bass and it’s of great quality but the soul of it fails to add to the sound like it’s missing the part of the music that makes it complete.
Sound stage and Imaging
Amazing what a new sound can do to your thinking. Absolutely love this hobby as you discover sound reproduction more and more just when you think you’ve sussed it all out. The soundstage is vast on these bad boys. If I could find an earphone that had the soundstage of these earphones added comfort more body and thicker vocals think I’d be sold for a good long while. (A cry out to anyone who has).
So with the Primo 8’s soundstage you get a hall like sound, spacious breathy, wide and fairly deep. Listening to well mastered tracks in DSD quality just add a whole new lease of life to the music. These earphones make the top 5 list of most competent earphones I’ve heard for soundstage perhaps not imaging but I’ll get to that.
I hope you’ve managed to get how spacious these things sound, with this also comes the spatial cues it throws out. Instruments decide to be played from wherever there positioned although I find sometimes because of its try hard attitude placement is slightly alluded. Most of the time everything is accurate but sometimes because these offer so much detail you end up feeling like too much is happening all, at once." -Dnun8086, head-fi
http://www.headfonia.com/nuforce-primo-8-boundless-mids/
"Primo 8’s got mids out the wazoo. But they’re anything but whack. They’re anything but schmaltzy. Primo 8’s mids anything are spacious, clear, forward, lovely. Wait, let me back up a bit- mids are so perfectly clear and spacious that, while defining the earphone’s sound, they basically disappear. So often, mid-forward earphones come away sounding hot, bothered, bloomy, blurred, thick, or strident.
Primo just melts in front of the music."
"Essentially, mids melt into all the right crannies and nooks. Their meltyness extends high, and wide, and relatively low. They never, ever, bump against bass, and they jive perfectly with highs. Vocal regions are the furthest forward, followed by percussion. It’s a lounge-style live sound, but you’re rocking out in the sweet spot, and the venue is set for three-hundred people."
"Speaking of, guitars are clean, open, smooth, balanced, and so on. They are neither what I would call meaty, nor are they aggressive, they are sweet, limber, and graceful. They do not grate. If you are a fan of folk, blue grass, Swedish fiddle music, say hello to Primo 8.
It’s not just guitars; everything in the midrange expands laterally, with a somewhat fat blip around vocals. Mean, fast bass buttresses it all up.
And again, Primo puts you in the centre, and wraps you in your favorite music in a way that is quite unique among universal earphones. The veil, my friends, has been torn."
"Getting into Primo 8 takes a little longer than getting into some other earphones. But the getting into is, in the longer run, more worth it. And while it may bear a passing resemblance to my favorite Shure SE846, its super-duper wide, airy midrange isn’t Shure’s forte. Outside of Primo 8, it may be no one’s thing."
-Nathan, headphonia
FOBean
125
Jan 31, 2018
Scarce97Thanks for the very detailed review! Much appreciated!
I still can't decide if I want these Primo 8's or the HEM 2/4?
I like the connectors that are on my Nuforce EDC IEM's with the 2-pin cable (that doesn't loose connection like the MMCX connector's do), so I'd ideally like to stick with the HEM Series in that regard! But it's hard to judge the Primo 8's and HEM Series, because most of the reviews state that they're absolutely amazing, while the rest say that they're junk. Which should I believe? I LOVE my EDC IEM's, so I'd like to stick with Nuforce for my first pair of BA Drivers, since I've been so impresssed with the EDC IEM's so far FWIW!
I mean a Nuforce product with quad BA Drivers in each IEM for $150 seems like a steal to me, but I'm nervous about the flakiness of the MMCX connector's! The HEM Series are more expensive, but have the 2-pin connector's that I already love!
So which would you buy on a budget? Primo 8's, or the HEM 2 or 4? Or should I keep saving for some Westone UM Pro 20's?
Oh and I rarely listen to regular music and bit depth quality of normal CDs, where the sound is so loud and compressed that it loses any dynamic range IMO. I listen to my HQ 24bit/96kHz FLACs show/concert recordings done with VERY HQ Recording gear (Schoeps mics and Cables and preamps, as well as high-end interconnects, and a brand new Sound Devices Mixpre6 recorder), so I want something that is well balanced throughout the entire spectrum (lows>mids>highs), and has a nice low-end Extension that is punchy and decays quickly! And silky smooth high-end with ZERO sibilance if possible!
Thanks in advance for ANY help that yinz can give me, so that I can finally decide which Nuforce BA Drivers I want to get soon!
BTW, my on the go playback system is as follows:
Sony Walkman NW-A35>Darktrain Custom Right Angle 1/8" cable>FiiO E11K HP Amp>Nuforce EDC IEM's/Monster iSport Victory earbuds>Comply Isolation+ AND Comfort+ tips for both pairs of IEM's!
I will ALWAYS be using the Sony Walkman NW-A35>FiiO E11K since my recordings actually have dynamic range, but aren't anywhere near as loud and aren't compressed to all hell like the regular music everyone else buys, so I ALWAYS need the HP Amp to get the extra power and volume out of the Sony and into my IEM's/earbuds!
I still can't decide if I want these Primo 8's or the HEM 2/4?
I like the connectors that are on my Nuforce EDC IEM's with the 2-pin cable (that doesn't loose connection like the MMCX connector's do), so I'd ideally like to stick with the HEM Series in that regard! But it's hard to judge the Primo 8's and HEM Series, because most of the reviews state that they're absolutely amazing, while the rest say that they're junk. Which should I believe? I LOVE my EDC IEM's, so I'd like to stick with Nuforce for my first pair of BA Drivers, since I've been so impresssed with the EDC IEM's so far FWIW!
I mean a Nuforce product with quad BA Drivers in each IEM for $150 seems like a steal to me, but I'm nervous about the flakiness of the MMCX connector's! The HEM Series are more expensive, but have the 2-pin connector's that I already love!
So which would you buy on a budget? Primo 8's, or the HEM 2 or 4? Or should I keep saving for some Westone UM Pro 20's?
Oh and I rarely listen to regular music and bit depth quality of normal CDs, where the sound is so loud and compressed that it loses any dynamic range IMO. I listen to my HQ 24bit/96kHz FLACs show/concert recordings done with VERY HQ Recording gear (Schoeps mics and Cables and preamps, as well as high-end interconnects, and a brand new Sound Devices Mixpre6 recorder), so I want something that is well balanced throughout the entire spectrum (lows>mids>highs), and has a nice low-end Extension that is punchy and decays quickly! And silky smooth high-end with ZERO sibilance if possible!
Thanks in advance for ANY help that yinz can give me, so that I can finally decide which Nuforce BA Drivers I want to get soon!
BTW, my on the go playback system is as follows:
Sony Walkman NW-A35>Darktrain Custom Right Angle 1/8" cable>FiiO E11K HP Amp>Nuforce EDC IEM's/Monster iSport Victory earbuds>Comply Isolation+ AND Comfort+ tips for both pairs of IEM's!
I will ALWAYS be using the Sony Walkman NW-A35>FiiO E11K since my recordings actually have dynamic range, but aren't anywhere near as loud and aren't compressed to all hell like the regular music everyone else buys, so I ALWAYS need the HP Amp to get the extra power and volume out of the Sony and into my IEM's/earbuds!
RareAirs
156
Oct 31, 2017
I know that quad drivers always have crazy marked up prices (like all iems really) but is this price a good deal for these? Would be interested in them for watching Netflix/movies On my iPad at work as well as some spotify music as well.
I dont want to spend more than this really so if anyone has any recommendations for a fun sounding iem from this price $160 or less let me know
thanks✌️
Soluina
3
Nov 25, 2017
I'm not sure about guitar center but Best Buy usually does not stock IEMs (occasionally they might have some of the more popular mainstream monitors). Trying out IEMs in person is IMO usually dependent on what stores are around your local area (if anyone knows widespread chain stores that stock a diverse range of quality IEMs and other audiophile gear, please let us know!).
malvinvnv
81
Nov 28, 2017
Hmm, do you have a Magnolia store near you? Heard their collection should be better than your average US stores. I'm sorry i can't help much. I'm based on SG and the audio landscape's really different. Actually pretty easy to get your hands on almost all IEMs here
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