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Battle of the Bass Gods: Comparison of the Empire Ears Legend EVO with Legend X and Odin
It's been a few days since I got the Legend EVO and it's been running for about 50 hours since then, so it's had its first burn-in.
Time to compare the EVO with the other two TOTL (top of the line) in-ears from Empire Ears: the Odin and of course the "sister model" Legend X.
Test sources
- Cayin N6II-Ti
- Cayin N8 + Cayin C9 (class A + transistor mode)
EVO vs. LX (Legend X)
- requires less power than LX
- much better detail and height extension than LX
- more shine in the high frequency range than LX
- Voices are more foregrounded, natural and sonorous than LX
- significantly more, faster and harder bass than LX!
- much better channelization and overlay than LX
EVO vs Odin
- roughly the same power requirements as Odin
- much, much more bass than Odin
- similar general sound signature to Odin
- Odin is still superior in detail and definition
- Odin is more balanced overall and better suited for long listening sessions
Conclusion after 50 hours of import time
The Legend EVO's sound is significantly clearer than that of the original Legend X. The highs and upper mids are broader, and the voices are more prominent and pronounced. In comparison, the Legend X doesn't exactly appear veiled, but significantly less open and airy than the EVO. EVO's sound signature is just a lot more open, "bigger" and bulkier!
I have the feeling that Odin and EVO are much more closely related in terms of sound signature than EVO and LX. In fact, I think the original Legend X and Legend EVO are very different overall. Aside from both having more bass than Odin, I don't see any real family ties between the LX and EVO.
If Empire Ears had named the EVO "Thor", son of Odin, I think that would have been more appropriate. Thor (EVO) has similar traits/genes to his father but is younger and wilder and sometimes over the top (BASS!), while Odin is wiser and more controlled and goes about his work with more finesse and sophistication.
Like Odin EVO also seems to get better over time. I burned in my demo unit for about 50 hours and the sound has improved significantly. Voices became more pronounced and natural. The highs, which initially seemed a little "tame", now seem well extended, offering just the right amount of detail and sharpness. I'm sure the EVO will only get better with time.
More blogs on the topic
It's evolution, baby: Empire Ears Legend Evo unboxing and first impressions – Audio Essence
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