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Battle of the Bass Gods: Comparison of the Empire Ears Legend EVO with Legend X and Odin
A few days have passed since I got the Legend EVO and since then it has been running for about 50 hours, so it has undergone an initial "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 treble extension than LX
- more sparkle in the treble than LX
- voices more forward, natural and sonorous than LX
- significantly more, faster and harder hitting bass than LX!
- much better channel separation and layering than LX
EVO vs. Odin
- about the same power requirements as Odin
- much much more bass than Odin
- similar overall sound signature
- Odin is still superior in detail and definition
- Odin is overall more balanced and better suited for long listening sessions
Conclusion after 50 hours of break-in time
The sound of the Legend EVO is much clearer than that of the original Legend X. The highs and upper mids are wider, the voices more prominent and pronounced. In comparison, the Legend X doesn't look exactly veiled, but much less open and airy than the EVO. EVO's sound signature is simply much more open, "bigger" and more powerful!
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 the Legend EVO are very different overall. Aside from the fact that both have more bass than Odin, I don't see any real kinship between the LX and EVO.
If Empire Ears had called the EVO "Thor", son of Odin, that would have been more appropriate in my opinion. 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 to work with more finesse and sophistication.
Like Odin EVO also seems to get better over time. I burned my demo device in for about 50 hours and the sound improved significantly. Voices became more pronounced and natural. The highs, which initially seemed a bit "tame", now seem to be well expanded and offer just the right amount of detail and sharpness. I'm sure the EVO will get even better over time.
More blogs on the topic
It's evolution, baby: Empire Ears Legend Evo unboxing and first impressions - Audio Essence
Photo - Wednesday Part 1: Empire Ears Legend X SE 2021 - Audio Essence