Sound Impressions
I’m using the Hiby R6 Pro II set to 28 volume in Hi-Gain, AB mode to test the EM6Ls and the first thing that hits me is the telltale sense of diffuseness I associate with the Harman Target curve they’ve been tuned to – but more on that later.
Bass is definitely not an EM6L strong suit given it comes across as fairly mushy with poor texture, though I can tell a DD is being used to produce it simply due to how slow it is. Bass quantity is fairly neutral with a bias towards midbass rather than sub, and I’d prefer a bit more quantity for my taste.
The midrange is where adhering to the Harman Target is heard most, with a palpable lack of warmth that lends vocals a nasal quality I don’t particularly enjoy or find convincing. Strongly biased towards the upper rather than lower midrange, this may aid resolution as I can hear the intake of vocalists’ breaths more easily, yet there’s a real lack of weight & emotion here – the word I’m looking for is sterile.
I don’t detect anything objectionable about the EM6L’s high frequencies which are the least-offensive area of their presentation. Treble doesn’t feel especially high quality but is kept in check enough that most listeners shouldn’t find the EM6Ls fatiguing, but I’d prefer more upper-treble sparkle.
Harman Target Thoughts
I can’t review an IEM tuned to the Harman Target without a few more thoughts on the target itself.
In the case of the EM6Ls, the Harman tuning creates a sound that feels diffuse: Imagine the most precise, pinpoint imaging you’ve ever heard and then reverse it – that’s a bit like how the EM6Ls feel, with a sense of vagueness as if there’s a veil between yourself and the performance.
This does seem to artificially stretch the soundstage but results in a hollow tonality with very little note weight, that to my ears sounds lifeless and unconvincing. It’s almost like crossfeed has been added and there’s an odd sense of reverb, and it feels like I’m listening to a recording of a recording which severs my emotional connection with the performers.
Sadly many people think they enjoy this kind of sound – largely non-audiophiles with far less exposure to genuinely great sound than myself of course, but a market for Harman-tuned products persists for those who’ve never heard anything better.
Technical Performance
You might assume the tradeoff for the Harman Target’s unconvincing tonality might be superior technical performance, and to some extent you’re correct.
Certainly the EM6Ls are quite resolving for an IEM with a modest price tag, and their soundstage is commendably wide though sadly it has very little depth. Unfortunately imaging is very diffuse & vague as I hinted at earlier, and dynamics are disappointingly flat.
Page 1 – Introduction, Packaging & Ergonomics
Page 2 – Sound Impressions, Harman Target Thoughts & Technical Performance
Page 3 – IEM Comparisons
Page 4 – Cable Comparisons
Page 5 – Conclusion
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