Comparisons and conclusion
At $700, give or take, LOAK is a value-oriented flagship by any measure. It makes sense to compare it to other similar IEMs in its price range, and the only one I have on hand is Sennheiser’s IE 600.
Priced almost identically, Sennheiser’s midrange offering – the IE 900 being the flagship of the new Sennheiser range – IE 600 sports a smaller 7mm single dynamic driver, but uses more sophisticated resonators and back volumes to shape the sound. It’s also much smaller and more ergonomic than LOAK, and comes standard with an excellent 4.4mm cable in the box.
That said, IE 600 is arguably less exciting, less resolving and nowhere near as engaging as any of the LOAK variants I tested. It has a safe, sedate tuning, and occasionally pushes its mid-treble peak too far north for my liking. Bass is excellent, better than what I hear with the LOAK-T Cocobolo, but not on the same level as LOAK-TO and nowhere near as powerfully satisfying as LOAK-TC. IE 600’s midrange is also not as forward, its treble too much so, at least compared to my favourite LOAKs.
I did occasionally compare the LOAKs to other IEMs in the review lab, including class-leading multi-driver hybrids like Sony’s Z1R and FiR’s Xe6, but there’s no real point elaborating too much on these comparisons here, them being more apples to LOAK’s oranges. Any advantages gained by those IEMs need to be taken in context with their significantly higher pricetags; in fact, you can buy five different LOAKs for the same price as one Xe6 and still come home with change.
Which brings me to the first point I want to make in closing this review: LOAK is not just one IEM, in the sense that it’s a family of IEMs that share similar traits, but that are ultimately very different. I consider the three LOAKs I have on review three individual IEMs, each with their own traits, that are more complementary than competitive, and give me three flavours to choose from without deviating too far from a house sound that Musashi and his 634ears project is rapidly perfecting.
Describing who LOAK is for invariably begs the question: which LOAK? Do you favour balance over boldness? If so, LOAK-TO is worth a listen. Don’t like your bass too bombastic but definitely like your midrange clear as a bell? Cocobolo over copper for you. Want more fun, with big bass drops for your club music? LOAK-TC and a generous turn of the volume dial should do it.
And all this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are dozens of other wood variants, two different metals, and who knows how many open variants of LOAK to choose from. Add to that your own personalised tuning options, and you’ll understand why putting my finger on what these IEMs are all about is easier said than done.
What I do know is that, in creating a platform for his sonic expressions, LOAK represents the pinnacle of what Musashi has achieved to date. Looking ahead, he is actively working on creating ‘the next best thing’, an IEM that will use the LOAK blueprint but improve and advance on all of its qualities. That project is going to take time to evolve, and in the meanwhile, you can take your pick from some of the best single dynamic driver IEMs I’ve personally had the pleasure of hearing.
One Response
Brilliant review, Guy. A very beautiful and detailed insight to the LOAK family of 634EARS, and frankly it has made me wonder should I go for an Open model next, as I refrained from getting one in fear of having the bass losing its physicality and outside noise interference.