Brannan Mason, the ultra-buff co-owner of Noble Audio, introduced a brand-spanking-new line of universal-fit in-ear monitors at CanJam last week, all featuring the new anodized shells first-seen with the flagship 10-driver Kaiser that was re-launched back at RMAF.
My mistake was thinking that these were simply a new coiffure, but no — these are all all-new. Or rather, newly re-worked and in many cases, re-voiced.
And with those bright, sparkly shells, Noble is gonna be instantly recognizable. Boom!
Starting at the bottom, the Trident ($399) is a 3-driver IEM with a “pop” sound (a “vee” shape, with a bit more bass and treble presence). Savanna ($499) is a 4-driver model, voiced a bit more linearly — supposedly very “acoustic” sounding. Dulce Bass ($699) is a 5-driver model and the bassiest of the bunch. Django ($999) is a 6-driver model, and “is suitably equipped to unchain any genre of music you will encounter.”
The model I am keying off of recently is the Savant ($599), a two-driver model that is their “most subjectively balanced in-ear monitor.” Think: Ultimate Ears Reference Monitor, if that makes sense.
As with the Kaiser model, the Savant is available in universal-fit or custom-fit, with a “standard” shell or a custom “Prestige” upgrade. That latter is where things get pretty wacky — and where Noble goes from “in-ear monitor maker” to “pure mobile artist”. Prestige models can be made with just about any aesthetic in mind, and perusing their Facebook feed will give you some of the most astonishing visual creations I’ve ever seen in this hobby to date.
My pair of Savant Prestige were ready for pickup — and you can see them below. They’re a blend of “cosmic” and “earthly”, with a stars-in-wood motif. And no, I had nothing to do with it — I let go and let Wizard do the aesthetics for me, just to see what would happen. The results were … impressive. Most impressive.
For those of you with more anal-retentive tendencies, an astonishing number of options and starting points are available — contact Noble if you want someone to help walk you through the details. Prices for the Prestige upgrade vary, but expect an additional $1,000 to start. If that shocks you, feel free to opt for the sonically identical “standard” models, but I will offer that the Prestige is unique and stunning.
