Bloom's Take Rather than just trudging forward with the next new thing aimlessly, it seems that Noble Audio has been instead reflecting on previous IEMs for a path forward for a new flagship sound. Noble is consistent with this approach with their new flagship IEM Ronin which looks to be an heir to the famed Noble Katana. Out of the box, it’s immediately apparent that any photos aren’t doing Ronin justice as this IEM is absolutely gorgeous in your hands with a stunning TOTL finish. It’s a bit large with a moderately deep insertion, so take note. It comes with a specially designed cable from Eletech with four cores, (x2) silver-plated and (x2) gold-plated copper. Ronin is revealing with crazy detail and micro-dynamics, delivering vivid, musical realism that puts you in the room next to the instruments. The emphasis is clearly on delivering a bright, reference sound rather than analytical, and it delivers emotion through immersive imaging and instinctual highs. The bass is more accurate than rumbling, the mids are clean and transparent, and the treble provides a great sense of air and is delivered with speed and technical mastery. Ronin is not for the faint of heart, and while it gives you speed, lifelike imaging and resolution, the sound signature is anything but typical. |
The Noble Ronin is a fully CNC machined, handcrafted resin matrix IEM. Noble's proprietary blue glitter resin matrix complements Eletech's custom-designed 7-wire shielded copper-silver matrix cable specifically designed for the Ronin.
The Wizard-tuned Ronin has a vibrant and precise feel, inheriting a high frequency response from its predecessor, the Katana, and features deep, rich bass response.
According to The Wizard, "The concept is to compete against the Kublai Khan with different technologies. For example, the Khan has a dynamic driver for bass, the Ronin has balanced armatures for bass. The Khan uses a piezo for highs, and the Ronin has electrostatics."