Lime Ears Terra Review
Intro
Hello, this review and feature covers the Lime Ears Terra ($1,199) from Lime Ears. I want to say thank you to Lime Ears as well as the Audio Geeks USA Tour for providing the Terra for review here at Mobileaudiophile.com. I’ve had the Terra for right around two weeks, and I’ve spent every day delving into its sound. Truly a fine set that should not be overlooked for anyone seeking out that flagship level earphone. The Terra is actually a six-driver hybrid iem consisting of one DD and five BA’s. These aren’t just “any” drivers either. Please trust me, the Terra houses only the finest materials and drivers and the proof is in the sound and the craftsmanship. This review ought to be very fun.
Lime Ears
From what I’ve gathered perusing the Lime Ears website it seems as though they got their start way back in Poland in 2012! This caught me at least slightly off guard. I had no way of knowing that they are that old, or that they’ve been in the business that long! Wow. Not many brands have the know-how, wherewithal, resources, and the ability to adapt to stick around that long. Without question this fact alone is a testament to Lime Ears. Now, I should add that the Terra is the first and only Lime Ears iem that my ears have ever heard. Yes, I’ve read about many of them, and I’ve seen others share about them, yet I’ve never heard any others. Now, as I was peruwingthrough Lime Ear’s website and read everything. Front to back. In all honesty, it’s a very well-run website, stylish, and the commentary is very witty, it’s funny, and simply well written. You can tell that this brand truly cares about how they are perceived and the quality of their products. What I came away with is this; Lime Ears is not a job to these people. This isn’t work. It seems more so that it’s a labor of love. There’s passion there folks! Instantly they found a fan in me because I love to listen to and feature products which are crafted and created from a place of enthusiasm. So many brands whip up new products chasing the wrong thing folks. When you witness anyone doing anything from a place of love, joy, and passion, it’ll show up in their work. I’m impressed.
Let’s get into it…
Now that I’ve said all of that, I really don’t have a ton more to say simply because I just don’t have the history to say it. The Terra is the only Lime Ears set that I’ve tested and I gotta say; so far, they are doing very well in my eyes. Also, I’d love to hear the rest of their lineup. At any rate, this review is all joy for me, my listening sessions were a joy, learning about the brand has been a joy, and writing about it all has been a joy. With that said, I’m ready to get into its folks. So, without further ado… the Lime Ears Terra…
*Note: One quick note before I dive in; I did not receive the whole package for the Lime Ears Terra. I only received the carrying case, the cable, and the earphones. So, I cannot complete a full review. However, I will speak on what I do have with me. I’m sure some other reviewers can speak on the entire package.
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Terra Pros
-Utterly fantastic build quality
-Comfort is great. A set made for long sessions
-Opal faceplates are unheard of. The design is simply stunning at every angle!
-Very nice looking (great sounding) Effect Audio cable and leather case
-Great coherency across the mix blending drivers very well
-Excellent all-rounder type set
-Tight, well contoured, clean, full-bodied and very punchy bass
-Great timbre across the spectrum
-Midrange is smooth, lush, very engaging, tight transients, nice for vocalists. Actually, the midrange is simply fantastic!
-Textured, detailed, and very well extended treble region
-Nicely detailed for a musical iem
-Soundstage is flat-out holographic
-Great imaging capabilities
-What can I say, the Lime Ears Terra itself is a “Pro”
Terra Cons
-Large shells may be trouble for smaller ears
-Longer nozzles may also be a slight issue (not for me)
-The low-end can slightly mask some frequencies (is this a con?)
Gear used for testing
–IBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2
-Above is a small list of the devices used as I used many for testing
Accessories
*Note: Just reminding you that I did not receive the entire package with the Terra. I only received the carrying case, the cable, and the earphones themselves. So, I obviously cannot speak on what I don’t have in my hands. Well, I won’t speak on something that I haven’t experienced, touched, and had in my possession.
Carrying Case
The carrying case is a nice addition. Of course, for $1,199 we should all expect a halfway decent carrying case. The case itself is a very nice-looking lime green, fully leather hockey puck shaped case with a lid which is held on by friction alone. Really a very nice addition. In the center of the case is a gold-colored Lime Ears logo and I love the stitching which borders the case lid. You’ll also notice nice stitching which runs along the perimeter of the sides of the case. I found the carrying case to be just large enough to fit the cable, the Terra earphones, as well as some extra tips. Maybe if you are good, you’ll be able to. Squeeze in a very small dongle dac too. However, it isn’t the largest carrying case on planet earth. Not bad though. It’ll. Keep your precious Terra earphones from getting damaged, and that’s all that really matters.
Cable
The cable is a huge bright spot in my eyes, for a few different reasons. I found it very cool that the cable provided is actually an Effect Audio cable. I suppose that Lime Ears partners with Effect Audio frequently. I’ve always been a fan of Effect Audio and have a few of their cables myself. It’s all about quality. The included cable is a very nice-looking wire with a beautiful aesthetic. I love how the copper color of the cable contrasts so well with the Terra. Just a great aesthetic choice by Lime Ears. To be exact, the included Effect Audio cable is a 2-pin (flush mount), 26awg, at 1.2 M in length and it’s made of EC-OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) pure copper and is covered in Effect Audio’s Ultra-Flexi insulation. One thing I think is nice about this cable in particular is that it is at least somewhat pliable. I like an easy-to-handle cable and I don’t like cables that spring apart after you roll them up for storage. That is a big no-no. I hear no microphonic as well. I feel the included cable is a very nice inclusion. I love that I didn’t have to cable swap as the included cable looks great and sounds great too. Apparently, Lime Ears thinks about everything.
Build / Design / Internals / Fit
Build Quality
Looking at the build of the Lime Ears Terra you’ll notice one thing the second you lay eyes on it and put them into your hands. That is… this set is built very-very well. For the shell pieces, Lime Ears used aviation-grade aluminum, while five-axis CNC machining to hone out the perfectly sculpted housings and acoustic cavities. That means every perfectly engineered sound path. Only a CNC machine or a 3D printer could intricately perform this step. Next, each housing is hand-polished. In fact, all surfaces are hand polished to a beautiful matte finish. Do yourself a favor, read THIS. It’ll shed a bit more light on Lime Ear’s process. Anyways, for the other half of the Terra (faceplates) Lime Ears chose one of the coolest materials I’ve seen in an iem. They used a synthetic opal as the centerpiece of this set. I’ll talk a bit more about this in the next section but, just, wow. So, they covered that beautiful opal with a clear resin and adhered the aluminum border around it. Honestly, the build is so substantially awesome that I feel we should all give them a big thumbs up. So, the nozzles are actually fairly long, and they do run deeper into the ear which is something to consider. Also, the nozzles are a hair wider as well. I should note that I did have to use much smaller eartips with the Terra due to the length. I’m assuming you will as well. Unless you have alien ears and then all bets are off. I realize that doesn’t help you a whole lot, but it is something to think about. At any rate, the build is beautiful…as expected.
Design
As I’ve said, the design is simply a stunner folks. Lime Ears really went all out in crafting a beautifully sculpted & beautifully designed iem. I don’t know what else to say. The faceplate area is made of polymer impregnated synthetic opal for crying out loud! Who does that?! Well, I suppose Lime Ears does… lol. At any rate, the matte silver finish of the aluminum adds a very eye pleasing contrast to the beautiful multi-colored EXPERIENCE that is the mesmeric opal centerpiece of the Terra. One thing I can assure you is that my pictures don’t even begin to do the Terra any justice whatsoever. I really mean that. Trust me friends, I really tried to get the best shots that I could and always ended up not feeling great about them. However, the centerpiece is one of, if not thee most gorgeous faceplates I’ve ever seen in this hobby. I understand that not everyone wants some kaleidoscope of color on their faceplates, and it won’t be for everyone. But man, I couldn’t imagine everyone (whether you like them or not) agreeing that the Terra is a very well-done piece of art. Every light changing angle captures different shades and different hues, psychedelic, pearlescent, & prismatic. Like momentary snapshots of intricate & impossibly complex iridescent sparkling flickers of color. Then, in the center of this centerpiece, Lime Ears perfectly places their logo. As classy and as remarkable as a design gets friends. Whoever are the artistic minds that envisioned the layout and overall aesthetic of the Terra, they need to be applauded. Fantastic work!
Internals
Now we get to the heart of the Lime Ears Terra. That is, the Internals, the guts, where hours of R&D, hours of behind the scenes work, and countless new ideas sparked the creative ingenuity to bring the Terra to life, all hidden inside of the beautiful shells. Once again, Lime Ears decided upon a six-driver hybrid setup split up very well with a four-way passive crossover, as well as some very impressive internal tech. I really am impressed by this brand and how they went about deciding every angle to the Terra’s sound. Six drivers; one dynamic driver and five balanced armature drivers. Let’s check out how Lime Ears decided to implement those drivers, in a very-very condensed manner…
Sublevel Driver
To be exact, Lime Ears chose to go with a 7mm Titanium coated dynamic driver which will cover only the sub-bass region. Yes, it is not the largest DD we’ve ever seen, but man it is a good one. Capable of producing some nicely extended and clean rumble with a fast transient response. Its name is “TiTe”, which stands for Titanium Total Energy. This whole module is actually a non-vented setup within an enclosure providing deep palpable bass. This driver has a very rigid titanium diaphragm and a very soft suspension making it very agile, quick, and punchy, but also deep pitched and full-bodied. Pretty cool to see that in a 7mm DD. Size isn’t everything when you have geniuses doing the sound engineering.
Mid-Bass to Midrange Drivers
Next, they decided upon a pair of vented Knowles balanced armature drivers taking on the mid-bass to the midrange. I love that Lime Ears chose this route. They decided to use a balanced armature for the mid-bass rather than a DD which helps the sound to come across more textured, more clean-lined and better defined. Not that a DD can’t do this, but the speed and agility of a balanced armature paired with the robust depth of a 7mm titanium DD is exactly what Lime Ears did, and the end result is quite awesome. This pair of BA’s also covers parts of the midrange along with another pair of specialized Knowles balanced armature drivers to cover the rest of the midrange. Really a great route to take with this set. I think other brands should take note because the configuration really does work well.
Treble Region Drivers
For the highs on the Terra Lime Ears decided not to use electrostatic drivers, such as we see so often. Lime Ears went a different route with this one. You can read about that HERE in one of their “The Story Beyond” tabs. At any rate, the treble region is covered by what Lime Ears refers to as their “H.E.R.O” Super Tweeter (High Efficiency & Resolution Output). That is a Knowles RAU driver which Lime Ears boldly chose to put directly in the nozzle. Then they did something totally unique and instead of using a simple everyday sound tube or a narrow tube at the nozzle, they instead used a slot which is encapsulated in what Lime Ears calls their “Varibore Design”. Yes, you read that right, a slot. This slot is said to project the higher frequencies more evenly, less disjointed, more uncolored as well as less chance for those screeching highs to kill your ear drums. This design presented many challenges and I’m assuming is the reason why the nozzles are as long as they are. However, they also needed room for the other frequency channels as well to squeeze by unhindered, all the while remaining ergonomically friendly. Did I say these people are geniuses yet? Anyways, truly a hard engineering task that Lime Ears experienced people made work perfectly as intended.
Fit / Comfort
Obviously, Lime Ears was presented with a challenge trying to keep an ergonomic shape for human ears. Especially considering the driver layout. Again, the nozzles are a bit longer than usual and this should be considered by anyone willing to take a chance on the Terra. Like I said earlier, I actually had to use smaller eartips than usual to get that good fit with longer nozzles. That said, once I got the Terra secured in my ears, I was very happy with the fitment. Would I call the Terra the most comfortable set of earphones? Definitely not. However, I would say that they are comfortable enough that I can have some seriously long listening sessions without any issues whatsoever. Now, will the Terra fit your ears? This I don’t know.
Drivability
Output Power
Looking through Lime Ears promotional material, I have no idea what the impedance is for the Lime Ears Terra, and I don’t have a clue what the sensitivity is either. Though I can tell you that the Terra doesn’t “need” gobs of power to sound very pleasing to the ear. I used this set with every source I have at my disposal and what I found was that the Terra performs admirably with even weaker sources. That said, give the Terra some good clean power and you won’t regret it. I used everything from old 3.5 se Android phones, cheap 3.5 se dongle dacs (35mw @32ohms), along with many weaker sources and what I found was that the terra still had solid dynamics with a very clean and smooth sound. Still, if you can, give the Terra some juice. I’m sure anyone willing to shell out $1,199 for this set will likely have a solid source as well. I can’t imagine you’d spend that much and not have something quality to play them through. I felt that medium to high gain with the Shanling M6 Ultra, the iBasso DX240 and the Fiio Q15 was way more than enough output to make the Terra shine. Even my less powerful dongle dacs and Bluetooth dac/amps (Shanling UA6, EPZ TP50, Shanling UP6 etc.) provided plenty of output for the Terra. So, they aren’t the most demanding in that sense, but they definitely scale with some power and better devices in general.
Source Pairing
As far as source pairing with the Lime Ears Terra; I don’t feel that you are going to have many issues finding suitable sources. You see, to me, the Terra was tuned right in the tonal sweet spot. That’s what I call it anyways. I feel that warm/neutral, or, neutral with shades of warmth, slightly warm (whatever you want to call it) usually pairs well with the most source devices. In my opinion. These are all my opinions. I am not you and you may feel completely differently, so just keep that in mind. Anyways, to my ears the Lime Ears Terra just syncs up so very well with any source that I attach it to. It is pretty diverse in that sense. However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t have my favorite sources amongst my collection. In fact, my favorites are pretty diverse tonally too. The warm/neutral Shanling M6 Ultra, the neutral iBasso DX240, the neutral Hiby R3 Pro II, warm/neutral Fiio Q15, warm/neutral Shanling M1 Plus, Shanling H0, Fiio JM21, Shanling UA6, I can keep going and going and going. All different tonal characters for each, and each one I find the Terra is begging me to keep listening. It just sounds… good. The wonderful thing is that the Terra has no real peaks & no sluggish lows, it doesn’t have any spikes which can be exaggerated, and no warmth from any source can muddy the Terra. Not to the point that I’d caution you. Friends, Lime Ears made a very versatile iem.
Sound Impressions
*Note: before I jump into the sound portion of this review and feature, I’d like to preface everything with a few small possibly important facts. First off, I did not burn in this set. I didn’t have to. It’s a tour unit and so I had no reason to. So I have zero of an idea whether the Terra needs any burn-in. Next, I used medium sized KBear 07 tips with the Terra. I found out of all the tips in my possession, that the KBear 07’s not only sounded the best, but they’re also the most comfortable for me. I also listen almost exclusively to flac or better files which are stored on my devices. The Android music players of my choice are UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro) as well as the Hiby Music Player at times. Let’s get into it.
What’s it sound like?
To my ears the Lime Ears Terra has a very musical and fun presentation with also a very clean and precise presentation as well. The Terra is also a well-balanced iem with proportionate dynamics from all three regions, that is; the bass, the mids, and the treble. I don’t really feel that any one area of the mix takes center stage. Yet I’d also say that no area is left out as well. The Terra has a nicely measured approach to its sound. That “measured approach” never seems to quell the Terra’s unique ability to present every track with a certain controlled dynamism. To my ears the Terra is fairly energetic, vivacious even, and its sound presents a very prominent feel to every track that I listen to. But it doesn’t sound overtly harsh or discordant in any way to my ears. Controlled dynamism seems to be the best way to define it. Nicely elevated bass presence, very punchy, very deeply extended. The Terra has a melodic and prominent midrange which is great for vocal lovers. It also comes with a semi-brilliant yet technically on-point treble region. Nice crispness, some nice treble bite as well. It has a very clean sound throughout, along with a multi-layered approach to the sound field which is very enthralling to hear. So, there’s a lot to like about this set. To my ears the Terra really does walk that fine line tonally, coming across somewhere around 50% musical and 50% analytical with a very nice balance of both disciplines. It’s certainly not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but the Terra really does represent a wonderful option at $1k. Also, there’s no doubt that the Terra can be considered an excellent “All-rounder” option within its price point as well.
Wholly immersive…
As far as its tone and timbre, I feel the Terra definitely sounds closer to organic with only minimal deviations from that. The Terra comes with what I’d call a warm/neutral tonal color. Perhaps a touch warmer than it is neutral. In my opinion I’d probably call it a U-shaped sound signature, or possibly a slight V-shaped signature, but I wouldn’t argue either. The point is that the Terra certainly has a lifted bass region as well as a nicely emphasized treble. However, the midrange is very well pronounced making the “V-shaped” moniker a little bit more difficult to label the Terra with. Regardless, this is an iem which truly takes on any genre in an effortless way. Again, the timbre hovers right around what I’d call natural with hints of coloration down low and up top to keep the sound engaging. Overall, the Terra is a wholly immersive sounding set with a very pleasing rhythmic quality to its sound. Like I said earlier, I’d call the Terra 50% musical and 50% analytical, but I never feel as though the Terra misses any of that musical charm. Just a wonderfully fluid performer with expressive macro-dynamics, well rendered micro-dynamics, and a multi-dimensioned sound field. Add to that the nice mix of smooth fundamental notes and crisp inflections and what you get is a very easy iem to listen to as well as a great iem to focus on details with as well. Like I said, it’s a great all-rounder which can handle just about any genre you throw at it.
Bass Region
The low-end of the Lime Ears Terra is quite surprising folks. I suppose I shouldn’t have been but seeing that they went with a 7mm DD gave me some pause. Well, I can surely tell you right now that any “pause” was completely unnecessary because the Terra can really drum up some low pitched and deeply felt rumbles. I am definitely sold on non-vented dynamic drivers when implemented well. No doubt Lime Ears knows exactly what they are doing. At any rate, the Terra’s low-end has a very visceral and textured slam showing off very tactile and palpable bass lines. Whether it be drums, bass guitar, double bass, synth, etc. the Terra seems to handle it all in a very substantial, yet also a very compacted style. Of course, it all depends on what track you are listening to at any given time, but the Terra seems to consistently have a tighter or more taut delivery. I’m sure much of that is from the BA handling the mid-bass as each note sounds very well structured, with very nice note definition and clarity.
Bass cont…
Having said that, I don’t feel the Terra is emphasized to the moon or anything. The emphasis tuned into the lows is very reasonable. In truth, I hear a natural emphasis. I’d say just above moderate if I were to label it with a more accurate portrayal of this region. I don’t consider the bass region to be overly colored, and the bass does mind its own business as it offers only hints of warmth across the range. There isn’t anything even remotely muddy, or one-noted. You won’t hear any bass smear either as the Terra has a wonderful way of displaying low-end notes with a certain distinctness. Beyond that, the bass is fairly up-tempo, nimble, and quick. This is not a slow bass. It’s very agile, dexterous, and it has a wonderful ability to take on even more complicated bass tracks with relative ease. However, what I’ve come to enjoy is the lean density that the Terra’s low-end seems to operate with (lean is probably the wrong word). It’s almost like fast twitch muscle fibers. Hard, dense, rigid, hard edged, coupled with slightly tighter transients and very nice dynamism. The bass has a nice dark vibrance to it. Prominent without sounding too prominent and rarely do I hear obvious masking occurring. I mean, you really can’t get around that most of the time, but the Terra doesn’t seem to oversaturate the mix… ever. Always a tasteful portrayal of my music, but it’s also pretty fun too. Not bad at all folks.
Sub-Bass
One of the bigger surprises for me was the level of sub-bass robustness that the Terra has when called upon. I’ve already said this a couple times but the 7mm dynamic driver truly pushes some serious weight. However, the fact that the sublevels of the bass are never intrusive, and they never seem to mudd up the mid-bass, they never seem to sound uncontrolled either. Granted, not every track is recorded the same. But generally, the sublevels are very kempt whilst also sounding very firm in attack through sustain. No doubt the Terra can run deep, and it tends to do so in a very clean manner. The surprise more so comes from the fact that I can feel the haptic vibratory goodness of sub-bass tracks. The tight reverb of a bass guitar, the juddering feel of a strong bassline. Tracks like “The Hardest Part” by Washed Out have a bass that I can really feel well with the Terra. One example out of many. I use this track for reviews because the bass starts right away, no waiting, great for reviews. Anyways, the Terra sounds both bulbous and guttural as well as visceral in its low drone as the bassline ushers in the first verse. The bass sounds nicely compacted with no hanging fat, no trailing fuzz, nothing sloppy. It’s just nice. However, it isn’t over the top. Bassheads won’t drool… but they may give a lil nod of respect.
Mid-Bass
The mid-bass is covered by a Knowles balanced armature driver, which kind of threw me for a loop at first, but the more I thought about it the more it made total sense. You won’t have the congested fullness and lag of a dynamic driver, but you can use a good bass BA to provide the slam, the texture, and the weight without the smearing. Honestly, the driver that the Terra uses sounds great. The mid-bass is a nicely controlled and physical bass. Working in tandem with the 7mm sublevel DD helps this low-end to have that “lean density” I was talking about. You get the speed, the surface tactility, and the focused definition of a BA and the result is really nice to the ear. Also, the timbre is quite nice too. Of course, transients move a hair quicker, more precisely, less atmospheric I’d say, but they also provide some warmth too, some organic tone down low. So, I wouldn’t say the low-end is perfectly natural, but the emphasis is close to my ears. Again, nothing is overdone or overcooked down low. Lime Ears didn’t add too much weight and warmth into the midrange which does spike clarity a bit. However, I still find bass guitars to have adequate fullness, enough guttural meat to them. Also, kick drums carry the heavy boom, the tacky snap on attack, the cavernous feel of the hollow boom. “Glass House” by Kaleo is one such track which features big successive kick drums right away (another good review track) and the Terra doesn’t disappoint at all. It’s big sounding, full sounding, but tight, with solid rigidity of its notes. Nothing pillowy, nothing soft, everything dense and compact. I’m okay with that.
Downsides to the Bass Region
I suppose anyone who truly loves that atmospheric sound of a good dynamic driver low-end with a drawn-out decay, or even any bassheads amongst us, they may not be totally enamored with the Terra’s low-end. Also, at the cost of $1,199 most people know what they want, know what they’re looking for, and are very particular about even the smallest of things. Hence why I’m going over it. The Terra does have a slightly quicker decay at times and that may throw some people off. I happen to adore it because I love how Lime Ears went about creating this tuning style but of course… I’m not you. Also, there will be plenty of folks who feel that the DD/BA arrangement is not the best for a truly physical bass. I can already hear it now. However, for the “TARGET” that Lime Ears was going for… folks, they freaking nailed it. Next, anyone who only desires a bass emphasis which is basically neutral, barely any weight afforded to the bass will probably not be totally in love with the sound of the Terra down low. There is a huge population of folks who really do not like any bass intrusion into any part of the frequency, at all. Other than those “types” of listeners, I cannot come up with one technical aspect of the bass region which I could honestly call a “con”. It’s simply a well-done bass.
Midrange
The midrange on the Lime Ears Terra is very talented for a number of reasons. While the Terra isn’t what I’d ever call a “mid-centric” set, and I wouldn’t say it specializes in vocal tracks, or prioritizes midrange instruments. However, I definitely feel that much of the Terra’s tuning is there to prop up this region. To me the brunt of all music revolves around the midrange and for a set to be good, the mids have to at least be respectable. With the Terra, the mids are far better than respectable. I hear very nice timbre, natural in its tone, perhaps a hair more energetic in the upper mids, but also extremely clean. The midrange also has some decent air and openness leading to very solid note separation, very nice detail retrieval, and on-point imaging capabilities. Technically the Terra really impresses. However, what impresses the most is how musically gifted this set is whilst also being so technically adept. Let’s check out the midrange…
Midrange Cont…
This is a region which does see a hair of low-mid recession, yet that recession is met with solid clarity and definition, almost offsetting any slight recession. Now, the mids come through with very little coloration happening from the lows. As I said earlier, the low-end only mists the midrange with some warmth and weight. In truth, the midrange is almost untouched as the sound comes across more neutral than anything to my ears. What the Terra is to me is a very smooth and very tuneful set which doesn’t take on the usual “musical” sound. At least not “musical” in a traditional sense. I’m used to using words like; warm, full-bodied, rich, and lush to describe a typical musical sounding set. However, here I am, and I don’t hear anything super lush, very warm, or ultra rich. What I hear is more like lean-lush in presentation, close to clinical, yet totally melodic. Again, I understand that these words usually aren’t used in the same sentences. To add to that, I hear very nice note density in a tidy and contoured note body. I also hear excellent presence in the midrange, which makes up for not being the most full-bodied type of midrange tuning. In my opinion. Clarity is absolutely awesome on this set folks. I mean, crystal clear notes from the low-mids through to the treble region. The Terra also has fantastic detail retrieval which (I feel) comes as a byproduct of great drivers and a smart tuning. Macro-dynamics are in abundance with just the right amount of sprightly energy and very nice neutral timbre for a set that I call 50% analytical. The kicker is that the Terra is mostly a smooth character in this range. This is a smooth midrange folks. Yes, there’s some very nice crispness, wonderful note contours, and some nice snap when needed, but for the most part the midrange is smoother to the ear. Really a great set for casually enjoying a great vocal track, and in the same sentence a great set to seek out even fine details in your music.
Engaging
One quality that I adore from this set is its ability to create a realistic sound field with some of the more precise imaging that I’ve heard in quite some time. On top of that, the sound field has very good layering abilities presenting a multi-layered experience. It simply has very nice dimensionality to its sound and great depth. No doubt the midrange is almost “brought to life” because of that. Also, one thing I can tell you is that there is nothing dull and nothing boring coming out of this midrange. In the same breath I can tell you that there isn’t anything harsh, discordant, strident, sibilant, or anything too sharp either. Lime Ears created an iem that walks that line very well. All the energy without the harshness. Perhaps some extremely sensitive folks may have issues, but I can’t imagine most people would. Again, timbre is great for this type of tuning. I wouldn’t say it’s straight-up natural, but the Terra certainly comes close to that. Maybe if it had a hair more note weight. However, to bring it back to what began this paragraph, the sound field is one of the more enticing pieces to the Terra puzzle. Having sound coming at you from multiple ways, rounded notes with plenty of space between them, as well as great front to back depth makes for a very engaging listening session.
Lower-Midrange
The lower midrange is truly wonderful, but it does have a slight recession. However, I say “slight” because I don’t feel that the recession takes away from the overall sound character of this set. Basically, I don’t feel it’s a “con”, or an issue. Also, I don’t feel that this recession necessarily resembles a typical recession. I say that because the low-mids offer very nice clarity. With that clarity the Terra does have just a smidgen of warmth which does give this region a titch more weight to notes. By-and-large, I’d consider the midrange (as a whole) closer to neutral. Though the subtle weight of the low-mids does give male vocalists a hint more authority to their voices. I don’t hear anything outright dry, or thin. Notes have substance to them, and they do so in a smoother form. Now, I wouldn’t say that detail retrieval is going to blow your mind in the low-mids, but again, clarity is great which definitely helps to make stuff like male vocals sound almost pronounced a bit.
Low-mids cont…
Like “Ordinary” by Alex Warren, who’s voice comes through unsullied and sounds perfectly at home with the smooth template of the Terra. His voice has some substance to it with this effortless smoothness within every inflection of his voice. Another track is “The Sound of Silence” sung by David Draimen of Disturbed. I was not expecting the Terra to have the robust oomph needed to project David’s voice. However, there’s more than enough gritty warmth coupled with overall clarity to bring that gravely bass and lucidity to his voice and when David belts his lyrics the Terra has a nice way of highlighting those vocals without sounding edgy or too textured. I’m telling you right now, the Terra does a fantastic job of reproducing vocals “like” David’s. Vocalists like Lewis Capaldi, Avi Kaplan, Cody Jinks, Dermot Kennedy, Chris Cornell, Jelly Roll, Charley Crockett and about a hundred others I don’t feel like naming. You get the point. In all honesty this is a common theme with this set. I’d say that the low-mids are probably the weak point of the Terra. Despite that, I probably spent more time listening to male vocalists than anything else, so, are they really a weak point? Now, are they perfect? Of course they aren’t, nothing is perfect. They aren’t the most textured and males don’t always come across as robust as some other sets tuned a bit differently. Still, I wouldn’t change a thing, males are generally very pleasing to the ear with the Terra. The low-mids have a very nice timbre, very nice energy, and they don’t sound dull or too pushed into the rear of the sound field.
Upper-Midrange
Now, the upper-mids most certainly come across more forward, more energetic, and more vibrant than the lower midrange, as expected. However, that elevated energy and forward tilt never seems to cross that line into glare for me. I have been very impressed with the level of transparency as well as the crystalline way notes are presented. On top of that, those same crystalline notes aren’t dry. They aren’t too thinned-out and papery. I keep talking of lean density because that’s exactly what I hear. These compacted, well structured, well contoured, and fairly rigid notes. Only the upper mids have a bit more levity, a bit more sprightliness, more vivacious too. I find that this tuning does well to prop up females in a very satisfying way. One of the first types of track that I will seek out will always be one which features a good female vocalist. Actually, I “usually” go straight to my bass playlists and shortly after I’ll check out how females sound. Pretty much like clockwork. What I’ve learned about the Terra is that they almost specialize in reproducing female voices in a very silken, moistened and very prominent way. What you’ll hear is a highly textured region in the upper-mids without the sound coming across coarse, or abrasive. This is a great thing. Females who have that abrasive quality to their voices don’t sound exaggerated with the Terra.
Examples
Like Sia in “Unstoppable”. So many sets fall apart in her more resounding vocal moments of this track, well, and many other tracks. Anyways, especially in the chorus. Usually sounds will blur, they’ll smear, note edges will sound knife-edged, and her voice simply finds a way to hit that glare level, more often than not. However, the Terra smoothly renders those resounding moments allowing her powerful voice to sound powerful without the loss in fidelity, including those overly edgy accentuations of her voice. I’m not saying the Terra comes across perfectly authentic to life, but it really does do a solid job of reproducing hers and other females in a resolute way. Another track which sounded just awesome to me is a little-known track called “Skeletons” by Suzannah. The mood of this track is simply cool. It’s a wild west vibe, beautiful acoustic guitar, every string can be heard, every detail, yet Suzannah’s vocals are so flowery, and the emotion within her voice is very well captured through the Terra. There’s definitely a mood to this track and not every set replays it perfectly. I like how the edginess of the guitar is so pronounced yet also so true to life with the Terra. Those sweet abrasive harmonics along with her eloquent vocals make for some solid listening folks.
Midrange Instruments
Instruments basically walk the same line as vocals do. However, most of the time (depending on the track) instruments sit slightly behind female vocalists. They come across very inviting, slightly warmed, embossed, with solid clarity, somewhat forward, close to organic, very nice. Of course, the upper-mids are a hair more energetic, more vibrant and this can be heard in every instrument through the Terra. Though the low-mids provide a hair more warmth and weight, and that shows too. However, like I said, macro-dynamics do come across rather expressive as the Terra adds plenty of that hard & tight snap on attack for most any percussive instrument. That hard pap of a snare hit, the fundamental tone and bodied chisk of a cymbal strike. It’s all very nicely textured without losing the Terra’s foundational smoothness. Piano comes across with a rich tapestry of tones as it runs the full frequency. From soft and tender to resounding, though you may hear some of the harmonics clipped to a degree due to the quicker transient response. Still very nice to the ear. Woodwinds on the other hand take advantage of the airy sound. Especially Flute which generally sounds bright and airy. Or that rich saxophone which sounds very soulful. Also, strings really come across nicely vibrant with just a touch of that sweet abrasive edge when a string is pulled. Violin sounds soft, sparkly, and airy, as well as warm, and rounded with good depth and dimension as I can easily hear the resonance filled wooden body sing back at me on so many tracks. Like I say in every review; each track is different and so explaining instruments is a dauting task. However, generally most instruments come across close to natural. I don’t see any huge error in the tuning which would cause any hard “cons” to my ears.
Downsides to the Midrange
For me, the biggest gripe I would have is that the midrange really doesn’t cherry that organic warmth. Not that this is a real issue and is much more a preferential ideal, more than anything else. However, the Terra honestly doesn’t do anything flat-out wrong. So, I would assume that anyone willing to fork over almost $1.2k for a set of earphones knows if they want something a bit richer, or something more analytical and precise. I’d think the “rich” camp may want a hair more of that lush timbre to go with the forwardness of this region. Beyond that, I don’t feel there are any huge gripes. For instance, the Terra doesn’t have any annoying sibilance, it doesn’t ever really sound harsh or fatiguing to my ears either. I don’t hear copious amounts of grain, nothing boxy, nothing even remotely close to veiled. The sound is highly detailed, awesome imaging, great depth of field with good dimensionality and solid note separation too. There simply isn’t a whole lot to complain about. If I’m being picky, I could use even more warmth and weight. But that’s about it.
Treble Region
To my ears the treble region is truly a bright spot. I find the treble to be airy, bright, smooth and nicely bodied without coming across strident or sharp. Lime Ears did a great job of making sure the treble offset the bass very well with equal dynamics while also maintaining that nice timbre as well as the great musicality of the Terra. I hear a nice helping of crispness and treble bite accompanying every treble note as that Knowles RAU BA goes to work sounding just as refined and smooth as a solid EST driver yet also highly detailed. Also, I don’t hear any of the metallic timbre or the awkward timbre which you can get from a balanced armature driver. It’s really a very nicely done range from Lime Ears. Obviously, they put a ton of thought into the emphasis and tone they wanted to portray within this region because it sounds excellent. Again, the treble comes across with plenty of sparkles, some shimmer, and some note separating openness along with some nice note defining crispness. What I hear is some nice treble punch. That subtle, albeit very vivid abrasiveness which edges the outlines of cymbals, hi-hats, and any other instruments that benefit from some treble bite. It has some snap, and the treble isn’t even close to oversaturated. Which makes it all that much better to my ears. Obviously, the drivers in this range are very solid and the tuning is very well balanced dynamically with the rest of the mix.
Extension
One aspect of the treble which at least sort of stands out is the Terra’s ability to sound well extended in the upper treble yet without coming across splashy. Well, the type of splashy which sounds more like treble tizz (yes that’s my word, it makes sense to me). The one instrument that we all turn to to describe the upper treble is always cymbals and hi-hats. Of course, we aren’t talking about fundamental tones of these instruments, we are talking about the secondary harmonics. Secondary harmonics and overtones within this region aren’t appreciated until you don’t have them, or until you hear a set that is very much rolled-off. One thing is clear; the Terra definitely has some solid extension and I’m not missing much info at all in the highest of the highs.
Technically adept
No doubt the highs on the Terra play right into the musical/analytical theme that we’ve had going this entire review thus far. I don’t find the highs too thinned out and I don’t find them too dry either. Like I said, the highs definitely have that solid bite to them and an almost moistened note body. Very well contoured and well-structured notes in my opinion. However, there is also plenty of space for treble notes to operate without ever really sounding congested. Lime Ears really nailed this target providing a treble which sounds like the perfect complement to the rest of the mix. What makes this treble, so darn good is its ability to cohesively coexist with the bass and mids. However, the treble is also a very talented range in its own right. It has fantastic detail retrieval, great note clarity, very resolute, great note separation and note distinction, I hear layering within the treble, and the treble region feathers right into the musicality within the Terra’s tuning. This is not an overtly analytical region folks. The treble doesn’t come across blatantly clinical to my ears, which is quite awesome if you ask me. Beyond that, the treble has some serious speed. Certainly, speedy enough to tackle complicated treble arrangements while each note comes across rounded and clean. Really a nice job on this one.
Downsides to the Treble Region
The only real. Downside that I can think of would be with anyone who simply doesn’t enjoy a boosted treble region. If you are the type who only enjoys a darker, even smoother, much warmer presentation up top than I don’t think you’ll enjoy the Terra’s highs. This treble is fairly bright, plenty of brilliance, plenty of speedy sprightliness and note defining bite. The type of treble which brings you right to the brink of sharpness but caps it off just before things get harsh. It’s a very solid region. However, not everyone wants a brighter display. I find the treble to be quite awesome though. Good job Lime Ears!
Technicalities
Soundstage
The soundstage of the Lime Ears Terra is definitely on the average side of the aisle when it comes to overall width. I wouldn’t say the stage is anything resembling a narrow stage as there’s definitely plenty of left to right space, but it isn’t some stadium-like experience either. What makes this soundstage as good as it is revolves around its ability to have awesome depth of field. Again, the Terra does a very nice job of creating a layered sounds cape with very nice front to back depth. Also, the stage is very tall too. I know not many people really care about stage height, but I feel that the height does help to make the stage feel more expansive. One thing is clear; the Lime Ears Terra does have a very well laid out stage and it makes for a very immersive listen.
Separation / Imaging
Another aspect of the Lime Ears Terra that is certainly a “pro” in my opinion is its ability to perceivably have very separate and distinct notes. Literally, from the bass to the upper treble. It stands to reason too. I mean, the Terra has a very clean sound, great resolution across the board. It has tight transients with very nicely contoured and clean notes. Nothing takes up space with this set. Nothing congests the sound field. Also, the Terra has plenty of room for notes to breathe along with an airy and open sound as well. When you add each of these attributes up what you have is a set which will usually have some very solid note separation. The same goes for the Terra’s imaging capabilities as well. I honestly feel that the Terra is absolutely pinpoint with its imaging. To add to that the Terra has a very well layered stage. I mean good as in… good for a +$1k set. Imaging is really very nice folks. Of course, the Terra is solid “technically” throughout the spectrum.
Detail Retrieval
Without question the Terra has very nice detail retrieval. I probably wouldn’t say it’s a “best in class” situation, but the Terra is very well done in this regard. For all the reasons the Terra is able to have very concise and precise separation and imaging are the same reasons that it can illuminate the subtle tiny details very well too. It’s no wonder folks. The Terra is tuned so very well. The kicker is that the Terra also has very nice musicality making it a true all-rounder type iem. At any rate, I find that hearing all the subtle fine-grained micro-dynamics and subtle volume shifts within just about any musical passage (that isn’t full of heavy bass rumble) is very easy to discern. The Terra really does have a wonderful ability to draw the minutiae to the surface without being overburdened with forced resolution within the treble region. There have definitely been occasions where I was noticing micro-details that I hadn’t really paid attention to prior. That said, I also don’t feel like the Terra is so analytically geared that I’m only paying attention to the details. It’s a nice balance actually. As I mentioned earlier it’s 50% musical and 50% analytical in my opinion.
Is it worth the asking price?
The big $1,199 question. Is the Lime Ears Terra even worth the cost of ownership? I’ll keep this section fairly simple and try to break down my reasoning for my answer in a more condensed format. However, I can tell you that there are certainly less expensive sets that get you close to what the Terra can do. However, folks this is a game of inches and in this game, people pay a lot of money for those inches. Just take out “inches” and insert “incremental upgrades”. So many folks give me slack for any time that I say a set over $800 is worth it or not. I say the same thing to all of those people. “You have no clue what all went into making this set of earphones” in most cases we are talking years of research and development. Countless hours of work from many different professionals who all need to be paid. Iteration after iteration, change after change… for years. No drivers aren’t crazy expensive, but the acoustic research involved with how exactly to place those drivers and where and what materials to use and how does each material effect the sound along with countless prototypes just trying to answer these questions. It all costs money folks. Hopefully the hard work from every person involved with these more luxury brands pays off for them. However, in the end the difference may only be small increments of better fidelity, better stage, better imaging, more dynamic, more immersive etc. Then again, sometimes the difference is quite obvious between these more expensive sets and the less expensive. This is the reason people pay for incremental upgrades. The price is half dictated just off of what went into the creation of such products.
Worth the cost cont…
However, the question is if the Lime Ears Terra is actually worth the cost of $1,199, or is that a bit high? Well, I can tell you after having many kilo-buck offerings in my ears over the years that the Terra is worth the cost to those who can afford the cost. It’s really that simple. Not everyone has the deep pockets to afford a set at this cost. That’s the plain truth. Now, when looking at the kilo-buck audio landscape as a whole, I haven’t heard many sets. I’ve heard a lot, but against the entire kilo-buck ocean of sets; I have only heard a small number. Full disclosure. So, I can answer this question against those iems that I have spent time with. Also, I answer this question as honestly as I can. You can bet on that. I have no skin in this game folks. Whether I say it is or isn’t worth the cost… I don’t lose here. This isn’t my set, nobody gave me this set, nobody paid me, and I have zero affiliation with this brand. Having said that, I most certainly feel that $1,199 is a solid cost for the Terra. It is that good. I mean across the board this is a very good purchase. Again, it’s my opinion. But I really don’t feel like there are many sets under $1,200 which are flat-out better than the Terra. Yes, it’s worth the cost.
The Why…
First off, I don’t have the entire package of the Lime Ears Terra and so I cannot really speak on my experience with the unboxing. Though, I have seen the entire package from others, and I have to admit that it’s a good one. It’s what you should expect with a set that costs $1,199. They offer a fantastic Effect Audio cable, a very nice carrying case as well. Also, look at this set folks, feel this set! The build is fantastic! Perfectly built, honed out of aviation grade aluminum and made of some of the coolest materials I’ve ever seen an iem created with. Folks, they used synthetic opal for the faceplates… for crying out loud! I asked this in the design section, and I’ll repeat it here… “Who does that?!”. The Lime Ears Terra is easily one of the most strikingly gorgeous iems that I’ve ever seen. The fragmented colors which bounce off every every movement under light is simply awesome. However, it’s the sound which makes this set worth the cost. It’s the sound which takes this set into “best in class” territory. The bass is tight, palpable, tactile, deep and very punchy yet never sloppy, ever. The midrange is so melodic yet also so very technical. Wonderfully tuneful whilst also being highly detailed. Fantastic for vocalists. I’d say the Terra is great for detail listening in a critical sense, as well as eyes-closed casual listening and melting into the music. The treble is so clean, great bite, very good extension, it’s sparkly, it has that nice radiance and it fits the tuning perfectly. Oh, and that stage! That multi-layered and holographic stage is simply great. Imaging is pinpoint and spot-on, layering of sounds is also top level. It’s simply a wonderful set folks. Yes, it’s worth the cost of ownership.
Conclusion
To conclude my full review and feature of the Lime Ears Terra, I first have to give a big thanks to Lime Ears as well as Audio Geeks USA Tour. There is no way I’d be able to hear a set like this without both parties, and I am very honored to be able to do so. So, thank you both. It truly is a joy for me and a wonderful creative outlet that I love to do. I also want to thank you, the reader for taking the time out of your day to click the link which brought you here. I cannot thank you enough. It is because of you that we are even able to keep the doors open (so to speak) and conduct these reviews at Mobileaudiophile.com. Really, thank you.
Other Perspectives
Now that you’ve read my words I do hope you’ll go and read some other people’s words concerning the Lime Ears Terra. Just because I enjoy something does not mean the next person will. We are all so vastly different. We are different in many ways too. I really feel it will do you great justice to simply click some more links. Try to get other perspectives folks. Especially at these prices, it can only help. With that, I think I’m done. So, please take good care, stay as safe as possible and always… God Bless!!
