7. Competitors/Comparisons/Colleagues – You name it.
Of course everyone wants to know how the Flamenco compares to the Samba which has 3 drivers less. The first impression you get when switching between both is that the presentation of the Samba is somewhat smoother. The level of body in the Samba is closer to that of the Flamenco with the bass switch in the off position. The Jomo Flamenco is wider sounding and like in the bass region, it offers more extension in the treble region as well. While the Samba already scores good on depth, layering, detail and precision, the Flamenco just does that bit extra. It’s more dynamic, rich, spacious and extended. I still love the Samba but my listening time now goes to the even better Flamenco. On top of that you can create different sound signatures with the Flamenco, where you only get one with the Samba (but a good one).
The UM Maestro V1, compared to the Flamenco, is lighter in presence (less body) and that mostly is the biggest difference as it also has the spaciousness, precision and extension of the Flamenco. Because of the difference in amplitude the Maestro could be described as the most neutral of linear monitor of both. I myself find the Flamenco (both switches off) to sound richer than the Maestro V1 with slightly better depth and layering. With the switches “on” you get a thicker, more musical and warm/smooth presentation compared to the more analytical, flatter and neutrally delicious Maestro V1.
Noble’s Kaiser Encore is my favorite Noble creation and it features 10 drivers. The focus of the Encore is more on the upper mids and especially the treble region. Treble is more clear, reaches further and sounds richer with a more airy presentation. Overall the Noble’s resolution is very high but it comes with a lighter presentation body-wise (from top to bottom). The Encore has a more musical and smoother presentation compared to the Flamenco, but that last one isn’t lacking in that department either. Looking at the bass, the Noble’s bass is lighter, especially when compared to the Flamenco with the switch on. Extension-wise I think they’re very close and the Noble’s layering maybe is a tad better in the lows. Both have great mids and the main difference here is the amount of body, as voices sound alike (tad more forward on the Flamenco).
The Vision Ears VE8 is another of my favorite customs (in fact all of the ciems used in this review are on top of my most loved list) and the focus here is more on the midrange and the vocals which seem richest and most natural. The bass level is comparable to that of the Kaiser Encore and the treble section is somewhere in between that of the Encore and the Flamenco. As I said, the Flamenco doesn’t sound intimate or inside your head but the VE8 sounds more out of your head than the Flamenco does. Because of this the VE8 also sounds more relaxed than the Flamenco. The bass of the VE, is just like the Encore, which means it’s a tad lighter than the Flamenco with the bass switch engaged.
The Inear ProPhile 8 of course isn’t a real custom monitor but it’s as good as one. Like the Flamenco, the PP8 has a double switch to activate extra bass and treble. Build quality wise the switches of the PP8 are finished in a prettier way and they’re more accessible, being housed in a universal shell. Sound wise the PP8 is a bit different from the before mentioned ciems. With the bass switch on, the bass body-wise is a lot bigger but it isn’t as layered or detailed as the customs. The midrange is good but is more intimate sounding and the Samba comes closest to the PP8 in that regards. Treble well the extension on the PP8 is good but it can’t compete with the Flamenco for what detail and layering are concerned. The Flamenco has a more musical and smooth presentation where the PP8 has a more ‘in your face” kind of tuning.
8. Conclusion
What an awesome sounding monitor the Flamenco is. The competition nowadays is fierce and several companies have really great sounding monitors but to me, Jomo Audio with the Flamenco, is clearly one of them.
Joseph managed to create a truly high end, TOTL custom IEM, and it performs exactly how you expect a flagship to do. It’s the best unit Jomo Audio has created so far and it has quickly become one of my favorite monitors. Yes I still use and love the Samba, but this just tops it.
I wonder what Jomo will come up with next as the quality of the Flamenco is extremely good already. Linus would call it “Hyperior”, and I, well, I am putting it on the recommended CIEM list. Oh yes!
