Wizard with a gun reviews9/3/2023 ![]() The Katana Wizard Edition follows the classic universal legacy form factor that Noble used before the new Aluminum edition lineup was released. To finish, there is a handwritten ‘Katana Wizard” etched in white on the side of the right driver ABS housing. The entire body, plate and all, is sealed with a hand-lacquered finish to give it a smooth finish and added durability. The bottom half of the Katana Wizard Edition is composed of the same ABS plastic materials used on the new Classic line except with a speckled paint finish. The grain is striking, wavy, and very eye-catching with a texture and level of durability that makes it excellent for turning, glue work, and excellent polishing results. The rotting effect on Tamarind creates a spalted look that varies from piece to piece so each face plate on the Katana Wizard will be entirely unique. They draw heavily from Noble’s eye-catching blend of unusual woods used for their custom designs.įor the Katana, Noble has used a Spalted Tamarind sapwood which is a beautiful exotic wood often found laying on the forest floor and native to many tropical regions. They are hand-picked by The Wizard himself to add a dash of pop, color, or whatever you want to call it to their existing lineup and usually sell pretty quickly. Wizard editions are always notable for their unique faceplate designs. ![]() When it does, expect to pay somewhere around $2000 for it as there is usually a small markup for those beautifully handcrafted plates John uses in the build process. In fact, at the time of writing, the Wizard version is not available for sale yet on the Noble website. The Katana Wizard edition is quite different in aesthetics from the universal aluminum edition though geometrically it is similar to the Katana aluminum edition. If you are thinking a 9-driver all-BA design will come in bass light, think again, Noble’s insertion of that larger BA driver means the Katana should hit hard enough to satisfy those who want a realistic but pleasing bass signature. Noble specifically states that these drivers are customary and certainly if you can spot some of the early release clear shell custom pictures of the Katana you will see that one driver is certainly a lot bigger than the rest. AAW recently released the W900 also with a similar 9-driver count.īA drivers have evolved and not all are equal. ![]() 9 BA drivers are unusual but not unheard of. Yup, it is one less than the K10 but the days of more drivers equal better sound should be consigned to the marketing dustbin, it simply does not pan out like that anymore.Ĭompanies are increasingly doing more with less and the Katana is the first such example from Noble of this different approach. This is something different, something for the neutral heads, those that crave detail but not too much coloration. ![]() Noble views the Katana thus as a truly ‘reference’ flagship IEM with a more balanced approach that exhibits similar qualities of control and precision rather than the pure musicality and smoothness of the Kaiser. The pitch here in using the Katana as the title is to evoke the concept of the precision tool, the clean cutting ability of the weapon combined with the well-respected craftsmanship of both the blade and the swordsmith. Those into all things Japanese or at least a passing interest in weaponry will recognize the Katana as the legendary blade of choice for the Samurai class. Well, that’s all about to change now with the release of their new $1850 “Co-TOTL” 9-driver IEM, the Katana. Yet the second question seemed to fall more neatly into their more modest but excellent value-neutral Savanna or at a pinch possibly the old Savant. Up until a few months ago, Noble Audio would argue that they had the answer to the first part with the Kaiser K10 or even the new Encore.įor a few years now this has been their calling card, their top dog and flagship IEM by which many a happy audiophile has put down the best part of $1800 to enjoy. ![]() Who are you? Do you like your IEMs to sound musical, bass-heavy, warm, or smooth? Or, do you like your best IEMs to sound crystal clear, neutral, or possibly reference-like in their sound? ![]()
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