Quote:
Originally Posted by elnero
One area where we differ fairly dramatically is in the top end of the triple.fi's, I find the upper mids and treble to sound a bit recessed in compariosn to the SA6's using the + treble tube. I'm curious if this might be due to tips, I'm using a pair of comply tips, what are you using?
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If you can obtain a pair of the UE silicon sleeves and achieve good fit with those then I believe you should notice a difference in the highs.
I have not tried the Complys myself but using modded Shure olive foam eartips on my M-AUDIO IE-40 (rebranded/recolored UE Triple.fi 10 Pro) did muffle the highs somewhat. It may be because of the eartip opening size, as the UE stock single flanges have a wider radius of opening for sound to come through (which matches the wide nozzle of the IEMs themselves).
I also did not like the way the Shure Soft Flex eartips made them sound. It made the sound less full and muffled the highs a tiny bit, but not to the extent that the Shure olive foam eartips did.
I still have my Sleek Audio SA6 to compare and I can understand why some people prefer it, and I think channum's review sums it up. I, however, love the sound signature of the M-AUDIO IE-40, because it's so full and exciting to me. Yes, cymbals in songs are pretty prominent, but I'd rather hear the entire ring of the cymbal vs. half of it. It does not sound as realistic/crystal clear IMO when it's not completely there. Perhaps I am not as sensitive to the highs as others here but I can definitely agree that it is the most prominent that I've heard in an IEM so far.
The M-AUDIO IE-40's large soundstage makes me forget sometimes that I'm listening to IEMs. I haven't been visiting Head-Fi as often because I feel quite satisfied with what I've got already. I'm going to enjoy these, waiting patiently for the Westone 3.
EDIT: Just wanted to agree on a few more points from channum's review. The M-AUDIO IE-40 does indeed scale better with better sourcing/amplification, while the SA6's sound does not change as much. I have no issues with the IE-40 fit-wise, but it might be because I'm used to it by now. The isolation is indeed better with the SA6 I believe because of the very well-designed double flanged eartips.
And I can also attest to the fact that Sleek Audio has amazing customer service.