The FreQ Custom IEMs - Impressions Thread (Updates on First Page!)

[The_Duke_Of_Eli]

From the company's website, the triple driver seems to be a deep ear casting and the two and three driver models seems to be a less deep casting in your ear. Is this true or just pictures playing games?

[AudioNoob]

I'll ask todd if I get to talk to him before anyone else

[powertoold]

Originally Posted by fatman711

do these need to be amped?

No, these do not need to be amp'ed at all. In fact, they are super loud - the most easily driven earphones I've used. When I switch from FreQs to SF5 Pro, I would have to turn the volume up 20-30% just to get the same intensity as the FreQs. However, I bet they would benefit by a good portable amp such as Pico or Predator to create a sound with tighter bass and faster attack.

[Hayduke]

Originally Posted by janruzinsky

yes but sometimes i forget the meaning ofthe word patient

I hear ya :P That's one virtue I don't have a lot of LOL

They got my impressions the same day as another head-fier and he already got shipping notice, but I haven't heard anything. I'm not as bad off as some of our international members, but I like in a more rural area so my mail almost always takes a day or two extra if it isn't sent expedited. I'm hoping they will ship on Monday which means I should get them Wednesday or Thursday.

Originally Posted by The_Duke_Of_Eli

From the company's website, the triple driver seems to be a deep ear casting and the two and three driver models seems to be a less deep casting in your ear. Is this true or just pictures playing games?

I actually asked Derek a lot about FreQs and canal depth. He said that typically the music lover line would not go as deep as their music maker line. I suspect the difference in the website's pictures, could just be variability coming form their hand made process. If it's a concern for you, just talk to them when you order. I asked to have mine molded to go a little deeper. I want good SQ, but one of the most important criteria for me is isolation. I will be using mine in some rather noisy environments (like a bowling alley) and my goal is to be able to listen at lower volumes. He said going deeper in the ear canal would improve isolation at the expense of ease of insertion and removal (my other important criteria hehe). So hopefully they will find a good balance between the two for me

I might have trouble with deep canal designs. When I had my impressions made, the audiologist made a big deal about the shape of my canals. They have a really sharp bend inside. I guess this is somewhat unusual. I have to take her word for it since mine were the only impressions I had ever seen. hehe

[janruzinsky]

Originally Posted by powertoold

No, these do not need to be amp'ed at all. In fact, they are super loud - the most easily driven earphones I've used. When I switch from FreQs to SF5 Pro, I would have to turn the volume up 20-30% just to get the same intensity as the FreQs. However, I bet they would benefit by a good portable amp such as Pico or Predator to create a sound with tighter bass and faster attack.

Hi I have just a few questions about the sound.
What about the detail of the instruments?
Are you hearing the subtle details like soft string picking on a guitar or other string instruments.
Is the bass part detailed enough? And how about the drums?
Thanks.

[powertoold]

Regarding the detail, they are as good as any IEM I've heard. I actually noticed the pressing of some piano keys that I didn't notice before with my SF5 on a Schubert piece, but maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention with the SF5.

I haven't listen to any drums, but the bass is also detailed. From what I can tell, it is at least as detailed as my SF5. I'm not good at analyzing bass, but I can pretty much follow any notes made by the bass (orchestral) in a piece.

What I can tell you for sure is that if you are looking for good sound, the FreQs will not disappoint. On the same Schubert piano piece I was talking about, the SF5s had this horrible sibilance (sounds like resonance inside the earphone) that I can't pick up with the FreQs. I can't even listen to my SF5s anymore, they sound spoiled and ugly, heh. When I listen to my SF5 now, I feel like the music has a yellow case and not as exciting. Take what you want out of that. You should wait for some more sound impressions before making a decision.

** I realize I'm making some overstatements. I just got out the SF5 and am listening to the Schubert piece. Yes, I can hear the same piano strokes, but the annoying sibilance is still there, just to a lesser degree than I remember. Also, the SF5 sound isn't spoiled or ugly; it is simply different, and to me, this difference leads it to sound less exciting. But my old statement still stands because every time I've compared the two, there is this result: the highs and mids on the FreQs are better.

I'm not going to make a review of the FreQs because I don't have many earphones to compare it to. I also think I'm a little biased. But I believe they are worth the money because other custom IEMs cost more. For the LiveWires, you're basically paying +$65-70 for a detachable cord and one less driver.

I believe that at these price-points and above, all IEMs will have only minor differences in sound quality. For example, the SE530 isn't that much better than the SF5 in terms of SQ. The determining factor of whether you like an IEM over another is the sound signature, and the FreQs provide a sound signature that I like, which a more open and fresh one.

[janruzinsky]

well for their price I was not expecting much quality but I think I could give them a try...
I will just wait untill somebody will compare them with the LW

[The_Duke_Of_Eli]

I'll be putting in an order very shortly for the FreQ of Natures, because for 50$ it isn't worth it to just have another bass driver. I'll compare them versus my q-JAYS, an interesting comparison I reckon.

[chef8489]

Originally Posted by The_Duke_Of_Eli

I'll be putting in an order very shortly for the FreQ of Natures, because for 50$ it isn't worth it to just have another bass driver. I'll compare them versus my q-JAYS, an interesting comparison I reckon.

If it truly uses a 3 way crossover you are not just adding a bass driver, you are getting a seperate driver for bass,mids,and highs.

[powertoold]

So I just got HD580s, and I don't think it sounds much better than the FreQs. I'd rather use the FreQs because it's light and comfortable.

[filipelli]

Originally Posted by powertoold

So I just got HD580s, and I don't think it sounds much better than the FreQs. I'd rather use the FreQs because it's light and comfortable.

You mean you just received the senns? I can't really compare full sized phones to IEMS...too different to me. Although I think my livewires are pretty comparable to my grados.

[powertoold]

I think it's more of a preference thing. The increase in SQ of the 580s isn't worth the extra weight and discomfort. I think the 580s have better detail and bass for sure, but that may be because I'm using my newly built diyMod with Sonicaps. I can't use my FreQs with this because I don't have an amp. I am listening to the 580s directly from the Line Out to Sonicaps, and it sounds fine without an amp.

[SBD]

Originally Posted by AudioNoob

I believe the livewire company owns a 3d router but I'm not sure

I'm pretty sure they do. The only reason I'm skeptical a bit to the freQ is the fit. I don't understand how it is "hand-made" still...

[AudioNoob]

you can take a mold of the mold and heat acrylic over it perhaps, I don't know either

[SBD]

Originally Posted by AudioNoob

you can take a mold of the mold and heat acrylic over it perhaps, I don't know either

haha. My theory is something like foil wrapped around to the shape, casted and then sanded down. You said it would be extra work for sanding but how else would they get rid of imperfections from the impressions?


not to get off into a big discussion but while we're waiting...