Sleek SA6

[Kees]

A couple of months ago (six months, a year?) I found on the web an interesting site of someone planning to make a pair of IEMs that could be tuned using different sizes of tubes in the housing. I followed it a while, but lost interest after I bought my PK1s (and nothing happened on the site).
Lately I have been looking for a more portable setup than my present "luggable" combo of X5 and Headroom Micro.
Since I want it really portable I don't intend to use an amp, which rules out the use of my PK1 (I hoped they would do ok with the Cowon D2, but I doubt it after the reactions I got when I suggested it).
This meant I was in the market for IEMs again.
On my search I stumbled on the Sleek again (saw the entry in Jude's blog) and checked them out.
On the site it said: preorder, shipping 3rd quarter of 2007.
So I mailed them and the reply was that they are at the CES right now and start shipping coming tuesday.
I am a sucker for new innovative ideas (and a nice preorder bargain that lasts till next week) so I preordered them right away.
Here is a link to their site.
I think these will be the first IEMs that can be compared to themselves!
Anybody else interested in these?
Maybe even had a listen to a prototype?
You think the fine tuning will work?

[FeedMeTrance]

I am interest in how they sound, was curious when I saw their first release on Engadget, but yeah, still a bit skeptical!

[achristilaw]

They'll get an award for sleek looks. $230.00 for a single armature? Tunable Bass and treble ports? Interesting. I hope they are durable. Lot's of seperate pieces. Like very much to garner your impressions. When they do become available.

[Kees]

They arrived!
I took some pics (they look absolutely great).
Didn't have enough time to give any listening impression other than "they work and the middle size bi-flanges fit my ears"...





The box has an ingenious contraption for storing some of the tuning ports and to wrap the cable around the inner part. I'm not too shure if it is very handy for persons like me with hands that are so big that little parts easily get lost in them....


More to follow soon.

[kamal007]

any impressions of the sound?

[Zephyron]

I rememmber this from waaaay over a year ago.

Keep us updated on the sound =)

[Kees]

Originally Posted by kamal007

any impressions of the sound?

Not yet really....
It is sort of complicated because I have three different trebble ports and two different bass ports (a third pair coming up), making a total of six (nine when the other bass ports arrive) different sound signatures.
Takes some time to get aquanted with all the little parts and finding them back again (and again ) )
But I'll be back soon.

[elnero]

I contacted Sleek Audio about the SA6 just before Christmas, I have to admit I'm rather intrigued with the design but I also have to admit I've been a bit reluctant to take it further because of them being rather pricey for a single armature. In addition in their reply to my first email they stated if the shipping expense was excessive that they could give me a coupon code to help with it or something to that effect. At that point I went to check out how much it would be, it was calculated as $70 to Canada on their site, yes, just a bit excessive.

I did reply with some of my concerns and asked for some clarifications to unanswered questions from my first email but never heard anything back. To be fair that was right around Christmas though so have to give them a bit of leeway on that. I'd still like to hear a response though.

[JasonK]

Just wanted to let you know that we are addressing the Shipping cost. We had a problem with our website and the API program so it would default to maximum price for some remote point on Earth if you were interantional.

Currently we are redesigning the commerce section of the site to get that fixed and we are updating the main site. I hope this did not create to much of an issue. We offered discount coupons while we were fixing the issue. Christmas and CES slowed down the process.

Jason

[h4n9m4n]

i never expected to see these actually show up in someone's hands. eager to know more...

[Kees]

Just some very general first impressions of the sound.
I chose the Bass+ port and the treble+ port to start with because eh.., well just because.
This means of course that this is just a first impression of one particular possible combination, but hey, I have to start somewhere.
Source: Cowon X5, no amp, FLAC.
Music: Shirley Horn: The Main Ingredient.
First reaction: Good. Smooth. Natural. Relaxed. Friendly, not forward.
I am very happy that this combination lacks in a few very important aspects: it has no hisssss whatsoever, no edginess, no sibilance, no harshness.
HD650 immediately sprang to mind. I really like the HD650 very much and the general sound signature of this combination reminds me in a lot of aspect of them.
Back to the music: Shirley’s voice sounds just right. The right timbre. The right size, not overly large and not in-your-face. Well balanced with the rest of the combo.
The music flows very well. It is one well balanced whole more than separate instruments. Not overly detailed (but we’ll see what different port combinations can do in this respect.). Tonality of the different instruments is good though.
Another big plus: totally non-fatiguing.
Back to some more listening now.
To be continued.

[elnero]

Originally Posted by JasonK

Just wanted to let you know that we are addressing the Shipping cost. We had a problem with our website and the API program so it would default to maximum price for some remote point on Earth if you were interantional.

Currently we are redesigning the commerce section of the site to get that fixed and we are updating the main site. I hope this did not create to much of an issue. We offered discount coupons while we were fixing the issue. Christmas and CES slowed down the process.

Jason

Thanks for the reply here and via email Jason.

[Kees]

Update.
Music listened to:
Joe Jackson: Body & Soul
Brian Bromberg: Downright Upright
Donald Fagen: Morph the Cat
Miles Davis: Water Babies

After a lot more listening and experimenting I have the following observations:

The =/= (neutral bass/neutral treble ports) combination is VERY enjoyable. It is surprisingly lively and dynamic. Especially compared to the +/+ combination. It is absolutely FUN, with big, but very well defined bass.


I found that in most other combinations I missed a bit of sparkle, briliance. (Less so in the =/= combination strange enough....) Especially missed with an instrument like the piano. So I measured (by ear) the frequency response and found out that the treble roll off sets in rather early and is pretty steep.
When I asked Jason about this he told me that they actually have a prototype of an extended treble port ready. I'll get those probably next week.
Can't wait.

In the mean while I found out that the Shure olives fit these perfectly and add another + to the already excellent bass. Also much better isolation and comfort than the biflanges of course... Good move to use this size for the treble ports.

These fare very well without the help of an amp. This is very important to me, because I want to use them straight out of my DAP when in the office.

more to come...

[elnero]

Thanks for the update Kees, after talking extensively with Jason I ordered a pair myself, they should be here in the next couple of days.

How are you finding detail level now?

[Kees]

Originally Posted by elnero

Thanks for the update Kees, after talking extensively with Jason I ordered a pair myself, they should be here in the next couple of days.

How are you finding detail level now?

Good move. I am curious what you will think of them.

Detail level varies a bit with the different port combinations.
The black olives improved it noticably.