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Heir Audio 4.Ai

Heir Audio 4.Ai + add a photo
8 reviews
100% Positive Reviews
Rated #12 in In-Ear
Pros:
“Clarity, Isolation, Comfort, and they look AMAZING!!”
“Great imaging, neutrality, clarity”
Cons:
“I guess a bit pricey but that's the only thing I could put here..”
“Slightly too little bass, smallish soundstage”
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Member Reviews

Posted
By swich401

Pros: Great imaging, neutrality, clarity

Cons: Slightly too little bass, smallish soundstage

Beautifully designed IEMs. Great sounding (especially with instrumental/classical music). Very precise imaging. Very good instrument separation, but lacks large-scale soundstage - feels moreso like instruments are playing within a confined area outside/within your head - common to many IEMs (I may be too used to over the ear headphones...). Bass is not very strong, which is okay for a neutral IEM, BUT the bass is extremely "tight", fast, and punchy. Bass could use more extension into the low frequencies (i.e. little bass response for ~10-30Hz). Treble is very precise without becoming sibliant. Mids are not as impactful as some other IEMs, but give a nice "lushness" to the music that makes it more enjoyable over the long run.

 

Also, as other reviewers have said, the sound signature on these IEMs does not give you an initial "wow factor" that some of the higher treble/bass IEMs give you (e.g. PFE 232), but it grows on you and gives a better impression over long periods of listening.

 

Needs a very low impedance dac/amp combo due to these IEMs having very low impedance themselves.

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Posted
By uchihaitachi

Pros: Expansive, Clear and Beautifully Made

Cons: Could be bass light for some people. The treble may also feel slightly recessed for those who enjoy a sparkle at top.

I listen to a lot of classical music and so for me an accurate representation across the spectrum is a must and the 4ai delivers this excellently. More often than not, midcentric or treble based IEMs tend to have the wow factor at first. So the 4ai for me wasn't impressive at first but once I got used to the sound signature, it has become my favourite IEM especially for listening to large orchestral works. Soundstage is excellent and each and every instrument is represented beautifully. Comfort for me is good but not as good as my SE535. The 4ai however seems to have a lot of fit issues with people who don't have large ear canals. 

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Posted
By adrenalight

Pros: Detail, eyecandy, etc

Cons: Not suitable for basshead

Best choice in its price range, but not very bassy though
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Posted
By blackmarket

Pros: clarity

Cons: not very bassy

extremely clear and quite airy. does everything well with exception to bass. bass is very accurate, just isn't very impactful. that isn't to say it has no bass, it definitely has bass, just not suitable for bassheads.

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Posted
By SennHI808

Pros: Clarity, Isolation, Comfort, and they look AMAZING!!

Cons: I guess a bit pricey but that's the only thing I could put here..

Buy them, if you are looking for headphones in this price range then just buy these. You will not regret it, unless you are looking for an IEM with tons of bass, then these may not suit you.

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Posted
By SixthFall

 

 First off, these things are drop dead sexy! The wood grain is very nice to look at, and has no scuffs or marks on it what so ever. The acrylic housing is also really nice, It is a deep purple, and it has some metal flakes in it to make it slightly reflective. It is also slightly transparent, so you can see the inner workings of the IEM. As far as fit goes, they are quite comfy, not quite as comfy as my old SE535’s were, but very close. A big part of the fit is getting the right tips for your ears. (I am using the medium blues) These are a very neutral, accurate IEM. Nothing seems to be over emphasized or recessed. The bass had a nice punch, and is textured very well. The midrange is not as lush as the 535’s were, but I find that it is more accurate. For example, in Brian Kahanek’s One True Thing (same name as the album) the guitar has a certain emotion to it, and these convey it very nicely, but you can also feel each separate pick of the strings as well as the amp slightly hissing when he plays faster. The shures could never pick this up, I felt that there was a slight veil that obscured the details of the midrange slightly, that the 4.ai does not have. The treble is IMHO one of the strong points of this IEM, not rolled off like the 535 were, and it has some sparkle up there, but never any sibilance. Soundstaging is very nice for IEM's, quite open, and feels like they are full sized cans rather than IEM's. Positioning and imaging are also top notch as well.

 

 Are these IEM’s worth the $400 price tag? Yes, they are, and I would go as far to argue that they can easily go toe to toe with more expensive offerings from other companies, and win.

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Facts and Details

Heir Audio 4.Ai
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Description:

The 4.Ai, a hand crafted In Ear Monitor (IEM) utilizing the same internal design and components in the 4.A Custom In Ear Monitors (CIEM). • 4 Precision tuned Balanced Armature drivers. • 2 Dedicated drivers for Low Frequency production • One driver for Middle Frequency production • One driver for High Frequency production • Dual Bore Design • Detachable cable • Quality ear tips Shell color: “Black Mamba” Face Plate: Amboyna Burl The 4.Ai requires the same painstaking hand craftsmanship that all Heir Audio CIEMs require. The 4.Ai offers all the advantages of an IEM, built with the same exacting standards of all Heir Audio products. The 4.Ai, like its cousin the 4.A, offers a clean neutral sound signature that should satisfy those that listen to classical, jazz, and acoustic or those that demand accuracy and clarity. Hear every breath, every turn of the page, even the “tic” of a metronome. “If it’s in the music, it’s in the music.

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