Klipsch Image S2 and S4 - Page 4

Hmmmm, nice. I might pick up a pair of S4's (good to know they're a match for metal) myself to tide me over as I want to get a Westone UM3X or Senn IE8 around Christmas. They're a relative bargain in my country, only $66 in local stores.

how does the S2 compare to the Zino? Too bad the S4 did not look like the S2, or they make an S6 that has the looks of the S2 but a slightly larger soundstage vs the S4.

Hi MaoDi,

I just got my s4's and i agree on the high frequency's that they wont send any chills down your spine. But did you notice an improvement after the burn in stage?

Cause im burnin them in right now, but the high freq sound very bad to me. They sounds "metally" to me(dont know how to describe it better ;p).
Its better if i take out some highs with the equalizer, but that would be a shame.

so did you notice an improvement?

I would also like to know if these sound good with metal.

I did. I'm by no means an audiophile, but mine got smoother at the higher freqs. I played mine through my entire Zune library for a couple of days at normal to slightly higher volumes before I started listening to them in earnest. I think of them as my "Everyman" earphones now. I really like rock, country and jazz with them. They are a great fit for my Zune.

I love the X10 and X5 in sound quality, but prefer the fit of the S2.  Can you please make a high end X10 quality sounding iem in a S2 shell?  The S2 fit my ear perfectly.  The X10 and X5 fit okay but aren't as good.  For whatever reason the S2 seem indestructible as well.  I've used them in an exercise or work situation for 2 years straight and haven't had an issue.  Don't get me wrong the X10 > X5 > S4 > S2 in sound quality and I've tried all of them.  I dare not use the X5 or X10 in a exercise or sweaty work environment.  Also, for me the S4 was the least comfortable because of the ergonomic fit. 

 

Edited by chewy45 - 12/13/11 at 10:25pm

I love the X10 and X5 in sound quality, but prefer the fit of the S2.  Can you please make a high end X10 quality sounding iem in a S2 shell?  The S2 fit my ear perfectly.  The X10 and X5 fit okay but aren't as good.  For whatever reason the S2 seem indestructible as well.  I've used them in an exercise or work situation for 2 years straight and haven't had an issue.  Don't get me wrong the X10 > X5 > S4 > S2 in sound quality and I've tried all of them.  I dare not use the X5 or X10 in a exercise or sweaty work environment.  Also, for me the S4 was the least comfortable because of the ergonomic fit. 

 

 

 

My first post here (but a long-time lurker) so please go easy on me <3

I recently purchased a pair of S4's and they are...it's hard how to put this, and I'm wondering if I'm the only one noticing it. Note: This is with my Cowon J3.

The earphones handle bass well (as expected) but they literally SHRIEK at higher frequencies and the only way to stop it is to turn the 8k-16k frequences all the way down in EQ - at which point all the clarity of the song is lost. I'm referring to the crash of cymbals and whenever the vocalist says any word with the "ssss" sound in it, those are literally amplified ten-fold and are extremely harsh on the ears and I simply just can't enjoy my songs. I've played with all sorts of settings for a WEEK and nothing seems to get the balance of highs and clarity I'm after.

 

I plugged in my Senn HD558's at exactly the same EQ settings (the settings that make the S4 shriek), obviously far more volume was required since I don't own an amp. Suddenly the highs were far nicer on the ears and everything comes together in a fantastic blend of smooth but clear sound, I love my 558's so much <3. But I can't exactly drive around with them, they weren't designed with portability or noise isolation in mind.

 

I've burned-in my S4's for around 50 hours but I haven't noticed any significant change in the shrieking highs, maybe by the 200 hour mark I'll find them nicer sounding? Again, I like my mids-highs for clear guitars and vocals, but the S4's SCREAM them (with hissing) and turning things down completely dulls the sound. All the reviews and people's opinions said that they handled mids and highs at an acceptable level, what do people consider "acceptable"?

Did I just get a dud pair of S4's, do they need far more burning-in, what do I do?? They are not doing my Cowon J3 any justice :(

 

 

Edited by Tippy - 12/14/11 at 12:12am

Holy thread resurrection!

 

Tippy, it sounds like what you're hearing is sibilance, which the S4 is kind of notorious for. It affects some people, while it's not a problem for others. It's never been a problem for me, but I know it's been a deal-breaker for a lot of others. I do seem to remember some people saying it is tamed a bit by burn-in, while others noticed no difference.