Howdy. This isn't discussion just clarification for OP to answer questions on item.
These were stock when i bought them. The cable was basically breaking and the pads were literally falling apart. I did/do love the sound though but they require a portable amplifier to make them sing.
So I sent if off a such to Moon Audio. He has a new Silver Serment IEM cable. It's strong, it's flexible, it's designed for portable. 4ft I think and a right angle plug for termination. I typically don't believe in recabling but man this made a different with a descent portable source and amp, just stunning. Confirms my suspicion that these little drivers are just great and being help back by a horrible stock cable (not unlike the Senn 25 steel cable).
The pads were Falling apart so Drew put on a replacement pair. What are they? I have no idea. To my ears they sound better than the stock ones and I trust Drew on these things. They almost seem like grado comfy pads but i don't think they are looking side by side.
Drew said he was very impressed with the total result. I very much agree. Simply stunning portables but i used them as transportables and as light home cans. All the ortho goodness in an nice form factor. No other mods were made to these, never had time but I have a strong belief one could take these and tease some extra goodness out of them.
Beautiful sounstage, excellent midrange, seem descent (for ortho) tuneful bass and a little extra treble extension. All in a form factor that works (light, shortish cable that sound great, pads that are comfy and don't flake apart).
But be warned, you'll need some power, even when portable, running them; a cowon DAP won't come close to cutting it - i used a stepdance and fuze with LOD for portable and a pico dac only for a killer transportable rig with a laptop which also sounded absolutely fantastic. I used a netbook but imagine a set up with an ipad and HRT i streamer would be very nice.
That said, i also used them with a nice tube-based set up and they worked like a charm and scaled up - not as much as the big orthos but fun in their own way (a little hybrid amp like a starving student would make these work well with a desktop set up on the small fun side).
If i did portable or tansportable audio at all now, they would be my choice; but even if you don't have an inclination towards orthos, they'd be worth serious consideration in that context provided you had a descent portable source and amp. A great way to get a taste of the big ortho sound while keeping it in a nicely usable form-factor.
Edited by jrosenth - 5/29/11 at 3:27pm
