Heir Audio - The Appreciation Thread - Page 262

I can hear a difference between 320 and lossless files on my iPhone with my Ety ER4, especially once I added an amp like the i.Fuzen. I wasn't willing to carry around a separate music device, let alone an external amp...

I would imagine that the difference would only get bigger with better IEMs like the 4.A I have coming!

FLAC for me - Lossless compression - best of both worlds

For me it more fundamental than whether one can hear a difference or not - although I do believe that as hardware components are scaled up, differences can be heard.

I just don't understand why anyone would pay pretty much the same money for a lossy format, when they can get a lossless format for a similar price. Its not even as if storage space is that expensive any more.

So, I always buy the CD or the occasional FLAC download - then I can decide whether to transcode to a lossy format for portable use, while retaining the original bit perfect copy for archive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yuceka 

The answer to your questions is kind of common sense. Of course the quality of your source will make your experience much better. You can have the best headphones in the world and yet will get bad results if you listen to 123 kbps MP3s out of them. Crap in crap out. That's why some of us carry around huge bricks to get the best out of our phones. That's why some of us are willing to spend another grand rather than a Sansa clip. But you should be the one who will make that call. I can hear the differences between 320 kbps Mp3 and lossless files but some say they don't. Just get a CD, rip it in different formats and resolutions and let your ears be the judge of what you prefer the most. 

I guess I could have been more clear.  I understand that a better source = better sound and that FLAC files > than MP3.  My question was more, do you need a significantly better source in order to get value out of the FLAC files over the MP3's.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sorensiim 

 

The Clip is actually a VERY capable little source, so start buying CD's and ripping them to FLAC. You might want to add a larger micro SD to hold those bigger files 

 

When you're ready to pump some more cash into the chain, adding an amp to the Clip will benefit your 4.A's.

Thanks.  It sounds like the best thing to do is to buy the CD's.  I kind of stopped buying them a while ago because they take up so much more space and I usually listen to music on my laptop or portable player but it does seem to be the most versatile way to go.

If you decide to rip from CDs do take some time to read up on the process. I've been browsing through the digital music collections of friends and you'd be surprised how many logs showed less than a 100% rip. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poimandres 

This the only way to go IMHO. I buy the cd then rip with dbpoweramp into flacs, then convert with dbpoweramp. Afterwards I normally trade the CDs in.

 

Trade in? 

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigitalFreak 

Dr Moulton, excuse my ignorance but why is it there seems to be so many bad fits and rejected impressions with such a simple looking process.

    What you don't know or see is the "back story" regarding the "bad fits."   When we get an e-mail regarding "poor fits" we always ask for photos of the CIEMs inserted....

    At least 90% of the reportedly "bad fits" are due to improper insertion technique. Trouble is, a lot of folks come here first, report a bad fit, then come to Heir Audio second....

    Usually proper insertion technique takes care of the issue, and we are rather grateful for this, as shipping fees are a heavy burden on the customer, and time is not something we have a lot of.

   As far as rejecting a lot of impressions, well that is a symptom of another problem all together.

   1) CIEM impression taking technique etc, is not really part of the Audiology curiculum (neither is spelling, luckily for me)

       I imagine a lot of students would "balk" at the idea of going to school for 8 years, obtaining the tittle of Doctor, and be informed that they will be assisting in the sell of head phones, when all the while they had invinsioned roaming the halls of a hospital, while wearing the "robes" a "doctor."

    2) Although technically one should be able to say, "I need a deep impression, beyond the second bend, for a Full Shell hearing aid.... " and that would be sufficient...

       The trouble is:

        A) Full Shell hearing aids make up a small percentage of hearing aid sales - they are considerd "old technology" and  are not in high demand by the public

        B) The purpose of a "tight" fitting heairng aid was to stop feed back propblems. Today, hearing aids are loaded with active DSP that can stop feed back through phase cancelation, so the requirement/need for tight fitting Full Shell Hearing aids has really "died out."   In short, it could be said, due to technological advances, "older audiologist" have gotten spoiled, and newer audiologist don't really even comprehend the need for tight fits.

 Thus, over a period of time, due to the progression of hearing aid technology, the impression technique for CIEMs and hearing aids has become two distinct techniques. Are audilogist fully aware of this.... "No."  Are they concerned?  Probably not.  Back in the day when I practiced audiology, over a period of 7 years, I did one set of impression for CIEMs.  As the demand rises, so will awareness, but until then, there will be a lot of continued "back and forth" between customers, audiologist, and CIEM manufactures/distributors.

Then there is also another problem: 

Education - For example in the country of Singapore, there is NO audiology program. The country of Taiwan, has 2, the country of China, has essentially ONE that I would consider a program on or near American standards and that is in Hong Kong. Thailand, One program and that is a BS level program. Australia I think has two programs (MS), New Zealand I think has One program. Maylasia, I do believe has 2 - 4 i can't really remember off the top of my head.

So in other words, the amount of highly trained audiologist around the world, is at best, a very tiny group.  (But have No fear, the IEM is Here)

Wizard

Quote:

Originally Posted by FullCircle 

 

    At least 90% of the reportedly "bad fits" are due to improper insertion technique. Trouble is, a lot of folks come here first, report a bad fit, then come to Heir Audio second....

 

I had exactly that problem with my first CIEMs - but I went to the CIEM manufacturer first.

Maybe a video on the website showing people how to insert\remove and look after their CIEM?

Quote:

Originally Posted by kryten123 

 

I had exactly that problem with my first CIEMs - but I went to the CIEM manufacturer first.

 

Maybe a video on the website showing people how to insert\remove and look after their CIEM?

Thank you UE and YouTube

I finally booked an appointment to get my impressions done. I'll have them done on the 20th

Regarding the question about lossless and FLAC vs. 128k MP3 and the like, I also agree. 

But, a bad recording is a bad recording regardless of the format.  I have heard some downright awful "HiRes" files.  I have also heard some breathtaking 128k MP3 files.  I'm just saying that there is no substitute for a good recording and mastering job.  Also, remember that this is the art of the preformer and the recorder.  It could be that some recordings were intended to sound the way they do.  I can have my opinion about art, and I still can respect and enjoy it. 

One thing that is becoming more clear as I listen to old favorites on the amped 8a's is that I am hearing more things than I remember hearing before.  I am also hearing less "stress" on the part of the headphone than I have heard before with other headphones (they do not appear to "overload" if that is the right word).  Maybe this is the smoothness that some have mentioned. I also find the 8a's distracting when I am trying to do something else while listening.  They command attention. 

So worth the wait. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sorensiim 

Congratulations!!

 

Man, 6.A and 8.A are going to be quite the pair, I hope you'll at least post a couple of comparisons 

I would love to but not allowed due to MOT status........but pictures galore I can do, I think!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by FullCircle 

 

    What you don't know or see is the "back story" regarding the "bad fits."   When we get an e-mail regarding "poor fits" we always ask for photos of the CIEMs inserted....

 

    At least 90% of the reportedly "bad fits" are due to improper insertion technique. Trouble is, a lot of folks come here first, report a bad fit, then come to Heir Audio second....

 

    Usually proper insertion technique takes care of the issue, and we are rather grateful for this, as shipping fees are a heavy burden on the customer, and time is not something we have a lot of.

 

 

   As far as rejecting a lot of impressions, well that is a symptom of another problem all together.

 

   1) CIEM impression taking technique etc, is not really part of the Audiology curiculum (neither is spelling, luckily for me)

       

       I imagine a lot of students would "balk" at the idea of going to school for 8 years, obtaining the tittle of Doctor, and be informed that they will be assisting in the sell of head phones, when all the while they had invinsioned roaming the halls of a hospital, while wearing the "robes" a "doctor."

 

 

    2) Although technically one should be able to say, "I need a deep impression, beyond the second bend, for a Full Shell hearing aid.... " and that would be sufficient...

 

       The trouble is:

 

        A) Full Shell hearing aids make up a small percentage of hearing aid sales - they are considerd "old technology" and  are not in high demand by the public

        B) The purpose of a "tight" fitting heairng aid was to stop feed back propblems. Today, hearing aids are loaded with active DSP that can stop feed back through phase cancelation, so the requirement/need for tight fitting Full Shell Hearing aids has really "died out."   In short, it could be said, due to technological advances, "older audiologist" have gotten spoiled, and newer audiologist don't really even comprehend the need for tight fits.

 

 

 Thus, over a period of time, due to the progression of hearing aid technology, the impression technique for CIEMs and hearing aids has become two distinct techniques. Are audilogist fully aware of this.... "No."  Are they concerned?  Probably not.  Back in the day when I practiced audiology, over a period of 7 years, I did one set of impression for CIEMs.  As the demand rises, so will awareness, but until then, there will be a lot of continued "back and forth" between customers, audiologist, and CIEM manufactures/distributors.

 

 

Then there is also another problem: 

 

Education - For example in the country of Singapore, there is NO audiology program. The country of Taiwan, has 2, the country of China, has essentially ONE that I would consider a program on or near American standards and that is in Hong Kong. Thailand, One program and that is a BS level program. Australia I think has two programs (MS), New Zealand I think has One program. Maylasia, I do believe has 2 - 4 i can't really remember off the top of my head.

 

So in other words, the amount of highly trained audiologist around the world, is at best, a very tiny group.  (But have No fear, the IEM is Here)

 

 

 

Wizard

Well said, sir.