Quote:
Originally Posted by
anoxy 
Hey Swim, could you compare your Cosmic Ears IEMs to the 4.Ai?
The Single BA is adrift in terms of overall performance but is colder than the 4.Ai as it does not have the warmth of the extra mid bass it has. Sub bass extension is better on the 4.Ai. Mids are very transparent on both but timbre is better on 4.Ai. Highs have to be a bit smoother on the CE and with similar extension. The CE basically are not as good but more analytical with a colder sound and great detail but they are a third of the price and a great entry level CIEM, well the best i think and also a great compitor of the price range.
Have already compared to the HY3XB
Heir Audio 4.Ai:
Here they are going up against my current favourite universal IEM. It costs £250 but importing it into the UK with shipping and tax you will be set back at least £350 making this actually a fair bit more than the HY3XB all in. As for packages the Heir is better, you get an otter box and some accessories and the monitors have a wood faceplate that is a beautiful. Cosmic do have a more portable case but do not have any accessories such as the bands at cleaning tool the Heir has, but then at the same time you are getting a CIEM and it is made for YOU so there are swings and round ‘a’ bouts.
The first song I A/Bed this to is Tracy Chapman’s Behind the Wall that is a cappella. Now this is just a woman’s vocals and it lets the HY3XB to not be influenced by the bass and compare mids in a different way. The Heir’s were only a touch nicer with more body and character to them and a more natural tone.
I then moved on to a Victim of Love by the Eagles and the mids instantly become more apparently better on the 4.Ai’s. They are clearer, more transparent and have an abundance of micro details in comparison. They also much more intimate on the 4.Ai.
Soundstage between the two is quite close and the HY3XB is bigger with more width being the most obvious difference but there is less depth with it. However the Heir is a lot more airy and has hugely better imaging that is pinpoint accurate of the Heir and a bit smudged on the HY3XB.
Bass here is two different beasts. The Heir have a slight boost in this area, just sitting ever so slightly above neutral and hitting very fast while maintaining an extension that does not quite rumble but is well textured. The HY3XB rumbles a lot more is, more powerful in this are but is also slower, boomier and more dominant. One if for bass lovers and the other is pretty much perceived as neutral and is technically great. The HY3XB is AMAZING for EDM and Dubstep while this is an area not suited for the 4.Ai but the bass is more tuned for any other genre on the 4.Ai maybe excluding pop.
Treble is better extended more sparkly and brighter on the 4.Ai but edgier and not as smooth.
The 4.Ai is technically superior, it sounds better to me because it is a lot more suited to my preferences but it is more expensive and to be honest they are two different things and not really made to compete as the sound signature is so different.





