Heir Audio 4.Ai - Appreciation/Impression/Review Thread - Page 81

Quote:

Originally Posted by elnero 

I just finished listening to Pink Floyd's "The Final Cut" with the 4.Ai's. It was nothing short of amazing! Tonally it felt spot on, just the right amount of punch and weight in the bass and all those little details they threw in have never had such clarity.

Ahh!!! I'm still stuck on the fence trying to choose between the 3.ai and 4.ai

I really just don't know. :P 

How does the configuration of 2 drives vs 1 large drive change the bass in each IEM? 

And if I don't feel like there's enough bass in the 4.ai, can I amp them?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winter Charm 

Ahh!!! I'm still stuck on the fence trying to choose between the 3.ai and 4.ai

 

I really just don't know. :P 

 

How does the configuration of 2 drives vs 1 large drive change the bass in each IEM? 

 

And if I don't feel like there's enough bass in the 4.ai, can I amp them?

All of our play very nicely with amps and dacs. That being said, the 3.Ai has "more bass" than the 4.Ai.

I just posted this over on the 3.Ai thread, but since there is so much talk of 3.Ai vs. 4.Ai I thought I would post it here as well, I hope that's okay.

My 3.Ai's arrived today, so far pretty impressed. The burl on these are VERY nice, I definitely like the look of these even more than my 4.Ai's which I thought were awesome. 

Here are a few impressions/comparisons - I will post more about the 3.Ai after I spend a week or so with them.

I noticed a couple small improvements to the included cable over the one I received with the 4.Ai's. The plug is more rounded and smaller, it slips right into the jack of a couple devices that have a case and a tighter clearance around the output jack. Also - and more of a plus to me - the memory wire section is way shorter and therefore nicer. On the 4.Ai's, the memory wire was much longer and there was also about an inch of extra plastic sleeve past the wire part - This was mentioned in my review of the 4.Ai. I don't have a photo comparison between the two because I already modified the memory wire section on the 4.Ai.... I (very carefully) trimmed the excess plastic sleeve off and it shorted it up pretty well. This new one is shorter still by about 1/2 inch - just enough to loop over the top of the ear only. I like it. 

Initial impression of the sound (I have only listened a couple hours or so)...Bassier, punchier but still controlled and detailed. Really fun. Definitely a bit recessed in the midrange (compared to the super-duper mids of the 4.Ai) but the mids are still very nice and have good detail. Highs seem to have good bite, sparkle and such.. well done and not harsh at all (to me). I have read a couple comments here where it was mentioned the highs on the 3.Ai are a bit edgier and therefore are well suited to bring out the "grittiness" of rock vocals and lead guitar. I would have to agree with this statement, it is a good description of the highs. These seem like very good all-purpose IEM's.

Although I haven't spent much time with the 3.Ai yet, I can already tell you this:

Comparing the two -The 4.Ai's are better for critical listening. They have everything more evenly presented. If I am sitting on the couch with my eyes closed, relaxing, listening for every nuance especially with jazz, acoustic guitars, or whatever you want to GEEK OUT with - 4.Ai all the way. If I want listen while walking around, or doing housework and just enjoy the music and ROCK OUT - 3.Ai all the way. 

The worst part? Yes, there is a really horrible thing going on..... I bought these thinking I would spend some time with the 4.Ai's and the 3.Ai's and decide which one I liked better. Then I would sell the other off. Well, damn it, I can tell already that they are both sooooo good in different ways that I might not be able to let one of them go.

Definitely really good as far as I can tell.

Absolute beauties:

Different plug and memory wire:

Great impressions, thanks for sharing. Maybe I need to pick up some 3.Ai as well. Although I feel like I could find a much cheaper option to rock out with around the house.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegrobe 


Well, maybe it sounds like I am selling the 3.Ai short with my choice of words. Not my intent. I don't mean to imply that they are only good if you don't really care what you are hearing. Far from it. They have the same build quality, the same quality of sound, the same DNA as the 4.Ai, just...uh..different.
The mids on the 4.Ai just put the detail right there, you don't have to try to hear things. The 3.Ai has clarity there but you have to slightly think about it to follow the detail because of the rowdiness in the other parts of the spectrum. And by rowdiness I mean the GOOD kind. Okay there I go poorly choosing words again. Maybe engaging, strong and with a bite would better describe the lows and highs.
Are these worth the $300? A huge YES, even after only spending a few hours with them. It's still early, but I may like these better than the 4.Ai's for certain types of music.

For music that is centered more around vocals, would the 4Ai be more suited than the 3Ai?

So if I want to go lift weights to Nine Inch Nails or some upbeat EDM, the 3.Ai will likely give me a much better experience than my 4.Ai?

Hello,

I also have the 4ai and i don't know if someone gave an impression of these beautiful IEM paired just with the Clip + alone...

To me,the combo 4Ai + Clip + is nicer than with an Hisoundaudio player because the Rocoo BA for example, is perhaps to much detailled and with the "extreme" details of the 4 Ai, to me, it's to much fatiguing in particular the treble region...  

And also, the Clip + give a "warmer" sound than the Rocoo, less analitical, the bass is perhaps more present with the Clip +.

Does someone had the same feeling?

To The Grobe:

Thanks for your thoughts as you really hammered out the design differences between the two.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FullCircle 

To The Grobe:

 

 

Thanks for your thoughts as you really hammered out the design differences between the two.

As one of the apparently few other guys who's heard both, let me concur with that. Your descriptions are spot on. The only way that I'm able to live with just the 4.Ai and not keeping the 3.Ai as well, is that I have the 8.A.

Yeah, seriously guys, 8.A is where you need to go to get the best of both. For some music, I actually prefer the 4.Ai to the 8.A. If you're a grado lover, the 3.Ai is what you want.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sorensiim 

Yeah, seriously guys, 8.A is where you need to go to get the best of both.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sorensiim 

Oh and if anyone wants comparisons between the 4.Ai and 8.A let me know.

I do and I don't want to read that comparison, I'm interested in the differences and how the 8.A pulls ahead of the 4.Ai but it will also likely make me sad because I can't do customs so won't be able to hear it for myself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinyman392 

 

Look at the grey raw graphs.  The only difference really is that the Etymotic has a larger resonance spike... 

and 4-5db more mids so that much less bass.