Heir Audio 3.Ai Impressions/Comparisons/Review Thread - Page 19

I have used the 3.Ai for a few month now and thought I share my impressions. In short, I am very disappointed.

Good:

- they look great.

- isolation is absolutely fantastic. Best I ever experienced with an IEM

- sound stage is nice (but not as good as the IE80 IMO, but close)

Neutral:

- reasonably comfortable to wear

- bass: nice, but not too impressive. A little flabby perhaps, but not offensively so.

Bad:

- mids: vocals feel somewhat recessed and distant (compared to a IE80 or SE535). This could be because the highs are so dominant and mask the mids, I don't know. I don't feel like troubleshooting.

- build quality: I have dropouts on one side occasionally when I move my head. After some fiddling with the connector (which is not exactly sophisticated) I managed to fix the problem. This should not be needed with equipment in this price range. 

Ugly:

- highs: extremely bright and nasty, nasty nasty. I think piercing is a good word for it. My ears hurt after listening to music for a few minutes, even at low to moderate volumes. I have heard phones that I think are overly bright, but never anything like that. I hoped this would get better over time, but no luck.

I always tell people to audition phones before they buy them, but I of course I ordered them blindly and got burned - badly. I will get over it. I wish I had the same experience as the people in here who seem to love them, but this was not to be. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by FullCircle 

 

      I have a very good friend in Thailand....   he could have his choice of any Heir product......   the product he chose..... the 3.Ai

 

 

      some people are left handed, some people are right handed....   is one better than the other?

I believe you have been informed of my thoughts on 3.Ai vs 4.Ai... so am going to say "yes" (90% yes anyway)

Hi, I am eyeing on this as well as with the 4.Ai+

Which one of them will suit me?

I listen to boy bands like:

Boys Like Girls

We The Kings

All Time Low

A Rocket to the Moon

The Script

The Maine

As well as:

Paramore

Usher

Jason Mraz

Beyonce

Im kinda leaning into RnB, Acoustics and Rock like those bands above.

So which one? 3.Ai or 4.Ai? Thank you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schiso 

Hi, I am eyeing on this as well as with the 4.Ai+

 

Which one of them will suit me?

 

I listen to boy bands like:

 

Boys Like Girls

We The Kings

All Time Low

A Rocket to the Moon

The Script

The Maine

 

As well as:

Paramore

Usher

Jason Mraz

Beyonce

 

Im kinda leaning into RnB, Acoustics and Rock like those bands above.

 

So which one? 3.Ai or 4.Ai? Thank you.

I hate to say it, but honestly, many of the bands you listen to are vocal driven (I listen to a lot of the same stuff you do).  For vocals, I feel the 3.Ai does a little better than the 4.Ai.  You can do better than both though.  The W4, or even a pair of Phonaks will better suit what you need.  

The 3.Ai mids are fairly Reccessed and vocals quite muffled while on the 4.Ai they are beautifully clear I think that's what you need for them bands..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swimsonny 

The 3.Ai mids are fairly Reccessed and vocals quite muffled while on the 4.Ai they are beautifully clear I think that's what you need for them bands..

I didn't get that with the 3.Ai, they never sounded muffled to me.  I found the 3.Ai's vocals to be much clearer (in the upper range) than the 4.Ai, and for vocals, would actually prefer them any day (despite being a bit more recessed than the 4.Ai).  The bands listed above have vocals that go into the upper ranges, where the 4.Ai fails to perform properly.  

I don't listen to all the bands he lists above heavily, but the ones I do are: We the Kings, Boys Like Girls, and All Time Low (I also do listen to the Script and Jason Mraz, but do't have as large of a collection of those two artists).  I will attest that they do have a bit of a strong focus on the upper midrange in order to portray their vocals properly.  The 4.Ai just didn't do it for me with them.  

I still stand by my suggestions, the UE 900, Phonaks (either model), and W4 will be a better choice for what he listens too depending on sound preference.  Unless, of course, Schiso prefers a warm sounding headphone with tamed treble.  If that is so, then by all means, get the 4.Ai.  

This may be of some help

 http://www.avforums.com/forums/headphones-headphone-amps/1741670-comparison-heir-audio-3-ai-4-ai-phonak-audeo-pfe-232-shure-se535.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinyman392 

 

I didn't get that with the 3.Ai, they never sounded muffled to me.  I found the 3.Ai's vocals to be much clearer (in the upper range) than the 4.Ai, and for vocals, would actually prefer them any day (despite being a bit more recessed than the 4.Ai).  The bands listed above have vocals that go into the upper ranges, where the 4.Ai fails to perform properly.  

 

I don't listen to all the bands he lists above heavily, but the ones I do are: We the Kings, Boys Like Girls, and All Time Low (I also do listen to the Script and Jason Mraz, but do't have as large of a collection of those two artists).  I will attest that they do have a bit of a strong focus on the upper midrange in order to portray their vocals properly.  The 4.Ai just didn't do it for me with them.  

 

I still stand by my suggestions, the UE 900, Phonaks (either model), and W4 will be a better choice for what he listens too depending on sound preference.  Unless, of course, Schiso prefers a warm sounding headphone with tamed treble.  If that is so, then by all means, get the 4.Ai.  

^ Quite inline with my impressions. He wishes for a but more vocals too with the 3.Ai.

I was planning to buy westone 4R before reading about Heir Audios. Do you think I should get that instead?

I have a 3a.i for a week or so. And I can say that when doing A-B to another famous earphone (hint: one of Westones) this one beats in clarity! Maybe that +40 hours of pink noise helped too but I wanna say that I loved these :) If only..if only earguide pipes were shorter. Well, maybe like in my comparison with that famous earphone..I wonder if we can cut that long guide piece to a shorter piece? 

http://www.techno-fi.net/forum/index.php?topic=6092.0

.

PS: Though it makes me wonder that if I had cut that piece into a shorter and bend the remaning to be useful like the other one, would it lose its balance that helps it stay on ear. Anybody knowing anything?
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by FullCircle 

This may be of some help

 

 http://www.avforums.com/forums/headphones-headphone-amps/1741670-comparison-heir-audio-3-ai-4-ai-phonak-audeo-pfe-232-shure-se535.html

 

 

 

 

 

There is quite a bit in that comparison that I don't agree with, others inline.  I still stand by my statements I made about the PFE232 vs W4 vs 3.Ai vs 4.Ai.  In terms of vocal dynamics, the 3.Ai bests the 4.Ai, as do the PFE232 and 3.Ai.  Vocal dynamics, in many ways goes further than just forwardness of vocals.  It requires strong response in a wide field: from below the 1 k all the way up to the 5 or 6 k; having a resonance peak as well of some sort too.  Without this, you can lose either the deep lushness (lower vocals) or energy (or lift) in the vocals (upper vocals).  Although not as forward (in the 1k range), both the PFE232, PFE1xx, W4, and 3.Ai best the 4.Ai vocal dynamics (I will stand by this).  

Detail retrieval (lower detailing) is still better done by the 4.Ai over the PFE (due to some lack of clarity) and 3.Ai (but inline with the W4), the problem is that many of Schiso's music focuses on melodies the exist in the upper midrange.  Even the quoted review says that's a weakness of the 4.Ai.  The 3.Ai doesn't struggle with this area as much, though it could use some minor improvements here as well.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swimsonny 

The 3.Ai mids are fairly Reccessed and vocals quite muffled while on the 4.Ai they are beautifully clear I think that's what you need for them bands..

Yeah I didn't get that either, I never listened to 4.Ai but to me 3.Ai mid is superb, it is the treble that's sounds recessed or laid back...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tamirci 

I have a 3a.i for a week or so. And I can say that when doing A-B to another famous earphone (hint: one of Westones) this one beats in clarity! Maybe that +40 hours of pink noise helped too but I wanna say that I loved these :) If only..if only earguide pipes were shorter. Well, maybe like in my comparison with that famous earphone..I wonder if we can cut that long guide piece to a shorter piece? 

http://www.techno-fi.net/forum/index.php?topic=6092.0

.

 

PS: Though it makes me wonder that if I had cut that piece into a shorter and bend the remaning to be useful like the other one, would it lose its balance that helps it stay on ear. Anybody knowing anything?
 

Yeah I am not a fan of the earguide plastic sheath thingy either...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tamirci 

If only..if only earguide pipes were shorter. ..I wonder if we can cut that long guide piece to a shorter piece? 

 

 

PS: Though it makes me wonder that if I had cut that piece into a shorter and bend the remaning to be useful like the other one, would it lose its balance that helps it stay on ear. Anybody knowing anything?
 

 This is mine....This cable had an exceedingly long plastic sheath. If you look carefully at yours, you will see that the actual metal wire part is much shorter. What I did was VERY carefully score around the plastic sheath with a craft knife, leaving it about 1/4 inch longer than the metal wire (you don't want metal poking out and sticking you) Then cut along the length of the piece to be removed (again very carefully). Then you can get some of that excess plastic off. 

Anyway, the point being, yes, you can remove some as long as you are careful not to cut the wire...and you are comfortable doing so.

And no, it does not affect the "balance" of the iem on the ear, it is fine!

That is weird that the plastic is so long on just one of yours...it came like that?

I guess muffles is a bit far but distant for sure and the treble has great presence finishing of a classic v signature.