Heir Audio 3.Ai Impressions/Comparisons/Review Thread - Page 5

I am also looking for that GR07 upgrade and based on Cotnijoe's review, the 3.Ai sounds like a good possibility.   So being one of those few who have the Hisoundaudio Studio V, I contacted "the wizard" aka Fullcircle, to get the sensitivity of the 3.A and he said Heir doesn't "give out specs to the public."

I'm currently watching for the old "Twin Peaks" series which is all about secrets, so when I got his response I wondered "why the secret?"   Unique Melody gives out their "secret" specifications as do many other custom manufacturers.   I don't hear hiss with my GR07's, but when I had the JH5's there was hiss galore even in the mode for high sensitivity armatures.   The JH5 sensitivity is 119 and 105 for the GR07.  I'm kinda stuck with my expensive player to around 105 to 110 db which is good for dynamics, but makes IEMs with armatures a dicy proposition.   Just don't like my Ipod or Hifiman 601SQ as much as the V and don't want to have to buy a new player.   If I don't get the 3.A due to my "hissy problem" I'm hoping the GR08 will have a low sensitivity.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by eke2k6 

 

Honestly, I've found Sonny's impressions regarding the GR07 to be a little off, especially when he says the total opposite to what I and several others have heard. It doesn't seem to be a case of the typical "we all hear differently" head-fi speak either.

haha, they both flat signatures but the 4.Ai is fairly better GR07 and then again and again (unless you need bass bad). remember that guy going on about the r-50 and how it is better than that GR07. Well i think them to are pretty similar (i have compared them) but the Heir is now making the 5-50 sound silly which is just breath taking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by soundbear 

I'm currently watching for the old "Twin Peaks" series which is all about secrets, so when I got his response I wondered "why the secret?"

That (TP) has a pretty good cult following :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swimsonny 

haha, they both flat signatures but the 4.Ai destroys the GR07 and then again and again (unless you need bass bad). remember that guy going on about the r-50 and how it is better than that GR07. Well i think them to are pretty similar (i have compared them) but the Heir is now making the 5-50 sound silly which is just breath taking.

That's the thing. The GR07 isn't even a basshead phone. It has relatively little mid-bass to speak of. Almost all of the bass response is concentrated below 100-150 Hz.

I personally found the GR07 to be on the same tier as the W4, though the W4 wins overall by about <= 10%. So you'll forgive my skepticism when I hear claims that the 4Ai destroys the GR07.

 If I can, I'll audition the 4.Ai for myself.

eke, I'm sure you've read Cotnijoe's comparison between the GR07 (MK1.1) and the 3.Ai on the first page, and I asked him for that comparison as I'm considering the 3.Ai as my next IEM upgrade! And I really love the way the GR07 (MK1.1) sound, mainly with drums... What do you think about that comparison?

I know but the Heir is very polite with its mid-bass quantity, it is delicate and fast, the GR07 was heavy and slams hard but being slower because of this.

Okay destroy is the wrong word, in fact nothing beats or destroy nothing really because of preference so i clearly found the 4.Ai to be better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by putente 

eke, I'm sure you've read Cotnijoe's comparison between the GR07 (MK1.1) and the 3.Ai on the first page, and I asked him for that comparison as I'm considering the 3.Ai as my next IEM upgrade! And I really love the way the GR07 (MK1.1) sound, mainly with drums... What do you think about that comparison?

 

I just read it, and I have to say that it seems in line with what you get when comparing with a bass-heavy iem. It's partially why I sold mine after getting the 1.2 revision of the ASG-1. It just sounded so much fuller and, when I boosted the treble, it just went to another level. 

There is a certain amount of time you have to allow yourself when A/B-ing two different signatures like that. Going back and forth from the 07 to the EPH-100 took me about a minute in between each switch so I could allow my eardrums to readjust. If you read between the lines of the comparison, you'll notice that the main difference (besides soundstage, which I can agree on) is bass quantity.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swimsonny 

I know but the Heir is very polite with its mid-bass quantity, it is delicate and fast, the GR07 was heavy and slams hard but being slower because of this.

 

Okay destroy is the wrong word, in fact nothing beats or destroy nothing really because of preference so i clearly found the 4.Ai to be better.

I know I shouldn't but into this argument about the GR07, but I could have sworn I read on Head-Fi somewhere that there were two models released.  One model was neutral (or close to it) and it was the originally released one.  The second model was named the same (so I'm not referring to the MKII), but was updated to have a warmer sound (boost in the mid, maybe lower-lows) to create this effect.  This would actually account for the differences both of you hear.  I did want to mention that could be a reason.  IDK if it is true that there are two models, but it seems feasible (companies do this all the time).

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinyman392 

I know I shouldn't but into this argument about the GR07, but I could have sworn I read on Head-Fi somewhere that there were two models released.  One model was neutral (or close to it) and it was the originally released one.  The second model was named the same (so I'm not referring to the MKII), but was updated to have a warmer sound (boost in the mid, maybe lower-lows) to create this effect.  This would actually account for the differences both of you hear.  I did want to mention that could be a reason.  IDK if it is true that there are two models, but it seems feasible (companies do this all the time).

They're not. I got both versions, the original burgundy boxed one, and the "new" one with the truckload of tips. There was virtually no difference between the two.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eke2k6 

I just read it, and I have to say that it seems in line with what you get when comparing with a bass-heavy iem. It's partially why I sold mine after getting the 1.2 revision of the ASG-1. It just sounded so much fuller and, when I boosted the treble, it just went to another level. 

 

There is a certain amount of time you have to allow yourself when A/B-ing two different signatures like that. Going back and forth from the 07 to the EPH-100 took me about a minute in between each switch so I could allow my eardrums to readjust. If you read between the lines of the comparison, you'll notice that the main difference (besides soundstage, which I can agree on) is bass quantity.

Well, if they have more bass quantity, but with great quality, I don't mind!  

I'm still a bit sceptical as I've never even heard any kind of BA before, so I don't really know what to expect from these... 

Quote:

Originally Posted by putente 

 

 

Well, if they have more bass quantity, but with great quality, I don't mind! 

 

I'm still a bit sceptical as I've never even heard any kind of BA before, so I don't really know what to expect from these... 

Ditto on the first point. That's part of the reason why I'm so drawn to the ASG-1.2

IMO, the differences between BAs and dynamics aren't that large. Yes, they have certain sound characteristics, but it's not the night and day difference some posts would have you believe. A good 'stereotype' for the BA sound would be the Meelectronics A161, or something similar. You just have to be careful to get a good fit. At first I dismissed them but, when I tried the triple flanges, there came the low end in full force. I think you need the better seal due to the fact that they simply can't move air as effortlessly as dynamics.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eke2k6 

 

Ditto on the first point. That's part of the reason why I'm so drawn to the ASG-1.2

 

IMO, the differences between BAs and dynamics aren't that large. Yes, they have certain sound characteristics, but it's not the night and day difference some posts would have you believe. A good 'stereotype' for the BA sound would be the Meelectronics A161, or something similar. You just have to be careful to get a good fit. At first I dismissed them but, when I tried the triple flanges, there came the low end in full force. I think you need the better seal due to the fact that they simply can't move air as effortlessly as dynamics.

Great! Thanks... 

@Cotnijoe

you mentioned your prefer a slightly V shaped signature.. is this the signature 3.Ai have because the gr07 are not like that.. a bit more refined treble and more bass would be welcome (and soundstage as well) but if its V shaped i think they are not for me?

Thx

Cotnijoe, could  you comment on the insertion depth of the 3ai compared to the GR07?   Is it much deeper or uncomfortable?