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Neutral IEM for Classical and Jazz with good soundstage and bass extension - Page 3

post #31 of 44
10/19/12 at 7:23am

The pure silver cables are not great to spread out the soundstage or increase the bass response with greater midrange clarity, they just increase overall transperancy and extend the highs. I will highly recommend to try the 18AWG or 22AWG Pure Cryo or Cryo X Silver cable from ALO or DIY and you willbe amaze by HF5 bass response and soundstage (other IEMs will improve too).

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post #32 of 44
10/19/12 at 12:59pm

i won't trash-talk silver cables as i have some, but i already feel like a picky nerd when using them on 1000+$ iems.

this is really the very last thing i would put my money on. get nice iems, a good dap/dac, then if you re not happy go for amp, and then you can think about cables that won't do that much for a lot of money.

 

even if you were not limited by money (around 250$ if i got it right at the beginning) i wouldn't suggest that move.

we re paying a lot for a small resistivity change. i m always waiting for the day somebody suggests to get the shortest cable to improve sound and we all start sticking our daps on our head.
 

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post #33 of 44
10/19/12 at 5:35pm

timbre is good, things sound natural to me. they fit tightly and do not fall out as long as you find the right size tip. 

Quote:
Originally Posted by CJG888 View Post

How is timbre? Do acoustic instruments sound "undernourished" as with the HF5s? Also, how securely do the RE01s fit with silicone tips? Do they fall out often?
 

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post #34 of 44
10/23/12 at 6:21pm
Thread Starter 

I've been using the SE425s since Monday (using the iPod Classic and the iBasso P4 as source and amp respectively). In order to get the best out of the Shures, I've had to do a little op-amp rolling with the P4 - it's now almost back to stock (TLE2141 Class A, BUF634U) as the AD797s were too "reedy"-sounding. Gain is now at the low level (unity), and I have added a discrete transistor buffer on the first ground channel to add a little bass weight and gravitas.

 

On the whole, I can say that the system works very well. The SE425 offer almost the treble resolution and speed of the Etys, but add a much more realistic tonal balance and a genuine sense of soundstage (the first time I've heard this with IEMs). The benefit is especially clear on good piano and orchestral recordings.

 

Comfort is, needless to say, ideal. Does the change to aftermarket cables alter this? I fear it might.

 

One question for BA experts, though (in the past, I've always focused more on the full-sized end of the market): is there any benefit to be had from burn-in with balanced armature drivers? I've heard conflicting views on this......

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post #35 of 44
10/23/12 at 7:15pm
So glad enjoying them, that's the great thing about them is their natural tone.

They shouldn't burn-in, BA don't generally need burn-in, but some do.
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post #36 of 44
10/23/12 at 7:24pm

the W4

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post #37 of 44
10/24/12 at 10:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CJG888 View Post

Comfort is, needless to say, ideal. Does the change to aftermarket cables alter this? I fear it might.

 

One question for BA experts, though (in the past, I've always focused more on the full-sized end of the market): is there any benefit to be had from burn-in with balanced armature drivers? I've heard conflicting views on this......

 

I would say so. I just got my DHC Symbiote SE today and I think it's more comfortable than the stock Westone cables on my UM CIEM, despite the extra weight on these things! Quite the beefy cables!

 

I believe in burn-in on Headphones, IEMs (both Dynamic and BA), cables, amps, DACs, sources, almost everything. I believe in burn-in with almost everything electrical based. Others don't, but I don't care and nor do I want to argue.

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post #38 of 44
10/31/12 at 8:02pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZARIM View Post

The pure silver cables are not great to spread out the soundstage or increase the bass response with greater midrange clarity, they just increase overall transperancy and extend the highs. I will highly recommend to try the 18AWG or 22AWG Pure Cryo or Cryo X Silver cable from ALO or DIY and you willbe amaze by HF5 bass response and soundstage (other IEMs will improve too).
How do you recable an HF5 without destroying it? I presume you have to take the housing apart...
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post #39 of 44
10/31/12 at 8:05pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by randomkid View Post

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221134138699?redirect=mobile
Thanks.

BTW - how comfortable is this cable? I've noticed that it doesn't appear to have a chin slider.
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post #40 of 44
11/1/12 at 3:24am
It has a chin slider, it is comfortable, slightly stiff but softens with time. It's also slightly microphonic, but nothing bad, the SQ makes up for it
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post #41 of 44
11/1/12 at 8:38am
Thread Starter 
Have just ordered the cable.
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post #42 of 44
11/1/12 at 9:10am
Let me know how you like it when it arrives
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post #43 of 44
11/2/12 at 2:33am
Thread Starter 

The SE425s have a great sense of scale and soundstage, but I'm starting to miss the treble extension and resolution of the Etys.  I'm hoping that upgrading the cable may bring about a little improvement here.

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post #44 of 44
11/2/12 at 2:42am

yes the cable should bring better treble, i much prefer the 425 over etys though.

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