Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Headphones, Earphones and In-Ear Monitors › Sleek Audio SA7 Appreciation, Impressions, and Discussion Thread!
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Sleek Audio SA7 Appreciation, Impressions, and Discussion Thread!

post #1 of 22
2/8/13 at 9:59pm
Thread Starter 

Well browsing my Facebook, I just noticed that Sleek made a status about their new SA7 which has been rumored for QUITE some time now. Here it is, hopefully no one else posted before me. After owning the SA6, I hope Sleek fixed some of the minor flaws associated with the VQ Tuning system. O well, at least it's out now!

 

http://store.sleek-audio.com/earphones/sa7-in-ear-earphones.html

 

EDIT: I just made this into an appreciation and impressions thread just because. Cheers! Hopefully someone will take the plunge sooner or later


Edited by planx - 2/9/13 at 12:22pm
Reply

Head-Fi's Best Sellers

post #2 of 22
2/9/13 at 12:03am

I am very excited about this and hope I get to review one.

Reply
post #3 of 22
2/9/13 at 3:58am

So who's going to bite? etysmile.gif

Reply
post #4 of 22
2/9/13 at 4:16am

Wireless dual BA?
Pretty exotic and interesting :D

Reply
post #5 of 22
2/9/13 at 8:03am

Interesting! Finally here and at a fair price for our economy. Phonak charged too much for the same driver set up and it probably put them out of the earphone making biz.

 

I also wonder if they tweaked things. They said they would. Also wonder what the deal is with a possible bundle with the wireless module(and if that was updated/improved). Also when is the non-limited edition coming as I'd rather have a plain old portable case.


Edited by jant71 - 2/9/13 at 8:06am
Reply
post #6 of 22
2/9/13 at 8:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jant71 View Post

Interesting! Finally here and at a fair price for our economy. Phonak charged too much for the same driver set up and it probably put them out of the earphone making biz.

 

I also wonder if they tweaked things. They said they would. Also wonder what the deal is with a possible bundle with the wireless module(and if that was updated/improved). Also when is the non-limited edition coming as I'd rather have a plain old portable case.

 

I take it you own a pair of SA7s, PFE232s cracked them open saw the driver contents, saw that they matched...  Then measured both headphones to find exact same measurements?  

Reply
post #7 of 22
2/9/13 at 12:04pm
Thread Starter 

Seeing how this is very well priced for what it seems to be a "mid-high" tier IEM, it can go both ways. It costs more than conventional dual-BA setups like the Earsonics SM2, Westone UM2/W2, and the TFWK IEMs, I'm expecting to pull off a Phonak and take the Hi-Fi world by surprise with their new product. I could be wrong though

Reply
post #8 of 22
2/9/13 at 12:09pm
Thread Starter 

Also, I personally think that Sleek took too long to release the SA7... I know that I was saving up for a LONG time for the SA7 and once it never came out, I just ended up buying other stuff. Is this enough for Sleek to gain back another customer? Must be pretty convincing for me to try Sleek again... We will see though. Now, someone with some cash, go buy one and do a tour biggrin.gif

Reply
post #9 of 22
2/9/13 at 12:12pm

Latley I have been loving single BAs and I am sure a dual BA can be just as good. Drier count means nothing to be honest. I am very excited for opinions and just hope they have made sure it is good for the 2013 market and not the 2010 one when it was announced.

Reply
post #10 of 22
2/9/13 at 12:16pm
Thread Starter 

Absolutely. I loved the VQ tuning system Sleek "invented", but I was too quick to love because I soon despised it once it developed quality issues. If Sleek uses the same material for it, I'm out. After 5-8 treble tip changes, you can pretty much expect the plastic to start breaking.

 

EDIT: From the looks of it, it seems like they are using a different style Treble tip. However, the bass port looks the same as before... It wasn't as bad as the treble tip, but I found that the rubber soon expands/contracts and loses it's tight fit and eventually fall out.


Edited by planx - 2/9/13 at 12:19pm
Reply
post #11 of 22
2/9/13 at 7:57pm

I've very much enjoyed single driver BAs but I do think more can be better. Problem is that it's more difficult to do and can just be worse instead. Even in the early days of BAs, I prefered the UE sf3 to the sf5. Phonaks and Etymotics are great but there's a reason that even the best single driver anything lacks something. Even if the bandwith is there, it's really hard to make a single driver absolutely linear or natural over that entire range. Using 2 or more with complimentary attribute can get the best of everything along with lower distortion in some ranges. Getting the crossover right and everything timed up is the trick but not impossible. I prefer normal levels of bass and  I do consider a single BA full range capable but like single dynamics, they can be improved upon.

 

With Sleek generally doing their user adjustments mechanically/acoustically, if they get the blending of drivers right, it should stay so regrdless of adjustment. I don't care for most home speakers either and often it's because the crossovers are noticeable. Doesn't mean that there aren't a few that get it pretty right.bigsmile_face.gif 

Reply
post #12 of 22
2/9/13 at 8:00pm

I am one of the first few people in Asia to own an SA6 when it first came out and I really like it at the time, so naturally I would expect a bit more from Sleek Audio. Anyway, for those who doesn't keep track of their news - the carbon fiber shell is gone. Basically it is SA7 drivers in an SA6R shell (both were announced at IFA Berlin almost 2.5 year ago), but pretty much still at the same SA7 price tag. I was hoping they would lower the price tag to under / around $300 as that will be a much more competitive since $300+ is really the territory of the triple drivers. It has taken too long for them to release the SA7 and the market isn't the same as before.

Reply
post #13 of 22
2/10/13 at 3:50am

I think if they sound good enough, they'll do fine and may also get some support for not being a far east product. The 6 showed up when everybody else had doubles and triples as well. The body certainly looks different than the original sa6 but just like the new 6R coming out but I'm good with that. I thought the carbon fiber covers a bit kitschy and more 2010 as well. wink_face.gif


Edited by goodvibes - 2/10/13 at 3:52am
Reply
post #14 of 22
2/11/13 at 6:13pm

Anyone here have a W-1 accessory?

Reply
post #15 of 22
2/12/13 at 4:19pm

I would consider this if Sleek have sorted out the serious build issues associated with the SA6 - from the treble tips to the disgraceful cable and crumbling monitors, the SA6 burned a lot of my hard-earned cash. Fair enough, Sleek's customer support was good but they really needed to sell a robust product from the beginning.

 

The SA6 sounded great but I for one will wait a few months for community feedback before I start shelling out shipping fees, on an in warranty SA7, yo-yoing back and forth to Sleek for the inevitable repairs.

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home

Head-Fi's Best Sellers

Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Headphones, Earphones and In-Ear Monitors › Sleek Audio SA7 Appreciation, Impressions, and Discussion Thread!