[willowbrook]

   
Say, Willowbrook, if I recall you now have the LZ-A4 on deck also.   What are your feelings on the LZ-A4 compared with the FLC8S?

Gah, sorry for making you wait. I actually haven't even opened the box yet because my source isn't here and I am very leaning towards getting a b-stock or used pair of CA Andromeda. Thinking of handing it off to someone else for the same price I got or returning it and handle the delivery charge. I will also probably sell my flc8s for a cheap price when the new set of filters get here. Gotta make funds for andromeda

 

[RedSky0]

Actually, speaking of sanding down TF10 style cable pins for the FLC8, has anyone done this? Are there any consideration with regards to the coating the connectors might have?

 

[cellarbro]

Does anyone find the FLC8S's kind of fatiguing after a bit of listening? 
 
They sound amazing but I find myself wanting to crank up the volume I guess due to the vocals not as forward as I would like them to be. Not sure if it is just me. Clarity on these are unreal but I wish the sound stage gave them the perception of being closer or even presented as if they were in front of me. Any change in filters would help this? 
 
The only way I could describe the FLC8S is as if I am sitting somewhere in the middle of a stage. I want to be in the front row! I only have heard  one IEM that gave me this impression so far from the IE800's. And that is just from memory. I am not 100% sure as I only heard them for a short period of time.
 
Edit- Just switched the red filters for the grey. Vocals are a bit more forward. Still not front row but I moved up a few rows and they don't sound overpowered by the heavier bass.
 
One of the reasons I love these IEM is the fact that I have different moods about how something should sound or more so, something that is bothering me and changing out the filters can adjust that for the most part. 

 

[Brooko]

  Does anyone find the FLC8S's kind of fatiguing after a bit of listening? 
 
They sound amazing but I find myself wanting to crank up the volume I guess due to the vocals not as forward as I would like them to be. Not sure if it is just me. Clarity on these are unreal but I wish the sound stage gave them the perception of being closer or even presented as if they were in front of me. Any change in filters would help this? 
 
The only way I could describe the FLC8S is as if I am sitting somewhere in the middle of a stage. I want to be in the front row! I only have heard  one IEM that gave me this impression so far from the IE800's. And that is just from memory. I am not 100% sure as I only heard them for a short period of time.
 
Edit- Just switched the red filters for the grey. Vocals are a bit more forward. Still not front row but I moved up a few rows and they don't sound overpowered by the heavier bass.
 
One of the reasons I love these IEM is the fact that I have different moods about how something should sound or more so, something that is bothering me and changing out the filters can adjust that for the most part. 

 
Yep - I did.  There is a very noticeable bump between 1-2 kHz with any of the HF filters (see my review). You can remove the HF filter altogether, and slip a foam tip over the tube it normally sits in.  The advantage is that this moves the hump to a more natural 2-3 kHz position (out of the vocal fundamental range and into the vocal harmonic range).  The downside is that it increases treble.  If added lower treble doesn't faze you - then worth a try experimenting with it.  If you wanted to remove some of the HF lower treble, you could try damping the internal cylinder with a bit of foam.

 

[cellarbro]

Hey @Brooko! 
I remember reading your review and being very impressed. Ill have to take another read after now owning them. Its hard to visualize the descriptions sometimes even when you know the terminology for the sound signature until you hear it personally.
 
Bravo! Especially on the part where you did the frequency measurements between the different comparisons of IEM as well as the adjustments and responses between the different filters as well. I was actually considering the SM64 and was more on the fence about the FLC8S. 
 
I saw your review with the charted EQ's of responses in the different filters and it brought me back to the days when I wrote music and I sat there adjusting the EQ and plugins to get that ideal sound I was looking for.
 
 
The green filter was essentially a version of no HF filter that your recommending since the filter itself is subtractive. Did not like the green filter and was a bit sensitive to the added treble. It was too bright for me and sounded sibilant to my ears. 
 
I do enjoy treble done right. The IE800's were perfect for me. Great Forward Vocals, sound stage, huge with great punch and accuracy in the bass region without sounding too harsh in the treble range. I have heard that if you extend the volume, it does have a problem with the treble being on the brighter side. Cant afford to buy another pair right this moment. 
 
Ill do some experimenting with these headphones and see if I can get the vocals to be a little more forward without compromising the clarity and sounding too bright. I might be asking too much tho lol.

 

[Alu]

I purchased these from a fellow head-fi member, and I'm incredibly happy with that decision.

Initially I bought these to complement my mojo portable christmas gift rig, but I've been sat at my desk (I work from home) listening to these for hours on end.
I have had no prior experience with portable headphones like these, and after I sorted out the proper tip to use for an appropriate fitting and went with Gold Grey Red, my expectations were blown out of the water.

I'm now using these as a viable alternative for my W5000, which I absolutely adore, but they lack a certain punch with bands like Led Zeppelin and some Pop that the FLC8s deliver on big time.
That's not to say that they're not also completely fantastic with everything else I throw at them, like orchestral music.
 
I really wish I'd looked into better portable gear before now.

EDIT: And I forgot to mention that they're very comfortable.

 

[nmatheis]

Welcome to the gang Alu!

 

[cellarbro]

Did you use stock tips

  I purchased these from a fellow head-fi member, and I'm incredibly happy with that decision.

Initially I bought these to complement my mojo portable christmas gift rig, but I've been sat at my desk (I work from home) listening to these for hours on end.
I have had no prior experience with portable headphones like these, and after I sorted out the proper tip to use for an appropriate fitting and went with Gold Grey Red, my expectations were blown out of the water.

I'm now using these as a viable alternative for my W5000, which I absolutely adore, but they lack a certain punch with bands like Led Zeppelin and some Pop that the FLC8s deliver on big time.
That's not to say that they're not also completely fantastic with everything else I throw at them, like orchestral music.
 
I really wish I'd looked into better portable gear before now.

EDIT: And I forgot to mention that they're very comfortable.

Did you use stock tips? Been wondering if comply's would work with these

 

[TSFHfan]

Did you use stock tips


Did you use stock tips? Been wondering if comply's would work with these

complys do work (make sure you choose the correct bore size. The nozzel has been pulled out before when users tried to remove tips with a bore size too small.)

The stock tips are very comfy for me, but I wish the went deeper with more isolation

 

[Alu]

Welcome to the gang @Alu!

 
Thanks!
 

  Did you use stock tips? Been wondering if comply's would work with these
 

 
I use the medium sized black stock tips, which fit very snugly.
These somehow sit better in my ear than the clear ones, even though they look to be the same size.
Maybe I just tried harder with the black ones.

 

[cellarbro]

Ill try the black ones.
 
The clear ones seem to fall out or just wiggle out of my ears slowly. If they aren't inserted properly, Its annoying because they fall out and if I can't get the right fit the sound isn't on point.

 

[RedSky0]

Try double flange tips. I was planning to buy these but realized I already had some very similar ones that fit lying around:
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/131772202541
 
I had the same issues with the stock tips falling out. Large was too big, whereas the medium ones generally fit but would wiggle out. Double flange tips seem to wedge themselves in better.

 

[endia]

hi,
i want to build a custom cable for my flc8s;
i tried to find out signal and ground pins on the cable socket but instead confused a lot..
my measurements are attached below but there should be a mistake somewhere..
 
so my question is which pin is signal, which pin is ground? @Flcforrestwei?
thanks in advance..
 

 

[originalsnuffy]

So I am finishing up (sad face) my shoot out between the FLC8S, the ibasso it03, and the Unique Melody Miracle.  I was able to borrow the latter two units from a benevolent head-fi pal.
 
The source was the sublime, also borrowed, thebit Opus #1.  I played Miles Davis Kind of Blue (HD Tracks 24 -196), John Coltrane Blue Train, some Mozart, Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob Marley, Mahavishnu Orchestra,  Leo Kottke (DSD but I think the Opus downsamples to FLAC based on a screen reading), Beck's Sea Change in 24 - 96.
 
The FLC8S was tuned red- gray -gunmetal.  I would have gone grey all around; but my replacement ULF filters are not in yet so I had to make do with red.  I tried clear but personally I needed the bass shot that red provides.
 
My conclusion?  All three are mighty fine.  FLC8S is the most comfortable, but the Unique Melody Miracles are not far behind.  The ibasso's are a bit harder to fit.  I know, you have heard it before but there it is.
 
And for sound....all are very fine indeed.  We are looking at very fine degrees of separation here folk.  The Unique Melody Miracle has been described as somewhere between reference and fun and that seems about right.  I have discovered that for me a reference tuning has a bit too much high end.  I tried Brooko's reference tuning early on for the FLC8S and I could not stay with it for that long.  The iBasso is closer to reference, but not jarring.
 
I really can't give a conclusive "this is best" comment.  If price were no object, I would probably choose the Unique Melody Miracle.  A nice blend of coherence, soundstage, clarity, and musicality.
 
But all are darn good.  Over, I guess I would stick with the FLC8S as the overall winner for this match due to the trade of between fit, tunabiity, and price performance. 
 
I wish I had the LZ-A4 around to test out in this shootout.  I know FUYU is raving about the soundstage of the LZ-A4 relative to the FLC8S, though he has wind issues. I do love the LZ-A2 but it really can't keep up with the FLC8S.   Willowbrook; you should open up your new pair for the team and give us your thoughts. 
 
Or maybe we need to get LZ to send some LZ-A4 pairs to Nik and Brooko who I think have all the other key players in the $200-$350  price range.  I mean they could send me a pair also....but my reviews are not as detailed as theirs.  I know I use their reviews when I go to tune my pair of FLC8S.

 

[nmatheis]

Hey, nice to hear your thoughts on these originalsnuffy