[Totally Dubbed]

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You'll break your hammer

 
 

 

[jant71]

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To be perfectly honest, I have some questions about that review; what's Frederik's handle on Head-fi? I have some questions for him, as I don't hear them the same way. The A03 are bassy, but they are bassy in a good way (it shows up when it needs to, hides in the background when it's not needed), and that was not how it was portrayed in the review. I didn't find that it intruded into the midrange at all; in fact, I found myself concentrating on the midrange more than anything else. I also don't believe the M2 (from the short time I spent with it) is able to compare to the A03 at all. The only real, serious drawback to the A03 is its poor imaging characteristics. It has a very shallow soundstage. As for everything else, it's extremely good.
 
Muppet was only saying that she believed that the A03 was excellent for its price, which is around $150. The ASG-1 and the A03 are built and tuned for completely different roles and sound signatures. They're really not supposed to be compared to each other except for the fact that both fill up the ear concha and are unique designs in the universal realm of IEMs.
 
Note: I don't want to thread hijack, so if you're curious, send me a PM

 
I think it is frederikstpu. I see somethings that could be questioned as well but I get the point of it. Even without it, I do see the A03 as very close in nature to the other dual dynamics like the DDM1 and DDM2. I think the A03 should be a very good phone and it is also not below $200 but $150 @$149. You still, as I always spout, shouldn't take any one review/impression for too much. When you get a consensus then you can rely on that.
 
I agree that whether they stack up depends more upon how you get along with the ASG-1. Someone liking the A03 more would not be that surprising or odd to see. Of course they might not really be good to compare to each other but that isn't gonna stop anyone

!
 
Not far fetched either about the M2 having excellent bass that could beat the A03 is some areas. Depends on the fit and how you're driving them. I had them as the R03 and they are capable of pretty damn good bass. I have no problem saying I could get quicker, tighter, and even clearer bass out of the R03 than the DDM1. So, I wasn't looking down on the A03 even if I took Frederik's take at 100%. I do think the score is a mistake and is actually 8.9 though. If you get in touch with him let him know. 
 
 

 

[dosley01]

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These seem pretty polarizing, which is part of what intrigues me. The other part being that they're essentially "generic" customs. I'm quite curious to see how they stack up against the RedGiant IEMs which I've been testing out, since those have really wowed me and will be priced below $200 USD if / when they're distributed to the US. The A03 is basically four dynamic drivers shoved into a huge plastic bubble that sort of resembles a custom, but has a geometric space-agey kind of design rather than an amorphous ear-shape, so the fit is iffy for some people. You may want to look into them tho.

Those look VERY interesting.  When will they be available in the US?

 

[Totally Dubbed]

Let's get back on track shall we - and not veer off

 

[MuppetFace]

Tom's post hits the proverbial nail on the head. I only mention the A03 because I've been spending a lot of time with it lately, and it happens to be designed in a unique and unorthodox way for a universal, much like the ASG-1. For what it's worth, I don't think the A03 can be so easily ranked objectively in relation to other earphones. I've yet to encounter another universal IEM that presents music in quite such a way, and while I feel it performs well, its biggest strengths lie in areas that are difficult to quantify in my opinion.
 
Anyway, as Tom says, I don't feel any need to try and argue for an objective ranking between these two IEMs. Based on what I myself hear---and what Tom hears---I'm pretty comfortable with my assessment of the A03. I don't really agree with the review in question, and that's fine, because there's hardly ever going to be consensus among listeners in this hobby. Just as there's no genuine consensus that the ASG-1 is or isn't one of the top universals right now.
 
Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

[Totally Dubbed]

Quote:

Tom's post hits the proverbial nail on the head. I only mention the A03 because I've been spending a lot of time with it lately, and it happens to be designed in a unique and unorthodox way for a universal, much like the ASG-1. For what it's worth, I don't think the A03 can be so easily ranked objectively in relation to other earphones. I've yet to encounter another universal IEM that presents music in quite such a way, and while I feel it performs well, its biggest strengths lie in areas that are difficult to quantify in my opinion.
 
Anyway, as Tom says, I don't feel any need to try and argue for an objective ranking between these two IEMs. Based on what I myself hear---and what Tom hears---I'm pretty comfortable with my assessment of the A03. I don't really agree with the review in question, and that's fine, because there's hardly ever going to be consensus among listeners in this hobby. Just as there's no genuine consensus that the ASG-1 is or isn't one of the top universals right now.
 
Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

well said
 
 
 

 

[ItsMeHere]

My ASG-1 review sample was shipped yesterday.

 Can't wait to recieve them.
 

 

[dogears]

You'll break your hammer

Ok, you should start the otter box thread now

 

[tinyman392]

Maybe do a mod so it opens up easier. Lol. Out a piece of tape in there or something to stop it from clipping closed entirely

 

[tinyman392]

Sorry for DP, but Tappatalk doesn't have an edit button

If the tracking info that I got for my sample is lying (which I hope it is) I should receive my headphones tomorrow or Friday (at latest). However, if it's telling the truth, mine have a label, but it hasn't been shipped. In other words, if it's the truth, I got a long wait ahead of me I really hope they come in this week.

 

[jant71]

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 As for this cable, I am starting to tip roll and see if I come up with good matches.

 
I'll quote myself,

. I did go and tip roll and finish figuring out the AFU cable. Best with warmer sounding tips to counter the extra high end it seems to bring. Much different than the UE cable which has quite a bit more warmth even when using tips that balance out more. Really so different. The UE is like a much, much better DDM1 while the other is like a much, much better RE0. I went back to the UE cable for a solid hour after 5 or so straight getting the handle on the AFU. The AFU cable makes the UE cable sound a bit more out of focus or loose in sound. The treble brings more brightness, high end detail, treble extension, added clarity. The fit with the UE cable started to hurt my left ear and certainly is not as comfy as the AFU cable. I need an S-adapter to add some impedance and tighten up the ASG-1 sound a bit to counter the tighter more refined sound of the AFU cable. This adds 13" more cable which I'd rather not have if I could avoid it.
 
So, in the end I have chosen the UE cable. The UE cable just has the synergy, the toe-tapping nature. The amazing low end performance and large headphone sounding weight and presence. The same thing that originally took the ASG-1 from second place(and most likely being sold) to my modded TF10 to goodbye TF10 when I first put it on. One hour and again, higher technical ability aside, even on the ASG-1 itself there is no doubt the UE cable is the choice. The sound with the AFU is impressive but the UE is special. Yes, I usually favor the other side, a CK10, DBA-02, two TF10's, two ER4's, RE0 etc. but I am going with the low end biased, lush, creamy, super weighty and hefty sound that the UE cable brings to the table, going back to the more balancing sounding SHE3580 tips, and adding my Ety P->S cable to tighten up/refine things a bit. 
 
Really depends on sources and whether you're going to amp or not. The AFU cables would really pair well with the ZO2. The UE cable really actually sounds like a ZO without the need for the ZO My results and decision are based on tending away from using any amps anymore. So straight out of my sources, Coby micro-clip(sigmatel 35XX series chip, slightly better sounding than the clip+ for some reason), Sony S639, Hisound Rocco P, iriver E300, and Sony minidisc ca. 2001 S-decoder chip. Interestingly, they cover most of the signatures you'll find from the very neutral/leaner Rocoo P to the very warm minidisc. Certainly the UE sounding more like it is amped is part if it's draw and if I still had the ZO2 it might be interesting to see if that changed anything and is certainly part of the decision when trying/choosing cables.
 

 

[cherns]

OMG.  I've been doing it wrong all this while!!!
 
All this while I have been using medium to large sized tips on my IEMs and without thinking, did the same with the ASG-1's. 
However, that didn't work so well with the M/L stock tips that they came with.  So I tried them out with a bunch of other tips (meelecs assortment and TS-500's) and finally settled on listening to them with the meelec balance double flanges.  This resulted in the ASG-1's being seated a bit further out from my ear than the stock tips.  
 
However, chatting with my audiologist the other day, she mentioned that although my ears face forward, I have a very neutral ear canal shape and pretty smallish to regular sized ears.
 
Now that got me thinking. If the ASG-1's are generic customs, they should have been designed to sit like one as well [i.e. full insertion (yes, that sounds wrong)].  So I switched out the double flanges for the smallest sized stock tips that came along and... I am such a doofus. 
 
With the small tips and deeper (read: proper) sitting point in my ears, the ASG-1's suddenly take on a whole new dimension!  Gone is that pronounced mid-hump and rolled off highs. What I'm hearing now is an incredibly lush, balanced and engaging sound with the same level of separation, clarity and soundstage that these IEMs have made their name on. 
 
I'm glad it only took me 2 days to figure that out  

 

[Totally Dubbed]

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OMG.  I've been doing it wrong all this while!!!
 
I'm glad it only took me 2 days to figure that out  

haha
 
 

 

[cherns]

Tell me about it... Just discovered this guy (http://charlielim.bandcamp.com/) and am listening to the tracks with the new fit.  
Really, really loving these IEMs. 

 

[Totally Dubbed]

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Tell me about it... Just discovered this guy (http://charlielim.bandcamp.com/) and am listening to the tracks with the new fit.  
Really, really loving these IEMs. 

I can imagine the ASG-1's making them sound great (live-ish performance type)
This is what I'm currently listening to AVB (playlist)