masahito24@chart
500+ Head-Fier
![IMG_0241.JPG IMG_0241.JPG](https://cdn.head-fi.org/a/10130496.jpg)
I forgot to ask if you had the connector changed on your pair. Was it to change to 2.5mm?
@Rayzilla, whatever you write down will be good enough for me/usDBA-02 comes into mind when you mentioned clear highs. In that case, a double flange might help extract the low end detail?
Thanks so much for this useful post. I don't have a set of test tracks that I consistently use, so in my recent search for IEMs, I have been relying on the link that I posted earlier. I chose it because I figured I should go with what I like listening to. I will give your test tracks a try and see how it works out for me, so thanks!Yes. I reterminated it with a 2.5mm plug myself. Not too shabby for a beginner. I felt my sources at that time didn't have enough juice to make the Sora really sing and I was (still am) very fond of my new Sabaj DA3 dac that I would use with my Nexus 6p and it has balanced out. Sora was one the few headphones that gave me a "wow" impression on first listen so I researched into the other offerings Intime (the company brand) had to offer. At that time I had a Campfire Audio Vega. Loved the bass but hated how energetic it was up on top. I listen mostly to R&B, hip-hop, rock and female vocalists and I felt the Vega were too "shouty" for me. I was on a quest to find a replacement. It just so happened that the Intime Go is marketed as their bass-centric iem. I decided to take a chance and found a seller on eBay offering it. Since then, the Go has been one of my daily drivers. My comparison between Go and Vega goes as such. Go has better bass extension but Vega has a more prominent upper bass so it sounds like it has more impact. I use the Beastie Boys Brass Monkey track as one of my bass test. The Vega here will hit harder than the Go but I feel Go has a more fuller sounding bass because of it's better extension. Keyshia Cole's Love track is what I use to evaluate bass extension. At around 0:53 sec into, there's a series of bass tones that basically sweeps down to the low sub-bass. That last and lowest bass note is to my ears, best rendered with the Go. Also the vocals on that track sounded "shouty" on the Vega. Mids are more forward sounding on the Go. The Vega to me has always been V shape sounding while Go is more balanced with a nice bass boost but yet still revealing and clear up top. As for the Kira, to me it's very close sounding to the Go but with the bass boost lowered a bit. Kira has a airy sound that reminds me of my Andromeda and has a smaller soundstage. Compared to Go, the Kira has a smoother transition between the mids and highs. It has no sibilance to my ears. I am not treble sensitive and last I checked I can only hear up to 17 kHz. One if my favorite tracks to test for sibilance is Aaliyah's At Your Best. Listening to that track with my TFZ Kings (known for being sibilant) is unbearable but I can truely enjoy it very much listening through with Kira. Go is my most favorite out of the 3 followed by Sora. I eventually sold my Vega after realizing how frequently I'm choosing Go more often. Also the fit for the Go was miles better for me than Vega and I can wear them wire around the ear or straight down (my preferred way). Sora to me had the biggest soundstage and airy sound of the bunch. It's warmer sounding compared to Kira and has a nice balanced tuning. I'm not sure how to describe it in words but Sora to me has a special sound. The word "texture" comes to mind but not in the sense that it is "grainy" like an old scratchy vinyl playing on a turntable. The sound coming out of Sora is full weighted and whole. It seems in Japan that they favor Kira over Go but I think it's because most Japanese prefer a brighter sound. I'm going to stop here now because I need to sleep now. Hopefully this has been insightful for you.
Thanks so much for this useful post. I don't have a set of test tracks that I consistently use, so in my recent search for IEMs, I have been relying on the link that I posted earlier. I chose it because I figured I should go with what I like listening to. I will give your test tracks a try and see how it works out for me, so thanks!
I had an interest in the Vega just prior to my trip to Japan and I was very close to picking up one of those Campfire IEMs. They are good but I don't feel like I am missing anything going with the Intime IEMs. In fact, I feel that I am getting more... and for so much less. Just quickly though, I agree with just about everything that you said above. I gave it a quick read and I'll read it again tomorrow and comment then.
But it's time for me to shut down here before my wife makes that call for me. lol
LOLThanks again for the advice on the double flange. (Funny thing just now. I was about to write "Thanks again for the tip..." I have a feeling that I should be calling those silicone things 'tips' instead of 'buds'. lol)
Cool, you're in the Philippines. I moved to Hong Kong about 10 years ago and you know in Hong Kong it is fairly common to have helpers. So my helper is from the Philippines and she just returned home for a vacation until mid July. I miss her and her cooking already as she makes amazing dishes, especially anything to do with chicken and pork. She's been with us for about 9 years now and we consider her to be a part of our family. And once a year, I try to go to Manila for their international ice hockey tournament at the Mall of Asia. I love going to the Philippines.LOL
Well that indicates you're not very familiar with the world of IEMS [yet]Just like pads in the headphone arena - the tips do make a lot of difference/effect. That 2f you used might not be the better ones - you may want to check Spin Fit (Taiwan brand) - they have a very good 2F which I'm using right now. The JVC Spiral Dots are also very good tips.
Vega?! Damn, now you are making me regret that I was not able to get these IEMs from my last trip to JP
I'm in the Philippines btw
BTW, just wondering - to which HP is the Sora's sound signature nearest to?
Hey cool. Maybe next time I am there for a tournament or vacation, I'll let you know. And you're not kidding about the traffic.Cool. Mall of Asia is just around the corner... w/o the crazy traffic i.e. LOL
I'm quite happy with the Lenovo X3 [spec:32-bit ESS Sabre ES9018K2M DAC (same as that on the LG V10) with 3x TI OPA1612].
Anyway, I hope Sora doesn't share sound sig w the DBA02 or HD800... I gave my DBA02 away since its too clinical for meI'm guessing at this point that its the polar opposite of SE535?
I finally added the three songs you mentioned into my Spotify playlist. I don't have a premium account with them. If you or anyone else has more songs and the specific parts (time range) of the song that they go to for testing, feel free to PM me or share them. I don't want to derail this thread so I would appreciate it if you can just post it in a thread that I recently started for my trip to Tokyo. It's here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/a-t...-of-pictures-and-impressions-of-tokyo.881525/Yes. I reterminated it with a 2.5mm plug myself. Not too shabby for a beginner. I felt my sources at that time didn't have enough juice to make the Sora really sing and I was (still am) very fond of my new Sabaj DA3 dac that I would use with my Nexus 6p and it has balanced out. Sora was one the few headphones that gave me a "wow" impression on first listen so I researched into the other offerings Intime (the company brand) had to offer. At that time I had a Campfire Audio Vega. Loved the bass but hated how energetic it was up on top. I listen mostly to R&B, hip-hop, rock and female vocalists and I felt the Vega were too "shouty" for me. I was on a quest to find a replacement. It just so happened that the Intime Go is marketed as their bass-centric iem. I decided to take a chance and found a seller on eBay offering it. Since then, the Go has been one of my daily drivers. My comparison between Go and Vega goes as such. Go has better bass extension but Vega has a more prominent upper bass so it sounds like it has more impact. I use the Beastie Boys Brass Monkey track as one of my bass test. The Vega here will hit harder than the Go but I feel Go has a more fuller sounding bass because of it's better extension. Keyshia Cole's Love track is what I use to evaluate bass extension. At around 0:53 sec into, there's a series of bass tones that basically sweeps down to the low sub-bass. That last and lowest bass note is to my ears, best rendered with the Go. Also the vocals on that track sounded "shouty" on the Vega. Mids are more forward sounding on the Go. The Vega to me has always been V shape sounding while Go is more balanced with a nice bass boost but yet still revealing and clear up top. As for the Kira, to me it's very close sounding to the Go but with the bass boost lowered a bit. Kira has a airy sound that reminds me of my Andromeda and has a smaller soundstage. Compared to Go, the Kira has a smoother transition between the mids and highs. It has no sibilance to my ears. I am not treble sensitive and last I checked I can only hear up to 17 kHz. One if my favorite tracks to test for sibilance is Aaliyah's At Your Best. Listening to that track with my TFZ Kings (known for being sibilant) is unbearable but I can truely enjoy it very much listening through with Kira. Go is my most favorite out of the 3 followed by Sora. I eventually sold my Vega after realizing how frequently I'm choosing Go more often. Also the fit for the Go was miles better for me than Vega and I can wear them wire around the ear or straight down (my preferred way). Sora to me had the biggest soundstage and airy sound of the bunch. It's warmer sounding compared to Kira and has a nice balanced tuning. I'm not sure how to describe it in words but Sora to me has a special sound. The word "texture" comes to mind but not in the sense that it is "grainy" like an old scratchy vinyl playing on a turntable. The sound coming out of Sora is full weighted and whole. It seems in Japan that they favor Kira over Go but I think it's because most Japanese prefer a brighter sound. I'm going to stop here now because I need to sleep now. Hopefully this has been insightful for you.
I finally added the three songs you mentioned into my Spotify playlist. I don't have a premium account with them. If you or anyone else has more songs and the specific parts (time range) of the song that they go to for testing, feel free to PM me or share them. I don't want to derail this thread so I would appreciate it if you can just post it in a thread that I recently started for my trip to Tokyo. It's here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/a-t...-of-pictures-and-impressions-of-tokyo.881525/
Thanks
I really enjoyed listening to this segment from Diplo: http://www.global-sets.com/diplo-give-go-mixtape-16-feb-2018/I'd recommend you compile a playlist of songs you're familiar with. For me it's easier to pick up the difference when comparing headphones\iems. Also be sure to stop by an e-earphone shop in Japan.