[AmberOzL]

Quote:

 
A very interesting and insightful post, Tomscy2000. Info like that is food, for laymens such as I. Thank you.
 
And another thorough amp review Average_Joe, thanks. Seems Ortofon are onto a winner, here. Shame about the hiss!     

The same for me too, if there was no hiss, I would seriously consider it but with hiss, no way. Maybe they will improve it in future.

 

[Sinocelt]

Following a message from another thread:

The new CIEM cable from UE sports an angled plug. I was wondering: How much more practical is it, compared to a straight plug?

 

[Nulliverse]

Following a message from another thread:

The new CIEM cable from UE sports an angled plug. I was wondering: How much more practical is it, compared to a straight plug?

For me, it's purely personal preference. It's highly dependent on your current portable rig, and how you carry / use that rig.

I find a right angle improves ergonomics, whilst reducing strain on the cable. Most cable makers offer both options.

 

[Sinocelt]

For me, it's purely personal preference. It's highly dependent on your current portable rig, and how you carry / use that rig.

I find a right angle improves ergonomics, whilst reducing strain on the cable. Most cable makers offer both options.

A right angle?? That seems a little too much. I'm talking about the plug that connect to the IEM, not about the plug that connects to the player/amp.

Something like this (though this is only a render; Aurisonics never really sold that cable):



Or, with a longer stem before the angle, Ultimate Ears's new cable:

 

[tomscy2000]

Quote:

  right angle

 
I do think the angled connectors are better, as they take the strain away from the soldered connection, increasing reliability IMO. Ergonomically, it's about the same. I'm a proponent, though, and companies like UM agree --- they're switching over to the UE-style connectors. ALO is also revising their IEM cables into the angled style.

 

[tomscy2000]

Wow, the Hidition Hear First is really interesting...
 
GoldenEars recently posted measurements of it, and it's basically ruler flat, with just some loss of 10k+ bandwidth.
 
There's no bass roll-off, which is confounding, because this is supposed to be a single BA? I'm not sure about that (the BA part) --- feels more like a dynamic to me.
 
There's some ringing just below 6k, but it should be fine. If anything, it'll boost clarity.
 
The impedance at 1kHz is an awesome 173 ohms (with absolute lowest impedance at around 90-100 ohms), so no one has to worry about source OI.
 
The subjective ratings on it are pretty good too. All this for <$200 USD? Hmmmm... color me interested.

 

[Mimouille]

Quote:

Wow, the Hidition Hear First is really interesting...
 
GoldenEars recently posted measurements of it, and it's basically ruler flat, with just some loss of 10k+ bandwidth.
 
There's no bass roll-off, which is confounding, because this is supposed to be a single BA? I'm not sure about that (the BA part) --- feels more like a dynamic to me.
 
There's some ringing just below 6k, but it should be fine. If anything, it'll boost clarity.
 
The impedance at 1kHz is an awesome 173 ohms (with absolute lowest impedance at around 90-100 ohms), so no one has to worry about source OI.
 
The subjective ratings on it are pretty good too. All this for <$200 USD? Hmmmm... color me interested.

Not expensive enough for me

 

[piotrus-g]

There's not a single (pun intended) balanced armature in the world that performs this way.
 
I will hazard a guess that it's a moving coil single pole driver by Yashima Electric or some really customize version of SR driver.
 

 
But yeah, impressive measurements!

 

[tomscy2000]

Quote:

There's not a single (pun intended) balanced armature in the world that performs this way.
 
I will hazard a guess that it's a moving coil single pole driver by Yashica Electric or some really customize version of SR driver.
 

 
But yeah, impressive measurements!

You're probably right; it's almost certainly not a dynamic, because of the exponential impedance response. Perhaps it's some Yashima driver; doesn't look like an SR to me...
 
Nice pun.

 

[Swimsonny]

They are some awesome measurements and the subjective impressions also really impress me as GoldenEars are quite blunt with them. The only one that was not amazing was the treble texture being closer to rough but you could expect that with peaks it has.

 

[Sinocelt]

Er, aren't Yashima drivers BA drivers?

 

[Swimsonny]

Quote:

Er, aren't Yashima drivers BA drivers?

He was suggesting them to be BA drivers! (I think)

 

[tomscy2000]

Quote:

  Er, aren't Yashima drivers BA drivers?

Well, technically they're unbalanced armatures...

 

[Swimsonny]

Yashima are the ones the Grado models use right?

 

[piotrus-g]

Quote:

Er, aren't Yashima drivers BA drivers?

Yes and no, these are not typical BA driver. It's more of a hybrid of dynamic and BA
Quote:

Well, technically they're unbalanced armatures...

Well, something more of this kind. It's just single magnetic pole - more like a dynamic speaker (single pole dynamic drivers have been out of production for years, they are highly effective - very high SPL), but the diaphragm construction is more like an armature, the result is pretty much gaining advantage of both worlds.
Quote:

Yashima are the ones the Grado models use right?

Yep, and Ortofon e-Q5, e-Q7