[keanex]

Thanks for sharing some thoughts on your initial impressions. I hope to get my hands on an SD-4 once available and compare them to the series. 

 

[TheDreamthinker]

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Originally Posted by HuoYuanJia /img/forum/go_quote.gif
   
I did not judge on purpose. I would like to spend some more time with SD4 first.
However, I think it really depends on what you consider musical. For example, I prefer the CE4 over CE6 from Cosmic Ears because the voices sound more romantic to me, whereas other will say they need the bass quantity from CE6.
 
The SD2 - I might add, I honestly think it is at least as good as the CE4 - has these really beautiful voices. It makes (Jazz) vocals sound amazing. But on the other hand, SD4 will be the preferred choice for more energetic music that needs a little push from the low-end. Say Metal, Electronica, Classical, ...

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The feat of SD3 is to offer as much control with a powerful bass. If you just lift the quantity of bass, it will usually sound muddy. The SD3 will not. It's very dry all the time and thus not fatiguing although it has a powerful bass.
 
The SD3 excels at soundstage depth, which is it's obvious strength over SD2. Personally, I prefer good timbre and I'm a big fan of SD2.
 
I also got to audition the SD4 already. Here's my girlfriend with the SD4:


If you like the SD2, chances are high you will like the SD4 too. The SD2 has some lusher and more romantic mids while the SD4 will extend on both ends, but it's well balanced and won't hurt the timbre (at all from my 20min audition).

不错...on both the iem and the girl. 

 
I am really trying to find a way to audition these iems. If the SD4 is indeed rather follows in footsteps of the SD2, i am really intrigued.
Thanks for the impressions

 

[daniel_hokkaido]

 
 
.....But on the other hand, SD4 will be the preferred choice for more energetic music that needs a little push from the low-end. Say Metal, Electronica, Classical, ...

 
I listen primarily to classical but a kind of modern ambient classical. slow and multi layered with droning guitars. e.g. https://soundcloud.com/erasedtapes/a-winged-victory-for-the    ... so by that reckoning the sd-2 is better for slower music in your opinion? 
 
I still have my er4s iems but love the sd-2 compared to them for this type of music as it benefits from their added lushness compared to the er4s...but the awesome thing is about the sd-2 imo is that they still maintain great air and clarity despite being lusher over the er4s. For female vocals I still much prefer the er4s but for everything else esp instrumental the sd-2 really makes me forget the equipment and enjoy the music for itself again finally.
 
2 years of the er4s with my hyper fast and clean apex glacier dac/amp meant I was always aware of problems in the mixes I was listening to. Also make electro sound super flat and unengaging. Happy to pair it finally with more forgiving and consistently enjoyable iems. 
 
Can anyone give any impressions on how the sd-2 compares to fitear iem models? 

 

[TheDreamthinker]

 
I listen primarily to classical but a kind of modern ambient classical. slow and multi layered with droning guitars. e.g. https://soundcloud.com/erasedtapes/a-winged-victory-for-the    ... so by that reckoning the sd-2 is better for slower music in your opinion? 
 
I still have my er4s iems but love the sd-2 compared to them for this type of music as it benefits from their added lushness compared to the er4s...but the awesome thing is about the sd-2 imo is that they still maintain great air and clarity despite being lusher over the er4s. For female vocals I still much prefer the er4s but for everything else esp instrumental the sd-2 really makes me forget the equipment and enjoy the music for itself again finally.
 
2 years of the er4s with my hyper fast and clean apex glacier dac/amp meant I was always aware of problems in the mixes I was listening to. Also make electro sound super flat and unengaging. Happy to pair it finally with more forgiving and consistently enjoyable iems. 
 
Can anyone give any impressions on how the sd-2 compares to fitear iem models? 

 
Ditto. I can imagine that the SD compliments the ER4s nicely. The ER4s is better at female vocals probably due to the more extended treble. The SD2 has a definite space and air advantage.
But, as you said, the ER4s really doesn't work with soulful music. Currently listening to Ben E. King and i must say that it literally sound off. That lack of decay really becomes noticeable.
 
I auditioned the FitEar 111 alongside the SD2. And i had the impression that they were (very) similar overall.
My immediate reaction was that the SD2 had better seperation and placement (bigger soundstage). This made the sound more life-like. In contrast to that a more extended treble on the 111. The SD2 made smoother but also cleaner impression. My money is still on the SD2.
 
To be honest, the FitEar 111 wasn't an iem which stuck with me among the many i tried. I would need another go with them to give a more definite impression.
I cannot comment on the FirEar 334 though.

 

[daniel_hokkaido]

Thanks for impressions and info! 
 
One thing I was really careful on (and felt a risk) was how much bass is 'alot of bass' as everyone has their tastes. Joker was really helpful in aiding me 
in finding an iem which I specified had to retain the clarity of the er4s to a large extent while being lusher and more musical. I think he hit it bang on with
recommending the sd-2. 
 
Word on head-fi is the sd-2 is a slightly north of neutral iem. How do any owners of both the sd-2 and other more bassy iems (BA or otherwise) weigh in 
on what music you go to the bassy ones with, and what ill effects that extra bassy iem would have on music you feel the sd-2 excels at. 
 
Ta 

 

[TheDreamthinker]

  Thanks for impressions and info! 
 
One thing I was really careful on (and felt a risk) was how much bass is 'alot of bass' as everyone has their tastes. Joker was really helpful in aiding me 
in finding an iem which I specified had to retain the clarity of the er4s to a large extent while being lusher and more musical. I think he hit it bang on with
recommending the sd-2. 
 
Word on head-fi is the sd-2 is a slightly north of neutral iem. How do any owners of both the sd-2 and other more bassy iems (BA or otherwise) weigh in 
on what music you go to the bassy ones with, and what ill effects that extra bassy iem would have on music you feel the sd-2 excels at. 
 
Ta 

Happy to contribute.
 
An important question is also whether you really want the added bass. 
I personally prefer speed over bass in 7/10 cases. Even for electronic music which would 'need' bass, i am quite happy with my current ER4s.

 

[daniel_hokkaido]

Hey 
 
hmm do I want bass? Well I quite enjoy my hd-650s. Though Joker told me the way BA iems do bass is quite a bit
different to open cans as BAs are enclosed and the drivers can't move as much air. 
 
I like my fast cans too (hd800) but the softer focus of the 650s were good for chilling out and falling asleep. 
SO I guess bass for me isn't about shuddering under its impact ..more about rolling off the treble. I think im finding
the sd-2's just north of neutral SQ pretty perfect. 

 

[TheDreamthinker]

  Hey 
 
hmm do I want bass? Well I quite enjoy my hd-650s. Though Joker told me the way BA iems do bass is quite a bit
different to open cans as BAs are enclosed and the drivers can't move as much air. 
 
I like my fast cans too (hd800) but the softer focus of the 650s were good for chilling out and falling asleep. 
SO I guess bass for me isn't about shuddering under its impact ..more about rolling off the treble. I think im finding
the sd-2's just north of neutral SQ pretty perfect. 

The SD2 does exactly that. It doesn't actively add bass, rather it subtracts treble in order to achieve this 'north of neutral sound'.
 
More satisfying than just adding bass, imo.

 

[keanex]

 
Word on head-fi is the sd-2 is a slightly north of neutral iem. How do any owners of both the sd-2 and other more bassy iems (BA or otherwise) weigh in 
on what music you go to the bassy ones with, and what ill effects that extra bassy iem would have on music you feel the sd-2 excels at. 
 
Ta 

 
My experience with IEMs in the price range relevant to this discussion are the LEAR LUF-4b, SD-3 and SD-2. I, overall, enjoyed the SD-2 the most since I found them to be a complete package. I find that their bass is certainly enough for anything I played through them unless you're a basshead. I found the SD-2 to be slightly warm leaning neutral, similar to the HD650 in my quick audition of the HD650. 

 

[Retrias]

I actually prefer the Um3dd universals compared to the SD2 , since the bass reach deepers , but eh its 200 dollar more expensive here, I always want somekind of an SD 2.5, the SD2 need just wee bit sub bass, and the SD3 need the clarity and speed , something in between of these two

 

[TheDreamthinker]

As I am currently considering the SD2 as my next iem purchase, I would be very interested in whether the SD2s sound identical to the original (and bulkier) SD2.
They they have the same MSRP.
 
Thanks.

 

[HuoYuanJia]

  I listen primarily to classical but a kind of modern ambient classical. slow and multi layered with droning guitars. e.g. https://soundcloud.com/erasedtapes/a-winged-victory-for-the    ... so by that reckoning the sd-2 is better for slower music in your opinion? 

 
This is a hobby. It's about making experience and trying to find yourself in a product or its signature that resembles yourself most. But you change as will your preferences. Impossible for me to say which you will prefer.
The SD4 is definitely a good IEM and I couldn't find any fault with it.
 
Anyway, sorry for diverting this thread. This thread is about SD2 and regardless of other products, SD2 a mighty fine IEM. One of my personal favorite universals. Very easy to listen to.

 

[keanex]

Not a problem at all!

 

[Retrias]

As I am currently considering the SD2 as my next iem purchase, I would be very interested in whether the SD2s sound identical to the original (and bulkier) SD2.
They they have the same MSRP.

Thanks.

they do , I tried them both at a local store , they sound the same , if there is a difference its prolly too small for me to actually hear it

 

[TheDreamthinker]

they do , I tried them both at a local store , they sound the same , if there is a difference its prolly too small for me to actually hear it

Thanks for the info.
 
But if so, i ask myself why 
a) they would sell both at the same price (not complaining, just asking)
b) why one would want the bigger one in the first case.