[alpha421]

Having owned the R2A the R2pro is a refined version with deeper bottom extension, IMO. So, if the Flares Pro trumps the R2pro in aspects, that's quite a feat as I found the R2pro one of the best DD ever made. I'm curious to know how much of the Flare Pro sound may be effected by the DSP in the BT module. Any impressions of the Flare Pro without the BT, or did I miss it?

 

[McCol]

Most of my listening has been without the BT module.
I find the Flare Pro overall trumps the R2pro in all areas, better extension and clarity on the highs, more smooth miss than before and a bass response that to my ears is a little more refined. The soundstage is also larger, not up there with some but for its size it more than holds it own. So far this IEM for me is punching above its weight, better than the R2pro and better than earphones that I've paid around double for in the past.

 

[JPizzzle]

How do they sound unamped from a iPad for example? Scale a lot with amping?

 

[sodesuka]

I'll get mine tomorrow if DHL goes well
I'll sure try their audiophile tips first (with care, as they appear to be very fragile...)

By brighter, you mean better clarity and transparency or better treble extension (or both)?
Which source did you use?

I am very curious about what a bluetooth /DAC module tuned specifically for the Flare PRO, with balanced out...

I mean in general tonality. I think they have better defined treble than R2Pro and don't get peaky as you turn up the volume like with R2Pro, better clarity in the whole. I'm using Chord Mojo as my source.

I kinda miss the reverb-like effect closed R2Pro have though especially in the bass, I might purchase the closed aluminum version (or titanium version if Flare even have it in mind) if they ever release them.

Haven't got a chance to use the bluetooth module. Wonder if they can be used as a dac through USB cable...

 

[davidmolliere]

I mean in general tonality. I think they have better defined treble than R2Pro and don't get peaky as you turn up the volume like with R2Pro, better clarity in the whole. I'm using Chord Mojo as my source. I kinda miss the reverb-like effect closed R2Pro have though especially in the bass, I might purchase the closed aluminum version (or titanium version if Flare even have it in mind) if they ever release them. Haven't got a chance to use the bluetooth module. Wonder if they can be used as a dac through USB cable...

Thanks for clarifying

Wouldn't bet in using it as a DAC this way, usb port is probably meant for charging only.

So the new Pro are open or semi-open (it was not totally clear to me) ? That should be a big soundstage booster and make them airier, and if they managed to retain good bass impact could be quite interesting...
How much do they leak ?

 

[LuckyNat]

Thanks for clarifying

Wouldn't bet in using it as a DAC this way, usb port is probably meant for charging only.

So the new Pro are open or semi-open (it was not totally clear to me) ? That should be a big soundstage booster and make them airier, and if they managed to retain good bass impact could be quite interesting...
How much do they leak ?

exactly that! cover up the ports and soundstage feels less airy and bass texture looses something.

there is some sound leak, a little less than the end you stick in your ear - someone next to you will hear some "tsss tsss tsss" if you have them up louder.

 

[McCol]

Thanks for clarifying

Wouldn't bet in using it as a DAC this way, usb port is probably meant for charging only.

So the new Pro are open or semi-open (it was not totally clear to me) ? That should be a big soundstage booster and make them airier, and if they managed to retain good bass impact could be quite interesting...
How much do they leak ?

Had a good 2 hour session last night and they are very airy, feels more open and spacious than the older flare's.
My other half doesn't hear anything when I'm using them.

 

[LuckyNat]

Not heard the R2A but they do outperform my R2pro's in all aspects, esp the soundstage and highs. The BT module seems to be a worthwhile addition from my limited testing so far. I kind of look at is I am happy with the £350 paid for the earphones, they outperform iem's that I have paid higher amounts for plus I get this fancy wee BT module almost as an added extra.

I'm sure they will blow people away with price/performance when the non-pros get released.

 

[LuckyNat]

Had a good 2 hour session last night and they are very airy, feels more open and spacious than the older flare's.
My other half doesn't hear anything when I'm using them.

I agree with that - am hearing more texture in everything.

I tested the sound leak simply by playing loud and listening with them not in my ear and fingers over the tips. I only heard some tss tss when they were playing loudly. Putting the backs to my ears, you can still listen to everything, just slightly quieter.

 

[awayeah]

Having owned the R2A the R2pro is a refined version with deeper bottom extension, IMO. So, if the Flares Pro trumps the R2pro in aspects, that's quite a feat as I found the R2pro one of the best DD ever made. I'm curious to know how much of the Flare Pro sound may be effected by the DSP in the BT module. Any impressions of the Flare Pro without the BT, or did I miss it?

What made you think there's some DSP in BT module? They sound even better through Pioneer XDP-100 (which is one of better sounding DAPs on the martket).

@holden4th New Flares really outperform all old ones and by extension almost all other products on the market. It's crème de la crème in the world of in ear monitors. But... Old Flares are still great and while R2A won't be better in clarity, speed, texture or detail retrieval. I'm keeping all 4 models because each have something special going for it.
For me R2A are equally good as R2pro, though it's harder to find right source for R2A to unleash their full potential. R2S are a bit behind (they sound better than R2A on my Galaxy S8 but I couldn't find the right DAP for them) but it's source dependant.

I can sum up their whole line-up:

R2A - the least full-sounding of the whole old range but most holographic. Best bass but hard to achieve (Sony NW-ZX100 would do the trick). Best source I found - iBasso DX100, also good was Pioneer XDP-100, Questyle QP1r, Oppo HA-2, Astell&Kern AK120 (I gen), Cayin i5. They need a source that can add some weight to the sound and emphasize subbass.

R2S - most armature-like sound without harshness and with more weight, more fullness. Very precise, clean, more edgy than other Flares. Sounds best out of Galaxy S8 (or other Samsung past flagships) or Shanling M1.

R2pro - most full-sounding, most organic and analog, most bass quantity. Best source I found - Colorfly C4, also good was TEAC HA-P90SD, Oppo HA-2, iBasso dx90, Galaxy S8, Questyle QP1R, Hegel Super.

I'm strongly against any FiiO product - they all have subpar head-out quality to Samsung Galaxy S8 in my opinion. So what's the point in buying them. Also they all have terrible synergy with Flares... I've owned X5I, X7, E12, E12a, E18 and listen to X5III. For me FiiO is all about marketing and "product specification" and not at all about real sound quality.
I was also suprised that Chord Mojo didn't get alone with Flares- nothing bad but nothing great either.

Flares Pro - it's an evolution of R2pro - more clarity, more texture, more details, more speed, more subbass, better extension on both ends... Plus they are amazingly different depending on genre - they can be relaxing and calm and they can be very energetic, hard hitting and extremely fast. Don't know about best synergy yet - obviously

 

[McCol]

I've only used 2 sources so far and they shine with both.
With the Iphone 7+ they sound really good, volume needs to be around the 2nd red indicator on the scale but a little easier to drive from the phone than the R2pro.
From the Fiio X5 mkIII they really do scale well and come to life, like a step up from using with a phone but this is what you would expect anyway.

 

[GiantKillerEmu]

Totally unfair comparison due to price-point but my Flares arrived today and I got to do some comparisons with my go-to Campfire Audio Vegas.

Overall the flares sound great and I actually really like the Bluetooth module. The main reason I bought them is because I don't like working out or running with the Vegas and the Flares will be good to fall asleep with. The BT module only increases the convenience for both of these things.

Sound quality, overall, is really good. The bass has decent extension and feels fast, although, of course, doesn't come very close to the Vegas (nothing does). The highs are pleasant and detailed without sounding too sharp or shrill. The mids suffer a bit but I imagine that's most likely due to my ears being trained to the Vegas. They also don't have me goosebumps and make me lose myself in the music like the Vegas do but I think they are great for the price.

Overall I'd say that they are 65% as good as the Vegas for about 35% of the price. Throw in the BT module and I consider it a great value. Hopefully they are more reliable than the R2pros, which broke on me multiple times.

 

[awayeah]

@McCol iPhone 7 while it is very good audio source it's not really good for Flares. X5III isn't either. If you like those pairings you will love the good ones. Trust me

@GiantKillerEmu Vegas must go through some magical huge transformation after 200h of burn-in. The ones I've heard were no match for the old Flares, let alone the new Flares. But I still don't understand it... Andromeda is much better received and has much better reviews and I agree - it's great product. I would say it's more or less on the same level as new Flares. So how can Vega be so great? If I get a chance I will try to listen to it one more time but it's beyond me how burn-in can change it that much...

 

[davidmolliere]

Totally unfair comparison due to price-point but my Flares arrived today and I got to do some comparisons with my go-to Campfire Audio Vegas.
Overall the flares sound great and I actually really like the Bluetooth module. The main reason I bought them is because I don't like working out or running with the Vegas and the Flares will be good to fall asleep with. The BT module only increases the convenience for both of these things.

Sound quality, overall, is really good. The bass has decent extension and feels fast, although, of course, doesn't come very close to the Vegas (nothing does). The highs are pleasant and detailed without sounding too sharp or shrill. The mids suffer a bit but I imagine that's most likely due to my ears being trained to the Vegas. They also don't have me goosebumps and make me lose myself in the music like the Vegas do but I think they are great for the price.

Overall I'd say that they are 65% as good as the Vegas for about 35% of the price. Throw in the BT module and I consider it a great value. Hopefully they are more reliable than the R2pros, which broke on me multiple times.

Interesting, I just spent this morning listening to the new Flare so it's still early (dynamic driver burn-in is always a good thing) and my first conclusion are somewhat different compared to the Vegas. This is all using the "audiophile" tips, I haven't done tip rolling yet and the R2Pro were very sensitive to tip rolling, we'll see. Kudos to Flare for finally color coding left and right cables I hated having to check L & R ont the R2Pro.

I did run them with the cable plugged to DX200 (amp 1) and it was pretty impressive, clearly more of a step up than I would have thought from reading the comments compared to R2Pro. First of all soundstage is wider and a tad deeper, imaging benefits from the airier presentation (those vents probably help). IMHO the PRO are more reference than the R2Pro, very balanced signature. There is a tad more sub bass and mid bass are more controlled, extension on the highs is so much better. Texture is very, very good, much better than R2Pro IMHO. Overall detail is several step up, with the DX200 (amp1) there was some harshness to the upper mids. I'd be curious to check that with Amp 2 once I get it.

I went ahead and tested the bluetooth module : wow. Compared to DX200, fuller sound and more musical, loosing micro dynamics and detail retrieval but that's no small feat from Flare that I would be blown away by a 400€ combo that avoid carrying a stack with your phone or even take your DAP with you! I would have liked a tad more power (esp. for classical and some jazz) but the form factor would have taken a hit.

Now comparisons with Vega since you mention it, should be made with the tuning in mind. Those are two very different IEMs in their philosophy : the vega are very coloured, with an uncommon emphasis in terms of bass quantity. The PRO are certainly not tuned that way. Yes, they have obviously not the same thunderous yet detailed, textured and controlled bass (when properly powered) and yes they don't have the typical note weight the Vega carry accross the whole range (making for unique treble). But no, they're not 65% of the Vega for 35% the price. IMHO the Flare PRO are probably 80/85% of what you'll get with top of the line IEMs that have similar tuning that cost 2 or 3x the price. Which makes them a compelling choice for people that can't or don't want to spend the kind of crazy money some of us have here. Some might call the PRO steep, I call them a bargain and I have owned my share of IEMs. And the balanced bluetooth DAC module is pretty innovative.

Early impression is : I am impressed!

This being said a few things I'll be saying as a negative :
- I hope those MMCX connector don't suffer the usual connection drops
- I would have like for the cable to allow wearing over ears (they're short for that)
- I'll be watching for dirt getting in the vent
- I would have like a wired balanced connection too

 

[GiantKillerEmu]

Interesting, I just spent this morning listening to the new Flare so it's still early (dynamic driver burn-in is always a good thing) and my first conclusion are somewhat different compared to the Vegas. This is all using the "audiophile" tips, I haven't done tip rolling yet and the R2Pro were very sensitive to tip rolling, we'll see. Kudos to Flare for finally color coding left and right cables I hated having to check L & R ont the R2Pro.

I did run them with the cable plugged to DX200 (amp 1) and it was pretty impressive, clearly more of a step up than I would have thought from reading the comments compared to R2Pro. First of all soundstage is wider and a tad deeper, imaging benefits from the airier presentation (those vents probably help). IMHO the PRO are more reference than the R2Pro, very balanced signature. There is a tad more sub bass and mid bass are more controlled, extension on the highs is so much better. Texture is very, very good, much better than R2Pro IMHO. Overall detail is several step up, with the DX200 (amp1) there was some harshness to the upper mids. I'd be curious to check that with Amp 2 once I get it.

I went ahead and tested the bluetooth module : wow. Compared to DX200, fuller sound and more musical, loosing micro dynamics and detail retrieval but that's no small feat from Flare that I would be blown away by a 400€ combo that avoid carrying a stack with your phone or even take your DAP with you! I would have liked a tad more power (esp. for classical and some jazz) but the form factor would have taken a hit.

Now comparisons with Vega since you mention it, should be made with the tuning in mind. Those are two very different IEMs in their philosophy : the vega are very coloured, with an uncommon emphasis in terms of bass quantity. The PRO are certainly not tuned that way. Yes, they have obviously not the same thunderous yet detailed, textured and controlled bass (when properly powered) and yes they don't have the typical note weight the Vega carry accross the whole range (making for unique treble). But no, they're not 65% of the Vega for 35% the price. IMHO the Flare PRO are probably 80/85% of what you'll get with top of the line IEMs that have similar tuning that cost 2 or 3x the price. Which makes them a compelling choice for people that can't or don't want to spend the kind of crazy money some of us have here. Some might call the PRO steep, I call them a bargain and I have owned my share of IEMs. And the balanced bluetooth DAC module is pretty innovative.

Early impression is : I am impressed!

This being said a few things I'll be saying as a negative :
- I hope those MMCX connector don't suffer the usual connection drops
- I would have like for the cable to allow wearing over ears (they're short for that)
- I'll be watching for dirt getting in the vent
- I would have like a wired balanced connection too

I like your notes and agree in large part. The Vegas are way more colored in comparison and I expect that many people would prefer the Flares over them. I fully admit to having an unhealthy obsession with the Vega's sound and have since the first time I ever heard them. It's like they were made specifically for my ears and nothing else can come close... So I'm definitely biased. That said, I totally agree that the flares are very impressive, particularly when using the BT module.