https://www.mtmtaudio.com/collections/pw-audio/products/pw-audio-limited-headphone-upgrade-cable This is the one Kitechaser recommended to me. Hasn't arrived yet, got it as 4.4mm balanced.

I'd say I like timbre better if I knew what the hell it is as distinct from frequency response and tonality. Even none of these things may explain why the HD800S has a far more defined bass than the Audeze LCD-X for instance. Even the link I provided states there's confusion with tonality and...

You've already demonstrated you aren't very thoughtful. I'm awaiting more responses. For instance, Kitechaser has apparently either been banned or suspended from this thread but he claims this: https://ask.metafilter.com/218275/How-does-a-tone-relate-to-a-frequency It's hard for me to judge...

So where in the frequency range is the CL2 deviant? What does that sound like? If a cable changes this shouldn't there be multiple frequency range graphs?

Hence the general story, love it or hate it.

This is interesting. I've been playing music through these for 15-20 hours and they are sounding significantly more engaging. Initially the sound was plain wonky. Vocals recessed, sort of a metallic quality somewhere, thin, narrow soundstage. Vocals are better now, don't seem to be as shrill...

?

What should I be expecting in terms of body and soundstage? Currently sounds rather thin and narrow.

Hours on both? Burn-in is a thing and while I'm uncertain about the IER-Z1R due to source changes I made Redcarmoose has claimed its burn-in should make a serious positive difference.

So where do people who have experience with other iems, particularly top of the line ones, position these? I have owned the Solaris and IER-Z1R past 200 hours. Is there supposed to be vocal recessing with these? How dramatic are the burn-in effects from 0 to 150? Kitechaser is big on cables...

$580 brand new. Let's do a little market test.

It was very hard for me to apply a sufficient direct force for the secure connection. I thought I'd likely break something as things angle. The fit is great, the handling for the connection is anything but. What am I looking at in terms of burn-in? Waiting on this cable in 4.4mm balanced per...

Nevermind, apparently you have to be fearless in how you connect these.

In the same vein, not sure why our overzealous mods deleted my pithy response, supposedly the holy grail of head-fi is ultimate transparency and direct musical reproduction. The IER-Z1R is a good iem with its share of flaws that few, qualitatively, would argue absolutely transcends the market at...

Lol, don't let these people change your mind by dropping a few big words. Trust your ears. I don't think you listed that con as an independent indictment on the market. You got 10% more in sound than the Solaris. Qualitatively the IER-Z1R hardly reshapes the market. So the market is mildly...

We're all surprised at this point.

How is the VX supposed to compare to the IER-Z1R finally?

...Well, from what I recall you're in ok company here. I was listening to the IER-Z1R through the Sony ZX300 and the iBasso DX220 with amp8. Aside from putting leeches in my ears to bleed them and my brain I ran out of ideas. Methinkses you live and you learn, emphasis on the learning...

Through what?

Any full-size headphones?

Which iems and headphones have you heard? What are you listening to and through?

Someone who provides a favorable opinion due to being associated with the product or producer without disclosing their true identity, for instance being paid to give what appears to be the opinion of a mere customer. Accusing someone of being a shill is rather common.

I'm not trying to imply shilling, just endemic weirdness.

That's interesting.

Wow. You still have the Solaris to compare?