So some of the reviewers that love the IER-Z1R, seem to hate this iem. Meaning chances are pretty good that my take on it will be opposite, and I will love the FW10K. Has anyone here had a chance to listen to the RHA CL2? A comparison would be much appreciated. Thank you

So you think the IER-Z1R is a great iem (couldn't disagree more), and this sucks . Means I now absolutely have to give the JVC 10K a try. Thanks :)

Sorry to hear that bro. This makes me want to get my hearing checked out. I think I am good so far, don't listen to music very loudly, and never played in a band, so I should be good. You might want to give your ears a rest, and switch to speakers instead of iems of headphones, I don't know...

I agree very much. But I can say this, if I took the IER-Z1R to the streets, more people would side with my take on the impressions than of the so called "S" class reviewers. Does that mean anything at the end of the day? Probably not very much, other than maybe proving reviews are pointless...

I am using the same settings, and agree with this characterization of the sound differences completely. Also SD Slow has a more natural non fatiguing treble.

PW Audio is one of the most highly regarded cable companies. I have their 1960s cable, it retails for a lot more than the one I linked, but they are all very high quality.

Go OCC Copper, itll bring out the low end more, and improve tonality over the stock Silver Plated cable. The one I linked is very good quality OCC Copper.

Yes you'll notice a difference, depending on the state of your budget cable, even a substantial one. It can take up to 200 hours for a cable to sound its best, so keep that in mind, but right out of the box you'll hear it.

Try this cable. https://www.mtmtaudio.com/collections/pw-audio/products/pw-audio-limited-headphone-upgrade-cable A quality cable will bump up resolution, improve tonality, widen soundstage. You want cables that are properly shielded, and use good quality metals. In my experience, it can take...

The SQ of the WM1A is on another level. Bass, resolution, treble are more refined, soundstage is wider and deeper. I would go with the 1A, yes it's a bit larger and heavier, but it is still pretty portable. I carry it around in my back pocket pretty much everywhere I go.

It was a 2nd hand unit, bought a week ago. I don't think burn in is an issue here. Can't speak to iem damage, as I have nothing to compare it with. Having said that, my impressions are consistent with other people that are also hearing the same thing. Goes to show you, the subjectivity of this...

I used only High res 24/96 and up files. Paired with the WM1A, AK1000CU( paired with WA11 amp), and also the RME ADI-2 DAC.

The mids sounded like they were scooped out, it's almost like they were an after thought. They were recessed, and even more than that, they sounded lifeless. The sound was grainy, as in there was distortion around the edges of notes, vocals on some tracks were uneven, and had a hazy distorted...

I am very strongly considering spending 8k on a DMP. The IER, you couldn't pay me to listen to it. Both made by the same company.

I am waiting for the day you get your hands on it :) Itll be very interesting to hear your thoughts on this one.

How the same company can make the DMP-Z1 and the IER-Z1R is beyond me. One is the best thing I have ever heard in audio, the other I wouldn't listen to if given to me for free. Crazy.

Scooped is being kind. To me, it's almost like the mids were an after thought. And yes, grainy, as in there was distortion around the edges, vocals on some tracks were not smooth, and had a hazy sound. (Could be the hybrid configuration) Also tonality was washed out with the 4.4 SPC Cable, when...

How would you characterize the IER-Z1R's mids and staging? Upper mids? Just trying to get a picture of how you are hearing it.

I don't think I have ever been more disappointed after listening to a hyped iem than the IER-Z1R. Grainy mids, everything sounded recessed, horrible tonality. Music sounded dead. Just a trip.... KEPT LOOKING for that stage that was supposedly wide and massive, it was flat, zero depth...

JRiver once you figure it out is very nice, it's the best audio player application that I have come across so far. And the ADI-2 combo is exceptional. There are so many options with this DAC that you can basically get whatever sound you want out of it. I am in the process of DIY upgrading my...

I am not exactly fan of the AK signature, but I am open to giving the SP2000 a listen. The SP1000M sounded nice, but was somewhat sterile, can't put my finger on what it was exactly, it's been a while. The DMP-Z1 to my ears, is magic in a box, if they can replicate some of that for the next...

The ADI-2 needs a lot of fiddling around to sound it's best with speakers, I've been playing around with it for a bit now, and with my JRIVER player, I am using headphone standard settings, 0 on the crossfeed. Your system will obviously need different settings, but this DAC is not plug and play...

Love this in your sig Curious about: Nothing...my wallet is currently in a state of suspended animation Haha, isn't that the truth :) But that DMP-Z1 looks mighty nice from where I am standing, and the Buchardt S400, F my life :)

The 1960s 2 wire should be great match. It brings out the low end, and gives more body to the sound, and should tame any and all harshness in the signature. The 4 wire is not a great match with bright iems, 2 wire is the way to go in my opinion.

You are going to need a decent amp or DAP to run these properly. They are extremely transparent, so they will sound like the gear you pair them with. I have the CL2 paired with the WM1A, and that is an excellent match. Having listened to the RME ADI-2, DMP-Z1, Sony TA-ZH1ES pairings etc, the...