Review Inear Stagediver 4 “Perfect Fit Mk IV” (English Review)
 
Writer : Mikku
Inear StageDiver 4
Price : 10 Million (IDR)

Technical Data:
2-way-system (4 drivers)
Transmission range approx. 20 Hz–19000 Hz
Output sound pressure 120 dB
Impedance 22 ohms
Cable length 140 cm / (4'7.5")


 
I Love reviewing audio gears somehow… I just love it, but before you read my review I suggest you to take my review with a grain of salt since most likely I won’t use any freq graph and reviewing cans based on my ears only.
I bought this SD4 secondhand with an excellent condition, just lacking some accessories like the box, and some spare filter (I guess?). I still get the original pelican case and the original 4 size tips though. Actually I prefer this kind of packaging more than a grandiose one like some of iems that I’ve seen or owned, a supremely durable pelican case with cleaning tool and some eartips is just what I need for a perfect packaging.

 
 
 
 
Ergonomics

This is what Inears stagediver are famous for, it’s unprecedented ergonomics!! (at least for my ears lol), when it comes to fitting actually Phonak could come really close with it’s perfect fit series, but it has a different sensation from what inear offers, while phonak is lightweight and feather-like in your ears but it still has downside, not all of its series has detachable cable, only 232 and it’s using a proprietary pin, also the cables could feels a little bit stiff sometimes, in the other hand inear fits like a glove in your ear I think this is what it feels like to use a ciem (haha I don’t have a ciem yet) and it has detachable cable using a normal 2 pin type, and the stock cable is twisted and feels so durable. So yes in terms of universal iem I believe that inear is still the best when it comes to ergonomics.

 
 
 
Sound
Now, the sound, the overall sound of SD4 is natural, smooth, and musical. Starting from its bass you’ll realize that it’s definitely a non-neutral bass, quite big (not a basshead level though), punchy, and deep, what I love  from the bass is the texture, it’s smooth and very well defined, try a Japanese song AZU – For You, wow! Lovely! Hits the sweet spot, not many cans could reproduce such a high quality smooth-textured bass, but in the same time, it might not suitable for rock music because of its smooth texture.
Go on to the mid, I know this review will be quite different from what others say about SD4, I’ve read some review said that the mid of SD4 is quite neutral, but what I found here is quite different, since my benchmark for neutrality is er4pt, I could swear that SD 4’s mid has a warm tilt to it. Like its bass, it has also a smooth-textured mid that makes a lovely  experience when you hear a vocal song, eemmm try an example Diana Krall – Frim fram sauce, now change to Ed Sheeran – Shape of You. Even though the genres are different but the vocal stays, it’s not forward, never too prominent, but very clear and well presented without any sibilance or any annoying peaks, I could feel that somehow it’s kinda laidback.
Go on with treble…. Nothing wrong here… I mean.. in a good way.. never gets too blunt nor too piercing, just there…. I couldn’t really describe this. But I could say this is an example of how treble done right, the timbre is also spot on and could extend really well up there.
If you’re a detail lover, I’m not sure that you’ll find what  you want here, SD4 is detailed without a doubt, but it doesn’t brag about it, but instead just sound musical and flowing until you notice that you could find some micro details that you don’t usually hear.
Soundstage is vast and has a quite grand 3D aspect (wide with height, front,and back dimension) but sadly quite lacking in depth.
If you love imaging for instruments, this could be an interesting choice for you, it could portrays every instruments in a great pinpoint imaging.
Comparison
Vs Shure 846 : 846 has somehow darker yet more impactful and energetic sound, livelier vocals and more punchy deep bass, but lacks the soundstage and imaging also the sweet and smooth vocal that SD4 has. I think they’re in the same class, so it’s a matter of preference.
Vs Dita The Answer : Dita is definitely more energic with more punchy dynamic sub bass and more sparkling treble, but at the same time it’s definitely more harsh with some really bad peaks and not as refined as SD4. SD4 is more lush and laidback but surprisingly more detailed and has better texture from up to bottom.
Vs Fitear Parterre : Parterre has punchier and much bigger midbass, wider soundstage, darker treble (but sometimes better timbre[dunno how… fitear’s magic I think lol]), SD 4 has better extension both upper or lower register, narrower soundstage but more 3d imaging. I love em both so it was a hard choice for me to choose one of them to buy.. but in the end SD4 suits my music better, while parterre is better in classical music.
VS SD2 : SD4 is actually like SD2 but add extension from upper to lower register and pull the vocal backward a bit and add some upper mid sweetness on it, also add better soundstage and imaging, voila!! there you go
Vs SD3 : SD3 is darker and much boomier, SD4 is definitely brighter but smoother, with tighter yet deeper bass
In The End SD4 is without a doubt a high end product with a soothing smooth musical sound, but still detailed and very capable in terms of soundstage and imaging. One of its major selling points is the unprecedented ergonomics for universal iem.
 
Score
Build : 9/10
Fit : 9.5/10
Isolation : 9/10
Bass : 9/10
Mid : 8/10
Treble : 9/10
Detail : 8/10
Soundstage : 8/10
Imaging : 9/10
Layering : 9/10
Value : 9/10
Rank: S
 
 
 
 

there's quite a hype about this product in my country, so i decided to buy it from a trusted source. 

Starting from packaging, it's quite simple, maybe even too simple, even piston 2 and 3 has better packaging accompanied with hardcase
 
the only thing i could found positive in this product is the build and ergonomic, so comfy and light, if this thing sounds good i could wear them for hours... unfortunately they doesn't sound as good as they looks

the bass is far too boomy and too upfront (don't get me wrong, i love bass, but this bass is just too muffled). mid and treble has a very stange timbre that sounds thin, and artificial but somehow rolled off but maintaining it's peak.... as a musician, these things bugged me the most. totally a bad product for me.

if you're looking for bass oriented iem, try basic ie 300 instead, the price range is not really different, but it offers better timbre (still muffled though, but better timbre)

i Bought a secondhand Dita - The Answer with a good condition at half it's price... i think this is an awesome purchase, because now it's simply my favorite iem and also my daily iem (i usually separate it).
Dita is quite unique i must say, since at it's new price point ,the majority of companies would usually make multiple Ba driver based IEM, but Dita chose to stay in a more conventional way, to use a full ranged single dynamic driver, but it turns out beautifully.... truly loving this product

 
Box and Accessories

what can i say? it's all screaming prestige.... quite a big box for an iem, once you look what's inside, it's like you're opening a box of jewellery, so pretty that it's a sin if you're not taking shots of em. starts from the first layer the DITA itself, with airplane adapter and a handbook, going to the next layer where you can find the signature of DITA founders, and in the last layer you'll find hardcase and leathercase 


 

Build, Fit, and Isolation

From the first time you see em, you know their build qualities are top notch, starting from the metal housing, big, shiny, solid, yet has no sharp edges, then you can see their cable that are quite big and rubbery but definitely durable and comfortable, surprisingly i find that the round y splitter is actually has the same size as the housing, and see the jack?? it's big, and has a great strain relief. Actually at this price point, i actually hoping for a detachable cable, so it's a little downside to be honest.

And it fits my ears so good too, with the shape, genius!! no hard edges on the housing that could make you feel itchy or uncomfortable, and the nozzle angle is also spot on!, whoever design these, sir, you're an MVP. 
Once you get a proper fit, the fitting itself is truly great


Sound

Based on my personal experience, DITA is very tips dependent, at the first time, i used spinfit and ortofon tips on em, since usually, they are the best tips for me but what i heard was a strange metallic sounding iem with terrible upper mid peak... and so i thought DITA was quite a trash, but then i switched to its own medium bore, medium sized tips.... and that's it... perfect!!! now they sounds so smooth and balanced in every way.

Starting from the bass that sounds so natural, punchy, tight, with natural decay. I usally used multiple Ba drivers IEM before, switching from them to DITA, i found that sometimes BA driver's bass could be too tight and too fast for what a bass should sounds like in real life (just a personal opinion on my experience as a band member), now DITA gives a bass with better transition from upper-mid-to sub bass with slower decay and softer and rounder texture. Now it's like a whole new experience in bass for me, hearing some jazz bands or pop bands now sounds more exciting and realistic, God! i love this

The Vocal section is quite laidback and take a little step backward in positioning resulting in a mild V-shaped or U-shaped sound. But it still sounds so clear and smooth and has a great balance between lower and upper mid. You can just throw any kind of vocal there and they will sounds as natural as it should be.

Now for the treble, again, i find that "natural" is the only sufficient word.... cymbal crash is great, shimmering high but never reach the peak that could hurt my ears. Instrument's timbre is also spot on with these, it could reach the top extension but still with its smooth texture, try to hear some soundtracks from the "whiplash" movie and you'll find a great timbre for each instruments.

Soundstage, Detail, Layering, and Imaging

From the first time you hear these, you might find a spacious vast soundstage with a great depth that gives you excitement everytime you hear orchestra or some medieval-themed-movie soundtracks such as Lord of The Rings, or The Game of Thrones, or even The Pirates of Carribean, you can feel the energy and the power from those soundtracks that reminds you of those epic moments of the movies.

Detail is also great, at first i thought that DITA is not really detailed because of its smooth nature, but time proves me wrong, now i could hear more details in every music i have but with a smooth texture on it wow!!

Maybe this is where the Dynamic Driver falls, the layering of each frequencies is not as great as some multiple driver model IEMs i've ever tried or have before, take an example of Phonak PFE 232, they could give you a better layering in the frequencies also better imaging with more front and back dimension, 

Conclusion

DITA The Answer is definitely a dynamic answer..... challenging the multiple BA configuration at its price point, but you know what? for me... they did it!!! it definitely has the same level as its competitors, and most likely will have their own fanboys that loves dynamic more than BAs.

SUCH PERFECTION!!! WITH ONLY TWO DRIVERS!?
 
i know it's kinda late to write this... since this gem is discontinued already..
but lemme tell yaa.. great things are everlasting.. even with many more competitors with more drivers
phonak pfe series still hold their own league and uniqueness 
 
ergonomics:
oh boy..... they are comfortable.. and i mean... extremely comfortable, i could say they have the best comfort for universal iem
and i've tried brands that are known for their comfort such as shure, westone, and even inear stage diver, and i could say that phonak's comfort totally hit the sweet spot
it's a perfect housing
 
the cable itself is also good and feels durable.. but sometimes i could hear a little microphonics.. 
oh yeah and it is detachable but with their own connector, so it's kinda hard to find a replacement, but you got 2 cables inside the package 1 with mic, and 1 without
 
sound quality:
i've tried all of it's filters but love the gray one much more that the others, black filter add more warmth to the mid and the green one give more warmth than enough.. it's too warm and too bassy with green filter
 
this review is gray filter based only
phonak 232 take a different approach from it's lower level such as 012,112,and 132
with it's dual Balanced Armature drivers, it provides more bass and sounds more v shaped than other phonak series but still maintain a clear vocal
 
bass : reach quite low, as a dynamic driver lover.. i found this phonak's bass is really acceptable and even exceeded my expectation for dual Balanced Armature
really..really great with punch but with soft texture, the bass is truly remarkable
 
mid : really clear but smooth, non fatiguing... such high quality mids, but if you're a vocal lover maybe you should try the 112 or 132 i think their vocal is clearer but less smooth
 
treble : how could i describe this??? smooth, non fatiguing with the best timbre i've ever heard!!! damn phonak!! great jobb!!! it's really rare to hear such treble even with higher price iems
a treble perfection for me, the timbre is just spot on argghh i'm at loss for words
 
soundstage, imaging, and separation : 
i should say that this iem is airy but it's width is it's weak spot if you're craving for soundstage width, but luckily the depth is there!! and it's good! gives a subtle 3d feelings to the music.
imaging and separation is also great and definitely high-class, sometimes it's quite revealing, when you hear a badly recorded lossy files, you won't get the separation, but play a good quality instead
you can pinpoint where the instruments are...
 
with only two drivers... phonak... you rock!!!
easily one of the best iem i've ever heard!!

i bought this secondhand from a friend.. and because of the great reviews about them i decided to give it a try.. so here we go my review:
 
accesories and packaging :
very-very humble.. only the iem, books, and small pouch also a pair of comply foam tx200.. that's it... very humble... or maybe too humble.. even piston 2 does a better job giving 3 pair of tips and a hardcase. they looks very small... i could say that they are the most little iem i've ever seen... sometimes it looks like a little black bullet
 
ergonomics :
i think they are meant to be worn over ear because of the heavy y-splitter... it just keeps falling when i wear them straight down... 
when fitting them to my ears.. i need some seconds to make em sit in the right place thanks to the foam tips...even some of my friends really couldn't wear them because of the foam tips (i think majority of people are used to silicone tips rather than foam tips)
 
sound isolating : 
pretty average.. nothing special
 
sounds : 
first of all i need to say.. they're quite hard to drive.. so better use an amp.. a warm amp would be better, also it's the best if you use the foam tips.. because i've tried using silicone tips for them.. and it's a very very bad idea.... upper mid and treble peaks everywhere, thin mids... arrrghh bad idea.. foam tips change the sound drastically... no more peaks
 
bass:
i don't know how to describe the bass.. they're not really punchy but i can hear them digs deep with fast decay, the bass is quite addicting... love the bass... it also never bleeds into the mids... i still confuse by how could such a little dynamic driver could produce such bass. but in order to unleash the full potential of the bass i need an amp with bass boost
 
mid:
lush and warm, good vocal pronounciation, sometimes sounds forward and quite intimate (in a good way), a very good allrounder mid for my ears. the only downside is sometimes the upper mid could sounds a little metallic in some bad recording.
 
treble : 
laidback and non fatiguing treble, yes it is laidback and could be too laidback for some, but it still hold a sense of realism, a kind of treble that i'm searchin for
 
imaging and soundstage:
they sounds quite huge with a great 3d and depth presentation really impressive.. such a little housing and driver could sound like this, the imaging is also really good i could hear movie soundtracks and imagine the position of the instrumentals
 
don't judge the book by the cover... yeah these iem really proves that word

Build & fit :
these iem are gorgeus... truly great looking, like a pair of black expensive earrings..
the fits are so-so.. not really good.. but not really bad either.. 
 
isolation :
i guess they're trying to make them airy.. so yeah it won't really isolate
 
sound :
bass :
a good bass that punch quite fast and deep, but i don't really hear a good control here.. so sometimes it covers the mid... and i never like that...
but maybe it is good for edm
 
mid :
recessed mid with sibilance... not for my ears.. definitely...
 
treble:
i think i'm sensitive to these iems treble.. coz... i hear a lot of sibilance.. it's quite annoying actually.. i cannot wear them for even 1 hour.. simply because of the sibilance
 
separation and soundstage:
bad separation....
the soundstage is actually narrow.. but because of the airy sound it could give a huge soundstage sensation.. width only.. no depth

 

first of all i'm sorry for my bad  english
 
from the first time i saw this iem i fell in love with how good they looks, shiny metal pieces, damn they do looks expensive, even it's case is beautiful
 
i own some iems for different purposes such as dunu dn 1000, shure se 215, and dbe pr 30 rev iii
fiio ex 1 is always my number one iem for home use. simply because i really love how great they sounds but they lacks in isolation, so in order to appreciate these iems true potential, use in when you're home, a warm sounding amp is reccomended.
 
ergonomics : they sit in your ears quite nicely with that angled nozzle, spinfit eartips will provide better fit and better sound. the isolation is bad due to their airy sound they sacrifice the isolation
 
so how they sounds to my ears?
 
bass:
the bass of these iems are quite fast for dynamic, they are quite punchy, not really deep, but for my ears it has a smooth nice texture which kind of unique. i have other iems with great amount of bass such as dunu dn 1000 and shure se 215 but the bass texture of fiio ex 1 is more favorable for me, it has an airy rumble...(i don't know how to describe it) like a true bass speaker, so yeah i love the bass of this iem
 
mids:
if this iem has a flaw.. this is it.. a little reccessed mid and has and emphasized upper mid. it makes male voice sounds thin and less powerful, but good for female sound actually
 
treble:
this is the best point of fiio ex 1, for me the treble extend really well without being sibilant, just when you think that there will be sibilance you'll hear smooth edge instead, perfect for violin, strings, piano and guitar
 
i also hear no distortion on loud volume ... great... simply great