[Ike1985]

   
Where in the world did you get the $3k price? Official retail will be at $1,999, but the introductory price will be a bit more cheaper.

 
Guess I was wrong! =P 

 

[AudioBear]

  So now it's between K10 and A12, two "kings of the hill".  Who will emerge victorious?  Price certainly plays a role, with the A12 costing way more.
 
I'm wondering, since they are "open vented"-excuse my ignorance, I don't know much about the A12-will others be able to hear what you're listening to?

The A12 is not vented in the traditional meaning  of the word.  If it's a vent, it's a micro vent that doesn't leak much because my wife can't hear it sitting next to me when i playback at reasonably loud levels.  There has been a lot of information about what ADEL technology is supposed to do, but there haven't been any specifics about just how big the physical vent is, if there is any.  Big vents not only leak sound in and out, they drop bass response. I can assure that while not a basshead's IEM, the A12 has plenty of bass which suggests it doesn't have much venting.  It also gives pretty good sound isolation which one wouldn't expect in a traditional vented design.  You might do well to read all the information on the technology at http://www.1964adel.com/ if you have not already done so.
 
So no, they are not open vented and others won't hear much if anything. 

 

[Pazz]

So how many people here believe the A12 is the best overall sounding IEMs yet personally encountered? How long do you think before something else tops it, perhaps another 1964 Ears IEM?

 

[AudioBear]

I am not a IEM hobbyist or experimenter and the A12 is my first CIEM.  My previous experience has been exclusively with owning Shure SE530, SE535, and SE846 and trying on a bunch of other leading brands before deciding on the A12.  I was in fact just about to buy a V6 when the Kickstarter campaign launched and I opted for waiting for the A12.     I am really glad I made the switch.  Although my experience is limited I can say the A12 is the best IEM I have heard, by a good margin over most. Although the Shures served me well and are excellent IEMs which I enjoyed owning, the A12 is in another league.  I am still at the stage of amazement and discovery every time I put them on. 
 
If there isn't already something better, it won't take long before there is.  By the end of the year there will be a new sensational CIEM from some manufacturer.  I accept when I buy technology that there will always be a new better device right around the corner. It's the world we live in. 

 

[Malevolent]

   
Bro, isn't the price on the A12 approaching $3k?  The K10 is around $1500.  That's approx. half.  Does the A12 offer double the value over the K10?

 
Like Levanter said, the price of the A12 is $2,000. I'm hoping that the introductory price comes with a discount, though. Makes missing out on the Kickstarter that much easier to swallow. 

 
 

  So how many people here believe the A12 is the best overall sounding IEMs yet personally encountered? How long do you think before something else tops it, perhaps another 1964 Ears IEM?

 
The A12 is amongst the best I've heard. They are certainly an intriguing IEM that presents the positive culmination of the cohesive efforts of 1964 Ears and the brains behind ADEL in an accomplished manner. I was skeptical in the early stages, but I've become something of a believer since hearing the A12 for the first time.
 
I'm sure that something new will rear its head on the horizon before too long. The CIEM industry is heating up these days, and many companies seem too eager to introduce new flagships on the market at a greatly accelerated rate. Nevertheless, something new doesn't always equate to something better, in my book.

 

[ericr]

Like Levanter said, the price of the A12 is $2,000. I'm hoping that the introductory price comes with a discount, though. Makes missing out on the Kickstarter that much easier to swallow. 

The A12 is amongst the best I've heard. They are certainly an intriguing IEM that presents the positive culmination of the cohesive efforts of 1964 Ears and the brains behind ADEL in an accomplished manner. I was skeptical in the early stages, but I've become something of a believer since hearing the A12 for the first time.

I'm sure that something new will rear its head on the horizon before too long. The CIEM industry is heating up these days, and many companies seem too eager to introduce new flagships on the market at a greatly accelerated rate. Nevertheless, something new doesn't always equate to something better, in my book.

Personally I'd be all for 1964 offering the A10 & A12 at the KS prices again for a short window (say 30 days). Then they could bump them up $200-300 for another couple of months to finish out the introductory period. I'm not sure how the other KS backers would feel about this though.

Maybe a HF specific discount code? Or, maybe a one time use code is given to each A10 / A12 backer that they could give to a friend or use to buy a second A10 / A12.

It would be great for more HF members to be able to get in on the A12 goodness!

 

[nmatheis]

Depending on how the U series reviews sound, a release discount on U6 and U8 might catch a sale from me

 

[Pazz]

Personally I'd be all for 1964 offering the A10 & A12 at the KS prices again for a short window (say 30 days). Then they could bump them up $200-300 for another couple of months to finish out the introductory period. I'm not sure how the other KS backers would feel about this though.

Maybe a HF specific discount code? Or, maybe a one time use code is given to each A10 / A12 backer that they could give to a friend or use to buy a second A10 / A12.

It would be great for more HF members to be able to get in on the A12 goodness!

I for one would be very tempted to get one. 
 
But then I remember that we still have yet to get coverage on the U series, not to mention a lot of other IEMs coming out, and, of course, the ADEL and it's implementation is still being researched and tested. We may see even more improvement in the technology in the future, though probably not that soon. I feel as if the next 10 years in personal audio will be more exciting than the last 100, and we will see truly magical developments unfold right before our eyes, just as people were mind-blown when radio first came out. 

 

[AudioBear]

10-12 years ago I was looking for portable amps and DACs and it was slim pickings.  This market really didn't exist.  There were a few brave companies making a few products.  Now it's a nightmare to figure out which product to buy.  I'm not one of those who likes to collect 20 cans and 17 amps etc etc but prefer to make a good choice and just live with it. If I don't make a good choice for my tastes I sell it and try again.  But now there is so much good stuff I want to buy something every day. 
 
I can honestly say that is not going to happen with the A12.  It works for me.  Today it passed the chain saw test.  I worked with a chainsaw for two hours wearing it and a set of hearing protector muffs over the A12s.  I heard nothing but music. They did as good as the ear plugs I wear under hearing muffs.

 

[Chodi]

  10-12 years ago I was looking for portable amps and DACs and it was slim pickings.  This market really didn't exist.  There were a few brave companies making a few products.  Now it's a nightmare to figure out which product to buy.  I'm not one of those who likes to collect 20 cans and 17 amps etc etc but prefer to make a good choice and just live with it. If I don't make a good choice for my tastes I sell it and try again.  But now there is so much good stuff I want to buy something every day. 
 
I can honestly say that is not going to happen with the A12.  It works for me.  Today it passed the chain saw test.  I worked with a chainsaw for two hours wearing it and a set of hearing protector muffs over the A12s.  I heard nothing but music. They did as good as the ear plugs I wear under hearing muffs.

Now that's what I call a test!!

 

[chukwe]

Hi AudioBear,

What do you think of an A12 with iPhone 6 & Spotify or Tidal? Will it produce the best sound?

 

[tmorterlaing]

   
Bro, isn't the price on the A12 approaching $3k?  The K10 is around $1500.  That's approx. half.  Does the A12 offer double the value over the K10?

 
Even if it was - it MIGHT actually be worth double the K10 - IF the ADEL works as it says and saves your hearing - remeber, sound quality isn't the only thing to consider with this new line of ADEL iems!

Hi AudioBear,

What do you think of an A12 with iPhone 6 & Spotify or Tidal? Will it produce the best sound?

Spotify, no - pretty sure it's quite compressed!. Tidal, yes - although expensive! 
I gather the iPhone 6 DAC and in-built amp is one of the best on any smartphone, so you probably wont notice much difference unless you pay significantly more for an external one. Same withe the HTC One M8 (I hope) - the wanted them to be proper media phones, music output included. 

 

[chukwe]

   
Spotify, no - pretty sure it's quite compressed!. Tidal, yes - although expensive! 
I gather the iPhone 6 DAC and in-built amp is one of the best on any smartphone, so you probably wont notice much difference unless you pay significantly more for an external one. Same withe the HTC One M8 (I hope) - the wanted them to be proper media phones, music output included. 

 
Thanks tmorterlaing for the reply. Do you mean it's wasting money on A12 for iPhone 6 & Spotify\Tidal as it won't make much difference in the sound compared to a cheaper ciem?

 

[tmorterlaing]

   
Thanks tmorterlaing for the reply. Do you mean it's wasting money on A12 for iPhone 6 & Spotify\Tidal as it won't make much difference in the sound compared to a cheaper ciem?

Not at all! Quite the opposite - I'm saying an iPhone running Tidal will sound great with an A12, because the iPhone has good internal hardware and Tidal is very high quality audio. Spotify on the other hand isn't as far as I remember - but the iem will still work the absolute best it can.

 

[chukwe]

  Not at all! Quite the opposite - I'm saying an iPhone running Tidal will sound great with an A12, because the iPhone has good internal hardware and Tidal is very high quality audio. Spotify on the other hand isn't as far as I remember - but the iem will still work the absolute best it can.

 
Thanks tmotterlaing.
 
No release date yet, it's frustrating. I don't have any iem at the moment apart from my almost broken Triple fi 10. I just want to buy the best ciem & forget about buying another one for the next 10 years