[Jakkal]

Hi is the stock cable on the P8 is in ggod synergy with the iem or do use other kind of cable to elavate it?

Sorry for the dumb question, but how a cable would elevate an IEM and a cable would not be in synergy with a IEM? Am I missing something? Of course if a cable has very, very high impedance, it will affect the frequency response, but other than that I'm clueless.

 

[szore]

Sorry for the dumb question, but how a cable would elevate an IEM and a cable would not be in synergy with a IEM? Am I missing something? Of course if a cable has very, very high impedance, it will affect the frequency response, but other than that I'm clueless.

No one understands it, but it's real IMO

 

[szore]

I'm using a PWAudio cable...the M2....with the P8... I usually don't mess with stock cables.

 

[jasonb]

I plan on just using the stock cable for my P8, and probably just an Apple lightning dongle or the headphone jack on my M1 MacBook Air. If this needs no EQ for my tastes (which I think will be the case) then it’ll just get used in those two ways.

**Update: they need no EQ and an Apple dongle powers them just fine at only 18-25%.

 

[Jakkal]

I plan on just using the stock cable for my P8, and probably just an Apple lightning dongle or the headphone jack on my M1 MacBook Air. If this needs no EQ for my tastes (which I think will be the case) then it’ll just get used in those two ways.

I would not advise you to use the headphone jack on any laptop with IEM's. Most of them have high output impedance, which can change the sound of your IEM's drastically. Stick to the Apple dongle, it has only 0,3 Ω impedance.
See my post below about the output impedance influencing the frequency response of the Performer5.

Spoiler

I'm really enjoying the Performer5 a lot. From all recent IEM that I've tried/owned (IE600, FiiO FH9/FD5, B2 Dusk), I like these the most. Really detailed, fun and engaging sound and very good balanced tuning.

I also found very interesting the measurements from SuperReview with different impedance adapters. How the whole tuning change with different impedances, as the impedance rises, the bass quantity goes up, and the upper midrange and treble downshift. We can have different tuning on the Performer by simply changing the output impedance on the source. This can lead to different impressions/reviews from people who have sources with higher impedance. That's why I only use sources with low impedance, around 1Ω, but I want to try the other tunings myself, so already ordered 20Ω and 70Ω adapters from AliExpress.

 

[jasonb]

I would not advise you to use the headphone jack on any laptop with IEM's. Most of them have high output impedance, which can change the sound of your IEM's drastically. Stick to the Apple dongle, it has only 0,3 Ω impedance.
See my post below about the output impedance influencing the frequency response of the Performer5.

MacBooks have good headphone jacks. I have an Apple type C dongle though. So I’ll try both to compare.

My M1 Air has always sounded great with everything I plug into it though. But I’ll try the type c adapter to compare.

 

[jsmiller58]

Sorry for the dumb question, but how a cable would elevate an IEM and a cable would not be in synergy with a IEM? Am I missing something? Of course if a cable has very, very high impedance, it will affect the frequency response, but other than that I'm clueless.

Not to open a religious war, but my advice is not to try to adjust sound quality with cables… while it can have an effect, it is very hard to target the exact effect, and even if you get a cable to give you the SQ for a particular IEM, it may not work well on other IEMs. EQ is your friend… I know that this causes a visceral reaction, but really, how much worse can it be than spending money on cables which may only solve for one or two IEMs, and very unlikely would dial in your preferred sound perfectly?

 

[lmfboy01]

Not to open a religious war, but my advice is not to try to adjust sound quality with cables… while it can have an effect, it is very hard to target the exact effect, and even if you get a cable to give you the SQ for a particular IEM, it may not work well on other IEMs. EQ is your friend… I know that this causes a visceral reaction, but really, how much worse can it be than spending money on cables which may only solve for one or two IEMs, and very unlikely would dial in your preferred sound perfectly?

How I would explain it is back in the day I owned Sennheiser IE8's/IE80's, rocked them out on a Whiplash Audio cryo-silver...etc... cable. Way better than SE535 and probably even the Triple.fi UE and Etymotic. I'm sure those cables are similar to "boutique" ones now in price and build quality. They provided that "synergy" most people talk about (cable, tips, source, etc) that I craved at the time. Single core copper silver plated, copper silver mix, all silver(where have they gone), graphene, palladium, 3.5 single end compared to 4.4 balanced all provide their Pros/Cons.

 

[jsmiller58]

How I would explain it is back in the day I owned Sennheiser IE8's/IE80's, rocked them out on a Whiplash Audio cryo-silver...etc... cable. Way better than SE535 and probably even the Triple.fi UE and Etymotic. I'm sure those cables are similar to "boutique" ones now in price and build quality. They provided that "synergy" most people talk about (cable, tips, source, etc) that I craved at the time. Single core copper silver plated, copper silver mix, all silver(where have they gone), graphene, palladium, 3.5 single end compared to 4.4 balanced all provide their Pros/Cons.

No disagreement that you can find audio nirvana with cable / IEM (headphone) synergy! But the odds are low, search is long, and cost is high! To each their own, but I think most will get close(er) with EQ, and for a whole lot less…

 

[baskingshark]

No disagreement that you can find audio nirvana with cable / IEM (headphone) synergy! But the odds are low, search is long, and cost is high! To each their own, but I think most will get close(er) with EQ, and for a whole lot less…

+1

Not only EQ bro, but eartips will be a much cheaper way to change the sound signature over a kilobuck cable. Eartip changing sound on graphs can also be objectively proven on measurements, so you will also know objectively how many dB along the graph the eartips will modify the sound, which is more useful.

 

[Jakkal]

Sooner than anticipated

 

[cocolinho]

I jumped blindly in the Aful hype train , I don’t know why since I’m happy with what I have right now… too curious like many of us!

So I bought P8 yesterday from Hifipassion, got delivered today , that’s crazy…

Out of the box, they remind me the Monarch MK2 that I sold because of the lack of mid bass & the shell which were HUGE.

1st , fit is almost perfect to me, among the best I ever got , together with universal shape from CustomArt

From sound perspective I’d say more sub bass than mid bass but still acceptable (so from memory a slightly more elevated than Monarch MK2).

These are quite mid centric to my ears (like MMK2), with probably a lighter pina gain than what Harmann is suggesting since I have no problem with high mids

High seem pretty detailed, no harshness detected immediately.

So 1st impression, a kind of baby Monarch MK2 with much better fit.

Bass head
no need to apply.

Forgot to say
Source Fiio M17
Tips azla max

 

[o0genesis0o]

Some initial thoughts. Cross post from discovery thread.

Looks who finally decided to show up. Some key points from initial listening sessions and some A/B tests:

• W-shape sound signature (boost subbass, mid-midrange, and upper treble, with less emphasis of in-between frequencies). It sounds open, neither thick or thin. Reminiscent of the tuning of some high-end stuffs.
• Tonality is natural. Nothing to complain. I’m still shocked that the tonality works, given the questionable graph with boost around 800Hz.
• Treble extension and treble details are epic.
• Not the widest, but deep and well layered soundstage with excellent holographic illusion due to treble extension.
• Very resolving, both macro (separation) and micro (details). Easily match or exceed my Andromeda in A/B tests.
• Bass is high quality DD. Fast and snappy, but still has a bouncy sensation to it. The quantity it carefully controlled, boosted but not overly done so.

In summary: it sounds like an entry level kilobuck in my first listening session.

 

[jasonb]

Some initial thoughts. Cross post from discovery thread.

Now I’m even more excited for mine to arrive later today!

 

[szore]

No disagreement that you can find audio nirvana with cable / IEM (headphone) synergy! But the odds are low, search is long, and cost is high! To each their own, but I think most will get close(er) with EQ, and for a whole lot less…

EQ ruins the sound fildelity in my experience.. I never use it.