[music_4321]

Thanks for the findings and I believe a lot of us appreciate the fact that you took a 2nd listen. Sounds like its pretty positive review. - Thanks again

 
 I see you've had a pee already.     http://www.head-fi.org/t/623514/tralucent-audio-1plus2-iem-appreciation-impressions-thread/3525#post_9692460

 

[LyPForever]

awww, every time I see this topic, I missed the treble of k3003 so much ..... and very very 3d image ). This earphone always be on my top preference. Hope AKG will release a removable cable version of the k3003 and i'll get this little iem immediately

 

[Aero Dynamik]

Quote:

Thanks for a great album recommendation, Aero Dynamik!
 

My pleasure, music_4321! I feel this recording is quite rare for a number of reasons, one of them being that I believe Rostropovich is being very true to Shostakovich’s intentions. I was given this impression while watching a master class (broadcast on Swedish TV years ago) where Rostropovich was giving Frans Helmersson detailed instructions while referring to Shostakovich’s intentions. I’ve been searching for this broadcast on YouTube, but haven’t had any luck.

Right now I’m listening to james444’s recommendation of this concert with Heinrich Schiff. His performance is perhaps in a sense more “beautiful”, has a German touch to it by being much disciplined, exact, and played in a slightly higher tempo (mostly referring to the first movement). Also I can really sense how much Schiff loves his cello and is exposing it to the listener. The sound of his cello is very rich and warm. It’s a wonderful performance and recording. However I find Rostropovich’s performance to be more dynamic, especially his vibrato which is more varied both in speed and width. Also, Rostropovich’s ability to pendulate between the extreme introvert (just playing for himself) and extreme extrovert (telling the entire world) is remarkable. The sound of Rostropovich’s cello is “dryer”, more like a black and white picture, whereas Schiff’s sound is more like a colour photo.

Both recordings sound exceptionally well through the K3003 and I think Schiff’s interpretation belongs in the category of the very best. However, if I was forced to choose between these two recordings I would choose Rostropovich’s. Fortunately I don’t have to choose so I’ll definitely be listening more to Schiff!

Thanks for the recommendation james444!

 

[Aero Dynamik]

Just followed up Heinrich Schiff on Wikipedia and saw this: ”his recording of the Shostakovich concertos won the Grand Prix du Disque” Well, I’m not surprised!

As far as I know, Mozart never composed a cello concerto. But if he had, I somehow feel Schiff would have become its most revered performer. Between 48 and 52 seconds into the first movement of Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto #1, I clearly hear Schiff being inspired by Mozart. It is very virtuoso and exact. I don’t know if Shostakovich was inspired by Mozart (who wasn’t), but whatever the case I think it’s quite brilliant. The same passage performed by Rostropovich is a world of difference. Rostropovich digs the bow as hard as he can into the strings expressing Russian WWII hardship rather than mere musical brilliance. I’m becoming more and more intrigued by Schiff’s recording. It’s very different from Rostropovich’s. Normally I would say anything deviating too much from Rostropovich’s interpretation wouldn’t be worthwhile, but in this case I can’t, and it baffles me!

Whichever recording, it thrills me no end that I have what I feel to be the ultimate precision instrument for discerning every bit of musical information in these recordings. The one and only K3003, of course!
 
Edits in bold

 

[up late]

are you a mantovani fan?

 

[james444]

@Aero Dynamik, interesting thoughts and facts I didn't know about the recordings. I still have to give Rostropovich more in-depth listening, but it's amazing how they're both very different and both brilliant in their own ways. I feel that Rostropovich's playing conveys much more rawness and emotion, whereas Schiff ever so often seems to be flirting with his technical finesse. By and large, I think your comments are spot-on.

 

[Aero Dynamik]

Quote:

@Aero Dynamik, interesting thoughts and facts I didn't know about the recordings. I still have to give Rostropovich more in-depth listening, but it's amazing how they're both very different and both brilliant in their own ways. I feel that Rostropovich's playing conveys much more rawness and emotion, whereas Schiff ever so often seems to be flirting with his technical finesse. By and large, I think your comments are spot-on.

I agree with your summary completely. Very well put!

 

[up late]

how about percy grainger?

 

[Aero Dynamik]

Quote:

are you a mantovani fan?

 
Quote:

how about percy grainger?

I'm afraid non of these names are familiar to me (I guess I'm not very broad

) Perhaps you can provide a few links? Preferably to tracks (samples) you find go particularly well with the K3003?

 

[up late]

only have them on the old man's vinyl.

 

[music_4321]

I thought I'd mention something many might consider a non-issue, irrelevant or just downright silly.

Two days ago I received the German-made StageDiver 2 (SD2), which is a new custom IEM made universal. Now, I hadn't worn an IEM with a cable-over-the-ear fit for a long time (except those times I've worn my FAD 1601SS, whose ergonomics are less than stellar and, in my case, only by running the cables over my ears I can get to wear them).

So, for the last two days I've been using the SD2s. Been very, very hot at present in my neck of the woods for 1.5 months, so I'm finding, again, that an over-the-ear fit isn't great as the cables touch with my neck—my neck which sometimes gets a bit moist / sweaty due to the heat. With a cable-down fit the cable barely touches my skin, so I've just noticed how I've taken for granted that aspect of several IEMs I own. I have, in effect, got used to a cable-down fit with my favourite IEMs (K3003, Piano Forte IX, FI-BA-SS & Flat4-KAEDE), but here's the thing, the K3003 is the only IEM of those 4 that I can put in my ears and take them out literally instantly (with one hand), pretty much as fast as when you cover your eyes with your hands.

I know that the 'audiophile' thing is to have a cable-over-the-ear fit, which, of course, often helps with IEMs with microphonic cables (not the case with the K3003, PF IX, KAEDE & FI-BA-SS cables—the IE800, which I no longer own, has a terribly microphonic cable).

Like I said, perhaps quite a silly thing to talk about, but an aspect I personally value a quite a bit on my K3003s—or I value more these days. As time goes by, I've come to appreciate this IEM more and more; horribly expensive, yes, but to have an IEM that comes so close to my HD800s sonically, that is so comfortable (in my case, of course), with such ease of use, with no occlusion effect / bone conduction issues, that allows my ears to breathe (!) and, on top of that, that allows me to get pretty stunning SQ out of my 4G iPod Touch… no aftermarket cables, no portable amps and DACs, just these IEMs with their pretty small housings and my DAP: Absolutely brilliant!

 

[Aero Dynamik]

Quote:

I thought I'd mention something many might consider a non-issue, irrelevant or just downright silly.

(...)

It’s certainly not a silly topic. No matter how well an IEM sounds, if the ergonomics are inadequate it’s pretty useless.

I feel the K3003 is my most comfortable IEM. As a matter of fact it fits me so well I hardly notice it even if I wear it for many, many hours. I’m always puzzled (just don’t get it) when other Head-Fi:ers complain about fit, weight and sharp edges (with the stock tips? I just don’t get it!). Maybe we just belong to a lucky few, or maybe this is just another property of the K3003 to bash for those who love to hate it!? Also, with the medium stock tips I too can easily insert it with one hand. Of course, now that I use and prefer the large stock tips I must lift my ears to get a perfect fit. Unlike you I always wear the cables over-the-ear but that’s just because I don’t want the cable to get in the way in front of me (or maybe the truth is that I secretly want to be an audiophile, hm…). Anyway, it’s really great it works both ways. Obviously, the K3003 is a lot more versatile (in so many ways) than many other IEMs. True, it is very costly, but for me it’s been worth every penny.

 

[dleblanc343]

It was also worth every penny to me. I also wear it behind the ear and the fit is great compared to most of my other/previous iem's. That makes two of us

 

[woodcans]

Really enjoying these impressions. Thanks and keep 'em coming.

 

[up late]

the k3003 is the most straightforward earphone I've tried. not a fan of phones that have to be worn with the cable over the ear or phones that are fiddly to fit.