[procreate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by germanium /img/forum/go_quote.gif Perhaps the thinner housing of the ER4p's will be more comfortable.

They are, which is why they are my IEM's of choice.

 

[Ace o' Spades]

I should add that mine are also reterminated. I don't hear any difference in sound quality but the durability is much better.

 

[jSatch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Dave /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks, Germanium. This convinces me I need to get my ER4Ps fixed to compare with 716s. Looks like the HKs are a rebrand of Altecs. Best to JSatch as always.

Cheers Dave!

Looking forward to your comparisons.

3X0 has been pretty specfic about his comparisons of the ER4 and the iM716. Also, as germanium mentions, the pods, and thus sound, of the iM716 and the HK EP730 are not the identical, which may be responsible for the differences in their respective comparisons with the ER4s. But the fact that the ER4s can be had for less than the HKs get me to wonder when the pricing will adjust.

I wonder if the Altec / Ety marriage ended in divorce?

 

[germanium]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jSatch /img/forum/go_quote.gif Cheers Dave! I wonder if the Altec / Ety marriage ended in divorce?

I think so as they appear to be blowing them out at near half price & I can't find them elsewhere as other retailers are reporting out of stock.

 

[germanium]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jSatch /img/forum/go_quote.gif Cheers Dave! Looking forward to your comparisons. 3X0 has been pretty specfic about his comparisons of the ER4 and the iM716. Also, as germanium mentions, the pods, and thus sound, of the iM716 and the HK EP730 are not the identical, which may be responsible for the differences in their respective comparisons with the ER4s. But the fact that the ER4s can be had for less than the HKs get me to wonder when the pricing will adjust. I wonder if the Altec / Ety marriage ended in divorce?

Here is A pic of the pod internals of the IM716's. As you can see there are two surface mount electrolytics (black boxes with white stripe at on end)

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...ight=podectomy

These I believe they are part of an EQ circuit & removing the pod removes the EQ which would cut the bass & increase the detail so they would sound like the EP730's. On the EP730's these caps are absent even though there is a place for them. These caps are 33uf at 10 volts & as such they would be used to bleed of excesive highs to ground thus allowing the bass to fully develope. Removing the pod removes this EQ & as such you would loose bass response but gain in appearant detail. note I say appearant detail not real detail as it is aa result of an imbalance. Removing the pod on the EP730 would not effect the sound to the same degree as there is essentially no EQ in the pod except for a slight rolloff at the very top provided by the two surface mount ceramic caps of unknown value. These ceramic caps are not to be found in the IM716's. The EP730's balance is already skewed toward the top as a result of not having the two electrolytics.

 

[3X0]

It even seems like the iM716 is priced to move. They're $70 less MSRP than they were before ($129.99, before it was $199.99 IIRC).

I'm sad to see such a different creature go. The iM716 quite frankly held its own sound signature against the rest of the sub-$200 competition.

 

[jSatch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by germanium /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here is A pic of the pod internals of the IM716's. As you can see there are two surface mount electrolytics (black boxes with white stripe at on end) http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...ight=podectomy These I believe they are part of an EQ circuit & removing the pod removes the EQ which would cut the bass & increase the detail so they would sound like the EP730's. On the EP730's these caps are absent even though there is a place for them. These caps are 33uf at 10 volts & as such they would be used to bleed of excesive highs to ground thus allowing the bass to fully develope. Removing the pod removes this EQ & as such you would loose bass response but gain in appearant detail. note I say appearant detail not real detail as it is aa result of an imbalance. Removing the pod on the EP730 would not effect the sound to the same degree as there is essentially no EQ in the pod except for a slight rolloff at the very top provided by the two surface mount ceramic caps of unknown value. These ceramic caps are not to be found in the IM716's. The EP730's balance is already skewed toward the top as a result of not having the two electrolytics.

The purpose of the caps in the pod depends upon the circuit they are utilized in. I didn't trace it out, so I don't know for certain. But I think you are on to something germanium.

Anyway, the podless iM716 has loads of bass, so I'm not sure the EQ circuit would be used to taper off the highs to benefit apparent bass. If you look at the HF traces of the ER4s, you really wouldn't want to trim the highs as the roll-off occurs too early to intentionally roll-off even earlier. Perhaps the purpose of the circuit is as a notch filter. Although it may also be as you suggest, and activated, for example, in the 'Bass' mode setting of the pod.

The loss of the caps/circuit does not seem too egregious with the loss of the pod, and the loss of these crappy caps and pcb board in-line do improve the quality of the sound. Podless just sounds better to me. However, this is a personal preference and may not be yours.

I’m not sure how these tiny balanced armature drivers load the back wave. I think the Q due to the ‘box’ of the ER4 is different than the iM716, which appears a larger ‘box’ than the ER4. This could yield a slightly different sound siq, and may account for the bigger bass of the iM716, even in the 'HD' setting.

 

[kite7]

Planning on getting these tips, Ultra Soft sleeve. They will fit on the im716 right?

http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/sheaandmoac.html
Shure Ultra-Soft Sleeve Trial Pack for E2, E2c & Quietspot (1 pair each of Small, Medium, & Large)pad
Item No: srtipultra749tp-3-1

Are these more comfortable than the triple flanges?

 

[germanium]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jSatch /img/forum/go_quote.gif The purpose of the caps in the pod depends upon the circuit they are utilized in. I didn't trace it out, so I don't know for certain. But I think you are on to something germanium. Anyway, the podless iM716 has loads of bass, so I'm not sure the EQ circuit would be used to taper off the highs to benefit apparent bass. If you look at the HF traces of the ER4s, you really wouldn't want to trim the highs as the roll-off occurs too early to intentionally roll-off even earlier. Perhaps the purpose of the circuit is as a notch filter. Although it may also be as you suggest, and activated, for example, in the 'Bass' mode setting of the pod. The loss of the caps/circuit does not seem too egregious with the loss of the pod, and the loss of these crappy caps and pcb board in-line do improve the quality of the sound. Podless just sounds better to me. However, this is a personal preference and may not be yours. I’m not sure how these tiny balanced armature drivers load the back wave. I think the Q due to the ‘box’ of the ER4 is different than the iM716, which appears a larger ‘box’ than the ER4. This could yield a slightly different sound siq, and may account for the bigger bass of the iM716, even in the 'HD' setting.

The size of the caps & the fact that they lead to ground indicates to me that they are a EQ that shelves down the frequencies somewhere between 50- 100Hz. These caps are not in the direct signal path so they would have minimal impact on the detail of the phones. Just a moderate shelving of the high frquencies allowing the bass to blossom at the very low end. The circuit would be like a resitor in series with the driver & the capacitor & a resistor in series with each other & in parallel with the driver. The resistor in series with the capacitor is there to set the level reduction of the upper frequencies & would have no effect on the deep bass. The higher the value the less the attenuation, The lower the more attenuation. If it's a high value as in say 39 ohms you would have about 1db attenuation which is not that much but it does make a slight difference which would give the impression of better detail but not much loss of bass if it was removed. however there would still at least some loss of bass without the pod.

also not the word shelve down instead of roll off. it is an important distinction as one (rolloff) the response would continue to to go in downward direction & the other (shelve down) would only go down a specified ammount then level out.

By the way there is no accuracy claims on the EP730's as there is with the IM716's.

 

[germanium]

OOPS Double post Deleted

 

[Hi-Finthen]

Little help with replacement foamies friends, please.

Anyone know what size these foam tips are that originally shiped with the im716 ?

I think I would like something one size smaller, and I don't know what size these are when replaced with the Shure Ultra-Soft Sleeves....

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[CHINABOY1021]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kite7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Planning on getting these tips, Ultra Soft sleeve. They will fit on the im716 right? http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/sheaandmoac.html Shure Ultra-Soft Sleeve Trial Pack for E2, E2c & Quietspot (1 pair each of Small, Medium, & Large)pad Item No: srtipultra749tp-3-1 Are these more comfortable than the triple flanges?

Shure tips do work well on my IM716, but i just prefer the triple flange because it doesnt create such a strong suction as the super soft flex tips do.

 

[matt fury]

I have IM-716s, but have yet to be really impressed with the sound. I think it's tip issues, which I'm working on.

 

[germanium]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hi-Finthen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Little help with replacement foamies friends, please. Anyone know what size these foam tips are that originally shiped with the im716 ? I think I would like something one size smaller, and I don't know what size these are when replaced with the Shure Ultra-Soft Sleeves.... Any help would be appreciated.

if your looking for exact replacements a good soarce is the tips for the ETY8's as they appear to be the same. The filters look the same too though there could be slight differences but the foams should be an exact replacement.

 

[mgtitans17]

I got the im616's off amazon for around $60 shipped. I decided to get the 616's over the 716's because i didnt want the volume control knob and i like the black design better than all white headphones.

Performance wise i have nothing to compare them to, but to me they sound very good. They do lack in bass but thats probably because i never turn the volume up too loud on my ipod because im worried im going to hurt my hearing. The tri-flanges have been very comfortable and really didnt take much getting used to. My biggest complaint about these deadphones is the microphonics. If i jog with them in my ear it makes a very loud thump sound inside my head which is very annoying.

Is there a sound difference between the altec lansing im616 and im716?