[szore]

In my experience, price doesn't correlate well with anything other than the weight of your wallet. Just for poops and giggles, check out @crinacle's recent review of the King Arthur: https://crinacle.com/2020/01/03/cliffnotes-effect-audio-symphony-king-arthur-branching-out/


Xelentos have the lowest levels of distortion I've ever measured in an IEM (including the CL2). But I'm always interested to learn if there are measurements elsewhere that show something different? Bear in mind, you only ever owned one (second-hand) pair of Xelentos. There are a lot of fake Xelentos out there, especially on the second-hand market, some of which sound ok-ish, and some are really bad.

Hmmm... Interesting..... If there is a legit pair at canjam I will have to check them out. I don't know anything about measurements, but I find it hard to believe a dynamic driver has less distortion that planar. Just sayin'.

 

[csglinux]

Hmmm... Interesting..... If there is a legit pair at canjam I will have to check them out. I don't know anything about measurements, but I find it hard to believe a dynamic driver has less distortion that planar. Just sayin'.

It's also a bit counter-intuitive that an electrostatic IEM (KSE1500/1200) would have higher distortions than either - but apparently it does. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Speaking of unexpected measurement results, has anybody else measured the output impedance of the SP2000? I've only been looking at the SE output, but its z-out seems to be way lower than the quoted specs. I'm wondering if A&K just copy and pasted details from the SP1000?

 

[jscmd2000]

Distortion is good for you. It makes it fun. Some of the most boring stuff I've heard are at live concerts, lol.

 

[szore]

Distortion is good for you. It makes it fun. Some of the most boring stuff I've heard are at live concerts, lol.

Back in the day the best speaker cables were lamp chord. Sigh....

 

[ChrisIsAwesome]

I'll add to what Csglinux has said.
I feel that DD iem have better synergy with sp2000 than the BA's iem I've tried.

I'm currently using xelento over andro, but is it suitable substitute for KSE1200?
Hmmmm, not really. It doesnt have the same speed, dynamics, clarity, impact, resolution or detail. Its a downgrade in every way. Plus the big V shape steers far away from neutral.

It basically sounds like a slow, dampened, handicapped version of kse with V tuning. The driver technology just isn't as good.
But it is very pleasing to listen to, and FR can be somewhat remedied with EQ.

If you're willing to accept that just about any other driver technology will be a significant step down in technical ability from proper electrostat (not those sonion drivers) then a dynamic drive may suit you. Particularly a single driver DD iem for coherency. Balanced armature sound gritty, rough and full of distortion to me.

 

[jmills8]

I'll add to what Csglinux has said.
I feel that DD iem have better synergy with sp2000 than the BA's iem I've tried.

I'm currently using xelento over andro, but is it suitable substitute for KSE1200?
Hmmmm, not really. It doesnt have the same speed, dynamics, clarity, impact, resolution or detail. Its a downgrade in every way. Plus the big V shape steers far away from neutral.

It basically sounds like a slow, dampened, handicapped version of kse with V tuning. The driver technology just isn't as good.
But it is very pleasing to listen to, and FR can be somewhat remedied with EQ.

If you're willing to accept that just about any other driver technology will be a significant step down in technical ability from proper electrostat (not those sonion drivers) then a dynamic drive may suit you. Particularly a single driver DD iem for coherency. Balanced armature sound gritty, rough and full of distortion to me.

Cause the sp2000l acks depth and a DD iem will add more of it.

 

[denis1976]

Cause the sp2000l acks depth and a DD iem will add more of it.

lacks depth?? The n8 has more? Don't think so, but I don't understand nothing about this stuff, so...

 

[Whitigir]

lacks depth?? The n8 has more? Don't think so, but I don't understand nothing about this stuff, so...

Honestly , don’t worry about those stuff! Nothing outperform satisfactory

 

[szore]

Will AK ever evolve to 4.4?

I really hope so, I just bent the 2.5mm plug on my eros II cable...

 

[szore]

lacks depth?? The n8 has more? Don't think so, but I don't understand nothing about this stuff, so...

Yeah, there are some curious things being stated on this forum! I love how people, (myself included), will just make a statement like it's 'fact'... lol. Audiophile is a whisper away from being it's own religion.

 

[denis1976]

What is wrong with this forum besides been almost religion fanatics is the fact of some users puts its own preconceptions about a brand above all and then your pride won't let you hear things in a free spirit, it's pride don't allow this users to say nothing of good about it, it's a shame, I don't suffer of that, the n8 is great, never used EQ on it, and the sp2000 for me is a step further (no EQ) sorry if I am sinning...

 

[szore]

What is wrong with this forum besides been almost religion fanatics is the fact of some users puts its own preconceptions about a brand above all and then your pride won't let you hear things in a free spirit, it's pride don't allow this users to say nothing of good about it, it's a shame, I don't suffer of that, the n8 is great, never used EQ on it, and the sp2000 for me is a step further (no EQ) sorry if I am sinning...

Pride cometh before the fall...
Don't despair my fellow sinner... In the end the music redeems us all...

 

[arftech]

Where are all of the decent tempered glass screen protectors for the SP2K???

 

[szore]

Where are all of the decent tempered glass screen protectors for the SP2K???

Same thing could be asked of all the A&K line...

 

[szore]

It's also a bit counter-intuitive that an electrostatic IEM (KSE1500/1200) would have higher distortions than either - but apparently it does. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Speaking of unexpected measurement results, has anybody else measured the output impedance of the SP2000? I've only been looking at the SE output, but its z-out seems to be way lower than the quoted specs. I'm wondering if A&K just copy and pasted details from the SP1000?

I was an electronics technician trained in the US Navy, and for the life of me I cannot understand the concept of "output impedance"...