[vo_obgyn]

This is Cipher Cable version 2, right? This is what came with my iSine 20's. Thanks in advance Head-Fi community.

 

[tgx78]

This is Cipher Cable version 2, right? This is what came with my iSine 20's. Thanks in advance Head-Fi community.

Yes

 

[vo_obgyn]

@tgx78

Thanks. Hope that you get your cable soon!

 

[davehutch]

This is Cipher Cable version 2, right? This is what came with my iSine 20's. Thanks in advance Head-Fi community.

That's correct. Tyll's EQ does not apply to that cable as the built-in EQ is different to the V1 he tested.
In my case, I went from a slight adjustment DOWN around 2-4KHz on the V1 to a slight adjustment UP in the same area for the V2. Obviously, experiment but if you use Tyll's Vq EQ on the V2 I'd expect you upper midrange to be much too low.
Also, make sure you're using the Audeze HQ app, not the standard one with the 'HQ' suffix

 

[vo_obgyn]

That's correct. Tyll's EQ does not apply to that cable as the built-in EQ is different to the V1 he tested.
In my case, I went from a slight adjustment DOWN around 2-4KHz on the V1 to a slight adjustment UP in the same area for the V2. Obviously, experiment but if you use Tyll's Vq EQ on the V2 I'd expect you upper midrange to be much too low.
Also, make sure you're using the Audeze HQ app, not the standard one with the 'HQ' suffix

Thanks for the feedback davehutch. Yes, I have the Audeze HQ app and the V2 Cipher cable with the latest firmware. Thanks for sharing the EQ info. I'll give it a try. I'll leave everything at 0db and boost up 2-4kHZ +1db and see what happens. Right now, I have everything at default 0db and it sounds pretty good. I'll slowly experiment over time.

 

[KMann]

@KMann V2 cable still out of stock. When is it going to be re-stocked?

Please contact CS. They will be able to provide the information you need, but wait till Monday (CES)

 

[jody2k]

Oh, you didn't mean the Cipher cable, which is not really a cable, Audeze shouldn't even call it that, it far more accurate to call it Dac/amp/DSP to adjust source signal frequency responce to become flat. But ok, call it cable lol.

But there is an App by that very same name? I had no idea. If there is an App, it would be wise to name it something else, for example 'Audeze iSine App', so not to confuse 2 completely different things.

Is there such an app by that name? Not in Play Store for Android.


Maybe you meant the Cipher cable/amp/dac/dsp?

Cipher is a great advantage, unfortunately for idevice users only. It frees idevice users from having to meddle with EQ. A
ndroid users, and every Audio Out device users on a planet are forced to use EQ, never being certain if our iSines sound flat, except people who own test equipment to measure headphone's frequency responce. Audeze has such equipment , I recall reading somewhere Audeze saying this dummy head with laboratory grade mics built in did cost them half a Million $.

Inner Ear reviewer also has equipment to measure headphone's frequency response.

But even large publications, such as Sterephile, don't feel it's necessary to invest in such expensive measuring gear. Stereophile doesn't measure headphones frequency curve, their headphone reviews are purely subjective. They have excellent lab mics to measure loudspeakers real world frequency response. Alas, Sterephile has no ability to meaxure loudspeaker distortion figures, and distortion is the main concern with modern loudspeakers, designing flat responce is easy, even amateurs can afford very accurate microphones now.

Idivice users with Cipher have no such concerns, Audeze has Cipher calibrated using their super expensive, super accurate measuring equipment. Everyone else on Earth is simply guessing their EQ setting for iSine to sound flat! Seems fair, huh?

The main question i always had and thats why i would never like to be a audiophile:

Audiophiles are striving to neutral sound as possible and trying to replicate exactly what the artist meant right?
But how could you ever know for sure what gear the music artist had? maybe the neutral sound you're hearing was sound completely different on his gear
So maybe the sound you're hearing wasn't the sound signature the artist meant at all

How can you ever know what neutral sound is? what does that even mean? isn't this subjective? every soundsystem, gear, speakers sound different, every music artist has different gear

And my final question: why would you lose all the potential fun by listening to warmer mids and more bass added by a decent equalizer?
You can really enhance music experience and sound by using equalizer big time ! you can make a small soundstage a massive bigger soundstage by smart EQ enhancing and soundeffects
why missing all the fun guys?


I love my music with audeze isine 20: my low mid/ mid tones are even boosted on the standard non cipher cable, and so is the bass and it's sounding amazing on my LG V20 with viper4android
I guess i just never liked "neutral sound" it just sound dull to me even with the chord mojo

I also could never replicate the EQ curve of the cipher cable, it's recessing the MID tones of the isine's, why would you ever want that? these amazing iem's are all about the mids, they shine in the mid ranges
why would you want a thin sound?

This is why is never understood audiophiles i think i never will, don't get me wrong this is not meant in a bad way to you guys
Just my peronal opinion though

 

[jhwalker]

The idea behind a "neutral sound" is that the headphones / speakers / whatever should NOT add their own character to the sound; rather, they should simply pass through exactly what the artist recorded and released. Thus what equipment / gear the artist had is irrelevant, as that sound is already "built in" to the recording and approved by the artist(s).

I can't even imagine listening to the iSine's with the bass / low and mid tones boosted "all the way up". LOL. Just for grins, I tried it and it sounds absolutely horrible I do use very mild equalization to boost the very bottom band by 2db and have a rising treble curve starting around 4k because I like a bit of sparkle up top

In any case, it's certainly your prerogative to listen however you like.

 

[jody2k]

The idea behind a "neutral sound" is that the headphones / speakers / whatever should NOT add their own character to the sound; rather, they should simply pass through exactly what the artist recorded and released. Thus what equipment / gear the artist had is irrelevant, as that sound is already "built in" to the recording and approved by the artist(s).

I can't even imagine listening to the iSine's with the bass / low and mid tones boosted "all the way up". LOL. Just for grins, I tried it and it sounds absolutely horrible I do use very mild equalization to boost the very bottom band by 2db and have a rising treble curve starting around 4k because I like a bit of sparkle up top

In any case, it's certainly your prerogative to listen however you like.

I understand well i must have that special taste i guess, doesn't matter the most important thing is we can enjoy music in the best way possible
Isine 20's does this in a wonderful way and gives my own music a new experience to listn to

 

[Richter Di]

Ordered mine directly from Spinfit in Taiwan. They send them out 2nd of January with 7 to 10 days until arrival. So they should arrive this week Hopefully.

So they arrived and the are definetly changing things. In my opinion for the better.
And they are very comfortable
I will do some serious testing in the next days.

 

[whitemouse]

The main question i always had and thats why i would never like to be a audiophile:

Audiophiles are striving to neutral sound as possible and trying to replicate exactly what the artist meant right?
But how could you ever know for sure what gear the music artist had? maybe the neutral sound you're hearing was sound completely different on his gear
So maybe the sound you're hearing wasn't the sound signature the artist meant at all

How can you ever know what neutral sound is? what does that even mean? isn't this subjective? every soundsystem, gear, speakers sound different, every music artist has different gear

And my final question: why would you lose all the potential fun by listening to warmer mids and more bass added by a decent equalizer?
You can really enhance music experience and sound by using equalizer big time ! you can make a small soundstage a massive bigger soundstage by smart EQ enhancing and soundeffects
why missing all the fun guys?


I love my music with audeze isine 20: my low mid/ mid tones are even boosted on the standard non cipher cable, and so is the bass and it's sounding amazing on my LG V20 with viper4android
I guess i just never liked "neutral sound" it just sound dull to me even with the chord mojo

I also could never replicate the EQ curve of the cipher cable, it's recessing the MID tones of the isine's, why would you ever want that? these amazing iem's are all about the mids, they shine in the mid ranges
why would you want a thin sound?

This is why is never understood audiophiles i think i never will, don't get me wrong this is not meant in a bad way to you guys
Just my peronal opinion though

It seems to some the term 'audiophile' is a put down, while in fact audiophile is simply someone who strives to best possible sound, an audio fan.

There is lot to be said about wanting, trying to hear the recording the way it is, or was recorded. That's the point! It is safe to say we have all heard passing cars with teenagers blasting the bass +12dB, and 10kHz +12dB. Obviously this is extreme example. But correcting every track by applying EQ will result in everything sounding same, but I thought the idea is to hear the recording as close as possible to studio master.

Sure, I add bass to 80s electronica, often UK's New Wave was mixed using tiny 2 way Harbeth monitors, recording engineer had no idea what was going on below 60Hz, so I have no issue using EQ to raise bass. If engineer wa using BW Matrix 801, and recordings of classical music was often mixed using the 801, then no EQ is needed, and flat EQ setting gives us amazing, full range listening pleasure.

70s classic rock was often recorded with severe lack of low frequencies, and this can be corrected somewhat using player's EQ.

But applying permanent EQ curve, lowering mids as basic setting, you'll make everything sound same. Why even own Hi End gear then? The point of high resolution reproduction gear is to hear inside the recording, placing us in the studio, going back maybe 30 years, or when the musicians were in studio. High resolution playback gear allows us to do it. Only good equipment allows to experience this, EQ should not be used to colour music.

Of course, it is purely personal choice how you wish to enjoy your music, one approach is not superior to another. But if you want to hear what took place in studio, then purist approach is the only way getting there. If you prefer to tune it, go ahead, good for you! It isn't a sin to use EQ lol.

You are audiophile, btw, like it or not. Using top end DAPs, Planar Magnetic headphones, you are not the guy next to you, who's using his smartphonesi with headphones that came together with charger, in a box.

 

[whitemouse]

But how could you ever know for sure what gear the music artist had? maybe the neutral sound you're hearing was sound completely different on his gear
So maybe the sound you're hearing wasn't the sound signature the artist meant at all

How can you ever know what neutral sound is? what does that even mean? isn't this subjective? every soundsystem, gear, speakers sound different, every music artist has different gear

And my final question: why would you lose all the potential fun by listening to warmer mids and more bass added by a decent equalizer?

How would I know what gear the musicians used in studio?

Easy! Use high resolution audio gear! That's it! Listen, and you'll know what guitar Tom Petty was using in the studio, you'd have to be familiar with different guitars, obviously. But all you have to do is listen.

That is the whole point of hi resolution, full audio range, low distortion reproduction gear. In home system sub that's -3dB at 20Hz, Velodine ULD -18, for example, and in my case Dynaudio loudspeakers, driven by Classe' Audio class A power amps.

With headphones it's now much easier, you want to know what artists sounded
in studio? Use your iSine, and decent source, with uncompressed file, source set to flat. Couldn't be easier!
But you want to have fun with EQ, nothing wrong with that! It is all about having fun, we are all having fun, or else we'd collect stamps, or butterflies lol

 

[m8o]

I posted a hundred pages or so back that I felt like the iSine20 on my ZX2 was missing a bit on the treble end - the clarity was dulled compared to the cipher, and I played with EQ a bit to get it back.

Strangely - I got a 2.5mm TRRS balanced 2pin cable for the isine20 and am running it dual-dac/balanced mode out of the ak120ii, and it's amazing. The clarity is back, and it sounds fuller and more "properly powered' than it did on the cipher, or 3.5mm + ZX2 combination.

I'm in love all over again. I had these listed for sale, but.. I think I'm going to hold onto them for now.

I know this is a few months old so may be missed. But which cable? I'm in the market for one to use with my Opus #1, which uses the AK pin-out.

 

[m8o]

Totally random. I opened my case today and felt a piece fall out of the ear piece. I look closer and a piece of the nozzle had fallen out. Anyone else had this problem? The sound is slightly off now too

Any chance you are a Comply 600 user?

I bough both comply 600 isolation and comfort, said to fit on their site. And it sure seems the barrel of the tips are the same radius as the nozzle. I've already scratched the nozzle edge trying to stretch the 600 tips on. I'm pretty worried if I do I may end up with what you picture. I'm pretty po'ed; both at wasted money and cuz I wanted to use complys.

To any comply 600 user ... how did you get them on?!

EDIT: okay, okay, I figured it out. I had to man handle them (a lot more than I'm comfortable with). First, would slip the tip onto a 1/4 inch plug and leave it for a minute. Then after removing it, I'd pinch one side, slip a 3.5mm plug into the barrel, and stretch the diameter. Then immediately slip it onto the nozzle of the iSine.

...still worried my nozzle may crack like nat's above whether that had anything to do with using comply 600s or not.

Otherwise tho after trying most sizes of the comfort and isolations, the verdict is still out on which I like most; but I really will need to try all again; tough finding the right one. I normally use a small in normal iems.

 

[whitemouse]

I know this is a few months old so may be missed. But which cable? I'm in the market for one to use with my Opus #1, which uses the AK pin-out.

May I suggest a great cable, the best I've found, 2.5mm TRRS (balanced), terminated to iSine 10 and 20 (2 Pin, 0.78mm connectors that Audeze use for iSines).
Penon Audio make the same 2.5mm Balanced cable with MMCX connectors, such as Shure SE series. Cost is $15 USD.
They also bulid adaptors, highest quality, at incredibly low price.

Here is Penon Audio cable for iSine 2.5mm, Balanced plug.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-25M-2-5m...var=562335972495&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Penon makes cables of ridiculous value, the 4 strand, 19 core cable costs $15 USD, almost laughable price in today's cable universe. They do have Silver plated cables, and more expensive cables, I fail to see the advantage of high priced cables, but you can hear the difference, go for it!

All their cables are soft, so no strain caused to delicate output sockets of DAP, especially a delicate flower, Onkyo DP X1 output sockets, both output sockets sub par, embarrasing junk! My Balanced Out of X1 is still functioning prolly cos of very soft, flexible Penon cable. The 3.5mm SE output socket of X1 was destroyed by Shure factory SE846 cable, and plug.

I use Penon Audio cables now, their cables are well built, with clearly high quality parts, the plug, cable itself, Y split is Aluminium, anodized black or polished Alu.

I've had much more expensive US made cables give up on Day 2, usually cos they are too stiff, and solder joints to TRRS plug come apart.

Give them a try, they ship for FREE from Hong Kong. And for once, seller really ships from HK, and not mainland, mainland shipping can take 1.5 months. HK Post takes around 1 week.