Audeze iSINE 10 & iSINE 20: Audeze releases two new IEM planar magnetic earphones
Jan 17, 2018 at 2:18 PM Post #4,651 of 7,348
I forgot - that's an additional step needed to get iSine sounding as intended on Android. So basically, DAC/Amp plus USB Audio plus Parametric EQ got me there. As an aside, I am getting on a plane in a few hours. Should I even bother bringing my 20s? I'm assuming they are worthless on a plane.
Yeah I use the same setup but the only problem is you can't play offline music through UAPP.
 
Jan 17, 2018 at 2:30 PM Post #4,655 of 7,348
You tested LG smartphone with some headphones. May I ask what headphones did you test it with? I have not tested it, nor listened to it at all, that is why I'm curious. Do you think iSines themselves with regular Audio cable are not that great, or it's the LG together with iSines isn't a good combination?
Yeah, I was going to pick up used iphone 5 for 100€, but after listening friends iphone with my Cipher I'm glad I saved the 100€.

But Cheese_sandwich here is of opposite opinion. He tested isines with LG, I assume he used most of recommended, and widely agreed upon EQ presets in order to form his opinion. Or did he just stick isines to phone's 3.5mm audio out, he wouldn't be uninformed to such degree?

We have Audezs to thank for this tho, people give isines a try with regular cable, no idea about the EQ requirements, and they won't buy isines unless they own idevice. I feel bad for these people, they are missing out on outrageous sound quality for almost no money, I see isine 10 listed at $200 everywhere, but with half decent source isine 20 are scary close to $1999 LCD-3. This is the most incredible value I've come across in 20 years of portable audio hobby, going back to original Corey Greenberg's review of Grado SR60 in Stereophile, 1993, using them with Sony Cassette Walkman WM D3, and Sony pocket Minidisc, little later pocket DAT. hat's actually 25 years lol.

Edit, Corey Greenberg's review of Grados was in 1994, a fun read even today, gives a great perspective where we've come in 24 years. The only portable sources where Sony Cassette Walkmans D6 and smaller brother D3. Pocket DATs were around, 2 models, fairly bulky. Minidisc arrived in 1991, I bought Sony MZ1 portable minidisc recorder/player at $1000 Canadian. And Philips' Digital Compact Cassette player, DCC, they made 1 portable machine, before the format folded. I remember saving money from bike messanger job in Toronto in order to buy $1400 Sony pocket DAT walkman. Grado SR60 cost $56.00 CDN at Bay & Bloor Radio.

SR60 review here, great read:

https://www.stereophile.com/headphones/532/index.html
Yes the Isine 20 goes insanely close to the Audeze LCD 3, many people don't know this
I had the chance to audition the LCD-3, it was only better by maybe a 5-10% margin
It's actually between the LCD2- LCD3, but i would say more LCD3 soundstage and airyness, it's wider soundstage/instrument separation than the LCD-2
Mid tone wise, again more the LCD2
 
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Jan 17, 2018 at 2:47 PM Post #4,656 of 7,348
That was my concern yes.

Yep, standard rubber tips don't seal the ear canal, on a plane you could hear just as much background noise, as what's playing.
I use some aftermarket foam tips, no name cheapish, but they seal the ear, the difference in low end is not even comparable with factory tips. Mine are similar to Shure memory foam tips, squeeze them a bit, then try to insert in the ear quickly lol. It's tricky with the ear hook tho.

The main difference with foam tips, I don't have raise everything below 120Hz, with sealed tips the low end is there with no eq helping.
 
Jan 17, 2018 at 3:01 PM Post #4,657 of 7,348
Yep, standard rubber tips don't seal the ear canal, on a plane you could hear just as much background noise, as what's playing.
I use some aftermarket foam tips, no name cheapish, but they seal the ear, the difference in low end is not even comparable with factory tips. Mine are similar to Shure memory foam tips, squeeze them a bit, then try to insert in the ear quickly lol. It's tricky with the ear hook tho.

The main difference with foam tips, I don't have raise everything below 120Hz, with sealed tips the low end is there with no eq helping.

Thanks - I do have some comply T600 but I don't use them with the iSine because I don't like how it changes the sound signature. Might be a decent solution on a plane however. Good tip.
 
Jan 18, 2018 at 9:29 AM Post #4,661 of 7,348
where did you buy it? I do not find this model in shops selling spinfits.

AliExpress. $2 for two pairs, one pair Large size, another pair Medium size, and free shipping lol, took around a month to be delivered. Very similar to Shure factory memory foam tips in feel and compliancy. Except cost nearly nothing. 1 set blue colour, another red, nice bright colour, if you like this sort of thing. They offer black colour as well.
I'll pm you the link, not sure if Alix links are allowed here
 
Jan 18, 2018 at 9:29 AM Post #4,662 of 7,348
I received my iSine 20 yesterday. I purchased them when I was trying to decide between the LCD-2 and Edition X v2 when I got an offer and bough them without thinking twice.

I must say that these are the phones that have impressed me more out of the box due to the sound. Just connected to the iPhone and I listened the music so open and extended as I have never listened in any iem. I used it a couple of hours, but I did not feel that I have to tune a lot the eq with the sound it offers through the Cypher cable. I reduced a bit the 64hz as some songs sounded a bit boomy at this freq, and will touch a bit the treble response but not a lot.

I have to play with the different fixings and spare tips to improve the comfort and probably I will try the Spinfit also.

I really think that they are at the level of higher planars as LCD2 or Edition X (without doing any direct comparison), so the performance of these phones are really good for the price. Very happy with them, I expect they last to enjoy long time.
 
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Jan 18, 2018 at 9:41 AM Post #4,664 of 7,348
I received my iSine 20 yesterday. I purchased them when I was trying to decide between the LCD-2 and Edition X v2 when I got an offer and bough them without thinking twice.
I must say that these are the phones that have impressed me more out of the box due to the sound. Just connected to the iPhone and I listened the music so open and extended as I have never listened in any iem. I used it a couple of hours, but I did not feel that I have to tune a lot the eq with the sound it offers through the Cypher cable. I reduced a bit the 64hz as some songs sounded a bit boomy at this freq, and will touch a bit the treble response but not a lot.

I have to play with the different fixings and spare tips to improve the comfort and probably I will try the Spinfit also.

I really think that they are at the level of higher planars as LCD2 or Edition X (without doing any direct comparison), so the performance of these phones are really good for the price. Very happy with them, I expect they last to enjoy long time.


I was toying with The Edition X V2 and the LCD-2 and eventually bought the latter as I found the presentation less laid back and more impactful
However, once I heard the iSine 20s and compared for a couple of weeks, I sold the LCD-2s
Very happy.
 
Jan 18, 2018 at 9:41 AM Post #4,665 of 7,348
AliExpress. $2 for two pairs, one pair Large size, another pair Medium size, and free shipping lol, took around a month to be delivered. Very similar to Shure factory memory foam tips in feel and compliancy. Except cost nearly nothing. 1 set blue colour, another red, nice bright colour, if you like this sort of thing. They offer black colour as well.
I'll pm you the link, not sure if Alix links are allowed here

Please send it to me, I haven't found the CP155 model also in ali.
 

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