Sounds like you're saying the timbre is not too your liking, and EQ won't fix that.
Do you like any other planars? I do not like my oppo pm-3s.... To me the timbre is all wrong, I'm wondering if it's just planars in general for some of us, I guess I'll see when these arrive.
The word I'd use to describe the pm-3s is "lifeless". They're cold, clinical, precise, but there is just a sort of hollowness to the sound and lack of Dynamics that makes them boring and unnatural sounding, like all the emotion is being sucked out of the music.
I've never heard the PM3, but have heard it described as "lifeless" fairly often. So it's not just you. BUT it's also not all planars. My HE-500 is still my favorite headphone and I tend to prefer planars overall.
Using the foobar GE and convolver settings supplied earlier in the thread by KMann, anyone have any suggestions for getting djent sounding better? The settings seem a bit too shouty and I haven't been able to get the settings quite right, ie. fiddling with the other bands in GE.
I use my iSINE 10 out of my V30 without EQ and listen to metalcore, deathcore, post hardcore and I absolutely love the sound. The 20's arrive next week. Compared to other IEM's, what really stands out to me are how much better cymbals sound.
They sound fine out of my Pixel 2 dongle also. Just a tad more "lively" out of the LG.
Just be sure to play with the different tips and adjusting the placement in your ears. It's weird for a while at first, and one small change in insertion depth will throw the sound way off... At least on my ears.
Using the foobar GE and convolver settings supplied earlier in the thread by KMann, anyone have any suggestions for getting djent sounding better? The settings seem a bit too shouty and I haven't been able to get the settings quite right, ie. fiddling with the other bands in GE.
Got my bstock isine 20s in today from Adorama. Thought they were new at first lol, packaging and everything looked like new and had all the original accessories. There was like some glue on one of the planars where it sticks together it was either excess glue or scuffing idk which but it’s not even a big deal for how much they knocked off the retail price
Anyway they sound great, I had the cipher cable from my isine lx and these too need that to shine in my opinion. Audeze house sound applies, these just sound like a more powerful, refined version of the lx’s, with boosts across the board (on the same eq settings bass is better, mode are more forward, treble sparkles in a non fatiguing way)
That said having these also showed me how much of a steal the lx’s are. If these 20s were retail price, I would send them back and keep the isine lx with the cipher cable, but for $300 I can just sell the lx for $150 and for that price I think it’s a more fair upgrade
tl;dr Forum newbie needs help, very happy with iSines, what amp to use with iSines? - don’t need a portable amp. Thanks!
This thread was the main reason why I picked up iSines 20. Over on innerfidelity, Tyl put them on wall of fame, but only if you are using cipher cable, which I don’t use and will not…EVER.
Nothing against iphone, I just don’t listen to music on the go. I’m using them at home as a part of my desktop audio setup. Was using HD 600 or Momentum inEar, but it was time for a change
and as I don’t care about audio leakage and prefer open headphones, iSines were perfect for me especially cos they respond well to EQ.
Only thing that could potentially be a deal breaker was the fit and comfort. Happy to report that it wasn’t.
Vs HD 600 (also EQed – youtube’s metal571 guy) – iSines have more bass, bigger sound stage, more details - another league. Momentum inEars, similarly to iSines must be EQed, but is really no contest.
Having used 20s for 2 weeks now with Kmann’s EQ V2, stock analog cable and small groovy tips, only thing I can say is…amazingly different.
I won’t go into details, sufficed to say I’m very happy with the purchase.
If I was to point out a negative, I’m still listening to sounds and not to music – hope this will change in time.
Will be looking into putting miniDSP minidigi 2x8 in between Foobar and dac so I can then remove APO EQ and play music through wasapi output, but still have EQ on miniDSP and also replacing stock cable.
Onto mine main problem:
Foobar or Google music - APO EQ – optical – Rega DAC (not R version) – Rega EAR (first version) – iSine 20.
Rega EAR has a lot of hum/noise (guessing it’s the power supply) at normal listening levels with iSines. Listening to them through HP out on mine Rotel RA 12 the noise is gone, but Rotel is nowhere near my desktop setup so using it all the time isn’t really an option.
So, I’m looking for a new HP amp. As it will be sitting on a desk, I’m not looking for a portable amp.
Contenders are:
Marantz HD DAC1 - sweet Marantz sound as positive but heard that Marantz has or had a lot of issues with hum also and has weird clicking issue when pausing playing music – not sure if this is still the case. If I go for Marantz that means I need to get rid of Rega dac.
Beyerdynamic A 20 - sweet sound, but higher output impedance so not sure it will work with iSines.
Klipsh Heritage Headphone amp – also has dac, but unlike Maratz, has RCA inputs so I can compare Rega dac to Klipsh dac section. Never heard Klipsh stuff, sweet sound…?
Schiit Jotunheim or Asgard – again never heard Schitt, according to reviews more neutral...?
iFi amps – no clue, but they seem highly customizable in terms of high/low gain, effects 3D bass, 3D sound. On the other hand, their micro or nano series are portable which I have no use for. Pro series too expensive.
Arcam rHead – neutral, low output impedance…?
Chord mojo/hugo – hugo expensive, didn’t find mojo in any shops here in Croatia.
I’m guessing all these amps will be overkill for iSines, but it’s all about futureproofing and occasional use with HD600.
Do you guys have any experience with amps for iSines? Anything will be helpful.
Marantz HD DAC1 - sweet Marantz sound as positive but heard that Marantz has or had a lot of issues with hum also and has weird clicking issue when pausing playing music – not sure if this is still the case. If I go for Marantz that means I need to get rid of Rega dac.
Beyerdynamic A 20 - sweet sound, but higher output impedance so not sure it will work with iSines.
Klipsh Heritage Headphone amp – also has dac, but unlike Maratz, has RCA inputs so I can compare Rega dac to Klipsh dac section. Never heard Klipsh stuff, sweet sound…?
Schiit Jotunheim or Asgard – again never heard Schitt, according to reviews more neutral...?
iFi amps – no clue, but they seem highly customizable in terms of high/low gain, effects 3D bass, 3D sound. On the other hand, their micro or nano series are portable which I have no use for. Pro series too expensive.
Arcam rHead – neutral, low output impedance…?
Chord mojo/hugo – hugo expensive, didn’t find mojo in any shops here in Croatia.
I’m guessing all these amps will be overkill for iSines, but it’s all about futureproofing and occasional use with HD600.
My setup is all (trans)portable, so I can't comment on these specific options. I will say, though, that output impedance per se shouldn't be as big a problem with the iSine as it would be with, say, multi-BA IEMs. Broadly speaking, I think any decent solid state or hybrid amp should be fine, as long as it doesn't have really bad noise floor issues.
If you want some other possibilities to kick around, what about the Meier Corda line? Also the Headamp Gilmore Lite MK2 has drawn a ton of buzz lately and it's a nicely compact form factor.
(FWIW, my favorite amp for the iSine so far is the ALO CDM, which is portable(ish) tube hybrid. Not pocketable, but it's a convenient size to take to and from work and sounds great with the iSine. I also have a Phatlab Phantasy which is a non-hybrid OTC tube amp, which is not a great technical combination with the iSine because it basically slows them down.)
Yeah, that's why I'm changing Rega Ear. It's not a bad amp, last thing I want is to buy a new one with the same issue.
Was also considering iFi IEMatch or ear buddy as cheap fix...not sure that would help tho.
I could be totally wrong, but as far as I understand lower output impedance = more compatibility in terms of low to high ohm headphones.
Thanks for the suggestions! This Meier Corda Classic looks interesting!
Yes. But planar driver headphones are less sensitive to output impedance than dynamic drivers and (especially) multiple BA IEMs. So you may not need to rule out an amp just because it doesn't have ultra-low output impedance.
I haven't tried a Corda amp, but I'm very curious about them, particularly for the crossfeed. (Would be nice to have for older recordings with really dramatic stereo separation.)
I'm sure this has probably been covered somewhere in this thread, but does anyone know of a nice, inexpensive option for a short(30-36")cable for the isine 10,20. I want to use them for running and need a shorter, more durable cable than stock. I tried running with them and they stay in place, but the cable is too long and the flat cable doesn't work the best.
Like their sarcastic no-design design approach and especially "we prefer wire transfer" site. Money goes to amp development, so they must be great, I guess
Joking aside, will look more into Jazz or Classic amp.
So, I got my isine20 today from adorama. One tiny Scuff on the paint on one, Tiny scuff on the logo of the other. Had I not known and thoroughly inspected, I'd have never known.
What say ye of burn in on these? Way back in the thread audeze claims they're burned in already, but I'm honestly hoping not, or hoping my brain has a lot of brain burn in to do....
I can't quite find the right EQ settings on my cayin n3, hoping to alleviate that soon with the arrival of my hiby r6.
Thus far, I've switched quite a few tips, but have yet to experience the "magic" I was looking for, especially in soundstage and separation. Hoping for brain burn in...
So, I got my isine20 today from adorama. One tiny Scuff on the paint on one, Tiny scuff on the logo of the other. Had I not known and thoroughly inspected, I'd have never known.
What say ye of burn in on these? Way back in the thread audeze claims they're burned in already, but I'm honestly hoping not, or hoping my brain has a lot of brain burn in to do....
I can't quite find the right EQ settings on my cayin n3, hoping to alleviate that soon with the arrival of my hiby r6.
Thus far, I've switched quite a few tips, but have yet to experience the "magic" I was looking for, especially in soundstage and separation. Hoping for brain burn in...
What kind of music are you playing through them? I'm currently using the EQ settings BR777 posted on these forums and they sound pretty darn fantastic through my pixel 2 -> Chord Mojo -> iSine20's playing high bitrate via Spotify. Other music services i've tried like amazon music and pandora to me sound veiled and the soundstage is much more narrow and closed in. I still need to try Tidal and I expect it to be a large improvement over even how good Spotify sounds.
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