Picked up my Sine + Cipher at Apple Store yesterday; I waited a week for "ship to store" and there were two Sine/Cipher sitting on shelf when I got there. What? When I got home I checked that same store and it still said "ship to store" for new orders but no "same day" pick up. Today same thing - doesn't seem any Apple Store is listing as "in stock" but I'm guessing there is in-store inventory. So - if you live near an Apple Store that shows no inventory online I'd go check in person, or call.
So far I can say build quality is top notch. First listen was Fleetwood Mac Rumours. Right now Enrico Morricone The Mission soundtrack. Source is iPhone and streaming Spotify. Audio volume not even halfway for pleasant listening. I'm not as experienced as many of you but I've listened to The Mission soundtrack since it was released and it sounds absolutely stunning on Sine. There is more separation, more air, and I've actually turned the volume down to somewhere between 1/3 and 1/4 as I'm writing this - and that's interesting to me. This seems a much lower volume setting than I would normally use for a pleasing experience.
I have not done much with the EQ app, Using the EQ sliders in the app does change the sound, but I'm not sure if it's really something I'd use a lot.
Unfortunately I have two immediate concerns. First, as many others report they do have a very tight clamp on-ear feeling. This can be alleviated considerably by the degree of pivot on the actual cups. The ability to adjust angle of cups on vertical axis in addition to headband adjustment is very clever. But I'm making adjustments every few minutes, and feeling that "pinch" is a concern. I can only go about an hour before needing a break. There is no way to reduce the "clamp" force/pressure. Second, I'm experiencing same dam* microphonics / bone conduction feedback when I walk. To be "portable" means walking. I should not be hearing or feeling vibration - a " thump thump thump" with every step - with $500 headphones. To say this is extremely disappointing is an understatement. Puttering around my home in bare feet on slate tile is the "test" and I'm getting that distinct feedback - I don't know if it's physical vibration or actual audio "sound" but it's a huge bummer. I will keep listening and take these and my dog for a walk while wearing sneakers, outside, and see how that sounds. What seems ridiculous and frustrating to me is my Apple ear buds, which are not really "deep" IEMs, there is no feedback. They Apple buds just sit lightly on the outer ear canal. i-device users know what I mean - they're not really going IN to the ear canal.
I experienced this problem with the Sol Republic Tracks Air BT headphones I bought first, about a month ago now - and thought maybe it's the wireless connection that causes the feedback it to be so noticeable. Not so, sadly.
My Oppo PM3s arrive today - waiting patiently - and my Dragonfly Red already arrived this morning - so I have 14 days (13 left) return window on Sine and in which to do A/B testing with Sine/Cipher vs. PM3s/Dragonfly. The PM3s and Dragonfly I have about three weeks and 30 days respectively return window on those. Oppo says 30 days but I believe the 30 days is calculated from ship date, not day of receipt.