[Slater]

I bought my ATR recently. If mine has the ATEv5 drivers, is that a good thing or a bad thing? Were they better when they had their own unique driver?

No, that’s a good thing. ATE > ATR

 

[superuser1]

Yeah, but there's a difference in updated models and unannounced changes of existing ones.

I bet you wouldn't like to receive your car with 4 instead of 5 gears (for those who know how to drive stick) that you expected. Or maybe you'd be thrilled to have 6 gears, but the customer that bought that same car a month ago with 5 wouldn't. Or maybe one of the wheels got a bit smaller while "tweaking" and you end up feeling kinda funny while driving.

Sure, mistakes are made by much bigger companies, a lot of the times knowingly because there are multitude of units already in production, but that doesn't mean it's ok. Yeah, sure, they lose money if they recall flawed products or compensate customers, but it's their problem really.

We don't feel cheated much because it's just a set of cheap earphones and you don't really know what to expect in the first place (I don't consider info like "heavy bass clear music fill your head with ecstasy" beneficial), but it's bad anyway.

Stick is the only right way to drive

 

[groucho69]

I am not religious either!

 

[Zlivan]

1. Stick is the only right way to drive

   I'm from europe, never driven an automatic in my life. I was just messing with our fellow americans a bit

 

[mbwilson111]

1. 
   I'm from europe, never driven an automatic in my life. I was just messing with our fellow americans a bit

I am American but learned to drive with a stick.

The only right way to drive is on the RIGHT...which is why I don't drive now that I live in the UK. I am barely safe as a pedestrian.

 

[superuser1]

1. 
   I'm from europe, never driven an automatic in my life. I was just messing with our fellow americans a bit

lol i noticed that
I am from India and though we have automatics galore (these days) i conveniently ignore them

@mbwilson111 you mean the right side is the left!

 

[peter123]

lol i noticed that
I am from India and though we have automatics galore (these days) i conveniently ignore them

@mbwilson111 you mean the right side is the left!

I used to ignore them as well but then I got an electrical car and everything changed

 

[mbwilson111]

@mbwilson111 you mean the right side is the left!

haha

my brain will only allow me to drive on the right hand side of the road... will they let me do that here? If so, maybe we will get a car! I miss my car

The really weird thing here is people parking on either side of the road pointing in whatever direction they want. I was shocked when I found that out.

 

[Otto Motor]

Believe it or not [pun intended] - discussion of religion is also banned here.

...haha

my brain will only allow me to drive on the right hand side of the road... will they let me do that here? If so, maybe we will get a car! I miss my car

The really weird thing here is people parking on either side of the road pointing in whatever direction they want. I was shocked when I found that out.

I am ambidextral, learnt how to drive in Germany, drive stick shift in Canada only, have no problem driving on the left in the UK, but multiple roundabouts and the left-hand shifting drive me bonkers.

 

[demo-to]

Edit: deleted

 

[Otto Motor]

ON MEASUREMENTS IN REVIEWS

I recently ran into opposition by asking reviewers of above-budget priced earphones to include measurements. I think that measurements contain crucial information that add substance and therefore value to any review. Innerfidelity released this article on the topic yesterday: https://goo.gl/fvqCqr

It was claimed that measurement gear is expensive. Well, I paid some $55 CAD...and I have not yet used it It is a small investment considering the value of the earphones measured.

Freeware exists for both PC and Mac: https://www.roomeqwizard.com/
This software is powerful and not easy to get a command of. The manual is a pain but it tells one everything they have to know. There is also an iPhone app (but one may run into noise issues).

Why measurements? This is described here:
https://goo.gl/Fuwrwb

In simple terms, the frequency response curve gives one the basic flavour of an earphone, and the impedance profile tells one how the frequency response changes with output impedance (the cable belongs to the output impedance). This requires a basic understanding of the subject but helps the listener to choose the right audio gear for each earphone - and the other way round. Measurements also indicate whether an earphone is faulty, e.g. miswired internally.

A good example of the power of measurements is superimposed frequency response curves like these - which I used in my KZ ZS10 review. It shows the basic differences between the three earphones in a nutshell. The ZS10 has the most pronounced V-shape of the three. These graphs would certainly influence my buying decision: I'd been more cautious ordering the ZS10 if I had seen its frequency response.

Here the impedance profiles. It tells one, for example, that the KZ ZS5's frequency response doesn't change much with different output impedance. The changes in the frequency response can be calculated but eyeballing will do for our purpose.

This plot tells you how to somewhat tame the ZS6's treble peak: with a 75 ohm adapter...details on headflux.de

As you see, I have not done any of the measurements myself - which does not make them any less useful. In the end it does not matter where the information comes from as long as it is reliable. But I will have to get into it myself.

Innerfidelity has always been my biggest role model. Tyll Hertsens conveyed his message concisely and to the point. And measurements have always been an integral part of his analyses. That combination has been very helpful for making buying decisions.

In summary, measurements characterize the technical capabilities of an earphone [albeit not completely] and therefore add value to any review. And they are essential for comparison purposes. This becomes more important for the reader with increasing price of an earphone - because it helps minimize the risk of making the wrong buying decision. And measurements also add a component of "unbiased...honest" as stated in many disclaimers - and therefore credibility.

 

[groucho69]

Believe it or not [pun intended] - discussion of religion is also banned here.




I am ambidextral, learnt how to drive in Germany, drive stick shift in Canada only, have no problem driving on the left in the UK, but multiple roundabouts and the left-hand shifting drive me bonkers.

My view is that it is not religion.

 

[demo-to]

First impressions on MEIZU LIVE (4BA IEM)

Received this today from Gearbest for 203USD.
Quite a bit over an hour listening time so far.

Build
Nice stiff and tangle free cable with pre-shaped ear hooks. Overall solid build. Nice packaging and overall appearance. Quality accessories.
4 types of foam tips and 3 types of silicones (which reminds me of the Westone star tips in quality and appearance.)
Solid build quality of the filter connection (screwed).
I would rate the MMCX connection of the same quality. Tight fit.

Listening Equipment
Onkyo DP-X1A, Sony Xperia Z3C
Foam tips of my Rose Mini6

Driveability
Average. The most quiet songs on my Sony are at appr. 90% of my preferred volume by driving it on the top end. (I like it loud).

Sound
(Please bear in mind I am not a reviewer and only a hobbyist. So take the following with a grain of salt.)
I could only make out small deviations between the three filter pairs so I sticked with the neutral ones (black)
Tonality:
warm, quite full and natural sounding, almost balanced and coherent, fatigue free and complete hiss free, pleasent
Bass:
Does not dive to the deepest areas. Attack is good. Not the hardest hit. More on the soft side for a BA driver but not really soft in the end.
Mids:
They are there and prominent (what I like). Good clarity. Good details. Voices of both men and women comes very natural. For me are the mids on the Live the star of the show.
Highs:
(Just) Ok. While strings sound clear and again natural the treble does not reach as high as I wished to. Also not the most prominent side of the IEM. I believe this could cause some losses of details in the music. Which is on the one hand a lack and on the other hand I often struggle with too prominent highs causing sibilance / hiss which is not the case here. (I am very sensitive to sibilance). I am not too much worried about. Usually foam tips sucks some treble in my experience. Might not the issue with silicone tips with the Live.
Soundstage:
Average width and height and only slightly closer in depth compared to the other dimensions. So you get a good room feeling.
Instrument placement is good and instrument separation, too.

Is the Meizu Live worth the 203 bucks?
I think considering the complete package you get - yes it is.
Again, this is after only about one hour (listening) experience with the Meizu Live!
The time with the Meizu will show if it is a long time keeper for me or not. It definitely has the potential to be more as a short time keeper! But I have the Rose Mini6 and this is sonically a very strong competition - although the Mini6 is back at Penon / Rose for replacement (already the 2nd pair) now due to quality issues.

Update
After a week with the Meizu Live I am pleased.
Tips selection was not easy but worth the search. I would claim the Live is tip sensitive.

This here were the best match which let the details pass - now with the highs, too. Still no sibilance. So no claims here left for me.

https://m.de.aliexpress.com/item/32...e-W60-W50-W40-W30-W20-UM10pro-UM20pro-UM30pro

The Live provides a good compromise between a BA typically clinical and a dynamic natural sound - which results in a quite true to life performance.

Slightly negative is the fact that I have to turn the volume louder compared to other IEMs to hear the best result.
And I would not claim anymore the Live is mids forward - but not recessed either.
Also a finding is the good pairing with my mobile. Maybe as this IEM was most likely designed for mobile phones use...?

 

[Dobrescu George]

Dunu Falcon-C is a Chinese IEM, and it works really nice with Hiby R6, a DAP from China as well

 

[Otto Motor]

Amen!

Measurements would have conclusively identified the miswiring in your KZ ZS10 .