[mdiogofs]

Velvet sounds significantly different from SM64. It has much more bass, the mids are thinner and less in your face and the highs are a bit more prominent. Sound is closer on Velvet but extends better in the soundstage depth. Sound quality wise, Velvet is in a different league, considerably above. One of the best under 1K. Treble quality is so much better than SM64.

@ivan As you are getting something above, you should consider now thickening, weighting and smoothing the sound of the SM64, creating a more enveloping sound. Just change the stock 680 Ohms filter to a 1000 Ohms filter. You can buy it at Mouser Electronics online. That's what I did with mine and it becomes very special and unique. Very emotional sound, more a keen to the old Earsonics house sound. Somehow like the S-EM6 but less thicker.

 

[Larethio]

Hi guys, I'm moving out soon, so I'm trying to offload some preloved stuff asap. If anyone wants the SM64 for $250 with free shipping, drop me a pm.

Id be careful with a post like that. I had a mod take down my post offering a trade. Annoying as hell.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Oh okay. I guess I'll look at the K10. It's a bit expensive on my end. I'm buying whatever I can used

The Jerry Harvey Audio Angie might also fit the SM64 profile. I haven't heard the Earsonics myself, yet based on how it's described in this thread, I think Angie would serve as a splendid upgrade.

 

[ezekiel77]

Id be careful with a post like that. I had a mod take down my post offering a trade. Annoying as hell.

 
Edited just to be on the cautious side. Thanks dude.
 

The Jerry Harvey Audio Angie might also fit the SM64 profile. I haven't heard the Earsonics myself, yet based on how it's described in this thread, I think Angie would serve as a splendid upgrade.

 
Oh aye I concur! Angies are great too. Comapred to K10 they are slightly mid-forward. And from a value standpoint, definitely head and shoulders above the K10.

 

[ericr]

Velvet sounds significantly different from SM64. It has much more bass, the mids are thinner and less in your face and the highs are a bit more prominent. Sound is closer on Velvet but extends better in the soundstage depth. Sound quality wise, Velvet is in a different league, considerably above. One of the best under 1K. Treble quality is so much better than SM64.

@ivan As you are getting something above, you should consider now thickening, weighting and smoothing the sound of the SM64, creating a more enveloping sound. Just change the stock 680 Ohms filter to a 1000 Ohms filter. You can buy it at Mouser Electronics online. That's what I did with mine and it becomes very special and unique. Very emotional sound, more a keen to the old Earsonics house sound. Somehow like the S-EM6 but less thicker.

Hey, can you post a link to the correct filter on the Mouser website (or a part number)? They come in various diameters and I'm not sure which ones to order.

Thanks!

 

[mdiogofs]

Hey, can you post a link to the correct filter on the Mouser website (or a part number)? They come in various diameters and I'm not sure which ones to order.

Thanks!

Search for "knowles damper", you get 27 matches but only can select 7 (click Acoustic and click Round). That's the 7 different filters available.
 
That's the 1K: http://eu.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Knowles/BF-1860-000/?qs=%2fha2pyFadujSgCqKebAwkHv1F4%2fZ2fqld39tZ5rQnIGDrWyxbxuPaA%3d%3d
 
np!

 

[doctorjazz]

Which begs the question, is there a difference between the 7 filters available?

 

[mdiogofs]

Which begs the question, is there a difference between the 7 filters available?

Absolutely, check this out and take a look at the graphs:
 
http://rinchoi.blogspot.pt/2012/08/the-effect-of-acoustic-dampers-on-iems.html
 
There's a Shure SE535 thread on these (the filters are the same):
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/663273/se530-535-acoustic-filter-mod-more-sq-improvement-than-cables-dampers
 
In a simple language, you can change the frequency response to your likes. Despite the impact being on all the FR, mids and specially highs are the most affected. In a more simple language, the lower the filter impedance, the more the high frequencies are present in FR.
 
I think there's no "better sound", it's all about your preference, your gear, sinergy, audio source...the typical we know. For instance, I think treble is the weakest part in the SM64, it's a bit of metallic sound for me (Velvet is much better). So, I put a filter one size higher than the stock one, to reduce the aggressiveness of higher frequencies, specially. So, I get a bit smoother, rounder, thicker, darker, weightier sound. If you prefer even more, just put a size up. If you want more clarity and resolution of the SM64, put a size down of the stock one. Or try different sizes and put what you like: I did that with 330, 680, 1K, 1.5K. But with this information, you know better the direction you want to take, from the stock filter that is a 680 Ohms (white), up or down. SM64 is very special for its mids, now with the size of 1K Ohms filter, they are even thicker and more emotional. With my gear. I got an IEM that I prefer the treble, so I changed the SM64 to a more darker IEM, to improve its specialities, and making it a more specialist IEM (on emotional mids, but still more aggressiveness and clear than the S-EM6, which has a really big thick sound).
 
It's a very simple process to change the filter, but needs patience at beginning to get the right way of extracting the filter from the earpiece. With habit it goes very fast. Be careful not to push the filter to inside the earpiece or the filter "paper" (the colored parts, they are not glued to the metallic part). The colored part end goes to inside. Do it very slowly and with the appropriate tool, only. There's nothing to go wrong doing like this. BTW, I use the Etymotic filter removal tool. Buy 2 or 3 because the termination it's not always perfect. It's cheap, 1 and half dolar. This: http://www.etymotic.com/er38-45-36.html 
 
If it goes very wrong, it's not the end of the world, I once push a filter too inside and pull it out with a paper clip with the precaution of not pushing the filter colored "paper" to inside (this is the worst, if you push the "paper" to inside it stays there, very very difficult to pull out). You can remove the paper first (with a smaller clip) then the metallic part (with a stronger clip). In last instance, a reshell cost about 100 dolar. Do it on your own risk.
 
Etymotic sell IEMs that users can replace filters with new ones. These IEMs have a shape that prevents the filter to go inside the IEM. Earsonics do not have this shape, and are not made to be filter replaceable by the user. Well, Shure also not...
 
Sorry if I wrote too much, but it can help less informed people...

 

[doctorjazz]

Thanks!

 

[ZzBOG]

Guys, I am considering these as a replacement for my dead Triple.Fi's.  Can someone please answer a couple questions:
 
1) How are SM64 unamped? I am using iPhone 6.
 
2) How would you compare SM64 vs ATH-IM03 vs Triple.fi ? 
 
3) Is the cable for SM64 standard two-pin (same as Triple.fi)?

 

[mdiogofs]

It's a 2 pin cable. SM64 is not really good unamped. Don't know the diff between iPhone 5 and 6 but:

"iPhone 5: Music is playing, but it isn’t all that musical as there is a harsh edge on the notes that isn’t there with the Clip+ or Nova. Spatially, the presentation is good, but the iPhone 5 gives up a good deal of detail and resolution as well as bass impact. Not horrible, but far from good. 2/10"

http://theheadphonelist.com/ciem_review/earsonics-sm64/2/

 

[Ziggomatic]

Guys, I am considering these as a replacement for my dead Triple.Fi's.  Can someone please answer a couple questions:

1) How are SM64 unamped? I am using iPhone 6.

2) How would you compare SM64 vs ATH-IM03 vs Triple.fi ? 

3) Is the cable for SM64 standard two-pin (same as Triple.fi)?

Partial answer. 1) I have only used the SM64 out of an unamped iBasso dx80, and it sounds great. I've read elsewhere it needs more juice than a typical phone can provide. 2) I really like my IM03, but to my ears the SM64 is next level, especially if you don't mind a more laid back signature. The bass is better (deeper, with similar impact, though maybe a tad bit looser), and the highs are more extended and less peaky. Soundstage is wider, with more depth, though I would say the IM03 has a more natural sounding stage. Comfort is better for me, too. I would say it's an upgrade, though it definitely depends on your preferred sound signature.

 

[mdiogofs]

Partial answer. 1) I have only used the SM64 out of an unamped iBasso dx80, and it sounds great. I've read elsewhere it needs more juice than a typical phone can provide. 2) I really like my IM03, but to my ears the SM64 is next level, especially if you don't mind a more laid back signature. The bass is better (deeper, with similar impact, though maybe a tad bit looser), and the highs are more extended and less peaky. Soundstage is wider, with more depth, though I would say the IM03 has a more natural sounding stage. Comfort is better for me, too. I would say it's an upgrade, though it definitely depends on your preferred sound signature.

Since when the iBasso DX80 is an unamped device? Its amplifier has a lot of power for IEMs and many headphones. I had for a couple of weeks a DX80 with my SM64. An unamped devide is an iPhone, for instance, because the power of its amplifier is very weak and not suitable for demanding IEMs, like the SM64. DX80 is very good for SM64.

 

[Ziggomatic]

Since when the iBasso DX80 is an unamped device? Its amplifier has a lot of power for IEMs and many headphones. I had for a couple of weeks a DX80 with my SM64. An unamped devide is an iPhone, for instance, because the power of its amplifier is very weak and not suitable for demanding IEMs, like the SM64. DX80 is very good for SM64.

Agreed. Sorry if there was any confusion, I simply meant I was using my SM64 straight out of the DX80, which has plenty of power.

 

[DoctorN]

I accidentally push my filters too deep, any chance how to recover it? 

this is so frustrating