[Zankes]

have you tried spinfit ?
for me the spiral dots is the worse (maybe because it's M size)
the complyfoam is not good for me

i end up re-try the biggest one from fidue and it actually fit my ear well even thought last time it doesnt fit me well
but then again you can try changing the cable, as i've got a better fit when i change the cable (because it can rotate to fit my ear)

I have not tried spinfit. They cost so much lol. My ear canal is small. I use jvc medium small.

For normal fidue tips xl did not fit and medium hurt, so for jvc ms felt normal. For my shures I used medium foam tips and isolation was godlike

 

[bimbim]

I have not tried spinfit. They cost so much lol. My ear canal is small. I use jvc medium small.

For normal fidue tips xl did not fit and medium hurt, so for jvc ms felt normal. For my shures I used medium foam tips and isolation was godlike

 
well, good luck finding the right one ~

 

[Zankes]

I feel like it is impossible to get good info what would be considered an upgrade from A83. Some say they even defeat 500-800€ iems. I am still looking to keep my A83 so maybe I should just go with some good isolation IEMS and not give much thought about sound quality as I am looking to get best isolation. Possible options for me have been Westone W40, W60 B stock and maybe Shure 846 if I stretch enough. Looking for neutralish though.
 
Some would argue that CIEMS are the route to go, but I wish to keep my iems longer and do not want to remold as I heard earshape changes in 2 years.

 

[Midgetguy]

  I feel like it is impossible to get good info what would be considered an upgrade from A83. Some say they even defeat 500-800€ iems. I am still looking to keep my A83 so maybe I should just go with some good isolation IEMS and not give much thought about sound quality as I am looking to get best isolation. Possible options for me have been Westone W40, W60 B stock and maybe Shure 846 if I stretch enough. Looking for neutralish though.
 
Some would argue that CIEMS are the route to go, but I wish to keep my iems longer and do not want to remold as I heard earshape changes in 2 years.

You could go for other TOTL IEMs that offer universal shells. Noble K10, Heir Audio, 64 Audio ADEL. I'm not saying that the ones I listed are the same sort of sound signature, but that they're examples of what you could look for. I believe the ADEL U10 sounded most similar to the A83 with the very short listening period I had (without A/B listening). My favorite would be the ADEL U6, different sound sig than A83 though.

 

[hongky]

   
Just wanted to expand on this reply with some clarifications.  A83 uses a standard MMCX connector which means any replacement cable designed for Westone, Shure, UE900, Oriveti, Pinnacle 1, and other standard mmcx connector IEMs will work with A83.  FiiO RC SE1 cable above is OK, but it has a really bad microphonics, and I mean really bad.  The ebay cable above is from Bigbargainonline which is eBay store of Penon Audio, and indeed they are one of the official sellers of Fidue products and accessories.
 
But that cable above is a BALANCED wired version with 2 options of 2.5mm TRRS connection (for AK DAPs, as well as N5, PAW 5000, upcoming L3, and DX200) and an adapter for 3.5mm TRRS balanced connection for HiFiMAN balanced wired DAPs (HM series).  There are a few DAPs that can work with 3.5mm TRRS HFM connection, like PAW Gold, but a lot of other DAPs and smartphones will NOT work with 3.5mm TRRS balanced because it has a different wiring of L+/L-, R+/R- instead of a signal referenced to a ground.  And btw, HFM 3.5mm balanced is different from 2.5mm AK balanced, besides a physical difference also a different order of signal wiring.  I confirmed that Fidue balanced replacement cable with 3.5mm TRRS adapter works with my RE600 adapter (3.5mm TRRS balanced to 3.5mm TRS single ended).  So in reality this cable is NOT a direct replacement of A83 stock cable, but a balanced wired version of it.  It doesn't mean that it will not work with your DAP because some can accept balanced 3.5mm TRRS connector, but many DAPs and smartphones will not work with it.  Also, 3.5mm TRRS HFM wiring is implemented in new GeekOut v2 usb DAC/amp.
 
The official Penon Audio link to the balanced wired cable with universal MMCX connector: http://penonaudio.com/FIDUE-A83-2.5-3.5mm-MMCX-Cable ($59).  The cable is nearly identical to the stock A83 cable, the same silver plated conductors, the same finish of the shielding, the same quality housing, and memory wire.  The difference is 2.5mm TRRS balanced termination and 3.5mm TRRS balanced adapter.  Another BIG difference, the stock A83 cable mmcx connector has a security tab to prevent A83 shell from spinning.  This also prevents use of that cable with other standard mmcx based IEMs.  This new cable does NOT have this tab, thus can be used with ANY mmcx based IEM.  Also, it comes with a spacer, a little ring that kind of stiffens the connection so it's not as loose.  The IEM shell will still spin around, which I actually like because it's easier for over ear adjustment.
 
 

@twister6 Can I use this cable for XBA-Z5 ?
Thanks

 

[HiFiChris]

What's this?!

 
 
We'll find out sooner or later (I will finish my FLC8s review first, then concentrate on the UPQ Q-music QE-80 and comparisons, a Japanese OEM version of the A83 with this s€xy cyan/turquoise coulour scheme and an attractive price). 

 

[H20Fidelity]

What do you think of them @HiFiChris any quick thoughts? I don't use mine much anymore.
 
Its all about Tralucent these days, I need to switch the fanboyism around a little.

 

[HiFiChris]

 ​

Loving the QE80/A83 sound so far, @H20Fidelity. Really nice texture, very good coherency, bright but very even and natural sounding treble. Sound sig more on the fun side but with frequency bands that perfectly balance each other out. Really nice midrange details, and vocals are not of the typical v-shaped kind (neither distant, thin nor hollow) but can be very intimate as well as distant, depending on the recording. Vocals are a bit more on the brighter side however without drifting to the coloured side (better vocal balance than the slightly overly bright DN-2000J vocal range imho).
Benny Tan has created a masterpiece with these (imvho). Great value for the price and one of those IEMs that I don't only find objectively excellent but also subjectively love myself as well.

I'd say on the technical, objective side they sit between the Oriveti Primacy and DN-2000J, but subjectively the overall package is my favourite out of the five hybrids pictured above, although the DN-2000J and FLC8s are slightly better in most areas (except for treble naturalness and upper smoothness despite the QE80's upper treble emphasis - this is really one of the best made treble accentuations with bright but neither harsh nor peaking but very natural sounding highs).
 
 
Will give them some more weeks and then see how much I still like them then. Listening to these in-ears every day for one week now, there is not much not to like about the A83/QE80.
 
 
/edit: Almost forgot to mention: bloody brilliant PRAT.

 

[jon parker]

So I guess the $239 question is . . .  Is it worth investing in these?
Is the difference between the QE80 and the A83 enough to buy them?
 
Im very interested as I love my A83's but I feel to improve on the quality [for my ears] would most likely
be an unrealistic increase in cash outlay
 
Are you saying Benny Tan tuned the QE80 as well?
 
Seems a bit odd to [appearances] to basically copy the A83

 

[HiFiChris]

The QE80 is actually the same IEM as the A83 with the same sound* (so as it is the same IEM, it is quite obvious that it is tuned by Benny Tan as well), only with UPQ's signature turquoise colour scheme and reduced accessories. Except for the colour, I don't see any reason to go for the QE80 if one already owns an A83. And btw, the QE80 is no "copy" of the A83, it is an OEM commission by UPQ from Fidue who manufacture those turquoise beauties based on UPQ's outer design demand. Thought this was clear. 

 
* Well, unless one is into the esoteric "colours change the sound" thingie of course.
 

 

[jon parker]

Oh I see - Thanks SO much for the clarification
 
On my A83's the left housing is blue so yes, there is certainly a cooler tonality
where as the right housing is red which certainly gives a 'hotter' more exciting tonality

 

[H20Fidelity]

Glad you're enjoying them. If you listen to an instrument like piano you may find the timbre a little off as there's a decent dip in the mid-range. Apart from this they're simply unarguably great value. Even more so at the OEM pricing. I'll have FLC8 this week, see how they compare.

 

[Midgetguy]

I had almost hoped (and knew it wouldn't be reality) that the OEM version actually changed the design a bit and and that the different color altogether signified a change in nozzle length. But a guy can dream haha.

 

[H20Fidelity]

  I had almost hoped (and knew it wouldn't be reality) that the OEM version actually changed the design a bit and and that the different color altogether signified a change in nozzle length. But a guy can dream haha.

 
I'd like to send my A83 away, disassemble them then have the drivers installed into Tralucent universal shells. 

 

 

[HiFiChris]

In my large ears, these IEMs sit and fit just as comfortably as models from Shure, Westone or the InEar StageDiver SD-2.