[Ichos]

Reviewing is not about what the reviewer likes but about what other people might like.
A reviewer describes and the reader decides.

 

[dsrk]

Reviewing is not about what the reviewer likes but about what other people might like.
A reviewer describes and the reader decides.

Exactly, people don't watch or read reviews to know what you like or don't like. Most of them watch or read reviews to help themselves decide if it's thier thing or not.

 

[Dsnuts]

I think what needs to happen in a manufacturing aspect of these dynamic driver IEMs is they need to figure out a way to fully burn in earphones before hitting the market. I know some full size can manufacturers. Dan Clark audio. Has a video of their previous manufacturing process where they burn in each driver and match the drivers left and right. Which shows their attention to detail for the QC process before sending them to be sold.

Truth is some earphones do absolutely nothing with burn in. But a lot of them do.

I just got two Shozy earphones I will be doing reviews for and I was told to burn both sets in for a minimum of a 100 hours before assessing. It is something I do anyways but this is from the folks that make the damn thing. You figure they of all people will know what the intended sound should be and how to achieve it.

Oh well it is what it is.

 

[Mehran]

Exactly, people don't watch or read reviews to know what you like or don't like. Most of them watch or read reviews to help themselves decide if it's thier thing or not.

Well I think it’s impossible to be 100% objective as a reviewer. There’s ear anatomy and difference in hearing amongst people. Plus people have different taste when it comes to music genre and what they want out of a sound signature.
So with experience you should be able to read also between the lines with regards to a review and the reviewer's hearing and preferences.

 

[Skev]

I think what needs to happen in a manufacturing aspect of these dynamic driver IEMs is they need to figure out a way to fully burn in earphones before hitting the market. I know some full size can manufacturers. Dan Clark audio. Has a video of their previous manufacturing process where they burn in each driver and match the drivers left and right. Which shows their attention to detail for the QC process before sending them to be sold.

Truth is some earphones do absolutely nothing with burn in. But a lot of them do.

I just got two Shozy earphones I will be doing reviews for and I was told to burn both sets in for a minimum of a 100 hours before assessing. It is something I do anyways but this is from the folks that make the damn thing. You figure they of all people will know what the intended sound should be and how to achieve it.

Oh well it is what it is.

I agree with burn-in at pre-assembly stage in order to match drivers, that makes complete sense. There may not be much change after burn-in but at least you'll get as close a match as possible.

The fact that people believe that burn-in always makes something sound better is purely in their head.

 

[Mehran]

I agree with burn-in at pre-assembly stage in order to match drivers, that makes complete sense. There may not be much change after burn-in but at least you'll get as close a match as possible.

The fact that people believe that burn-in always makes something sound better is purely in their head.

Yes we never hear someone saying something was worse after burn in ,but I had actually two experiences where I liked the sound before burn in, MEST and Clairvoyance ,lol

 

[Skev]

Ooft that's a big disappointment, and on big price tag IEM's as well.

 

[Ichos]

One manufacturer that ships fully burned headphones is Sivga / Sendy Audio.

 

[drftr]

Just watched the review and I don't think he says anything that one wouldn't expect from seeing the charts only. He confirms the bass leaks well into the mids and we all know that can't produce the clearest of sounds. Opinion doesn't change that fact, it's just FiiO house tuning. Them being on the slightly brighter side of neutral and having a bit more bass than being strictly neutral is probably spot on as well. That they don't sound very sexy because of their tonal neutrality is also a given and EXACTLY what I'm looking for. If only there were a way to tame the midd-bass bleed. Unfortunately I planned to use them with the UTWS5 which (if it follows the tonality of the 3) sounds a bit warm in itself and that may become a bit too much.

All in all I don't take any offense from this review. I've seen about 20-25 of his reviews and know exactly what he likes and what he doesn't. Without knowing someone's reference a review is useless. But knowing it makes it a true reference. I'm buying based on the review.

One thing I mentioned about a month ago somewhere on this thread is that its pricing is probably $100 too high. From seeing the review that was probably a good guess. Does it really need to be that much more expensive than the FD5? I'll wait for a fair price reduction.

drftr

 

[Ichos]

Bass is neutral and doesn't bleed into the mids, I can vouch for that.
Then treble is one of the smoothest I have heard in my life.

Maybe he was listening to the FD5?

 

[Dsnuts]

If I was to judge the FD7 purely on open sound. I would be right there with these reviews. I would just say they are average at best is what these guys are saying on their reviews. Not good for the price and such.

Again I thought the FD5 sounded more dynamic with a wider stage on open listen. I have owned and scrutinized more than my share of dynamic IEMs to know there will be some changes after burn in. I was a huge fan of AT and JVC earphones back in the day and there was not a single one of those earphones that did not change with burn in for the better. Every single one and all they made back then were single dynamic earphones.

I was trumpeting the horns on how good these sound but my disclaimer was that they needed full burn in. I have 2 friends that both bought these here on headfi based on my assessment of them. If I thought they were just average at their price point. No way no how would I have given them the green light to get them..

Guess what. Both guys are gushing about them. You know why? Cuz both guys burned them in.

 

[RikudouGoku]

Fiio and burn in. Name a better combo.

If it really makes that much difference. They should do it before they ship them away. Telling people to not use their iems while it is burning away their warranty time is not cool.

 

[igor0203]

So many burn in believers yet none provided any graph that burn in changes FR response. Including one of Penon's most visible employees.

Only real burn in is one left on your wallet caused by missing money. Use brains people!

 

[Skev]

I think burn-in will make minimal difference to FR, probably 0.5-1db in places. For sake of matching drivers as close as possible then it'll help... probably.

Maybe the biggest difference might be in speed, attack, decay, transients etc? (For DD) -- But to be honest I don't actively burn-in and I don't expect my IEM's to transform in the next few months. It's just a thought.

I think this is only applicable to DD. Can't see any benefit at all with other technologies.

Oh, I think your man Super* Reviews did a burn-in test with a DD IEM and only noticed very minimal changes (inaudible) and to what degree is the testing rig producing reliable and repeatable results down to minimal tolerances like 0.5db?

 

[Ichos]

I work my way around brain trickery.
I just don't listen to the review headphone out of box, instead I am doing the ordinary burning process and after it is finished then I start listening.
So honestly I don't know if the sound has benefited from the burning or not.
Just follow the instructions before critical listening.
Simple.