Final Audio Design Impressions and Discussion Thread

[james444]

If it doesn't have strain reliefs, then it's real.

 

 

[peareye]

I am going to hold off for the time being while waiting for more info before casting my vote ...and if these are really Heaven VIII, 
 
please share your impressions of their sound signature...thx

 

[ericp10]

 Disappointed in our friend not liking my counter offer of sending me the VIII for free to tryout. No more inboxes from him. Geesh! That's not being friendly. 

 

[Idsynchrono_24]

Noooooo Jeydee has been banned. How will I ever know what the Heaven VIII sounds like? How I ask you!

 

[woodcans]

Dude! On fire is an understatement. I don't know what your New Years resolution was but I imagine it was something like "kick it up a notch."

Seriously impressive stuff.

 
 

   
x2

 
Thank you for your kind words, seriously.
 

 

[88records]

So, hi everyone in the FAD community, after reading pages after pages everyone seems very contempt with there FADs and I'm looking to join that very experience and I'm considering buying the X-G but I was curious  as to where everyone purchased there FAD piano fortes, I looked at FAD's direct shop and the X-G is listed for 220,000yen, however websites like the kakaku are listing it for 164,000 a pretty huge discrepancy, are there fakes among the X-G models? Also the general consensus is apparently that the piano forte lineup is very unique compared to most other universal iems, does anyone have experience with both the ie800 and the X series? If I'm content - or actually happy with the ie800 will the X-G sound very foreign to me? I'm debating whether I should purchase the X-G model or the AK120 to enhance the ie800.

 

[BenF]

  So, hi everyone in the FAD community, after reading pages after pages everyone seems very contempt with there FADs and I'm looking to join that very experience and I'm considering buying the X-G but I was curious  as to where everyone purchased there FAD piano fortes, I looked at FAD's direct shop and the X-G is listed for 220,000yen, however websites like the kakaku are listing it for 164,000 a pretty huge discrepancy, are there fakes among the X-G models? Also the general consensus is apparently that the piano forte lineup is very unique compared to most other universal iems, does anyone have experience with both the ie800 and the X series? If I'm content - or actually happy with the ie800 will the X-G sound very foreign to me? I'm debating whether I should purchase the X-G model or the AK120 to enhance the ie800.

You won't get any fakes through Kakaku, they buy from reputable Japanese stores.

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

 
You won't get any fakes through Kakaku, they buy from reputable Japanese stores.

Really? I live in Yamaguchi ken and had a problem with Kakaku regarding a fake item and they were no better than Rakuten. Amazon .jp will refund and deal with the vendor. 
 
You won't get ANY fakes via Kakaku? Some of the sellers are Alibaba rejects. Please copy and paste terms of service (fine print) before making broad statements. No site like Kakaku can control 100% . If you get ripped and complain who is gonna repay you? You gonna leave a bad review? They change their name and company name after too much negatives and keep on rolling. Kakaku is nothing more than a Rakuten alternative.

 

[BenF]

  Really? I live in Yamaguchi ken and had a problem with Kakaku regarding a fake item and they were no better than Rakuten. Amazon .jp will refund and deal with the vendor. 
 
You won't get ANY fakes via Kakaku? Some of the sellers are Alibaba rejects. Please copy and paste terms of service (fine print) before making broad statements. No site like Kakaku can control 100% . If you get ripped and complain who is gonna repay you? You gonna leave a bad review? They change their name and company name after too much negatives and keep on rolling. Kakaku is nothing more than a Rakuten alternative.

Ha? Kakaku is only buying from established Japanese stores, including Amazon.jp.

 

[seeteeyou]

.

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

  Ha? Kakaku is only buying from established Japanese stores, including Amazon.jp.

Kakaku sells items from a "shop" in my Pref that has no brick and mortar shops and has been around for 8 months. That's established. 
 
1st
"You won't get ANY fakes" That's a promise vendors don't even make. How they handle that is up to them as Kakaku is a price comparison site. You were flat wrong right there.
 
2nd
"Kakaku is only buying from established Japanese stores"
 
A lowrider/ Yak friend of mine sells hand made wires and he does it from his apartment. he's legit but he's not "established". 
 
3rd
Anytime you try to get the cheapest price you are flirting with danger and your safety net is the refund/return policy. Bottom line. That's it. Please don't imply Kakaku only sells 100% authentic items from fully vetted brick and mortar shops with solid reputations. That'snot true.
 
I live here. I have dealt with them all. 

 

[88records]

  Kakaku sells items from a "shop" in my Pref that has no brick and mortar shops and has been around for 8 months. That's established. 
 
1st
"You won't get ANY fakes" That's a promise vendors don't even make. How they handle that is up to them as Kakaku is a price comparison site. You were flat wrong right there.
 
2nd
"Kakaku is only buying from established Japanese stores"
 
A lowrider/ Yak friend of mine sells hand made wires and he does it from his apartment. he's legit but he's not "established". 
 
3rd
Anytime you try to get the cheapest price you are flirting with danger and your safety net is the refund/return policy. Bottom line. That's it. Please don't imply Kakaku only sells 100% authentic items from fully vetted brick and mortar shops with solid reputations. That'snot true.
 
I live here. I have dealt with them all. 

 
Yeah your right, any time your dealing with a price as low as kakaku you have a chance of purchasing counterfeits and it doesn't help your case if your an international buyer. It also doesn't help that I live in Canada where most places don't carry exotic iems like the piano forte to demo.  You seem to know a lot about Japanese vendors in general however, do you have any websites you would recommend to an international buyer? Based on your earlier point amazon seems to be the best option since they could refund my money incase of counterfeits although $2550 is pretty steep haha.

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

   
Yeah your right, any time your dealing with a price as low as kakaku you have a chance of purchasing counterfeits and it doesn't help your case if your an international buyer. It also doesn't help that I live in Canada where most places don't carry exotic iems like the piano forte to demo.  You seem to know a lot about Japanese vendors in general however, do you have any websites you would recommend to an international buyer? Based on your earlier point amazon seems to be the best option since they could refund my money incase of counterfeits although $2550 is pretty steep haha.

 
I walked into Yamada Denki on Sunday in Iwakuni Japan and they had a sign in Japanese that my girl translated to mean "It has come to our attention that some items advertised and packaged are being questioned as "authentic". Any such items should be returned with the original package promptly and brought to the customer service desk with original receipt and reason for question."
 
Nobody is immune to fakes. The cap market which touts "Made in Japan" caps are increasingly being made in China but assembled in Japan where they say the QC can ferret inferior items. They are not in fact made in japan...this is increasing. Hitachi supplies re named, marked branded caps to Japanese companies  such as Sony and others...sony uses Samsung panels in their Bravia series fwiw... You gotta really know your stuff to even know when your getting a fake and as Yamada Denki...A BEHEMOTH of a chain store is having QC problems.
 
Amazon.jp is the safest option
 
2nd would be digging deeply around Kakaku and using common sense. If it seems too cheap .....well...
 
3rd Stay away from Rakuten as they have no system to support you. They say it in their EULA.

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

No it's Kakaku.
 
I only responded because somebody said you wont "get any fakes" when even walk in shops are selling fakes because of breaks in the supply chain. Kakaku is not bad and it's far better in system than Rakuten so don't get me wrong. Proceed with caution.
 
The return policy should be the first section of any sites (including the seller). If i order something in Japan at 11pm and it's at a storage facility in my area I'll have it the next day before lunch. that's a less than 12 hr turn around from click to buy to receipt of item. I love it here but it's not Nirvana. Use common sense and stay away from Rakuten and of course Alibaba (China)
 
Good luck!

 

[cooperpwc]

I have had good experiences on multiple purchases from Price Japan which channels Kakaku. Just saying.