Jan 9, 2021 at 12:25 AM Post #10,413 of 11,866
How is the material of the iem itself? Do you think it durable enough?
The shell material is plastic (abs) with rubberized coating that is very satisfying to touch. Overall shape is also structurally very strong, but I'd imagine the rubberized coating can get scratched or worn eventually. Overall durability is probably similar to any acrylic iem, maybe even more.
 
Jan 9, 2021 at 10:46 AM Post #10,414 of 11,866
Nothing wrong with it, it's just a thin black plastic cable and prone to tangling.

But man these iems are really something. A league ahead of similar single DDs I have had such as Tanchjim Oxygen or Moondrop Starfield. Always felt those lacked resolution and had blunted or hazy treble. Attack/decay of the A4000 is superb for a DD in this range and the speed reminds me of BAs but with the natural DD timbre. Maybe it's just that the tuning fits me really well but I'd recommend them for any harman heads out there. They probably have more mid bass than subbass but the extension is still there. The most outstanding element is the soundstage and even the layering surprisingly enough. They are also pretty easy to drive, but get exponentially better with more power. Again these are still early impressions, but for the price I think they even beat most chifi at their own game.


As a Starfield fan, I would somewhat agree that the Starfield may lack some resolution and treble extension but it is tuned for an emotional listen. It succeeds exceptionally well with that, IMO.

Thanks for your impressions of the A4000. I am now super excited about the A4000.This could be my more analytical single DD IEM.

I am quite sensitive to ear back pressure with IEMs. It looks like the A4000 is well-vented. Are you noticing any pressure or driver flex? I had issues with back pressure with the E2000 and E3000.
 
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Jan 9, 2021 at 12:38 PM Post #10,415 of 11,866
As a Starfield fan, I would somewhat agree that the Starfield may lack some resolution and treble extension but it is tuned for an emotional listen. It succeeds exceptionally well with that, IMO.

Thanks for your impressions of the A4000. I am now super excited about the A4000.This could be my more analytical single DD IEM.

I am quite sensitive to ear back pressure with IEMs. It looks like the A4000 is well-vented. Are you noticing any pressure or driver flex? I had issues with back pressure with the E2000 and E3000.
Venting is excellent, there are two vent holes. Isolation suffers a bit, but it makes them very comfortable for long term listening. Also I wouldn't call them analytical because there is also large bass quantity in addition to detailed mids/highs so more of a "v-shaped" curved. The signature is definitely an exciting one and will grab your attention immediately. Still need to burn in to and see how they settle though.
 
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Jan 9, 2021 at 1:43 PM Post #10,416 of 11,866
Venting is excellent, there are two vent holes. Isolation suffers a bit, but it makes them very comfortable for long term listening. Also I wouldn't call them analytical because there is also large bass quantity in addition to detailed mids/highs so more of a "v-shaped" curved. The signature is definitely an exciting one and will grab your attention immediately. Still need to burn in to and see how they settle though.

I like what you are saying about the A4000. :)
 
Jan 9, 2021 at 2:05 PM Post #10,417 of 11,866
I like what you are saying about the A4000. :)

Thanks, not trying to shill but they are a new experience for me in iems, which is what I have been looking for for a while. I'd also recommend checking out joshua valour's review as well as I agree with pretty much everything he says on sound. Although I disagree that the build should be metal and more expensive. I am tired of heavy/metal iems and the A4000 just disappears in my ears allowing me to not think about anything but the sound.

My only complaint is just that the recessed 2pin socket is very tight and I can't fit any aftermarket cables. Stock cable is fine for the price and I'm glad they went with 2pin as you would think you could easily cable swap but I haven't been able to yet. Plus final tips are amazing so I haven't been tip rolling yet.
 
Jan 9, 2021 at 3:42 PM Post #10,418 of 11,866
So I got the E4000, been using it for an hour.

Will the treble glare smooth out after burn-in? The sound signature and quantity of highs is okay, but the quality of highs is not smooth.

Oh, and the bass quantity is slightly less than my E3000, yet it’s noticably tighter and more extended. Mids and highs also have more details that weren’t there with the E3000 or E500.

It’s just they’re not that smooth. Wondering if it has to do with them being brand new.
 
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Jan 10, 2021 at 12:34 PM Post #10,419 of 11,866
Update after 20 hours of non stop burn-in: They certainly got smoother, but there’s still a little bit of shoutiness in certain sounds I know shouldn’t be there.

Do they really need more than a day of burn-in to get totally refined?
 
Jan 10, 2021 at 1:02 PM Post #10,420 of 11,866
Thanks, not trying to shill but they are a new experience for me in iems, which is what I have been looking for for a while. I'd also recommend checking out joshua valour's review as well as I agree with pretty much everything he says on sound. Although I disagree that the build should be metal and more expensive. I am tired of heavy/metal iems and the A4000 just disappears in my ears allowing me to not think about anything but the sound.

My only complaint is just that the recessed 2pin socket is very tight and I can't fit any aftermarket cables. Stock cable is fine for the price and I'm glad they went with 2pin as you would think you could easily cable swap but I haven't been able to yet. Plus final tips are amazing so I haven't been tip rolling yet.
The A4000 arrived on Friday and the only 0.78 cable I have been able to connect is a Dunu Lyre. First impressions are a bit strange, because of the sound stage and tuning, they seem very comfortable to me.
But with the hours of burning both the iem and my brain I begin to feel good about them.
 
Jan 10, 2021 at 3:28 PM Post #10,421 of 11,866
The A4000 arrived on Friday and the only 0.78 cable I have been able to connect is a Dunu Lyre. First impressions are a bit strange, because of the sound stage and tuning, they seem very comfortable to me.
But with the hours of burning both the iem and my brain I begin to feel good about them.
Yeah, the soundstage is definitely very different and takes some getting used to.
 
Jan 10, 2021 at 3:37 PM Post #10,422 of 11,866
Yeah, the soundstage is definitely very different and takes some getting used to.

In what way? If you can describe it. Can someone measure a connector that fits inside. I have a Z3 BT I wonder if it might work which is 5mm x a smidge under 3mm. Though I could easily slice off what is needed to fit.
 
Jan 10, 2021 at 3:46 PM Post #10,423 of 11,866
In what way? If you can describe it. Can someone measure a connector that fits inside. I have a Z3 BT I wonder if it might work which is 5mm x a smidge under 3mm. Though I could easily slice off what is needed to fit.
Every recording is presented as a 3d/holographic stage, whether you want it or not. Excellent for gaming, movies and certain music recordings, but other times it can be a bit much.
 
Jan 11, 2021 at 2:14 AM Post #10,424 of 11,866
I've been on a kind of spree in order to find the best source for the Final E5000. It's such a demanding IEM that it sounds horrible with many otherwise high-specced source (case in point: iFi Zen Can) whereas sounding great with rather unassuming sources (Questyle QP1R in low-gain, Cowon Plenue R2 in high gain).

Having gone through numerous desktop amps at various price-points, I think I've finally found the endgame one for the Final E5000: Cayin iHA-6 (XLR-out). I'm using an XLR-to-4.4mm converter along with an aftermarket balanced cable. Yes, this whole setup is ridiculous for an otherwise mid-range IEM but since I had these on hand: no harm in trying!

E5000 loses all its bass bloat and showcases supreme authority of bass. There is still the signature lushness but the decay is far better controlled. Lower-treble also got a slight lift (or perhaps it's more noticeable now due to lass bass bloat). Soundstage depth improved further along with the imaging/separation.

In the end, it's a very much overkill setup for a diminutive IEM, but it was a fun experiment and shows how much the E5000 can scale with higher-tier gear. Shout-out to @PinkyPowers for finding this particular combo out long before I did (I went through his E5000 review again where he mentioned the excellence of this pairing).

IMG_9475.JPG
 
Jan 11, 2021 at 12:30 PM Post #10,425 of 11,866
The a4000 is going to be very divisive . I love them but they are nothing like the E series . Closer to the B series . To me they are far better than any of the E series but they are bright and quite analytical. I prefer them to any of the e series and I have them all from the 2000 upwards , the sound stage and imaging are in a totally different league . My qualms are slight siblance and can sound peaky on wrong sources. You need a warm source . Pros are the bass is fast! As fast as any I've heard on any DD. On a warm source they have nice weight . The sound stage is outstanding . Stereo seperation and imaging are first class ! They are quite similar to the nf nm2+. I'm putting up a review in the next few days
 

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