luisdent
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2012
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Sorry for so many concurrent posts, but a few more updates on the f111 impressions.
First, for me personally, thus far, these are my favorite IEM. Again today, although I primarily only listened to the f111, I compared my pfe112 with them. I keep trying to convince myself the pfe112 is pretty much as good as the f111 if I use eq, and while they really are very close and maybe even better in some ways, the f111 always strikes me as more realistic and speaker like when I switch back to them. The odd thing I've been finding is that they have more body and warmth no matter what eq you use. I completely bumped up the treble trying to make them sound like the pfe (which I think have more "capable" treble in some ways) but no matter what eq I use the pfe come across as more open and bright even when eqing the treble to be a similar flatness.
So I would say these are the most open and bright iems. In fact, after listening to any other iem these seem like they are warmer with more body when I switch back to them. However, they bring out more details and have better everything else. So, it sort of makes up for the treble. And they don't sound like they're lacking "any" treble when they're fit perfectly for me. I've been having a lot more consistent luck with the vsonic bi-flanges today. Pretty much every time today I've got a great fit/sound. All other phones, including the er4s sound like they have to have more treble to sound more speaker like. It's as if they sound muffled if the treble isn't very flat. The f111 sound just as speaker like without sounding as "bright". It's like the treble is smoother as less fatiguing in comparison. But they are different. I can understand why someone would think they aren't as bright even with a perfect fit, but if you give it time and get used to the sound I think you'll find they don't sound any less bright than they should with the perfect fit (critical). I think the treble they do have is higher quality than most (like the er4s in a way) so they don't need to be overly bright to pull out details.
Just to give you an idea of how flat they sound to me (despite having more body)... I eq the er4s by adding 3-5db in the sub bass range less than 50hz. I sometimes boost 7.5khz by 1.5db, but I don't find that necessary at all. That's it. The er4s is pretty damn amazing with frequency response in my opinion. The pfe I cut to treble spikes by 06db and -4db or something like that. The bass on the pfe is perfect. The pfe bass is almost insanely smooth and perfect to me. Sometimes I still boost the entire sub bass region equally to make the whole thing sound warmer, but not always. With the right treble cuts they are extremely flat. In fact, I prefer them over the er4s, because they are as flat but with better soundstage, comfort, etc. I probably wouldn't have the er4s if they weren't so good with isolation and "smoother" sounding. I can never pick between the two. I said I would buy the pfe again (sold them originally and bought them again when they went out of business) and sell the one I didn't like as much. That was like 6 months ago. ha. I haven't been able to part with either and probably never will.
Anyway, back on topic... To make the pfe perfectly flat "to me", I boost the treble at 11khz +1db and everything above 15hz 1.5db. That's it. I was boosting the sub bass similar to the er4s, but I stopped and with the bi-flanges I get better sub bass. Maybe not perfect, but if I end up adding any it would probably only be 1db or so below 50hz. That's it. 1-1.5db at what is already pretty high frequencies and they sound perfectly flat to me. In FACT, sometimes I even think some songs are a little bright in the 11khz or so area, but I'm thinking it's the recordings as most sound fine. So, I think people will find them warm and less bright sounding. But if you try to simply enjoy the music I think you'll find they sound every bit as detailed and even more realistic than most earphones (any iv'e heard). I'm sure some will disagree, and I really think some won't even achieve the right fit to get this level of details. Unfortunately, I think these are going to be like the er4s, where a lot of people think they have NO bass because they don't fit them deep enough. I think people are going to find these muffled or warm, because they don't fit them properly or maybe even "can't". I recommend not giving up.
Luckily, the first time I ever listened to them (as gnarlsagan can attest to from my excitement in the tour private message group) I happened to luckily fit them perfectly and they sounded awesome. After that, it took me a long time to find a good fit to get that sound again. Luckily I had heard them at their best so I knew I should keep trying and alas, I've pretty much come to be able to get that sound all the time. Now if I could find a way to get the money to buy them. haha
First, for me personally, thus far, these are my favorite IEM. Again today, although I primarily only listened to the f111, I compared my pfe112 with them. I keep trying to convince myself the pfe112 is pretty much as good as the f111 if I use eq, and while they really are very close and maybe even better in some ways, the f111 always strikes me as more realistic and speaker like when I switch back to them. The odd thing I've been finding is that they have more body and warmth no matter what eq you use. I completely bumped up the treble trying to make them sound like the pfe (which I think have more "capable" treble in some ways) but no matter what eq I use the pfe come across as more open and bright even when eqing the treble to be a similar flatness.
So I would say these are the most open and bright iems. In fact, after listening to any other iem these seem like they are warmer with more body when I switch back to them. However, they bring out more details and have better everything else. So, it sort of makes up for the treble. And they don't sound like they're lacking "any" treble when they're fit perfectly for me. I've been having a lot more consistent luck with the vsonic bi-flanges today. Pretty much every time today I've got a great fit/sound. All other phones, including the er4s sound like they have to have more treble to sound more speaker like. It's as if they sound muffled if the treble isn't very flat. The f111 sound just as speaker like without sounding as "bright". It's like the treble is smoother as less fatiguing in comparison. But they are different. I can understand why someone would think they aren't as bright even with a perfect fit, but if you give it time and get used to the sound I think you'll find they don't sound any less bright than they should with the perfect fit (critical). I think the treble they do have is higher quality than most (like the er4s in a way) so they don't need to be overly bright to pull out details.
Just to give you an idea of how flat they sound to me (despite having more body)... I eq the er4s by adding 3-5db in the sub bass range less than 50hz. I sometimes boost 7.5khz by 1.5db, but I don't find that necessary at all. That's it. The er4s is pretty damn amazing with frequency response in my opinion. The pfe I cut to treble spikes by 06db and -4db or something like that. The bass on the pfe is perfect. The pfe bass is almost insanely smooth and perfect to me. Sometimes I still boost the entire sub bass region equally to make the whole thing sound warmer, but not always. With the right treble cuts they are extremely flat. In fact, I prefer them over the er4s, because they are as flat but with better soundstage, comfort, etc. I probably wouldn't have the er4s if they weren't so good with isolation and "smoother" sounding. I can never pick between the two. I said I would buy the pfe again (sold them originally and bought them again when they went out of business) and sell the one I didn't like as much. That was like 6 months ago. ha. I haven't been able to part with either and probably never will.
Anyway, back on topic... To make the pfe perfectly flat "to me", I boost the treble at 11khz +1db and everything above 15hz 1.5db. That's it. I was boosting the sub bass similar to the er4s, but I stopped and with the bi-flanges I get better sub bass. Maybe not perfect, but if I end up adding any it would probably only be 1db or so below 50hz. That's it. 1-1.5db at what is already pretty high frequencies and they sound perfectly flat to me. In FACT, sometimes I even think some songs are a little bright in the 11khz or so area, but I'm thinking it's the recordings as most sound fine. So, I think people will find them warm and less bright sounding. But if you try to simply enjoy the music I think you'll find they sound every bit as detailed and even more realistic than most earphones (any iv'e heard). I'm sure some will disagree, and I really think some won't even achieve the right fit to get this level of details. Unfortunately, I think these are going to be like the er4s, where a lot of people think they have NO bass because they don't fit them deep enough. I think people are going to find these muffled or warm, because they don't fit them properly or maybe even "can't". I recommend not giving up.
Luckily, the first time I ever listened to them (as gnarlsagan can attest to from my excitement in the tour private message group) I happened to luckily fit them perfectly and they sounded awesome. After that, it took me a long time to find a good fit to get that sound again. Luckily I had heard them at their best so I knew I should keep trying and alas, I've pretty much come to be able to get that sound all the time. Now if I could find a way to get the money to buy them. haha
