[G_T_J]

I'd be very interested in any of those 2 if there were any real side to side comparisons with other well-known universals. For the time being, I don't see anything convincing plus noone from our respectable reviewers in here who happen to have tried a good number of iems has not got their hands on them yet.... All I see is general statements in the headphonics article. Comparisons with customs or full size headphones don't help in my perspective..  

 

[LuckyNat]

They are compared to the Senn IE800 quite a few times in that review. The reviewer also says that after using the R2s he has no more interest in any universals in the same mid price range and then goes to list a couple as examples.
 
And comparison to the SOUND of other heaphones, be they custom or full-size heaphones is helpful as many people know their sound. Are you sure you're not being too specific with your needs? Maybe the 55% discount is convincing enough to try them out and sell them on at at least the same price with ease.
 
An enthusiast reviewing gear will compare to what they know and what they own and that will range all sorts of types as people buy and own on the merits of each. I guess what you want is a review by someone who reviews every single ear-bud, universal and high-end custom and is some industry go-to man to churn out reviews. They are helpful but I personally tend not to trust them as much as hobbiest, enthusiast reviews. That's personal preference of course.
 
I guess it's the kickstarter thing which is the problem as it's time limited. You'll get the loads of reviews when they are fully released and commercially available.. but by then the discount will have gone. That's really the nature of kickstarters and I guess we're lucky that they have actually had small productions runs to give out beforehand else we'd just have to guess.

 

[mochill]

If retail price was $400USD for the r2pro , I would have been on the team but at $600 I can't

 

[julian67]

I'll be visiting Flare Audio on Thursday morning (UK time) to play with their toys. I live just a few miles away from their premises. A couple of weeks ago (aprox) I saw their kickstarter described in the local newspaper and signed up for the "R2A BLACK (SUPER EARLY BACKER)". This is a price point (£79) that in UK is directly comparable to Shure SE215 or the midrange RHAs and similar, and it is about as much as I will spend on a new product of this type without the benefit of seeing reviews and, more importantly, credible measurements such as are found at innerfidelity.

I don't have any super high-end IEMs for comparison. I like my full size headphones, Sennheiser Momentum (v1 circumaural), very much and also have Shure SE215, Samsung HS330 (dual driver dynamic), Xiaomi Pistons 2.0, 2.1, 3, 3 Youth Edition, Koss KSC75, some hideously unlistenable Superlux, several different IEMs by Digital Silence (Wolfson's noise cancelling brand) and I have also owned UE600 (single balanced boredom...err I mean armature), some horrid boomy Klipsch stuff and more cheap Sennheiser IEMs than I can remember. And some other stuff. I think.

Anyway, I think I will be able to form some kind of opinion and make some kind of comparison, though not necessarily authoritative or l33t. I will post about my experience on Thursday evening, or at the weekend if I get arrested.

Anyway I have to say that corresponding with Flare Audio is not just painless but actually entertaining, good humoured and a pleasure. This is real people, not astroturfers or marketing drones. For many years I have subscribed to the ever reliable Bill Hicks view of marketing and advertising https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiukc1yfzCI but Flare Audio's dedicated team (of one! She's called Naomi and she lives on caffeine and good will) might have changed my mind.

 

[Deviltooth]

I'll be visiting Flare Audio on Thursday morning (UK time) to play with their toys. I live just a few miles away from their premises. A couple of weeks ago (aprox) I saw their kickstarter described in the local newspaper and signed up for the "R2A BLACK (SUPER EARLY BACKER)". This is a price point (£79) that in UK is directly comparable to Shure SE215 or the midrange RHAs and similar, and it is about as much as I will spend on a new product of this type without the benefit of seeing reviews and, more importantly, credible measurements such as are found at innerfidelity.

I don't have any super high-end IEMs for comparison. I like my full size headphones, Sennheiser Momentum (v1 circumaural), very much and also have Shure SE215, Samsung HS330 (dual driver dynamic), Xiaomi Pistons 2.0, 2.1, 3, 3 Youth Edition, Koss KSC75, some hideously unlistenable Superlux, several different IEMs by Digital Silence (Wolfson's noise cancelling brand) and I have also owned UE600 (single balanced boredom...err I mean armature), some horrid boomy Klipsch stuff and more cheap Sennheiser IEMs than I can remember. And some other stuff. I think.

Anyway, I think I will be able to form some kind of opinion and make some kind of comparison, though not necessarily authoritative or l33t. I will post about my experience on Thursday evening, or at the weekend if I get arrested.

Anyway I have to say that corresponding with Flare Audio is not just painless but actually entertaining, good humoured and a pleasure. This is real people, not astroturfers or marketing drones. For many years I have subscribed to the ever reliable Bill Hicks view of marketing and advertising https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiukc1yfzCI but Flare Audio's dedicated team (of one! She's called Naomi and she lives on caffeine and good will) might have changed my mind.

 
Thank-you very much for your time and effort.  If you do get the chance please try and compare the R2A with the R2S.  I've yet to read any insights into the model in the middle.  I don't think I'd bite for a Pro, but if there's a significant positive sonic advantage I might make the jump to stainless steel.

 

[julian67]

It will be a pleasure and a bit of a treat to try this stuff out, so no thanks required

I have no idea of what to expect in terms of listening facilities, sources and so on. My main interest is in the product I signed up for but if there is time and opportunity I will definitely be interested in comparing it with its more expensive siblings. I will take with me lossless files of stuff I know really well, both on device and on microSD, maybe even on CD, and my own portable amp (FiiO E7) so I hope to be able to listen in a manner which is somewhat informed, or at least familiar.

I guess I will try out the full size headphones as well just because they are there and so am I, but I don't have a reasonable comparison point so will focus on the IEMs when posting here. I think my circumaural Sennheiser Momentums are something special but also appreciate that a really good open headphone is in another league, given the right listening conditions. I live somewhere with lots of traffic noise so it's closed back 'phones or IEMs for me except for the 5 days a year when it's quiet (xmas eve night time, xmas day, 3 days of snow and closed roads if I'm lucky).

 

[tgx78]

When I receive mine, I will write a short comparison between R2A and Aurisonics Rockets.  
 
They both use 5mm (5.1mm on Aurisonics) micro drivers and non-fatigue tuning description sounds similar.
 
I also preferred SQ of the Rockets (with JVC spiral dots) over my IE800.

 

[Simplyalif]

Having read all the comments,I was in the market for the shure se846 and was wondering if it would be smarter to just go for the pro version? I'm pretty sure someone said these sound better than the se846.

 

[mejoshua]

  When I receive mine, I will write a short comparison between R2A and Aurisonics Rockets.  
 
They both use 5mm (5.1mm on Aurisonics) micro drivers and non-fatigue tuning description sounds similar.
 
I also preferred SQ of the Rockets (with JVC spiral dots) over my IE800.

A comparison with the Rockets would be really great. The description in the headfonics review actually sounds somewhat similar to what I hear on my Rockets. Thanks in advance!

 

[cuba_guy]

Fantastic, I have the v1 momentums too and enjoy them a lot. Very eager to read your opinion and comparison of the 2.

 

[cuba_guy]

 
I offered my girlfriend a set but after explaining about comply tips and deep insertion she decided she'd prefer to avoid the 'Etymotic ear rape experience'.  The things some of us are  willing to go through for quality sound....

 
Oops, did not think about it. I was using silicone tips only so far. Well, I hope she likes them or I will have to sell them.... or maybe keep 2 pairs for myself if I can justify it

 

[Idsynchrono_24]

When I receive mine, I will write a short comparison between R2A and Aurisonics Rockets.  

They both use 5mm (5.1mm on Aurisonics) micro drivers and non-fatigue tuning description sounds similar.

I also preferred SQ of the Rockets (with JVC spiral dots) over my IE800.

I'm very curious about this comparison as well, although it seems like the Pro is more similar to the Rockets (the reviewer seems to compare bass response to the HD800) The R2A seems to be quite bassy, garnering comparisons to the TH600. I'm really hoping the Pro is actually on the more neutral side, the review seems to suggest that the two sound nothing alike but it doesn't lay out the differences in tonal balance in a very clear way

 

[sodesuka]

He goes in further in the comment section, saying that the mid and treble of the Pro are more solid than R2A and that the Pro bass isn't anemic even though it's less "yummy", "musical", or "fun". I'm sold on the R2Pro.

 

[Idsynchrono_24]

Oh the guy's definitely a basshead. He owns the JH16 LOL. That alone sort of puts a damper on his impressions for me :l I'm in for the R2A just cause I wanna get a taste of what the R2 series offers but my gut feeling tells me that between the alleged bassiness, and treble shy description, it's probably not for me. I swear if this thing sounds anything like the Sony Z5 heads are gonna roll :l
R2Pro sort of sounds like it might be similar to the Rockets at least. I wish he actually attempted to describe the timbral characteristics of the midrange and treble. I'm getting zero read on what this phone actually sounds like :l I hope "natural" isn't a euphemism for "slow, rolled off, and sucked out upper mids"

 

[mejoshua]

I went to re-read the review. Yeah all (or most of) his phones point to his basshead inclinations. Now wondering if i should get the r2pro instead. I'm more of a neutral kinda guy with a soft spot for great mids. Hopefully more reviews turn up before the end of the campaign...