[james444]

Interesting because I do hear a distinctly large treble peak in the pro. The peak isn't particularly harsh but is certainly off putting and tonally odd. (I have pretty straight and large canals fwiw) I didn't really care for it much and the whole thing with the end caps is concerning because practically everyone on here is probably hearing the same model slightly different due to end cap seal, whether they've changed it or the factory setting varies; and tightening it all the way down, while certainly sounding more reference in bass, is a concern for damaging the cables.

  If you do hear some treble peak - I suppose you are on some silicone tips, right? All silicone tips no matter what type or size do elevate the higher mids and highs with unwanted reflections (like small cave in your ear). This will never happen with the foam tips, as they do absorb all reflections in a same way as the (foam) acoustic treatment in the recording studios. 

 
I've heard four different sets of Flare IEMs by now and all of them have been more or less peaky in the 6-8kHz range, depending on tips / filters used.
 

  I'm thinking of buying the R2A but I noticed a lot of people selling them here. Is there a reason for this? Uncomfortable, sound bad ?  Help would be great....

 
First of all, because of different preferences. The Flares are rather laid-back in the upper mids / lower treble range, and not everyone likes that. Their presentation is a little distant, like sitting a few rows back from the stage. As a result, you get awesome out-of-head soundstage, but you don't get female singers licking the inside of your ears. If you crave vocal intimacy, these are not the phones for you.
 
Secondly, all four sets of Flare IEMs I heard (1 x R2A, 3 x R2PRO) sounded slightly different. Two of them have been brand new / factory tuned, and while they didn't sound bad, I'd still say they were pretty far from reference and from what they're actually capable of. One of them was bought by a local HF-friend directly from Amazon UK. He was quite underwhelmed at first and thinking about returning / selling them. I listened to his pair, confirmed that they sounded decent but not great, and offered to tune them to my own R2PRO's signature. Of course sound quality is a subjective thing, but from his feedback I can tell that he's a lot happier with them now than he was before.
 
Bottom line, I think two reasons why people are selling their Flares are that some simply don't dig the sound signature and some may not be hearing them at their best.

 

[LuckyNat]

  Overhyped?.......perhaps...... we could discuss for hours. But for now I prefer the Flare Audio R2Pro over my other IEMs including the 1964ADEL U6 I received last week (*edit*)and contemplating on buying a set of R2 drivers and have them custom moulded as single driver CIEM like Davies confirmed during the Kickstarter project. That should make one of the best cost/performance ratio CIEM in history

 

 
Shame your quote from Davies from Flare Audio isn't repeated in your quote above ( I could make it happen but can't be bothered..)
 
What he appears to be saying there is that you'd place the whole titanium body into a custom moulded "tip". The housing (titanium, steel, aluminium) is part of the acoustic design and it's not just about the driver.
 
So it should be easy for someone to get a mould done and then simply (simple in words anyway...) get a hole drilled in the right place to hold the R2Pro. The hole would be initially the diameter of the whole R2 body and end in a narrower hole the same diameter as a standard tip. It should mean that the R2 is held exactly in the right place so the sound is directed perfectly down your ear rather than gravity possibly pulling down and ending up firing sound a little at the walls of your ear canal.

 

[LuckyNat]

As well as hearing aid places, also try finding audiologist clinics who work with the professional audio industry.
 
There are audiologists in London for example who work directly with companies like ACS to make earmoulds for both in-ear monitors and hearing protection devices.
 
The broadcast industry is a branch of the pro industry for example who have custom moulds made for broadcasters etc (those ear-pieces with clear looped tubes coming out like e.g. sports reports use) and they might well make a mould which will accommodate the R2 Pro for you if you asked..
 
Look forward to hearing from anyone making any progress on this! I can't justify giving the idea priority at the moment sadly, too many other hifi projects for a start..

 

[LuckyNat]

  Custom tips work well for me - as good as customs!
 
R2PRO

 

 
 
FAD Lab 1 Balanced

 

 
Nobel K10U

 

 
Ha! I obviously should have read further before making my last post....
 
So where in the UK did you go to get them made and did they make them for the R2 or did you have to adapt a basic ear mould? And, what is the difference the custom tip makes?
 
Lastly, how do the noble K10s compare to the Flares? The K10 was what I was deciding on before the R2 came along ... and would have taken me so long to save up I'd be missing out right now (I'm a terrible saver..).

 

[LuckyNat]

Right SonicKarma - to save you answering, I searched your posts to find out...
 
 

 
I used a UK company called snugs earphones, they take a 3d scan of your ear
 
http://3dprint.com/80351/snugs-3d-scans-earbuds/
 
and they have a set of Nozzle templates for IEMs on file, if yours is not on file you can send your IEM to them and they scan that too and put on file.
They then get it made in silicon on a 3d printer and ship to you. If you want to buy others no need for scan again as they have your scan on file.
 
I also got some for my R2PRO and K10U also
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/766183/flare-audio-r2pro-kickstarter-campaign/2175#post_11919898
 
Haven't spent lots of time but initial impressions are positive with good isolation

 
Nice one!

 

[Matte82]

As well as hearing aid places, also try finding audiologist clinics who work with the professional audio industry.
 
There are audiologists in London for example who work directly with companies like ACS to make earmoulds for both in-ear monitors and hearing protection devices.
 
The broadcast industry is a branch of the pro industry for example who have custom moulds made for broadcasters etc (those ear-pieces with clear looped tubes coming out like e.g. sports reports use) and they might well make a mould which will accommodate the R2 Pro for you if you asked..
 
Look forward to hearing from anyone making any progress on this! I can't justify giving the idea priority at the moment sadly, too many other hifi projects for a start..

___________

There's not a lot of options where I live. I have called pretty much all the people around here I can think of. Etymotic and other websites that have an audiologist search, don't mention any of the ones around here. So it makes me wary. I want to find some place that has done these before. And I had. But they closed before I could get it done. Guess I will just have to head south to Dallas and get them done.

 

[piaudio]

I didn't see he have MK2? It was still in R&D at that time.

R
Rick got his R1MK2 (the one offered in the KS campaign) last May with his R2Pro, his R2 review can be found here. http://www.headfonia.com/review-flare-audio-r2a-r2pro/
He's also a Head-Fi member and he has owned the R1MK1 as well so maybe he's able to do a comparison from memory.

 

[Jobbing]

I didn't see he have MK2? It was still in R&D at that time.

Owning a MK1 at that time he was sent samples as a betatester, waiting for him to chime in

 

[cuba_guy]

  Custom tips work well for me - as good as customs!
 
R2PRO

 

 
 
FAD Lab 1 Balanced

 

 
Nobel K10U

 

 
Very cool, I am now very interested in snugs, just slightly worried about treble peaks.
 
One of the things i really like about R2PROs is how they disappear in my ears. Do they stick out with snugs? It also looks like there is some strain on a cable, is it still possible to wear them over the ear?
 
Thanks
Kuba

 

[dnun8086]

Also balanced Lab1 who did the mod? So can't help but thinking a cheeky cable mod and fully balanced jack could bring the R2Pro to new heights! 
 
Fingers crossed I may be getting my hands on VentreCraft's new DAC/AMP (Sounddroid Vantam) had a chance to demo it at CanJam it's certainly not a one trick pony, but does do balanced output so with a modded R2 and the Vantam could make for some interesting impressions. 
 
I only mention this because up until hearing V-moda's headphones using a fully balanced cable I hadn't really seen much difference, coming from the Clas solo DB and Duet set up I used to own, 
 
If anyone knows someone who can pull off the mod I'm all ears. 

 

[sonickarma]

Very cool, I am now very interested in snugs, just slightly worried about treble peaks.

One of the things i really like about R2PROs is how they disappear in my ears. Do they stick out with snugs? It also looks like there is some strain on a cable, is it still possible to wear them over the ear?

Thanks
Kuba

The fit nice but a small amount protuding due to silicon external flat side.

Yes a little cable strain, you can easily tunnel a small line/channel in the silicon for the cable to slide into and reduce strain i suppose. Same is true for wearing over ears. Currently would need ear guides to support in place for overears in my case.

 

[Matte82]

Fwiw I sent an email to snugs asking a few questions. The most important thing I learned is that shipping to the US is no longer £50, which would be about $75, and rather high imo. But it is now £10. So that is good news. Since I found a guy locally to make the impressions, this is the most likely route I'll go.

However I also found an audiologist in Denton that seems to specialize in music/on-stage/production iems. So I'm going to check out that option too. If they can make tips for the r2's, I'll probably see what my wallet thinks. Haha.

 

[Jobbing]

Very small chance, asking anyway: does any of the R2PRO owners have (auditioned) the New Advanced Acousticwerkes (AAW) W500 – AHMorph hybrid custom in-ear monitors and willing to do a short A/B? This may seem like an apples and oranges comparison, all I'm interested in is the forward presentation. Thanks!

 

[cripple1]

So, for the UK members in this group, Flare Audio has contacted me directly and authorized me to share a coupon for a whopping 50% off of their amazing IEM's, the R2S (stainless steel) on Amazon UK! For those outside of the UK, in America or anywhere else, you can get the same deal+postage by contacting Flare Audio directly! Just use the code FLARESEP.
 
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flare-Audio-R2S-SS-Stainless-standard/dp/B013X0QTLW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442595057&sr=8-1&keywords=flare+r2s

Flare Audio contact page: http://www.flareaudio.com/contact/
 
 
The coupon goes live at 10pm GMT

 

[sonickarma]

  So, for the UK members in this group, Flare Audio has contacted me directly and authorized me to share a coupon for a whopping 50% off of their amazing IEM's, the R2S (stainless steel) on Amazon UK! For those outside of the UK, in America or anywhere else, you can get the same deal+postage by contacting Flare Audio directly! Just use the code FLARESEP.
 
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flare-Audio-R2S-SS-Stainless-standard/dp/B013X0QTLW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442595057&sr=8-1&keywords=flare+r2s

Flare Audio contact page: http://www.flareaudio.com/contact/
 
 
The coupon goes live at 10pm GMT

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