Contacted Flare, got this response. Vedy vedy interesting!
Hi John-Paul,
Thanks for contacting us about this. The backing from Kickstarter and the Head-Fi communities has been wonderful over the last year since we launched our new patent-pending technology in the form of R2 and it's been amazing to read all your comments on Head-Fi. We are so glad that you hear the breakthrough in the sound which was the focus of all our efforts at that first stage.
We realize that there are various other aspects that need to be improved so we have been working really hard on them over the last year. I can't tell you what will be coming but I will say that we have something very special on the way which we are all so very excited about. Please don't think that Flare has lost interest due to us focusing in on this. It's simply the case that we've made some significant further breakthroughs which have been so amazing/important that we wanted to make sure we put everything we have into them. We are still a small and passionate team with big ambitions, thanks to the wonderful support we've had from the community it's enabled us to work on something really special over the last year.
It's going to be about a month more until we can announce anything and we will be announcing it first to all our supporters. I hope that you are able to understand and continue to support us, we cant wait to let you all know as it's driving us all crazy holding this all in.
First off yes I am fine for you to share my message on Head-Fi, we want people to know that we have been entirely focused on this for the last year as we want to change the way the world hears music and use our products that are awesome and reliable in every way. We also want to do our very best to make our consumer products as assessable as possible so that as many people as possible can enjoy music the way it should be heard.
What we have coming is going to be really going to blow people's minds. The effort both in terms of dedication from all the Flare team over the last year and money we are investing in this (thanks in part to the wonderful support of our backers) has been quite something.
We've listened to everyone and we've taken on board everything that's been said. Thanks to this support and seeing how people love the music our technology generates to the same degree we do has enabled us to focus Flares R&D team so that we can create something that will truly change everything.
I also want you to know that we are all so incredibly excited about what we are about to do and that the pain of waiting for everything to be announced has felt so incredibly long, this last month is going to feel the longest ever!
Here's a scoop for you seen as you have been so incredibly supportive!...
Flare will be sending out review items to reviewers shortly, once this is underway we would like to invite anyone from the Head-Fi community to Flare's HQ in Lancing in order to see/hear what we have coming.
This won't be for a few weeks yet but if there is any interest could you let us know and we will arrange days/times for people to come and hear/see/test.
These are exciting times ahead of us, thank you and everyone for your continued patience while we get everything perfect
This won't be for a few weeks yet but if there is any interest could you let us know and we will arrange days/times for people to come and hear/see/test.
If anyone is around Lancing (UK), I'll pass along your Head-fi username to Davies and see if you can go check out whatever they've been working on! The community requirement is that you take pictures (if allowed) and report back all that goodness you see/hear.
I spoke to them at the Prestige Show a few weeks ago and it sounds like they've developed the technology further in terms of the internal design of the housing, driver and also cable options. Can't wait for the reviews to come in after they've sent the review models out (which must mean they're already in a short-run production stage ). Interesting to see what price point they'll be at.
I've still never had any problems with my cables, to address that earlier point.. Then again, I'm particular in how I treat them, always coil them up in a particular way etc.
[COLOR=4B4F56]If anyone is around Lancing (UK), I'll pass along your Head-fi username to Davies and see if you can go check out whatever they've been working on! The community requirement is that you take pictures (if allowed) and report back all that goodness you see/hear. [/COLOR]
Better, exhibit/attend to CanJam London and have dinner with us, private listening session and share some thoughts on the next products and how to run the next Kickstarter campaign. Count me in!
I would like to see some removable cable system retrofitted to the R2 series. It shouldn't be too hard, surely. Drivers connected with some short wires to some small sockets wedged in the casing slot.
@LuckyNat you mention, "I spoke to them at the Prestige Show a few weeks ago and it sounds like they've developed the technology further in terms of the internal design of the housing, driver and also cable options." Did it sound like to you that they have been working on a new and improved IEM (R2v2)? Or that their improvements to driver/cable/housing is something that we'll be able to use with our existing R2 shells? I'm pumped for whatever they announce, but like you have had no problems with my R2's, but would greatly enjoy some cable upgrade options!
Was more along the lines of an improved IEM, an R2 mk II if you like. Still, if I remember rightly, the size of the new driver was the same so perhaps there would be some interchangability if not entirely intentional. Depends on the specifics of the design I would have thought.
Still - cable options are mostly a matter of careful soldering. If you can get the right person to do it or do it yourself, you can have any cable type you wish as long as it fits in the hole ok. Cut the cable off at the junction bit even and devise your own connection scheme to add changeable plug options.. Even if you destroy your cable, it's only £35 for a replacement.
On a different note, has anyone used InAirs tips on their R2s? I'm looking to try something other than the Complys, foam tips.
do any of the upgrade cables improve sound? ofc copper, copper with silver, pure silver oyaide cable etc. i would buy pure gold cable if it makes any differrence. the point is im not sure if it does. generally copper adds more bass and silver makes sound more brighter and appears to seem to have more resolving sound because of it. but if it does do one seem to agree. many people dont see a benefit unless its super good headphone like hd800, buy flare is good isnt not? you can even sodder any cable to iems doesnt need to fit just like sodder outside of iem housing. there are only four to soder. people buy new cable for flare cause better cable, two to get balanced, but i dont really care about either one cause i dont have a balanced dac and two cause i put fish tank stress aleviation at jack and at earphones i sellotaped so cant break there either, plus i didnt use screw caps in my iem. so if it breaks or if it gives better sound. may be i just need to buy and hear for myself it it makes better sound or any differrence
I would like to see some removable cable system retrofitted to the R2 series. It shouldn't be too hard, surely. Drivers connected with some short wires to some small sockets wedged in the casing slot.
If you're good with 3D drawing, it should be possible to create holders, which also act as strain reliefs, for the female MMCX or two-pin socket that connect to the R2s, with 3D printing. But now that they're making Mk2 (I assume), it's probably better to wait-and-see first.
Soo a local audio shop has just started offering a service to make custom tips, I just need to pay them and get the ear impression in their shop which is far easier than ordering online (scheduling to get ear impression done, shipping them etc). I'm thinking of making custom tips for R2 from them but I don't know if it will be compatible with the new IEM Flare is cooking right now. I've asked Flare through email but they haven't got back to me yet.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
