@Arysyn I attended my 1st Head-Fi event last year. A member had an ultra expensive set up of dac, amp, and at that time the top Hifiman planar headphones. Talking over $8K of equipment. 1st he played the set up straight. They sounded excellent. Then he turned on his custom EQ setting (think he was using JRiver on the laptop). The improvement in sound was amazing. More linear and more natural. Talking to him I found he was a basson player. He knew how music should sound. He spent a year developing the custom settings. Other Head-Fiers were supportive of the EQing. If you ever get a chance to attend one of the meets, don't miss it. So much equipment to hear, so many great people.
I would love to go to one of them, and I actually missed one not long ago in Western Springs I regret not going to, especially since it was so closeby to me. I've written a few times in one of the CanJam threads asking for consideration of Chicago one of these years. Its not like CanJam even has to be downtown. Rosemont and Schaumburg are towns in the suburbs that both have large convention centers Can Jam could use, both close to O Hare airport. I'd definitely attend CanJam if it were here, and I know if there were another local nearby meet I'm not missing out on it again.
I would love to go to one of them, and I actually missed one not long ago in Western Springs I regret not going to, especially since it was so closeby to me. I've written a few times in one of the CanJam threads asking for consideration of Chicago one of these years. Its not like CanJam even has to be downtown. Rosemont and Schaumburg are towns in the suburbs that both have large convention centers Can Jam could use, both close to O Hare airport. I'd definitely attend CanJam if it were here, and I know if there were another local nearby meet I'm not missing out on it again.
Looking at this page here, it doesn't look like I missed out on much, though the new Final Audio stuff looks a bit interesting. However, all the dac products there are the large desktop stuff, not the portable I'm interested in, and there are very few new iems listed on that page. From that, it doesn't seem anything like CanJam to me.
I have a question to anyone trying to sell their FlaresGold or perhaps contemplating doing so.
I mean this nicely, without any hostility or negativity at all, but what is it specifically that you want that is worth selling the FlaresGold for? The only thing I can think of is if you're a person who has decided you don't feel comfortable with the fit of iems and you want to switch to using headphones and/or portable speakers exclusively for personal audio usage, or your sound signature preferences have completely changed from what the FlaresGold provides.
As far I'm concerned, the FlaresGold has the best fit of any universal iem and is not something that generally would cause someone to go custom for a better fit, because the FlaresGold is such an excellent fitting iem. However, its understandable if that isn't comfortable enough to make you decide against iems for the form factor, considering its not going to get much better regarding iem fit, than the FlaresGold.
Another thing is the sound. I cannot overstate just how great they are with their tuning. Besides the sound signature, the FlaresGold is one of the least fatiguing iems I've ever heard. Its is such a vast difference in that regard compared to the contrasting sound of ba iems, such as Grado GR8 and GR10, and especially the Ortofon EQ8.
By the way, while I'm not willing to sell the Grados at the moment, if anyone here is interested in my pristine Ortofon, since I've barely used it - the iem is a very fast, heavy mid-forward iem, but lacks the emotionality of dd driver iems with the necessary warmth (to some degree), in order to properly shine through with emotion. All the ba driver iems I've heard thus far seems to strip away the emotion in favor of sheer speed.
Anyways, considering how great the FlaresGold is, I just can't understand any other reason to get rid of it, besides those I've mentioned. Of course I'm not trying to be judgemental about it, just curious.
I'm joining the Flares Pro club having purchased a set from alpha421. (They were the set originally owned by HiFlight) They were a good price so I bit the bullet on this set of iems that I've been considering for quite a while now.
I have a pair of the R2As which are excellent iems and took me up to the next level (or even further) from my IE80s. To try and get even better sound I had them custom shelled.
This means that I can use the Pros with tips only making fitting a much easier proposition than using customs. The big issue with customs for me is earwax. On a couple of occasions I've managed to get cerumen compaction in my right ear, requiring a trip to the audiologist to clean it out.
I am hoping that the Pros are a significant upgrade from the R2As, especially in the upper midrange, treble and an even tighter more tuneful bass. I'll only know when I try them. I'll report back after they arrive.
I'm joining the Flares Pro club having purchased a set from alpha421. (They were the set originally owned by HiFlight) They were a good price so I bit the bullet on this set of iems that I've been considering for quite a while now.
I have a pair of the R2As which are excellent iems and took me up to the next level (or even further) from my IE80s. To try and get even better sound I had them custom shelled.
This means that I can use the Pros with tips only making fitting a much easier proposition than using customs. The big issue with customs for me is earwax. On a couple of occasions I've managed to get cerumen compaction in my right ear, requiring a trip to the audiologist to clean it out.
I am hoping that the Pros are a significant upgrade from the R2As, especially in the upper midrange, treble and an even tighter more tuneful bass. I'll only know when I try them. I'll report back after they arrive.
Congrats on purchasing my Pro's from Alpha421! He and I are quite good friends, having exchanged much equipment over the years. I hope that you enjoy them as much as I did.
I'm joining the Flares Pro club having purchased a set from alpha421. (They were the set originally owned by HiFlight) They were a good price so I bit the bullet on this set of iems that I've been considering for quite a while now.
I have a pair of the R2As which are excellent iems and took me up to the next level (or even further) from my IE80s. To try and get even better sound I had them custom shelled.
This means that I can use the Pros with tips only making fitting a much easier proposition than using customs. The big issue with customs for me is earwax. On a couple of occasions I've managed to get cerumen compaction in my right ear, requiring a trip to the audiologist to clean it out.
I am hoping that the Pros are a significant upgrade from the R2As, especially in the upper midrange, treble and an even tighter more tuneful bass. I'll only know when I try them. I'll report back after they arrive.
Well holden, I hope you enjoy the Pro. There are alot of good things about it, except the treble is a bit harsh during certain songs that feature cymbals and tambourines. The Pro has a slight V-Shape "inspiration" to it, meaning its not inherently V-Shaped, but is a good transition iem for people use to the V-Shape going over to Flare's noticeably more mid-forward sound.
You may be fine with the treble on the Pro, you may not.If its too harsh for you, I highly recommend my suggestion getting the FlaresGold. Use the coupon code "GOLDEN" to save a few hundred dollars.
Compared to the Pro, the Gold has a more R2A-like bass, except the bass on the Gold is more refined. The quantity though is lesser on the Gold than the Pro- which makes it more similar to the R2A. The vocals on both the Pro and Gold are quite similar in being mid-forward. The treble is the big difference. There is much more detail and space in the treble of both the Pro and Gold than the R2A.
The difference in treble between the pro and Gold however, is noticeable too. The Gold has the brilliant detail of the Pro, but without the harshness. Same goes with space. Its very 3-dimensional and large. While Flare tuned the Pro in the peaky upper treble range for a concert-like feel, they cut back on it for the Gold, rather targeting the lower treble, albeit a more intimate, yet still very spacious and powerful sound that is very detailed, something the R2A just doesn't do.
Not to say anything against the R2A though. Its a great intimate spacing sounding iem. The Gold is more similar in that sense but expands on it, without going in that peaky upper treble area the Pro does. You'll really have to watch out for that with the Pro. You may not mind it, possibly even like it - which is fine.
Just letting you know though if you don't like the Pro, or simply prefer the type of sound I'm describing, get the Gold! It is astonishing!
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