[Arysyn]

I’ve got the R1. Got an absolute steal on them at £200 for b-stock, which were in mint condition.

They really are an immense earphone, it’s not just the mids that are impressive, the bass response is stunning, depth and layers and a kick in the bass when the track calls for it.
I’ve tried all the filters but only very briefly, I’ve currently settled in the pink filters which to my ears are fairly neutral compared to the ears but I do need to try them all for longer periods.

I personally don’t notice any dip in the mids using the pink filters. I also use them with the vents fully open, gives a real airy sound to the earphone.

Thank you for your response, McCol.

From what I read so far, the pink filters might work best for me if I were to get the R1. Someone replied to me in the R1 thread mentioning the blue filter too. Not sure how those compare though. I'm going to read more about the R1 today.

What I'm particularly interested in knowing, is if the bass quantity is the same or less than the FlaresGold. I realize the FlaresGold can deliver the bass when called for it - something Spinrite proved to me in a few songs he posted about here. However for the most part, the bass typically sounds pretty neutral in most songs I listen to. Bass quality matters much more to me than bass quantity, as I really don't like alot of bass.

I understand dd drivers are best for bass, which technically ba drivers would suit me more - if they weren't so artificial/raw sounding to me. There lacks alot of the emotional tone to music in ba drivers, which is what dd drivers are good at -when focused on bass quality and the "dynamism/emotionalism" on the music, as opposed to the "super clarity" of ba drivers.

For me to like the R1, I'd have to be able to tune it with the filters and the wheel to where I could get the bass quantity either on par or less than what the FlaresGold has. My other interest is how the mids/vocals compare, granted from what I've read it can be very detailed. I'm figuring the fr graph I found of the R1 that I posted here shows a different filter than what people are using to get more detailed mids/vocals. Knowing it isn't super V-shaped/recessed is a great thing.

The other great thing looks to be the treble in the fr graph, but I'm curious as to impressions of it specifically, and how it compares with the FlaresGold. BTW, I'm very happy with the FlaresGold still and not looking for a replacement, but as an addition for possibly a different sound in the treble. Flare has set such a great standard with the bass and the mids/vocals, that anything else would have to match that for me. Although regarding treble - I'm still interested in what could be done in improvements from there. Hopefully Flare will get an fr graph done sometime soon for the FlaresGold, because I really want a visual, specifically of the treble.

 

[rickhawk22]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FLARES® PRO!



To celebrate the 1st birthday of Flares® PRO we want to give even more people the chance to experience the wonderful, "game changing" sound they deliver.

For a very limited time only we are offering a whopping ££150 discount on the Flares® PRO.

Taking them from £349 to just £199!
That's a lot of bang for your buck / sound for you pound.
Shop Now!

 

[jeffri]

Looks like a good price! Ordered and can't wait!

 

[Bananiq]

I think I will also pull the trigger again, considering this price.

 

[awayeah]

New GOLDs review on headfonia:
https://www.headfonia.com/review-flare-audio-flares-gold/2/

 

[Arysyn]

New GOLDs review on headfonia:
https://www.headfonia.com/review-flare-audio-flares-gold/2/

Very good review by Nathan, as I mentioned in my comment to his review. He describes the FlaresGold in a very precise way, though some of his descriptions I'm still not quite knowledgeable enough with the audio terminology to fully understand. Perhaps if someone here could describe the meaning of "slightly wet" in the mids he used - is this indicating the forward, non-recessed nature of them?

Nathan mentions the hiss factors, which I briefly commented on - though mostly through referring to the different perspectives where people either here it or not, as evidenced in this thread. I figure at this point that until there is a frequency response measurement graph of the FlaresGold to discuss relating to the treble region, its pretty much something you either hear or don't, but we'll not know the details of why - without the measurements. That is speaking of any FlaresGold treble concerns. The FlaresPro measurements are known, and I still suspect the hiss/fizz is from the extended bump in the upper treble.

The bass on the FlaresGold remains an amazing aspect of the FlaresGold, never being overly present in music, unless it is a song that demands it. I'm so glad there isn't any bass bleed, and really allows the mids/vocals to shine.

Not to forget, the non-recessed nature of the mids. This is what I still perceive to be the greatest aspect of the FlaresGold - going for a non V-Shaped sound.

 

[awayeah]

Perhaps if someone here could describe the meaning of "slightly wet" in the mids he used - is this indicating the forward, non-recessed nature of them?

Well, describing sound is usually done with words that might explain what we hear and it's down to personal interpretation.
In this case - "slighly wet" means that mids are not dry. The more dry the mids are, the lighter and emptier they sound. Wet sounding to me means, more weight, more fullness, more fluidity.
You have to imagine what dry and wet means in other areas and transfer that to the sound. The desert and the ocean are the best example
For my dry-sounding for headphone is a flaw.

 

[Arysyn]

Well, describing sound is usually done with words that might explain what we hear and it's down to personal interpretation.
In this case - "slighly wet" means that mids are not dry. The more dry the mids are, the lighter and emptier they sound. Wet sounding to me means, more weight, more fullness, more fluidity.
You have to imagine what dry and wet means in other areas and transfer that to the sound. The desert and the ocean are the best example
For my dry-sounding for headphone is a flaw.

That makes sense. There certainly isn't anything lacking with the vocals from the FlaresGold, nor the FlaresPro either. Generally though I referred to "dry" I suppose as "raw", which is how balanced armature driver iems sound to me.

 

[slapo]

Ordered them last night. Cancelled in the morning, thinking what the hell I was doing, not needing more headphones or in-ears (even though I wanted to replace the rather low-fi bluetooth combo I use at the moment). Then I listened to the ones I have just now, realised I only really liked one pair so that I'd listen to them as easily as on/over ears and ordered them again. I'm sticking it out this time around. Also, one of the comments here on head-fi that likened their sound to that of planars helped a lot.
Thanks all.

 

[Arysyn]

Ordered them last night. Cancelled in the morning, thinking what the hell I was doing, not needing more headphones or in-ears (even though I wanted to replace the rather low-fi bluetooth combo I use at the moment). Then I listened to the ones I have just now, realised I only really liked one pair so that I'd listen to them as easily as on/over ears and ordered them again. I'm sticking it out this time around. Also, one of the comments here on head-fi that likened their sound to that of planars helped a lot.
Thanks all.

slapo,

Which iem are you referring to - the FlaresGold or the FlaresPro? I don't remember seeing anyone here compare either one to Planar, but I did write a few times suggesting perhaps Flare Audio could develop a Planar iem for greater tuning control. They've probably done the best they could with dynamic drivers in creating that spacious, yet still close up, detailed sound with the FlaresGold. Planar - from what I've read, might give Flare Audio a better ability to expand the live sound in the treble. In my opinion, that is the only area Flare Audio might be able to improve on, as the bass and mids are already great.

 

[slapo]

slapo,

Which iem are you referring to - the FlaresGold or the FlaresPro? I don't remember seeing anyone here compare either one to Planar, but I did write a few times suggesting perhaps Flare Audio could develop a Planar iem for greater tuning control. They've probably done the best they could with dynamic drivers in creating that spacious, yet still close up, detailed sound with the FlaresGold. Planar - from what I've read, might give Flare Audio a better ability to expand the live sound in the treble. In my opinion, that is the only area Flare Audio might be able to improve on, as the bass and mids are already great.

The titanium Flares Pro (the ones on sale now on their website).
This is the reference I found:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/flarespro-flaresgold-by-flare-audio.856739/page-2#post-13632225

It was the cleanliness of the sound that intrigued me.
I guess I'll find out soon,
The Gold ones are likely better than the titanium ones, but they cost 5x as much at the moment and the titanium ones are about as high as I'm willing to go at the moment.

 

[awayeah]

That makes sense. There certainly isn't anything lacking with the vocals from the FlaresGold, nor the FlaresPro either. Generally though I referred to "dry" I suppose as "raw", which is how balanced armature driver iems sound to me.

No, it's actually quite the opposite. Armature drivers do sound more raw, but rarely dry. Dry sounding is more often an issue (or not an issue) with dynamic drivers. The only dry-sounding armature-based IEM that comes to mind is Earsonics Velvet but I'm sure there's more.
For me dry sound is much more of an issue with sources and amps than with headphones themselfs. The same headphones might sound "dry" with for example Opus #1, but "wet" with let say AK120.

 

[Bananiq]

Ordered Pros 2 days ago and today I got them can't wait to try them with my new tips

 

[Arysyn]

No, it's actually quite the opposite. Armature drivers do sound more raw, but rarely dry. Dry sounding is more often an issue (or not an issue) with dynamic drivers. The only dry-sounding armature-based IEM that comes to mind is Earsonics Velvet but I'm sure there's more.
For me dry sound is much more of an issue with sources and amps than with headphones themselfs. The same headphones might sound "dry" with for example Opus #1, but "wet" with let say AK120.

awayeah, how would you describe differences between raw and dry sound? I admit I'm still not quite that good with these terms and probably am confusing the two terms. I looked through the Head-Fi list of term definitions, but it wasn't really that helpful to me. So, I'm pretty much going by what a term seems like to me in defining what I hear and have developed some of my own terms because of it.

 

[HiFlight]

awayeah, how would you describe differences between raw and dry sound? I admit I'm still not quite that good with these terms and probably am confusing the two terms. I looked through the Head-Fi list of term definitions, but it wasn't really that helpful to me. So, I'm pretty much going by what a term seems like to me in defining what I hear and have developed some of my own terms because of it.

HERE is a paper that pretty well describes the properties of both.
HERE is a clip that you can hear samples of each.