[ayang02]

I've tried everything until my ears were sore. Spinfit, Spiral Dots, mee audio, symbio mandarin wide, final E, CA marshmallow, various other foams and silicone tips I've collected over the years. Foams were decent performers, and normally my go-to because of the cavernous canals I have, but I felt that it was doing this IEM an injustice by softening the transients and impact. Such is the tradeoff with foams.

But I haven't tried AET07. Honestly, I didn't even know these existed, so thanks @audio123 . Do you find that they really do cut down on the sound 'refraction' (what I'd call standing waves) inside the canal?

Have you tried foam tips such as Dekoni Bullets or Crystalline Crystal Tips?

 

[davidmolliere]

As part of the U series review tour (thanks again @Jackpot77 !) my review of StealthSonics flagship the U9 is up :
The Tightrope Dancer

 

[davidcotton]

I've tried everything until my ears were sore. Spinfit, Spiral Dots, mee audio, symbio mandarin wide, final E, CA marshmallow, various other foams and silicone tips I've collected over the years. Foams were decent performers, and normally my go-to because of the cavernous canals I have, but I felt that it was doing this IEM an injustice by softening the transients and impact. Such is the tradeoff with foams.

But I haven't tried AET07. Honestly, I didn't even know these existed, so thanks @audio123 . Do you find that they really do cut down on the sound 'refraction' (what I'd call standing waves) inside the canal?

I've kinda given up on universals, mainly because they don't fit well so not much point. Left is fine, but the right just doesn't work. Small is too small and medium up hurt after awhile. Occasionally I'll get a good fit but it doesn't last and isn't consistent. Seems my right ear has this sharp bend right at the start and then gets narrower and then bends again. Thankfully (and finally) it seems that the last audiologist managed to get a decent set of impressions that work so I can at least use customs now, even if I would prefer universals. It also amuses me no end that for the price of one pack of comply in the uk you could probably get a set of impressions done for not a lot more anyway!

 

[ezekiel77]

Anyone else think they look like the fearless (any one in here tried them, or is it more chi-fi hype?) models?

I've tried S6Rui, and S8F is on the way. Inevitably they are riding fast on the hype train bcos of a few good impressions.

S6Rui has a fantastically fun U-shaped tuning that's heavy on the bass despite being an all-BA. There's also remarkable amounts of clarity in the treble, while the mids anchor the signature admirably. Tone-wise, nothing much to complain about. Its only limiting factor is the tiny stage which tends to congest things. For $389 it's not a bad way to go, although I feel the FiiO FH5 performs at the same level for less ($300), even better if you can find used for about $180. The Kanas Pro still gets my vote for best SQ below $200.

I gotta say though, chifi used to be all about the less than $300 bracket, and now more than ever they are moving up towards the no-man's land of $500-1k. For established brands like Dunu and FiiO I'll give a pass, but you gotta be wary of all the new brands popping up and giving a go.

It's very, very hard to resist, but don't follow the hype train, don't subscribe to the threads, don't fall for the introductory discount, and wait it out until more reviews are made. You can sort of gauge an IEM's lasting power after a year or two if it keeps popping up in reviews to be compared with the newer hyped IEMs. The Fearless stuff are part hype, part "the hype is real", but I really wish they'd lower the price tags. Kanas Pro is a very valid purchase but ooh what do we have here what's this KXXS? The cycle never ends lol.

 

[buonassi]

Have you tried foam tips such as Dekoni Bullets or Crystalline Crystal Tips?

foams work just fine for the FR, but rob transients and low level detail. Also further attenuates what little is there in the top octave to begin with.

thanks for the replies guys. I found some triple flange that fit deep and seal against or just past my second bend (I'm guessing). Sibilance is completely gone and the sound is just great! Now that I know it's not the tuning of the Penta I dislike, rather a nasty resonance caused by my cavernous canals, I went ahead and ordered custom tips from Advanced Sound. They have Penta as one of the models they fit for.

 

[ayang02]

foams work just fine for the FR, but rob transients and low level detail. Also further attenuates what little is there in the top octave to begin with.

thanks for the replies guys. I found some triple flange that fit deep and seal against or just past my second bend (I'm guessing). Sibilance is completely gone and the sound is just great! Now that I know it's not the tuning of the Penta I dislike, rather a nasty resonance caused by my cavernous canals, I went ahead and ordered custom tips from Advanced Sound. They have Penta as one of the models they fit for.

Not all foam tips are like the Complys, which is exactly what you're describing.

Anyways, great that you found the tips that work for you. My personal experience with custom tips for Andromeda is that they fit nicely and provide nice details but basically reduces the soundstage. I have tried custom tips from Snugs and Advanced Sound. It will be interesting to see what the Rai Penta custom tips would look like.

 

[buonassi]

Not all foam tips are like the Complys, which is exactly what you're describing.

I do have some round foams that are very smooth and don't squash the highs. Those sounded the best of all the foams. I have dekoni bullets, CA Marshmallow, Advanced Sound, Comply, and various other foam tips I found on ebay. I'm apparently a tip hoarder

 

[ayang02]

I do have some round foams that are very smooth and don't squash the highs. Those sounded the best of all the foams. I have dekoni bullets, CA Marshmallow, Advanced Sound, Comply, and various other foam tips I found on ebay. I'm apparently a tip hoarder

I also have a tip hoarding problem . I don't have the Advanced Sound foam tips from your collection but I do have everything else. Not to mention the Final Audio, Acoustune, Symbio silicone tips....

 

[davidcotton]

I've tried S6Rui, and S8F is on the way. Inevitably they are riding fast on the hype train bcos of a few good impressions.

S6Rui has a fantastically fun U-shaped tuning that's heavy on the bass despite being an all-BA. There's also remarkable amounts of clarity in the treble, while the mids anchor the signature admirably. Tone-wise, nothing much to complain about. Its only limiting factor is the tiny stage which tends to congest things. For $389 it's not a bad way to go, although I feel the FiiO FH5 performs at the same level for less ($300), even better if you can find used for about $180. The Kanas Pro still gets my vote for best SQ below $200.

I gotta say though, chifi used to be all about the less than $300 bracket, and now more than ever they are moving up towards the no-man's land of $500-1k. For established brands like Dunu and FiiO I'll give a pass, but you gotta be wary of all the new brands popping up and giving a go.

It's very, very hard to resist, but don't follow the hype train, don't subscribe to the threads, don't fall for the introductory discount, and wait it out until more reviews are made. You can sort of gauge an IEM's lasting power after a year or two if it keeps popping up in reviews to be compared with the newer hyped IEMs. The Fearless stuff are part hype, part "the hype is real", but I really wish they'd lower the price tags. Kanas Pro is a very valid purchase but ooh what do we have here what's this KXXS? The cycle never ends lol.

Spot on assessment I think. In a funny way my right ear issue has stopped me from jumping on board the many many hype trains in the past mainly because I know it won't fit. The other almost consistent comment that starts springing up is that treble peak that the asians seem to like, so it's not so much the build quality these days (which does look fantastic it must be said) but the tuning.

 

[noper]

Spot on assessment I think. In a funny way my right ear issue has stopped me from jumping on board the many many hype trains in the past mainly because I know it won't fit. The other almost consistent comment that starts springing up is that treble peak that the asians seem to like, so it's not so much the build quality these days (which does look fantastic it must be said) but the tuning.

I don’t know why, but it’s true that the Asian market (and my Asian ears) seem to enjoy treble emphasis, though personally not to the point of excessive perkiness (I had to sell my Jupiters for this reason). It takes something tuned exceptionally well like the EE Phantom for me to get into a non-treble emphasized tuning. Unfortunately it also makes me a sucker for the Fourte and its upcoming successor, weird vocals tuning and all.

 

[buonassi]

the Asian market (and my Asian ears) seem to enjoy treble emphasis, though personally not to the point of excessive perkiness (I had to sell my Jupiters for this reason

agreed, both jupiter and andromeda were a little too hot in the final octave to sound natural. very airy and ethereal, but ultimately artificial sounding.

 

[KuroKitsu]

I don’t know why, but it’s true that the Asian market (and my Asian ears) seem to enjoy treble emphasis, though personally not to the point of excessive perkiness (I had to sell my Jupiters for this reason). It takes something tuned exceptionally well like the EE Phantom for me to get into a non-treble emphasized tuning. Unfortunately it also makes me a sucker for the Fourte and its upcoming successor, weird vocals tuning and all.

Treble emphasis is very hard to get right , either its not enough or too excessive but still haven't found that just right still (COUGH ZEUS COUGH PHANTOM COUGH COUGH COUGH). Granted the tuning for both were tuned exceptionally well that I accepted those flaws. So i agree there.

There's also demand for the upper mids as well from my discussions with other asian audiophiles, guess we have a bigger ratio of female ot male vocalists than other nationalities.That is much easier to do, still I feel it tends to get overlooked in favour of the lower mids (COUGH PHANTOM).

 

[491326]

There's also demand for the upper mids as well from my discussions with other asian audiophiles

I do like me some upper mids but at the same time, I'm just not sure if I prefer more engagement or deeper soundstage.

 

[KuroKitsu]

I do like me some upper mids but at the same time, I'm just not sure if I prefer more engagement or deeper soundstage.

Depends on the genre IMO. A deeper soundstage would be better where the instrumentals are the centre of attention. Whereas more engagement where the vocals are what drives it.

I may be proven wrong one day, but it seems to me that you simply can't have both and have it excel equally at both.

 

[buonassi]

Everyone perceives upper mids a bit differently because of their ear anatomy, both inner and outer, as well as ear/brain system. HRTF also comes into play. Versus speakers (what we'll call a natural base), IEMs are at a distinct disadvantage of sounding 'natural'. Sound coming out of speakers (or any real source) is altered by your body, face, outer ear, and ear canals before it reaches your drums. So, while you negate any 'room effects' below 500hz that speakers usually yield by using IEMs - and that sounds infinitely better BTW than speakers in a room - you now have to roll the dice on 800hz on upward because that IEM needs to match the very unique response you're ear drums are 'used to'.

Let's take the phantom for example. That 8khz slight treble peak may sound natural to you, or many people, or the guy who tuned it. But to me, it may result in slightly sibilant cymbal work.

Let's look at what chifi IEMs are doing now - the harman target for earphones. By doing this, they'll appeal to more people as sounding natural - but not all - it's a numbers game to maximize sales. To others, like myself who have embraced IEMs as their main source, 'natural' is what I like now, what I perceive as balanced and equal, with my own little house curve on things - definitely not the harman IEM target.

Long way of saying.....you have to find the IEM that sounds most natural to you, or caters to your preferences while not sounding like garbage and retaining the technicalities we're all after. Unfortunately, it's trials and errors (expensive ones) - and the only final assessment that matters is how much you like them.