[Kirosia]

How do I test for channel imbalance? I swear the right side is louder/clearer, specifically vocals. I know it could just be how the music was recorded, but I've tried different headphones and sources, the C4 is affected the most pronounced. (Could be it's revealing character as well) I've read you can listen to mono recordings, any recommendations on Youtube? What should I pay attention to, if the image is dead center?

 

[Marleybob217]

Quote:

The Sansa Clip+ arrived earlier today and I took a little time to do some comparisons between that and my J3 and my F111s and the C4s.
 
The only track used for comparisons was Prokofiev Romeo & Juliette, Act 2 Scene 3.  I'll try other tracks later in the week.
 
Based on some very preliminary listening:
 
J3/F111>Clip/F111>Clip/C4
 
Compared to the J3/F111 the Clip/F111 would spot-light some instruments like the snare drum and the overall sound was less engaging.  I think that's due to the cumulative effects of several subtle difference such as dynamic range, soundstage, voices of the instruments, and a more distant presentation. The Clip/F111 isn't bad, it's just not as good as the J3/F111.
 
The Clip/C4 sounds quite different.  There's still a bit of overall vagueness. The voices of the instruments aren't as clear and they lack space. There's some lack of coherence in the sound, and at times it seems like some instruments will move in the soundstage. The Clip/C4 isn't bad. If I didn't have the F111s I'd no doubt be happy with them.
 
I had the thought that my familiarity and the pleasureable experiences I've had with the J3/F111 is skewing my opinion. Perhaps as I become more familiar with the C4 sound it will grow on me.
 
Time will tell. I'll post again in a week or so after I've given the C4s a fair go.
 
Cheers,
 
O.

And that is exactly what I meant with the clip+ sounding a bit wooly. Adding the fiio E6 will help with this, the sound will gain some clarity and oomph. I don't hear any distortion with this setup, the clip+ has a fairly clean output with little hiss so double amping is ok.
 
Investing in a good dac/amp setup might be helpful for enjoying the C4 to it's fullest. I have the audinst hud-mx1 dac/amp combo and it has zero hiss and sounds very good. It sounds like the C4 needs a pretty good amp to reach its fullest potential? 

 

[Omphalopsychite]

Thank you for everyone's comments about my C4/F111 dilemma.
 
There's been a major change to the plot today: my DX100 arrived!  I ordered it as I wasn't totally comfortable judging $800+ CEIMs with a $45 DAP.
 
Haven't had a lot of time listening but unless there's a major change the writing is on the wall for the C4s. Although they sound significantly better than with the Clip+,  to my ears they pale in comparison to the F111s. The differences are generally the same as with the Clip+ & J3 however the gap has widened as the F111s sound considerably better than with the J3.  The most immediately noticeable difference is in the F111's bass, it's deeper, tighter, better defined. The C4s may go deeper but the quality is so much poorer.
 
Not sure where to go from here. I'm going to listen some more for the next few days. Then I'll email Dave at Frogbeats and share my experience if things haven't changed considerably.
 
FWIW,
 
O.

 

[itshot]

Just checking, but you're using flac's and 320kbps mp3 right?

 

[Omphalopsychite]

Quote:

Just checking, but you're using flac's and 320kbps mp3 right?

 
My classical music is all flac. I've some older mp3 rock that is more compressed than 320 and the difference from flac is quite obvious.  Was listening to CSN (F111/DX100/flac) last night and the sound was dramatically better than with my old PL50/J3 rig. Heard so much I'd never heard before it was amazing.  It really surprised me.

 

[itshot]

Quote:

 
My classical music is all flac. I've some older mp3 rock that is more compressed than 320 and the difference from flac is quite obvious.  Was listening to CSN (F111/DX100/flac) last night and the sound was dramatically better than with my old PL50/J3 rig. Heard so much I'd never heard before it was amazing.  It really surprised me.

If you're comparing the classical flacs to the 320 kbps mp3 rock tracks the difference could be due to lesser quality mastering on the rock tracks.
 
From my experience, 320kbps versions and flac versions of the same songs are not that different.

 

[HideousPride]

You've just made me really interested in trying the Fitear line O. I'll see if I can't find a member with a pair for me to borrow or purchase.
 
On another note, gave into curiosity this week and started using MOG. Absolutely fantastic. For $5/month, probably the best audio "purchase" I've made this past year.

 

[Omphalopsychite]

Quote:

If you're comparing the classical flacs to the 320 kbps mp3 rock tracks the difference could be due to lesser quality mastering on the rock tracks.
 
From my experience, 320kbps versions and flac versions of the same songs are not that different.

 
I'm not,  just comparing the sound quality of much lower kbps mp3 rock.  As one would expect it suffers from comparison to flac.  My basic point was that the gap between good and poor recordings was widened considerably.

 

[EveTan]

Quote:

You've just made me really interested in trying the Fitear line O. I'll see if I can't find a member with a pair for me to borrow or purchase.
 
On another note, gave into curiosity this week and started using MOG. Absolutely fantastic. For $5/month, probably the best audio "purchase" I've made this past year.

Heh If you go Fitear, might as well go big...and buy a plane ticket to Japan for Fitear customs.  
 
But yea...that in itself is quite the dedication. + Fitear price is sky high too~

 

[Omphalopsychite]

Quote:

Heh If you go Fitear, might as well go big...and buy a plane ticket to Japan for Fitear customs.  
 
But yea...that in itself is quite the dedication. + Fitear price is sky high too~

 
Well I already own the F111s and the price was a lot less than the C4s so no problems. Relatively speaking the F111s are a bargain, besides the lower IEM cost there's no audiologist fee, no shipping impressions.  I'm really happy with what I've got and feel it would cost a lot to perhaps get a slight improvement.

 

[EveTan]

Quote:

 
Well I already own the F111s and the price was a lot less than the C4s so no problems. Relatively speaking the F111s are a bargain, besides the lower IEM cost there's no audiologist fee, no shipping impressions.  I'm really happy with what I've got and feel it would cost a lot to perhaps get a slight improvement.

Haha. Well, I was joking . I am more curious about their custom line more than their universal though. Mainly because I want the FitEar Monet, but that's another story. 

 

[Omphalopsychite]

Quote:

Haha. Well, I was joking . I am more curious about their custom line more than their universal though. Mainly because I want the FitEar Monet, but that's another story. 

 
Cool. I doubt I'll get another set of customs.  I don't have ready access to an exerienced audiologist. I feel I got lucky on the fit of the C4s considering the audiologist had never even heard of such a thing. As I'm faced now with the C4s, the cost of ending up with an unsuitable product is just too much to risk again.

 

[EveTan]

Quote:

 
Cool. I doubt I'll get another set of customs.  I don't have ready access to an exerienced audiologist. I feel I got lucky on the fit of the C4s considering the audiologist had never even heard of such a thing. As I'm faced now with the C4s, the cost of ending up with an unsuitable product is just too much to risk again.

I rarely hear of FitEar customers having fit problems. Probably because they require you to take the impression at their office in Japan. And that's also the reason why it is so inaccessible to many. It's a bummer that your experience with the C4s was so negative. Personally, I felt neither wowed nor disappointed (Well, maybe a little disappointed that I wasn't wowed). But I guess all ears appreciate differently. Will you be selling off the C4s?

 

[Omphalopsychite]

Quote:

Personally, I felt neither wowed nor disappointed (Well, maybe a little disappointed that I wasn't wowed). But I guess all ears appreciate differently. Will you be selling off the C4s?

 
My initial experience with the C4 & J3 really got them off on the wrong foot.  Then comparing them to the F111 which appears to do well just those things that I value didn't help.  I will probably be selling them but am going to contact Frogbeats first.

 

[Marleybob217]

Quote:

 
My classical music is all flac. I've some older mp3 rock that is more compressed than 320 and the difference from flac is quite obvious.  Was listening to CSN (F111/DX100/flac) last night and the sound was dramatically better than with my old PL50/J3 rig. Heard so much I'd never heard before it was amazing.  It really surprised me.

Oh wow, nice dap! How do the C4s sound on it?