[project86]

I like that silver outer shell look. Not enough companies do innovative looks with their customs: the pictured pair is probably easier to make than one with custom art, but looks so good. Hopefully the sound is up there as well.

 

[rawrster]

They sure do sound like an interesting custom. However that's a pretty steep price tag especially the lack of information out on them. Although they probably aren't for me since the Future Sonics sound isn't exactly my cup of tea unless it's vastly different but that wouldn't make too much sense. I wonder what their isolation would be like with that hole in the faceplate.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

They sure do sound like an interesting custom. However that's a pretty steep price tag especially the lack of information out on them. Although they probably aren't for me since the Future Sonics sound isn't exactly my cup of tea unless it's vastly different but that wouldn't make too much sense. I wonder what their isolation would be like with that hole in the faceplate.

Well, its a like a bypass valve it seems to me.  So sound doesn't get in when sound isn't coming out.  So unless you listen at reallly low volumes it shouldnt be a problem, even then the valve would adjust to that.  Just a guess.  If it is just a tuning port thats static then i'm wrong.  

 

[Kunlun]

 
Quote:

Well, its a like a bypass valve it seems to me.  So sound doesn't get in when sound isn't coming out.  So unless you listen at reallly low volumes it shouldnt be a problem, even then the valve would adjust to that.  Just a guess.  If it is just a tuning port thats static then i'm wrong.  

Ah! Ah! The spirits have foretold this very question. They know! They see! For are they not the spirits?
 
I, Kunlun the Magnificent, will now post the very answer to your question as I have already asked it.
 
 
What is the effect of the LFV in terms of isolation and wind noise? Is there any sound leakage?
We vent our Ear Monitors® to allow air release from the rear of the Dynamic Drivers. With that being said, it does allow a small bit of ambient noise in, however this is not its function.
The function of the LFV is to allow user control of the Freq. Response (only by a dB or 2) for both Low-end as well as high-end frequencies.
The only time I can honestly say there has ever been an issue with “AIR” is when we manufactured for some Motor Bike & Racecar Drivers as the positioning of the head or helmet has at some point created the “Wind over the Bottle” effect. Other than that, I’ve never really heard much of the LFV Vents effecting clients like that in the Pro-Audio world.
 
I now recede my attention into the etheric octave. But before I do so I will post more pictures for the edification of my chelas.
 

 

[Kunlun]

 
More pictures of FS Ear Monitor customs
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[Kunlun]

Quote:

. I wonder what their isolation would be like with that hole in the faceplate.

20 db, give or take, according to FS

 

[Kunlun]

One last picture!
 

 

[Kunlun]

Now that the MG7 Atrios are out, perhaps I can move forward on the Future Sonics Ear Monitors.
 
 
Here's a cool picture of the drivers themselves in situ:
 
 

 

[Anaxilus]

I had been wondering what kitty has been up to.  You going all-in?

 

[Kunlun]

Quote:

I had been wondering what kitty has been up to.  You going all-in?

Depends on if I end up liking the FS sound. Got an email today from the FS rep, turns out the mg7 Atrios in the airport wireless stores were part of a special deal with those stores alone via FS Canada. The main run of mg7 Atrios is still sitting around, waiting to be boxed in eco-packaging by another company. The FS rep has been really nice:
He said he's still waiting for FS to receive the new Atrios and it may be a few weeks yet. "Hope you can hang tight," he said.
 
I had mentioned demoing the JH16 (which are like the opposite of FS design ideals) and the FS person was very respectful of Jerry Harvey. "Tell Jerry I said hello," he said.
 
Well, I guess I can wait a bit before I spend way more than can defensibly be spent on what a guy who owns/runs an audiophile store in NYC called "high-end earbuds". That guy was a bit a of a jackass.

 

[Pisn4e]

I love my Atrios i want to listen to the MG7 before going all out but you should just get these and tell me how they sound. 

 

[Kunlun]

Quote:

I love my Atrios i want to listen to the MG7 before going all out but you should just get these and tell me how they sound. 

More or less exactly what I want to do: Listen to the mg7 Atrios first. I'll be hearing from the owner about the mg7 Atrios soon.
 
As for Ear Monitors, man it's been a long wait for the new Atrios, hopefully over soon. I'm looking at the ES5 (I even talked to Sonic741i about them) and JH offerings, but a dynamic custom would be great.
 
Here's a brief review of the last-generation Mg4 Ear Monitors from another site (gearslutz):
First, here was my question:

I'm interested in how well the FS Ear Monitors sound, basically. Do they reproduce mids and treble accurately? Is any frequency range more forward than any other? Are they fatiguing?

The response:
 
Love my Future Sonics

---

I have been using Future Sonics for the last couple of years and love them. I'm an engineer, and one of my gigs is mixing monitors for a country artist that is an endorsee so I got a discount, but I listened to a bunch of generic buds from the different companies before ordering.
I think the Future Sonics are the most neutral, flat sounding in ear monitors out there. If anything, they might be considered somewhat "bassy", but the mids and highs are very transparent without being hyped. The drawback I found with many IEMs was that they would have a sort of undefined mid range and then a really shiny extended top, which is not what I want when I am monitoring for long periods of time, like for rehearsals or longer shows. I can work in my Future Sonics all day with little to no fatigue, as long as I'm watching my overall volume on my pack of course.
I would call around to some audiologists and see if you can find one that has demos of the un-molded generic buds for the different drivers out there and take a listen. I do know that FS just upgraded their drivers, not sure what the new difference in the MG6Pro drivers is from the MG4, but I would assume they wouldn't change too much as they were already great sounding drivers.
 

 

[Kunlun]

And a touring musician pm'd me on gearslutz:
 
My question:

 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Kunlun Hello, sorry to bother you but I found an old post you made with a positive statement about a pair of FS ear monitor custom iems. I am thinking about buying a pair myself and I wanted to ask if you wouldn't mind telling me a little more about your experience with them. How are the mids and highs? The isolation and soundstage? I'm sure the bass is great... One thing I like about the FS customs is that when they come out with a newer driver, you can upgrade for $200 rather than having to buy a whole new iem. Have you ever upgraded in this way? Do you have any other customs to compare these ones to? I'll demo the JH16s before I buy the FS ones. thanks so much and take care, kunlun

His response: 
erm future sonics:
yes I have found them to be really good all rounders. as far as the sound goes, they are certainly capable of being very realistic in all areas, obviously that is dependant upon your monitor engineer.
mine have interchangable filters to allow more or less ambience in, but i have the ones with the most attenuation in. thats the way i like it. although it is good tto mic up the crowd; even 100,000 people sound like just one man and his dog when you have no reference!

I was unaware of the upgrade business. I bought mine about 4 years ago and have had no need to change them since.

I have only used generic in ears before this, so nothing to compare them to I am afraid. They are a hell of a lot better than those!!

Summing up I reckon they are pretty honest sounding and not hyped. just pretty realistic.

Hope this helps. let me know how you get on

 

 

[Kunlun]

Well, I decided I was tired of waiting almost three months, so I ended up calling Marty Garcia, the owner of Future Sonics. He was completely nice, patient and well-spoken. It was very cool talking to the who pioneered custom in-ear monitors for the stage, back in the early 80s. Also, he had a very nice take on the field and on what sort of sound he is looking for in his products. He described very well the energy and life that a dynamic driver gives to music. It sounded very similar to what I want to hear, so I'm looking forward to picking up some Atrios (first) and then Ear Monitors.
 
Speaking of which, it turns out that the new mg7 Atrios are now in transit and will be at Future Sonics in days.
 
Further, the mg6 Ear Monitors have been out a bit... And, as is their usual policy, Future Sonics asked for feedback. They took note of what performers and high-end "prosumers" wanted and changed a few things. Now the Mg6pro custom Ear Monitors will be out soon.
 
And FS will be offering a new custom dynamic in ear monitor as well! They will be doing a 10mm driver custom (similar but a bit different than the mg7 10mm driver in the Atrios) to go with their 13mm Mg6pro. The 10mm driver custom iem will sell for $698 and the 13mm Mg6pro remains at $898.
 
 Apparently, Future Sonics has created a new consumer division to lay the proper groundwork for expansion. We'll be hearing more from them soon! And samples of their mg7 Atrios have already gone out to CNET and some other reviewers.
 
 

 

[rawrster]

are you still getting their new universal earphones? I'd be interested as impressions of them come out regardless even though they aren't really on my radar.