panasonicst60
100+ Head-Fier
So true.....Man this "hobby" always ends up being more expensive than the original "budget"
So true.....Man this "hobby" always ends up being more expensive than the original "budget"
Anyone know what the ETA for balanced cable is? Hopefully a 4.4mm would be release. This and the in-line mic has been requested to death, but nothing. We are talking years. This is very disappointing. Etymotic would make a fortune. I had my first quality iem about 6-7 years ago, the hf3 and the wire is coming apart. I have always been a big fan of Etymotic, but with the lack of a balanced cable and modified mmcx is a turn off. Seam like they don't listen to their customer feedback, unlike Ibasso.
Thanks for the update. I don't believe it till I see it....Just heard back from their customer service that the balanced cables (2.5mm version at least) SHOULD hopefully be available within 3-4 weeks.
toranku:
Based on my own amateur eval so far, I feel your review/comparison is very similar to what I hear. Thanks for the review!
I have been listening to them every day, but using the "already" soft tri-flanges from the ER4XR, and they sound a little better, tighter than on day one wit the new tri-flanges. But I can't help but wonder about comparing them to the ER2XR. Man this "hobby" always ends up being more expensive than the original "budget"
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Stay updated on Subtonic Audio at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
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I'll leave aside all the stuff that annoy me in this post from unjustified confidence to the weirdness of quantifying feelings like that. and instead just say that IMO this cable is too stiff for IEM use. as for the audio qualities, I had it a few years ago so obviously I didn't try it with the new er4 series, but from memory, I can confidently say that it was a cable.If anyone is interested in improving the bass and holographic response (layering? imaging?) of the ER4XRs, I'll go ahead and recommend the Silver Dragon V1 cables for ya (Specific pros and cons listed at bottom of this unnecessarily long post)
I got the V1s to test for myself if I could hear a difference with cables or not. Skeptical but open-minded was my approach. I got the V1s as a test sample, and tested them with the XBA N3s and ER4XRs. Low and behold, they did indeed make a very significant improvement for the ER4XRs, but minor to no improvement with the XBA N3s. Probably something to do with impedance matching, but I'll leave that discussion for more experienced people.
I got the cables a few months back, but held back on recommending them until I tested them for a significant period of time, so new toy syndrome did not take effect. I went back and forth between the stock Etymotic cables and the V1s, sometimes in the same session, sometimes trying each individually for a week. I also ensured the pressure in my ears was normalized, which for these ER4XRs subjectively affects about 15% of the sound experience.
After at least 3 months of testing, from multiple sources, and eliminating as many other variables as possible (fit, mood, time of day, etc) to ensure the comparison was solely between the ER4XR stock cables and the Silver Dragon V1s, I can confidently say that the Silver Dragon V1s are a definite and significant improvement in sound quality, from my subjective point of view.
To my ears, the Silver Dragon V1 improves the following areas of the ER4XR (subjective impressions!):
+ Bass quantity (~5-10%)
+ Bass clarity (~15%)
+ Overall clarity (~5%)
(Mids and Highs in terms of frequency response seem about the same)
+ Holographic response (layering) (~20%) - these cables feel like taking the stock cable sound, converting it from 2D to 3D, and then wrapping that 3D orientation of sound in a sphere around your head (this effect is accentuated by pressure normalization, and for me, letting the IEMs "sit" as far as possible from the eardrum instead of inserting as deep as possible, but still forming a tight fit provides the best fit. Too deep reduces the holographic effect).
+ Imaging (mostly due to clarity)
Cons:
- Fit (silver dragon cable as far as I know does not have angled MMCX: with the Etymotics, you look like you're wearing a stethoscope)
- Potentially comfort due to fit (looping the cable back unto itself helps immensely with comfort and fit, but then you look like a new recruit of the Borg)
I tried my best to detect placebo or fit adjustments or anything that could lead to a false positive, but this V1 cable is legit.
Potential sludge aside, if this post helps at least 1 other person obtain an ethereal listening experience, then I have done my job. Happy listening everyone
Nice job as always man
Just made this: SPOFC with a balanced 3.5mm plug that goes nicely with iFi xDSD, and most likely doesn't in itself enhance SQ
I'll leave aside all the stuff that annoy me in this post from unjustified confidence to the weirdness of quantifying feelings like that. and instead just say that IMO this cable is too stiff for IEM use. as for the audio qualities, I had it a few years ago so obviously I didn't try it with the new er4 series, but from memory, I can confidently say that it was a cable.
Isn't a volume knob just a series impedance? That means it adjusts the amplitude of the signal across all frequencies equally. Then simply turning up the volume would compensate for any additional impedance.Apologies if my assertiveness and energy upset you, I tried to make it clear in the post that my results were purely subjective. I still stand by my assertion that the Silver Dragon V1s do improve the ER4XR sound, precisely as subjectively described in my first post. I invite evidence to the contrary. If someone provides solid evidence to the contrary, I will more than happily accept defeat.
Thanks to @wquiles for providing a scientific explanation from a fellow EE, but it has already been established that the parasitic inductance and capacitance of headphone cables only appears to affect the signal at RF frequencies, not audio frequencies. Impedance seems to be the biggest culprit, but more testing is required.
Someday I will do a detailed study of cables and the entire audio signal path, and post the results in the science section, but that day is not today!
Isn't a volume knob just a series impedance? That means it adjusts the amplitude of the signal across all frequencies equally. Then simply turning up the volume would compensate for any additional impedance.
Typically a volume knob is not a series impedance on the output. Typically it instead adjusts the level of input sent to an amplification or output stage, and the output stage provides low output impedance power to the headphone or earphone.Isn't a volume knob just a series impedance? That means it adjusts the amplitude of the signal across all frequencies equally. Then simply turning up the volume would compensate for any additional impedance.