Introducing CL2 Planar (Impressions Thread)
Jun 9, 2019 at 12:35 PM Post #2,506 of 3,158
I’ve tried everything from the EA Ares II to Horus, PW Audio Copper28 V2 to 1950s, a number of offerings from DHC/PlusSound/Crystal Cable/Rhapsodio/etc., and I’d say that the differences are anything but profound. Minor changes? Maybe.

I won’t argue if someone else feels differently, but it’s a bit silly to tell someone that their own listening experiences are wrong.

I actually do own a couple aftermarket cables (Linum SuperBaX, the aforementioned Copper28 V2, etc.) but my reasons for getting them are more aesthetics/comfort related than anything concerning sound.
Just give it a shot. I am looking forward to hearing your impressions when you try it with your gear.
Good luck :)

And yes, they love power. For some reason the SONY WM1A, TA-ZH1ES, DMP-Z1 have great synergy here.
This is a really good iem to try for people that have a hard time telling differences between DAPs.
 
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Jun 9, 2019 at 9:20 PM Post #2,508 of 3,158
Then you're tone-death. You have a tin ear.

Haha I can assure you my hearing is perfectly fine, but if it makes you happy to jump straight to ad hominems when someone disagrees with your worldview, then by all means :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:
 
Jun 9, 2019 at 10:39 PM Post #2,509 of 3,158
Haha I can assure you my hearing is perfectly fine, but if it makes you happy to jump straight to ad hominems when someone disagrees with your worldview, then by all means :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:
That's like saying "subwoofers dont work because I can't hear a difference..." Uh, huh.
 
Jun 9, 2019 at 10:47 PM Post #2,510 of 3,158
That's like saying "subwoofers dont work because I can't hear a difference..." Uh, huh.

Uh, no. Terrible analogy.
 
Jun 9, 2019 at 10:54 PM Post #2,511 of 3,158
LOL.... I'm doing remote Vulcan mind meld.... cables...cables...cables... :L3000:
 
Jun 9, 2019 at 11:38 PM Post #2,512 of 3,158
Uh, no. Terrible analogy.

These are very, very polarizing IEMs. They have a very big peak around 4-5KHz which is audible and measurable, and what you are hearing from your impressions. I hear it the same way too. It's a unique tuning that some seem to love and others do not like. I fall into the latter category, and I did try with a few cables I had on hand, both single-ended and balanced in the comforts of my own home. There was little to no differences between them from memory and very little differences from source changes for me -- in terms of -- no cable or source or combinations thereof, made these more listenable to me out of the box than the standard cable.

That said, EQing down the region of concern does make these sound slightly better and much more tolerable. They are an extremely fatiguing and rather harsh listen otherwise, at least in my opinion.

If you do enjoy it, more power to you. Just remember, we all have differences in the way we enjoy music. Telling people to spend upwards of thousands of dollars in accessories to make a (sub-$1000) headphone they find unpleasant magically become pleasant, and forcing it upon them (or belittling them) isn't the best course of action in my opinion nor, also my opinion, money well spent.
 
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Jun 10, 2019 at 12:17 AM Post #2,513 of 3,158
These are very, very polarizing IEMs. They have a very big peak around 4-5KHz which is audible and measurable, and what you are hearing from your impressions. I hear it the same way too. It's a unique tuning that some seem to love and others do not like. I fall into the latter category, and I did try with a few cables I had on hand, both single-ended and balanced in the comforts of my own home. There was little to no differences between them from memory and very little differences from source changes for me -- in terms of -- no cable or source or combinations thereof, made these more listenable to me out of the box than the standard cable.

That said, EQing down the region of concern does make these sound slightly better and much more tolerable. They are an extremely fatiguing and rather harsh listen otherwise, at least in my opinion.

If you do enjoy it, more power to you. Just remember, we all have differences in the way we enjoy music. Telling people to spend upwards of thousands of dollars in accessories to make a (sub-$1000) headphone they find unpleasant magically become pleasant, and forcing it upon the (or belittling them) isn't the best course of action in my opinion nor, in my opinion, money well spent.
At what point did I tell people that don't like this iem to spend a 1000 dollars on cables?
If you can't hear differences between sources, especially with this iem, I don't know what to tell you. This is a recurring theme on head-fi, reviewers that say DAPs and cables don't make a difference, and then they trot out with graphs and talk about frequency responses all day.
To my ears, this iem sounds different from every iem I have tried before and since, having said that, it sounds acoustically correct.
The Upper mid peak mimics a response that is exactly how I hear music in person (live). Once your ears get used to it, and yes they do get used to it, its hard to go back.

Add: This is my last post on this thread, I have about 3000 plus hours on the CL2, and its hands down the most enjoyable iem that I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. Hoping RHA is somehow able to top this with the CL3.
Sayonara :wink:
 
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Jun 10, 2019 at 1:49 PM Post #2,515 of 3,158
So, going to share a funny/annoying CL2 story.
After devouring this thread and ordering the CL2s from Amazon another member of the forum listed that Amazon had lowered the price to $619.
I reached out to Amazon CS today and said “hey I ordered these 10 days ago, you lowered the price 3 days ago, I’m well within the return period but I’d just rather you refund me the difference or issue me a credit” The level 1 CS rep was polite and friendly and quickly handed me off to someone on the “pricing team”.
The pricing team member was a total waste of time. He sent me a link to their “no price adjustments” policy, I said great but stupid as I will just return this and reorder at the lower price point. I asked him to connect me with his manager 4 times, all of which were met with “it doesn’t matter, the policy is the policy”. I pointed out to him that I didn’t care, I wanted a manager to be aware of the ridiculousness of issuing a refund, shipping back and re-ordering vs just issuing me a credit/refund. To no avail. I finally hung up, called them again and requested firmly to be connected to a manager when the next CS level 1 rep picked up.
I’ve activated a refund/return for my current RHA’s, I’ve ordered the set at the lower price point. So as to not have to burn them in all over again I’m sending back the new set unopened.
I forget who pointed out the price drop, but thank you for the heads up
 
Jun 10, 2019 at 2:16 PM Post #2,516 of 3,158
So, going to share a funny/annoying CL2 story.
After devouring this thread and ordering the CL2s from Amazon another member of the forum listed that Amazon had lowered the price to $619.
I reached out to Amazon CS today and said “hey I ordered these 10 days ago, you lowered the price 3 days ago, I’m well within the return period but I’d just rather you refund me the difference or issue me a credit” The level 1 CS rep was polite and friendly and quickly handed me off to someone on the “pricing team”.
The pricing team member was a total waste of time. He sent me a link to their “no price adjustments” policy, I said great but stupid as I will just return this and reorder at the lower price point. I asked him to connect me with his manager 4 times, all of which were met with “it doesn’t matter, the policy is the policy”. I pointed out to him that I didn’t care, I wanted a manager to be aware of the ridiculousness of issuing a refund, shipping back and re-ordering vs just issuing me a credit/refund. To no avail. I finally hung up, called them again and requested firmly to be connected to a manager when the next CS level 1 rep picked up.
I’ve activated a refund/return for my current RHA’s, I’ve ordered the set at the lower price point. So as to not have to burn them in all over again I’m sending back the new set unopened.
I forget who pointed out the price drop, but thank you for the heads up
So messed up....
 
Jun 10, 2019 at 8:06 PM Post #2,518 of 3,158
Hello everyone,

I've requested that this thread be locked for the time being. It's descended into something pretty ugly.

Cheers,
Colum

There is a positive takeaway if I may elucidate: there is a very fervent fanbase for the CL2. @antdroid has it right in two ways when he says it's a both a polarizing IEM and a tuning that some really enjoy (and some don't). To me, this means that there's quite a few vocal supporters, and I think that's one of the best results any company can ask for.

I think the CL2 hits a particular taste very well. I am kind of thinking about picking it up again, but I need to get rid of some more inventory first (as well as secure funding and include the wife in the decision, as promised, so well off into the future!). All things considered, I think RHA did a phenomenal job on the CL2, given the experiences I've had recently with other planar magnetic IEMs. It's not for everyone, and that's ok! We all have different tastes, and I appreciate this forum giving everyone the opportunity to share their experience, for better or worse.

I was on Reddit and saw someone ask people what was the headphone they regret selling. This was the closest answer for me, though the buyer does seem to enjoy it, so I have no regrets there. I'm glad it's so well liked.

For those on the fence with purchasing: it's still on sale at Amazon, as of the last time I looked. I do hope that @RHA Team will honor (honour) warranty claims from Amazon purchases, correct?
 
Jun 10, 2019 at 10:50 PM Post #2,519 of 3,158
At what point did I tell people that don't like this iem to spend a 1000 dollars on cables?
If you can't hear differences between sources, especially with this iem, I don't know what to tell you. This is a recurring theme on head-fi, reviewers that say DAPs and cables don't make a difference, and then they trot out with graphs and talk about frequency responses all day.
To my ears, this iem sounds different from every iem I have tried before and since, having said that, it sounds acoustically correct.
The Upper mid peak mimics a response that is exactly how I hear music in person (live). Once your ears get used to it, and yes they do get used to it, its hard to go back.

Rest assured, this distinction occurs everywhere in human history: people who stick to current knowledge (graphs and FR measurements), and people who explore the boundaries of knowledge (those who experience audible differences but are unsure how to measure or express them). Both definitely have their merits and drawbacks.

Hopefully, with the advancement of acoustic and signal processing technology, the Great Cable Divide of the 21st century can end in a peaceful resolution.

My funds are depleted at the moment, but your recommendation on the cable pairing with the CL2 has me interested as a potential future purchase. I am inclined to believe you, because your posts about the impressions are consistent, which is a good indicator of integrity. I am still curious how the CL2 sounds stock and with recommended cables.
 
Jun 11, 2019 at 3:55 AM Post #2,520 of 3,158
I do hope that @RHA Team will honor (honour) warranty claims from Amazon purchases, correct?
Yep - if they're bought from Amazon directly, or us through Amazon, or a certified retailer, they qualify for the three-year warranty - just make sure you check which Amazon seller you're actually buying from!
 

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