[jehugo]

I just received my CIEM Laylas.  They are indeed extraordinary.  I was amazed that I heard more detailed and clean bass straight out of my iPhone 6 than I had with the UIEMs with the foam tips.  Although, I later noted that the filtering system was turned up a bit.  When I turned it down, the overall sound was flatter, but still with great detail.  What is your setup?  The CIEMs are much flatter against the ear than the UIEMs also.  I was surprised.  They are larger than the average CIEM, but definitely don't protrude out the way the UIEMs do. They are perhaps 3/16 to 1/4 inch thicker.  For me, they were 30% cheaper than a new set of UIEMs because I had a purchase history with JHAudio.  The CIEM retails for around 2500 and JHA gives a 20% discount to prior customers.  Service from JHA was fast, polite, and very friendly.  Turn around after the ear impressions were sent in was 7 days.  The rep I dealt with was Sue.  

Hey Luke glad you're enjoying. I have Layla fit with comply "comfort" tips running with Black Dragon balanced cable to an Onkyo DP X1. Never thought I'd have a portable setup that's simple and on par with my full size equipment.

Layla is truly engrossing and I find myself just lost in the performance. Tremendous sound wherever I want to be

 

[LukeW]

Hey Luke glad you're enjoying. I have Layla fit with comply "comfort" tips running with Black Dragon balanced cable to an Onkyo DP X1. Never thought I'd have a portable setup that's simple and on par with my full size equipment.

Layla is truly engrossing and I find myself just lost in the performance. Tremendous sound wherever I want to be

May I ask which specific Black Dragon cable connects to the Laylas or did you have them do a custom job.  Also, do you miss not having the bass adjustment in the cables?  Thanks.  I have zero experience with cable alternatives. 
 
Also, for portable, I would be running straight from an iPhone 6 with Onkyo HiFi app.  I haven't tried this yet with the Laylas as I've been running them from my iMac with Audirvana Plus.  I was going to wait for the Continental V5 to amp the iPhone with the Laylas for portable use.  What would be the cable effect with these setups?  I could see getting the Onkyo DP X1, but one step at a time.  So any help with these questions would be much appreciated.  Thanks much.
 
Luke

 

[Marat Sar]

Also interested in Black Dragon impressions (vs regular cable -- or others). Considering it. (We're talking about the Black dragon IEM cable v2 specifically for the Siren series, right?)
 
Another thing -- I have my ear impressions on the way to Snugs in England for custom tips. Will report back with impressions!

 

[jehugo]

Yep, moon audio black dragon v2 which does have the bass pod. https://www.moon-audio.com/black-dragon-iem-headphone-cable-v2.html

I bought it for my Angie, read some reviews praising it, my real interest was getting a longer cable with thinner cables to the phones. It's a very nice cable, I didn't spend much time with the standard cable for a real comparison other than I liked what I heard after I switched them out. The cable brought good things, but nothing mind blowing.

Speaking of cables, how do you guys have the bass pots set? I had them at one o'clock while letting the headphone run in, and to OD a bit on the fabulous lows, after some messing around I settled on about 12 o'clock or a little less as the most natural sounding, based on some reference tracks.

Luke- not quite sure what you're asking regarding "cable effect"?

 

[bflat]

Hey Luke glad you're enjoying. I have Layla fit with comply "comfort" tips running with Black Dragon balanced cable to an Onkyo DP X1. Never thought I'd have a portable setup that's simple and on par with my full size equipment.

Layla is truly engrossing and I find myself just lost in the performance. Tremendous sound wherever I want to be

Not to disagree with you - imho DP--X1 and Laylas sound OK. I really wanted the balanced out of my DP-X1 to give me what I want with Laylas - neutral with a touch of warmth, but instead I get bloated mid bass and overall veiled sound compared to ALO CDM, Chord Mojo, or Vorzuge. AK DAPs didn't fair any better for me. I even prefer iPhone over DP-X1 because the bass bloat is not as bad, but still there. I only mention this in case you want to try or consider a better source/amp given how much you invested in Laylas. However, if the DP-X1 with Laylas suit your tastes that's cool too. I even went as far and got JH Rosie for DP-X1 and those 2 pair well to my preferred sound profile.

 

[jehugo]

Ok for kicks I hooked up the standard balanced cable and listened for awhile. It's a bit colder, narrower, with edgier highs. Going back to the black dragon brought a welcome return of slight but much appreciated warmth, extended sound stage, and smoother presentation especially highs.

The sonic improvements are not "must haves" rather an appreciable refinement/extension of the Layla's inherent qualities.

A very comfortable, light, well built cable at reasonable cost.

 

[jehugo]

Not to disagree with you - imho DP--X1 and Laylas sound OK. I really wanted the balanced out of my DP-X1 to give me what I want with Laylas - neutral with a touch of warmth, but instead I get bloated mid bass and overall veiled sound compared to ALO CDM, Chord Mojo, or Vorzuge. AK DAPs didn't fair any better for me. I even prefer iPhone over DP-X1 because the bass bloat is not as bad, but still there. I only mention this in case you want to try or consider a better source/amp given how much you invested in Laylas. However, if the DP-X1 with Laylas suit your tastes that's cool too. I even went as far and got JH Rosie for DP-X1 and those 2 pair well to my preferred sound profile.

Hey that's cool I appreciate your thoughts and recommendations. I've listened to Layla through a variety of sources, including non-portable, and I am very happy with the Onkyo. I don't perceive bass bloat at all, rather a very neutral to ever so slightly warm, transparent presentation. I enable the "flat" EQ which, to my ears, adds to neutral by subtracting a bit from the player's slight bump in the mids.

I dig it.

 

[Marat Sar]

Ok for kicks I hooked up the standard balanced cable and listened for awhile. It's a bit colder, narrower, with edgier highs. Going back to the black dragon brought a welcome return of slight but much appreciated warmth, extended sound stage, and smoother presentation especially highs.

The sonic improvements are not "must haves" rather an appreciable refinement/extension of the Layla's inherent qualities.

A very comfortable, light, well built cable at reasonable cost.

 
Thank you, sounds like I'll be getting it, since the highs are just a tad bit too sharp for me on the Laylas, making them more fatiguing than they really have to be -- and soundstage is like money. There is no reason to have less.

 

[eargasam]

Question how are the spinfit tips are they better than the complys for the laylas? I keep having the treble bore getting blocked with the complys would I have this problem with the spin fits?

 

[eargasam]

And another question are their any other tips that protects the Layla from wax build up like the complys and not block out the treble the moment I move my head or yawn, sneezing etc?

 

[Duncan]

Question how are the spinfit tips are they better than the complys for the laylas? I keep having the treble bore getting blocked with the complys would I have this problem with the spin fits?

Depends on how far you push the spinfits onto the Laylas, there is more option for movement if you don't put them on fully (which will allow better fit in your ears) but this 'could' (and I say that loosely, as I never had any problem), but logically this 'could' if the bend on the tip was severe enough, block the treble bore still...

I've had great success in the past couple of days, bought a Moon Audio Silver Dragon V2 cable that has breathed new life into these, also - some Trinity Audio hybrid tips - they work very nicely

 

[Gutter]

Had the Layla's for a few months now and can't go back to anything else

When I try my IE800 it just doesn't suck me into the music like the Layla's

My only problem my stock balance cable is dead and Astell and Kern never replied to my email, any one else had any success? I'm from the UK so would prefer a email address

 

[Duncan]

Had the Layla's for a few months now and can't go back to anything else

When I try my IE800 it just doesn't suck me into the music like the Layla's

My only problem my stock balance cable is dead and Astell and Kern never replied to my email, any one else had any success? I'm from the UK so would prefer a email address

It might be worth emailing JH directly just to get their take on if they'd be prepared to ship you a replacement cable.

I'm frustrated that I cannot find a tip (even though I've had mine for over a year) that can consistently fit and sound great...

I really think I'll end up going down the Snugs route.

 

[Duncan]

following on from my last post, after messing around with the Westone StarTip kit that I have, I found my last pair of Shure Olives, and - whilst they're fiddly to get onto the Laylas, I think these might well be my preferred tips, a lot more balanced than some of the others I've been playing with recently, and - don't feel like I'm trying to squeeze my elbows into my ears...

Oh, and the occlusion, fantastic

Happy times

 

[bflat]

following on from my last post, after messing around with the Westone StarTip kit that I have, I found my last pair of Shure Olives, and - whilst they're fiddly to get onto the Laylas, I think these might well be my preferred tips, a lot more balanced than some of the others I've been playing with recently, and - don't feel like I'm trying to squeeze my elbows into my ears...

Oh, and the occlusion, fantastic

Happy times

Welcome back! LOL I also see that you have discovered that Laylas sound pretty good with the new DFR. I was impressed as well and will be finally letting go of my last DAP and stick with iPhone and the DFR for my portable rig. It's so much easier to carry on the go, especially considering no need for a separate charging cable for the DFR. Pretty amazing that a $200 DAC that's the size of USB thumb drive sounds so good.