[james444]

I see. Thanks for the info. Gonna keep trying the JVC HA-FW01 first. If no preferred improvements in vocal happen I might look out for others.

 
Forget about any noteworthy changes from burn-in. Try this dead easy and reversible mod instead, it will give you an instant improvement in sound signature, with less dominant bass and clearer mids.
 
Instructions are for the FX850, but work equally well for the FW01:
 
[spoiler="j444" mod:] So I've found an easy mod to attenuate the FX850's bass boost. The effect is comparable to adding a small front vent. As a result, the FX850's tonal balance becomes quite close to the K3003 with reference filters.
 
Step 1: Find some surplus tips made of thin silicone, e.g. Sony hybrid tips:
 

 
Step 2: Cut off a small stripe, about 1x7mm:
 

 
Step 3: This is the tricky part. Place the stripe alongside the nozzle, so that it protrudes about 1mm at the front end. Hold it carefully in place with your fingertip as you mount the silicone tip.
 

 
Step 4: Check the result - it should look like this from the outside.
 

 
Step 5: Check the result - it should look like this on the inside. Make sure that the stripe protrudes only a tiny bit at the edge of the nozzle, or else it will diffuse the sound.
 

 
Congrats, you've successfully completed the FX850 "j444 mod"!

 
 
Edit #1: I thought it was obvious from the pics, but just for clarification: You need to cut the stripe off the cap, not the stem. The latter is too thick for this mod and will result in too much leakage.
[/spoiler]

 

[MrExistor]

Forget about any noteworthy changes from burn-in. Try this dead easy and reversible mod instead, it will give you an instant improvement in sound signature, with less dominant bass and clearer mids.

Instructions are for the FX850, but work equally well for the FW01:

[SPOILER="j444" mod:]
So I've found an easy mod to attenuate the FX850's bass boost. The effect is comparable to adding a small front vent. As a result, the FX850's tonal balance becomes quite close to the K3003 with reference filters.

Step 1: Find some surplus tips made of thin silicone, e.g. Sony hybrid tips:




Step 2: Cut off a small stripe, about 1x7mm:




Step 3: This is the tricky part. Place the stripe alongside the nozzle, so that it protrudes about 1mm at the front end. Hold it carefully in place with your fingertip as you mount the silicone tip.




Step 4: Check the result - it should look like this from the outside.




Step 5: Check the result - it should look like this on the inside. Make sure that the stripe protrudes only a tiny bit at the edge of the nozzle, or else it will diffuse the sound.




Congrats, you've successfully completed the FX850 "j444 mod"!


Edit #1: I thought it was obvious from the pics, but just for clarification: You need to cut the stripe off the cap, not the stem. The latter is too thick for this mod and will result in too much leakage.
[/SPOILER]

I think I'll prefer to keep a iem based on its stock performance without the need for molding. Thanks for the tips.

 

[Stuff Jones]

I think I'll prefer to keep a iem based on its stock performance without the need for molding. Thanks for the tips.

 
Why if for 5 minutes and with no risk or you can significantly upgrade the sound?

 

[james444]

 
Why if for 5 minutes and with no risk or you can significantly upgrade the sound?

 
This is a phenomenon I can't wrap my head around... people will readily wait hundreds of hours for burn-in effects, or pay hundreds of dollars for third-party cables to "upgrade" the sound.
 
But they refuse to try something that takes 5 minutes, costs nothing, and actually makes a difference.

 

[spw1880]

Interesting, sound like Ibasso IT03 or Sony XBA A3 might more towards my liking. Had you heard of these two and able to compare? With more interest towards IT03.

I have heard the xba a3 but was over 8mths ago. It belonged to a shop owners range of preloved units to be sold . I remembered only that i preferred the jvc fx1200. I cant remember the sound so its better i do not comment. The ibasso it03 i have not heard. Only the oriolus which many regard as the ibassos older brother. Very emersive midrange vocals and high. Sound stage was not as deep as i would like, bass was too polite as majority of my listening taste consists of pop and edm. Found myself using bass boost on my dacamp. I found the fw01 still more versatile and enjoyable, more predictable. Staging is just wide enough, deep and tall enough, extended highs, great timbre in vocals and midrange and amazing bass quality, very assertive yet controlled...i somehow get the feeling these few days that a higher quality and power dacamp than what i have will take This iem to a higher level.

 

[spw1880]

This is a phenomenon I can't wrap my head around... people will readily wait hundreds of hours for burn-in effects, or pay hundreds of dollars for third-party cables to "upgrade" the sound.

But they refuse to try something that takes 5 minutes, costs nothing, and actually makes a difference.

I tried your mod for my fx1200 btw...it did work as intended...but somehow reduced the bass too much. for some tracks i took it off...hehehe..
I know exactly what you mean. Many mod there headphonez, if an iem is moddable why not.so far i havent felt the urge to apply it to the fw01. Enjoy it as it is..i am curious to plug it to a powerful amp an see how it scales tho.

Hopefully fw01 owners enjoying thier iem would like to chime in on the dacamp or dap combos that is used and how it scaales the fw01.
Thanks

 

[Bengkia369]

I tried your mod for my fx1200 btw...it did work as intended...but somehow reduced the bass too much. for some tracks i took it off...hehehe..
I know exactly what you mean. Many mod there headphonez, if an iem is moddable why not.so far i havent felt the urge to apply it to the fw01. Enjoy it as it is..i am curious to plug it to a powerful amp an see how it scales tho.

Hopefully fw01 owners enjoying thier iem would like to chime in on the dacamp or dap combos that is used and how it scaales the fw01.
Thanks

The Sony SPC MMCX cable actually improved the sound quite a bit for my JVC HA-FW02

 

[MrExistor]

I tried your mod for my fx1200 btw...it did work as intended...but somehow reduced the bass too much. for some tracks i took it off...hehehe..
I know exactly what you mean. Many mod there headphonez, if an iem is moddable why not.so far i havent felt the urge to apply it to the fw01. Enjoy it as it is..i am curious to plug it to a powerful amp an see how it scales tho.

Hopefully fw01 owners enjoying thier iem would like to chime in on the dacamp or dap combos that is used and how it scaales the fw01.
Thanks

Yea, reason that I dot really do modding is because I often, specially when have to do both side equally, I might mess up the balance between both side. If losing too much bass I much get as well not go for the mod. I'm gonna do ear burn in later on and see.

 

[spw1880]

Yea, reason that I dot really do modding is because I often, specially when have to do both side equally, I might mess up the balance between both side. If losing too much bass I much get as well not go for the mod. I'm gonna do ear burn in later on and see.

I am just sharing my experience with the mod. However i will point out that we all have different preferences. The fw01 already does midrange and highs pretty well imo, i have yet to try the mod. I will try probably down the track..hope the fw01 works out in the end..btw i have done most of my listening using a silver cable.

 

[MrExistor]

I am just sharing my experience with the mod. However i will point out that we all have different preferences. The fw01 already does midrange and highs pretty well imo, i have yet to try the mod. I will try probably down the track..hope the fw01 works out in the end..btw i have done most of my listening using a silver cable.

What is the cable you're using? What will a silver cable do the the sound signature? Got curious since I never enter the cable territory yet.

 

[spw1880]

I am using effect audio thor silver II+. Its a litz 22awg wires. 4 wire braid. Good body on bass, better decay and bass speed. Mids similar to stock cable. Slightly better resolution on treble. Slightly more forward vocals. I am waiting on my oc studio silver 8 braid 26 awg wires non-litz cable to compare. Oc studio is very well priced..using original neotech upocc wires..and very interesting pure copper plugs as well. Should arrive in a couple more days, will post some impressions. Silver works well with woodies but the cable market is very diverse.

 

[MrExistor]

I am using effect audio thor silver II+. Its a litz 22awg wires. 4 wire braid. Good body on bass, better decay and bass speed. Mids similar to stock cable. Slightly better resolution on treble. Slightly more forward vocals. I am waiting on my oc studio silver 8 braid 26 awg wires non-litz cable to compare. Oc studio is very well priced..using original neotech upocc wires..and very interesting pure copper plugs as well. Should arrive in a couple more days, will post some impressions. Silver works well with woodies but the cable market is very diverse.

I see. Sound interesting. Might consider later on if I were to keep this iem

 

[TehShpee]

could someone do a full review on these woodies?i mean...whether you want them to burn in or not is upto to you.

 

[coolcat]

   
This is a phenomenon I can't wrap my head around... people will readily wait hundreds of hours for burn-in effects, or pay hundreds of dollars for third-party cables to "upgrade" the sound.
 
But they refuse to try something that takes 5 minutes, costs nothing, and actually makes a difference.

You dont need to be that sarcastic about the upgrade cables.
There are people who hear a huge improvement of sound when using the right cable. I used this cable http://www.head-fi.org/products/tralucent-audio-uber-cable/reviews/8933 with the FW01 and I agree with the reviewer that this cable really make some iems  sound a lot better (not matched with the Vega,U12 and K10  to my ear though). 
By the way, the cable above costs more than 1000$ (version 2 costs 1800$), if you purchase separately from the tralucent iems, but you can find it around 550$ in the classified and for the secondhand price, I think it worth every $ when paired with the FW01.
By the way, it is nice that you share how to mod , so people can easily try this without any cost

 

[Bengkia369]

You dont need to be that sarcastic about the upgrade cables.
There are people who hear a huge improvement of sound when using the right cable. I used this cable http://www.head-fi.org/products/tralucent-audio-uber-cable/reviews/8933 with the FW01 and I agree with the reviewer that this cable really make some iems  sound a lot better (not matched with the Vega,U12 and K10  to my ear though). 
By the way, the cable above costs more than 1000$ (version 2 costs 1800$), if you purchase separately from the tralucent iems, but you can find it around 550$ in the classified and for the secondhand price, I think it worth every $ when paired with the FW01.
By the way, it is nice that you share how to mod , so people can easily try this without any cost

Yup, agreed totally.
Some cables really makes a difference and other don't seems to make any difference at all.