[tstarn06]

Can't compare, never hear the SF Pro. But I don't get any harshness nor fatiguing at higher volumes any more. But there is something about the reverb in the bass I really like with these that is missing on other IEMs I've owned. Might be the dynamic drivers, not sure. I don't get any harshenss at all, and my sizzle is really just a term used to say I like them, not as a way to describe their sound ... after proper burn-in, that is.

 

[abellaw]

So i was pretty skeptical about the burn in for these IEMs but after 36 hrs i am starting to see a little reduction in the sizzle. But i only listened to them for a song or two to make sure they were working fine. I cant wait to take them with me to work by then they should be at about 60 hrs and i cant wait to see if the difference

 

[ucrags84]

I'm in about 30 hours now, and I check in about every 8 hours or so. There seems be a sizable reduction in hissing, and general harshness.

Showed my cousin who uses ADDIEM these, playing Dave Brubeck Brothers Quartet. He was blown away by the sound-stage.

Will keep checking in. Thanks for your update.

 

[SactoMan101]

I'm really tempted to get the Image S4 from Amazon.com for US$79.95.

By the way, I wonder how does it compare against the Shure SE115, which is US$12 cheaper? Does the Image S4 offer clearer bass and treble?

(Gawd, my IEM collection is getting big. I have the JVC HA-FXC-50-B, Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studio, Sony MDR-EX90LP, Apple's new In-Ear headphones, and soon Klipsch Image S4.

)

 

[tstarn06]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I continue to be amazed by the overall performance of these phones, with the Clip+, Zune, A818, Amp3. I have little respect for, or seldom agree with, a CNET review, which made me initially skeptical of the S4s. But when I got them, burned them in (seemed to take 80-100 hours to eliminate the ssss), and compared them to phones like the X10, C710, etc., they just won out. Now, with the UM56s and the Shure Flex tips (a recent discovery), I am convinced these are the best value in IEMs.

I know, I have been through dozens of IEMs in search of the best value in SQ. It's been expensive, but sooner or later, the technology catches up. I still really love the UM3X sound (again, with the UM56 for peak performance), but now I feel I have one of the best 1-2 combos in IEM.

I hope I am not crazy, but it seems others are starting to get the same feeling about the S4s as they continue to give them a proper workout. Of course, not all will agree. Doesn't matter to me though, my ears do not deceive me.

 

[Pangaea]

SactoMan,

I have both and all I can tell you is they are both very nice IEMs. There is a different SQ but I like both. If you prefer a more tame upper region go with the Shures (probably a little more balanced than the S4), but the S4 win in the mids and lower region. However I think you would be happy with either. I always felt the SE115 was an under appreciated/ rated IEM around here. And it def. does not need an amp so its good on the fly out of an iPhone.

 

[nekromantik]

Im guessing the S4s sound better then the cheaper Maximo iM-590?

Also amazon uk have the custom 2s for £5 less then the S4s.

 

[Q-Tip-81]

I actually just purchased the S4's this morning, out of the box I'm not impressed....but I hope after 100 hours of burn-in I'll be enjoying these.

Right now the bass feels a touch boomy, the mids and highs lack clarity. It's almost like listening to music through a thin wall. I hope this improve after a few hours of BI.

 

[tstarn06]

Well, your experience mirrors mine. I was too annoyed with the ssss's to notice a lack of clarity, and the bass was boomy. You can check my early posts on the S4. But they eventually broke through. I had sort of even given up on them at the 40-50 hour mark.

And as I said, not everyone is going to agree. I hope they turn around for you as well.

 

[Q-Tip-81]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, your experience mirrors mine. I was too annoyed with the ssss's to notice a lack of clarity, and the bass was boomy. You can check my early posts on the S4. But they eventually broke through. I had sort of even given up on them at the 40-50 hour mark. And as I said, not everyone is going to agree. I hope they turn around for you as well.

I certainly hope my experience turns out like yours once I get a few days of burn-in. Not every genre sounds like I described above, but I listen to a lot of melodic/technical death metal and right now I'm not hearing as much separation as I'd like (probably from the general harshness and slight boominess of being 'right-out-of-the-box', also, the mids are a bit warm for my taste at this point. I'm guessing that this might mellow a bit with time though.

***On a second note:

As I'm browsing through my music library, I'm finding that much of what I've described could very well be the production quality of the music I listen to. I rip everything at 320, but the difference in SQ between Quo Vadis and R&B is apparent. I'm guessing that the lack of production and recording quality is being exposed. And that certainly isn't the S4's fault.

 

[ucrags84]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I continue to be amazed by the overall performance of these phones, with the Clip+, Zune, A818, Amp3. I have little respect for, or seldom agree with, a CNET review, which made me initially skeptical of the S4s. But when I got them, burned them in (seemed to take 80-100 hours to eliminate the ssss), and compared them to phones like the X10, C710, etc., they just won out. Now, with the UM56s and the Shure Flex tips (a recent discovery), I am convinced these are the best value in IEMs. I know, I have been through dozens of IEMs in search of the best value in SQ. It's been expensive, but sooner or later, the technology catches up. I still really love the UM3X sound (again, with the UM56 for peak performance), but now I feel I have one of the best 1-2 combos in IEM. I hope I am not crazy, but it seems others are starting to get the same feeling about the S4s as they continue to give them a proper workout. Of course, not all will agree. Doesn't matter to me though, my ears do not deceive me.

So you're using Shure Flex tips on the S4's? Sorry I'm a noob, are the UM56 custom tips for Westones? Are you using those for another pair of cans or for the Klipschs.

At any rate, I was wondering what you thought of the S4 stock oval gel tips. I love the medium sized ones. The don't seal off "all the noise" I can still hear some things, but there's at ~70% reduction at least. And the tips are extremely comfortable.

 

[SactoMan101]

By the way, I'm still kind of interested in the Image S4, but can it exceed the performance of the JVC HA-FXC50-B I have? (I REALLY like the HA-FXC50-B. The bass is AMAZINGLY clear with being "boomy," something you wouldn't find on most IEMs unless you're willing to pay a three-figure sum for a new one. However, I didn't like the somewhat low efficiency and the peaky treble of this IEM; if JVC can fix the treble issue they have a huge winner here.)

By the way, does anyone know what kind of driver the Image S4 uses?

 

[iPoodz]

Dynamic drivers, not balanced armature. I just bought them, I own some ADDIEMs, so I'll have one of each

EDIT: I suspect that this is why "burn-in" is required. ADDIEMs worked just perfectly out of the box, while people don't seem to like the S4s on first listen.

 

[odigg]

After reading the positive reviews of the S4 I recently purchased a pair. With exception of cheapo (<$20) earbuds these are the first IEMs I've purchased.

Honestly, if there is something sizzling about the treble I can't hear it beyond the bloated bass. After adjusting to the S4 I put on the D7000 and felt the D7000 was bass light!

As for the quality of the bass, it doesn't sound very clear at all. I was listening to the Batman Begins soundtrack (e.g. Molossus) and quite literally felt a good bit of the music was not easily audible because the bass thump was overpowering everything else.

The S4 are VERY comfortable and if you are a bass head these are IEMs you can be interested in. But, IMHO, don't expect all that much bass quality.

 

[mrbrad]

I have had a pair of S4s for about 3 weeks now. After reading so many good things about them, I am disappointed in their performance. The Bass is excessive and very bloated or boomy, however you want to describe it. This is coming from an iPod, which is not known for its bass production. I did use the Bass reduction equalizer feature of the iPod and it improved dramatically. I have burned them in for probably 30 hours or so, but I am not getting any improvement. Does anyone think the bass will calm down with additional usage? If not, I will be sending the back this week.

Thanks for your help.