[rarewolf]

Well. I finally received my Spinfit CP100+ tips and what a beautiful difference. It adds just a bit of warmness to the sound balancing it perfectly, not to mention the clearness and separation. Loved it.

On another note, one thing I noticed is that the S12 sound better with the High Gain setting on my Schiit Heresy amp. How is that? I didnt expected that. It sounds bigger, fuller with a effortlessly highs. Normally, on all my DD headphones (both IEM and over ear) low gain is the best setting with high gain sounding too much, but with the S12 is a total advantage. Pardon my ignorance since I'm still learning, but how is this possible with the s12 being so low impedance? Am I just imaging this?

This is one of several reviewers who claim planars inherently perform better at higher voltages, but I don’t know anything about your amp. I’m more familiar with dongles for which the power out is marginal and you’re trying to squeeze out all its got… might even hear a difference with balanced… #jussayin

 

[Oscarilbo]

Has anyone measured the bore size of the stock tips? My guess is they are about 4-4.5 mm

 

[Charlie Norwood]

I hope you don't mind me asking. How's the s12 sounds compared to tin p1?
Cheers

They aren’t really comparable due to p1’s unique vocal-focused tuning. S12 has more low end and much wider stage. P1 has better transients and treble clarity. P2 and s12 are much more similar. S12 has the more impactful bass but p2 has more neutral tuning with improved resolution compared to s12.

 

[hydroid]

They aren’t really comparable due to p1’s unique vocal-focused tuning. S12 has more low end and much wider stage. P1 has better transients and treble clarity. P2 and s12 are much more similar. S12 has the more impactful bass but p2 has more neutral tuning with improved resolution compared to s12.

Thanks a lot.. Had the same impression on vocals of the P1 the reason why I prefer them over Ibasso it04 and Isn h40.

 

[Oscarilbo]

I think I need a bit longer cable. Which low cost 3.5 cable would be an actual upgrade in quality? Any experience with cables from AliExpress?

 

[raymanh]

Has anyone here got any experience with the Olinas?

I'm thinking of getting an upgrade but not sure whether it's worth spending the extra over the Olinas to get an S12 (or Timeless). The Olinas were so massively hyped it made me wonder if it actually would be a step up to the S12/Timeless.

I do like more clear, detailed, vocals focussed IEMs compared to bassy ones, so in that regard any one of those three should suit me quite well.

 

[deformographist]

Has anyone here got any experience with the Olinas?

I'm thinking of getting an upgrade but not sure whether it's worth spending the extra over the Olinas to get an S12 (or Timeless). The Olinas were so massively hyped it made me wonder if it actually would be a step up to the S12/Timeless.

I do like more clear, detailed, vocals focussed IEMs compared to bassy ones, so in that regard any one of those three should suit me quite well.

I compare them a few pages back. I bought both and ended up returning the Olinas because for my ears and my music collection the S12s were better in nearly every way.

I got the Olina first and had a week with them, totally falling in love with them and planning to sell off the S12s without even opening the package. But then curiosity got the better of me and I spent a few days A to B'ing them to the point that I hurt my ear canals from continually stuffing in and pulling out IEM tips lol. The S12s were the clear winners for me, and to be honest it wasn't really close. More detail, better bass, and a slightly better soundstage. Plus, the S12s make drums sound sublime.

Keep in mind this might be highly dependent on your music collection. I know for Classical and Vocal forward music a lot of folks prefer the Olina. But as someone who listens primarily to Electronic and Rock the S12 were a clear cut above, to the point I would say they were easily worth double the $100 I paid for the Olina but thankfully I got them for $130.

 

[raymanh]

I compare them a few pages back. I bought both and ended up returning the Olinas because for my ears and my music collection the S12s were better in nearly every way.

I got the Olina first and had a week with them, totally falling in love with them and planning to sell off the S12s without even opening the package. But then curiosity got the better of me and I spent a few days A to B'ing them to the point that I hurt my ear canals from continually stuffing in and pulling out IEM tips lol. The S12s were the clear winners for me, and to be honest it wasn't really close. More detail, better bass, and a slightly better soundstage. Plus, the S12s make drums sound sublime.

Keep in mind this might be highly dependent on your music collection. I know for Classical and Vocal forward music a lot of folks prefer the Olina. But as someone who listens primarily to Electronic and Rock the S12 were a clear cut above, to the point I would say they were easily worth double the $100 I paid for the Olina but thankfully I got them for $130.

I'm a bit scared to say this out of fear I'll be berated, but I don't plan to use any sort of amp or external DAC. It's that it's too much stuff to carry around. So i'll primarily be using them out of my phone's 3.5mm jack.

With that said, will the S12's still perform better than the Olina's, or will the 3.5mm be some kind of 'bottle neck'? I've used a power calculator and have seen that they're both quite easy to drive, but perhaps there's more to it than that?

 

[deformographist]

I'm using the S12s through a Sony NW-A55 DAP which isn't particularly powerful, with the 3.5 mm cable. I have to hit about 85% volume to get them where I want them but they sound spectacular.

Probably depends on your phone. I found the Olinas were a little bit easier to drive, but not by much, requiring 80% of max volume to be where I wanted them.

I've heard the S12s shine with more power, but as you say they're relatively easy to drive.

 

[dharmasteve]

I'm a bit scared to say this out of fear I'll be berated, but I don't plan to use any sort of amp or external DAC. It's that it's too much stuff to carry around. So i'll primarily be using them out of my phone's 3.5mm jack.

With that said, will the S12's still perform better than the Olina's, or will the 3.5mm be some kind of 'bottle neck'? I've used a power calculator and have seen that they're both quite easy to drive, but perhaps there's more to it than that?

I've got both the Olina and the Shuoer S12. For my use I fully agree with @deformographist with one caveat. The S12 is a big sounding IEM and is one of my main go-to IEMs. With my L Spiral Dots I find, through my balanced output, on my HiBy R5, iFi Hip-Dac and other balanced sources, the S12 'Sings'. On my mobile phones it does not give it's best IMHO. The Olina does a lot better on phones using a Faaeal Copper 3.5mm. I would choose the Olina over the S12 if you use from a phone and like vocal centric music. The S12 to my ears, when driven hard, scales up amazingly. I kept my HBB Olina and love it. From phones I think it shines. If you get a good Dongle/DAC/LDAC with some extra output the S12 is definitely better and a great musical experience. The S12 improves with burn-in and is a step up.

 

[rarewolf]

I've got both the Olina and the Shuoer S12. For my use I fully agree with @deformographist with one caveat. The S12 is a big sounding IEM and is one of my main go-to IEMs. With my L Spiral Dots I find, through my balanced output, on my HiBy R5, iFi Hip-Dac and other balanced sources, the S12 'Sings'. On my mobile phones it does not give it's best IMHO. The Olina does a lot better on phones using a Faaeal Copper 3.5mm. I would choose the Olina over the S12 if you use from a phone and like vocal centric music. The S12 to my ears, when driven hard, scales up amazingly. I kept my HBB Olina and love it. From phones I think it shines. If you get a good Dongle/DAC/LDAC with some extra output the S12 is definitely better and a great musical experience. The S12 improves with burn-in and is a step up.

It would be unfortunate if @raymanh didn’t end up with the S12 set just because he believed his phone couldn’t drive them properly—they’re so damn good, and I compare them to my Kato set.
However, I do agree with you because I hear clear differences when I plug them into my L&P W2’s balanced out. They do need something extra that a phone's 3.5mm isn’t going to provide… to do them justice, that is.

However, they aren’t that bad when I use them with Apple’s DAC dongle and 3.5mm cable. They’re not quite as good as my Kato set, the bass isn’t as fast, but I'm usually not listening critically in this extra portable situation, … and I’m totally unfamiliar with the Olina set (but I do respect HBB).

Begs the question from @raymanh… “Are you willing to consider a DAC dongle in your future?” After all, they are not that large, and his next phone is not likely to include 3.5mm SE… #jussayin

 

[Oscarilbo]

Hi guys
Would any of these cables be an upgrade for my S12. If sou which would the be better option SQ wise?

 

[raymanh]

It would be unfortunate if @raymanh didn’t end up with the S12 set just because he believed his phone couldn’t drive them properly—they’re so damn good, and I compare them to my Kato set.
However, I do agree with you because I hear clear differences when I plug them into my L&P W2’s balanced out. They do need something extra that a phone's 3.5mm isn’t going to provide… to do them justice, that is.

However, they aren’t that bad when I use them with Apple’s DAC dongle and 3.5mm cable. They’re not quite as good as my Kato set, the bass isn’t as fast, but I'm usually not listening critically in this extra portable situation, … and I’m totally unfamiliar with the Olina set (but I do respect HBB).

Begs the question from @raymanh… “Are you willing to consider a DAC dongle in your future?” After all, they are not that large, and his next phone is not likely to include 3.5mm SE… #jussayin

So without a DAC dongle, there wouldn't be much difference between the Olina and the S12?

You're right in that my next phone will not likely have a 3.5mm jack. I generally prefer budget phones like the Xiaomi's, but it seems that even the budget phones are moving away from the 3.5mm jack so I might have to get a dongle anyway. But when the time comes, I definitely won't be getting something large. So my next question is, would even a small dongle, like the ddHiFi TC35B, be enough to realise more of the potential of the S12. Or, would I need something bulkier?

 

[dharmasteve]

Hi guys
Would any of these cables be an upgrade for my S12. If sou which would the be better option SQ wise?

I have the NiceHCK 16 core Copper cable. It did soften the treble on the S12 a little. I went back to the stock 4.4mm cable....I preferred it.

 

[Oscarilbo]

I have the NiceHCK 16 core Copper cable. It did soften the treble on the S12 a little. I went back to the stock 4.4mm cable....I preferred it.

Really? why did you preferred the stock cable? What did you not like about the NicheHCK?