[BETEP 9]

So i have the Fiio F9 and Pinnacle P1. While the F9's are comfort god's (i literally don't feel them in my ears) the P1's area creating this vacuum\air pressure felling... And my ear canals hurt for about two days after listening to them... I wonder why is this happening ? I wonder if i'll make custom silicon tips for my P1's, will this vacuum feel will be gone ?

 

[SomeGuyDude]

There's no reason for that to be happening unless you're really jamming them in there unnaturally deep.

 

[harpo1]

There's no reason for that to be happening unless you're really jamming them in there unnaturally deep.

If this was the case we wouldn't need custom IEM's. Just because you don't have this issue doesn't mean others don't.

 

[BETEP 9]

That's the thing... As soon as they enter the ear canal, vacuum is present.
It's like they are pushing the air to my ear drum... And with the F9's is like the air going outside through them.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

If this was the case we wouldn't need custom IEM's. Just because you don't have this issue doesn't mean others don't.

Those two issues aren't even remotely related.

 

[big45-70]

What size comply tips fit the p1 or px? It looks like the T-200’s but I wanted to confirm before ordering?

 

[Bubblejuice]

Could anyone compare the sound of these to the ER4XR? I liked most of the what ER4XR did, but I found the bass (especially sub bass) a bit weak for my taste, and also a bit artificial (though I've heard that's to be expected from BA drivers).

Also the fit on the ER4XR was very tempermental. One day I would forget they were in my ears, and the next day they felt like drill bits in my ear canals (no actual experience with that ).

 

[HiFiChris]

Could anyone compare the sound of these to the ER4XR? I liked most of the what ER4XR did, but I found the bass (especially sub bass) a bit weak for my taste, and also a bit artificial (though I've heard that's to be expected from BA drivers).

Also the fit on the ER4XR was very tempermental. One day I would forget they were in my ears, and the next day they felt like drill bits in my ear canals (no actual experience with that ).

Do you still have your Ety? If so, how about a gentle bass EQ and using the barrel-shaped foam tips that come included?

The Mee would likely deliver you that extra bit of bass you want, but it is also warmer sounding, less even in the midrange (slight dip at 2 kHz but followed by a slight lift around 3 kHz), and quite considerably brighter in the treble. I don't think that it's the right choice for you in the mids and highs. Something like the FLC8s or NocturnaL Atlantis (if you don't mind the extra fundamental range and price increase, that is) would be closer in the mids and highs, although not identical.
Around $200? Probably the LEAR LHF-AE1d.
But imo, if you still have the Ety, some mild EQing would be the way to go.

 

[Bubblejuice]

Do you still have your Ety? If so, how about a gentle bass EQ and using the barrel-shaped foam tips that come included?

The Mee would likely deliver you that extra bit of bass you want, but it is also warmer sounding, less even in the midrange (slight dip at 2 kHz but followed by a slight lift around 3 kHz), and quite considerably brighter in the treble. I don't think that it's the right choice for you in the mids and highs. Something like the FLC8s or NocturnaL Atlantis (if you don't mind the extra fundamental range and price increase, that is) would be closer in the mids and highs, although not identical.
Around $200? Probably the LEAR LHF-AE1d.
But imo, if you still have the Ety, some mild EQing would be the way to go.

I have them up for sale. I've tried EQ. Unfortunately, even the slightest EQ seems to break the coherence of the IEMs that Ety seems to have worked really hard to get just right. It just doesn't sound right in my ears, even after giving my ears multiple hours to adjust to the different levels. And on top of that, it makes it more clear that I seem to find neutral IEMs to be slightly boring, even with a bass boost. So I think slightly warmer wouldn't be bad (My daily driver headphones are LCD-2F if that says anything). On top of that, I'm just not a fan of EQ if I have to increase the dbz. Decreasing usually doesn't break the balance for me as quickly.

My favorite part of the ER4s is the detail and clarity. It's fun to listen to nuances in music I didn't previously notice. The coherency is also pretty great. But I still find that they don't pull me into the music, so much as they show me the music through a crystal clear glass, but completely out of reach. I also find myself unconsciously adding sub-bass rumble to the music using my voice (humming the musics bass notes to make my chest and head rumble slightly). At first I thought I must always do that. But with my over-ears like my LCDs, B&O H6s, etc, I don't do that at all. Only when I find the bass lacking do I start to supplement my own notes (pretty funny now that I think about it). With my B&O H3s I'll only do that around traffic when the road noise overpowers the H3s own bass.

My daily portables are actually my B&O H3s, but I find them to be a little bloated and as if their missing a few key somethings that I like in my music (otherwise pretty decent). I personally would prefer if they had more sparkle and detail in the treble, more controlled/rumbly bass, and if the vocals were more forward. I'm actually looking at FLC and LZs new offerings coming out this month. However, meanwhile, I thought I'd try out other well regarded In-ears (I don't have much experience with In-ears). If I'm lucky, I'll find a pair under $200 that I'll be quite happy with, otherwise, I'll probably check out the other next-level offerings when reviews come out.

But comparing the sound of the ER4XR with the P1s directly, what similarities and differences would be most noticeable? my preferences aside.

 

[HiFiChris]

But comparing the sound of the ER4XR with the P1s directly, what similarities and differences would be most noticeable? my preferences aside.

P1 will have more warmth and fullness, vocals will be less close/intimate in the mix, voices won't be reproduced as neutrally, female voices will have more presence and brightness while general vocal linearity will be lower, middle treble (around 5 kHz, wide bandwidth) and upper treble (around 9 kHz) will be audibly brighter. The Mee's soundstage is larger.

When it comes to sound signature, those two are quite different.

Imo, if you want to try something new just for the sake of trying out something new and probably finding an in-ear that you might end up being happy with, the Brainwavz B200 could be an interesting choice - it will have a bit more fullness and warmth than the Ety, and is more relaxed and darker in the treble if you don't mind that. It's still a balanced sound, but more laid-back and with more "flesh".

 

[brownOut]

PINNACLE P1 CAN USE M6 PRO EAR TIPS
I have noticed that many P1 owners also have the M6 Pros (“M6p”), just as I do. I thought I would share what I have discovered in my ear tip searches for these IEMs. Shortly after buying the P1, I noticed the M6p and P1 nozzles were functionally identical: P1 nozzle = 4mm long, 4mm in diameter; M6p = 5mm and 4mm, respectively. The ear tips are thus interchangeable. (I do not own digital calipers; measurements are as accurate as I can get with a small plastic ruler.)

M6 PRO
I have enjoyed Etymotic ER6i and HF5s for about 12 years combined and I am comfortable with triple flange ear tips (“3fl”). I tried all included tips and initially settled on the M6p large 3fl. After some experimentation, I found the large 3fl with the smallest flange clipped off was the most comfortable; that is what I use currently. Comply tips have never worked for me on any IEM.

PINNACLE P1
P1 large 3fl offered a passable fit but poor sonics. The sound was muffled and my measurements seemed to indicate why. Tube length of the large 3fl measures 16mm, the IEM nozzle, 4mm: insertion depth of the unsupported part of the tip is 12mm (ear tip tube length minus nozzle length). Looking at a diagram of the ear canal, I believe that 12mm portion either protrudes into a narrow part of the canal or into the curve and is bent or squeezed, thus muffling the sound. (The P1 and M6p large 3fl are identical by my measure.) A large 3fl clipped to 2fl was better but somehow still lacking.

P1 large 2fl has a short tube at 8mm and a large bore so I thought - hmm...near field monitor?...should sound great! Many Head-Fiers like them and I also loved the clarity, extended bass, smooth treble. I could not, however, obtain a consistent seal. Even after careful insertion, the seal would break on its own or with the slightest jaw movement.

I explored what other Head-Fiers used and was considering the popular SpinFits and SpiralDots. It was at that point I discovered the P1/M6p ear tip similarities and tried M6p tips on the P1.

MY P1 “EUREKA” - THE SMALL M6PRO TRIPLE FLANGE TIP
The ergonomically designed P1 body seems to flow into the ear and the nozzle oozes directly into the canal. Side by side, the superiority of this P1 profile over the M6p is clear. For me, this placement of the nozzle closer to the ear canal opening enables the small M6p 3fl to work on the P1 and not the M6p.

I had tried M6p small 3fl tips on the M6p but dismissed them immediately. The M6p body stops flat outside the ear canal and the nozzle protrudes from there. On the M6p, the small 3fl sits loosely in my canal and does not form a seal. This was certainly NOT the case on the P1 body.

The small M6p 3fl tube length measures 12mm; with the 4mm length of the P1 nozzle, insertion depth is 8mm. Additionally- large flange diameters measure: 12mm on sm 3fl, 14mm on lg 3fl; smallest flanges measure: 8mm on sm 3fl, 10mm on lg 3fl. The result? For me, the modest, conical shape (i.e., smaller flanges, shorter length) of the M6p small 3fl on the P1 slides in effortlessly and seems to be a custom fit in my ear canal. I immediately get an Etymotic-like isolation with no vacuum effect and hours of comfort. Detail, soundstage, bass impact and treble extension for me all seem spot-on, satisfying. No other M6p or P1 tip came close. These are easily the most comfortable tips of any I have tried on the P1.

The M6p small 3fl tips are available directly from Mee Audio. I use black (or gray) and clear with clear on the right. I can’t always find the little bump on the right cable easily!

CONCLUSION
Take a look at all M6p ear tips and check to see if one happens to work for you on the P1. The M6p 2fl might work better than the small 3fl for some P1 users. It has the same 8mm insertion depth as the small 3fl but for me, is not as comfortable due to the larger inner flange diameter.

(Aside: This is my first post. I would like to thank Brooko for his thorough, concise, well-written reviews. Brooko is the reason I have the P1’s and the Fiio X5 II for my portable pleasure!)

 

[Blazer39]

Power issues are a problem. Using the LG v30 with the P1 is an exercise in disappointment.

have you tried an impedance adapter? or anything that takes 3.5mm female into 3.5 jack

i remember that trick worked with my previously owned V10, the phone would assume you connected to external source and switch to high gain settings...worth the try

 

[Runding99]

Hey everyne,

New P1 owner here (Massdrop PX) and had a quick question.

Anyone use 2.5mm balanced cables with these? I would like to take advantage of the extra power from my Fiio x7 ii via balanced but mainly want to make sure there's no polarity issues. I know MEE Audio makes their own 2.5mm balanced Swiss army cable and figured it'd be safe but wanted to see if there were any advice here.

Thanks in advance and sorry for being a bit of a noob on these matters.

On a side note, these things are quite amazing and very impressed with the sound signature. The included comply tips bring these things to life!

 

[ExpiredLabel]

If your just getting into the audio game the MEE upgrade cable is a good place to start for its many adapters. If your looking to get specific characteristics from a cable that can lend or mend to certain sound signatures where X cable can tame the higher frequency and Z cable brings overall more treble sparkle and tighter bass, that's a different thing altogether in which I recommend you do some perusing on the cable section and familiarize yourself with different cable companies.

Ps. To answer your initial inquiry. Yes the p1 benefits from a balanced configuration and the extra power behind it as well.

 

[Runding99]

If your just getting into the audio game the MEE upgrade cable is a good place to start for its many adapters. If your looking to get specific characteristics from a cable that can lend or mend to certain sound signatures where X cable can tame the higher frequency and Z cable brings overall more treble sparkle and tighter bass, that's a different thing altogether in which I recommend you do some perusing on the cable section and familiarize yourself with different cable companies.

Ps. To answer your initial inquiry. Yes the p1 benefits from a balanced configuration and the extra power behind it as well.

Thanks so much Expired. I'll definitely check out the cables section as I didn't realize different cables could influence the sound signature. Just recently been getting into the headphone scene and learning a lot. Head-fi in particular has been very helpful with the great community here and appreciate all the input.

Yeah, currently trying out the PX's with spare 2.5mm balanced cables i had from the Fiio F9's and agree that they do sound great. My mind may be playing tricks but the sound stage does seem to open up a bit and i have a lot more headroom with the amp which is very nice.