[voicemaster]

Just wondering, did anyone else's Variations come with a black case instead and no filters preapplied?

I have two of them and both came with blue leather case. Of course with filters applied but that thing easily came off when you change your tips.

 

[jsmiller58]

I'll wait for more feedback concerning Kato. I hope I'm wrong, but to me the graph vs. Starfield don't show significant changes, I hope it brings more than a slight reduction of vocal presence, a slight increase of highs and a nozzle that bring more air compared to the other.

In the absence of need, when in doubt, wait. These aren’t Pokémon that need to be collected.

 

[vietzerg]

Has anyone tried listening to the Starfield without filters? I'm experimenting a "mod" where I remove the original filters and put tuning foam inside the nozzles instead. It sounds still pretty neutral but less "dampened."

 

[Lamim Rashid]

I'll wait for more feedback concerning Kato. I hope I'm wrong, but to me the graph vs. Starfield don't show significant changes, I hope it brings more than a slight reduction of vocal presence, a slight increase of highs and a nozzle that bring more air compared to the other.

That's exactly what the graph indicates. It's just a starfield with better tech/hardware, slight reduction in vocal presence region, and more air/treble. On the other hand I wouldn't expect it to sound that different from kxxs/starfield/aria. I'd only get this if you want that starfield sound but with those slight changes. I digress, still probably best to wait for more reviews. My only issue with iems is that reviews don't help me much cause my opinion and experience usually end up being pretty different from all the rave reviews we always see online. Sound is too subjective.

 

[jsmiller58]

That's exactly what the graph indicates. It's just a starfield with better tech/hardware, slight reduction in vocal presence region, and more air/treble. On the other hand I wouldn't expect it to sound that different from kxxs/starfield/aria. I'd only get this if you want that starfield sound but with those slight changes. I digress, still probably best to wait for more reviews. My only issue with iems is that reviews don't help me much cause my opinion and experience usually end up being pretty different from all the rave reviews we always see online. Sound is too subjective.

The trick is to establish some calibration… what IEMs do you really like, or really dislike? Then look for comparisons to those. What reviewers and owners have consistently rated high the IEMs you like and low the IEMs you dislike? Then place more weight on their opinions. Will reduce the likelihood of a negative surprise.

I should add also try to expand experience with different sound signatures…. I have found that when I listen to some of my favorites I might dislike the sound of other IEMs initially, but if I listen to those for a while I start to like that sound…. Brain burn in to be sure!

 

[Lamim Rashid]

The trick is to establish some calibration… what IEMs do you really like, or really dislike? Then look for comparisons to those. What reviewers and owners have consistently rated high the IEMs you like and low the IEMs you dislike? Then place more weight on their opinions. Will reduce the likelihood of a negative surprise.

I should add also try to expand experience with different sound signatures…. I have found that when I listen to some of my favorites I might dislike the sound of other IEMs initially, but if I listen to those for a while I start to like that sound…. Brain burn in to be sure!

Brain burn in is definitely a thing. Have had a lot of iems I didn't like at first. I'm a starfield Stan and don't like most hybrids (even the dusk lmaoo) but I don't know a lot of people with taste like that. The few that I do know like that have thousands of dollars in iems but still like stuff like their na2+ more so I'm basically waiting for the next big DD, like an oxygen or na2+ upgrade.

 

[blacksesame]

Just wondering, did anyone else's Variations come with a black case instead and no filters preapplied?

mine came with blue case and one of the filters came off. my box came opened sadly...

 

[InvisibleInk]

mine came with blue case and one of the filters came off. my box came opened sadly...

 

[Tomm11]

Has anyone tried listening to the Starfield without filters? I'm experimenting a "mod" where I remove the original filters and put tuning foam inside the nozzles instead. It sounds still pretty neutral but less "dampened."

I still get confused by the "filters". I got my Starfield in July 2020. It came with the little stickers on a sheet in the box. The iem's themselves just had the screens on the nozzles. No stickers were applied. I assume these stickers are the "filters". If that's the case, then yes, I always listened to the Starfields without filters. My problem with the Starfield was never the tuning. It's not my favorite tuning but it's very good. My problem is that I always found it rather boring. The "filters" aren't gonna change that.

 

[vietzerg]

I still get confused by the "filters". I got my Starfield in July 2020. It came with the little stickers on a sheet in the box. The iem's themselves just had the screens on the nozzles. No stickers were applied. I assume these stickers are the "filters". If that's the case, then yes, I always listened to the Starfields without filters. My problem with the Starfield was never the tuning. It's not my favorite tuning but it's very good. My problem is that I always found it rather boring. The "filters" aren't gonna change that.

The stickers are actually the filters, or the screens on the nozzles you're talking about. I realized they had a very strong "dampening" effect on the sound.

 

[Tomm11]

The stickers are actually the filters, or the screens on the nozzles you're talking about. I realized they had a very strong "dampening" effect on the sound.

So you're saying that the metal screens have a very strong "dampening" effect too?

 

[voicemaster]

So you're saying that the metal screens have a very strong "dampening" effect too?

From what I read, the sticker filter doesn't change the sound at all while the metal screen will add some dampening.

 

[vietzerg]

So you're saying that the metal screens have a very strong "dampening" effect too?

For my Starfield, the filter or the sticker is the same thing. And it does look like it has some sort of metal screen on one side: see the filter product page.

Removing the filter makes the Starfield sound quite shoutier to me (meaning less "dampening"). So I'm curious if anyone has done the same.

 

[Tomm11]

Whatever the case, I don't use the stickers but I'll keep the metal screen in place. I do have the stickers on my Variations. The originals are still in place.

 

[bryanrj]

Whatever the case, I don't use the stickers but I'll keep the metal screen in place. I do have the stickers on my Variations. The originals are still in place.

I believe the filter is located underneath the metal screen. I think every IEM comes with filters applied from factory. Those unapplied are extra filters. Or am I wrong?