I'm trying different tips to avoid the problem but it happens with the originals, with the KZ Starline and with the SpinFit CP100. Could they break due to too much driver flex?
Driver flex is not considered a manufacturing defect. It is usually due to a too tight seal, and is partially related to the tips we use and/or our ear anatomy, maybe sometimes it occurs in certain IEM shell designs with insufficient venting (eg iBasso IT00, Oriveti New Primacy). I found a few ways to mitigate driver flex, YMMV:
1) Use foam tips instead of silicone tips, works sometimes for me. Probably cause the foam is porous and lets air escape thru the foams rather than going into the IEM shell.
2) Sometimes using another silicone tip that has lesser isolation/seal may reduce driver flex, though at the expense of isolation. Try a variety of different ear tips and sizes if you can, some tips give more driver flex than others.
3) Try opening your mouth and pulling up the earlobe before inserting the IEM, this opens the ear canal a bit for more space to insert the eartip, and hopefully some air can escape during insertion with the bigger diameter of the ear canal. This method fixes 90% of driver flex for me.
4) Insert the ear tip slowly or not too deeply initially, or insert it at an angle and slowly make fine adjustments to push it in.
As for whether driver flex can damage the driver, I've asked a few manufacturers, and their standard reply is that it won't. But I've seen a few anecdotal reports in audio forums of consumers reporting their IEM died after a particularly bad case of driver flex.
So... I had to send my starfield back due to the left one had a bad driver. Volume imbalanced. I thought it was a filter thing but after changing it and it was still the same. I barely roughed uo the starfield and it was mostly placed on my desk.
Good thing I have my warranty with my local audio store and apparently I was not the only one who had the same exact problem. Currently, I have to wait for 3 weeks to get my starfield repaired or replaced.
Driver flex is not considered a manufacturing defect. It is usually due to a too tight seal, and is partially related to the tips we use and/or our ear anatomy, maybe sometimes it occurs in certain IEM shell designs with insufficient venting (eg iBasso IT00, Oriveti New Primacy). I found a few ways to mitigate driver flex, YMMV:
1) Use foam tips instead of silicone tips, works sometimes for me. Probably cause the foam is porous and lets air escape thru the foams rather than going into the IEM shell.
2) Sometimes using another silicone tip that has lesser isolation/seal may reduce driver flex, though at the expense of isolation. Try a variety of different ear tips and sizes if you can, some tips give more driver flex than others.
3) Try opening your mouth and pulling up the earlobe before inserting the IEM, this opens the ear canal a bit for more space to insert the eartip, and hopefully some air can escape during insertion with the bigger diameter of the ear canal. This method fixes 90% of driver flex for me.
4) Insert the ear tip slowly or not too deeply initially, or insert it at an angle and slowly make fine adjustments to push it in.
As for whether driver flex can damage the driver, I've asked a few manufacturers, and their standard reply is that it won't. But I've seen a few anecdotal reports in audio forums of consumers reporting their IEM died after a particularly bad case of driver flex.
Insert the ear tip in alternative ways as you suggested works initially but when I make adjustments to have a perfect seal the problem returns.
I tried to order new silicone tips (since I have the Starfield I have spent more than $50 on tips for this problem) and unfortunately I don't like the foam ones.
It is absurd to have this problem only with my favorite IEMs, BL-03, SSR, SSP and other inexpensive Chinese single DD are perfect.
Exactly! Kanas>Kanas Pro>KXXS (+KXXX)>Starfield>Aria (New)
Even if they are somewhat and somehow influenced by KZ's tuning along the way, we can attribute all of it to the Harman tuning (and preceding works) since they follow that preference curve closely. I think it's inappropriate and ill-informed to casually throw in the KZ name here
(PS: According to my memory there was an original Kanas but I am unable to find data on it, so I may be mistaken unless proven otherwise)
Exactly! Kanas>Kanas Pro>KXXS (+KXXX)>Starfield>Aria (New)
Even if they are somewhat and somehow influenced by KZ's tuning along the way, we can attribute all of it to the Harman tuning (and preceding works) since they follow that preference curve closely. I think it's inappropriate and ill-informed to casually throw in the KZ name here
(PS: According to my memory there was an original Kanas but I am unable to find data on it, so I may be mistaken unless proven otherwise)
have them on the way, will probably use as my out and about beater iems. Moondrop has suckered me for the starfields and the KXXS's already, but it's become a goal to collect every single waifu IEM that is readily available lol.
have them on the way, will probably use as my out and about beater iems. Moondrop has suckered me for the starfields and the KXXS's already, but it's become a goal to collect every single waifu IEM that is readily available lol.
I find it hard to gauge from the video; the tracks in it seem to be over-compressed compared to the originals. The Aria sounded more forgiving with natural vocals but its treble clarity suffered a little too. Both would no doubt sound better with better recordings- I'm assuming the Starfield would have more sparkle to their sound compared to the Aria, and be less grating on the ears with better recordings compared to how it sounded in the demo (I found it borderline offensive) since its treble should be cleaner then. The Aria would sound less dull with better recordings too. Ultimately it's just a different spin to the same flavour I guess (though I'd probably pick the Aria with my younger ears)
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