[rainykchan]

Hi Joe, I've bought my em4 for quite some time, and I've been really happy about it.
All along, I didn't bother to change the cable, but yesterday I tried changing to a UE stock cable which looks extremely similar to the earsonics stock, and to my surprise, I can hear a great difference in presentation. The UE cable sounded much more spacious, bringing the instruments farther away, taking away quite a bit of the magical vocals of em4. The cable also changed the tonal balance of em4, bringing the highs forward while pushing mids and the bass quite far away. with the new cable, the em4 sounded more analytical, detailed and crystal clear while losing some key qualities: immersing mids, enhanced bass and natural tone.
I couldn't believe changing a stock cable to another could make such a strong difference, although not necessarily a positive one. Would it be okay if you could do a brief review on all those stock cables you own? Also, which cable would you recommend for improving the em4?

 

[highskyman]

Hi Joe,
Alien Ears added 5 and 6-driver custom iem
since it is not in your info list, thought this news would interest you a lot.
http://www.alienears.com/category/190-custm-i-ear-mitrs.aspx

 

[project86]

Quote:

Hi Joe,
Alien Ears added 5 and 6-driver custom iem
since it is not in your info list, thought this news would interest you a lot.
http://www.alienears.com/category/190-custm-i-ear-mitrs.aspx

 
Not to be rude, but Alien Ears is just a small step above Fidelity Customs and Kozee Sound as far as customer horror stories. I wouldn't recommend them. 
 
The marketing is dubious on these new models. Instead of using the industry standard terms like you did (5 and 6 drivers IEMs) they call them 10 and 12 driver IEMs. Which is kind of true if you add up all the drivers, but not really the way it is commonly described. And they know it. 
 
Also I like the description of the G8 "eight driver" model: "The high end driver put the sibilance in everything!" Is that really what we are looking for? 

 

[SoupRKnowva]

Quote:

 
The marketing is dubious on these new models. Instead of using the industry standard terms like you did (5 and 6 drivers IEMs) they call them 10 and 12 driver IEMs. Which is kind of true if you add up all the drivers, but not really the way it is commonly described. And they know it. 

Unique Melody did something very similar with the specs for the PP6 though, on their site they have the "combined attenuation" listed at 56 db, which they obviously just added 28db from each side together, but even then it would only add up to 31db...they should probably change that on the website, since it is a bit misleading.

 

[project86]

Quote:

Unique Melody did something very similar with the specs for the PP6 though, on their site they have the "combined attenuation" listed at 56 db, which they obviously just added 28db from each side together, but even then it would only add up to 31db...they should probably change that on the website, since it is a bit misleading.

 
I'd like that changed as well, but it isn't quite the same thing. Driver count is one of the main selling points of an IEM. And I'd say they are deliberately saying it this way to sensationalize. Their older models were properly described as dual or triple driver models rather than 4 or 6 drivers. So for some reason they decided to switch it up for these new models.
 
There were several people around here who had quite a headache with the company though. And I don't think anything has changed as far as who owns/runs the place. 

 

[SoupRKnowva]

Quote:

 
I'd like that changed as well, but it isn't quite the same thing. Driver count is one of the main selling points of an IEM. And I'd say they are deliberately saying it this way to sensationalize. Their older models were properly described as dual or triple driver models rather than 4 or 6 drivers. So for some reason they decided to switch it up for these new models.
 
There were several people around here who had quite a headache with the company though. And I don't think anything has changed as far as who owns/runs the place. 

true enough, and im not trying to disparage UM's customer service reputation at all. It's just that they also did a bit of number fudging in their favor as well, though i should probably bring it up in the main pp6 thread rather than here to see if one of the reps can get it changed. And i guess its true that driver count has a much greater influence on buying decision than ambient noise attenuation lol

 

[highskyman]

Quote:

 
Not to be rude, but Alien Ears is just a small step above Fidelity Customs and Kozee Sound as far as customer horror stories. I wouldn't recommend them. 
 
The marketing is dubious on these new models. Instead of using the industry standard terms like you did (5 and 6 drivers IEMs) they call them 10 and 12 driver IEMs. Which is kind of true if you add up all the drivers, but not really the way it is commonly described. And they know it. 
 
Also I like the description of the G8 "eight driver" model: "The high end driver put the sibilance in everything!" Is that really what we are looking for? 

OK, thanks. Haven't got an answer from them so far. Tried web site contact form, emailed them. I'll tell you more, they have no security certificate for web transactions... Suspicious enough.
 
As for marketing, I've seen much worse cases. ) 
That said G12 looks promising: 6 drivers, supertweeter (up 22000 Hz, that's something new). Sweet lies? 

 

[Cassadian]

Quote:

OK, thanks. Haven't got an answer from them so far. Tried web site contact form, emailed them. I'll tell you more, they have no security certificate for web transactions... Suspicious enough.
 
As for marketing, I've seen much worse cases. ) 
That said G12 looks promising: 6 drivers, supertweeter (up 22000 Hz, that's something new). Sweet lies? 

 
Well if you look at the specs for the IE800 haha.  I'm sure it can go up to 22,000 Hz at a certain dB level or freq.

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

 
So I tried the LCM-5 on my Anedio D2. Without the adapter I end up setting volume around 30-40 depending on the music, which is pretty typical of CIEMs. Then I add the adapter to the chain, and have to go up to the 70-80 mark to achieve similar volume. So there is definitely some loss of efficiency happening. Not that it is necessarily a bad thing, as long as the source has enough gain. 
 
I'll have to keep checking on it to see what works and what doesn't. 

 
I have to spend much more time with them before I come to any conclusions...
 
Quote:

Hi Joe, I've bought my em4 for quite some time, and I've been really happy about it.
All along, I didn't bother to change the cable, but yesterday I tried changing to a UE stock cable which looks extremely similar to the earsonics stock, and to my surprise, I can hear a great difference in presentation. The UE cable sounded much more spacious, bringing the instruments farther away, taking away quite a bit of the magical vocals of em4. The cable also changed the tonal balance of em4, bringing the highs forward while pushing mids and the bass quite far away. with the new cable, the em4 sounded more analytical, detailed and crystal clear while losing some key qualities: immersing mids, enhanced bass and natural tone.
I couldn't believe changing a stock cable to another could make such a strong difference, although not necessarily a positive one. Would it be okay if you could do a brief review on all those stock cables you own? Also, which cable would you recommend for improving the em4?

 
Sounds like the polarity might be switched.  What happens if you switch the pin orientation?
 
Quote:

Hi Joe,
Alien Ears added 5 and 6-driver custom iem
since it is not in your info list, thought this news would interest you a lot.
http://www.alienears.com/category/190-custm-i-ear-mitrs.aspx

 
Thanks for the info, I will update soon...
 
Quote:

OK, thanks. Haven't got an answer from them so far. Tried web site contact form, emailed them. I'll tell you more, they have no security certificate for web transactions... Suspicious enough.
 
As for marketing, I've seen much worse cases. ) 
That said G12 looks promising: 6 drivers, supertweeter (up 22000 Hz, that's something new). Sweet lies? 

 
If there is no + with the specs, than it doesn't mean too much as it could be 100 dB down at 22K.  The proof is in the pudding; how does it sound.  I have heard some CIEMs that go way up including the 5-way and LS8.

 

[project86]

Quote:

OK, thanks. Haven't got an answer from them so far. Tried web site contact form, emailed them. I'll tell you more, they have no security certificate for web transactions... Suspicious enough.
 
As for marketing, I've seen much worse cases. ) 
That said G12 looks promising: 6 drivers, supertweeter (up 22000 Hz, that's something new). Sweet lies? 

 
Maybe I'm being overly tough on them. Maybe they have improved a lot over the past few years. It's just that for me, once a company earns a bad reputation through lack of communication, botched builds, and generally unimpressive sound quality, it takes a lot for them to get back on my good side. And yes, I did own a pair of their triple driver customs. When I see potentially deceptive advertising on their new products, it certainly doesn't help.
 
I'd love to be proven wrong though. I know this company does have some fans and they have been around for a while.

 

[tupac0306]

http://www.spiralear.com/en/products/se3-pro/
 
5 way junior

 

[IAmSoCheap]

Quote:

http://www.spiralear.com/en/products/se3-pro/
 
5 way junior

 wow, you're really quick!  Seems they just released it?

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

 
Maybe I'm being overly tough on them. Maybe they have improved a lot over the past few years. It's just that for me, once a company earns a bad reputation through lack of communication, botched builds, and generally unimpressive sound quality, it takes a lot for them to get back on my good side. And yes, I did own a pair of their triple driver customs. When I see potentially deceptive advertising on their new products, it certainly doesn't help.
 
I'd love to be proven wrong though. I know this company does have some fans and they have been around for a while.

 
I hope they have changed and prove people wrong.  What was the snake story from Natural Born Killers?
 
Quote:

http://www.spiralear.com/en/products/se3-pro/
 
5 way junior

 
Per Grzegorz, the 3-way has similar resolution to the 5-way when driven properly, but won't have the 5-way bass capability.  It is still natural, neutral, coherent, organic, and very resolving, but brighter and more analytical (still having good bass).  This is just a different flavor of the 5-way.
 
There is also a 1-way pro which is very analytical and is the brightest SE monitor with a half-mold.  They resemble the ER4 with slight improvements in the lower end of the spectrum.
 
Quote:

 wow, you're really quick!  Seems they just released it?

 
Yes, he is!

 

[rainykchan]

Quote:

 
Sounds like the polarity might be switched.  What happens if you switch the pin orientation?
 

The bass and the mids are back on with the polarity switched, I guess you're right about the polarity. However, I can still hear  a bit difference between the stocks, the earsonics stock has better control and tighter bass, but the differences are minor so I guess it could be a result of different stages of oxidation, aging and burn- in of the cables.

 

[piotrus-g]

As for Alien and its "marketing":
 
Quote:

Six proprietary drivers in each monitor and a hand wired crossover
with each driver receiving it own crossover components produces a faster clearer
response unmatched by any monitor on the market today!

Right....

 
So if you look closely on the upper earpiece you'll notice regular off-shelf Sonion 2369. Which is really great mid/tweeter anyways but it's not proprietary.
 
Just my 5 cents
 
 
OH btw. my 1k post