New Flat/Accurate IEM Target

[Vamp898]

I have found the FATfreq Tsuru Universals which can also be a good fit for this target. The IEM has a bass switch but here is the measurement from Crinacle without it:

Thanks for sharing. This is the description of FATfreq of this IEM

FATfreq’s flattest monitor to date - complete transparency and clinical performance. Our best-selling reference-tuned model.

And absolutely no surprise that this IEM is advertised and made for musicians

 

[Blanchot]

I have now tested the 7Hz Zero 2 with the EQ profile of your target. My ears are 60 years old, so for me, the differences are subtle. I tested it with Shostakovich's 9th with Andris Nelsons and the Boston SO. The nice thing about the Zero 2 is that it can house an entire symphony orchestra (for $25!), something I haven't experienced since I owned the Traillii. I'm really not sure if I prefer the stock tuning or the EQ'ed one.

Early in my audiophile journey I briefly owned Its Fit Lab's R 3. It has largely gone under the radar and there is only one review of of it that I know of (on Twister6's site). From memory I think it sounded even drier and flatter than your target.

Anyway, I have finally ordered the SE846. I'm a bit worried that the isolation may be too extreme for everyday use but for the commute I think it may be ideal (I'm using ER4XR and Solitaire T now).

 

[BX700]

IDK how to pull up this actual target. The Shozy CP looks close to me.

 

[Vamp898]

IDK how to pull up this actual target. The Shozy CP looks close to me.

Yeah, its a bit complicated... it seems to only work on a few selected CrinGraph instances.

But here =)



It is not too far off, but it is too warm. Its even warmer than the SE846 with the Blue/Black filter (and they are warm^^)

So its not bad, but i would not use it for critical listening to judge an mix/master or things like that

 

[Vamp898]

I have now tested the 7Hz Zero 2 with the EQ profile of your target. My ears are 60 years old, so for me, the differences are subtle. I tested it with Shostakovich's 9th with Andris Nelsons and the Boston SO. The nice thing about the Zero 2 is that it can house an entire symphony orchestra (for $25!), something I haven't experienced since I owned the Traillii. I'm really not sure if I prefer the stock tuning or the EQ'ed one.

Early in my audiophile journey I briefly owned Its Fit Lab's R 3. It has largely gone under the radar and there is only one review of of it that I know of (on Twister6's site). From memory I think it sounded even drier and flatter than your target.

Anyway, I have finally ordered the SE846. I'm a bit worried that the isolation may be too extreme for everyday use but for the commute I think it may be ideal (I'm using ER4XR and Solitaire T now).

Thanks for testing. It is important to know that this EQ works very limited. I tried EQing several times myself and i did not manage to get an proper tuning by doing AutoEQ. Sadly AutoEQ is much more complex than one would wish.

But with the SE846, especially with the White Filter, you got a beast. That one is insanely close to reference but but also very comfortable and can be worn for 8+hours without issues.

 

[BX700]

Yeah, its a bit complicated... it seems to only work on a few selected CrinGraph instances.

But here =)



It is not too far off, but it is too warm. Its even warmer than the SE846 with the Blue/Black filter (and they are warm^^)

So its not bad, but i would not use it for critical listening to judge an mix/master or things like that

Yeah tbf it's not the type of product you would expect to be a viable studio monitor, I just thought it happened to be close. Wondering what I do have that matches - my most neutral IEMs have even flatter bass.

 

[Vamp898]

Yeah tbf it's not the type of product you would expect to be a viable studio monitor, I just thought it happened to be close. Wondering what I do have that matches - my most neutral IEMs have even flatter bass.

Its important that this target is an average. Depending on insertion depth and stem size and stuff like that, a slightly weaker/stronger bass can still sound flat/accurate.

Sadly its almost impossible to predict if an IEM will sound correct/flat based on the graph alone. I wish that would be possible though^^ would make the life much easier

 

[JamoBroGuy]

Thanks for sharing. This is the description of FATfreq of this IEM

And absolutely no surprise that this IEM is advertised and made for musicians

Thank gosh Fatfreq didn’t take inspiration from Softears, if you catch my drift.

 

[Vamp898]

Thank gosh Fatfreq didn’t take inspiration from Softears, if you catch my drift.

I can't remember any Moondrop... *Cough* I mean Softears that measures even remotely flat/accurate

 

[BX700]

Be cool if manufacturers offered neutrally tuned versions of more IEMs. You can compare technical apples with apples, and it's to my taste anyway.

 

[Vamp898]

Be cool if manufacturers offered neutrally tuned versions of more IEMs. You can compare technical apples with apples, and it's to my taste anyway.

I do understand why most companies don't do it though. If they all use the exact same tuning, and probably almost the same drivers too, they word, sooner or later, all start to sound the exact same.

For companies that target musicians, that is no issue. You usually buy at your local brand (Germans buy at Vision Ears, Americans buy at Westone/Shure, Japanese buy at FitEar) and you decide by fit/comfort/service and usually not by sound (as they should sound close enough, that it doesn't matter).

But there are like 500 ChiFi Brands an 99% of them use the exact same drivers. If they all would also use the same tuning, there would be no difference between them anymore^^

In addition, you barely, if ever, need more than 4~6 drivers anyway. The FitEar MH334 Studio Reference and the SE846 are both 3-way 4-driver systems and they do their job perfectly fine. Nobody would buy an 10 Driver FiiO if it would sound the same^^

They have to sound different to give the user any reason to buy them in the first place. As long there is enough choice for good Studio Reference IEM in all countries, i personally don't feel the urge that more companies should start making them. I like it rather simple and straight forward.

 

[782369]

@Vamp898 could you compare hisenior t4 iem-s to your refernece target? I have ordered these in custom form (in addition to westone mach 40-s) and would be interesting to know what frequencies need a bit of eq my iem monitor mix (I have a parametric eq available on my mix channel on behringer xr18)

 

[Vamp898]

Looking at this, it seems to not need much EQ. I'd assume they are fine out of the box



But i can not say if this is an reliable measurement. I'm checking if i can find a review unit anywhere

 

[Blanchot]

@Vamp898 Have you measured the blue filter for the SE846? Shure claims that this is the most balanced filter.

 

[redrol]

Here is an attempt at a flat kind of signature from an IEM im building. In practice the mids to bass shelf probably needs to be totally flat but its close!