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Review: InEar StageDiver Series
Jan 16, 2017 at 9:02 AM Post #291 of 341
Has anyone tried these with the Sennheiser IE80s included foam tips, they fit like a glove!
 
Jan 22, 2018 at 4:13 PM Post #292 of 341
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InEar SD5 confirmed. Now with wood finish.
 
Jun 5, 2018 at 10:18 AM Post #296 of 341
deafdoorknob said:
Klaus, is it officially out yet?
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Yes, I do believe so. I first received the SD5 in mid-March. The SD5 are available at some distributors oversea already.

cocolinho said:
Gorgeous!
now we need comparisons with PP8 :)
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Coming right up!

I just did an A-B comparison. I used the same cable (InEar stock) and the same ear tips. Source: Chord Hugo 2.
I don't like the stock cable. It is almost a direct copy of the Plastics 1 cable that used to be the industry standard a few years ago. It has high impedance and introduces audible crosstalk (depending on the IEMs used). The design changes (round Y-split) are for the worse, IMO.
I also don't like the default ear tips. They feel kinda plastic-y and cheap. Luckily InEar also includes SpinFit and Comply, but both are not optimal as they don't allow deep insertion. InEar being a CIEM manufacturer and the design of the build that is supposed to hook into the concha suggest that these IEMs should be worn with the deepest insertion possible. For this I have used some stock tips that were included with an Astrotec IEM as those are significantly shorter.
The SD5 are a bit smaller. Not by much, but enough to notice when worn. I think they have the exact same size as SD2 but I will have to check up on that again.

I will start with the ProPhile 8. Looking back at my detailed review from February 2017, there isn't anything I want to change about the description: https://headfonics.com/2017/02/the-prophile-8-by-inear/
The PP8 has one of the best interpretations of studio-neutral sound yet. There is but a hint added low-end and a minimal cut in the vocal presence. This is - from what I've heard - the best attempt of delivering neutral sound via IEM and still making it sound as enjoyable as near-field monitors. I can use these for hours and hours and I don't find them fatiguing. The treble I perceive is flat like no other IEM I know, which allows insane detail and transparency. There are two shortcomings, though. One, I think the bass isn't as tight as it could be. I could name five IEMs on the spot which I think have a tighter low-end. And second, the treble extension is only ok. By now there are multiple IEMs with BA drivers that have far better extension in the highs. However, that is not where the important information of the music is, so I think it is better to focus on tonality first and treble extension second.

Switching to the StageDiver 5, I am surprised how comparable voices actually sound. They might be a bit warmer on the SD5, but not that much. Unfortunately, I don't have the ADI-2 Pro connected at the moment, so I couldn't perfectly match the volume. The SD5 are a bit louder at the same volume setting, though. Bass and highs are well-balanced and boosted in almost equal terms. The SD5 packs quite a punch in the bass. It's surprisingly fun and gives the music a much more lively feeling. However, looking at the market, saying the SD5 are warm and bassy does not suit well - other popular IEMs are much warmer and feature much more rumble. The treble here is a very good counterweigh and manages to push the bass back a bit. Luckily, the treble is very smooth, but nonetheless it is boosted and thus it is quite a bit more fatiguing than the PP8. On the plus side, this also helps with treble extension and the SD5 reaches a bit further than the PP8. There is a small dip at 5-6 kHz which eliminates most of the sibilance on poorly mastered tracks, but depending on the recording, trumpets can be a bit too hot for my taste. Just this tiny bit too much. I am sure that people can figure out a good combination of cables, source DAPs or different tips to make it "just right".
Of course any kind of coloration will create drawbacks, but they are kept at a minimum here. I'd even go so far and say that if neutral tonality is not your priority, the SD5 might even be a better fit than the PP8. The bass is tighter and the presentation overall more colorful and fun. Plus, since the frequency response only has two prominent bumps, it is super easy to use an equalizer to transform the SD5 into a PP8.

Going back to the ProPhile 8 once more. This time I hit both switches, so bass and treble are boosted. The PP8 w/ +3 bass and +2 treble is a good approximation of the SD5. But it's only halfway there. The PP8 (on/on) still has more forward mids and overall sounds a bit brighter than SD5. The bass focus is deeper and thus has more distance to the listener. The bass of SD5 is crunchier and somehow has better attack. Some say my preference of neutral sound is hardcore, but I myself am shocked how easily I can get lost in the SD5.

When to get PP8:
- you're a sound engineer and need utmost precision
- you love Classical and Jazz
- you spend hours equalizing your home stereo setup and pay a lot of money to cancel all sound reflections
- you hate Dolby Atmos and whatever nonsense mass consumer market tries to sell you because you know NF monitors are the real deal

When to get SD5:
- you think PP8 is too expensive and you can get the same performance for less
- you like to play the air guitar
- you like wood
 
Jun 14, 2018 at 1:01 AM Post #298 of 341
Klaus, would it be too similar to the andros? thx.

one of the main issue with andros for me is the thin lower mids, where some male voices, acoustic bass and cello lack body.
 
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Jun 14, 2018 at 3:20 AM Post #299 of 341
deafdoorknob said:
Klaus, would it be too similar to the andros? thx.

one of the main issue with andros for me is the thin lower mids, where some male voices, acoustic bass and cello lack body.
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Hmm... doesn't sound like a typical characteristic of the Andromeda to me. Are you sure you are using a a (very) low impedance source? Are you using the stock cable? If so, the Andromeda should sound rather thick and warm.

Or maybe it's not precisely the lower mids that you mean. The SD-5 have less recession in the midrange and thus overall sound fuller and more complete. I think they could be what you are looking for but maybe confirm twice that your Andromeda are playing to their full potential.
 
Jun 14, 2018 at 3:58 AM Post #300 of 341
HuoYuanJia said:
Hmm... doesn't sound like a typical characteristic of the Andromeda to me. Are you sure you are using a a (very) low impedance source? Are you using the stock cable? If so, the Andromeda should sound rather thick and warm.

Or maybe it's not precisely the lower mids that you mean. The SD-5 have less recession in the midrange and thus overall sound fuller and more complete. I think they could be what you are looking for but maybe confirm twice that your Andromeda are playing to their full potential.
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using Sony zx300 balanced, iphone with DF Red and direct from iphone, using their ref 8 cable as well as stock litz and PW Audio 5. i suppose i am just not a fan of the ethereral vocal presentation of andros. For example I found ety 4XR and VE8 both have a "chunker" more "grounded", denser mids than the andros to me.

using either comply or spinfit.

voices like leonard cohen, nick cave or johnny cash type of voices lack the gravitas i get from my fitear or 2.ch system of ATC scm12 speakers, for example.
 
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