Ultrazino
Now known as HuoYuanJia
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2009
- Posts
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INTRODUCTION
Company: InEar GmbH & Co. KG
Homepage: www.inear-monitoring.eu
Origin: Germany
Availability:
· Germany, Europe: directly from InEar, Thomann, mp4audio
· USA: OtoJoy
· Indonesia: Big Knob
Description freely translated from their homepage:
The ultimate, universal earphone from InEar
The development engineers have designed an earphone that nearly fits perfectly into every ear, and, furthermore, is hard to distinguish visually from a customized system. The foundation of the housing was formed from the collected digital data of over 500 measured ear impressions, as well as internal prototypes. Numerous practical testing with real ears refined the design. The final outcome is an earphone that is adapted to the natural ear anatomy and features superb stability.
For optimal isolation, three sizes of ear canal olives are included (S – M – L). Naturally, individual adjustments can be done by the use of ear molds!
Advantages of the StageDiver series:
· Perfect sound through high-class drivers and accurately tuned crossovers
· Isolation of ca. 26 dB
· Replaceable cerumen filters
· The included cables conform to the worldwide quality standard of in-ear monitoring, are replaceable and feature an over-ear design with incorporated memory wires.
Up to this point, the company InEar exclusively offered custom in-ear monitors (CIEM). Basically, the StageDiver series is equal to their custom monitor offering of the LivePro series. They have just figured out how to create a universal housing that is big enough for the same setup of their fully customized monitors. The product line is mainly aimed at musicians and on-stage performers.
As for now, the company offers two versions: the fairly neutral SD-2 and a bassier SD-3. An SD-4 is planned for the future while the LivePro 4 is being refined.
PICTURES
Unboxing:
There is no cardboard box or anything introducing the InEar StageDiver. I have received the hard case with contents in bubble wrap. There are only 3 sizes of olive tips included.
The memory wire is quite long but it didn't bother me. The plug is rectangular.
The model number is printed on the acrylic shell, the inside of the nozzle is protected by an ear wax filter and the cable is removable from it's protective socket.
I have put the InEar tips next to UE tips that were included with the UE900. They fit as well so there should be no problems to finding alternatives. I haven't tried the 6,3mm adapter yet but it feels of high quality.
There is no cardboard box or anything introducing the InEar StageDiver. I have received the hard case with contents in bubble wrap. There are only 3 sizes of olive tips included.
The memory wire is quite long but it didn't bother me. The plug is rectangular.
The model number is printed on the acrylic shell, the inside of the nozzle is protected by an ear wax filter and the cable is removable from it's protective socket.
I have put the InEar tips next to UE tips that were included with the UE900. They fit as well so there should be no problems to finding alternatives. I haven't tried the 6,3mm adapter yet but it feels of high quality.
IMPRESSIONS: STAGE DIVER SD-2
Specifications:
· Two-way system with two drivers (1xB, 1xM/H)· Output sound pressure: 119 dB
· Impedance: 40 ohms
· Cable length: 140 cm
· Box contents: gold-plated 6,3mm adapter, 3 cleaning wipes, InEar hard case
· MSRP: € 359 (introductory price € 329)
Tonal Balance:
The StageDiver SD-2 is a fairly neutral and smooth contestant with slightly forward mids.With default tips it has a carefully warm tilt with pronounced kickbass, but extending well. UE or similar tips with a bigger mouth are recommended and a deep insertion makes the SD-2 sound very linear.
Mids are extremely clean and highs extend incredibly far.
There is no harshness in voices or highs, making the SD-2 a very appealing (mid-centric to flat) monitor for Classical, Jazz, Vocal or Acoustic.
Detailed Review:
· Build Quality
Simply put, build quality is amazing. It equals the build of most customs and uses the same acrylic shell. InEar adds an earwax filter that many other companies don’t. It should increase the life endurance quite a bit – especially for actual on-stage performers.The twisted cable (silver cable included, black cable is also available) feels soft and flexible and is very lightweight. The memory wires around the ear are extended quite a bit and can easily be bent to your liking. The professional cable terminates in an angled jack and inserts into a nice socket of the housing to prevent breaking the contacts sideways.
Although only three types of olives are included, you can fit your average UE tips on the nozzle.
The overall build is up there with top of the line customs. As for universals, I claim to have found a new reference.
BTW, the housing is put together from two pieces only. You should not have any concerns about the nozzle breaking off or similar. It won't happen. The filters are colored left and red, depending on the earpiece (red for right) and also the cable has a small dot indicating which earpiece goes to which side.
· Comfort
The StageDiver does feel like a custom in a way. It sits incredibly tight and actually sucks itself into your ear. I have no idea how the company managed to achieve that, but I’d feel very comfortable diving into the crowd or headbang on stage with this monitor in use. I can move my mouth freely without feeling any sign of discomfort.The only thing that worries me is that you have to remove them carefully with a twist or you might provoke a nasty suction.
I will emphasize the necessity to try out different tips! The housing does not give you much room for experimentation. I know that the insertion changes sound quality and comfort a lot, but the StageDiver does not give you this room. If inserted correctly, it sits tight in your auricle. Different sizes of tips will give you different depths of insertions. I usually go for M and these fit well and comfortable, however, I noticed I can completely avoid the midbass elevation by using a slightly smaller tip which gives me deeper insertion.
· Isolation
Isolation is just as good as with any fully closed IEM, e.g. Westone, Shure or Ultimate Ears universals. I guess isolation will depend most on tips used. Complies are the way to go if you really want to block out any noise. It might be possible to get even better isolation by using bi- or tri-flanges but I will let others try it out.· Soundstage
The soundstage is truly impressive. It sounds big but it does not exceed the size of your head, unfortunately. It works pretty well with the good separation and precise imaging. I have rarely experienced bigger soundstages with multi-BA systems, yet it does stretch out some more to the sides than it does in depth. Actual results will depend on tips used/fit issues and power of imagination. However, I highly doubt you will find anyone seriously claiming the soundstage is small.· Resolution
I have blasted some fast Thrash Metal through these and the drivers never lose control. Bass is quick and tight and cymbals have but a very short decay. There is definitely nothing drowned in hectic pieces.The drivers proved to be also very competent with Classical pieces. At first, I found a recording which sounded very hectic and nervous, but upon further inspection the mastering clipped. So the SD-2 is definitely very capable and it will be interesting to see how it performs in the comparison section.
· Bass, Mids and Treble
Bass is not completely linear. It sounds fullest at 150-200 Hz and it fades out at 30 Hz at moderate listening volume. Without EQ, you will have a hard time to enjoy subbass. Do not expect slam! With EQ, the single bass driver performs incredibly well all the way down until my ears give up. The bass is definitely quick enough to deliver some kick and it can sound quite dark, but it does so from the background. Texture is great.Mids and highs are incredibly clean - they're among the best I've heard! To my ears, 200-2k Hz are very flat. Even upon that area, there are no obvious ups and downs and the highs go all the way up to 16k Hz. Roll-off does not kick in before 13,5k Hz, yet the presentation remains very smooth. No presence peak and no sibilance, very clean in the usually difficult 2k-3k and 8k-10k area (meaning not pronounced and without dips).
As a result, voices sound very realistic and uncolored and Classical music is simply a joy to listen to. The air in the very high notes is welcomed a lot.
· Cohesion and Summary
These are my new reference IEMs!The clean and easy performance from upper bass all the way to the high frequencies with great extension deliver the best sonic performances with Classical, Acoustic, Vocal and instrumental music I have heard recently below the high-end customs mark. As a downside, you will have to use an EQ to get some rumble but even then the driver proves to be capable. You do get some kickbass and the bass is fast enough to punch but it definitely takes a backseat.
Separation and soundstage are simply incredible and the large acrylic shell does feature top-of-the line high-end custom crossover technology. I was wary at first, but there is no denying this is an improvement over regular small universals.
Add amazing build quality and comfort and you have a new reference for on-stage monitoring. The price is very worth it, even from a hifi enthusiast’s perspective.
Comparisons:
· Phonak Audéo PFE 232
Compared to SD-2, the PFE has much more present bass and highs. Maybe my ears have adjusted already, but exchanging SD’s lush mids for PFE’s metallic highs and booming bass did not seem favorable. I could only compare the two - and try to stay objective - while adjusting the Audéo with FiiO’s very basic EQ.The SD-2 still has more body to the voices, while the PFE has thinner mids and has (much) more power in the subbass. On the other side, SD-2 feels slightly bloated in the upper bass with A-B comparisons.
I did not manage to remove the metallic and strident tendency of Audéo’s highs directly next to the SD-2, whereas the StageDiver sounds a lot smoother and even a bit recessed, but they both extend very far. The Phonak did force itself to emphasize noise and recording errors.
Soundstage of both is similarly big and wide. While voices take a backseat and are recessed on the PFE, they appear in the first row with SD-2. Again, I have to give the advantage to SD-2 because the stage feels a lot more cohesive and realistic, although it is artificially enjoyable with PFE. As I said, it is comparable in size, but every tone feels thinner with PFE, shrinking the size of instruments.
I did not succeed in picking a winner for detail retrieval and resolution. They are on the same level.
In summary, I do not see how one would think of the PFE as the better IEM unless your preferred music does not feature any vocals and needs boosted and sharp highs – or you like subbass. Timbre, soundstage and cohesion are superior with the SD-2, giving a much more enjoyable presentation across the board.
· Logitech Ultimate Ears UE900
The UE900 has a very special sounding, and to be honest, by tuning alone, it is my favorite multi-BA IEM. The tonality of the SD-2 is very different, pushing mids forward and giving an overall more lively presentation with better timbre. The UE900 feels more precise and cleaner, though.In the bass department, UE900 is so far the best IEM I’ve heard. The PRaT is simply amazing and the bass is very linear with extension that only reaches its limit by my hearing capabilities. Technically, the SD-2 is easily surpassed, feeling bloated in the kickbass area and delivering considerably less subbass. The differences in bass are on a scale similar to LCD-2 vs HD650.
However, I love how real the mids sound with the SD-2, appearing lush with full body and almost holographic. The UE900 sounds comparably lifeless, sucked from blood and very dry. Furthermore, voices are slightly veiled as they fall off after 2 kHz, resulting in a very relaxed presentation. I will have to give the edge to SD-2, which sounds more realistically tuned and just has a small dip in the 4 kHz area.
The Logitech does not recover before 8-10 kHz, which I’ve heard some people even complain about sounding bright. I did not perceive it as such, but I noticed the UE900 extends very well in the highs. The SD-2 has a much smoother transition with a warm fade-out from 5-16 kHz, avoiding any harshness.
Needless to say, the StageDiver has the much larger soundstage. The UE900 features very little space, but does well with layering and separation.
Actually, I have to give the edge to UE900 in terms of resolution as it performs incredibly solid across the whole frequency range. Though also precise, next to the UE900 the SD-2 sounds spongy in the bass, thicker in the mids and silkier in the highs.
SD-2 and UE900 are very different IEMs. One is of the engaging kind, captivating you with realistic timbre and soundstage, whereas the other is vaguely repellent, but also incredibly smart and talented.
· Hifiman RE-400
This comparison is difficult for me as I might be overlooking an obvious explanation to what I hear. Tonality and frequency response is basically similar, but RE400 has a stronger high roll-off and has more focus on mids. Both are fairly neutral with a slight emphasis on mids.Yet the presentation I perceive is completely different.
Extension in the lows is similar, but the sub-bass is perceived stronger with RE400 although it sounds very lightweight. The bass of the SD2 sounds much darker and realistic, although punch is a bit softer. This makes the HiFiMAN sound a bit cleaner, if artificially so.
The RE400 focuses strongly on mids, presenting them in a relaxed way. The distance to voices is bigger and thus SD2 can deliver more intimacy. Maybe due to a mild lower mid boost, voices have much more volume and body, sounding more realistic to my ears. They are not as soft as with the RE400 but never fatiguing; probably because the upper mids take a dive.
Highs are recessed with the RE400 whereas they are linear to slightly recessed (depending on tips) with the SD2. Both are very clean with even transitions and a careful peak at 10 kHz without any hints of sibilance. At lower volume the SD2 extends further. Even though the performance is very smooth, RE400 has stronger roller coaster rides making the SD2 the obviously better choice for monitoring.
Width of soundstage is comparable in size but the RE400 lacks quite a bit of depth when compared to SD2. I’d say it is similar to W4 that extends nicely from left to right, but because of the bigger distance the depth appears a bit flat. Layering is better with SD2 and I really appreciate the intimacy voices can give without being too close like with SE535. Separation is good with both but I actually might have to give RE400 an advantage for resolution. The music is tighter with very short decay, putting it up there to triple (and some quadruple) BA universals. The SD2 is slightly behind.
The RE400 is very cohesive and everything fits well together. However, bass and highs appear veiled to me and they desaturate the image. Thus, timbre is off and the overall sound reminds me of hollow wood or paper.
The great timbre and convincing soundstage is what makes the SD2 stand out. Technically, the bang-for-buck of the RE400 is crazy and the presentation definitely does not cause any sort of fatigue. But it is also worth mentioning that I have little faith in the durability of the non-replaceable cable, that no carrying pouch is included and that none of the included ear tips fitted my medium sized ear canal. The build quality of SD2 is reference quality.
