[autosleeper]

@Redcarmoose isn't wrong about the vocal recession on the DM6. I don't always notice it but was listening to Street Fighting Man (flac file from the recent mono reissue) and Jagger sounded seriously indistinct.

 

[Dsnuts]

Had to whip out the old NuForce NE700m and the EZAudio D4. https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/nicehck-ezaudio-d4.23404/reviews#review-21167 Never realized just how colored the sound of the NuForce NE700 was. D4 wins in clarity and has better tighter bass end too actually has the better balanced sound vs the NE700m.

Astounding for a $10 earphone. If any of you guys recently bought a pair during singles day. Your in for a surprise.

 

[Redcarmoose]

@Redcarmoose isn't wrong about the vocal recession on the DM6. I don't always notice it but was listening to Street Fighting Man (flac file from the recent mono reissue) and Jagger sounded seriously indistinct.

Ya, the recession is maybe in a really small frequency band, and is noticed in vocals but a lot in other specific vocal personalities. It’s hard for me to recommend a vocal alternative IEM, as the genre is not my thing. Also I have addressed this issue with my Sony full-size headphones and found remedy with cables, but here, so far I’m lost.

Also we always have to remember folks always have different hearing and different signature demands; as well as different music. What is a close to perfect response character could always be found far from perfect for others.

I had no vocal MP3s in my IPod so I actually fell short noticing the issue earlier in the week. The transparency with the IPod along with the frequency response limitations further kept me from noticing.


Off the top of my head both my Nobel Encores do vocals right, and the $199 Magaosi K5(cable upgrade V2) do a pretty good job. But I have limited experience with the Magaosi at this point; so far they are pretty strange ducks.

 

[jant71]

I have been very tempted to buy a pair of Fender Puresonic IEMs Jant likes but have always held off. So today I thought to look at the website of Long and Mcquade and national yet local music store here in Canada and they had the Fender FXA2 on sale for $139 CAD which is the lowest I have ever seen that IEM. So figured it would be close to the Puresonic and allow me to play with cable options.

So here is my new bad boys,

Have to say I have been shy to buy anything Aurisonic since the Rockets because I was not that happy with that particular IEM. But this FXA2 has a great signature. Nice beefy bass, liquid mids, relaxed yet detailed treble. May not match up to the best chi fi stuff or have multi drivers but this one chill sounding single dynamic driver IEM. For $139 it's a pretty good deal and scratched my itch to try a Fender IEM for the past couple of years.

Jant, have you heard the FXA2? If so how does it compare to the Puresonic models? Looking at specs I suspect they share the same driver but it always hard to say for sure.

Sure like the look of the metallic blue color.

They did use the driver but made the housing smaller and use a new cable. Have to be quite close though I haven't heard the FXA2.

@jant71 could you please tell me more about the vocals and soundstage of your finschi? I have cancelled my dm6 order and am curious about these.

Finschi is a little tip picky. Stock isn't the best and perhaps they want tips that extend out more than the stock do. They are shallow fit and best to keep to that as some can get driver flex and trying to get the absolute best seal shifts the balance to bass more than I would like. Not hard to learn to get along with and make them sing pretty well. Very easy to drive and have a large soundstage. Their sensitivity does well to pick up the stage from the recording so it can vary some so usually nice and grand sounding but when the recording has it in there they can be huge sounding. Vocals are quite accurate and great for a dual hybrid, not that I have heard many, that they can be the star of the show. Some of the best intelligibility I have heard and likes to separate multiple vocals out quite a bit almost to the point of sounding off. In a good way but almost ruthless at times since maybe I am so used to hearing something blended together or a backup vocal being more of a challenge for equal attention it seems.

They are sensitive beasts the Finchi so device will change some subtle things so YMMV of course but If you work them a bit and figure them out(we all tweak with most of our earphone to find the potential any how or push to the signature a little here or there) they should reward with high quality vocals that are right up in the mix even if they have that strong bass foundation. Quite a few in the Oriolus Hybrid thread like them for having vocals more forward than other even more expensive models. Not mid-forward but not recessed and quite capable with clarity, transparency, detail, and up with the most natural since my big AKG days.

 

[Nabillion_786]

They did use the driver but made the housing smaller and use a new cable. Have to be quite close though I haven't heard the FXA2.




Finschi is a little tip picky. Stock isn't the best and perhaps they want tips that extend out more than the stock do. They are shallow fit and best to keep to that as some can get driver flex and trying to get the absolute best seal shifts the balance to bass more than I would like. Not hard to learn to get along with and make them sing pretty well. Very easy to drive and have a large soundstage. Their sensitivity does well to pick up the stage from the recording so it can vary some so usually nice and grand sounding but when the recording has it in there they can be huge sounding. Vocals are quite accurate and great for a dual hybrid, not that I have heard many, that they can be the star of the show. Some of the best intelligibility I have heard and likes to separate multiple vocals out quite a bit almost to the point of sounding off. In a good way but almost ruthless at times since maybe I am so used to hearing something blended together or a backup vocal being more of a challenge for equal attention it seems.

They are sensitive beasts the Finchi so device will change some subtle things so YMMV of course but If you work them a bit and figure them out(we all tweak with most of our earphone to find the potential any how or push to the signature a little here or there) they should reward with high quality vocals that are right up in the mix even if they have that strong bass foundation. Quite a few in the Oriolus Hybrid thread like them for having vocals more forward than other even more expensive models. Not mid-forward but not recessed and quite capable with clarity, transparency, detail, and up with the most natural since my big AKG days.

Thanks man this was really helpful! I think I'll just give these a shot because of the good reviews, especially the vocals. I also need bigger then average stage to make it good for movies but I guess I'll find out eventually. Some reviewers state they are not very wide but I hope it has enough to feel spacious.

 

[Lurk650]

Thanks man this was really helpful! I think I'll just give these a shot because of the good reviews, especially the vocals. I also need bigger then average stage to make it good for movies but I guess I'll find out eventually. Some reviewers state they are not very wide but I hope it has enough to feel spacious.

I would say the M5-1D but they are $400

 

[SilverEars]

Ya, the recession is maybe in a really small frequency band, and is noticed in vocals but a lot in other specific vocal personalities. It’s hard for me to recommend a vocal alternative IEM, as the genre is not my thing. Also I have addressed this issue with my Sony full-size headphones and found remedy with cables, but here, so far I’m lost.

Also we always have to remember folks always have different hearing and different signature demands; as well as different music. What is a close to perfect response character could always be found far from perfect for others.

I had no vocal MP3s in my IPod so I actually fell short noticing the issue earlier in the week. The transparency with the IPod along with the frequency response limitations further kept me from noticing.


Off the top of my head both my Nobel Encores do vocals right, and the $199 Magaosi K5(cable upgrade V2) do a pretty good job. But I have limited experience with the Magaosi at this point; so far they are pretty strange ducks.

You have to be careful when you hear vocal recession as it could be the track itself, you'd need a reference to verify (or several other phones to get a relative idea).

Same goes for sound stage, etc.. There's quite a bit of the perception that depends on the recording quality.

I had tracks that would throw-off perception of the response due to it's mastering quality. There are various mastering qualities out there.

 

[archy121]

Ya, the recession is maybe in a really small frequency band, and is noticed in vocals but a lot in other specific vocal personalities. It’s hard for me to recommend a vocal alternative IEM, as the genre is not my thing. Also I have addressed this issue with my Sony full-size headphones and found remedy with cables, but here, so far I’m lost.
.

How well does DM6 respond to equ across the frequency ?
Is it possible to bring Mids forward for those that might want to ?

Some have mentioned on here that a pure copper cable as opposed to the supplied SPC can address the mids for those that find them slightly recessed.

I’m personally looking for a budget all copper cable recommendation that someone has actually tested with DM6.

 

[Redcarmoose]

How well does DM6 respond to equ across the frequency ?
Is it possible to bring Mids forward for those that might want to ?

Some have mentioned on here that a pure copper cable as opposed to the supplied SPC can address the mids for those that find them slightly recessed.

I’m personally looking for a budget all copper cable recommendation that someone has actually tested with DM6.

Good question, I hope to try a nice cable with them and see if the upper mids will open up a tad. I typically don’t EQ much, though I do EQ the Noble Encore at times. I’m not really an EQ person.

Hoping to maybe get this also, as it’s reported to enhance midrange.
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MUC-M12SB1-SONY-Headphone-cable/dp/B01M3TK66F

 

[The Pix]

How well does DM6 respond to equ across the frequency ?
Is it possible to bring Mids forward for those that might want to ?

Some have mentioned on here that a pure copper cable as opposed to the supplied SPC can address the mids for those that find them slightly recessed.

I’m personally looking for a budget all copper cable recommendation that someone has actually tested with DM6.

This is the cable I ordered on 11.11 for my DM6, I'll be waiting a while for them all to arrive though.

 

[archy121]

Good question, I hope to try a nice cable with them and see if the upper mids will open up a tad.

Hoping to maybe get this also, as it’s reported to enhance midrange.
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MUC-M12SB1-SONY-Headphone-cable/dp/B01M3TK66F

Have you also tried different tips - particularly wide bore ones ?

From my experience the hybrid Sony tips with their narrow bore were never great on mid and low end. They tended to make the sound too clinical to my ears.

One of my favourite wide tips are the classic TF10 ones. Coincidentally the Symbio W tips that some are raving about also happen to resemble the TF10 tips minus the foam packing.

 

[ncristia]

Thanks man this was really helpful! I think I'll just give these a shot because of the good reviews, especially the vocals. I also need bigger then average stage to make it good for movies but I guess I'll find out eventually. Some reviewers state they are not very wide but I hope it has enough to feel spacious.

I found great success with Mandarine wide bore hollowed out tips and pure silver wire out of balanced Sony 300zx. I listen to a lot of live stuff and they can get very wide but keep the instruments where they belong. I'm using a Norne Therium silver balanced cable and the vocals are very clear, highs are sparkly and crisp and non fatiguing. Bass is fast and deep when called for. I don't miss the more expensive stuff in the $500-1100 range, maybe it's me but I really think these are special. The bore has two separate pipes and not that usual silver grate on most of the under a couple hundred bucks IEM's.

 

[eclein]

I’ve read peoples thoughts on the V80 and alot mention the highs being out of wack somehow well the set I received today has excellent high end, no sibilance just smooth top to bottom and they go very low and with great control. I’m listening to these all day and cannot find anything at all to bring up as a negative. Is it possible I’ve gotten some from a new batch thats been adjusted maybe or am I just lucky. I know about the soldering mistakes they seem to continually make, maybe mine were done correctly?
I have a bunch of nice iems and these rank extremely high up on my list right now...I’m sort of shocked by the sound...loving it...$23 well spent in my opinion.

 

[superuser1]

T20, T20 Pro and V80... i wish i could mute those words. Just too much talk about these.

 

[Nabillion_786]

I found great success with Mandarine wide bore hollowed out tips and pure silver wire out of balanced Sony 300zx. I listen to a lot of live stuff and they can get very wide but keep the instruments where they belong. I'm using a Norne Therium silver balanced cable and the vocals are very clear, highs are sparkly and crisp and non fatiguing. Bass is fast and deep when called for. I don't miss the more expensive stuff in the $500-1100 range, maybe it's me but I really think these are special. The bore has two separate pipes and not that usual silver grate on most of the under a couple hundred bucks IEM's.

Thanks alot and could you possibly tell me how it sounds like off your phone with stock cables? I need good soundstage and vocals.