For IEC711 couplers, some reviewers use stock eartips of the IEM to measure, some use standardized foam tips (that are used across all measurements).
Therein, this brings us to the point that one shouldn't be comparing graphs from different users and overlaying them. Cause other than the eartips you mentioned, and different measurement rigs, there are also different insertion depths, different measurement volumes, different sound cards, different coupler peaks etc.
Graphs are best overlaid from the same user, using the same measuring rig.
For IEC711 couplers, some reviewers use stock eartips of the IEM to measure, some use standardized foam tips (that are used across all measurements).
Therein, this brings us to the point that one shouldn't be comparing graphs from different users and overlaying them. Cause other than the eartips you mentioned, and different measurement rigs, there are also different insertion depths, different measurement volumes, different sound cards, different coupler peaks etc.
Graphs are best overlaid from the same user, using the same measuring rig.
With experience, there are times when you have to make guesstimations, because of a lack of graphing for a set (ie. there’s only one known graph of the NF Audio RA10), so you have to do some vague extrapolation (while acknowledging you’re not getting an accurate picture)
so, on aliexpress they're on offer as well right now
soundnews.net review called it "Genre Masters" - so apparently those rare pokemons exist in the "endgame" mid-fi range that are capable to play everything well and transparently
Are there any other IEMs in the below mid-fi or mid-fi range that are capable of playing all genres equally well ?
I must have read now close to all reviews that exist out there on the FH7 and they differ quite a lot - interesting how impressions and assessment / estimation diverge
When going with the Harman Target tuning and how close to it the tuning is, it appears, that the Harman target curve isn't equally well suited for all genres
e.g. FH7 is rated at 58% and STD / deviation 3.57 - so one interpretation would be that Harman isn't suited for all genres, each genre might need a different tuning
and a different kind of tuning might be capable of play well with all (jack of all trades - master of none), but not equally well (I recall having read that before in reviews)
Welp, I’m a moron. Hooked the Alien up to my Hornet out of curiosity and turned the amp off without first unplugging the Allure and the amp made some deep poof sound through the earphones and it crackled a bit when I went back to just the Alien. Seems to not have suffered any damage outside of that initial crackle but I took the Hornet down from my classifieds cuz I don’t want ppl blowing up their phones, definitely too powerful for IEMs.
I also think the Allure might be too warm for me, my listening seems to line up with the graphs that have cuts at 10k, otherwise it would be more airy since the peak past 10k isn’t too narrow (this is not just based on the Alien which does have a dimmer treble region).
Well, you may be surprised at just how the Allure changes from its demeanor into a slightly faster and more agile response. Meaning there is a whole avenue of direction to travel down with more silver and copper based cables.
Not sure what cables or if any (at all) you tried with the Allure, but it’s one IEM that’s really fun to cable-roll with. Off the top of my head I (for the life of me) only remember one other cable I tried? But I do remember the session of rolling a whole bunch of cables. Normally when I’m doing reviews I’m documenting the rolls, but when I’m just investigating I will often just be looking for agility concepts. Meaning I just need to find out how cable-flexible a driver is in general and will move on to other ideas afterwards. But the CS819 would be another aftermarket cable that may surprise you with the Allure? Not saying it was the best with my rolls but one that definitely moved it into a faster and clearer direction. Just my two cents, take everything you read on Head-Fi with a grain of salt.
Cheers!
Edit:
Be happy to try out the ISN H2 and S2 tomorrow and report back with a PM all three in comparison, if you are interested.
After the last 18 months or so i'm fully expecting this sometime in the next year as well... and then eventually the hobby dies because you can now chose from a range of totl iems that cost $30 and people cease seeing the value in paying $1k for tuning changes.
That said i guess that has been happen for a while in a way given what we now have in the budget segments... and if anything it seems like there are more people collecting KZ's than ever.
While you can get IEMs now that cost very little with good tuning. What they lack is often refinement, how resolving and there's timbre in how Natural they sound. Not everything is about the frequency response.
Then it's up to each and their own if that's worth it or not
After the last 18 months or so i'm fully expecting this sometime in the next year as well... and then eventually the hobby dies because you can now chose from a range of totl iems that cost $30 and people cease seeing the value in paying $1k for tuning changes.
That said i guess that has been happen for a while in a way given what we now have in the budget segments... and if anything it seems like there are more people collecting KZ's than ever.
While you can get IEMs now that cost very little with good tuning. What they lack is often refinement, how resolving and there's timbre in how Natural they sound.
Thats what I, and WAON303 are saying. They'll sort that out and we'll have the next BL-03, without the occasional harshness and bass bloat while retaining the bass quantity/quality etc which will basically make on par with the Xelento.
That said i know next to nothing about the costs involved with producing IEMs and why and how something costs, $30, $1k or $5k. But it does seem like price/performance categories are being redefined at an alarming pace.
Stock cable (single ended), JVC HA-FW1800 vs. FiiO FD5
TL,DR:
All around, very good. For bassheads (who appreciate more than just the basement) 8.0/10. Vocals 8.0/10. Upper treble (for my overly sensitive noggin) 8.5/10. In a head to head with my closest comparable (the FiiO FD5), I give the nod to the FD5. But it really depends upon individual tastes. As a low end enthusiast, I appreciate all aspects, whereas others might feel like yeah, yeah, it's got thump, move on.
Spiral Dots (worn as intended, down) No bueno for my ears. They would start with a good seat (not seal), but over the span of 5 minutes, walk their way out. To the point of being ready to fall out of my (princess) left ear, if I walked around. Sound was bright, vocals lacked depth, with an overpowering, splashy mid-bass. Foams (worn as intended, down) to the rescue. FW1800 stays firmly seated. With a good seal, the sub bass has come out to play.
Lower bass
Hits well. it's got a good thump, with goldilocks recovery/decay.
Vocals
Very true to the artist, except, . . . and this really specific to the individual. The lower registers are a bit lacking, for my tastes.
as an example: "Unbreak my Heart", Toni Braxton's contralto voice. On my more resolving IEMs (e.g. MoonDrop Blessing2 Dusk, Tri Starlight) Braxton's lower registers are omnipresent.
Treble region
No complaints. Due to my over sensitivity, this is always a point of contention. The FW1800 has as much detail as I can want, without being fatiguing.
Soundstage
Head filling vocals, but (dependent upon the song) not as wide, but more so, a clear illusion of perceived height; I would attribute this to being vocal forward. But again, that missing low end, for the vocals.
Break in
Don't give up on the FW1800. Out of the box the midbass was sloppy/splashy, vocals are so-so. The low end (after 40 hrs.), I can discern a clear improvement: from the subbasement through to the mid floors (vocals)
FD5 (decked out: Final Audio Kadmus cable, custom filters)
That missing low end in the vocals (in the FW1800) is very present. The FD5 does a difficult juggling act of a strong mid bass, without sullying the lower registers of the vocals. Otherwise the two sets are fairly even.
BALANCEDcable
I'll have to follow up later today or early tomorrow
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