[Sorensiim]

Quote:

Got mine today.. very happy. fit is perfect.. fits even better then the CIEM that I sent out.  As far as sound I like it a lot so far.. 

Congrats! 
 
Now if you (or any other 8.A owners) need something nice to feed to all those BA drivers, I can highly recommend Hans Zimmers soundtrack to The Dark Knight Rises: https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?file=catalogdetail&valbum_code=HX794043160493

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

I think one way to reveal the intention of the recording engineer would be to own a good pair of studio monitors (Genelecs come to my mind instantly haha) And then you can get a feel of how the music has been equalised, where the emphasis revolves around and the staging. I know some songs purposely have distorted parts and sibilant treble in them, and whether you want to hear that is down to personal preference ^^ Most CD's though have been pre-equalised with a "hi-fi" playback system in mind. The majority of people aren't likely to have high-end reference gear.

 
Yes, that would be revealing, however there are also variances in recording studios and people's ears.  I am amazed by just how different many tracks are recorded and know some small and mid-sized bands that don't mix on proper equipment.  And isn't pop music mastered for the highest loudness possible, sound quality be damned?  But, back to your original point...I do think the treble of the 8.A is relaxed.
 
Quote:

I find that the 8.A is very kind to poor recordings while simultaneously allowing good sources to really shine. A very, very difficult balance to get right.

 
I find the 8.A combines many difficult to combine things in a way that make it quite good and surprising.  
 
Quote:

Btw, for anyone wondering about good amps to pair with their Heir IEMs - HERE is my review of the new Leckerton UHA-6S MKII. During the course of my review, I used the Heir 8.A, 4.A, and 6.A LE extensively to evaluate the amp. It's kind of expensive compared to a lot of other amps in the low $100 range, but it sounds exceptional and has tons of features too.

 
I keep hearing great things about the Leckerton products, I have to get one some day!  There are a lot of great sounding amps above the $100 price range, and I really suggest upgrading your DAC and amp at some point if you are running from an iPhone, iPod, J3, Clip+, or something else on the lower end as the improvements to the little things take the presentation to another level.
 
Quote:

Thanks! 

 
Coming from you, that's like James Hetfield telling a teenager that his garage band rocks...

 
Sorry, I missed your review previously.  Nice job!

 

[yancem]

Quote:

 
I keep hearing great things about the Leckerton products, I have to get one some day!  There are a lot of great sounding amps above the $100 price range, and I really suggest upgrading your DAC and amp at some point if you are running from an iPhone, iPod, J3, Clip+, or something else on the lower end as the improvements to the little things take the presentation to another level.  
 
Sorry, I missed your review previously.  Nice job!

Do you think it is better/makes more sense to add an upgraded DAC/Amp to an iPod or other generic mp3 player or to get a better all in one player like the ROCOO BA?  I'm hoping to purchase a set of CIEM's in the next month or two and am trying to figure out the best way to go about improving my source once I upgrade my headphones.

 

[tomllm]

I'm still not wholly convinced by amping an ipod (with IEM use).  I'm going to be buying a vorzuge amp for home use, and maybe shoving in my bag to use with an ipod when in a library or something, but this is predominantly to get rid of hiss, which I can't stand.  On the go however, normally background noise is enough to cover over most hiss (I don't listen that loud).  I suppose you might improve battery life of the ipod a little.  

 

[underhysteria]

Quote:

Do you think it is better/makes more sense to add an upgraded DAC/Amp to an iPod or other generic mp3 player or to get a better all in one player like the ROCOO BA?  I'm hoping to purchase a set of CIEM's in the next month or two and am trying to figure out the best way to go about improving my source once I upgrade my headphones.

 
Can't stress it enough that the 8.A synergizes really well with my rocoo studio

 

[blur510]

So I have been listening to my 8.A for about 3 days now and all I can say is that it sounds amazing.  Clarity compared to my reshelled tf10 is definitely superior.  There is no comparison when it comes to bass.  In the beginning I thought that the bass was overpowering everything, but I guess it was just, getting used to the new sound signature. just now I tried listening to my old ceim and wow all I can say is that, unless i loose my 8.A or forget it at home, I will never use it again.  The sound quality is just that much better.  Listened to both unamped direct from a sansa clip+ and amped leckerton uha 6s mkii.  I am very happy with my purchase. thanks for everyone who wrote reviews and impressions.

 

[Kunlun]

Quote:

So I have been listening to my 8.A for about 3 days now and all I can say is that it sounds amazing.  Clarity compared to my reshelled tf10 is definitely superior.  There is no comparison when it comes to bass.  In the beginning I thought that the bass was overpowering everything, but I guess it was just, getting used to the new sound signature. just now I tried listening to my old ceim and wow all I can say is that, unless i loose my 8.A or forget it at home, I will never use it again.  The sound quality is just that much better.  Listened to both unamped direct from a sansa clip+ and amped leckerton uha 6s mkii.  I am very happy with my purchase. thanks for everyone who wrote reviews and impressions.

Great. Tell us about your thoughts on the midrange and treble, too, please.

 

[wilzc]

I listened to the Demo pair of Heir 8.As
 
They're just as treble shy. So its not just my pair!!
 
Side by side versus a JH13 and the world of difference!!!!

 

[pdiddypdler]

Quote:

I listened to the Demo pair of Heir 8.As
 
They're just as treble shy. So its not just my pair!!
 
Side by side versus a JH13 and the world of difference!!!!

Where in Melbourne did you demo the 8.A's?

 

[project86]

I guess we hear differently. I wouldn't call the 8.A "treble shy". The overall sig puts the emphasis on bass, and the top end is nice and smooth, but "shy" implies that the treble is actually rolled off, ie information is missing. I just don't hear it that way. It may not be the focus but it isn't missing either. 
 
The JH13 kind of shoves it in your face in a deliberate attempt to sound more detailed. It can be fun, and certainly gives you a nice "first impression", but I found it very fatiguing after a while - which is why I no longer own the JH13. 

 

[Kunlun]

Quote:

I guess we hear differently. I wouldn't call the 8.A "treble shy". The overall sig puts the emphasis on bass, and the top end is nice and smooth, but "shy" implies that the treble is actually rolled off, ie information is missing. I just don't hear it that way. It may not be the focus but it isn't missing either. 

I hear the 8.A mostly the same way as you. The treble of the 8.A is detailed, clear and well-extended. It's just not an emphasized or bright treble, but I think it fits organically with the rest of the 8.A's sound. As I said in my review, it's not for everybody, but I think it'll make a lot of people very happy.

 

[t0tor0]

hi,
 
has anyone compared the 8A to EM6?

 

[project86]

Quote:

I hear the 8.A mostly the same way as you. The treble of the 8.A is detailed, clear and well-extended. It's just not an emphasized or bright treble, but I think it fits organically with the rest of the 8.A's sound. As I said in my review, it's not for everybody, but I think it'll make a lot of people very happy.

 
That sums it up really well. 
 
I can totally see the 8.A not fitting some preferences. If you love your Grados (for example) and are looking for that type of sound to be replicated in a custom, the 8.A is certainly not the appropriate match. By no means am I saying that everyone will love the 8.A. I just feel the need to disagree when someone suggests the treble is essentially absent. It is definitely not. It might not be to your liking but it is not absent. 

 

[wilzc]

I'm too used to the Ultrasone-esque signature from my primary unit, the Ed8LE
 
They're very..  different from the 8.As.
 
I'm not one who loves his treble, but appreciate a good sparkle now and then. From my adventures, the humble VSonic Gr07 seems to have the perfect signature for me.
 
With the HD700 coming close.

 

[starstern]

The Leckerton does sound like a great piece of equipment. But for portable use, especially with IEMs, I've found that having tone controls, like those on the Fiio E-17, is invaluable for getting good, balanced, and satisfying sound. I know ultra-purists will say that running the signal through tone controls introduces distortion. Yes, I'm sure it does, but not enough to outweigh the huge advantages of being able to balance sound that might otherwise be very unbalanced. Why don't more companies put this feature on their amps? The Fiio sounds only average as a DAC, but the amp section is not too bad and with a really clean input signal, plus the tone controls, it sounds really great. So I won't be buying a Leckerton any time soon, no matter how good it may be in all other respects.so am still on the search for one that would encompass all three quality,controls,portability;