[Taggerung]

Will the balanced option cause any harm to anything if toggled during a SE connection? It seems to be in a location that may cause it to be accidentally activated.

 

[gr8soundz]

I don't think so but wouldn't recommend intentionally test it.
 
If it happens by accident, you'll probably only get audio in one ear if the amp can't accept a balanced TRRS connection.
 

 

[ADD]

Hi,
 
These questions are partly directed to IFi themselves as well as anyone with specific experience with this product.
 
Firstly, I asked the question  below a little while back but it did not get any replies:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/824609/attenuator-for-ie800
 
Having read that thread above, would the IEMatch solution work for me? I am using a simple 300 ohm attenuator at the moment and although it definitely got rid of all the hiss completely (and the amp volume control is now around 11 - 12 o'clock) there seems to be a side effect of slightly softened micro-dynamics and a slight loss of low level detail that does not occur without the adaptor. Plus I just worry a little as to whether the simple resistive adaptor I am using is electrically best, even though the amp is designed to handle high impedance loads and the impedance curve of the IE800 is dead-flat across the entire spectrum at exactly 16 ohms. It probably isn't, since if it was, I guess I would not notice the above side effects.
 
Secondly, I would have thought that since the IEMatch would find a home in many solutions where IEMs are attached the home desktop amps, why isn't there an option where there is a 1/4" connector plugging into the source / amp, as opposed to the 3.5mm on offer? It gets a bit inelegant - you have the 1/4" socket on the headphone amp...into which you connect a 1/4" to 3.5mm adapter. Then you plug the IEMatch into that. Then the IE800 extension cable into that...and the IE800 itself into that!!
 
 
I realise there are always going to be inevitable "splices" in a connection like this but I am really surprised about the lack of a 1/4" model given that this seems to be the best solution yet for the ubiquitous issues encountered when using IEMs with powerful sources, many of which will be desktop amps. Perhaps the option of balanced / unbalanced prohibits this flexibility - I don't know. I just know what I would like to see as a consumer who loves IEMs for a number of excellent reasons but prefers to also use high quality desktop amplification.

 

[iFi audio]

  Hi,
 
These questions are partly directed to IFi themselves as well as anyone with specific experience with this product.
 
Firstly, I asked the question  below a little while back but it did not get any replies:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/824609/attenuator-for-ie800
 
Having read that thread above, would the IEMatch solution work for me? I am using a simple 300 ohm attenuator at the moment and although it definitely got rid of all the hiss completely (and the amp volume control is now around 11 - 12 o'clock) there seems to be a side effect of slightly softened micro-dynamics and a slight loss of low level detail that does not occur without the adaptor. Plus I just worry a little as to whether the simple resistive adaptor I am using is electrically best, even though the amp is designed to handle high impedance loads and the impedance curve of the IE800 is dead-flat across the entire spectrum at exactly 16 ohms. It probably isn't, since if it was, I guess I would not notice the above side effects.
 
Secondly, I would have thought that since the IEMatch would find a home in many solutions where IEMs are attached the home desktop amps, why isn't there an option where there is a 1/4" connector plugging into the source / amp, as opposed to the 3.5mm on offer? It gets a bit inelegant - you have the 1/4" socket on the headphone amp...into which you connect a 1/4" to 3.5mm adapter. Then you plug the IEMatch into that. Then the IE800 extension cable into that...and the IE800 itself into that!!
 
 
I realise there are always going to be inevitable "splices" in a connection like this but I am really surprised about the lack of a 1/4" model given that this seems to be the best solution yet for the ubiquitous issues encountered when using IEMs with powerful sources, many of which will be desktop amps. Perhaps the option of balanced / unbalanced prohibits this flexibility - I don't know. I just know what I would like to see as a consumer who loves IEMs for a number of excellent reasons but prefers to also use high quality desktop amplification.

Please try it. It's different. A little better.

 

[johnston21]

I've found the ieMatch to work wonders for live bootlegs (which I mostly listen to). Seems to quiet down the crowd background. Placebo
maybe...

 

[iFi audio]

I've found the ieMatch to work wonders for live bootlegs (which I mostly listen to). Seems to quiet down the crowd background. Placebo
maybe...

 
With iEMatch, the audible difference varies from one combination to another, but that background noise reduced, yet crowd still audible? Not a placebo.

 

[AlexanderV]

Hi Guys,
 
Still haven't got, sorry..., will it work as TRRS->to->TRS adapeter for balaced IEMS and SE sources when place switcher on jack to SE mode?

 

[gr8soundz]

  Hi Guys,
 
Still haven't got, sorry..., will it work as TRRS->to->TRS adapeter for balaced IEMS and SE sources when place switcher on jack to SE mode?

 
Yes.
 

 

[AlexanderV]

Thanks!

 

[Hisoundfi]

Prevent your more sensitive earphones from having background hiss and signal noise with the iEMatch from iFi:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/ifi-audio-iematch-headphone-travel-accessory/reviews/17505

 

[ilcg1]

Here is the product that was available years prior iematch - UE buffer jack and at only 1/5 of a price of iematch. Probably the best $10 bucks spent on audio gear.

http://pro.ultimateears.com/adjustable-ambient-filters-225

 

[iFi audio]

Here is the product that was available years prior iematch - UE buffer jack and at only 1/5 of a price of iematch. Probably the best $10 bucks spent on audio gear.

http://pro.ultimateears.com/adjustable-ambient-filters-225

This product is different in comparison to iEMatch in terms of i.e. functionality. Please see what our item does exactly: http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-iematch/

 

[ilcg1]

This product is different in comparison to iEMatch in terms of i.e. functionality. Please see what our item does exactly: http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-iematch/

I know that iematch has more - balanced mode and ultra/high switch for sensitivity, however 90% of buyers won't use them anyway (or sorry, forgot about top notch components, earplugs and aircraft adapter). However when it comes to SQ in single ended mode, it's the same as UE buffet jack and jack is 80% cheaper. It's up to consumers if they are willing to pay 5X the price of UE jack and buy iematch. Both products deliver what they advertise - fix impendance issues with very sensitive IEM and provide much better volume control and jet black background. Cheers.

 

[HiFiChris]

@ilcg1
 
I have no skin in the game at all (I might buy the iEMatch just for curiosity though), however the UE adapter is much simpler than the iEMatch, even when not taking the SE/BA switch and two-stage attenuation into account. While the UE is just a simple adapter with built-in resistors that logically will increase the source's output impedance from the view of the in-ears/headphones, ifi's solution is much more complex and advanced in comparison and features a real buffer circuit that will only very slightly increase the source's output impedance from the view of the headphone.

In other words, the UE audibly skews the FR of multi-driver in-ears with a capricious impedance response because of the added impedance, whereas the iEMatch will also lower the sensitivity, however without (/only slightly) messing with the multi-driver in-ears' frequency response.

 

[iFi audio]

  @ilcg1
 
I have no skin in the game at all (I might buy the iEMatch just for curiosity though), however the UE adapter is much simpler than the iEMatch, even when not taking the SE/BA switch and two-stage attenuation into account. While the UE is just a simple adapter with built-in resistors that logically will increase the source's output impedance from the view of the in-ears/headphones, ifi's solution is much more complex and advanced in comparison and features a real buffer circuit that will only very slightly increase the source's output impedance from the view of the headphone.

In other words, the UE audibly skews the FR of multi-driver in-ears with a capricious impedance response because of the added impedance, whereas the iEMatch will also lower the sensitivity, however without (/only slightly) messing with the multi-driver in-ears' frequency response.

Bingo, you've nailed it perfectly!