Why has the SA6 completely dropped off everyones radar?
Feb 6, 2009 at 12:29 AM Post #16 of 72
Other than a few weeks when they were moving their office, I've found their customer service to be top notch. (It also looks like they've brought on some new people to help them manage the increased volume as they've grown.) They replaced my set because of the loose chrome housing that epithetless described (and even threw in a new cable), but unfortunately the replacement set has the same problem with the chrome. Still, I love the sound of my SA6 and like the opportunity to try different tips and configurations.

If I were to do it all over again, I'm not sure if I would buy the SA6 because of the build issues, but I would likely order the customs because I like the sound and the way I've been treated by the company. I think they're getting better with experience.
 
Feb 6, 2009 at 12:47 AM Post #17 of 72
im still using my SA6. definitely love them with my klipsch image tips (more deeper bass, lose a little in soundstage). the sound is great. using treble+ and new bass + port, the sound is clear and lovely. the treble is at a place that doesnt fatigue my ears except for those few badly made songs with extremely un-necessary cymbals/rings. bass is tight and deep. mids is excellent, especially vocals. probably the weirdest thing with these is the drums, sometimes they sound too dry and many find them to be unrealistic. like some have said before about the SA6, they are like a slightly warmer ety. extremely great with instrumental and vocals, however with more "fun" music (rock and hiphop), it feels as if the extreme clarity and cleanliness of the SA6 sound sort of kills the fun magic in those genres.

as for build quality, i did have a couple of issues before i got my perfect pair
smily_headphones1.gif
. jason and bill were extremely great people to work with. sleek audio's customer service is just amazing (CALL, DON'T EMAIL!). the biggest problem with them now is that they are just so swamp with orders, especially customs, that they just can't do everything perfectly. from what i hear, jason gets hundreds of emails and there is no possible way for him to answer them all as well as work with the customs and etc.

to be honest, one thing to keep in mind is that these are IEMs. no matter how great IEMs get, they are still IEMs and the difference in quality of sound is just a lower ranked class than headphones. i honestly can say that after listening to my ATH-ESW9 (unamped, straight from itouch 2nd gen), the SA6 has no match against headphones. the most noticable was the bass not being as well defined compared to esw9. i believe that IEMs, especially BAs can only do so much and considering that a single BA design is producing sound quality that this clear and precise level is already amazing.

btw, i believe that right now IEMs is going through a big phases. before there were a lot of talk about triple.fi and se510. then it went to sa6 and couple others. then there was the soundmagic pl30 which received a lot of hype. following that was the releast of westone 3 and ie8. after that was the nuforce ne-7m. now we are at the phase of phonaks. all i have to say to this is.....wow guys....
 
Feb 6, 2009 at 2:31 AM Post #19 of 72
I really love the sound of the SA6. The fact I could have them in all day without any real discomfort (using olives) was also a huge benefit.

The big problem for me, like many other people was the build quality. I had two cables die in a period of about a month. I'm currently waiting on the third.

I don't think I'm going to continue using them. Just not worth it until they improve the design.
 
Feb 6, 2009 at 2:39 AM Post #20 of 72
Interesting responses all. I didn't know about some of these new models mentioned because I have paid zero attention to the latest and greatest. Why? Because I love my SA6. I have had no problems with them whatsoever and that includes one time dragging them behind me after getting off of a train and not realizing till they snagged on something and tugged on my player in my pocket!
eek.gif


They offer - for me - a wonderful sound sig and I still claim that sometimes they sound like headphones with the soundstage they present.

Now I don't use mine as often as say a commuter which may be a reason why I've had no trouble with them. I also don't interchange the tubes at all. Once I found my combination I haven't touched them. And the large bi-flanges I found to be extremely comfortable and I can go on for hours wearing them.

My only complaint - the somewhat stiffish wire. Other than that, I am one completely satisfied customer of the SA6.
 
Feb 6, 2009 at 2:41 AM Post #21 of 72
Quote:

Originally Posted by j2kei /img/forum/go_quote.gif
im still using my SA6. definitely love them with my klipsch image tips (more deeper bass, lose a little in soundstage). the sound is great. using treble+ and new bass + port, the sound is clear and lovely. the treble is at a place that doesnt fatigue my ears except for those few badly made songs with extremely un-necessary cymbals/rings. bass is tight and deep. mids is excellent, especially vocals. probably the weirdest thing with these is the drums, sometimes they sound too dry and many find them to be unrealistic. like some have said before about the SA6, they are like a slightly warmer ety. extremely great with instrumental and vocals, however with more "fun" music (rock and hiphop), it feels as if the extreme clarity and cleanliness of the SA6 sound sort of kills the fun magic in those genres.

as for build quality, i did have a couple of issues before i got my perfect pair
smily_headphones1.gif
. jason and bill were extremely great people to work with. sleek audio's customer service is just amazing (CALL, DON'T EMAIL!). the biggest problem with them now is that they are just so swamp with orders, especially customs, that they just can't do everything perfectly. from what i hear, jason gets hundreds of emails and there is no possible way for him to answer them all as well as work with the customs and etc.

to be honest, one thing to keep in mind is that these are IEMs. no matter how great IEMs get, they are still IEMs and the difference in quality of sound is just a lower ranked class than headphones. i honestly can say that after listening to my ATH-ESW9 (unamped, straight from itouch 2nd gen), the SA6 has no match against headphones. the most noticable was the bass not being as well defined compared to esw9. i believe that IEMs, especially BAs can only do so much and considering that a single BA design is producing sound quality that this clear and precise level is already amazing.

btw, i believe that right now IEMs is going through a big phases. before there were a lot of talk about triple.fi and se510. then it went to sa6 and couple others. then there was the soundmagic pl30 which received a lot of hype. following that was the releast of westone 3 and ie8. after that was the nuforce ne-7m. now we are at the phase of phonaks. all i have to say to this is.....wow guys....


One thing, the pl30 was never anything more than a curiosity, a cheap phone that sounds okay. Same with the NE-7M, at a higher price and quality level.

So they are not in the continuum of W3 and IE8. Not the same buying public, with the exception of a few curiosity seekers.

Also, as a former SA6 owner, I did like the sound, but as a current Phonak owner, I have to say the PFEs are a better single driver balanced armature IEM - at a pretty substantial discount.

So it's not all one big phase, as you characterize it. It's a search for better sound. Happens.
 
Feb 6, 2009 at 4:09 AM Post #24 of 72
Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Bingo!


...What, you want a prize now?
icon10.gif
 
Feb 6, 2009 at 4:50 AM Post #28 of 72
I think you're taking it a little too far forsberg. Sure, people get excited about new iems and maybe hype them a bit much, but there are plenty of GOOD iems that were hyped, and I'm willing to bet more so than bad ones.
 
Feb 6, 2009 at 4:59 AM Post #29 of 72
Quote:

Originally Posted by Zalithian /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I think you're taking it a little too far forsberg. Sure, people get excited about new iems and maybe hype them a bit much, but there are plenty of GOOD iems that were hyped, and I'm willing to bet more so than bad ones.


Seriously. Take a breath, forsberg. The SA6 was rightfully recommended for its sound quality and innovative tweakability. Those aspects are still worthy of recommendation...it's just that unforeseen build quality issues have sadly overshadowed them. It's not like the SA6 has turned out to be total crap...
 
Feb 6, 2009 at 5:02 AM Post #30 of 72
X2. I see Forsburg owns the vaunted W3s. Geez, seems they are a recently released hot new IEM, no? Getting somewhat mixed reviews, too.

Well, I own them too, and to me, they are overpriced (glad I paid nearly half the MSRP for them). In fact, the Phonaks sound better to my ears. And I am not alone. I keep them cause they were a gift, and they are okay. Not great, okay. Still trying to fend off the sibilance issue, with some success.

And epithless is right, if the SA6s had held up more on the durability front, I'd probably still own mine. They didn't and I don't.

I also own the PK3s, im716s and the Grado SR-80s, no FoTM phones there. No harm in trying out new stuff, right Forsburg (cough, W3s, cough)?
 
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