IEMs technicalities.

[music_lover]

I am new to audio science. I have a question for you experts. Do technicalities exist in IEMs?
I have the truthear zero red. I am wondering if the 64 audio u12t is better technically than the zero red? Like say in resolution, imaging etc.

 

[nerdemoji]

the answer is... maybe. Some people say there is a technical and tone criteria for iems, headphones and speakers. I still don't know for sure, but if you check out sharur's two videos on the tanchjim tanya, you can see how an iem can have good tone, but lack other aspects which might contribute to "technical performance". An important thing to note is that "technical performance" is often perceived by reviewers to scale with price (check crinacle) so part of this criteria might be psychological (to some degree).

 

[DVDdoug]

Like say in resolution, imaging etc.

Those are perceptions that different people will define & experience differently.

You can measure & quantify frequency response (to some extent), distortion, and sensitivity. Frequency response with headphones & IEMs is "difficult" because of how the soundwaves interact with the ear... You'll never see "flat" frequency response.

There is a poll about headphone "soundstage" and I assume IEMs are similar. The most common perception is the sound coming from inside your head! That surprised me... With headphones, I feel like the sound is mostly coming from around my forehead but with all I read about "soundstage" and "imaging" I thought I was an exception and most people were getting a better soundstage illusion.

Another thing I found fascinating was a Dan Clark (headphone manufacturer) video where he says headphones with higher distortion are often described as "more detailed"!

I am new to audio science.

It's probably worth reading Audiophoolery. Most of the "audiophile" community is nuts and there's not much science.

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

@music_lover Welcome to ASR.
The answer is : No!
We have been trained to believe that there is a correlation between the price of equipment and their performance. It's not true in audio, and actually, not true in many market segments. Marketing is the name of the game and they have to creat a perception of superiority in some items. THe TCZ Blue or RED are actually extrmely advanced IEMS, among the best transducers one can acquire at any price. Performance is measurable. And those items are at the top when it comes to measurable performance...
Buy these in all confidence, they are better than most IEMS out there, regardless of price .. There is however the issue of fit. An important factor in IEM: they don't fit all ears and it could happen , that a technically and measurably inferior IEM, suits your ear canals better than these ... That could be the only caveat ...

Peace.

 

[Ambient384]

Short answer : No sorta, BA's only sound cleaner because the diaphragm stiff enough to micro-deform under stress like with Dynamic drivers.

We still have people claiming that the Etymotic ER4SR can't do bass but refuse to do a EQ or just lie there way out of admitting a Single BA IEM can output +10db of bass. When I had a ER4XR It only took a 3 ~ 4db 105Hz low shelf to make it sound like my old Hybrid/Multi-BA IEM's bass wise.

 

[Blockader]

Leakage tolerance, channel matching are part of the *technicalities* of iems.

No iem can seal on a real ear perfectly as they do on a measurement rig. In real life conditions bass response of iems may differ on different heads for 2 reasons:

1- Acoustic impedance of the ear canal which is unique to everyone and how the drivers in the iem interact with it.
2- Leakage tolerance of the diaphragm responsible of reproducing bass.

Some iems measure on different heads similar to how they measure on a measurement rig. Because their drivers have low acoustic impedance.
Bass drivers with low resonance frequency tend to deal with leakage(broken seal) better and they can deliver relatively similar response to how they measure on a measurement rig. This is why BA bass drivers sound usually bad. Resonance frequency of a driver depends on 2-3 things: Stiffness and mass of the diaphragm and the air surrounding it. BA drivers have high acoustic impedance(low mass) hence bad leakage tolerance. In other words, BA bass drivers may suggest a good bass response on a measurement rig where a good seal is ensured but in real life situations the bass will roll off rapidly below the resonance frequency of the driver.

Channel matching is also important. The imaging quality of iems depend on level and phase difference between 2 ears. (ILD and ITD). I think DSP iems have great advantage there.

I have experience with very expensive iems as well as well designed DSP iems like Samsung Buds2 pro. To be honest, Buds2 sounds better with a lil bit of EQ better than I've ever tried. I do not even touch my Monarch MkII since I bought Buds2 and EQd them properly.

 

[Curvature]

BA's only sound cleaner because the diaphragm stiff enough to micro-deform under stress like with Dynamic drivers

This is untrue.

 

[sq225917]

Its just a roundup term for anything that isn't measured in his reviews and a get out clause for personal bias.

 

[Matias]

Short answer : No sorta, BA's only sound cleaner because the diaphragm stiff enough to micro-deform under stress like with Dynamic drivers.

And then we have the Red and its ultra low distortion in high SPL with DDs... For 55 usd.

Edit: compared to a well regarded IEM like Blessing 2 and its BAs.

 

[ThatSoundsGood]

It also depends on what you're using the in-ears for. Mixing at home? On the stage for live performances? The 64 audio A12t are the best in-ears I've ever used for the stage, but I wouldn't recommend any in-ears for actual mixing at home or in the studio.

 

[Zim]

the answer is... maybe. Some people say there is a technical and tone criteria for iems, headphones and speakers. I still don't know for sure, but if you check out sharur's two videos on the tanchjim tanya, you can see how an iem can have good tone, but lack other aspects which might contribute to "technical performance". An important thing to note is that "technical performance" is often perceived by reviewers to scale with price (check crinacle) so part of this criteria might be psychological (to some degree).

Might add that one should take that YouTuber's videos with a truckload-sized grain of salt. More often than not, he's showcased his total lack of knowledge and understanding of audio while trying to sound like (pun intended) that his views have any weight at all. Also that it's very obvious he's trying to gain more views with the videos he pumps out by being controversial and having "shock value" rather than being useful for the audiophile community.

 

[nerdemoji]

Might add that one should take that YouTuber's videos with a truckload-sized grain of salt. More often than not, he's showcased his total lack of knowledge and understanding of audio while trying to sound like (pun intended) that his views have any weight at all. Also that it's very obvious he's trying to gain more views with the videos he pumps out by being controversial and having "shock value" rather than being useful for the audiophile community.

I’m referring to the measurements he showed in his second review of the Tanchjim Tanya DSP, which showcased that there can be problems with earphones beyond just frequency response. Also, I do think he has quite a bit of technical knowledge, but he has quite a problem when he critiques and praises different iems, because he is overly praising of some and thinks everything else is trash. At least at this point in time, Truthear Red is not good value with many other better options at cheaper price. That is to say, he is sometimes right (I supposed most people are right at some point in their life).