Mackie

Probably not as they have serial numbers and a local sales receipt is required for servicing during warranty period. But the low price certainly compensates for future cost in servicing, doesn't it?

I beg to differ. Have a chat with Jazz fanatics and you'll notice the slate of contemporary "Jazz" singers are merely regenerating the standards with a twist of audiophile sound quality. However, this helps to inculcate interest in Jazz by appealing to the younger crowd, much akin to classical music since crossover by Venessa Mae. Pick a piece rendered by a contemporary and compare it with Ella Fitzgerald, sound quality aside, you should be able to tell which has more soul in it. However, not all contemporary Jazz singers are guilty. Diana Krall was a bright spark in the first two albums but succumbed to commercialized music making thereafter. Her latest album is critically aclaimed as a revival of her true star quality. The other noteworthy singer is Stacy Kent. She is nowhere as great as the grandmasters in the 50/60's era but her renditions are truly touching.

Sometimes it's not the spec but sonic characteristics that does not bode well when partnered with tube equipment. For instance, Sonus Faber with solidstate is as successful as Dyanudio with tubes.

Well....even a $500 can could sound bad if not partnered with the right components. U can't quantify sound quality with price. Keep an open mind and try the various cans for yourself. It's much easier to make a decision when your mind remains unbiased.

Try John Little near Somerset mrt station. Also scour around Peninsular Shopping Center for cheaper options.

The best bass performers in the Beyer range is DT150 and DT770, in this order according to personal preference.

I tend to agree. I was totally disappointed with how the UM2 sounded with ipod shuffle but it was fitted with long comply tip. The short tips gave more room (ear drum to iem driver) for soundstaging and opens up the treble. Shure medium tips are good too. Modded biflange offers best isolation but the treble cutoff is more apparent than the comply short and shure medium tips. Latest update: After posting the above, I proceeded with snipping off the stem shorter and walla, the missing treble details are much better now.

Let the cable "straighten" itself. Hang them like how you would with your pair of jeans. Unless you iron yours......

Alcohol swaps are great for disinfecting surfaces. Store them in your first aid box as it may come in handy....just like ...haaaaandy plast!

Buy a UM1 for iem and look for sub $100 cans. There are Senn PX100/200, Koss SportaPro but I personally prefer Beyer DT231 and Philips HP890. The Philips offers the best value for money and some places offer lower prices than major retail outlets. Please search this forum for the related thread as I remembered it's been discussed before. However, if you can squeeze in a SR60, you wouldn't regret it. Since SE sells both Grado and Westone, give them an audition if you like it, perhaps Aron can work out a package price for your consideration.

I don't recommend using soap, after all, detergent and soap contain drying agent. If your tips are really soiled (read color change), wash them with mild soap as suggested by heady. If you were to ask what's mild soap, look for those with pH5.5, search for another number if you know the pH factor of the tips! Wash your tips under running water. Maintain a habit of cleaning them with damp cloth after every use. But if the tips are clearly soiled after each usage, it's time to nip the bud and clean your ear canals.

I agree Klotz GY107 does not bode well for all systems, just like any cable. You gotta select and understand the characteristics of how your system and cable sound individually and then try to match them; known as synergy. Any system that lacks transparency and leans toward the dark side should not use GY107 as it's better served with Belden 89259, for instance. You asked if 1694A is the best cable for digital signal. Answer is a resounding "no" as the best are probably being used by major broadcasting companies. Even then, are you searching for a best-all-round, best-sounding, best-signal carrier, best-value for money? Price over performance/specifications wise, Belden 1694A and its equivalent from Canare, are the chosen one, especially with home theater crowds. Signal dropout is almost nil visually. I'm using 10m run of both the Canare and Belden 75-ohm cables for my projector. As an interconnect between cdp and dac, I didn't notice any shift in tonality using 1694A.

Dude, use your discretion. It's akin to asking how long you have to shower to be clean. If you want a suggestion, here it is. Soak it for 3 days and wash them under running water. Dry the tips completely and give them a light coating of the lotion and store them away. You will find the tips white, supple and soft. If you feel that the tips are losing these wonderful traits after prolonged usage, give it a light coating of lotion again. Soldiers treat their rifles like wives, treat your iems like so and the tips like human skin.

U should be the one sharing as we have never heard of it and a google search turned out nil.

We are going off track but let me put it simply as such, just my humble opinion. Female vocals seem to sound rounder and moved to the fore, thus, contributing to a more emotional and realistic voice. Although less noticeable, cymbals and triangles will sound more crisp and more decay in ambience.

Well, who's to judge? Back in the early days when walkmen were meant to be slung over your shoulder (I believe a lot of you ain't from this era), I could only see eyes of envy. If I were to see a bus or train commuter using a pair of full size cans, I could only give him the thumbs up for being a music lover who does not care if he gets strange stares. Similarly, I wouldn't scorn on those who still wear stock ear buds and shiny ear clips and think they are hip. It's only a hobby with no benchmark nor borders to speak of. If there's indeed one, the chain may look as such: Owners of:- High end speakers system V Mid and budget end speakers system V High end desktop cans system V Mid and budget end desktop cans system V High end portable system V Budget and low end portable system V DAP V PCDP V Mobile phone DAP V Portable radio

I never dig parts just the product as a whole. I'm into some pro audio monitors, especially Dynaudio Acoustics as I'm using a pair. Btw, it's not nice to talk about it here. PM me if you wish, or enter chat.

Here's a tip, play female vocals and listen. It's quite obvious. However, not all cdps will benefit from it, or should I say, the difference is harder to discern, if any at all.

Happy birthday!

hower: Westone IEMs are also avaliable at Stereo Electronics, Causeway Point. It should be more convenient for you.

The thread starter is looking for flexible and cheap wires and therefore, the issue is not sound quality. The Daiyo wires sound better than the red/black bell wires and thus worthy of consideration.

He must have gotten it at the hifi show.

First and foremost, they are good. How else can they stay in business if they aint? But whether it's what you like is a different matter altogether. Visit SE and Jaben (dealers who are prevalent in this forum) and audition the cans. Aron (SE) and Wilson (Jaben) know their products well and you should seek their recommendations based on your preference while you are at their shops.

There are 4 conductors since it's a star quad cable. Let's name it conductor A, B, C, D. Stereo phono plug LEFT channel > conductor A > +ve of RCA plug for LEFT channel Stereo phono plug RIGHT channel > conductor B > +ve of RCA plug for RIGHT channel Stereo phono plug GROUND > conductor C and D > each of these is soldered to -ve of each RCA plug The top phono plug is stereo whilst the bottom being monoaural. 1. Sleeve: GROUND 2. Ring: RIGHT channel for stereo signal 3. Tip: LEFT channel for stereo signal

Shurter IEC should cost around $5 each.