Topic: Final Audio Design LAB I (Read 7340 times)

music_4321 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 31, 2014, 03:29:13 AM »

Mr munch, this thread is mostly meant for the filthy rich and/or those who are convinced anything made in Japan has got to be absolutely incredible. Unfortunately, I've never heard any Audeze cans, never attended a meet, and likely never will.

CEE TEE, this might be a great opportunity to acquire an exotic Japanese shiny piece of jewellery.

http://nhacso.net/nghe-nhac/shuukyou-----religion.Vl1UU0Jb.html

anetode · « **Reply #11 on:** May 31, 2014, 07:20:48 AM »

Hello thread, I am rich and filthy, but I am also a Japanophobe. Could you recommend an overpriced boutique IEM which suits my cultural prejudices? I am looking for something that would outwardly signify my refined taste in fashion and music while underscoring it with an implied earnestness and naivete. Something which says that I have access to a sizable sum of disposable income that I would dispense with only after a commercial pitch which emphasizes some sort of artistic statement behind the product. Exclusivity would be a prerequisite, of course, so that I could present my new material acquisition before a community of like minded enthusiasts who would compliment my superior tastes while lamenting their own frugality. I just feel that my waxing on about the deeply personal and profound appreciation of listening to music would not be taken seriously unless I am able to appease the status-conscious sensibilities of my technophile peers.

ultrabike · « **Reply #12 on:** May 31, 2014, 07:48:47 AM »

googleli

mkubota1 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 31, 2014, 11:13:36 AM »

That was a really good write-up on the LAB I. Maybe just start with something like that next time?

I got to listen to the LAB I very briefly and I agree with pretty much everything you said- minus the “best phone I’ve ever heard”. I’m too fickle to make such declarations. In fact from your comparisons to other stuff, particularly the KAEDEs and the Ditas, I think we hear very similarly. I look forward to hearing the new Heaven 7/8.

OT: Are your HD800s stock or modified as many have around here? (Mine are stock.)

munch · « **Reply #14 on:** May 31, 2014, 11:44:20 AM »

Quote from: music_4321 on May 31, 2014, 03:29:13 AM

Mr munch, this thread is mostly meant for the filthy rich and/or those who are convinced anything made in Japan has got to be absolutely incredible. Unfortunately, I've never heard any Audeze cans, never attended a meet, and likely never will.

CEE TEE, this might be a great opportunity to acquire an exotic Japanese shiny piece of jewellery.

http://nhacso.net/nghe-nhac/shuukyou-----religion.Vl1UU0Jb.html

well then, that's what people tend to do at meets. try stuff. for fun. it is fun!

I also do that at stores. I tried a lot of STAX and HD800 but while I think they're amazing and better than what I have, I don't plan to blow my student funding on them despite all that. I don't really see the need for such an attitude unless it's some joke, which would be somewhat funny.
either way, I'd still like to know a little bit about its midrange compared to your HD800 as an example (and what amp/DAC used?)

thanks!

music_4321 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 31, 2014, 10:16:40 PM »

I think Mr anetode will find it hard to find good recommendations in this thread. I really wish I could help, but I'm no longer friends with Paris Hilton—she was always most helpful when it came to similar matters.

----------------------

mkubota1,

"Maybe just start with something like that next time? :P" —— You're asking too much of Mr IEM Tease. ;)

"I agree with pretty much everything you said- minus the “best phone I’ve ever heard”. I’m too fickle to make such declarations." —— Well, I did say, "BUT, as you (should) know, this is my preference, and I do know for a fact they would not impress that many people". Speaking of one's favourite phone isn't always advisable, I guess, but that just happens to be the case with me when it comes to the LABs — like I said in that email, for 2.5+ months I've been finding it a bit difficult to enjoy my other excellent phones. That said, I'm currently enjoying the UERMs quite a bit, and though I still find the LABs slightly more appealing, switching to the UERMs isn't as hard as switching to my other phones.

My HD800s, like yours, are stock.

----------------------

Mr munch,

Let me put it this way: the HD800s, on the whole, sound a bit V-shaped compared to the LABs; of course that could only mean the LABs have forward mids—and that may well be the case—but the midrange just sounds awfully right to these ears: it isn't dry, thin or 'clinical', nor creamy/lush/thick (or whatever related term you choose). My amp is the 'venerable' V200 (with onboard DAC).

Now, I love the ER-4S' midrange—I think I may still prefer that part of the spectrum to the UERM's midrange even—, but the LAB's mids are still a step up, in my book, as they don't have that slight peak at ~3khz the Etys have; that and the slightly beefier low-end on the LABs which adds body to the midrange.

Marvey · « **Reply #16 on:** May 31, 2014, 11:41:12 PM »

LAB I definitely sounds interesting. I too prefer the ER-4S mids to the UERM as well. At least in terms of cohesiveness, naturalness, immediacy, or whatever. The ER-4S does seem to overshoot the diffuse field thing, so if you say they don't have that much of a bump at 3k, that would be welcome.

Any issues LAB I have in treble? I found the ER-4S to be a bit much over long listening sessions in the mid-treble. ER-4S with better bass extension at the low end, less diffuse field correction, and toned down treble would be something I would be looking for.

P.S.
On the "audiophile" thing, I actually feel you are the most "audiophile" out of all of us here.

blue · « **Reply #17 on:** June 01, 2014, 12:10:15 AM »

Quote from: marvey on May 31, 2014, 11:41:12 PM

LAB I definitely sounds interesting. I too prefer the ER-4S mids to the UERM as well. At least in terms of cohesiveness, naturalness, immediacy, or whatever. The ER-4S does seem to overshoot the diffuse field thing, so if you say they don't have that much of a bump at 3k, that would be welcome.

Any issues LAB I have in treble? I found the ER-4S to be a bit much over long listening sessions in the mid-treble. ER-4S with better bass extension at the low end, less diffuse field correction, and toned down treble would be something I would be looking for.

P.S.
On the "audiophile" thing, I actually feel you are the most "audiophile" out of all of us here.

No treble issues at all, the overall signature is very smooth/warm. Slightly bottom heavy and the bass is far from "punchy/tight". They have a very laid back, airy sound - zero fatigue.

One thing I didn't enjoy about them was how far back the vocals were, but after using them for awhile I began to like the presentation. At times it still feels like some of the details are hazed out... I guess you could call these veiled but I don't think that really describes the effect. Saying these are very resolving would be a joke.

My first impression of these was "muddy crap" but they're growing on me. Overpriced like hell though.

music_4321 · « **Reply #18 on:** June 01, 2014, 09:53:07 AM »

Quote from: marvey on May 31, 2014, 11:41:12 PM

LAB I definitely sounds interesting. I too prefer the ER-4S mids to the UERM as well. At least in terms of cohesiveness, naturalness, immediacy, or whatever. The ER-4S does seem to overshoot the diffuse field thing, so if you say they don't have that much of a bump at 3k, that would be welcome.

Any issues LAB I have in treble? I found the ER-4S to be a bit much over long listening sessions in the mid-treble. ER-4S with better bass extension at the low end, less diffuse field correction, and toned down treble would be something I would be looking for.

P.S.
On the "audiophile" thing, I actually feel you are the most "audiophile" out of all of us here.

I don't find any (major) issues with the LAB's treble; perhaps a touch more air would be nice, but I'm not sure how much I'd personally enjoy/prefer that.

As for your comment on the diffuse thing in the tuning of the ER4S, I think I can see where you're coming from, and I wouldn't really disagree. However, I think I manage to curb that either by using red filters (green are stock) and tri-flanges, or, even better in my case, using (stock) green filters and Shure Olive tips. The trouble with tri-flanges was that I could not get a consistently good fit/seal, and when that happened, the ER4S sounded really off, too anaemic and bright.

PS Deep down we both know I'm a real audiophile, but you're not supposed to let the whole world know about it!

----------------------

Mr blue,

"No treble issues at all, the overall signature is very smooth/warm. Slightly bottom heavy and the bass is far from "punchy/tight"." ——— Looks like we hear the LABs differently—perhaps only one of us has the FabLab version of the LAB I? I'd never say they're "slightly bottom heavy"; in fact, I think some might find the LABs (a bit) bass-light, tbh (my UERMs, K3003s & HD800s have slightly more bass quantity), one of the reasons I think they wouldn't WOW many on first listen. As for the bass being "far from punchy/tight", I'd say they lack the punch of the UERMs, AKGs & Senns, but are a little tighter than those, ie bass notes are slightly better defined/delineated.

"…the overall signature is very smooth/warm" ——— Very warm? Very? Hmm...smooth, yes, but not overly so, IMO.

"One thing I didn't enjoy about them was how far back the vocals were" ——— We really seem to hear things differently. I'd never say the vocals are "far back" on the LABs, and would not call this phone "veiled", but coming from phones like the HD800, K3003, or even the ER4S, I can see why some would (initially) find the LABs (a bit/rather) veiled or warm — like I said, I think there's a hint of warmth, but, overall, I'd personally not describe the LABs as a warm-sounding phone.

"Saying these are very resolving would be a joke." ——— My daughter thinks I've got a great, if not always understood, sense of humour, but when I said the LABs were a very resolving phone, I was not pretending to be funny.

tomscy2000 · « **Reply #19 on:** June 01, 2014, 12:27:59 PM »

Just an info dump, because I have no idea what the LAB I sounds like in person.

FAD is the one brand that can manage to alter timbre through its weird powdery damping material. If you measure their IEMs only for FR, they look remarkably similar, but don't sound alike for the most part. Other than the lowest-end Heaven II (which I actually like), the other models all use custom-ordered (not off the shelf) Sonion BA drivers, including the LAB I.

This is the LAB I's dual driver, which is a custom impedance coil version of the Sonion 2800:

As an example, this is a platter of the generic Sonion 2800:

This is how Sonion claims the 2800 performs:

From what it looks like, the LAB I's 2800 dual drivers are wired in parallel with no crossover, so they effectively perform as one.

Author Topic: Final Audio Design LAB I (Read 7340 times)

music_4321

Re: Final Audio Design LAB I

anetode

Re: Final Audio Design LAB I

ultrabike

Re: Final Audio Design LAB I

mkubota1

Re: Final Audio Design LAB I

munch

Re: Final Audio Design LAB I

music_4321

Re: Final Audio Design LAB I

Marvey

Re: Final Audio Design LAB I

blue

Re: Final Audio Design LAB I

music_4321

Re: Final Audio Design LAB I

tomscy2000

Re: Final Audio Design LAB I

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Author Topic: Final Audio Design LAB I (Read 7340 times)