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Author Topic: Heir 4ai Measurements  (Read 4976 times)

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Marvey

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Heir 4ai Measurements
« on: February 09, 2013, 09:22:06 PM »

From another thread, but I figured it needs its own. I held off on formally posting these to not influence certain folks during their tour.


Again, FR is intentionally cut off after 9kHz.

Subjectively, I didn't really care for it. I lost my notes - maybe Anax has some or remembers. I believe my main issue with it was a somewhat disjointed sound - from the bass all through the upper mids. No HD measurements - I was too lazy and didn't care enough to bother.
« Last Edit: February 09, 2013, 09:31:27 PM by purrin »
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Anaxilus.

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Re: Heir 4ai Measurements
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2013, 03:55:30 AM »

The two words that come to mind were disjointed and incoherent signature.  Bass had a natural sounding euphony to them, but not 'accurate' as they are marketed.  Mids were the problem.  I'd have preferred them with the mids and treble drivers removed and used solely as a bass monitor.  Oddly, the 3ai was less refined and had more issues but somehow managed to make more sense overall in it's signature.  Both were overpriced for the performance and I'd take about 10 other $30-$200 universals IEMs over the 3ai/4ai any day.  Our sets may have had QC issues but we have not heard another set to verify any other conclusion.  Though, what does it tell people when a company sends measurably defective gear out on a loaner tour?
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The Headphone Viking

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Re: Heir 4ai Measurements
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2013, 08:37:09 PM »

Hmm... this is odd. The response when they were initially on 'tour' here in Denmark was very, very positive, and as a result Heir has got a lot of happy customers here. I found the 4.Ai to be incredibly clear and detailed sounding, akin to the HD800 in a lot of ways, and ended up getting a custom pair... Can't really seem to locate the problems you are mention - at least not in my pair anyway.
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Anaxilus.

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Re: Heir 4ai Measurements
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2013, 08:57:14 PM »

No IEM I have ever heard comes close to the HD800 as I have mine sounding, though I can see why people say that based on the variety of HD800 impressions and rigs out there. 


I'd chalk the 4ai impression to inconsistency in manufacture except the 3ai is just as messed up, maybe a bit less is some ways and more in others.  A number of people heard this demo pair and had similar lack of excitement.  Of course there are always those that have a lower bar or point of reference or just weird tastes in addition to potentially broken demos.  Suffice to say, anyone liking the demo set we heard would not have their opinion taken seriously.  The signatures were just broken and no amount of tip rolling would ever be able to fix them.
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The Headphone Viking

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Re: Heir 4ai Measurements
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2013, 03:01:39 PM »

Yes thats ofcourse one thing to keep I mind, the HD800 is quite different on different rigs. But basically my impressions and those of the other Danes who own them/heard them is that the 4.Ai is that it is very neutral, very detailed and clear sounding with a good soundstage for an IEM. One person compared it to his JH13 or 16 (i forget) saying it was similar and had many of the same qualities, though the JH was still superior. Can't speak for that though since I haven't heard it. But generally very good.

The 3.Ai is a completely different story though, which as you mention is quite strange sounding - some bass heads liked it, but that's about it.

It's sad if a defect demo unit has ruined your experience with the 4.A - I'd say its worth a revisit, but it may ofcourse just not be your cup of tea ofcourse, which is fair. p;)
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MuppetFace

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Re: Heir 4ai Measurements
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2013, 03:16:41 PM »

Having spoken w/ some folks who are far more familiar with this stuff than I, it seems there was indeed something wrong on the tour units. Why Heir would send out something so obviously messed up is baffling.

Either way, the universal 4.Ai is going to be overshadowed by the custom 4.A which is just a better monitor all around. Driver array on the 4.A is the same as the Frogbeat C4's, so they'll have some similarities.
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The Headphone Viking

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Re: Heir 4ai Measurements
« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2013, 04:41:17 PM »

True, the A.4 is definitely an improvement, which is why I got it - because I was floored by how much I liked the A.4i :)
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Stapsy

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Re: Heir 4ai Measurements
« Reply #7 on: May 11, 2013, 06:49:46 PM »

No IEM I have ever heard comes close to the HD800 as I have mine sounding, though I can see why people say that based on the variety of HD800 impressions and rigs out there. 

I think this is an important point.  I have the Tzar 350s.  After I put on comply tips, they sound surprisingly close to the HD800 with the anax 2.0 mod through my portable rig.  I am convinced the HD800s are capable of so much more with the proper setup.  Most likely the "HD800 sound like my (insert headphone/iem)" statements are the result of the rest of the rig limiting the HD800s, as opposed to the other headphones being close to the HD800.

The 4.Ai and Tzar 350 occupy an awkward space in the IEM market. The only reason I got them is because I wanted something close to Ety's but with a replaceable cable.  I am still interested to hear the 4.Ai.  Someone had some at the local meet I went to but I never got around to them.  I can't say for the 4.Ai, but the Tzar 350 do not sound disjointed to me compared to something like the AKG K3003.
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The Headphone Viking

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Re: Heir 4ai Measurements
« Reply #8 on: May 11, 2013, 09:20:08 PM »

No IEM I have ever heard comes close to the HD800 as I have mine sounding, though I can see why people say that based on the variety of HD800 impressions and rigs out there. 

I think this is an important point.  I have the Tzar 350s.  After I put on comply tips, they sound surprisingly close to the HD800 with the anax 2.0 mod through my portable rig.  I am convinced the HD800s are capable of so much more with the proper setup.  Most likely the "HD800 sound like my (insert headphone/iem)" statements are the result of the rest of the rig limiting the HD800s, as opposed to the other headphones being close to the HD800.

Personally in my case i think its mostly a matter of people taking it too litteral - what I mean is that when I say the 4.A(i) sounds like the HD800, I don't mean an exact replication, I mean what I say: it sounds like the HD800.
Which means a lot of details, good soundstage, yada-yada-you know the deal, i.e. it shares a general sound signature/ideals with it, given the same source and amp, if you will. I mean, if its not clear to everyone that the HD800 should be able to transcend a 450$ universal IEM without much trouble, then... Well.. You get my point  p:/  They're similar, not the same.

Well, this is getting slightly off topic, to get back on it, does anyone know if a measurement of the Tzar's will be measured any time (and a non-defect 4.Ai assuming this one was)? Would be interesting to compare... :P
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wiinippongamer

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