I’ll emphasize one more time that the vocal imbalance is about driver matching and is almost certainly a fault (maybe a failed/failing BA driver or a bad internal connection etc.).
The effect is a lateral shift in the placement of tones/vocals (vocals are just easier to tell) to the right. Just like cranking the balance control to the right (except it’s a narrow range of frequencies not everything).
It’s clearly audible, and I’ve verified it with measurements.
Most manufacturers aim to matched to within 1 dB across the spectrum. Some shoot for 0.5 dB or better (e.g. HD650). These, are about there for most of the spectrum, but diverge by an average of 2.5 dB and a maximum of 5 dB in the vocal frequency range - hence the specificity (and magnitude) of the shift.
I just got done running the Solaris with the WM1Z. They exhibit audible, if very low-level, hiss via the 3.5mm single-ended output. It wouldn’t intrude on music or be an issue in quiet passages, but it’s there if you listen for it when nothing is going on.
Via the 4.4mm balanced connection they are as close to silent as I can tell.
Both the A&K and Cayin DAPs are completely silent regardless of the connection - no audible hiss at all.
Beyond that, the WM1Z + Solaris sounded excellent, with no notable FR shift vs. say, the RME’s IEM output and a very small change vs the A&K players (slight uptick in bass level … and I do mean slight … it’s not like the Andromeda where the difference between 0.5 ohms and 2 ohms goes from obnoxious to “just right”).
I do most of my listening on the DAPs at night at low volumes with mainly soundtracks or classical. It’ doesn’t really bother me at other times but bugs the shit out of me when I’m trying to relax.
The WM1Z could very well have a lower noise floor than the 1A. They certain do sound a bit different even though the components are mostly the same. Have you had a chance to hear the Z1R yet?
Yep, I was surprised at how different they do sound. Not sure how much is down to the few component changes or the copper casework, but they’re distinct enough to be obvious. I never thought to compare the noise-floor when I had both the WM1A and WM1Z at the same time … but again, yes, easily the case that they’re different in that regard.
No, can’t say I have (assuming you mean the IER-Z1R and not the MDR-Z1R). I don’t have plans to either, unless I stumble across them at a meet.
I’m more in the “IEMs only when I have to” camp than anything. I can appreciate them. They often sound spectacular. But they’re fiddly and not nearly as comfortable for me as a good over-ear can - with the exception of the APEX and ADEL equipped models, which are comfortable/unfatiguing enough for long sessions.
Just got my pair in yesterday, and already there’s a lot to say about them:
These are very sensitive to tips and fit
I’ve never owned a pair of IEMs that changed their presentation so much depending on tip selection. I started off with Comply’s since that’s what I was used to. I was REALLY disappointed with them at first - everything sounded veiled with the upper mids and treble recessed to hell. I decided to try a set of spinfit tips that I had laying around and it was literally like opening the blinds on a sunny day - suddenly all the detail was there! I’ve orderd some JVC spiral dots to try next. I found that I would use eartips that were about 1 size smaller than I would use with the andromedas that I used to own due to the deeper insertion depth. Oh and my pair has driver flex on both sides. I believe the dynamic driver is only has a vented back volume so that makes sense. You can prevent driver flex by pulling upwards on your pinna (top of the earlobe) slightly while inserting IEMs, this straightens out the cartilaginous portion of the ear canal slightly and makes it slightly wider. This way you can get a more secure fit without fear of damaging the dynamic driver.
These are very unforgiving of badly recorded tracks / any mistakes in recording or production
After listening for a bit I thought my pair was defective, it seemed to be distorting in some tracks with audible crackling noises. I noticed this first on Stairway to Heaven (Apple Music) around 5:40. I haven’t been listening to a lot of music lately and haven’t heard this track in a while, so I tested it on my living room setup (KEF LS50 Wireless w/ KEF Kube 12, equalized to a flat response in the listening sweet spot) and sure enough, the same artifacts that I heard on the Solaris were also present when listening through the speakers, they were just not nearly as obvious especially since I would usually play speakers at lower volumes out of respect for neighbors. However, even when I went to up the volume on my speakers these artifacts were tolerable and didn’t scream out at me totally taking me out of the music like they did on the solaris.
They hiss, but their hiss is more pleasant than the andromedas.
I’ve tried them through 3 sources so far. The ifi xDSD, the Lightning to 3.5mm dongle, and the Radsone ES100. The xDSD has slightly less hiss than the lightning dongle. Overall the tonality of the hiss seems to be distributed over a greater range of frequencies than the andromeda, making it subjectively less annoying. Surprisingly the ES100 exhibited no hiss at all, it really is a great piece of engineering, I only wish that it had USB-C and a more robust / premium build.
Overall I think these are pretty amazing IEMs, they actually kind of remind of the Focal Clears in their presentation (although the Clear had a more forward upper midrange and less bass slam) with a very intimate presentation (modest soundstage size with pinpoint accurate imaging). I think these will be my endgame IEMs for the forseeable future.
My problem is I love Spiral Dots too much to use any of the other tips…the bore size leaves the CA IEMs un-impeded so you get full sound from them…at least for me… but they did not help with comfort for me with the Solaris…I am also a sensitive to things in my ears person so I am probably outside the norm here… with that being said I almost bought the Solaris for its sound! I really liked them.
totally understandable. There are new Spiral Dot tips available now, they are supposedly even more comfortable but I wouldn’t know since I have yet to even experience the original spiral dots! Maybe check these out if get the chance
A quick update on the “vocal shift” or “vocal channel imbalanced” I found with the Solaris.
I was not imagining it.
It turns out to be that a BA driver had become dislodged, likely due to an impact. I have seen this with other IEMs - it’s an infrequent thing even with tour/review units (where it is far more likely to happen than in normal usage) so shouldn’t be something to be concerned about (unless you habitually drop your IEMs).
@andrew snagged this photo of me on the Ferry ride back from Vancouver Island to Vancouver. We were away for the weekend for our annual Father and Son golf tournament and I decided to take the entire Campfire line-up for some pictures and ended up taking none so this is the only photo from the trip. I believe I was watching Mid 90’s (Jonah Hill’s Directorial debut). The Solaris is great for movies and shows as the holographic sound really shines through.
I actually replaced the stock cable with Campfire’s new smoky litz cable and the fit on the Solaris is way better. I found with the stock cable the Solaris would pull out because the memory wire was so stiff but with the new cable it just sits comfortably in my ear.
Andrew just got a Google Pixel 3 so he’s been sneaking in pictures every chance he can get to show off the camera on it.
Which was really more just me enjoying the local gourmet burgers (more sort of “huge”, “delicious” and “improbably bad for you” than actually “gourmet”) while polishing off a couple of bottles of “grape juice”, in the sun, on the water, after spending all morning writing sporadically napping and (intermittently) watching guilty-pleasure late 80s/early 90s action movies.
I do have a picture or two of her, admittedly amazing, results.
They give the students their own, new, chainsaws as part of the class. And they get to keep them. It has yet to make its way to the storage locker/closet.
Personally I think she’s keeping it around for nefarious purposes, but that’s only because I know her.
Yeah, Android wear is severely lacking… the closest I’ve found to be at least good looking and serviceable is the Samsung gear watches…but they have the annoying proprietary Samsung junk…I just want a Pixel watch lol please google make it happen! Rumors say sometime this year…but I’m not holding my breath lol.
Here is a good list of current “top” WearOS watches:
I’ve just literally upgraded from an iPhone 6 to the Samsung Galaxy S10+. My first Android phone. I am very impressed especially with the camera. Now I can get pictures for my very long awaited review of the U18t’s. Honestly it’s in the pipeline..
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