What is this mod exactly?
Performed it tonight and took photos! Youngest (and tbh the rest of us just not as much) are sick atm though so Iâll have to compile a full reply later.
1 Like
Update: Ian and I have settled things privately 
Video is now back, and a follow up is coming tomorrow morning 
22 Likes
This Ian looks like a grumpy guy from the movie âGrumpy Old Menâ to me. I unfollowed him on YouTube. It seems to me that you are paying too much attention to him and wasting your time⌠
3 Likes
âŚ
6 Likes
Yes, I killed him
(or I wouldâve from my response video lol)
I still have it locked and ready anytime in case he changes his mind 
9 Likes
Ian really showed his colors. Intellectual property is a stretchâŚ
4 Likes
5 Likes
So, Prison Mikes:
(The name was originally because I only ever saw this sort of mod (using silicone at least, I guess the FDX1 does this with cotton) done by Michael Bruce, and this is like a ghetto version of his talented work. Also the first Cadenzas I used were purple like the bandana of âPrison Mikeâ from the Office)
Find some donor silicone from some disused tips. I never wear L and higher so I have a bunch of those from sets.
I used the core of etymotics tips previously, but I was all out of that.
Took a gander at these:
and considered the thinner cores from these green ones, which would be a nice hidden match for the green shells of this set:
To cut the cores out in a nice straight line and to the same length, I put them on a nail, though skewers/dowels work (thanks to @ctjacks336 for that).
I just picked a nail from close by and sanded the rust off it real quick. Our goal is tinnitus, not tetanus.
My exacto knife was actually pretty crap, Iâll use a different blade next time:
Here are the Cadenzas:
To get the filter off I used super fine tweezers and then (these are actually pretty easy to puncture / break hole connections in) I found spinning them round and round loosened the adhesive and lifted one side so I could get them out:
This is where I realized I was tripping to use the thick blue core:
Letâs try that again with green:
Got a good match:
I put a foam in the center BUT later I removed it completely - and also noticed itâs slightly different to the foam I used last time:
I then put a thin (not sure what it is, could be Olina filter or a 200 filter (which could even be the same I donât know) on the underside of the grille before I reinstalled it.
Anyway, the result this time was a fuzzy mess. LIke 32 VHS re-recordings of a live performance later.
In one fell swoop, instead of trying things bit by bit like a rational scientist, I
a) Removed the foam altogether
b) Took off the light filter and instead but a 400 filter on the outside of the grille (easy to change, and doesnât stop the grille from adhering in place)
And that was the winning combination!
I havenât had the âpalette cleanseâ of a âknown goodâ IEM since I started tinkering last night, so maybe after some time with the Serials (which Iâd consider close to my mod) will show these up as so-so.
But at the moment they sound great, really good sub bass support and punch, plenty of detail in vocals and instruments, very spacious sounding indeed, and volume scale very well (but not to ridiculous levels).
So to recap:
- Core from donor tips to line the nozzle with silicone
- 400 filter on grille
(Which is different to the first mod.)
Iâve been using fairly narrow tips so far, at this point the Spinfit CP145 or some generic-ish pink core silicones which I usually use with the Serial.
EDIT: BTW this is what the first Prison Mikes looked like vs stock, Iâd say this set maintains a more traditional pinna gain.
13 Likes
You will get a much reduce treble gain with the nozzle being smaller.
Dunu Falcon Pro nozzles affect the tuning with it (difference in hole size).
5 Likes
reminds me of the s12 mod
1 Like
I am blessed to have a nice small touring duo in Poland with one of the nicest guy in the hobby @heartless and I picked up a package from him with those gems yesterday
I know those were quite controversial lately in regards to the backgrounds story, QC etc, but decided to write some words about the sound and comfort related stuff anyway as I really hope this story would end up getting resolved 
All notes are taken based on listening on UD settings, MD Springips + BAL out of Hiby R3 II
- this BRAS system really works as claimed, this set feels like a very open DD in ear with no discomfort or pressure. It is the most evident when I compare against SA6 one after another. I think this may be the best feature of Butastur
- when I A/B it against SA6 NOB feels significantly more open and spacious. SA6 on contrary feels just like the singer is congested with the instruments around in small chamber
- when I put them in ears after some time with Twilights I immediately noticed those are a magnitude less in-your-face and more audiophile/delicate sounding. The notes feels like petals of flowers in the wind (wtf?!) which may be a bad and good thing depending on the library and how much engaged you want to be in your music
- the tuning is very good and balanced overall, there is no sharpness in vocals nor in percussion hits
- bass is of a very good quality, it does not feel BA in terms of âphysicalityâ, but it is on tamer side definitely. I donât get where this different in-ear feeling between those and SA6 comes from, that is my biggest mystery in the hobby right now.
- the size and comfort is crazy good for me, thinking those are 10BAs sets is hard to imagine
Overall feels like a significantly more polished version of SA6 OG (with more physical bass + stellar in ear comfort as biggest upgrades). They may still not be the best out there for bass heavy genres, but I would say that even for this kind of music those are at least solid. They work best for me with instrumentals, chamber music, singer/songwriters, alt rock.
If not for the controversy I think they would deserve recommendation as a very good all-rounder.
18 Likes
Thatâs where I got the idea / why âMikeâ is in the mod name (Michael Bruce)
1 Like
I did that mod minus the bore reduction on s12s, since i didnât have any tubing. The iem stem was a nice way to do it. Might have to go through the old tips and see if any look like good sacrifices.
1 Like
Aww, donât mention it. Sharing is caring!
Iâm glad that you could give them a go and that you enjoyed it!
Most likely, I wouldnât have got acquainted with HiFi Guides and all the kind people here, if it wasnât for you.
Always looking forward to your mini reviews, as they help me realize many things that I couldnât express myself.
Compared to all the IEM tours all over USA, our F2F meetings seem to be too easy.
( :
7 Likes
you have a QC problem with your NOB?
did you try them with the h570 tips?
Great review mate 
1 Like
Was that meant to sound so⌠ambiguous? Maybe itâs just UK slang. 
1 Like
Yeah, itâs $600 totally flushed. Itâs a re capped set with an absolutely un necessary backstory that is total bullshit. The person who was in here 3,4,5,6 times a day pushing the set in every way under the Sun is M.I.A and active elsewhere.
I got fucked is how most folks would describe it.
Jay and Myself yanked the esteemed Elysian diva for being similar xcept the Diva didnât have a totally made up dream to reality story
4 Likes