What Makes a Graph a Graph You Love - FR Discussion

This thread is for discussing frequency response preferences and sharing general knowledge about reading FR graphs

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In the spirit of collaboration, wanna take the title of my thread? We don’t need two of these but I don’t want to delete my title :relaxed: @cal_lando

And as previously mentioned:

I’m so frustrated with that particular cut, people make in their tuning. Controlling spiciness is wonderful, but you don’t have to Jack up the clarity to do it.

Seriously, pick any set with that cut and EQ something from 6-7.5k up 3.5-5db on a 2-3Q and the set will instantly sound WAY better

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Yep! I can’t change mine until you delete yours though

Should be good now

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Being a flat graph is instant love for me :slight_smile: So I know that this earphone is neutral like er4s.

Eventough results vary, my experience proved my idea so.

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I think it all depends on what your goal is. IMO sometimes elevation in those can detract from the focus for certain genres. For instance, that cut may lose out on clarity but for genres like hip hop you may not even notice the cut or it may detract from the rest of the mix

I am a big fan of the IE600 FR. I guess I’m just a V/U shape fan but there is something about that signature that makes me want to listen more. For the IE600 though I could do with a little less energy at the 10k+ range. I think that was part of the reason why I was hearing so much background noise on tracks with that IEM. I want to play a bit with EQ and see if I can cut that down without changing too much of what I love about the FR

Having said that, I do find this FR better at higher volumes compared to something a bit more neutral with bass boost which I love for easy, lower volume listening

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For me, I’ve tried listening to test tones and such, and I don’t hear much past 12-13k at normal volumes. If I turn 13k+ up to levels that would deafen from the rest of the frequency, I can hear those details so they’re ostensibly out of range for me. So 6-10k is the most important part of the treble for my ear. Cuts after like 8.5k aren’t potent to me, and cuts a 4-6k control the scratchy treble for me. But 6-8.5k is exactly where clarity is most affected for me

I’m still trying to figure it all out. These are three of some of my favorite sets. Seems my bass preferences can be all over the place. Just depends on my mood for the day. My reasoning has led me to believe my key area is from 2,500-3,500k. Anymore of a peak than these and things start to get a bit to much. It’s not shown but the Kinda Lava only peaks at maybe one decibel higher and it just graces the line of almost being to much. Anything more seems to be a no go. Another indicator seems to be a nice smooth dip after 3k. Both those are why I’m thinking the Oracle MKII wouldn’t be idea for me. The sets I’ve tried and didn’t like all missed those marks. Anyway until I figure it all out thats what I’m looking at.

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Im pretty stunted past 14k so I hear you there. I too have found deep cuts in the 6-8k cause a lack of clarity or even just a sense of completeness in vocals while too much of an abrupt pinna gain causes a forward and somewhat blunted sound to me (such as on the Moonlight). I think I prefer a peak around 2500-3k and gradual decline down to 8k. maybe a small cut in the 6.5k - 8k just so vocals dont feel to unnatural to me.

I present a play in 4 parts: all using HBB’s squish normalized to 700hz

Part 1: how I started

These were my first IEMS, as I just got my feet wet. I genuinely wouldn’t call any of them bad, but only the CRA would get any listen if I still had it. That is about the most ideal 6-8k cut for me. But I thought T3+ was better cause it’s better tuned except for that spot.

Part 2: learning I know nothing

Hearing popular IEMs like Olina and Zero, and then finding my still favorite IEM, really grew my opinion on that late-presence cut. Olina and Zero are both better than T3+ because of the superior upper-mids energy, but both of their flaws are that there’s not enough below 300hz to balance it. It’s too emphasized in the upper-mids and not neutral enough. Enter Starsea: The sub-bass isn’t as elevated as the graph says, it’s similar to T3+. It’s as clean as the others in the mids but the BAs don’t overdo the upper-mids, and leaves room for a little elevation notch right where everyone else dips. I love this tuning!

Part 3: almost there

Going through each of these HBB collabs pushes me closer to my ideal: Olina led to Kai - more bass presence, less aggressive pinna gain, smoother but less detailed treble. It’s a favorite of mine but I saw Olina SE and knew this would be a winner for me: the bass and note-weight is just a little more present, the pinna gain is slightly adjusted, and that treble glide to the coupler resonance is smooth as butter for me. I do not need to buy another sub $100 set after that, to hit a neutral-brightish target. That’s it, I’m done!

Part 4: where I’m at now

TL;DR: Kai and Starsea graph super similar until the upper mids then Kai is relaxed and energetic in the lower end, Starsea is balanced. Olina SE is the energetic in the upper end.

But all the way through, you can see my preferences lol!

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yes, we can call that neutral but what people think as being neutral is not…perhaps natural, but not flat.

tho, I am also fond of a W shaped fr. :smiley:

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I was thinking about your “my tastes are all over the place” and I was thinking you’re not as crazy as you think. As evidence:

When normalized to 300hz, to compare the bass levels, you get this. The Up has a clear bass shelf compared to DM, but then they have an almost uncanny amount of similarity through the rest of the FR.

And if you normalize to 800hz:

I think I can make some sense as to why you like the EJ07 so much….

So no, you’re not crazy my friend

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You are so right! People often confuse flat graph with non dynamic / linear sound but it just gives you what the record is playing :slight_smile:

W is okay or ____/ anyway. Not a V please

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what IEM’S would you say have a flat fr?

Having a perfect flat line is both master tuning work and undesireable related your sales but AFIK the flattest is Ety er4s. Some of the others I loved are below.



And last minute addition is Kinera Hodur. I believe in its amateur looking graph because I finished reviewing it and found joy while in the process.

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know of any w shaped IEMs?

Its a hard question because they are hard to locate but Meze Advar is a recent example. Audiosense preferred that tuning too.

images (11)

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yeh… not too keen on spending that much on IEMs. I scored a screaming deal on sone lightly used ER4XR for $130 CAD.