InEar ProPhile-8: Reference Universal With Two Switches

I couldn't find a dedicated thread yet so I shortly want to introduce you to my latest acquisition.



link to official website

If you're familiar with the StageDiver series, you basically know what to expect. This is a large but very ergonomic universal shell based on the StageDiver design. The main differences are the additional bass and treble boost switches (+3 dB, +2 dB) and a matt black finish instead of the glossy StageDiver. Here I put them next to each other:



The SD2 is still one of my favorite UIEM because of high comfort, great build quality and an enjoyable natural tuning (though somewhat mellow and warm).
The SD3 is a bass monster with the main focus on on-stage monitoring for musicians.
The SD4 has a v-shaped balanced signature that I never really cared much about. There are simply too many IEMs with a similar tuning available - many at lower price points.
I never heard the SD1.
Meanwhile, all of them also have a smaller version labeled with an S.

The PP8 is very neutral but in a nicely done way. The timbre is spot on and does not have an artificially analytical or sterile character but also no veil or warmth. I think this is the first InEar that uses fully closed balanced armatures. I believe the StageDiver series use back-vented receivers for bass.

Aside of timbre, the thing that strikes me most is the incredible clarity. I am still in early impressions (third day, additionally to CanJam Europe), but the precision, detail, separation and clarity are simply best of what I have ever heard!
Do keep in mind: I go to exhibitions regularly and I sometimes get asked to review great gear, but I do not have access to all IEMs released internationally, so I have never heard any Campfire Audio, Empire Ears or Noble.

I perceive PP8 as very neutral from 30 - 6.000 Hz. That is absolutely amazing. I think the treble is very slightly recessed around 7-9 kHz, but I will have to do more comparisons and probably more sinus sweeps. There are definitely no narrow peaks in the treble, no fake resolution boosts around 4 or 7 kHz like ER4 or VE6.
BTW, when I say neutral I do not mean ER4S. I prefer the Harman compensated frequency response.

The PP8 adjust incredibly well to the source material. They can sound very bass light or even bassy. Bass is very, very quick and it can deliver great punch and even rumble (for example with the Doom Soundtrack).
The clarity, imaging, layering and separation in the mids is simply reference. I have never heard background vocals being separated that well all while sounding so natural and uncolored. Soundstage is neither too intimate nor overly broad.
The treble is crisp and triangles have never sounded so realistic. I feel like there is a lot of air but my first attempts at sinus sweeps want to make me believe the treble rolls off quickly after 11 kHz. I might have to try to get these measured.

Anyway, I just wanted to share these first impressions and reflect on my own observations while I continue the review process. So far I am very amazed. I look forward to reading your impressions!

 

Hi, thanks for your first impressions. I auditioned them briefly two weeks back and compared them to CA Vegas, although I should have better compared them to the Andromedas (that were not in stock). IMO the PP8 are very slightly north of neutral with nice treble extension without hiss or fatigue, which I liked very much! Over at HF somebody wrote that they have an inoffensive peak around 7-8 kHz, so that´s the antipode to your words saying they are recessed around 7-9 kHz. Anyway, I am looking forward to reading your comparisons to other IEM´s, when you are comfortable with them after a few days of listening.

 

I haven't heard the stagedivers, but they definitely have their fans on HF. Let us know about the treble extension.

 

I just tortured my ears with a signal generator and swiped through the treble several times.
I connected my iPhone 6S Plus to Chord Hugo via CCK and used this app: Signal Generator

The treble appears to be very smooth, just a bit recessed above 6 kHz (haven't used the treble switch yet), but definitely no peak at 7-8 kHz. Maybe he is talking about the 6 kHz? They don't peak in my opinion.
Do you know his reference or comparison by any chance? I think PP8's treble is better done than with ER4SR, UERM or VE6.

Still not sure how I feel about the treble extension. Solely based on music listening experience, I would not expect it to roll-off, but my Jomo6 V2 customs easily extend further according to the tone generator.

After some tip rolling I settled for spin fit, BTW. I will go into more detail in the full review, but that is my recommendation for now.

 

That "somebody" was probably me.

However, as I explained in a subsequent post, that 7-8kHz emphasis may well depend on fit and/or tips. Also, treble peaks are known to shift with insertion depth, so it's entirely possible that his 6kHz emphasis corresponds to my 7-8kHz one.

I'd be careful about assessing IEMs with Spinfit tips, since their narrowing of the bore may change the treble response.

 

Thanks James, didn't know that.

I just switched to UE900 tips which are my preference for the SD2. Immediately noticed mids becoming a little honky, also stronger bass due to better isolation. So far would still prefer the SpinFit. I guess I need some more experimentation with ear tips, though.

Next step: custom-made foamies.

 

I brought my ProPhile-8 over to my friend from Headflux.de and he performed a measurement with his Vibro Veritas budget measurement tool. It is calibrated, uncompensated and smoothed only with 1/48 octave. This is basically raw data.



Every setting has been measured four times and the IEM has been re-adjusted between every run. In total we did 4x4 measurements for each side.
You can find the additional graphs on his homepage.

InEar did not lie, we measured exactly +3 db bass boost and +2 dB treble above 7 kHz. Nowhere could we find more than 1 dB channel imbalance. The bass boost does also lower the mids a little bit. The bass switch is arguably a subtle loudness function on its own.

I expect the data to look phenomenal when compensated by Harman's target response. ER4S-fans might consider it warm.
If anything allows criticism in my opinion, based on the frequency response measurements alone, it would be a very small dip around the vocal presence area (~3 kHz). From listening experience I have nothing to complain at all, though.

This is a reference IEM!

 

Looks upper mids and treble boosted to me. The UERM (which is slightly bright) looks almost flat without compensation on the Veritas, if not even slightly warm, but this does depend on the insertion depth. The Veritas seems pretty short and thick, I use a thinner, longer tube (and I think @Marvey does too).

I really don't like the DF and similar targets which have a lot of upper midrange boost. To be honest I think they're complete bs - they reduce the problem (IEMs not sounding like speakers) to a "simple" issue - frequency response, which really doesn't work. You can't achieve speaker tonality in IEMs simply by making the FR at the eardrum look the same. I look at the raw graphs for the innerfidelity data for IEMs.

I also don't agree with the speaker target Harman uses, so that would make the curves look even more different.

 

It seems you missed the part where I said "uncompensated".
After clicking this link, does it still seem as if mids and treble are boosted?

The ER4SR and XR will follow shortly.

I never understood how people could claim the ER4S sounds neutral... until I met them in person. It seems that fans of ER4S like to turn up the volume very high.

 

It seems like you missed the part where I talked about not liking these compensations. Most of the time the uncompensated plots seem to be closer to what I hear. This also makes sense since I like the results of my uncompensated ear-canal opening measurements for headphones (and actually speakers too).

Still, I can't say how these sound before listening to them.

 

Hey Muppet very nice to hear you again and all the more exciting to hear you will compare all of these. I hope you are well and happy new year.

I own or have owned the KSE1500, Plus5, Zeus-R and Prophile-8. To stay on topic I will comment only on the Prophile-8.
Technically and from a fit point of view I find them very impressive. They are very comfortable, and sound neutral yet musical, very spacious and enveloping to me. However at this stage I find they do not have the emotional involvement of the S-EM9 or the SE5 Ultimate. My favorite source for them at this stage is the Lotoo Paw Gold, which give them a more intimate touch with more depth and subbass.

 

From that list I've only heard the KSE1500 and Oriolus MkII and the PP8 beat them easily for me. I simply can't imagine any better tuning - if I could design an IEM myself, the ProPhile is exactly what it would sound like.
I'm trying to get my hands on the Andromeda but so far I haven't had any luck. Not interested in any others on that list.

 

Hi guys!

Unfortunately I struggle to get "good" measurement results with the Etymotics. So take my ER4 measurements with a grain of salt. I will redo them and try different tips and depths to get better results.

I'd like to add a few words about my rig and how I calibrated:
I did a high number of measurement with various inears in the uncalibrated Veritas. Then I built a calibration file by compaing the results to real 711 measurements (mainly the grey innerfidelity curves). So basically the results come very close to 711's in most cases.

 

Yeeeeees. Finally after much much much tip rolling I have found the perfect tips for me on the Prophile-8. These are the new Spinfit CP200 double flanche tips. They bring perfect balance to the sound, and great depth and layering. If you are using the Prophile-8, please try many tips.

 

@k.e.: Sorry for chomping at the bit, pls. post some impressions from the ProPhile-8

 

Following my last post it turns out I can't wear double flange for too long so I an back to spinfit CP100 but medium size. Indeed, I discovered that I get better results on the the Prophile 8 with more insertion depth.

 

I'm finishing my review for Headfonics right now. It'll be a long one.