Impedance Adapter IEM Tuning?

Equiptment used for testing:
Schiit Modius (AKM) and Asgard 3
xDuoo XP-2 Pro
7hz 71 Dongle
Apple Dongle

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[HobbyTalk]

Changes are logarithmic so difference between 0-10ohms is roughly the same as the difference between 10-20ohms, and 20-40ohms, and 40-80ohms etc.

So if you like the changes from 0-10 and you want about triple the boost more for example, you don't go with 30 but instead 40 and for a quad boost you'd go with 80.

[ATrinity]

I stumbled upon a graph for the ThieAudio Legacy 5 with a 75ohm impedance adapter and picked one up off of Aliexpress for a dollar and WOW. It completely changed the way I listened to these. It changed the response from a fairly warm neutral to a more energetic and bassy response, while still retaining its non-fatiguing nature. It even brought out details a fair bit more. I’ve found myself reaching for the Legacy 5 over my Kiwi Ears Quintet more frequently these days because of the impedance adapter. It’s fascinating how the Legacy 5 is the only IEM in my collection to not have a flat impedance curve and for their frequency response to change that drastically because of it.

[BobbyEllaForever]

OG Monarch is well regarded with 25ohm adapter as originally referenced by Crin. 100ohm adapter with OG Monarch is a lot of sub bass, my word. Great video, great channel.

[_-Z-]

I'm definitely going to have to get one of these impedance adapters. That curve on the Khan looks like so much fun! Thank you for the explanation and another great video! 👍

[fuad]

You're doing something different bro. Please keep this up!

[hyedefinition]

I typically use the impedance adapter with an aux adapter to trigger the quad DAC on the lg phone and remove the impedance adapter and run the IEM on the aux adapter.

I believe this retains the original FR while also 'tricking' the phone/DAP into thinking there's a higher resistance plugged in.

[GrB-M]

This was a great and well explained video. It would be interesting to see graphs of the IEMs impedance with and without adapters in addition to FR with and without to get a better idea of what’s actually going on (I’m well aware most people don’t have the equipment for this). But that’s literally the only thing I can come up with to nitpick, and you almost certainly didn’t have access to that anyway, so that’s saying something.

The Thieaudio Monarch MKI’s tuning could be changed with impedance adapters whereas the Clairvoyance not so much, even though they were pretty much the same IEM with an additional BA on the Monarch for tuning purposes (and I’d assume different crossovers for sub/midbass given the tuning differences). I found that rather interesting given that they are the same IEMs that only differ for tuning purposes (it seemed like they couldn’t decide which to go with so released both. That’s conjecture but it’s a fact that they’re not two completely separate/different IEMs). I’m not exactly sure what this goes to prove, especially as we don’t know how the crossovers etc. differ, but I thought it was interesting and might be worth adding.

[MayankJairaj]

bro just made a Truthear Zero Red before Crinacle!
Subbed awesome content

[aesonone]

great vid, i kinda knew this already but this style of "this does that, bim bam boom" explanation speaks to my brain. because i get to know what's happening quick and then deepen into the subject on my own further if i wished

[castillo]

Thank you for this video! just watched your last one, and was quite interested.

[mohammadzein]

Thank you for this! 👍
Very informative and helpful!
Nicely done ✌👏

[kmsrog]

so, basically i ordered a impedance plug for my sensitive campfire solaris partnered with audioengine d3 (for attenuating purposes), tested on music center (sony) and uapp. what you have said was true! the bass were expanded however, i don't like how it affects the treble. however i tested on ie600 which works best! i am glad that i have watched this video. so basically it is hit and miss of which iem you will you or the dac/amp itself. though the main reason was to reduce the loudness due to lack of physical vol button for audioengine d3. overall this is a cost effective alternative and prove the point of this video. this is first the impression, most probably it will stand to the test of time. addendum i picked 75 impedance plug from nf audio. another thing. i also tried jvc fd x1 and it sounds tin can, from my hypothesis, if you have let say bassy iem it will make it more bassier if neutral it will sound tin can, in short whatever iem you have it will amplify its characteristic by a factor or two or three. so there you go. thank you hobby talk for your review regards. sorry also for english

[exactom]

Cool. I bought those same faael adapters to activate high impedance mode on my lg v50 I use as a budget dap. Didn't work but now I'm gonna test them out on my iems thanks for the info!

[tama]

Thanks for this follow up to the Khans! I appreciate it

[RaduOprina]

Getting into this hobby its insane to me how many channels (most of them) are highly regarded while saying nothing of substance.
Thanks for speaking facts!

[TheDistortionist]

YES IT DOES. So strange you posted this, I just got mine and used it on my TruthEar Zero. Holy crap. Actually, the first QKZ x HBB also had some difference.

[dragrosethezeroth]

Got the Faaeal 80W impedance adapter a few days ago, hoping to reduce the noise floor on my old very sensitive Audbos P4. Didn't work for the Audbos as it changed the sound in negative way and I was quite disappointed. But at least I was able to use it to switch the high gain setting on LG phone for K371 and ER2SE (will have to verify for sound change, not significant enough from memory). Would definitely try it with other earphones, hopefully there is a surprise. 😀😁

[jeeewhyyypheee]

Sharing my experience, I tried pairing TE Zero Red 10 ohm adapter with my KZ PR2. It indeed changed the sounds, it add more sub bass rumble, smoothen upper treble extension, and the noise floor cleaner. Even tho it making the iem even harder to drive

[lexxyX]

Impedance adapters decreases the white noise of IEM's dramatically. Especially when connected to a computer or TV. Therefore 20-30 Ohm are sufficient. More impedance decreases also the sound quality and of course the volume. I have never detected any increase of bass with higher impedance, on the contrary. The only exception: headphones with native higher impedance, such as 600 Ohm HiFi headphones from the past (ancient Sennheisers for instance).

[jaw]

i bought a 400 ohm adapter to try to lower the noise floor of my tube amp with headphones. no idea if it will actually work