Comments on: Flare Audio Flares PRO 2HD Review

By: Nigel

Nigel — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 23:38:26 +0000

Good review Nathan the Pro 2hd is my 2nd set of Flares and it is in my view a big step up from the original Pro, i know why you’re a fan (me too).
Regarding hiss I have never noticed any with the Pro 2hd in fact I have been really impressed at just how much absence of hiss there is (hiss really bugs me) total lack of hiss is using both the DAC or hard cable to player. To be fair I’m using an above average player being an Astell&Kern Ak380 Copper playing flac files, which may have something to do with it.
A couple of things really bug me about the Flares (not just the 2hd all of them) that cable from the DAC to the ear pieces is just annoyingly to short but apparently the shorter the cable the less hiss, so maybe that’s why. The other thing that really cheeses me off is the nice little box to carry them aroused in your pocket, it’s just a bit too small! With the dac connected the cables at the MMCX plugs has to be bent 90 degrees to fit in the stupid box, I wonder how long it will be before the cable splits at that point, and then what? It’s not like the cables are replaceable and why isn’t there mmcx connection to the ear pieces so that the cables could be changed, these are pretty expensive to have to throw away if a cable breaks and given there’s a stupidly small box that is probably going to assist with a cable breaking, it’s just dumb!
That said the sound is amazing for the money and others that cost a lot more just don’t knock it out of the park. Whilst I prefer my Astell&Kern Roxanne ll they aren’t that much better and definitely not 4 x the price better and they are big and cumbersome compared to the tiny Flares 2hd. I guess it would be like comparing a “cheap” lambourgini against a really expensive Bugatti, both are awesome but is one really worth around 3 times the money?
Bluetooth as you said isn’t great but having the choice is awesome, for me the Bluetooth works better from my phone than the Astell&Kern player this is most likely to be that Astell & Kern Bluetooth absolutely sucks almost to the point of why do they put bother putting it in their multi thousand dollar players at all. My previous Astell&Kern AK240ss was just as bad as the Astell&Kern AK380 copper oops ranting off topic.
So anyone thinking of really expensive headphones on the quest for perfection the Flares Pro 2hd is calling you, as per Nathan’s review, they really are that good.

By: Marcus

Marcus — Thu, 28 May 2020 02:37:47 +0000

In reply to Lacas. Sadly, Nathan decided to go solo for 2020, I sent this question to him and hopefully, he will reply.

By: Lacas

Lacas — Wed, 27 May 2020 18:05:19 +0000

Hi Nathan,
how is Pro 2HD compared to oBravo Cupid?
Did you try the Symbio F eartips with the Cupid? I find them a great pairing :)

By: Jackson

Jackson — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 04:03:54 +0000

In reply to Marcus. So, thank you Nathan. Btw, Do you guys know or measure the impedance? Flare did not mention it but I think it is about 50 to 80 Ohm. They never have any hiss when I plug them to my 2stepdance amp which makes all my other earphones hiss so much.

By: Marcus

Marcus — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 03:02:47 +0000

In reply to Jackson. oops sorry, error, Nathan wrote this review :) now updated.

By: Jackson

Jackson — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 18:41:48 +0000

8.6

Beautiful!

Hi Marcus, i have to agree with your review. Good job!
I’ve owned this earphone a couple of weeks, and oh dear, they made me really surprise about their performance. I did not expect that transparency and detail from a single dynamic driver. They actually beat all my “multi BA” and hydrid earphones (Westone 3 & 4, Shure 535, AKG N40, Fidue A73).
They makes me remember my old broken Sony Ex1000 by the sub-bass and soundstage. I even think the Flare 2HD is better than Ex1000 in bass texture. Mid is detail, warm and balance, vocals have beautiful timbre (i get the emotion of the singers). High is sparkle and extended, cymbals are perfect to me. How can i ask more than this at this price point?
Btw, i think the Flare Pro 2HD needs a bit more power. I feed them with my Topping NX4 and 2Stepdance and they are a truely superstar.

Breakdown

Leave A Review

Sound Quality

9.5

Design

8.3

Comfort & Isolation

Synergy

8.5