Received my Klipsch X10 Image...

[Jajo]

Hello,

I just received my Klipsch X10's and I want to give some initial thoughts about my most recent purchase. It's definitely not going to be reviewed in depth, but enough to tell you how I feel. Also, by no means am I an audiophile to some of your standards here. But, I know good sound when I hear it.

This is the first time I have strayed from Shure. Previously I have owned E2C's, SE110's and currently Shure SE310. Some of you may have read my frustrations with the SE310's.

Upon first holding the X10's, they felt cheaper than Shure's. The cord was thin, and I already started missing the Shure's two cords. But hopefully, the Klipsch cords don't freeze up in cold weather and start ripping at the bends.

In addition, I am not too fond of the Y split in the Klipsch, nor the plug. The manual says the plug is at a "right angle" for better use with cases. It's not even a right angle. The plug scares me the way the wire comes out of the plug. Let's hope I have no troubles.

Moving on to the phones...I like gels, but not more than foamies. I tried the gels for 5 minutes then tried to see if Shure olives would fit. They did, and that's what I have been using since. I'm sure I'll go back to gels just to experiment, and I may even stick with them. They are more easy to use, because with foamies, I have to squeeze them then place them in my ears and hold until the foam expands again. Also with the Klipsch, I can share my music better with other people. I had to give a person instructions to use the Shure's.

I listen to a lot of electronic music (deep house, tech house, trip-hop) and hip-hop (late 80's to mid 90s and underground). The Shure's always made me yearn for more bass (even on bass booster on my iPhone). I am in no way a bass head (I would have bought the UE EB5 if I was), but if it's meant to be there, I WANT TO HEAR IT! The Shure's never satisfied me in that regard. I once tried V-Moda's. They had bass, but they sounded like junk otherwise. Mmmmm Klipsch, they sound good. It's a weird feeling I get....I wish I could just hold the song in my arms. I had that feeling with Shure's occasionally, but these Klipsch's hit my heart.

The Klipsch have the perfect amount of bass (and with bass booster off). The mids are there, of course not like Shure's, but they are there and they do a great job. Also, in regards to noise isolation, I believe the Klipsch are as good, if not better, than the Shure's. The real test will be driving to work with my brother. He listens to a lot of mainstream rap, and I always tried to drown it out with my Shure's. Also my wife likes to watch music videos loudly, and the Shures made it feel like the channel was PBS instead of MTV. We'll see how well the Klipsch do.

All in all, I love the Klipsch. I am sad, though, that they aren't built like Shure's in terms of cord thickness. The plug lacks, and I feel like they could break at any second. But the sound is beautiful. The sound is clearly better than what I'm used to.

I hope these phones will stay with me for a good bit of time.

Jajo


PS....what are "Portable Headphones"? Are AKG, Audio Technica, or Grados considered "Portable"? I may get some full size headphones next just to change it up.

[Taikero]

I wish I could just hold the song in my arms. I had that feeling with Shure's occasionally, but these Klipsch's hit my heart.

My explanation was, "It feels like you're being wrapped up in a warm blanket fresh out of the dryer."

I agree on how weak the cord feels. I could deal with a more weighty cord for the sake of durability.

[Solid Snake]

The cable is very fragile...just be especially careful with the rubber joint pieces that connect to the ear-phone itself. There were a few cases where they began ripping (including me).

If you want to work out with them, just be super careful with them.

[Jajo]

Yeah let's hope I have no problems with the cord.

Hopefully someone will come up with a rewiring solution. That would be very nice.


Taikero, yours was a nice description, too.

Anyone know how the X10's and 530 compare to each other?

[andrewsvt]

Originally Posted by Solid Snake

The cable is very fragile...just be especially careful with the rubber joint pieces that connect to the ear-phone itself. There were a few cases where they began ripping (including me).

If you want to work out with them, just be super careful with them.

I was going to buy them, but after reading some people complaining about fragility issues of the rubber pieces/cables, I made up my mind and chose another pair of iems. But I'm still tempted by them.

[RAQemUP]

The cabling is fine on the X10s. The problem is the rubber stress relief on the IEM part. So far I have only light tearing and it isn't affecting the audio at all.

[my.self]

i just hope klipsch has another IEM in the future with a better cable, i assume better sq, it should be an improvement right? AND...a half off sale for that too haha. i dont think i wouldve bought the x10's without the half off sale.

[Jajo]

Yeah I got mine for $200. Good price. Just a little while ago, I thought spending $100 on earphones was pushing it. But yeah, hopefully they change the wires in the next generation. If my wires rip right now, would they be covered under warranty?

Man, I still can't get over how cheap they feel. They definitely don't feel like $400 MSRP.

Which leaves me to this....Shure SE530s are selling for ~260 on eBay...Hmm.

[my.self]

Originally Posted by Jajo

Yeah I got mine for $200. Good price. Just a little while ago, I thought spending $100 on earphones was pushing it. But yeah, hopefully they change the wires in the next generation. If my wires rip right now, would they be covered under warranty?

Man, I still can't get over how cheap they feel. They definitely don't feel like $400 MSRP.

Which leaves me to this....Shure SE530s are selling for ~260 on eBay...Hmm.

yes, i think they are covered under warranty, go to the klipsch sponsor page, someone asked about that

[Solid Snake]

Yes Klipsch does cover any kind of damage like this, they replaced brand new ones just like with mine...

The ripping should not affect the sound in any shape or form though...Its a shame they just leave it like that though...they are way to fragile in my opinion

EDIT:

BTW, do you have the receipt? The reason I ask is because they require it for any exchanges...And they have to be from an authorized dealer...

[Hoeboe2k]

I think the stress relief at the earphones starts ripping due to the way people put them in. I also haven't seen them ripped but I think this from speculation and what I could deduce could possibly happen looking at my own x10s. I am in no way defending Klipsch (they definitely need to make the cable thicker and of stronger material). I put my x10s in by grabbing the sides of the phone and putting them in. I am hoping this is going to work and so far so good. I've had them a little over a month I think now and been putting them in and out multiple times throughout the day and I see no sign of the stress relief wearing away.

[Jajo]

Yeah I definitely have been using the stem part of the Klipsch's.

I hope my cables won't break. The SE310's really hurt my feelings when they started breaking. One thing lead to another, and they ended up sounding like crap, also. I just don't it to happen again.

By the way, my ears have been irritated (not in terms of scratching) since I got the Klipsch. I haven't been listening to the volume any higher than I usually had with the SE310's. Also, they are in as deep as I would place the Shure's. Do you think it's the bass? I think it may be.

Guys with both sets, how would you compare the X10 to the Shure SE530? If Shure replaces my SE310's, I want to pay the difference for 530's. I miss the look and feel of Shures (but of course not wires breaking). I have even started using the Klipsch behind my ears. The wires dangling straight down are very uncomfortable for me, and the phones feel like they want to fall out.