Totally agreed

Many thanks, EtyDave! From my experience all of dynamic Etymotics are better from one model to another model. I mean newer models everytime is better than previous. So, hope with BA classics of Ety's we will have a new era of the new Ety's models.  

Should we found good improvement from the new models versus previous ones? Or -+ the same with a slightly difference?

Q-Jays V2 has perfect detachable cable construction. Suggest to all to steal their idea)

Lunashops has something based on the same drivers with the similar sound signature, like they said. I suppose fakes are exist.

Number of drivers are not the main point of the good or even top sound.

i compared only II and IV) No words about V and VI from me)

Good Air, better than on II, better instrumental separation and placement, better bass punch. Less clarity on the mids and less speed. So, basically not good for heavy metal speed genres, guitars has not enough speed, like on Sennheiser IE8/80 for example. But they are not DAP-dependent, so...

Take SanDisk Jam. I like it more than any Clips. Dunno why, but some very small things changed against old ones and the newest model just good overall. I suppose it is not made from the cheaper parts, -+ the same. It is impossible to make a huge jump in this price point and size.  Also take a...

Both of you can be right, but let me add 50cents. 1) Low output impedance is a must for all portable DAPs these days. 2) No hiss is a good requirement for all stuff.  3) Synergy. Yes, some A-DAP can be perfect, some B-Phones can be top-notch, but together - crap. So this is a good practice to...

II needs amp, IV sounds from any source, basically no necessary dependence in a good powerful source.  II has deeper bass, but much less punch. Mids are a little bit opener, treble quality and quantity is -+ the same. IV offers better instrumental separation, sound images are bigger, soundstage...

One good solution is to try warm sound signature phones to the CS iPods. CS usually has more neutral SQ, that is why some people are loosing a lot of emotions from the music. Try some Westones and Sennheisers for example.

I don't remember about 5G->4S parts etc. But all iPods sounds a little bit better than iPhones of the same year production. On a blind tests people usually giving very high marks for iPods/iPhones, compared to the AstellKerns for example (and other "hifi" daps), when they are on the same volume...

I agree that WM usually has more warm and melodical side (fun), but technically CS iPods usually gives more info. I like a lot of hard music (metal genres) and CS gives me more info in music. Power is ok, but good amp (i mean built in) usually gives better info and soundstage. DACs is not the...

For me newest models sounds the best, against old.  Yes, WM were little warm and melodical, but technically iTouch 6 sounds just right, with a lot of microdetails, good deep bass and longer treble. Only problem is power, if he would have more power (powerful amp inside) he will be a real...

Agree, X3 with another logo, situation is the same as with X2 some time ago. 

Etymotic ER4 Sennheiser HD800S

I was trying for short listening Heaven IV with Colorfly C4, SanDisk Jam and SGS3. So i was totally blown that there were no difference! Yes, very-very small, but let's skip it (volume level for example, and more/less warmth).  Nice phones, but mot for hardcore and speed metal. 

I know what is M3, X1 and a lot of other sub 1000$ stuff. Problem is that i'm not satisfied with almost all "hi-fi" DAPs for >300$. All of them has issues, but the main problem is SQ issues. Yes they have much more power and that is why we have more opened sound with more microdetails, but a lot...

I was trying AK Jr with Beyerdynamic Custom Street and they were matching super together. So in your budget, in your music, portable, with comfort and good isolation.

Let's go more.  Bass - very good. It is detailed, punchy and rather deep.  Mids - ok, without miracles, but really good as for non-audiophile 500$+ DAP.  Treble - short. It is exist, but it is not too long.  Soundstage - depends of the phones, but basically decent.  Character - from neutral...

Tried them yesterday in audio shop. So, they were totally new and i hope they need some burn-in time to show their bests. What i like - bass, deep and punchy with good resolution and quantity, detailed mids, good vocals. Treble was short, and upper-mids were to bright, extra bright. When i...

1) Cable nowadays is not a problem, if you've got working pins, you can make any custom cable you like. The cheapest variant is to buy some from lunashops and then to ask any mobile/notebook-repair-service to connect your pins to the new cable. 10-15 minutes for them in every city. 2) Ask Sleek...

Take new Sansa Jam! 8Gb inside + slot microSD. Also Cowon M2 as for good EQ, battery life, size. Good sound mostly depends of the synergy between Phones and Dap, so usually Phones should be the 1st component and nextly choose player for them.

Tried Jam in the shop. From design and built, this is the best SanDisk Clip Player. Look and feeling is really nice. Perfect screen, works very fast, good tactile buttons, lot of colors.  SQ is subjective, but i'm -+ hater of Sansa Players. No details, boring digital sound. But Jam was much...