JH Audio JH-13 PRO appreciation thread - Page 289

I'm really hoping they aren't just shipping it in the transparent case. It's fine for portable use and whatnot, but the carbon case looks much sleeker and expensive. If mine show up in a tiny case I must say I will be annoyed because I have plenty of tiny IEM cases alraedy.

Great review! I believe these kind of thorough reviews, from someone without the extremely extensive background with a variety of different equipment, can be especially useful. A lot of people who are considering the JH13 are coming from a more moderate background of experience, and I imagine they can probably relate more easily to your comments.

Your observation about the speed of the drivers is one of the qualities of the JH13 that I find most enticing, not having heard them. It takes something that IEM's naturally do very well, and brings it to another level, furthering the maturity of the class of IEM's as a legitimate transducer. Instead of IEM's always being framed as being the ugly step-child of headphones or speakers.

It often seems like in audio you're always trading one thing for another. For example, I loved the way the W5000 could accomplish the separation and imaging that you're referring to here, but I felt it gave up something in the PRaT department to do it. I love Grado's for being able to keep the PRaT, while feeling they lose out in soundstage, etc...

It really seems that the JH13 doesn't have a critical flaw that I associate with most full-sized headphone choices under $1000.

So glad that you included these thoughts. I think calibrating expectations is an important part of any review. It's especially useful if you're not a long-standing veteran of reviewing, as I think those that are more deeply involved in the hobby are often lacking this particular kind of perspective.

Your point about hoping that everything would sound good is one of the rude awakenings of this hobby. So many pieces of music DO sound so much better with higher end equipment. However, the realization of recording quality forces you to realize that there are significant factors that are out of our control when it comes to ultimate sound quality. The use of flowery language to describe differences in dramatic ways is very controversial, especially when we're talking about amps/sources/cables.


I'm the same way. Having been around for at least a little while in this hobby, I've come to realize that an "end game" might be approaching for me as a result of technological innovation. I'm probably at least a year away from it, but I see myself eventually purchasing something like the JH13's and the HiFiMan and waving goodbye from head-fi.


*Also, I think you should consider posting this as a separate thread. It's warranted, IMO.

I was on the phone with Jamie another day, she mentioned that the transparent case is the only case they are using now, they replace all the cases with it. hope this helps.

I guess I don't really have a choice since they're forcing it on us. I want the JH13 for the SQ obviously so it's not the end of the world. But I'm not going to say I'm not pretty annoyed that they changed it from a classy, spacious case with enough room for DAP and amp etc to a cheapo $10 case.

I received my JH13 for three days now. I love the smaller clear otter box. For those of you who may think the carbon fiber looks better, I can tell you that the otter box is nearly indestructible in construction. I notice that there is a nice rubber seal at the opening which makes it water proved if it fell into water. I much prefer the smaller case than the larger carbon fiber case. I felt very safe with the JH13 inside it.

In terms of iem history, I came from Etymotic ER-4s (3 years) and UE 10pros (6 years). I was able to demo the JH10x3, JH11, and JH 13 at the LA meet and was very impressed with the sq. So I know what to expected when I receive the JH13. I burn the JH13 for a few hours after I received it just to make sure there is no burn in problem at first listening. Since then I have put about 30 hours into it and my initial impression is that it is clearly a much more enjoyable iem compare to my UE 10pros and er-4s. However, I don't think I'll sell my R-10 (if I have one that is but I did listen to one) or my HD-800 (I do have one). I feel the sound staging effect are still better with those highend cans especially for home listening. But the JH13 is everything that most people reported here to be, tight, clear, personal, and sometimes disappearing. I do however feel the JH13 seems to have more color than my UE 10pros in that the UE 10pros is totally flat and natural and as such is sometimes rather boring when compare to the JH13.

The UE 10 Pros is an excellent monitor though. I have two pairs of UE 10pros and I recently tried to sell one set and to my surprised I have more than 5 offers to buy my UE 10pros. I didn't expect that for a custom iem. I was going to sell my second set but now I change my mind. I decide to keep my ue10 pros because it is such a different set of phone. But I did let go a bunch of phones (GS1K, ALO-HFI-780, HD 600, Triple Fi 10, and UE 10pros) to get this one. I am very happy now because I don't have to carry my ESW10jpn on trip now. The JH13 is much samller in size.

As audiofile, we like to improve our toys, so after I receive my JH13, I examine the interior with a magnifiying glass and saw all those tiny wires that connect the drivers together and I thought what if they use some better interconnect between those drivers, will that make it sound better? Like pure silver, or OCC copper etc.
and then of course, the stock cable has a very small V which makes it slightly uncomfortable to wear. Beside, I felt an upgrade cable is definitely needed for anyone who enjoy tweaking their gears. At least for me I want to try it with a different cable. Jamato, I understand you have made a few cables for the JH13, were you able to improve on the sound? If so, how is it compare to the stock cable?

I felt the sq is upclose and personal. Very forward and therefore very involving. I am curious if a good occ copper recable will give a warm touch to it since it is already bright enough. One more observation, I listened to it in the first hour and I did notice a slight sibilance but is now become somewhat minimal. I will keep paying attention to it in the next few days to see if the sibilance is totally gone.

I did not think I made the wrong pruchase. I travel a lot and it will give me many hours of fine listening. But I really don't felt that this is the best phone bar none as some have implied here. May be one can say that this is one of the best phones but I doubt if it could replace some of the top phones as someone may have reported here. Hmn, L3000 may be, but not the R-10.

I will give more observation later, but now I am starting my search for a nice cable, piccolino, anyone?

I, along with Duggeh, who is staying with me, spent a few hours today comparing the universal JH13s to my custom JH13s, trying to get an idea of the differences. I had a lot of problems trying to recreate the sound of my customs, and even though I had a seal after much messing with the foamies and even trying cutting them down at one point, I had to press them into different and very uncomfortable angles to get what I wanted to hear. I basically heard multiple versions of the JH13s using the universals, depending on the twists and turns and very tiny shifts I made angling them in. I know Duggeh also experienced this. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that if you have a chance to hear the universals, I'm not sure what you're hearing. You'll get an approximation of the capabilities, but even when at the best I could get them, I'd still say that it was only 80% there.

I will not be selling my R10s or my O2s.

I am using some 28 gauge oxygen free long crystal copper tonearm wire that is splendid. Everything is better. They sounded horrible at first. I have never heard a cable change so much. At first there was no bass, I mean none and I have never experienced this before and I used to manufacture IC's, which required many trials and errors before I got what I wanted. Internal wiring, sure that would be nice to change out but just a wee bit difficult unless JH would agree to use some sent in. I would use the 32 gauge ofc long crystal tonearm that is even better, that I also have here and it would fit.

I am listening with a very special amp right now and the sound is stunning.

Jamato, do you feel with the JH13, a copper material is better than silver or silver/copper combo? As in SXC from ALO? This is mainly because I find the sq to be slightly bright especially when I want to turn up the volume. So my thinking is that if I can find some very fine oxgyen free copper for a cable it will smooth the harxh corner out a little bit. Give it a smooth warm touch but retain the crisp and forward signature. Thanks for your input.

If you do, make sure you let me know first

boomana,

Thanks for sharing.

Your experience with the "Universal 13's" is consistent with JH Audio assertions that: the [custom] JH13's, with longer tips, penetrating closer to the eardrum, "remove ear canal geometry variations from the listening equation".
Result: more consistent SQ rendering, across the entire customer base.

Stands to reason then, that SQ on the Universals,
would vary significantly, as a function of tip placement, even with a good seal.

I agree - I've been saying that same thing since CanJam - the universal fit demos likely wont sound the same as the actual custom fit product.

Got mine back today because of refit. It took me 25 days . But now they fit like gloves. Really love them.

I have never liked silver plated copper though some is much better than others. I prefer long or mono crystal copper or correctly done silver. What I am using now is the long high purity copper multiple strand.

^^ I would tend to agree there; I have never heard SPC that I have liked. i'm loving UP-OCC silver on mine; but building a UP-OCC copper one too to see if I like that better. I generally prefer copper for headphone cables, but enjoy silver IC's, but this silver seems to suit JH13 very well. something about SPC sounds incongruous to me; like not all the music falls together coherently. YMMV