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Klipsch Image x10 x5 compared to Image S4 / S4i

post #1 of 34
10/17/09 at 4:25am
Thread Starter 
UPDATE
Please checkout this discussion Help! Which is more detailed w/ good bass: Klipsch Image x10 or Image X5 or Other

I recently sold my Shure SE530's, and I was looking for a budget earphone for jogging. I was going insane listening back to the iPhone earbuds. So yesterday, I picked up the Klipsch S4i at my local Apple store. All I can say, this is the best $100 I have ever spent on a pair of earphones. Many will think I'm insane, but I honestly enjoy them a hell of a lot more than when I had the SE530. I decided to go the cheaper route, because I mainly use IEMs for jogging.

If these sound this good, then I can only imagine how good the x10 sounds. So can someone that has heard both please comment? I'm worried the x10 may have too much bass that will muddy up the other sounds. Is this true? I don't mind a little more boomy bass, as long as it doesn't distort everything else. Also, what I like about the s4i, is the fit! They fit snuggly in my ear when I jog with them. They don't fall out, and I don't have to constantly keep pushing them back in. With the Shure SE530's, it was a royal pain in the a** to put them in my ears. And I always had to wrap the cable around my ears twice.

My concerns with x10: is the bass overpowering? other than bass, what else does the x10 offer that is superior to the s4 / s4i? Sound stage? How does the treble/mids/highs compare to the s4? Will the x10 fit the same as the S4?

I might be able to get a good deal on the x10. I need your responses ASAP, because I have 14 days to return the S4.
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post #2 of 34
10/17/09 at 12:58pm
Thread Starter 
Anyone?
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post #3 of 34
10/19/09 at 11:45am
The X10 is a more accurate sounding headphone, while the S4 is tuned more to compensate for the degraded quality sound of compressed files. If your music source is of the highest quality, the X10 are going to bring out the details of you music more than the S4 and sound much cleaner. The downside of the X10 is if you are listening to compressed MP3s, they are going to be more revealing of any flaws. The S4 does a better job of masking those flaws.

The X10 is a much more comfortable fit, IMO. The body is so slim, it barely touches your ears.

Hope that helps!
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post #4 of 34
10/19/09 at 11:54am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amy View Post
The X10 is a more accurate sounding headphone, while the S4 is tuned more to compensate for the degraded quality sound of compressed files. If your music source is of the highest quality, the X10 are going to bring out the details of you music more than the S4 and sound much cleaner. The downside of the X10 is if you are listening to compressed MP3s, they are going to be more revealing of any flaws. The S4 does a better job of masking those flaws.

The X10 is a much more comfortable fit, IMO. The body is so slim, it barely touches your ears.

Hope that helps!
Thanks, I appreciate that, Amy. Can you tell me which is more detailed, the X10 or the X5? I'm trying to narrow it down between these two. I want decent bass, but I want a lot of detail as well. Is the X10 bass so massive that it drowns out the other sounds? I'm not a bass head, but I like a good amount of bass. But I like good treble/highs as well. I don't like rolled off highs, like the Shure SE530's.
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post #5 of 34
10/19/09 at 10:11pm
I wish I could help you... I had a pair of custom-3's which I (very unfortunately) lost and I bought the image s4's to replace them for my in-ear phones and some hd650s to replace the hi-qual i'm now missing from my custom-3's. The custom 3's were pretty great, but the s4's are good enough to compensate for their loss. Plus they're a lot easier to take off and put back on, which I have to do at work quite often. I'd been thinking about getting the x10's or x5's but the appealing price of the s4's won me over. Anyway, I hope you find what you're looking for!
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post #6 of 34
10/19/09 at 10:20pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by davenporter View Post
I wish I could help you... I had a pair of custom-3's which I (very unfortunately) lost and I bought the image s4's to replace them for my in-ear phones and some hd650s to replace the hi-qual i'm now missing from my custom-3's. The custom 3's were pretty great, but the s4's are good enough to compensate for their loss. Plus they're a lot easier to take off and put back on, which I have to do at work quite often. I'd been thinking about getting the x10's or x5's but the appealing price of the s4's won me over. Anyway, I hope you find what you're looking for!

I appreciate that, Davenporter. The more I listen to the S4i, the more I like them. They are truly the best for the price. I'm trying to figure out b/w the Image X10 and X5, which one has the most crisp detail, while still maintaining good bass. I don't want any rolled off highs.

Please take a look at this thread to get a better idea of what I'm searching for.


http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f103/h...-other-451299/
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post #7 of 34
10/20/09 at 12:04am
My S4's arrive at work tomorrow. But I expect them to be rather harsh out of the box in the upper registers from what I've read. I will reserve final judgement for a week or so later.
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post #8 of 34
10/20/09 at 1:45am
Thread Starter 
I have to say, I've never been so impressed with a relatively low budget earphone. I haven't even burned mine in, fully. They are clearly the best in their class. I didn't notice anything harsh about these from the get go. If anything, they may be a bit too bassy, but it tightens up a bit. I hope you enjoy them. I'm wondering how they compare to the image x5 and x10.
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post #9 of 34
10/20/09 at 4:47pm
I have the x10's and the bass is not overpowering at all. They are very comfortable and sound phenomenal. I wouldn't trade mine for any other headphones.
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post #10 of 34
10/20/09 at 7:15pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by dkane360 View Post
I have the x10's and the bass is not overpowering at all. They are very comfortable and sound phenomenal. I wouldn't trade mine for any other headphones.
what kind of music are you listening too. you say the bass isn't overpowering- do you feel they veil the details in the slightest?
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post #11 of 34
11/10/09 at 12:34am
Did you get the X10? They are fantastic.
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post #12 of 34
11/10/09 at 12:38am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by actorlife View Post
Did you get the X10? They are fantastic.
I did have the x10 for a short while. I sold them after a few days. They lack sparkle in the highs/treble. I ended up with the TripleFi 10 Pro, which I loved. I say "loved" in the past tense, because I have submitted them to be reshelled into custom ear molds. I hope to God, they keep their signature.

Still think the S4 is fun for the price.
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post #13 of 34
11/10/09 at 12:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by f00fighters View Post
I did have the x10 for a short while. I sold them after a few days. They lack sparkle in the highs/treble. I ended up with the TripleFi 10 Pro, which I loved. I say "loved" in the past tense, because I have submitted them to be reshelled into custom ear molds. I hope to God, they keep their signature.

Still think the S4 is fun for the price.
You know what I had the same problem, then I used the Sony Hybrid tips and it made a world of difference. The highs are there and the treble. I am truly amazed. I burnt them in for 3 days too, so maybe it helped as well. But I really was amazed, really. So happy with them now. I have the UE5 myself great phones as well.
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post #14 of 34
11/10/09 at 2:35am
If anyone has the X10's and the Sony Hybrid tips, please comment on the SQ! I wish I'd have known about the hybrids when I had the X10's.
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post #15 of 34
11/10/09 at 2:39am
The Sony hybrid tips are nice, and do work better on some phones, but I really think the medium gels that come with the Klipsch are the best for the s4(i). Comfort & SQ wise.
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