Impressions of the Ortofon e-Q7 versus the IE8, CK100, SE530, FX500 and X10 (plus CK10... - Page 54

Being a 'top-tiers' is an individual assessment, no doubt. If anything is true, we as human like to disagree as much as we like to agree on things. After all, we are not single minded society like ants (poor example from a biologist, but bear with me here). But to be totally objective is also impossible since none of us recognize each and every quality / quantity as important / less-important as the next person. As the reader, all we can do to put a metal scale in our head and assign different weight to different persons' opinions. Trust the friend / experienced / expert - this might not be the flawless solution, but it is one that works so far, till you have your own opinion of course.

@Spyro, I do think that companies which want to have their new line of product to be taken as top-tier make their MSRP really damn high

@average_joe, so good customs treat the top-tier universals as a bunch of just-learn-to-climb-babies Just joking. So, you really like your e-Q7? I wish I have more money to go into the customs league. However, with my not-well-trained ears, I doubt I can tell the difference between customs and my universals

@ClieOS, very well said! That will be the conclusion of the topic I suppose?

i dont believe average joe has the eq7 :P

clieos and joe pretty much hit the mark for what is a top universal.

To those who think expensive customs kick high end universals butts: I used to own $850 ES3X. Biggest disappointment ever. I would take e-Q7, SE530 and UM3X over them in a flash. To my ears they sounded dry, overly forward and lacking dynamic range. I returned them within two weeks and I now don't really feel like getting customs anymore.

^ You can return custom actually?!

@rawstrer, thanks for the information, that average_joe is going to get a pair of e-Q7 Just joking...

I guess I just got lucky. The audiologist at the clinic where I bought the ES3X was a very nice guy.

^ Very good luck for you!

But sorry that the custom didn't please you...

^ well maybe he saved himself lots of money by that experience. not wanting customs means not paying some of the most expensive priced iems :P

On the flip side, I heard a UE11 universal fit at Can Jam last year, best IEM I have heard. (I heard the JH13 at the same meet but didn't get a good seal with the cruddy tips that were being used, so they didn't sound very good to me.) Why do I have all these universals instead of the UE11? At the time $1,100 was not going toward customs and now, well having multiple universals seems like so much more fun

Talking about demo sets, I listened to UE11, JH7, JH10x3, JH13, FitEar 111, 223, and 435 in one go about a month ago. Though as good as they are, can't say I feel the urge to pony up >$1k for custom after the audition.

OK, that would be the gray then. How I heard the filters would be the black had a nice powerful bass, but the soundstage shrunk and the details were reduced, but the gray was just too bright for me. I am sure my taste has changed since a year ago when I heard the PFE, but I would love to hear them again, especially amped with a good amp.

And speaking of amps, I have the CK10 in right now and I just turned on the bass boost on my Arrow 12HE amp because I can and think the high setting (+12dB) is nice for trance but too much for pop, but the low setting works well for that (+6dB). Although I don't see myself using that setting much as I still find them perfectly acceptable to my ears without the boost. But I guess I have it, why not use it (when I remember)?

I hear ya, there is something other than money that has kept me away. Is it the five times the premium for the little gain in sound quality vs what I have now? Although some may argue the same with their favorite $20 IEM vs. my $200 IEM

I don't have the e-Q7...yet! And how do you know you can't tell the difference between customs and universals? Have you had customs?

@Clieos : oh wow..that's quite the set of iem;s to be getting in a demo. I'm pretty jealous that you are able to hear them tho. If only there shops here like in singapore where I can demo all those iem's you are able to.

edit: those costs for customs are putting me off from customs anytime soon. i don't think i'll ever be able to justify 1000+ on an iem not to mention audiologist and possible refits and shipping.

@joe : yet? heh..that's always the key word here. how long until it becomes u just bought it :P

No, I don't have any, and have yet to try one. I am still very new in the Hi-Fi world, so I have less confidence to tell which is custom and which is universal if you blindfold me and feed me some of the customs and universals

And recently, I got a pair of Creative Aurvana Air (clip-on earbuds), and now I am in a dilemma: how good are they compared to my CK10? As I find that they are somewhat similar in sound signature, for experienced audiophile they know the good and bad of them in an instance, but for me, I am struggling to say which is better!

We have the same join date But I guess I have countless hours of listening to Stereophile reviewed equipment wherever I could find it and have tried everything I could justify getting my hands on since I found head-fi.

Wow, $200 earbuds, I didn't even know they existed (never cared to look)! What made you pick those up? They might be on a similar level to the CK10. Is this going to start a wave of Aurvana Air purchases? Is James going to need to add this to the title? And finally, you can send them to me and I will tell you how they differ

Edit: I just saw your review (nice BTW, thank you!). And you would grab for your IE8 or CK10 over these, plus a street price of $90.

@ rawrster: almost no time