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Image S4 Hippo VB or Future sonics?

post #1 of 10
12/5/09 at 7:59pm
Thread Starter 
I will be purchasing my first mp3 player in a long time (sansa clip +) and have been digging around for a while on some phones and have settled on these three. Here is what I am looking for

Seal- I know the sounds of the three are similar, I will be using these on the treadmill and what not and AI am very concerned I will be constantly pushing my phones in with my fingers. I do not want this, I want to be able to get them in there, get a nice seal and then not worry about them.

Bass- I listen to lots of trance and techno and I want not only loud clear accurate bass but also I want my phones to accurately playing rolling bass if you know what I mean.

Clarity- I want to hear every detail of the music crystal clear without distortion.

Soundstage- self explanatory.

So which will it be and (if you don't mind) why? I will be using these on the sansa clip first and in jan i will be puying cowon S9. Thanks!
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post #2 of 10
12/5/09 at 11:08pm
Thread Starter 
Thousand people online not one person has an opinion?
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post #3 of 10
12/6/09 at 3:33am
I can only speak for the S4, but I find the fit on them to be PERFECT. I find they give me a seal better than my old Shure e2c's and Nuforce Ne-8s. Bass is definitely the most prominent, which seems to be heavier than those of my iGrados. Highs are also pretty crisp, but the e2c's and Ne-8s outshined them there. Clarity and accuracy aren't the strongest points of them, but they're definitely a fun pair of IEMs, especially for any bass heavy music.

Overall, I still prefer my iGrados to them, but they're also much less portable, but, for $80, they're worth every penny based on their seal and bass alone.
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post #4 of 10
12/6/09 at 3:50am
I'm still a huge fan of my Atrios, even though I've since moved on in terms of my primary headphones. I'm currently burning in a pair of Image S4i phones, so I can't give a good opinion yet.

The Atrios have great bass, with good definition and extension and a ton of punch. They aren't as clear or resolving as some other phones I've used, but with burn-in and the right tips, they're more than adequate.
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post #5 of 10
12/6/09 at 4:20am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DGarces89 View Post
I can only speak for the S4, but I find the fit on them to be PERFECT. I find they give me a seal better than my old Shure e2c's and Nuforce Ne-8s. Bass is definitely the most prominent, which seems to be heavier than those of my iGrados. Highs are also pretty crisp, but the e2c's and Ne-8s outshined them there. Clarity and accuracy aren't the strongest points of them, but they're definitely a fun pair of IEMs, especially for any bass heavy music.

Overall, I still prefer my iGrados to them, but they're also much less portable, but, for $80, they're worth every penny based on their seal and bass alone.
Good to know thanks. Any experience with running/jogging? Do they keep a tight seal with some activity?
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post #6 of 10
12/6/09 at 1:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by 408mike View Post
Good to know thanks. Any experience with running/jogging? Do they keep a tight seal with some activity?
The seal of the s4s stay tightly fit while running, but the cable doesnt like to stay put when worn over the ears. Plus the cable is quite thin and really stiffens up during the cold weather (here in NYC, at least) similar to the notorious problems with the e2cs, so it doesn't give me much confidence–especially if it comes in contact with sweat over a long period of time... I have a feeling any problems with the S4 I'd have will be cable related, as they seem quite delicate.
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post #7 of 10
12/7/09 at 4:08am
I have only the VBs and the fit is strictly average with single flange earphones. If you have biflange tips then the seal becomes only slightly better but they stay in your ears much more if you are moving.

Sound wise they have excellent bass and a somewhat harsh treble. However you can always stuff some sponge down the canals to smooth the treble.
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post #8 of 10
12/23/09 at 3:50pm
I've got both the Atrio M5s and the Hippo VBs, and the VBs are clearly superior to the M5s (which I like a lot). Bass on the VBs is punchier, and their sound is clearer than on the M5s. Great budget IEMs.
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post #9 of 10
12/23/09 at 4:42pm
I have heard my fair share of bass-heavy IEMs (JVC fx500, sf5eb, atrios, turbine pros). Don't know how many times I have to reiterate this, but there is no IEM out there that hit as low as the atrios. It goes down deep. Delivers incredibly tight bass and I currently have the IE8 and I think the bass it offers is quite boomy compared to the bass the m5 outputs.
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post #10 of 10
12/23/09 at 4:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by 408mike View Post
Good to know thanks. Any experience with running/jogging? Do they keep a tight seal with some activity?
I used to do a lot of cardio (sprinting) with the atrio m5s. They are awesome when paired up with shure olive foam tips. Don't think I've ever gotten a better seal than those shure olive tips. Cable is of very good quality. Rarely gets all tangled and bunched up. Cable noise is at bare minimum as well.
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