Hello dear Ijokerl,

 
Firstly, let me say that your work in this thread is of phenomenal importance and impact. I have come to rely on your reviews and depth of your insights becomes apparent to me when I read the review again after listening to the IEMs. I can only thank you for doing it for all of us.
 
 
Now the brief story, I am a wannabe Audiophile for about 1 year. I tried MEElectronics A161p,  mostly based on your ratings last year and I really liked its clarity and sound signature( Clean quick bass,great mids) . It’s fragile cable gave up on me 3 months ago and I have been looking for a worthy replacement and upgrade. I tried  UE600 Vi because I was getting a really good deal (plus its sound was mid centric which I thought I liked, wanted to try dynamic driver etc) on it but was underwhelmed by its sound quality ( Low clarity, Bass is not enjoyable like clean bass of 161P). Your full review at innerfidelity.com mentions that it “measures better than it sounds” and I could not agree more, but I read that after buying. Finally, after reading around, I ordered highly respected Fischer Audio DBA-02 MkII with high expectations and while I agree that it’s very detailed and analytical, I learned that I do not like bright IEM’s and it was not musical enough for me. It was also somewhat difficult to get good volume out of my Samsung galaxy S3 with it so I returned it after a few days.
 
Now the conundrum, I don’t know which IEM to get next. My budget has significantly expanded to , say, up to $250  as I have realized that its important to get a good one. Based on the experiences above, my ideal IEM would have
 
1.       1) Mids and bass centric signature with gentle treble. ( I would give 60 % importance to mids, 40 % to Bass, would EQ the treble up if needed),  "Very very good bass with greatest possible  mids " would be the title of my sonic fantasy. No V- shaped signature for me. 
 
          2) As much  clarity and detail as I can muster for this kind of signature.
 
          3) Above average soundstage (161P was somewhat intimate and “in your heads” as you pointed out, that is the only thing that I did  not like about it… besides the build quality, of course).
 
          4)   Easy to drive with Samsung galaxy S3 (A161 > UE 600vi > DBA 02 mk II.
 
          5) High musicality ( Whatever that means) , I listen to Rock, soul and  pop, love a few vocalist.
 
          6 )Built-in mic and remote, if possible, one button is good enough
 
 
I am not getting enough time to research and am thinking about reordering MEElectronics A161p as it meets most of my requirements. I am usually a silent lurker at the forum but it suddenly occurred to me that I could request your help like so many others.
I would really appreciate if you can give me a few options about IEM’s that are similar to 161P but may be considered an upgrade sonically.
 


 
 
 

sebsg said:

Whats a relatively inexpensive IEM ($50) that has good clarity, while also being fun?

Click to expand...

 
   i will go for ue600 , its fun but lacks some bass , but if you fun includes bigger bass , yes , vsd1/s will do good . or you can go for brainwavz s1 too .

agentj said:

  I'd probably put a vote forward for the Vsonic GR02 or the VSD1/S. 
 
 
I had considered the MA750s before, but at £80, I cant really justify spending that much on them - although I've realised that the JVCs for £30 must be great deal then. My only complaint with the JVC was the slightly recessed mids, but I guess that would be something I'd have to live with (or maybe try to use an EQ) if it saves me £40 then. 
 
edit: I hear that the FXT90 are a bit better - is this true, and would it be worth the extra £20?

Click to expand...

 
    to me fxt90 is better , not far far better but it suits my taste more then ma-750 . as i said you cant get value like that or value like ue600 for $44 or xba-3 for $70 , you can look for this kind of deals and will find it if lucky . just think like , if the JVCs improve with eq will the ma-750 wont ? will the eq patch the short comings ? if yes , it should be a nice deal , the best part of ma-750 is its package ( plenty of eartips to chose from , a huge hard case ) and its build , i will say its built like a tank .

vidzegg said:

 
Now the conundrum, I don’t know which IEM to get next. My budget has significantly expanded to , say, up to $250  as I have realized that its important to get a good one. Based on the experiences above, my ideal IEM would have
 
1.       1) Mids and bass centric signature with gentle treble. ( I would give 60 % importance to mids, 40 % to Bass, would EQ the treble up if needed),  "Very very good bass with greatest possible  mids " would be the title of my sonic fantasy. No V- shaped signature for me. 
 
          2) As much  clarity and detail as I can muster for this kind of signature.
 
          3) Above average soundstage (161P was somewhat intimate and “in your heads” as you pointed out, that is the only thing that I did  not like about it… besides the build quality, of course).
 
          4)   Easy to drive with Samsung galaxy S3 (A161 > UE 600vi > DBA 02 mk II.
 
          5) High musicality ( Whatever that means) , I listen to Rock, soul and  pop, love a few vocalist.
 
          6 )Built-in mic and remote, if possible, one button is good enough
 
 

Click to expand...

Sounds more like a Vsonic GR07 Bass Edition which is going for $179 at Amazon

mark2410 said:

  lol, everytime i see this thread its grown like 20 pages. 

Click to expand...

 
That just means you need to look in more often 
 

agentj said:

Hey Joker - I'm back!

I was doing fine with the JVC FXD80 (the mic version, it's either the FDR or the FRD) and I even upgraded my Bose OE1 to some Beyer DT770 which I've enjoyed listening with a lot.

Only thing is that I somehow managed to lose the JVCs and I was then using my old AM800 - until I somehow managed to loosen the connection between the cable and one of the buds.

I'm pretty happy getting another pair of the JVCs but I've noticed that a few of the previously recommended IEMs have been retired, so is there a replacement for them? I wouldn't mind spending a tad more but considering that I've just gone through £60's worth of IEM, I probably shouldn't spend too much

If getting a pair without the mic will considerably increase value or sound quality, I might just go for that as well.

Cheers again man!

Click to expand...

 
If the JVCs were my top pick for your requirements a month or two back, they still are - I haven't come across a direct replacement. 
 
The FXT90 is certainly not as recessed in the midrange but I can't put a dollar value on that.
 

muhen said:

  Hey ljokerl,
 
I signed up to enter the Noble contest, but as a longtime lurker, I just wanted to thank you for all your help and reviews here!

Click to expand...

 
Thank you 
 

sebsg said:

Whats a relatively inexpensive IEM ($50) that has good clarity, while also being fun?

Click to expand...

 
My pick would be the VSD1S from VSonic.
 
 

vidzegg said:

 

Hello dear Ijokerl,

 
Firstly, let me say that your work in this thread is of phenomenal importance and impact. I have come to rely on your reviews and depth of your insights becomes apparent to me when I read the review again after listening to the IEMs. I can only thank you for doing it for all of us.
 
 
Now the brief story, I am a wannabe Audiophile for about 1 year. I tried MEElectronics A161p,  mostly based on your ratings last year and I really liked its clarity and sound signature( Clean quick bass,great mids) . It’s fragile cable gave up on me 3 months ago and I have been looking for a worthy replacement and upgrade. I tried  UE600 Vi because I was getting a really good deal (plus its sound was mid centric which I thought I liked, wanted to try dynamic driver etc) on it but was underwhelmed by its sound quality ( Low clarity, Bass is not enjoyable like clean bass of 161P). Your full review at innerfidelity.com mentions that it “measures better than it sounds” and I could not agree more, but I read that after buying. Finally, after reading around, I ordered highly respected Fischer Audio DBA-02 MkII with high expectations and while I agree that it’s very detailed and analytical, I learned that I do not like bright IEM’s and it was not musical enough for me. It was also somewhat difficult to get good volume out of my Samsung galaxy S3 with it so I returned it after a few days.
 
Now the conundrum, I don’t know which IEM to get next. My budget has significantly expanded to , say, up to $250  as I have realized that its important to get a good one. Based on the experiences above, my ideal IEM would have
 
1.       1) Mids and bass centric signature with gentle treble. ( I would give 60 % importance to mids, 40 % to Bass, would EQ the treble up if needed),  "Very very good bass with greatest possible  mids " would be the title of my sonic fantasy. No V- shaped signature for me. 
 
          2) As much  clarity and detail as I can muster for this kind of signature.
 
          3) Above average soundstage (161P was somewhat intimate and “in your heads” as you pointed out, that is the only thing that I did  not like about it… besides the build quality, of course).
 
          4)   Easy to drive with Samsung galaxy S3 (A161 > UE 600vi > DBA 02 mk II.
 
          5) High musicality ( Whatever that means) , I listen to Rock, soul and  pop, love a few vocalist.
 
          6 )Built-in mic and remote, if possible, one button is good enough
 
 
I am not getting enough time to research and am thinking about reordering MEElectronics A161p as it meets most of my requirements. I am usually a silent lurker at the forum but it suddenly occurred to me that I could request your help like so many others.
I would really appreciate if you can give me a few options about IEM’s that are similar to 161P but may be considered an upgrade sonically.
 

Click to expand...

 
The IEMs I could recommend for that type of sound - HiFiMan and TDK primarily - lack the remote feature. It is also unclear how the dual-armature TDK will perform out of the S3 - in my experience phones and computers are better paired with more stable dynamic-driver or single armature earphones than with more demanding multi-armature earphones. This may be part of the problem you had with the Fischer set.
 
In your case it's probably better to just go for another A161. 

Hey Joker,

I can understand that putting a value in the differences between the FXD80 and FXT90 is hard and pretty subjective, but is the difference fairly noticeable?

And are there many more differences between them?

Cheers again!

Edit: I've just had a look through the FXD80/70/60 thread (didn't know it mentioned the FXT90) and it seems like the differences aren't as big as I thought - and I didn't realise that burning them in would take over 100 hours. A few users also said that the mid-bass gets a bit better with burn in so I'll try to burn my new pair properly (I had maybe 50 hours of just normal listening on them)

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

vidzegg said:

 

Hello dear Ijokerl,

 
Firstly, let me say that your work in this thread is of phenomenal importance and impact. I have come to rely on your reviews and depth of your insights becomes apparent to me when I read the review again after listening to the IEMs. I can only thank you for doing it for all of us.
 
 
Now the brief story, I am a wannabe Audiophile for about 1 year. I tried MEElectronics A161p,  mostly based on your ratings last year and I really liked its clarity and sound signature( Clean quick bass,great mids) . It’s fragile cable gave up on me 3 months ago and I have been looking for a worthy replacement and upgrade. I tried  UE600 Vi because I was getting a really good deal (plus its sound was mid centric which I thought I liked, wanted to try dynamic driver etc) on it but was underwhelmed by its sound quality ( Low clarity, Bass is not enjoyable like clean bass of 161P). Your full review at innerfidelity.com mentions that it “measures better than it sounds” and I could not agree more, but I read that after buying. Finally, after reading around, I ordered highly respected Fischer Audio DBA-02 MkII with high expectations and while I agree that it’s very detailed and analytical, I learned that I do not like bright IEM’s and it was not musical enough for me. It was also somewhat difficult to get good volume out of my Samsung galaxy S3 with it so I returned it after a few days.
 
Now the conundrum, I don’t know which IEM to get next. My budget has significantly expanded to , say, up to $250  as I have realized that its important to get a good one. Based on the experiences above, my ideal IEM would have
 
1.       1) Mids and bass centric signature with gentle treble. ( I would give 60 % importance to mids, 40 % to Bass, would EQ the treble up if needed),  "Very very good bass with greatest possible  mids " would be the title of my sonic fantasy. No V- shaped signature for me. 
 
          2) As much  clarity and detail as I can muster for this kind of signature.
 
          3) Above average soundstage (161P was somewhat intimate and “in your heads” as you pointed out, that is the only thing that I did  not like about it… besides the build quality, of course).
 
          4)   Easy to drive with Samsung galaxy S3 (A161 > UE 600vi > DBA 02 mk II.
 
          5) High musicality ( Whatever that means) , I listen to Rock, soul and  pop, love a few vocalist.
 
          6 )Built-in mic and remote, if possible, one button is good enough
 
 
I am not getting enough time to research and am thinking about reordering MEElectronics A161p as it meets most of my requirements. I am usually a silent lurker at the forum but it suddenly occurred to me that I could request your help like so many others.
I would really appreciate if you can give me a few options about IEM’s that are similar to 161P but may be considered an upgrade sonically.
 

 
 
 
 
 

Click to expand...

only one phone comes to my mind , and even it cant fulfill all your criteria . xba-h3 can fulfill some (  not the best possible mids for sure , and you cant get the best mid at $250 ) . 2nd will be rha-ma750 .

Hi there, Which IEMs are on this X3? Thanks!
 

It's a Sennheiser IE80.

eke2k6 said:

  It's a Sennheiser IE80.

Click to expand...

Thanks, the guy on local online market place offers x3  with these IEMs for $200 .... I'll meet he tomorrow.....

garcsa said:

  Thanks, the guy on local online market place offers x3  with these IEMs for $200 .... I'll meet he tomorrow.....

Click to expand...

 
That's an interesting price. Make sure the IE80 isn't fake.

eke2k6 said:

   
That's an interesting price. Make sure the IE80 isn't fake.

Click to expand...

Really suspicious price. Yep, thanks.

  Now the conundrum, I don’t know which IEM to get next. My budget has significantly expanded to , say, up to $250  as I have realized that its important to get a good one. Based on the experiences above, my ideal IEM would have
 
1.       1) Mids and bass centric signature with gentle treble. ( I would give 60 % importance to mids, 40 % to Bass, would EQ the treble up if needed),  "Very very good bass with greatest possible  mids " would be the title of my sonic fantasy. No V- shaped signature for me. 
 
          2) As much  clarity and detail as I can muster for this kind of signature.
 
          3) Above average soundstage (161P was somewhat intimate and “in your heads” as you pointed out, that is the only thing that I did  not like about it… besides the build quality, of course).
 
          4)   Easy to drive with Samsung galaxy S3 (A161 > UE 600vi > DBA 02 mk II.
 
          5) High musicality ( Whatever that means) , I listen to Rock, soul and  pop, love a few vocalist.
 
          6 )Built-in mic and remote, if possible, one button is good enough

Click to expand...

 

francisk said:

  Sounds more like a Vsonic GR07 Bass Edition which is going for $179 at Amazon

Click to expand...

 

ljokerl said:

   
The IEMs I could recommend for that type of sound - HiFiMan and TDK primarily - lack the remote feature. It is also unclear how the dual-armature TDK will perform out of the S3 - in my experience phones and computers are better paired with more stable dynamic-driver or single armature earphones than with more demanding multi-armature earphones. This may be part of the problem you had with the Fischer set.
 
In your case it's probably better to just go for another A161. 

Click to expand...

 

suman134 said:

  only one phone comes to my mind , and even it cant fulfill all your criteria . xba-h3 can fulfill some (  not the best possible mids for sure , and you cant get the best mid at $250 ) . 2nd will be rha-ma750 .

Click to expand...

 
 
Thank you all for the helpful responses, I am looking into  GR07 BE and XBA- H3 and TDK BA-200
MHA-750 has the dreaded  " slightly V shaped signature " in reviews... deal breaker... No prominent highs for me in foreseeable future.
 
To give you an idea, my full size headphone is Sony MA 900 and I am  HD 650 aspirant....dark and warm signatures.. I am always fixated on mids/vocals  but am realizing the fun good bass can provide  and that I am very sensitive to sibilance ( BD DT 990, DBA-02 mk II).
 
So  so-called criteria above can be revised as
 
1) mid centric signature ( lush, thick, sweet, full sounding etc) with very very good bass ( punchy, clean, extending, deep etc)
 
2) easy to drive on GS3 aka high sensitivity, low impedance
 
3) Better than A161P as "upgrade" is the buzzword
 
 
Everything else is secondary  and I can compromise on inline controls, comfort, microphonics, other sonic attributes etc
 
Tentative budget is up to 250 $
 
Can you please give me a few more recommendation with these less restrictive criteria?
 
 
 
 
 

vidzegg said:

Thank you all for the helpful responses, I am looking into  GR07 BE and XBA- H3 and TDK BA-200
MHA-750 has the dreaded  " slightly V shaped signature " in reviews... deal breaker... No prominent highs for me in foreseeable future.

To give you an idea, my full size headphone is Sony MA 900 and I am  HD 650 aspirant....dark and warm signatures.. I am always fixated on mids/vocals  but am realizing the fun good bass can provide  and that I am very sensitive to sibilance ( BD DT 990, DBA-02 mk II).

So  so-called criteria above can be revised as

1) mid centric signature ( lush, thick, sweet, full sounding etc) with very very good bass ( punchy, clean, extending, deep etc)

2) easy to drive on GS3 aka high sensitivity, low impedance

3) Better than A161P as "upgrade" is the buzzword


Everything else is secondary  and I can compromise on inline controls, comfort, microphonics, other sonic attributes etc

Tentative budget is up to 250 $

Can you please give me a few more recommendation with these less restrictive criteria?

Click to expand...

Still sounds to me like the Vsonic GR07 BE which is very balanced sounding with nice extended bottom end (not bass head levels though) that does not leak into the mids. Mid presentation is nice and warm and highs which is not sibilant like the DBA02 MkII but very detailed.

How do you guys compare the GR07 BE to the JBL Synchros Reflect Non Bluetooth model.

I want to know basically is the GR07 BE honestly worth the 100 dollars more over those JBL's.

I'm looking for clear and detailed vocals like the Westone 2 supposedly has, more bass than the the S4, X Series by Klipsch. Not to too harsh on treble.

I own the S4 by Klipsch and they are okay for 50 dollars but they are muddy with bass and can't really handle EQ tuning.

I listen to Rap, Trap, Dubstep, Rock, Techno, Trance.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

Hello Joker,
 
Have you ever heard of these? They go by the name "Ivery IS-1" (or Liberty 1). They're making waves here in China, so I happen to buy one for just 40 RMB (around $6 US dollars). They sound incredible and basically out did all my IEM's! It does need burn-in time to open up (store owner told me 50 or more hours), but WOW! Does it open up!
 
1. Good build quality
2. Details are extremely vivid and Analytical
3. Vocals are breath-taking and realistic (not forward or laidback)
4. Bass is quick, stable and clear. Incredible sub-bass (not boomy, knor bloated)
5. Good soundstage –you can hear the different instruments and distinguish them
6. Overall, extremely balanced!
 
They also have a special switch (the first I've ever seen) for converting the signal to what ever source you're using (or reverse polarity for MIC and ground wire). So, basically you can use it for professional audio monitoring or your smart phone for incoming/outgoing calls. Incredible concept by this company!
 
Take a look at some PIX and enjoy!
 

 
 

 
 
 
Hope you enjoyed the pix as much as I did!
 
Please let me know what's your thoughts......
 
PS. -They're are starting to sell to the US market from as low as $12 to $30 dollars! I'm sure they're not fakes for the moment, for they haven't gain a large reputation, as of yet towards the US market.