Sennheiser MX 980 Expression - Page 11

i have heard one CUSTOM iem...

and im not overly impressed.

it sounded just like most BAs in the market today.

it sounded a BA.

i really dont get it why people in every part of the world crave for this technology.

maybe a good fit. 

thats the only reason.

but if we talk about the sound.

it sounded just like BA.

what i mean is...to me, the fx700 is still better in dynamics, the weight of real bass, in naturalness of the sound and timbre.(something that BAs cant recreate).

i have an mx980.

and heard a custom. (UM 6 driver)

to me the mx980 is still a lot better.

-cheaper than a custom.

-easy to insert into your ear

-when i wear this, i hear a surround sound, sounds coming everywhere, in front of me...sides, under...

-the most beautiful highs ever...smooth and very addictive.

-awesome bass.

i have a ue700.

and although the HIGH drivers are good, airy and detailed, it is far from being excellent as the mx980's highs.

i would never doubt to purchase one of this earbud ever, if mine breaks.

I've only heard the JH16 briefly - they definate have a bass boost, whereas the MX980 are much closer to neutral. Though I don't doubt their ability to reproduce deep bass. Good luck with the business though!
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by RayGarrison 

Thanks for the reply.  If my new business takes off, I intend to buy myself a present for all the hard work and get a pair of JH16's or other custom molded thingie.  Until then, I'm going to give up on IEM's before I permanently break something in one of my ears with all the push / pull / prod / twist / shove / wince aggravation.  Hoping MX980 or something (anything?  Hopefully?) will tide me over.

Note that I never said the MX980-series aren't great - in fact they are excellent, great FR, excellent soundstage. And their pricing is great. But I just can't confirm, off the top of my head, whether they can do the deep bass required for organ music, which is the point. It is possible for dynamics - I'm positive the EX1000 can, for example.

(edit) just ran a quick (non-volume matched) tests with some online samples, MX980 has some roll off at 30hz, more so at 20hz. EX1000 is much better, has much more tone and texture to it at 30/20hz.

I couldn't compare the track to my other headphones, but I tested some youtube test tones, and unfortunately the tones below 80 hz I could barely hear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RayGarrison 

I have a question about "bass."

 

I'm new to earbuds / IEM phones - long time audiophile, lots of headphones over the years, currently using HD600.  Wanted something I could wear while working, big Sennheiser's are a bit too much to wear around all day.  Tried various IEM, ultimately wound up with Monster Coppers.  Thought they sounded *GREAT* but simply couldn't wear them.  Could not get good fit with any of the (many) supplied tips.  Tried S4, IE8, ER-4, few other cheaper ones.  Could not get decent fit with any of them.  Actually damaged my left ear screwing around with the coppers - constant "popping" of vacuum seal when I jammed different tips in and out, combined with all the pushing / twisting / poking / prodding trying to get a decent seal did something, couldn't hear properly out of that ear for two days.  Finally gave up and sent them back.  Unfortunately, as I *LOVED* the sound.  Think they may have been the best phones I've ever used.  Sigh.  Anyway, I've decided I'm just not an IEM guy, and am going to purchase a pair of decent buds.

 

 

Looks like someone was in the same boat as me. I have to say though the s4, Ie8, er-4 are well known for their clunky/tough fit. Yes, the klipsch s4 aswell- just look at the damn thing!

From my experience with many more Iem's than that i can remember, incuding the s4 and Ie8, comfort depends on 3 things. The cable, the Iem body and the tips. Stock s4 was a nightmare for me in all of them aspects.

The IE8's cable is brilliant. Only the grado gr8 cable I think is better. Good strain relief's, low low microphonics, not sticky or bouncy, light, little memory. Cables do impact the overall comfort- trust me!

Secondly, the tips- I never use stock tips for any of the Iem's I get. Only for the grado gr8 I did, because they were so good.

I've amassed a collection of hundreds of tips and 'stock' tips are nearly always the uncomfortable ones. For shures/westones the comply tips which are BY FAR the most comfortable foam tips I've come across.

If I need to remove and put in an Iem often, I'd use phones that work with silicone tips. Now, although many silicones look the same, the sony hybrids really do take the lead in comfort, and fit most iem's EXCEPT the shures/klipsch/westone/qjays. Actually, if you get monster supertips, you get free 'adaptor' pieces that allow bigger diameter buds to fit these phones. It works, and sony hybrids worked well enough I thought.

I'll let you into a little secret- I get the feeling too many on headfi push their iem's too much into their ear canals. Comply/shure say that their foamies are meant to only go in 'half way.' Re zero/ ck10/IE8 are meant for a relatively shallow fit I feel. Now if you can get a deep fit with the ck10, you're lucky. Don't insert the Ie8's deeply using modded tips TO BRING OUT THE BASS! Too too many bass heads on headfi

Lastly, the body. IE8 has a stupid shape to the body. Its big and awkward, but rather light. But most annoying of all; why the hell does this thing have edges!! As a general rule, the smaller, lighter, smoother and streamlined iem's take the lead here. Also the length and angle of the nozzle should be good. Something like shure se310 or ck10 exceed here. I gave the shure 535's back- body is awful. I can't see myself taking the IE8's for much longer also.

Now, for the mx980, don't think the above considerations are redundant just because this is an earbud. In fact, apart from the tips, the rest remains the same for me.

Mx980's cable is, well slightly annoying. It's not microphonics, but the weight of the volume thingy. Nothing too bad though, as i can put this into my shirt pocket.

Tips- well earbuds don't have this problem.

Body- hmmmm. It is big, not as light as I would have liked either. For me this is okay. Its smooth with nothing sticking out. It fits in my small ear openings and doesn't want to fall out.

Ive only had a few hours with this so i'll post sound impressions later.

Hello headfi... I happen to magnetize my MX 980 buds with its leather case's lock. It lasted for like 4 seconds before I set them apart, I know...what a foolish person I am at that very moment... Now, do you guys think it did some damage to the buds? Sound quality still the same, buds still not burned-in, i have them for over two weeks but I listen to them like 4 hrs per day / 3 days per week. Is that incident that bad for the buds? And is it much worse that it happened before it has burned-in? Thanks... :( Still sound the same for me, but I am being OCed that it affected its durability or something like that.. Any input but insulting me for it will be appreciated! Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by autoexec 

Hello headfi... I happen to magnetize my MX 980 buds with its leather case's lock. It lasted for like 4 seconds before I set them apart, I know...what a foolish person I am at that very moment... Now, do you guys think it did some damage to the buds? Sound quality still the same, buds still not burned-in, i have them for over two weeks but I listen to them like 4 hrs per day / 3 days per week. Is that incident that bad for the buds? And is it much worse that it happened before it has burned-in? Thanks... :( Still sound the same for me, but I am being OCed that it affected it's durability or something like that.. Any input but insulting me for it will be appreciated! Thanks!

They will be fine, perfectly fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by autoexec 

Are you really sure? Thanks man, that somehow comforts me. Lol

Are they still playing music? They ar efine then. Remember that phones themselves operate using magnets, so unless you use some huge magnet to damage them, no harm should be done IMO.

I wouldn't think that Sennheiser is stupid enough to put a magnet powerful enough to damage the buds in a carrying case that was designed to store and protect the very same buds.

So relax and listen on. 
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by autoexec 

Are you really sure? Thanks man, that somehow comforts me. Lol

Sennheiser earphone cases (ie6/ie8/mx980) are the worst ever. Awful.  A waste of human endeavour.

I'm shocked that someone actually is using the senn case

Quote:

Originally Posted by CantScareMe 

Sennheiser earphone cases (ie6/ie8/mx980) are the worst ever. Awful.  A waste of human endeavour.

 

I'm shocked that someone actually is using the senn case

Never used mine either, I think I even threw it in the bin. I noticed a nice Altoids-like box one day and bought whatever it was carrying. Now it makes a great MX980 case.

For all my iem's I've used camera cases. Spacious, zipped, easy to get in and out. When unpacking sennheiser things, I always make sure I'm concentrating, trying my best not to damage the iem.

The shure case for the se310-530 sucked as well, but not on this level. It was so small that squeezing the iem's in to fit would actually make the wire snap quicker. And I reckon the ie8/ mx980 case if used would bring about an early death of the phone.

There are also IEM cases available on eBay. Very cheap and pretty nice.

nice, thank you! will look into the IEM cases on ebay.. :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by swbf2cheater 

Its open air dynamic, that doesnt mean its open back.  It doesn't leak sound like open backs do, even though it does of course leak some sound.  As for bass?  Nothing comes close for hanging style.  Its basically a similar sound to the ie7 which some good bass.  The ie7 was bass light, the mx980 has more bass while retaining massive soundstage and an aired out feel.  

 

There's no way the mx980 has more bass than the IE7. The IE7 bass definitely has more quantity, better body and texture, while mx980 bass is leaner and has no deep bass at all.