[Review] Sensaphonics j-phonics - the BEST professional universal stage ear monitor yet - Page 11

Yes the "stage monitor" is referring almost exclusively to the sound, if that's what you meant? However the design of the IEM and the pelican case and various kinds of customisation available are very practical for stage use as well.

 

If I understand your question correctly, you're thinking stage monitors are supposed to roll-off in the highs, right?

I don't have any personal opinion on that, but that's the general impression I've come to from reading on this forum.

Please anyone, enlighten me: what is the characteristic sound of a stage monitor? Versus an audiophile 'phone.

Forgive the slightly OT question, but I would like to better understand what this IEM offers.

I missed that post of TMMC. Hope to get the MX in a couple of hours and see how it compares w/ the Baby Stax|MDR7550 <- how's that for references? ;)
 

 

The answer to that question is long, but looking at your gear the IE8 is an enhanced Hi-Fi sound, and the CK10 and GR07 are closer to a monitor sound.

 

The Shure SE425 is a "monitor sound" that rolls off in the highs, resulting in a dark, but very easy-listening signature so you can listen to crashing cymbals and electric guitar distortion all night.

 

The J-phonic is a more accurate "monitor sound" which will deliver all the cymbal crashes and distortion; however the entire spectrum is very polite so it works, for a stage musician it will take away the rawness and edge, lower volume, and add politeness.  It's also an insanely fast IEM, these are my limited impressions so far, use a little salt.

 

The ER-4P, well I'm not sure if people use that on stage, but that's more in line with a studio type monitor sound, I think.

 

 

@dogears, a comparison to MDR-7550 and SR-001 Mk2 will be interesting, let us know.

Edited by kiteki - 8/4/11 at 4:13pm

Got it! Pics and impressions later :P

 

edit: forgot to mention - the cables... WOW! (more impressive than the DBAs).

Edited by dogears - 8/4/11 at 5:58pm

Coming from my "sound memory" from last night's listening with MDR7550, MX's sounds cavernous :D treble is clear though. And they are smaller than the DBAs, using the smallest Sony earbuds they won't occupy my ears with a tight fit. Will try to do something with this... and hopefully the sound will change...

 

edit: used the T100 Comply tips and the sound changed... bass cavernous! :D :D :D It's like I'm in a small pub... sounds congested bass... I think I will end up operating on these IEMs :P The treble is very promising though. I'll see how the mids will end up after the operation - specially the bass. Right now it sounds 'congested' on the mids/lows.

Edited by dogears - 8/4/11 at 6:24pm

You're supposed to use Comply T-100 with them, I heard Shure Olive tips work nice too.

 

cavernous, r u serious?  Looking forward to getting my ear fixed Lol.

The bass sounds like ported boomy subwoofers! Bleeech!!!

OK, thanks. The CK10 and GR07 I consider balanced, with slight skews. The GR07 especially is very balanced, yet is utterly unfatiguing, which from your description seems to be a the hallmark of a good stage monitor. Sound about right?

The only thing turning me off the K2 SP is that it seems like it doesn't offer as much extension on the low end as the GR07 (being that the OP claims that it starts to roll off south of 60Hz). Would that be accurate to say?

 

It was designed after the sound of the Sensaphonics 2X-S (and 2MAX), which was designed specifically for stage use (as that was really the only market for IEMs at the time). It is full-range, designed for accuracy, and does not roll off highs. It's definitely in the reference/flat/neutral sound signature area (referring to SP version), the only one I'm familiar with.

 

All "stage monitor" really means is that it's designed to please musicians and sound engineers, and is marketed to them primarily.

 

As I understand it.

That's about right. Being a dynamic IEM, GR07 has more quantity of bass at the lower end. It is part of its strength.. K2 SP by itself can do sub-bass very well too, just not as much in quantity when compared to GR07.

 

 

That's the reviewer's opinion. Doesn't match my perception, but Shigzeo is a pretty darned good reviewer.

 

I listened to Ryoji Ikeda - 1110111111 (yes that's the name of the song, it's sonic art) and the sub-bass (50Hz and lower) was very fast and resonant on the J-phonic, I compared it to the RE0 and just got a more distant humming sound without the fast bass fluctuations (think accurate sub-woofer for the J-phonic, and radioshack sub-woofer for the RE0 =p).

Edited by kiteki - 8/4/11 at 7:07pm

After poking through the filter... it now sounds better to my ears (oh what a relief it is!!!) :P from my 'sound memory', they have similar sound character with the MDR7550... A/B to follow soon

 

So since you poked the filter, does that mean it sounds like the SP version now since the filter tames the highs to make the lows sound more prominent? I can't decide which to get.