[Review] Impressions of the Sony EX1000 versus the FX700, GR10 and e-Q5 - Page 19

Come on mate, let's be honest here, with most premium/flagship products the 'average consumer' isn't a factor by definition ...

I'm going to go over and see if I can't give the two headphones a whirl tomorrow.... List price in Hong Kong is around ~US$500, it won't drop quite so quickly I think - Sony premium from market demand, flagship product and Sony being fairly tight with the retail shops around here.

Yeah, I think it already did its drop from $799 USD to $499. 

Guys, do you use your EX-1000 with high end amps and sources? I think that e-Q5 and FX700 already require a better source than an average DAP to get the best out of them, but if the EX1000 is even more revealing and transparent, I don't see how one will be able to hear this from an average DAP. You will need at least a solid $100-$200 portable amp IMO for the headphone of this level to justify its purchase coupled with a very decent line-out from HM-601 or S:Flo.

Hmm, I disagree with the frog. I think my Audigy 2 ZS and AMP3 could pump out significantly more detail than any average DAP I tried. Plus, space, definition and dynamics are usually much improved with better sources and amps. The output on MiniBox E+ sounded much more refined and clearly separated than the headphone out of the Clip to my ears.

I don't really think the dap matters all that much. Of the earphones that james444 has reviewed that I have also heard my results were very similar regardless of if it was out of a dap or my dac/amp.

Ok, so you guys are saying that a Clip is good enough for pretty much any IEM unless the IEM is high impedance? Even something of a JH13 level? It just seems odd to pair a $1k+ IEM with just a sub $100 portable player.

Also, from what I read, Cowon players for example, are powerful enough to drive even HD650 to loud volumes. So does that mean that they are prefectly good enough for HD650? Then why are people buying all those big, super expensive Blue Hawaii to Darkvoice or whatever stationary home amps? Do you think it's all bollocks and people are wasting their money? I mean even if the amp in Cowon is not powerful enough for HD650, it's easy to make a more powerful one for just a bit more money I would think.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pianist 

Ok, so you guys are saying that a Clip is good enough for pretty much any IEM unless the IEM is high impedance? Even something of a JH13 level? It just seems odd to pair a $1k+ IEM with just a sub $100 portable player.

 

Also, from what I read, Cowon players for example, are powerful enough to drive even HD650 to loud volumes. So does that mean that they are prefectly good enough for HD650? Then why are people buying all those big, super expensive Blue Hawaii to Darkvoice or whatever stationary home amps? Do you think it's all bollocks and people are wasting their money? I mean even if the amp in Cowon is not powerful enough for HD650, it's easy to make a more powerful one for just a bit more money I would think.

I don't think Rawrster is saying that.  I know he hears differences between DAPs.  I think his point is about the ability to make relative comparisons.  Granted, I too find people making observations about phones from underpowered sources.  That is problematic sometimes but what to do.  Cowon is definitely not ideal for a 650.  Heard one through a Burson last Saturday.  Not bad at all.  When I think Cowon I think sound shaping not power delivery myself but that's another story.

It is not bollocks and wasting money is a relative personal preference.  Paying more that $80 on a phone of any kind could be seen as such.  Amps are much more complex than just making something that delivers power.  You might not want to listen to such a device after you hear it.

People really like the Clip+ because it's flat and lacks noise.  It certainly doesn't drive the majority of my phones to the level of performance I prefer myself.  If it had the resolving power of my DACport and the power delivery of my Arrow I'd crown it King.  
 

I used the clip+ with the customs that I had at that time without any complaints before I sold the clip+.

I'm just saying something such as the e-Q5 would do fine with the clip+. They are meant to be used off a dap and it sounds just fine out of a regular dap. It doesn't need something that is super high quality.

I'm not sure yet if EX-1000 scales up with DAP with more powerful amp.  So far, if it does, its minute compared to certain IEMs.  ^James, price doesn't Dictate if it is a quality DAP.  I know my ears don't really like the Sansa series no matter how cheap it is. I'm out to get the best portable sound.  I've amped Fuzed through headphone and line out, it just not a very detailed player, its very muffled sounding.  What I've learned from listening to Sansa players is that no matter how much better external amp you have, if the DAP doesn't have a good DAC, you can't save it.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by rawrster 

I don't really think the dap matters all that much. Of the earphones that james444 has reviewed that I have also heard my results were very similar regardless of if it was out of a dap or my dac/amp.

 

 

I heard the EX1000 from my slightly warm/neutral Arrow and heard it the same as HighQ.  I think we listened to the exact same IEM from the sound of it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by High_Q 

I'm not sure yet if EX-1000 scales up with DAP with more powerful amp.  So far, if it does, its minute compared to certain IEMs.  ^James, price doesn't Dictate if it is a quality DAP.  I know my ears don't really like the Sansa series no matter how cheap it is. I'm out to get the best portable sound.  I've amped Fuzed through headphone and line out, it just not a very detailed player, its very muffled sounding.  What I've learned from listening to Sansa players is that no matter how much better external amp you have, if the DAP doesn't have a good DAC, you can't save it.
 

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I don't know guys. I just can't see how a hi-fi IEM can be meant for a consumer grade DAP. I think that high-end IEMs may be made to sound tolerable out of such sources, but to really reveal their potential and to hear why they are called hi-end/hi-fi you need a much more serious source and amp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pianist 

I think that high-end IEMs may be made to sound tolerable out of such sources, but to really reveal their potential and to hear why they are called hi-end/hi-fi you need a much more serious source and amp.

I can't disagree w/ that.

I think James is saying that PORTABLE players sound more or less the same across the board. Once you move into desktop rigs and all that I think th equation changes