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- Basic Guide To In Ear Canalphones
Concise Multi-IEM Comparison (FINAL UPDATE March. 1st, 2013) - Page 71
Gear mentioned in this thread:
- ClieOS
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I'll have a chance to review Heir Audio in the next few months as part of their loaner tour. Almost bought a UM3X but I ended up spending my money else where. My cousin has a pair though he doesn't live close enough for me to borrow for review. As for W4 - it is simply out of my budget, though I really like it. Unless I win the lottery or start printing money, I don't think I'll be reviewing them.
ClieOS, I bought the Rock It Sounds R-50 recently, but they arrived defective (left channel sound dropping out intermittently). Rock It is arranging for a refund, and I am now looking for something that sounds like the R-50 overall (detailed, very resolving), but perhaps a little closer to neutral on the bottom end. I felt the R-50 lacking a bit in terms of the body of the bass region, making some percussion instruments sound lighter-weighted than is realistic.
I know you haven't heard the Fischer DBA-02 MkII (if you have, please chime in with your thoughts!), but what IEM, preferably a BA-based one, and more preferably a TWFK, will give me similar levels of detail, transparency and accuracy, but with a bit more body to the low-end?
I am presently looking at the Fischer Audio DBA-02 MkII, and the VSonic GR01 - which I feel might veer a little too warm from objectively neutral, especially at the top-end.
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Actually I did listen to DBA-02 MK2 quite some time ago, and thought it is more balanced than the original DBA-02 as far as tonal balance is concerned. I think both DBA-02 MK2 and GR01 will fit your general description, thought GR01 might be closer., but it is hard to say for certain since I have not heard them both at the same time.
Thank you, this makes my decision easier now. :)
As for the DBA-02 MkII and the GR01, which would you say is the more generally neutral IEM between the two?
My concern with the GR01 is that I am worried it might sound very similar to the TDK BA200, which I found a bit too 'safe' and laid-back in the treble, lacking some of the transparency and detail I expected.
I am just looking for something that has all the resolution, detail and transparency of the R-50, with a touch more fullness to the sound overall. The R-50 tended to sound unnaturally lightweight with percussion instruments, at times.
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Again, you are asking me about the detail of something I have heard well over a year ago and I can't be certain if my answer is correct or not. I'll say I remember DBA-2 MK2 being a bit north of being neutral while GR01 is south of being neutral. I do can tell you that GR01 is less bright than R50 but there is still plenty of detail and it has much better textured lower end.
Neither is anywhere like BA200.
Thank you ClieOS. I will wait for my refund to come through from Rock It Sounds, by then I will have decided between the GR01 and DBA-02 MkII (and any other options).
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LEAR LCM-5 added.

Warm+ Sweet 1. LEAR LCM-5 (link)
Warm, rich, well extended to both ends, and somewhere between stage-monitor-like and being musical with a smooth top. Bass is a bit more than neutral, but far from bass monster quantitatively. It reaches down to sub-bass, well bodied and textured with a good amount of impact, and has a really good decay as well, almost like a good dynamic transducer. Mid is the center of the presentation as it is sweet, detailed, rich but not overly forward. It isn’t really a mid-centric sound as it is still in-line with bass as far as forwardness is concerned, but it is the liquidity in its presentation that draws the listener’s attention naturally and makes for a beautiful vocal that can even compared to mid-centric IEM. Treble is well extended as well, crisp and sparkly but it is half-a-step behind mid and bass. This gives it a sense of smoothness but not being veil in anyway. Micro detail is still all there, but they are not the focus. Soundstage is well above average but not the widest ever – more enveloping than it is open-ended, but with well rendered layers. Image and position suffer slightly due to the richness, but it is part of the appeal of having a warm sound and I don’t consider it a downside that much. With the Monitor Sound Tuned Adapter, LCM-5 takes on a different a different personality that is more neutral and reference flat in frequency response, almost like Etymotic ER4S with a richer body. The transformation with and without MSTA is somewhat similar to ER4S and ER4P, except it is more pronounced and doesn’t drop in SQ. Bass still extends down deeply, but along with the mid they both take a back seat to upper vocal and treble. The focus has shifted from the more stage-monitor-like to a more reference-analytical-monitor-like presentation. However, there is still a small amount of fullness left in the mid and bass so it isn’t particularly sterile or cold like an Etymotic. But the similarity in brightness and hyper-detailed presentation are an unmistakably sign that MSTA is meant to tune LCM-5 to be as accurate as possible. Besides being more accurate on the frequency response curve, one area of noticeable improvement is the soundstage. The original warmer, richer sound tends to cloud the image just a tiny bit by limiting how far the soundstage can expend. With the MSTA, the soundstage regains its open-ended definition.
Pro: Top-tier sound. Build quality.
Con: Cable might look underwhelmed at first.
Hi all Head-Fi'ers / Head-Fi addict / Audiophiliac or whatever they said... 
greetings I'm a newbie,
I didn't see Brainwavz R1 on the first page...
I want to ask about comparison Brainwavz R1 vs MEElec M6 vs Soundmagic E30
because three of them are over the ear types under $50
it will very precious for me about your advice.
Thanks before
Bless U All
*Sorry for my bad english 
or please answer on my thread http://www.head-fi.org/t/650512/ask-comparison-brainwavz-r1-vs-meelec-m6-vs-soundmagic-e30-over-the-ear-under-50
Edited by MidNightx - 2/10/13 at 4:54am
What do u think are better? Hippo vb, brainwavs m5/m4?
- ClieOS
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or please answer on my thread http://www.head-fi.org/t/650512/ask-comparison-brainwavz-r1-vs-meelec-m6-vs-soundmagic-e30-over-the-ear-under-50
R1 is a very bass dominated, or should I say bass monster level IEM. As far as overall SQ go, I'll say it is ahead of M6 but no better than E30. However, I do want to stress the point of R1 being bass heavy, so don't get it if you don't like bass. E30 will be a better choice if you want something more neutral.
Please read the first page.
ClieOS, did you heard the Philips SHE3580?
Thanks!
Edited by Bola 7 - 2/12/13 at 5:44am
- ClieOS
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No. Never listen to it before.

R1 is a very bass dominated, or should I say bass monster level IEM. As far as overall SQ go, I'll say it is ahead of M6 but no better than E30. However, I do want to stress the point of R1 being bass heavy, so don't get it if you don't like bass. E30 will be a better choice if you want something more neutral.
Thank's for your advice,
I think sounds like R1 is ideal for a basshead and E30 for who's like a clarity and natural/neutral sound (CMIIW)
But maybe I'll take a choice to M6, because I think M6 is a middle of them (both R1 bass monster and E30 for clarity and neutral sound).
- Lifted Andreas
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Just wanna say mate, massive thanks for all your work and contribution to the community!
I'm not a proud owner of the first Sonic Diamond rated IEM in my collection, well 2 actually. 
Look what Mr FedEx man brought me...
- Concise Multi-IEM Comparison (FINAL UPDATE March. 1st, 2013)
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