Concise Multi-IEM Comparison (HifiMan RE400 added , March. 1st, 2013) - Page 67

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garba 

Hello, first I want to congratulate you for the great comparison of IEM.

I wanted to ask a couple of things.

I have a cowon Z2, with SoundMagic e10, "No Amp"

My taste in music is varied, but for now I'm just listening to K-pop

I'm between the GR07 and BA200 actually UMX3 would I like some, but its price is not really like xD.

Of all the review I read, no one talks about his musical taste, then I can not make a comparison.

 

Sorry for my English.

If you like UM3X, BA200 will be a closer approximation. However, I'll recommend GR07 for K-pop and its more versatile sound signature over BA200.

Sibilance is only a problem with normal to loud volume. GR07 is tuned to be listened in lower volume as where those peaks adds detail instead of sounding sibilant.

If you are talking about similarity, PR401 has a slightly sharper treble, which is closer to E10. Consonance will be smoother in comparison.

Rock It Sounds R10, R11, R20, R30 and R50 added.

Mid 38.    Rock it Sounds R-10 (link)
Warm, laid back and somewhat mid centric. Bass begins to roll off after mid bass and disappear completely around 30Hz. Similar fashion of roll off can be observed on the treble region right above 12kHz, causing the lack of sparkle and air. Mid, while is the center of the presentation, is laid back, distanced and doesn’t have a lot of texture or detail to offer. With the lack of detail and air, soundstage is below average. As the lowest end of Rock It Sounds line-up, the R10 doesn’t carry any surprise. It is priced at $20 and for the most part, the sound quality is in line with other IEM that priced similarly.
Pro: Accessories.
Con: None.

Warm+Sweet 56.    Rock It Sounds R-11 (link)
Similar warm and laid back sound as R10, but less mid-centric in comparison. Treble still rolls off at the top end and so sparkle and air are both missing. Bass however extends a little better than R10 with sub-bass better rendered, even though quantitatively it is still less than neutral. Mid shares the same laid back, distanced fashion as R10, lacking detail and texture. However, there are lesser ‘disconnect’ between the mid and bass, so it is overall closer to more of a warm+sweet sound rather than a mid centric sound. Soundstage is below average as well. While R11 is priced just a little higher than R10 and spots a more neutral’ish presentation, the overall sound quality is still right around the same ballpark. It is more of a different in sound signature than in actual quality.
Pro: Accessories.
Con: None.

Mid 19.    Rock It Sounds R-20 (link)
Knowles Siren based single balanced armature and for the most parts it sounds very similar to SBA-01 - warm and musical with a full sounding mid, especially in the upper region. Treble is well extended though not quite as refine and lacks good sparkle. Mid is decently full with a sweet vocal, but a little harsh on the upper region when in loud volume. Bass is quite deep with a good speed and impact but not vest in body. Soundstage is about average. Given the similarity between sensitivity and impedance, it is likely R-20 and SBA-01 have the same Siren driver, the only noticeable difference in sound is that R-20 is a tiny bit more upfront. But it isn’t different enough to notice without very close A/Bing.
Pro: Same as SBA-01 but cheaper.
Con: Out performed by newer Siren.

Mid 17.    Rock It Sounds R-30 (link)
Warm, mid-centric with a similar but thicker, fuller and more upfront presentation when compared to R-20. Treble is decently extended but lacks good sparkle. Mid is full, sweet and rather thick, though smoother on the upper region due to the fullness. Bass has decent speed and impact, and also a little thick on the body. Soundstage is decent, would have been better if not somewhat limited by the thickness of the presentation. R-30 can be said to be a fuller sounding R-20, but the fundamental of the sound quality hasn’t been changed by much. At most, it is just a tiny step-up.
Pro: Ear sleeves for comfort.
Cons: Size. A bit expensive over R-20.

Analytical 2.    Rock It Sound R-50 (link)
A midpoint between B2 and GR01. B2 is leaner on bass, fairly neutral while bright and sparkly. GR01 focuses more on a warmer and well textured bass and mid, but with a smoothed out treble. R-50 on the other hand has the same kind of brightness as B2, with a sense of warmth like GR01 in the bottom ends, granted it isn’t quite as well textured in comparison. Treble is well extended, crisp and sparkly. Mid is well textured and slightly upfront. Bass is well extended as well, with a good sense of body. However, R-50 is closer to ‘B2 with a warmer, better bodied bass’ rather than ‘GR01 with a sparkly high’. As far as overall sound quality goes, it is right about the same level as GR01. Even though it does offer better treble extension and a more upfront presentation than GR01, it doesn’t have the same textured and hard hitting bass to lower mid. This makes it more analytical sounding than warm+sweet sounding, but it is still a very good compromise between the two. Soundstage is quite good. The warmer tone adds back the layers missing in B2 while still retains the same excellent separation.
Pro: Price. Dual driver with a top-tier sound.
Con: Warranty terms.