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Doubts about the Earsonic SM3....

post #1 of 12
5/30/11 at 8:00am
Thread Starter 

I tried searching and read some threads, but I really dont know if these will be good.

I want an IEM with detailed sound, and good bass presence. I have been using the Ck100 and for me these are balanced(flat).

The Earsonic would be a complement to the Ck100, since I love the ATH. etysmile.gif

 

Anyone think that these will suit my needs, or other IEM will be better?

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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Westone UM3x
post #2 of 12
5/30/11 at 8:03am

I dunno, it seems to me that if you really want to move up from the CK100 you should look into customs.  Don't the CK100s fit your description pretty well already though?

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post #3 of 12
5/30/11 at 3:52pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaBomb77766 View Post

I dunno, it seems to me that if you really want to move up from the CK100 you should look into customs.  Don't the CK100s fit your description pretty well already though?


Not really an upgrade, wanted a sidegrade, like having different phones for differents genres of music.
Good to note that I'm not ready to customs, my canals are really small, I always get a good seal with shallow insertion.
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post #4 of 12
5/30/11 at 4:38pm

I believe SM3 or Sm2 is an option for you with plenty of bass!!!

UM3X is another option.

 

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post #5 of 12
5/30/11 at 4:50pm

I have used the SM3 V1.  Just sold them, but they are awesome, very detailed, 3d like sound spacing and nice tight but very present bass.

 

Only reason I sold the SM3 V1 is because I just got my SM3 V2 in the mail.  Same sound but better fit in the ears for me.

 

Cheers,

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post #6 of 12
6/1/11 at 11:43am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigbuddha View Post

I have used the SM3 V1.  Just sold them, but they are awesome, very detailed, 3d like sound spacing and nice tight but very present bass.

 

Only reason I sold the SM3 V1 is because I just got my SM3 V2 in the mail.  Same sound but better fit in the ears for me.

 

Cheers,


Hmm, most people says that they are balanced, but with recessed treble. Do you think that they sound like SE530? Having heard these, their mids are good but the highs are very recessed, its horrible with trance, a bit too with rock IMO.
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post #7 of 12
6/1/11 at 12:35pm

hmmm, I owned both the SM3 and the CK100 and I preferred the SM3 because of better bass impact.

 

The CK100 had nice trebles and mids but anemic bass, there was bass presence and extension but no impact, the SM3 has all 3.

The CK100 has more treble, SM3 treble is also extended but more recessed compared to the CK100 and are a darker sounding IEM. Both have the forward mids(SM3 mids are warmer) and excellent soundstage but the SM3 is a bit more intimate if I recall correctly.

 

If isolation doesn't matter much to you I suggest looking at the Sony MDR-EX800ST, I heard that the MDR-7550 is the US equivalent, the Sony sounds better than both of the above, excellent treble extension and presence, great bass impact and extension with mids that sound just right, not too forward or recessed. If isolation is important then I suggest going with customs, universal IEM's all have some flaw.

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post #8 of 12
6/1/11 at 2:31pm

While I am not the biggest fan of the SM3, it should make for a good complement to the CK100 with its lush presentation and dark sounding sound signature. As for the treble, it is there and present but it's not front and center and plays a supporting role to the lush bass and mids

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post #9 of 12
6/1/11 at 5:20pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Donnyhifi View Post

hmmm, I owned both the SM3 and the CK100 and I preferred the SM3 because of better bass impact.

 

The CK100 had nice trebles and mids but anemic bass, there was bass presence and extension but no impact, the SM3 has all 3.

The CK100 has more treble, SM3 treble is also extended but more recessed compared to the CK100 and are a darker sounding IEM. Both have the forward mids(SM3 mids are warmer) and excellent soundstage but the SM3 is a bit more intimate if I recall correctly.

 

If isolation doesn't matter much to you I suggest looking at the Sony MDR-EX800ST, I heard that the MDR-7550 is the US equivalent, the Sony sounds better than both of the above, excellent treble extension and presence, great bass impact and extension with mids that sound just right, not too forward or recessed. If isolation is important then I suggest going with customs, universal IEM's all have some flaw.


Great to see someone that owned both! I said that want a good bass presence, but I intended to mean a darker presentation. Now I think that the SM3 is the right choice!


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by KaliKot View Post

While I am not the biggest fan of the SM3, it should make for a good complement to the CK100 with its lush presentation and dark sounding sound signature. As for the treble, it is there and present but it's not front and center and plays a supporting role to the lush bass and mids


Thanks, what I wanted to read about them. Very worried too about their size(the SE530 is big for my ears), but I think there's nothing to worry.

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post #10 of 12
6/2/11 at 12:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KevinWolf View Post



Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigbuddha View Post

I have used the SM3 V1.  Just sold them, but they are awesome, very detailed, 3d like sound spacing and nice tight but very present bass.

 

Only reason I sold the SM3 V1 is because I just got my SM3 V2 in the mail.  Same sound but better fit in the ears for me.

 

Do you think that they [SM3 V1 ]  sound like SE530?

If they do, yikes! After encountering so many glowing reports for the SM3s, I just ordered some SM3v2's (this will be my first dip into the Earsonics pool, and a not-too-confident return to "BA sound").

2 1/2 yrs ago, I got a pair of IE8s -- after using SE500/530s since late 2006 (and some E2C for about a year before that). The IE8s, while not perfect (esp. WRT isolation), IMO mostly blow away SE530s. Now, I absolutely can't tolerate the top-end Shures -- against the IE8s, they sound like a bad version of Grado sound (i.e., like Grado full-size cans, with their mid-range-fwd sound, but w/o the Grado mid smoothness or speed).
 

I actually think none of current offerings of IEMs -- even the top-$ customs, like UEs, etc. -- have evolved to a level that canal cans may one day be capable of. IEM cans are relatively new in audiophiledom. Even the science of non-IEM headphone sound -- i.e., 'normal' cans --  is still pretty weak. E.g. DF vs. FF response. The good news is that headphone use is growing, so R&D, along with empirical data (user-based, like the feedback on this forum!), can only help improve head/ear-phone sound with time.

 


Edited by alphaman - 6/2/11 at 12:55am
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post #11 of 12
6/2/11 at 3:25pm

 

 

You definitely have to try the Turbines line then and the newer Westone offerings such as the UM3x and Westone 4

Quote:

If they do, yikes! After encountering so many glowing reports for the SM3s, I just ordered some SM3v2's (this will be my first dip into the Earsonics pool, and a not-too-confident return to "BA sound").

2 1/2 yrs ago, I got a pair of IE8s -- after using SE500/530s since late 2006 (and some E2C for about a year before that). The IE8s, while not perfect (esp. WRT isolation), IMO mostly blow away SE530s. Now, I absolutely can't tolerate the top-end Shures -- against the IE8s, they sound like a bad version of Grado sound (i.e., like Grado full-size cans, with their mid-range-fwd sound, but w/o the Grado mid smoothness or speed).
 

I actually think none of current offerings of IEMs -- even the top-$ customs, like UEs, etc. -- have evolved to a level that canal cans may one day be capable of. IEM cans are relatively new in audiophiledom. Even the science of non-IEM headphone sound -- i.e., 'normal' cans --  is still pretty weak. E.g. DF vs. FF response. The good news is that headphone use is growing, so R&D, along with empirical data (user-based, like the feedback on this forum!), can only help improve head/ear-phone sound with time.

 

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post #12 of 12
6/3/11 at 8:08am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by alphaman View Post



If they do, yikes! After encountering so many glowing reports for the SM3s, I just ordered some SM3v2's (this will be my first dip into the Earsonics pool, and a not-too-confident return to "BA sound").

2 1/2 yrs ago, I got a pair of IE8s -- after using SE500/530s since late 2006 (and some E2C for about a year before that). The IE8s, while not perfect (esp. WRT isolation), IMO mostly blow away SE530s. Now, I absolutely can't tolerate the top-end Shures -- against the IE8s, they sound like a bad version of Grado sound (i.e., like Grado full-size cans, with their mid-range-fwd sound, but w/o the Grado mid smoothness or speed).
 

I actually think none of current offerings of IEMs -- even the top-$ customs, like UEs, etc. -- have evolved to a level that canal cans may one day be capable of. IEM cans are relatively new in audiophiledom. Even the science of non-IEM headphone sound -- i.e., 'normal' cans --  is still pretty weak. E.g. DF vs. FF response. The good news is that headphone use is growing, so R&D, along with empirical data (user-based, like the feedback on this forum!), can only help improve head/ear-phone sound with time.

 


When I heard the CK10, I realized how slow they are and how much muddy their bass are. The Shures have good detail, but the CK10 has WAY more.

I wish that Shure make soon a triple driver, 3-way configuration, then probably the highs would be better(but not sure that would have good presence). A new IEM is what they really need!

 

I think that the phones have good performance, maybe the "top-end" need to improve. And for universal IEMs, they could really be improved with even better drivers!
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by KaliKot View Post

 

 

You definitely have to try the Turbines line then and the newer Westone offerings such as the UM3x and Westone 4

 



These should be brighter than most than what I want. I want a darker presentation. The Earsonics SM3 are most likely the best option for me!!! Since I don't like customs(my ear canals are small, customs would be small and very difficult to put for me).

 

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