Sony MDR-EX600: Impressions, appreciations, and cake (not included) - Page 83

How do these IEM's work on Classical music + M/F vocals?

EX600 is great for classic because of the big soundstage. Male vocals generally good, but female vocals depends. Some could sound too sibilant/harsh/thin.

 

Btw what do you guys think of the noise isolation tips that came with EX600? To my ears they take away some bass quantity, which is the opposite from other foam tips like Shure olives/comply tips. Also, the noise isolation isn't much improved, if any. 

i love the ex600 + ex1000 cable combination, smoother overall presentation and the treble problems are almost non-existent.

 

although i only listen to ex series iems with about 10% lower volume than my usual listening volume as i noticed that whenever i crank up the volume of any ex series iems (600/800st/1000) the only thing that goes way up is the treble, bass and midrange doesnt go loud as much as the treble. one of my friends even said that the bass goes way back when he increased the volume really loud using his sony S dap.

 

on lower or moderate volumes ( my listening volume ), i love how these iems sound.

I've been switching between these two headphone/IEM today.

Apart from some imaging features EX600 shows, I have come to the conclusion using a Cowon S9 my introduced in 1985 Sony MDR-V6 have better sound quality then these. Namely, treble presence without the spike, more clarity and separation. The EX600 sound cloudy especially in their mids. There's a clear lack of fidelity on the EX600 when I A/B them.

Considering I paid $35 for the V6 and $140 odd for the EX600. I feel a little ripped off and let down after comparing them.

I'm not sure if I should keep them any longer.

Maybe I'm just going mad?
Edited by H20Fidelity - 9/16/12 at 7:07pm

The Sony V6 is a monster, a classic, better than the ZX700 and ZX1000 IMO. 

I'm a little shocked about all this. I'm definitely hearing them correctly though.

I've been challenging EX600 with some of my collection to see whether I should truly keep them.

I was able to tame the treble spike mentioned earlier to suitable levels by switching DAP's and giving them 100 hours break in. It's still present however the harsh edge has been taken off. I put this down to my Cowon C2 which works favourable with edgy IEM's. Sibilance is still present in unacceptable levels on some tracks.

EX600 has two major flaws when put up against IEM's like: Yamaha EPH-100, GR07 MK2 and TF10.

Cons

Separation

There is a sure gap between EX600's separation skills. To me it sounds overly blended, layering isn't up to scratch for an IEM of this price range when there's other options such as EPH and TF10, available. Vocals overlap other passages you don't truly hear individual samples separately. I find it awkward picking out one instrument as it feels like Sony have added "just enough" to get away with this particular model. In a whole if separations not your thing it's fine but to me just sounds like music all smeared together, which is usually found in cheaper products. EPH-100 would be better choice in this situation.


Detail

EX600 sounds quite dry / grainy through my DAPS especially in the mids and treble regions .I will say I'm more suited to a wetter liquid signature, though where it fails to impress me is it's lack of detail both in micro detailing and accuracy around the mid range, you simply don't hear all the detail I get from the others. Again, it sounds like there's just enough to get away with it, there's no magic going on here. When this works poorly with average separation you have a pretty simple IEM in these area's combined. Treble also suffers a similar fate, although having decent extension there's not alot to talk about.


Pro's


Bass

This is where things start to even out somewhat. EX600 bass texture/tone is some of the best I have heard, leaving models like TF10, EPH-100 far far behind, the texture and dynamics it brings is truly something to admire. Soft, soothing to the ears. There's just enough impact to sound solid and fulfilling without ever becoming over bearing or intrusive. The low end does it's best to stay away from mids though cannot escape the simple separation skills. This is NOT an IEM for bassheads, we're talking about bass quality not quantity. it's the one thing that calls me back to EX600. Sub-bass can reach fairly low leaving GR07 feeling thin when it spreads that beautiful tone across the bottom of the stage in a wide fashion.



Soundstage / imaging

The stage is "w...i...d...e" the widest I have heard, when paired with a player such as Cowons S9 the amount of space in the headstage is quite large showing a lot of air between the left/right/centre channels. There's a lot of things going on outside your ears giving a real out of the head experience. There's decent depth which works well with the former and in a whole the staging works very well. Imaging: again some of the best I've heard though can become sloppy when tracks get busy. With the right tracks at lower volumes there's cues firing all around my head from different angles a pure delight when compared to GR07.


Overall.

EX600 comes across to me as an IEM that's quickly showing it's age. While it excels in area's mentioned it leaves a lot to be desired when put up against something like EPH-100, GR07 and especially TF10. The lack of detail is a huge sacrifice for the pro's, you really aren't hearing all the music and what you're hearing isn't particularly well detailed compared. The signature comes across to me as too mainstream without being adventurous. It embraces some great technical ability while very much lacking in other area's. I think for your money there's better choices out there unless you can pick them up quite cheap. It's like Sony added just enough in some area's to pass the IEM, and for something that's one model under their flagship I feel they could of done better but chose not too leaving this IEM to me feeling limited or capped.
Edited by H20Fidelity - 9/17/12 at 2:44am

hhmmmm, I agree with some of what you say H2, I've had the TFs, and the GRs? and in my opinion they didn't hold a candle to the EXs? the only flaw for the EXs is the treble spike? that I EQed down to a very nice level, plus after over 200 or so hours on them they've, I really have no need to even EQ them? I found the GR to be very anemic/thin sounding, and the TFs just to having a funky SS to them?

 

I found that the Exs had ALOT of great detail to them, and tons of instrunment seperation, a super low end, and just slightly lacking in the mid section? which I found the 7550s to fill in that gap, and the 1000s not to being much of an improvement over the 600s, not even tacking into account any cost differences? hhmmm go figure? lol,

 

anyways I am not analyitical, I like what Ilikes and I don't what I don'ts, lol, and I have moved on to the ASG-1.2s, and a set of the W4s! and will be getting some Merlins soon? my first set of customs! I settled for the EXs for over a year before I moved on from them? so find some salt and take a couple of grains!

I think what needs to be noted is while EX600 do have cons in their signature the amounts of each fault will vary from person to person, what they'e heard, what they prefer. By all means they have separation and can reach close to what GR07 provides in that area but the other two? Not in my opinion. And you're right, TF10 have a funky lacing which can become tiresome quickly and fatiguing, GR07 can become thin, boring and edgey at higher volumes while Yamaha EPH-100 indeed have that docile treble which just sounds off to people. Though pushing all that aside only judging each IEM on individual sections these negatives show up to me. In no way should my above post turn people away from EX600 because what they do right is in spades.. namely imaging, soundstage. In a whole they're a decent IEM which I can still enjoy.

I think no IEM is perfect, if that were the case none of use would still be here. Faults will show as will a variety of opinions.
Edited by H20Fidelity - 9/17/12 at 7:05pm

I have to say it's weird ride for me with ex600. Just when I think I can't take sibiling I find a song that just blows me away. I don;t know what it is either I fit them more carefully or I get a litlle used to them. I'm thinking on getting custom tips for them... maybe that will solve sibiling, or keep searching for better player.