[dweaver]

Here is a copy of my review of the DJE1500
 
Over the years I have owned and reviewed a number of IEM's and headphones, being a positive person my reviews generally err on the side of generosity. This IEM forced me to go back through my reviews and adjust my ratings. The overall package and sound of the DJE1500 required it to be separated from everything else or I wouldn't be doing it justice. It is the first 5 star rating I have ever given. Now this doesn't mean I might not hear another IEM that is better but as of now it is the best dynamic based IEM I have heard, PERIOD... Now having said that I want to remind everyone that it is the perfect IEM sound for me not everyone else. For people wanting massive bass these won't do, similarly for those who love bright, or detail above all else again this IEM will not meet your needs. But for anyone wanting a good healthy dose of ALL OF THE ABOVE I think you might find the DJE1500 fits the bill.
 


 
Accessories:
As far as accessories goes you get the standard combinations of silicone single flange tips, and one set of Comply tips with the wax catcher. While the included tips work I am not a huge fan of Comply tips and found the bullet shape of the default tips not super suited for my ears. So I ended up testing Sony hybrid or UE wide mouth tips with great success. The Sony tip will give you a darker more subdued midrange and treble sound compared to the original tips while the UE tip allows more midrange and treble detail through.
 
This IEM uses the same detachable cable system as Shure, UE900, and several other manufacturers which will allow for cheap 3rd party cable replacements or expensive high end cable alternatives. Personally I have tried the UE900 blue iPhone cable and a Samsung S4/5 Android cable successfully but both reduced the treble detail detracting from the IEM sound, but may be perfect for anyone who find treble energy to tiring. In regards to the original cable, it offers a slightly to long a cable for portable use but is manageable due to it's extremely soft cloth covering and soft easy to manage memory wire section, it looks damn near perfect for the intended DJ audience. I have to say the quality of this cable out ways any length or non mic qualms I have. It sounds fantastic and works well on my home desktop rig as well as off my LG G2 phone. Microphonics are not perfect but above average in my opinion. The original cable may never have to be "upgraded" for users looking for just a straight stereo connection. I have actually ordered a $90 upgrade Samsung Android cable in the hopes I can get the same quality of sound as the original cable while having the controls and mic on my phone because I couldn't accept the difference in quality from my existing 3rd party cables vs the original.
 


 
 
Design
 
One thing I really find cool about this IEM is it's ability to transform from an over ear to a regular down ear IEM. It accomplishes this through a dial that allows you to adjust where the cable is positioned in regards to the IEM's shape. Here are some pictures of the various positions.
 


 
   
 
Sound
 
So how does it sound? In one word FANTASTIC!
 
I have owned a plethora of high end IEM's over the years ranging from the Sennheiser IE8, UE Triple-fi 10, UE900, Earsonics SM3, Sony MDR 7550, Sony EX1000, Sony XBA-H1/H3, Sony XBA3, and more. Almost all of these have been sold by me because of one short coming or another that just started to bother me. Some had great detail but were two fatiguing or lacked bass presence, others had amazing sound stages but at the expense of the midrange, some had almst everything right sonically but were ergonomically challenging or susceptible to wind noise while out and about.
The DJE1500 has managed to fit almost every single check mark I want in an IEM and where it falls down simple manageable 3rd party accessories can address the problem.
 
Bass - The bass in these is north of neutral but in a very expansive and enjoyable way. It does not just have massive bass slam which can be fatiguing and it manages to have great texture and decay so other instruments like Cello's, bass guitars, and the lowest registers of a piano sound wonderful while still making drums sound awesome. The only music I find the bass a bit over cooked is electronic sub bass. The bass of the DJE1500 is not overly mid-bass or sub-bass oriented but fairly linear albeit slightly boosted over the other ranges.
 
Midrange - The midrange is nicely neutral to maybe ever so slightly forward. Tip choice can affect the upper midrange though. When using UE tips for example some artists who strongly enunciate S's can come across as borderline sibilant but with the default tips or the Sony hybrids this is not an issue. I find the midrange to be engaging and detailed but never so detailed or analytical as to be boring.
 
Treble - The treble is clear and detailed especially with the UE tips but never fatiguing in my experience. I love how instruments like cymbals are reproduced. They have nice sizzle and crash without becoming strident or shouty. The treble is about in the same place audibly as the midrange.
 
Sound Stage and imaging - The sound stage and imaging of this headphone is simply off the charts. It is in the same range as the best Sony IEM's and the IE8 but without the veiled midrange of the IE8 or the wind noise and quirky ergonomic issues of the Sony's and the IE8. I was continually amazed at how drawn into classical music I was with these. The sound stage was nice and broad with good depth and fantastic instrument placement. I was similarly impressed with well done classic rock, jazz, Celtic, and other genres. This IEM reminded me why I like this area so much.
 
Final Thoughts
 
This IEM while not necessarily better than the IEM's I have mentioned has for me struck the best balance of detail, sonic signature, imaging, sound stage, ergonomics,  build quality, and after market component options to get a perfect 5 star rating. In regards to the Sony IEM's in particular this IEM sounds the closest to the MDR-7550 but with deeper harder hitting bass and better treble, a perfect blend between the EX1000 and the 7550. When I bought the Sony XBA-H1 and H3 I was hoping both would be what the DJE1500 ultimately is in this regard.

 

[sfwalcer]

^
Good stuff, and my interest is raising on those Pions but is still holding out for the VSonic VSD5s.

 
If they were like under $100 i might cop a set but i am even more picky these days with my IEMs so for $150 they better blow my mind off (which i doubt it will from your impressions). haha 

 

[waynes world]

Great review @dweaver! You definitely have piqued my interest. I'm not sure that "bass north of neutral" would work for me, but I'm gonna keep my eyes open for them anyway. Thanks!

 

[dweaver]

They are bassy out of the box but it settles down quite a bit after a few days. I have never had an IEM that sounds so good for classical. The bass is stunning for kettle drums and cellos.

Aside from some music that I think has overly enhanced bass I find these to just sound full for most of my music. They may be a bit north of neutral in the bass but not at the expense of the rest of the music. The only people who will have to think hard about this IEM are people who really prefer neutral to bass light signatures.

Compared to the Mikros 90 with the pinhole mod I would say the 1500 is slightly harder hitting and slightly deeper sounding, so north but not lots north. It really does fall somewhere in between the MDR7550 and EX1000.

 

[dweaver]

Hey that's cool, I have never had my name in the Thread title before!! Thanks DS

 

[Dsnuts]

Well deserved my friend. A discovery is a discovery. It took a great review, I have to have something for the guys to read in order to put you in the title. Was what I was waiting for. Lol..Those Pioneers sound intriguing in deed.
 
Off topic. I did my Brianwavz S5 review. More like a rant than a review but I hope Brainwavz take it to heart. I like the S5 but I feel I am getting more picky now a days. I never thought them treble spikes would get to me but. When your listening for them and you hear them. It has to be mentioned.
 
Brainwavz need to get themselves a pair of ATH-CKR9s.. It exactly what they were trying to go for in that sound..http://www.head-fi.org/products/brainwavz-s5-in-ear-headphones/reviews/11388

 

[DannyBai]

I do like the sound of the Pioneers but the $150 tag keeps me from pulling the trigger.  I'll keep it on my wish list and see if the prices go down anytime soon.  Thanks for that kick ass review dweaver.  

 

[sfwalcer]

Hey that's cool, I have never had my name in the Title thread before!! Thanks DS

^
O'rly!!!??? Let me try my luck.

 
Worthy of "discovery" i guess............ Da' hyped TTPOD T1-E:
 

... AUDIOPHILE BASSHEADS REJOICE!!!

 
 
******************************************WARNING*******************************************
 
If you are a flatter TOTLer/analytical type of audiophile STAY CLEAR OF THESE TTPODs cuz these got BASS!!!
 
But thank god it is quality bass that is punchy with pretty good texture and depth to it. PHEEEEW.
 
I was worried when i read from the latest comments that they sound "warm" and piss_ton-esque but the bass of these got pretty good speed, clarity, punch, and attack to them UNLIKE the overly warm/thick slowish bass of the piss_tons. So yes these have a big, bold, and deep bass to them that is of the "rounder" sounding variant which means the woofers comes out to play more (more intrusive if you will but doesn't really bleed much into the mids/highs) than say the more subtle/ tamers sub bass that is in Zero Audio tenores/ Fostex TE-05s.
 
Speaking of mids and highs, no part of the sonic spectrum is really recessed on these TTPODs but it is just that the bass is lifted/ elevated if you will along with the treble which gives them a more V-shape sound to their presentation. But in truth everything just comes out to play in spades is alls, hence why i say these are "audiophile basshead IEMs" or what i like to call TOTALphile material cuz nothing is really missing in the sound. The mids of these TTPODs are lush and forward with very good micro details and definition to it, along with an above average soundstage so there is a good sense of instrumental separation and 3Dness, while there is some slight mid bass bloat, that "rounder" bass variant i was talking about earlier it is nonetheless very punchy, with good speed and attack that reaches deep into the sub bass regions without being boomy down under (overall pretty damn tight all around). The treble/ highs also have great extension and is almost borderline bright cuz it reaches up there without getting too hot. It could use some smoother shimmery refinement up top that's for sure but i do hear some nice sparkle, so from top to bottom these TTPODs give you all that you can handle.
 
From what i posted above it appears that such a sonic presentation might sound kinda' fatiguing no??? Welp yes and no, no in that these TTPODs have the proper staging which encapsulates and presents the sound in an atmospheric manner without it sounding overly overpowering/ in your face is that makes any sense (referring to the powerful, thicker and more fatiguing sound of the JVC FX200). LoL  I also said yes cuz the highs/treble can get slightly hot at times due to its extension, hence poorly mastered female vocals in Asian pop tracks can be a bit fatiguing for some that are sensitive to bright highs. It never gets to the point of being sibilant or overly bright/hot as with the JVC FX40s though, but more along the lines of the GR07 BEs/ slightly less bright than the ATH CKS1000s.
 
Alright that's some of my observation so far, and i didn't differentiate the TTPOD T1 to the T1-Es above cuz both are cut from the same tuning cloth but the T1-E are simply more refined from top to bottom. The bass of the original T1s sounds more slow, even more round/ less tight, and less punchy/ deep esp. in the sub bass, the mids are not as lush/ less micro details and not as high def, while the highs are slightly more tamed (which can be a good thing for some that don't like a high reaching treble). Therefore, due to these attributes the background of the original T1s actually sound a bit darker/ laidback in comparison, while the T1-Es are brighter/ more energetic. It is DEAD OBVIOUS that both are tuned in a very similar manner but just with more refinements added from top to bottom.
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TTPOD-T1E-Bass-Hi-Fi-Definition-Dual-Dynamic-Professional-In-ear-Earphones-/291180214894?pt=US_Headphones&var=&hash=item43cbb17a6e

 

[doctorjazz]

Pioneer does sound interesting, hmmmmmm....nice review.

 

[Dsnuts]

Both you guys made it. Was time to change the heading for the discovery thread.
 
Oh by the way I recently read on another thread that the Doppios are starting to take off in Japan for some reason. Sold out in a lot of places is the word. So for guys that own them. Consider yourselves lucky to own a pair.

 

[sfwalcer]

  Both you guys made it. Was time to change the heading for the discovery thread.
 
Oh by the way I recently read on another thread that the Doppios are starting to take off in Japan for some reason. Sold out in a lot of places is the word. So for guys that own them. Consider yourselves lucky to own a pair.

^
LMAO was just trollin' but good to be on board.

 
Those TTPOD T1-E is good stuff not just for the price, but for folks that have owned audiophile basshead IEMs such as the ATH CKS1000s, KEF M200, higher end JVCs etc these don't really best them. Though these are in the same league or even bests a lot of the bass IEMs i have reviewed before so....
 
Good to be in this hobby these days fo' sho, cuz peanuts will buy you some sweet pea_pods TTPODS. haha

 

[Exesteils]

Both you guys made it. Was time to change the heading for the discovery thread.

Oh by the way I recently read on another thread that the Doppios are starting to take off in Japan for some reason. Sold out in a lot of places is the word. So for guys that own them. Consider yourselves lucky to own a pair.

About time imo. Zero Audio really does get too little love from the general public, especially their higher end models

 

[Ap616]

Those TTPOD T1-E is good stuff not just for the price,

Though these are in the same league or even bests a lot of the bass IEMs i have reviewed before so....

Good to be in this hobby these days fo' sho, cuz peanuts will buy you some sweet pea_pods TTPODS. haha

I agree man!

Anyone else interested in the TTPOD T1-E or on the fence about them, just go for it. I don't think you'll be disappointed. And I'll back sf up!

 

[sfwalcer]

I agree man!

Anyone else interested in the TTPOD T1-E or on the fence about them, just go for it. I don't think you'll be disappointed. And I'll back sf up!

^
Thanks for the support, but i wasn't the one that hyped them to the high heavens. haha
 
Think the OG hypester needs to stand up for these lowly Pea_Pods Es.

 
 
i was just a victim of his hype is alls.

 

[waynes world]

Great writeup Sf! They are stupid cheap as well. Everyone get some TTPOD's lol!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by sfwalcer /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
It never gets to the point of being sibilant or overly bright/hot as with the JVC FX40s though, but more along the lines of the GR07 BEs/ slightly less bright than the ATH CKS1000s.

 
It funny, but the CKS1000's highs are good for me now. I'm not sure if it's burn in, or hearing loss, or the tips I'm using on them, but I'm digging them and the highs are never a problem for me. I could never quite get to that point with the BE's though (even after extensive burn in), and not a friggin' chance with the FX40's.
 
Anyway, to the important question: how do you like the TTPOD's compared to the almighty KC06's?