The discovery thread. NEW!! The JVC HA-FX40. Page 83...JVC HA-FX101. Page 96 - Page 3

I think you are giving yourself the illusion that they're CKM99, the fabricated story isn't helping either. Really doubt they changed the specs, if anything they would want you to know its a 14mm. Look at Brookstones BDD, same specs as the DDM2 with the same unique dual configuration, there I have no trouble believing it's the Radius driver.

If its a good product that shouldn't matter. Who cares if it's not a CKM99 driver. Even if it sounds similar that doesn't guarantee it's the same driver, a measurement will.

A lot of large driver dynamics share this same basic shape...they could also be Sony MDR-EX85LPs or MDR-EX90LPs in disguise....or even Kicker EB141s....or from the same OEM as Brainwavz Betas o_0a

Also just so its known there are a few sellers on ebay listing these for around the $20 mark shipped

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Thermaltake-ISURUS-In-Ear-Gaming-Headset-w-Mic-Black-HT-ISU005EBBL-NEW-/180770428217?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a16c1d539

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Thermaltake-Isurus-In-Ear-Gaming-Headset-White-HT-ISU005EBWH-/170739230750?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27c0d9e81e

Ive never owned an AT, which im kinda surprised at lol, so I wouldnt know. I remember seeing a pair of these a while back while lurking around newegg's open box deals and thought they were just some cheapo earphones....just goes to show you cant judge a book by its cover! Same with the Monoprices

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dsnuts 

These are the MP8320 upgrade. Similar design more detail and even a cleaner sound and these don't cost too much more.

Well, I've ordered both the TTIs and 3580s from Amazon Germany, they'll be here within a few days. If these are the MP8320 upgrade, then I should expect them to destroy my EX600, shouldn't I?

Anyway, I'm going to review them if they're worth it, otherwise they're going back, no risk involved.

Quote:

Originally Posted by james444 

Well, I've ordered both the TTIs and 3580s from Amazon Germany, they'll be here within a few days. If these are the MP8320 upgrade, then I should expect them to destroy my EX600, shouldn't I?

 

Anyway, I'm going to review them if they're worth it, otherwise they're going back, no risk involved.

Whoa! I'm looking forward to impressions from the grandwizard James

For what it's worth, it isn't exactly an uncommon occurrences to see slight driver size discrepancies in rebrands. For a good example, the HM5 advertised a 43mm driver, whereas the other FA-003-based headphones advertised a 42mm driver. It's likely a rounding issue in those regards.

That doesn't prove that they have the same size driver, not at all, but I'm not sure if fighting over the 13.5mm vs. 14mm is worth anything. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parall3l 

 

 

If Thermaltake got their hands on drivers that are meant for $300 USD IEMs, why would they price them at $35 ? I'm sorry but I have to disagree with you on the specs being altered. If the specs were indeed altered, then Thermaltake should know how much the Isurus is worth, so why price them at such a low price ? If this is indeed the truth I'm sure Audio Technica won't be happy about it either because no one would buy their CKM99s if everyone knew the Isurus was nearly the same thing but with an extra mic. Looks like the only way to find out is to email someone from one of those companies

The drivers probably cost $2 max. There is no 'how much it is worth', there is only 'how much you're willing to pay for it'. Basic rule of economics. People pay more for AT because it is AT. Marketing is important. Just look at how much people pay, for example, for a Vertu phone. 

Anyway, just bought one. But I bought the Isurus. Is that the same as the Isaurus? Got the Philips too. Sounds fun.

ps, thanks for the find. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jelt2359 

The drivers probably cost $2 max. There is no 'how much it is worth', there is only 'how much you're willing to pay for it'. Basic rule of economics. People pay more for AT because it is AT. Marketing is important. Just look at how much people pay, for example, for a Vertu phone. 

 

Anyway, just bought one. But I bought the Isurus. Is that the same as the Isaurus? Got the Philips too. Sounds fun.

 

I said "drivers that are meant for $300 USD IEMs", not $300 USD drivers, I know there is a difference. My point is that if it was indeed a rebrand with slightly cheaper materials and an extra mic, then why price it at $35 ? It just seems to be too good to be real IMO 

Guys, these Philips SHE3580 have to be heard to be believed.  I know I kind of implied in my review that they need EQ to sound great but you know what?  It may all be down to personal preference.  AFAICT these have a V shaped sound signatrue but I always have trouble picking out vocals from instruments whichever phones I use so this may just be personal bias kicking in.  I showed these to my brother and let him hear it with and without my "setting for everybody" EQ and he even preferred the original sound!

Then I tried customizing an EQ to his ears ala PiccoloNamek's EQ thread and found that for his ears there's very little that needs be changed.

He didn't say much about the sound but he did ask if he could keep the pair I gave him to do the tests on

Seriously, these were the phones that got me back into music after a years long hiatus.  And even after I got back into music the broken Etymotic ER-4P I had sat for months in disrepair.  I was wondering what better sounds I would hear from them... but not wondering too much. Finally I sent them in for repair, and after they came back, I didn't hear anything special that would sway me from the $10 Philips!  The Ety's treble was smoother... but the Philips' treble was even smoother with my custom EQ dialled in (again, YMMV regarding the necessity to EQ).  And the bass... is earthshakingly deep.  And the fit and comfort... these Philips just pop right in my ears and stay there.  I was never comfortable with the Etys until I cannibalised a pair of tips from an extra pair of the Philips I wasn't using and adapted them onto the Etys using decored T-100 comply tips as an adapter.

Then the Etys broke again... for the fourth time for me.  This time one of the channels went intermittent and when I tried fixing it by pulling and reconnecting the plug to the bud, the socket came out with the plug after the 3rd try or so Meanwhile, the original pair of SHE3580 I got before I sent the Etys for repair are still going strong... taking more abuse than the Etys with nary a scratch (well, the heatshrink over the I-connector came off when I tried pulling it out of a particularly stubborn socket, but I suppose that can be superglued back on... not that I bothered.  It still fits snugly over the I-plug and only comes off when I pull particularly hard.  I take that as a sign that I have to be more careful pulling the plug out of this particular socket.  The wiring inside the I-connector is potted and the pot can be pulled with no worries over stretching the wires inside).  They have also taken blasts of accidental high volume noise from my computer's headphone out and aged like a fine wine--the bass just got deeper.

Finally let me quote why I liked these so much in the first place from another thread:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Bloggs 

Of course I would never have bothered to do any of that if I did not hear potential in these phones in the first place.  The 5 things counting for it were

1. solidly constructed, completely closed enclosure with no ports; closed speaker design means no flabby ported mid-bass

2. metal grille over drivers instead of fibre plug means sound reached ear more directly

3. incredibly precise channel matching, 2 pairs of $10 SHE3580 I own each have better matched L/R drivers (as I heard from sine sweeps throughout the frequency range) than the Etymotic ER-4Ps I have now!

4. incredible bass and treble extension, treble going beyond the limits of my hearing and bass still going strong way down at 30Hz

5. just a general feeling of "these actually sound pretty good" when I first paid $10 for them and plugged them in my ears, and moments where I got this nagging suspicion that I was hearing things I never even heard on the etys.

I am planning on ordering them but I have a question to dsnuts

How are the microphonics of these compared to MPs?

MPs are a total disaster in terms of microphonics. If these are a lot better and much more bearable I will order them.

Thanks for the thoughts and recommendations.