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Bought my Fiance some Senn CX500's for her birthday, but have some questions..

post #1 of 19
1/3/12 at 10:44pm
Thread Starter 

I was sick of seeing her using stock and 5 dollar earbuds, so I purchased the CX-500's off Amazon, and THEN found out there are apparently loads of fakes out there.

They arrive tomorrow. I have a few questions. 

1. How can I be sure they're legit or not? I've heard fakes have less, lets call it, resolution on all the name/logo printings, are bass heavy, and make noise when the cord is disturbed. Any other giveaways? PLEASE help to this effect, I will post a picture of the packaging when it arrives.

 

 

2. I am poor and struggling to improve the audio quality of my life, and have owned only 2 pairs of decent cans so far, and 1 now dead Cowon. I've had Sennheiser HD485's and 595's, and she has NEVER had anything like them, but liked to borrow them alot. How will the CX-500's compare, if at all (praying they're real)?

 

 

3. Did I do good?

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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Sennheiser HD 595 Headphones
Sennheiser CX 500-W In-Ear Headphone (White)
Sony CDP-CX300 MegaStorage 300-CD Changer
post #2 of 19
1/3/12 at 11:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Supra Man View Post

I was sick of seeing her using stock and 5 dollar earbuds, so I purchased the CX-500's off Amazon, and THEN found out there are apparently loads of fakes out there.

They arrive tomorrow. I have a few questions. 

1. How can I be sure they're legit or not? I've heard fakes have less, lets call it, resolution on all the name/logo printings, are bass heavy, and make noise when the cord is disturbed. Any other giveaways? PLEASE help to this effect, I will post a picture of the packaging when it arrives.

 

 

2. I am poor and struggling to improve the audio quality of my life, and have owned only 2 pairs of decent cans so far, and 1 now dead Cowon. I've had Sennheiser HD485's and 595's, and she has NEVER had anything like them, but liked to borrow them alot. How will the CX-500's compare, if at all (praying they're real)?

 

 

3. Did I do good?



If you buy new ones from a legitimate high volume dealer you will be sure they are real. I suggest you buy from B&H or Amazon(Amazon itself, or fulfillment by Amazon). Avoid small Ebay sellers.

 

With IEMs, the fit is everything. Sometimes people need to get other tips to get a good seal. With IEMs, the bass is so dependant on the seal.  The Comply tips are very popular. I have the CX300. I don't know how it compares to the CX500.

 

http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8392

 

 

 


Edited by JK1 - 1/3/12 at 11:25pm
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post #3 of 19
1/3/12 at 11:30pm

You'll be able to tell instantly by trying them out. The bass is very tinny and well, they sound like a cheap pair of earphones that have been transplanted into a iem casing.

 

But there are better earphones out there around the price range of the cx500's. Soundmagic Pl30 and E10 come to mind. As well as the Sony ex300 if you like your bass 

 

If you bought from amazon or a reputable amazon marketplace seller you should have no problems.


Edited by afhstingray - 1/3/12 at 11:33pm
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post #4 of 19
1/4/12 at 1:13am

1. You did a brilliant job buying her a pair

2. If you bought them from amazon THEMSELVES likely hood is that they are real/genuine

3. Seal + tips make a huge difference.

 

After i did the same thing for my house mate - this is what he said to me:
"I have now realised how important tip is in getting the best sound"

I felt so proud :D

Reply
post #5 of 19
1/4/12 at 5:50pm
Thread Starter 


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Totally Dubbed View Post

1. You did a brilliant job buying her a pair

2. If you bought them from amazon THEMSELVES likely hood is that they are real/genuine

3. Seal + tips make a huge difference.

 

After i did the same thing for my house mate - this is what he said to me:
"I have now realised how important tip is in getting the best sound"

I felt so proud :D



 



Quote:
Originally Posted by afhstingray View Post

You'll be able to tell instantly by trying them out. The bass is very tinny and well, they sound like a cheap pair of earphones that have been transplanted into a iem casing.

 

But there are better earphones out there around the price range of the cx500's. Soundmagic Pl30 and E10 come to mind. As well as the Sony ex300 if you like your bass 

 

If you bought from amazon or a reputable amazon marketplace seller you should have no problems.



 



Quote:
Originally Posted by JK1 View Post



If you buy new ones from a legitimate high volume dealer you will be sure they are real. I suggest you buy from B&H or Amazon(Amazon itself, or fulfillment by Amazon). Avoid small Ebay sellers.

 

With IEMs, the fit is everything. Sometimes people need to get other tips to get a good seal. With IEMs, the bass is so dependant on the seal.  The Comply tips are very popular. I have the CX300. I don't know how it compares to the CX500.

 

http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8392

 

 

 

Bought through and fulfilled by amazon. this exact one http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VRBLMS/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details

 

I got them in the mail today, and gave them to her early (Her birthday is actually the 7th) so she could open them, and I could check them out. Going by some youtube videos and a few giveaways I've read, the carrying case looks legit and doesn't bend to one side as videos said fakes would, has the smaller fine print tag, the logo on the backsides does not appear to be a simple sticker, and the packaging looks identical to the Stock photo (couldn't get it open without being a bit... savage. I ended up cutting slits in the package well away from the cords. maybe I'm dumb :P) told her to make sure they were entirely sealing her ears, and demanded she try all the tips when she gets home from work in awhile. She says they don't make noise when she fiddled and moved the cord. I got about 45 seconds of listen before she stole em back. They seemed balanced, but that's not enough of a sample to quell me... I will likely do Ear-to-Ear with my old HD485's and then 595's when she returns...  Also, volume slider doesn't completely mute like fakes do.


I've asked that she be VERY critical, and she called me on break earlier with nothing bad to report... She's heard my cans before, but I'm still worried. I'd feel SO TERRIBLE if I got her fakes for her birthday :(

 

Anything else to look for?
I have NO experience with IEM's
 

 


Edited by Supra Man - 1/4/12 at 5:55pm
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post #6 of 19
1/4/12 at 8:06pm
Thread Starter 

I have them in my ear currently... 

I'm.. I'm just not sure.. Compared all on flat EQ
They're better and worse than the 485's in some areas.

While the bass is somewhat powerful, I find it might be just a bit overpowering.. it almost seems to me like it's washing things out, but... it's not nessisarilly dirty. I Tried them next to a pair of 10 dollar walmart 'buds, they smeared those... But I don't know... They seem kind of muddy when flat, but at the same time, synth hits and piano still sound distinct and fairly decent..

 

Toning down in the 125 to 500 range seemed to help them immensely however... 
Still dont know how I feel.

 

She seems to like the bass however... Maybe it's just because I have a cold or something, but it's not anywhere near as balanced as my 5's. suppose I shouldn't be surprised... I'm sorting these in my mind like a portable pair of my 4's... So the next question is, what to upgrade her with...


These will do for now as a massive improvement from her wally world checkout phones'... I suppose for 30 bucks for these, and 70 on the 485's when I bought em in like, 07 or 08', I'm cool with this..


BUT DAMNIT MY WOMAN DESERVES BETTER!

New Year's Resolution;

Vastly improve audio quality of my household.  


Edited by Supra Man - 1/4/12 at 8:15pm
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post #7 of 19
1/5/12 at 12:39am

There are so many iems. I am now looking at the meelectronics  a151. This is around $45.  I like Sennheiser products in general, however the Cx300 IEMs I have didn't excite me, so I decided not to buy any more Sennheiser ones. It seems like Meelectronics and Soundmagic have some very nice models under $50 that offer the best value. The JVC HAFXC51 for around $20 is fun. If you want regular earbuds, the Sennheiser MX580 at around $25 is a great value.

 

I am listening to the HAFXC51 right now. I prefer balanced neutral sound, while others prefer exaggerated bass. I bought one inexpensive extra bass headphone and listen to it sometimes, however I find that the extra bass can get tiring.

 

 

 


Edited by JK1 - 1/6/12 at 11:41am
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post #8 of 19
1/5/12 at 12:45am

Supra, bear in mind that they are dynamic so will take time to loosen up. Also these are at the low end of the iem market so you shouldn't expect too much from them.

 

Have a look at the phillips SHE3580, for the price they're a great little iem.

 

Though if you really want to buy her something nice, then id suggest the vsonic GR097 or the yamaha EPH100

 

But are superb sound wise, and she will love them.

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post #9 of 19
1/5/12 at 3:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Supra Man View Post


Bought through and fulfilled by amazon. this exact one http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VRBLMS/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details

 

I got them in the mail today, and gave them to her early (Her birthday is actually the 7th) so she could open them, and I could check them out. Going by some youtube videos and a few giveaways I've read, the carrying case looks legit and doesn't bend to one side as videos said fakes would, has the smaller fine print tag, the logo on the backsides does not appear to be a simple sticker, and the packaging looks identical to the Stock photo (couldn't get it open without being a bit... savage. I ended up cutting slits in the package well away from the cords. maybe I'm dumb :P) told her to make sure they were entirely sealing her ears, and demanded she try all the tips when she gets home from work in awhile. She says they don't make noise when she fiddled and moved the cord. I got about 45 seconds of listen before she stole em back. They seemed balanced, but that's not enough of a sample to quell me... I will likely do Ear-to-Ear with my old HD485's and then 595's when she returns...  Also, volume slider doesn't completely mute like fakes do.


I've asked that she be VERY critical, and she called me on break earlier with nothing bad to report... She's heard my cans before, but I'm still worried. I'd feel SO TERRIBLE if I got her fakes for her birthday :(

 

Anything else to look for?
I have NO experience with IEM's
 

 


I have 2 posts on my website - hopefully it will help you:

 

1. Unboxing

http://www.totallydubbed.net/2011/08/01/unboxing-sennheiser-cx500-titanium/

 

2. Review:

http://www.totallydubbed.net/2011/08/08/review-of-the-sennheiser-cx500-titanium/

 

Hope that helps :)

PS. 

Bought my friend some CX400II's and already his been having problems with his left bud driver...

(much preferred the Denon 260's.)

 

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post #10 of 19
1/5/12 at 3:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Totally Dubbed View Post


I have 2 posts on my website - hopefully it will help you:

 

1. Unboxing

http://www.totallydubbed.net/2011/08/01/unboxing-sennheiser-cx500-titanium/

 

2. Review:

http://www.totallydubbed.net/2011/08/08/review-of-the-sennheiser-cx500-titanium/

 

Hope that helps :)

PS. 

Bought my friend some CX400II's and already his been having problems with his left bud driver...

(much preferred the Denon 260's.)

 

How about you actually try to help and link him to a video comparing the real cx500's to the fake cx500's instead of trying to get hits to your website.
 

 

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post #11 of 19
1/5/12 at 4:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by imacat00 View Post


How about you actually try to help and link him to a video comparing the real cx500's to the fake cx500's instead of trying to get hits to your website.
 

stop being ignorant.

 

I don't need hits on my website nor youtube LOL = I have already over 2million views
I'm just trying to help him determine the authenticity of his CX500's + I don't have a direct comparison with fakes (funnily enough i never got any fakes) + videos/unboxings will help him see what's in the real package.

 

EDIT:
Holy crap - what have you done to help - apart from troll?

 

Junior head-fier with 3 posts? Good way to start out.

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post #12 of 19
1/5/12 at 12:35pm
Thread Starter 

Calm yoursleves folks. 

I'd already seen those videos before I'd even posted here, they are 2 that I was referring to in earlier posts. 

I disagree with the Sparkly part however.. When used with my music for an hour or so last night, and EQ'd, I found they were not terrible, In fact rather decent, BUT

 

I think they're a leaning a bit towards the low end if you ask me. The mid-high range is clear, I could hear detail in both synths and Piano parts through some songs by Pendulum (I was listening to Immersion), and they forced a smile with a decent soundstage and a nice powerful bass hit on the first minute and a half or so of "The Vulture" when it went from the stereo synth affect to the main bass beat, and delivered some power, with decent clairity in the background bits and vocals.. I still feel like the bass muddies everything up just a little without some delicate EQ'ing.

When they're flat, It reminds me of that feeling when I'm riding in a car with someone who has too much power going to their oversized Subwoofer.. Or when I spent days and simply could not find a decent balance for my own... Thankfully it's much easier without having to equalize on my source, my Not-So-Great head unit (which the adjustments are simply Bass Trebble Fade and Balance, -6 to 6 in 1dB steps) and then balancing everything once the amp is in Low Pass mode, THEN the crossfade, THEN volume to the sub.. 

 

 

 
I want her to have Better than decent. 

I'm also now toying with the idea of finding a Good pair of IEM's that's high enough quality for me to want to use them versus a full-size, but at the same time, not expensive to the point where I wouldn't want to take them around with me everywhere, and use them in say, the gym, without being absolutely heartbroken if something were to happen to them. 


Edited by Supra Man - 1/5/12 at 12:38pm
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post #13 of 19
1/5/12 at 1:10pm

Stay clear of the CX series. They're outdated, overhyped and overpriced. The CX300s were my second pair of IEMs, and compared to everything that I bought after (mostly <$50 mind you), they underperform. The CX series has a lot of bloated midbass but lack extension and sub-bass.

 

If your fiance wants the sound signature of the CX300/500s but with clearer trebles and mids and more extension into the sub-bass then consider the Brainwavz ProAlphas. I find them superior to my CX300s in almost every way.


Edited by mbamg - 1/5/12 at 1:36pm
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post #14 of 19
1/5/12 at 2:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Supra Man View Post
 

I want her to have Better than decent. 

I'm also now toying with the idea of finding a Good pair of IEM's that's high enough quality for me to want to use them versus a full-size, but at the same time, not expensive to the point where I wouldn't want to take them around with me everywhere, and use them in say, the gym, without being absolutely heartbroken if something were to happen to them. 


hehe its cool you saw my vids already :P!

Right well regarding your question: 

Seems your looking for a less bassy IEM, but still at a cheap price.

 

Problem here is that the CX's are really well priced (from my experience)

Other than that, I've tried the Denon AH-C260's and they were brilliant - problem though, is that you don't get much accessories + they won't stay in your ear in the gym, another example of this would be the UE metro fi220s but unlike these 2 other earphones, the CX's come with accessories and stick in your ear.

 

I guess your looking for under £25 earphones which are better + are suitable to be worn in a gym (thus not fall out)

I can't help :(

 


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by mbamg View Post

Stay clear of the CX series. They're outdated, overhyped and overpriced. The CX300s were my second pair of IEMs, and compared to everything that I bought after (mostly <$50 mind you), they underperform. The CX series has a lot of bloated midbass but lack extension and sub-bass.

 

If your fiance wants the sound signature of the CX300/500s but with clearer trebles and mids and more extension into the sub-bass then consider the Brainwavz ProAlphas. I find them superior to my CX300s in almost every way.


I don't find the CX's over-hyped just really commercial in your local stores.

 

 

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post #15 of 19
1/5/12 at 3:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Totally Dubbed View Post


hehe its cool you saw my vids already :P!

Right well regarding your question: 

Seems your looking for a less bassy IEM, but still at a cheap price.

 

Problem here is that the CX's are really well priced (from my experience)

Other than that, I've tried the Denon AH-C260's and they were brilliant - problem though, is that you don't get much accessories + they won't stay in your ear in the gym, another example of this would be the UE metro fi220s but unlike these 2 other earphones, the CX's come with accessories and stick in your ear.

 

I guess your looking for under £25 earphones which are better + are suitable to be worn in a gym (thus not fall out)

I can't help :(

 


 


I don't find the CX's over-hyped just really commercial in your local stores.

 

 


You can get better for £25 or less. The MEElec M6, Soundmagic E10/E30, Brainwavz ProAlpha/M1, and Dunu comes to mind.

 

You have a point about it being really commercial. I just find it really annoying that they're often among the most expensive IEMs in the big-box stores leading people to think that they're among the best.


Edited by mbamg - 1/5/12 at 3:45pm
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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Sennheiser HD 595 Headphones
Sennheiser CX 500-W In-Ear Headphone (White)
Sony CDP-CX300 MegaStorage 300-CD Changer
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Headphones, Earphones and In-Ear Monitors › Bought my Fiance some Senn CX500's for her birthday, but have some questions..