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post #7036 of 12883
2/27/13 at 5:57am
Thanks for the SM64 impressions. Looking forward to hearing more. The most credible comparison I read was to the W4. I think someone basically said remove the mid bass hump, add more sub bass, clearer mids (no veil) and more extended, slightly brighter treble. Do you agree with that description? Now were is a soundearphones 20% off coupon when you need one?
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post #7037 of 12883
2/27/13 at 6:24am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by shotgunshane View Post

Thanks for the SM64 impressions. Looking forward to hearing more. The most credible comparison I read was to the W4. I think someone basically said remove the mid bass hump, add more sub bass, clearer mids (no veil) and more extended, slightly brighter treble. Do you agree with that description? Now were is a soundearphones 20% off coupon when you need one?

 

The W4 is one of those ubiquitous IEMs I have no experience with, unfortunately.

 

I got my SM64 from Sound Earphones too. They have a promotion where the first few buyers get a free amp. The first 10 (I think?) get a free Calyx Coffee, but since I already have one I went with the "runner up prize" for the next 10 after that, which is a GoVibe Martini. It's so tiny and cute and seems decent enough for a super cheapo portable amp.

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post #7038 of 12883
2/27/13 at 6:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MuppetFace View Post  The first 10 (I think?) get a free Calyx Coffee

 

LOL, I didn't notice the "Calyx" at first and thought the first 10 would get a free coffee... Perhaps I'm in need of caffeine.

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post #7039 of 12883
2/27/13 at 6:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MuppetFace View Post

The EarSonics SM64 is in my ears.

 

First, I'll say I had no idea there was a v1 and v2 before I placed my order. The main difference seems to be a lower impedance with the v2, a decision by EarSonics to make it more DAP-friendly I suppose. Also they seemed to have changed the case that comes with it. Tom was telling me about this cool neoprene thing with magnets; the case I got is a little zipper pouch like the SM3 has. Looking at the older case, I'm a bit bummed I can't try it out because it looks pretty goofy.

 

You just know there's going to be endless speculation as to the differences between the v1 and v2's sound.

 

So how do they sound? Bloody awful.

 

....Just kidding. They actually sound bloody fantastic. They have a very large sound. Very "full-sized headphone." The presentation strikes me as cinematic, large in scale and expansive. The biggest gripe I had with the SM3v2 was that it sounded a bit boxed-in and jumbled, confused and kind of muddled. Like watching a hot girl doing the dance of seven veils, only you're the one wearing the veils while she's dancing. The SM64 on the other hand sounds a lot clearer: the veils have been lifted. The highs are back, present and accounted for without overcompensating and sounding too bright. The whole picture is just brought into better focus with really good resolution and imaging.

 

The biggest complaint so far is the bass. It's not lacking in quantity. It is however a bit... flat? The bass on the IE800 has better texture and depth despite being too ever-present.

 

I've read impressions from folks saying this competes with the TO GO! 334. Honestly, it's way too early for me to say whether I agree or not. I will say that the SM64 has made a very good first impression.

 

Too bad you didn't get the neoprene/styrofoam (case) --- it's bloody cool. I agree about the bass being a bit lacklustre. However, it is by far the best TWFK/CI combination I've heard thus far; for a while I was on a fast, purrin-like spiral of hating every single TWFK-delivered earphone that came my way, but the SM64 has given me hope.

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post #7040 of 12883
2/27/13 at 6:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MuppetFace View Post

The EarSonics SM64 is in my ears.

 

 

 

 

....Just kidding. They actually sound bloody fantastic. They have a very large sound. Very "full-sized headphone." The presentation strikes me as cinematic, large in scale and expansive. The biggest gripe I had with the SM3v2 was that it sounded a bit boxed-in and jumbled, confused and kind of muddled. Like watching a hot girl doing the dance of seven veils, only you're the one wearing the veils while she's dancing. The SM64 on the other hand sounds a lot clearer: the veils have been lifted. The highs are back, present and accounted for without overcompensating and sounding too bright. The whole picture is just brought into better focus with really good resolution and imaging.

 

The biggest complaint so far is the bass. It's not lacking in quantity. It is however a bit... flat? The bass on the IE800 has better texture and depth despite being too ever-present.

 

I've read impressions from folks saying this competes with the TO GO! 334. Honestly, it's way too early for me to say whether I agree or not. I will say that the SM64 has made a very good first impression.

Would you say they match/surpass the Sony MDR EX line in resolution and out of head headphone like sound with more upper/lower extension and cleaner treble?

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post #7041 of 12883
2/27/13 at 8:16am
Interesting news on the SM64. I'm surprised that they seem so heavily divergent from the SM3 sound. Competes with 334 is music to my ears. What we need is more phones that punch above their weight.

Do the mids still have that overly lush and smooth quality?
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post #7042 of 12883
2/27/13 at 8:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Idsynchrono_24 View Post

Interesting news on the SM64. I'm surprised that they seem so heavily divergent from the SM3 sound. Competes with 334 is music to my ears. What we need is more phones that punch above their weight.

Do the mids still have that overly lush and smooth quality?


....without sacrificing detail?

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post #7043 of 12883
2/27/13 at 8:33am

I'm pondering/planning upgrading my Zu Druid Credenza speakers from the 2006 drivers to the 2013 drivers (Druid V FRD and Soul Superfly tweeter).

 

These are occasions where being single is convenient.  I don't how I would explain to someone "yes, I'm going to spend $900 to upgrade a pair of great speakers to great + 1".  There's honestly no logical justification for it, other than "I think it will be cool".

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post #7044 of 12883
2/27/13 at 8:38am
The sm64 have been out for a little while as a friend got them for Xmas back in France. He loves them and says they pair great with a Studio V. But recently there is a surge in interest apparently. They seem to be great but the apparent build quality does not appeal to me. Do they feel cheap in your hands or not ?
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post #7045 of 12883
2/27/13 at 9:07am

You'll have to wait for MF to give you her take, but here's what I think:

Quote:
Originally Posted by DigitalFreak View Post  Would you say they match/surpass the Sony MDR EX line in resolution and out of head headphone like sound with more upper/lower extension and cleaner treble?

 

That's tough to say; the EX1000 is just really, really nice to listen to, but has that 5.5k spike that sticks out. The SM64 has a smoother overall presentation; it's cleaner in the treble and less peaky. The spaciousness is quite nice, but not the same type of spaciousness as how the EX sounds. It's still that BA type of sound. Imagine a 334 with less lower midrange.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Idsynchrono_24 View Post

Interesting news on the SM64. I'm surprised that they seem so heavily divergent from the SM3 sound. Competes with 334 is music to my ears. What we need is more phones that punch above their weight.  Do the mids still have that overly lush and smooth quality?

 

I don't think the mids are "lush", smooth yes, but they still impart quite a bit of detail. IIRC the 334 has a slightly thicker, fuller presentation. It has significantly fuller-sounding lower mids than the SM64.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mimouille View Post  They seem to be great but the apparent build quality does not appeal to me. Do they feel cheap in your hands or not ?

 

It's no 334, but build quality isn't that bad. If you don't mind the UM3X, you won't mind the SM64. It looks better now that half the shell is in clear, IMO. Back when the SM3V2 was all in black, it looked a little cheap.

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post #7046 of 12883
2/27/13 at 9:50am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tomscy2000 View Post

 

LOL, I didn't notice the "Calyx" at first and thought the first 10 would get a free coffee... Perhaps I'm in need of caffeine.

 

That would certainly be an interesting promotion. I wouldn't settle for a coupon to Starbucks or something along those lines either; I'd want a can of iced coffee shipped to me.

 

 


Quote:
Originally Posted by tomscy2000 View Post

 

Too bad you didn't get the neoprene/styrofoam (case) --- it's bloody cool. I agree about the bass being a bit lacklustre. However, it is by far the best TWFK/CI combination I've heard thus far; for a while I was on a fast, purrin-like spiral of hating every single TWFK-delivered earphone that came my way, but the SM64 has given me hope.

 

Yeah, I was looking forward to it after you hyped it. Seems some v1 owners dislike it, so maybe I can do a trade.

 

 


Quote:
Originally Posted by DigitalFreak View Post

Would you say they match/surpass the Sony MDR EX line in resolution and out of head headphone like sound with more upper/lower extension and cleaner treble?

 

I don't think the SM64 has more treble extension than the EXs, no. I'd say the EX line is brighter overall as well. Resolution... I'll say that details are probably more easily perceptible / apparent on the EX700 (and EX1000 though maybe to a slightly lesser extent) just due to the their treble tilt. However I'd have to listen to the EXs again to speak about any genuine differences. Can't really compare their spatial presentation without listening to the EXs again either. Both definitely have that full-sized headphone type of soundstage going on, and both are really adept at imaging. I want to say from memory that the EXs don't render depth as well as the SM64. The SM64 is very tall and deep in its presentation.

 

 


Quote:
Originally Posted by Idsynchrono_24 View Post

Interesting news on the SM64. I'm surprised that they seem so heavily divergent from the SM3 sound. Competes with 334 is music to my ears. What we need is more phones that punch above their weight.

Do the mids still have that overly lush and smooth quality?

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by DigitalFreak View Post


....without sacrificing detail?

 

 

I'm finding the SM64 is still pretty forgiving overall, but it definitely surpasses the SM3v2 in performance. It retains something of a lush (perhaps "full sounding" is a better term) and dramatic quality, but I don't get the sense that I'm missing anything or that details are being glossed over as with the SM3v2.

 

I'd say it's actually somewhat similar to better studio monitor-type earphones like the EX800ST and TO GO! 334 in that it's just incredibly listenable. I can sit here and just get totally wrapped up in the music. Yet it's not a studio monitor. It has the slightly over-the-top presentation of an audiophile's headphones, but without the fixation on detail extraction and overly bright 'n' sparkly treble. It's definitely not "dark" like the SM3v2, but I wouldn't really call it bright either.

 

 


Quote:
Originally Posted by Mimouille View Post

The sm64 have been out for a little while as a friend got them for Xmas back in France. He loves them and says they pair great with a Studio V. But recently there is a surge in interest apparently. They seem to be great but the apparent build quality does not appeal to me. Do they feel cheap in your hands or not ?

 

I think the surge in interest is the result of their becoming more widely available around the world. The build quality is pretty much on par with a lot of what you find in $200-500 IEMs from EarSonics, Shure, TDK, and Westone. It's plastic-y and seems rugged enough to withstand daily use (not so much the cable which is thankfully replaceable).

 

In terms of sound, I think you could convince an audiophile familiar with high-end IEMs it costs double the price. In terms of build however... it definitely doesn't "punch above its weight" IMO. It's not bad or cheap feeling, but it's nothing particularly impressive.


Edited by MuppetFace - 2/27/13 at 9:54am
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post #7047 of 12883
2/27/13 at 9:52am
Oohhh very nice impressions Tom. I guess the only slight I would make against Earsonics is in regards to their sketchy build quality. The SM3 v1 is especially suspect. I hold the vanilla Apple earbuds in higher regard than the SM3, that thing just looks frail any way you slice it

Edit: even better with Romy's notes. These are on my radar now. Will have to rethink my Flat-4 plan
Edited by Idsynchrono_24 - 2/27/13 at 9:56am
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post #7048 of 12883
2/27/13 at 9:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MuppetFace View Post


I'd say it's actually somewhat similar to better studio monitor-type earphones like the EX800ST and TO GO! 334 in that it's just incredibly listenable. I can sit here and just get totally wrapped up in the music. Yet it's not a studio monitor. It has the slightly over-the-top presentation of an audiophile's headphones, but without the fixation on detail extraction and overly bright 'n' sparkly treble. It's definitely not "dark" like the SM3v2, but I wouldn't really call it bright either.


Thanks for saving me the mental acrobatics of relating the SM64 with the EX800ST through the EX1000. How much is this anyway. *looks at bank balance*
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post #7049 of 12883
2/27/13 at 10:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jgray91 View Post


Thanks for saving me the mental acrobatics of relating the SM64 with the EX800ST through the EX1000. How much is this anyway. *looks at bank balance*


It's just under 500 bones and right now based on early impressions from Tom and Romy I'm putting them on my 2013 must have paper under the research further list. I love the Ex Sony line and the fact it has a somewhat similar presentation and better height and depth ticks off two of the must have boxes off. If it ticks off what I'm looking for under the bass columns this could possibly be my star IEM for 2013.

Hey MuppetFace/Tom, I was going to ask you both for some more info about the bass but I don't want to be annoying. Once you're both ready with final impressions please post it here or throw up a link. I think in the meantime I'll go subscribe to the SM64 thread that's probably up somewhere on Head-Fi and start some long reading. Thanks for the info guysbigsmile_face.gif

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post #7050 of 12883
2/27/13 at 10:16am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Idsynchrono_24 View Post

These are on my radar now. Will have to rethink my Flat-4 plan

 

 


Quote:
Originally Posted by jgray91 View Post


Thanks for saving me the mental acrobatics of relating the SM64 with the EX800ST through the EX1000. How much is this anyway. *looks at bank balance*

 

 

The MSRP for the SM64 is 500 USD I believe, but better deals will pop up eventually I'm sure.

 

If someone were to give me $500 and say "buy one pair of IEMs to use for the rest of the year," I'd go for the Flat4 without hesitation. At least, until this morning. Now I'd at least hesitate as thoughts of the SM64 invaded my mind.

 

Honestly I should hold off on the impressions for the time being. New toy, excitability, all that. I want to spend more time living with it before making any grand declarations.

 

The way I'm feeling at the moment however, I think I might choose the SM64 in answer to the above hypothetical. That's because it's less fatiguing than the Flat4. As much as I adore the Flat4, after 30 minutes I feel a bit tuckered. That just goes with the U-shaped territory for me. So far I still think the Flat4 is more fun to listen to however, maybe the most fun of any IEM I've ever heard. It has more character and speaks to my particular sensibilities more.

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