Need in-ear phones recommendation based on my details. - Page 2

the more i listen to the gr07 the more i notice its sibilance.  it has a few dips and bumps through the frequency range that make it a little fatiguing over time...  it still sounds good, but the more i listen the more i tent to notice a narrow band of frequencies in the mid/high range that simply sound odd...  not really rough, perhaps fatiguing, but just not right... very small relatively speaking... but it's there....

i think the ba200 and gr07 are almost equal in that the gr07 has that odd spot in the fr while the ba200 doesn't, but it's almost lacking in some frequency in the upper range.  at this point i'm leaning towards the pfe112.  i wish it had the slightest bit more bass volume, but the quality is excellent.  the bass you do hear is so clean and clear it's just great.  and musically speaking, it's the only pair so far that "really" gives me that "oooh  yeah" feeling listening to certain songs...
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterDLai 

Supposedly the sibilance is supposed to smooth out after 150-200 hours of burn-in.

 

Interesting that the Phonak seems to be coming out on top though; it wasn't really on my radar since it doesn't seem to be discussed as often anymore and I do like my bass (not exactly a basshead, but I appreciate some oomph down there).

I'm really glad ClieOS mentioned them at the last minute to me.  I checked them out real quick and got them with the others.  I'm not jumping to any conclusions yet, as i'm going to use them a while and see which ones really grow on me and which become less interesting, but if i had to pick now it would be the 112 hands down.

the high frequencies are phenomenal.  They are super spacious and clear and vidily bright, but not in the least bit sibilant.  And while they may have a bump or two somewhere, they don't sound at all boosted really either.  It's more like they simply extend far and clear.  They bring out nuances in every song i've tested that no other pair i have shows as easily....

i can't make myself take these out to try the other ones more. hahaha.  i put in the other filters per the manual, and it switches the tone from mid-centric/flat to treble/bass centric.  It's not an enormous difference, but man it actually adds some sub bass in there... for someone who likes bass that is a good options as it really caters to certain styles of music if you like to color the sound a bit (which can be nice).  ironically, coming from the ex85lp and liking them, i prefer the default mid/flat filters.  they really bring things to life.  but there's nothing like a nice thumpy kick drum ;)
 

O.k.  I don't want to start a big debate, but I was under the impression that all in-ear headphones didn't require burn-in, and that even for larger headphones that might be a myth as well.  I've read arguments and research on both ends, but ultimately it doesn't seem to be provable or disprovable... I don't know either way, but if it is real, I'd like to be aware so I can know that I'm hearing what each pair ultimately will sound like...

Has anyone here heard burn-in that is completely sure it wasn't just becoming "familiar" with the sound?

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterDLai 

 

In the end, all I care about is how it sounds and if it becomes better sounding to me over time, I don't care how it happened, I'm just glad I'm enjoying it more. :)

Same here.  I can honestly say that I never noticed any change in my ex85lp over time.  I thought they sounded great from the start (not having heard anything better yet) and just as great in the end.  Anyhow, I'll keep listening for a few days and see how things turn out.  Unless there was a drastic change (which even burn-in enthusiasts claim doesn't happen) I've completely ruled out the er hf5 and ue700.  The hf5 just don't fit well, and I think the ue700 are a step below the other three in quality.  They are very good and relatively flat for the price/quality, but they just don't sound as good as the other three.  They're almost like listening to something that is further away from you and veiled a bit.  It's hard to describe, but I keep going back and giving them another chance, but they just don't do it for me like the others... Better than the ex85 for sure, but not up there with the others...

these gr07 have incredible mid-bass... mmmmmm  I don't think they're as sibilant as i first thought.  i think they are more sibilant than the 112, but i think mostly they just make you notice sibilance more in songs that have it.  but it's there.  just depends on what you're listening to as to how much you'll notice it.

UPDATE:  I'm not too sure now.  Even though every song is different, there are some songs that the sibilance is almost impossible to listen to at any volume.  Such as "In the Wake of Poseidon" by King Crimson at 1:50 to 2:10.  It's like my eardrums is going to tear. :-P  Perhaps that song is simply not the best vocal recording, but that doesn't happen on any other pair I have here to that degree...  Just something I noticed...

The soundstage of these pfe 112's in absolutely phenomenal... They are the only pair that 'really' make you feel as close to sitting in the room with an orchestra as you can.  They bring out clarity and depth so much.  I'm finding that I wish they had about 10% more low bass, but even still I have thus far been preferring them over all the others...  I'd say the gr07 and ba200 are tied right now.  The ba200 are smoother sounding overall, but the gr07 have some nice low end...

it's funny though, i'm preferring the pfe112 when this whole time i preferred the ex85lp.  they are like opposites.  the pfe have nice highs but not much real bass presence in terms of a "subwoofer" feeling... ha

One things I have noticed doing all these comparisons is that the gr07 is noticeably louder than all the other pairs given the same output volume.  This would be great for portable audio players....

I'm starting to get depressed.  Haha.  I just made a horrible realization.  My iPod doesn't sound as good as my audio interface/amp on my computer.  All the comparisons so far have been done on the computer/interface, as I knew it was at least technically superior, and I wanted to test them at my desk anyhow.  While this doesn't change my opinion of any of the headphones, I was hearing amazing clarity and sparkle and just unbelievable spaciousness with the pfe112.  I brought them to my friends house and was all ready to lay in bed and enjoy what I'm sure is my new set of headphones.  I put on some good music and something just didn't sound the same as all those comparisons.

I thought "could i really have been hearing things differently because i was thinking about it so much comparing them?"

All the super super detailed depth was missing.  Don't get me wrong, it sounded great, but just not "incredible".  I listened to a bunch of music thinking i must have just imagined it and now i'm just casually listening and don't have them side by side so I don't hear the differences.  Low and behold, I cam home today, compared both my ipods and the sound interface with the pfe112s and of course the interface is better.  I sort of wish I had been ignorantly bliss.  Haha.  Now I only see one possibility.  Buy an amplifier that makes the sound quality the same as my interface (or better?).  I assume this is why i see all these amplifier threads...

So here's my problem.  First, how do I know the quality of my interface (apogee duet) so I can get something at least equivalent in sound?

Second, my iPod is the new 5th generation Touch, so it uses the new lightening connector.  I assume being so new my choices will be limited for an iPod digital connected amplifier?

Are there any recommendations?  ClieOS? :-P  I would need something no bigger than the duet, but that is doable, as I carry a bag around with all my gear, so I can carry something like that.  I don't think I'll ever be able to listen to my iPod the same again.  haha.  No other headphone in the past revealed this lack of detail. :-/

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClieOS 

QFT.

 

 

Sorry, don't have any answer for you on what DAP can match Duet since I have not heard Duet myself.

Well, all I can say, is that I notice a few main differences.  First, I would say it actually has a little less bass than the iPod, but it's high quality in that it sounds tighter and more dry when it needs to be.  The iPod tends to make the bass a small bit louder but primarily less distinct.  Very very small difference, but it's there.  The more noticeable thing for me is all the super high frequencies seem like they're gone on the iPod.  I tested lossless files as well, so it isn't the audio format compression.  On the duet I hear more of that really really high crisp airy-ness on songs that have a realistic room presence.  On the iPod that is completely gone across the board.  I'm not saying there is no airy-ness, but that at some point, let's just theoretically make up a range such as 19-21khz, the iPod frequency range stops where the duet continues.

Either that or there is simply something cleaner and clearer about the amp that allow whatever treble exists to sound clearer.  I defintely notice more distinct separation in certain instruments.  It's a very small amount relatively speaking, but if there are five different instruments I hear each more 'clearly' from each other while also hearing the extreme micro details a little better as well.  I would estimate the difference is technically pretty small, but I think i've been noticing this more and more over the  last few months based on my listening changes.

Do all of the amps sound completely different?  I would hope they all strive to be "reference" unless otherwise stated to have a tone preference?  My guess is that I would be happy with any amp that is marginally better than the iPod's internal amp.  My preference would be towards a neutral flat studio reference sound though.  And if it is a few hundred dollars I'm probably not getting one for a while after these headphones. ;-P  But if is were in the $100-$150 range a few months might be reasonable.

Let me also add that while noticeably better to my ears, the difference I hear between the ipod amp and the duet amp isn't enough to change any major proponent of the headphone's sound signature.  In other words, all of the comparisons so far have been identical on the ipod vs the duet between the different headphone models.  The quality difference is equivalent across all pairs...

just an fyi, i'm starting a new thread on my findings comparing all of the ie's i have....  titled:

"Multi-IEM comparison: Vsonic GR07, Ultimate Ears UE700, TDK BA200, Etymotic Research HF5 and Audeo PFE 112"