[meowception]

Well its not totally for mixing tho, but more for personal listening. I wan something with good clarity and details, abit tired of bassy iems. Planning to move on, hopefully I can get a good iem at one shot without having to upgrade every year I am open to headphones suggestions too thanks!

Budget around 500- 600 sgd~ by the way the reason why I said westone and earsonics is because of the fit, their fit is perfect for me.

 

[TwinQY]

Quote:

Well its not totally for mixing tho, but more for personal listening. I wan something with good clarity and details, abit tired of bassy iems. Planning to move on, hopefully I can get a good iem at one shot without having to upgrade every year I am open to headphones suggestions too thanks!

Hmm, well again, a general description of signature would be helpful as well. Clarity and detailing isn't very telling (I would think most would want that ) in terms of overall preference. Going a bit more into depth helps out both sides.

 

[meowception]

Sorry I am new here so I don't really understand what does signature means, tight bass, I value the vocals. Sound stage perhaps above average. Smooth highs will be appreciated, I don't really like harsh highs, its fatiguing. Is that enough information or I am out of the topic LOL.
 
I see you're a Tiffany fan, fellow sone here, I am a Taeyeon fan <3

 

[TwinQY]

Sound signature - how the frequency spectrum is being balanced, relative to one another - i.e. - whether or not one aspect (bass, treble, midrange) is recessed or emphasized.
 
The tight bass and soundstage size shall be noted

 

[meowception]

Sound signature - how the frequency spectrum is being balanced, relative to one another - i.e. - whether or not one aspect (bass, treble, midrange) is recessed or emphasized.

The tight bass and soundstage size shall be noted

Hmm im not sure if vocals is considered mid or treble. I think I would like a balance, but more on mids and lows. I tried shures bt didnt like their sound tho, feels very closed in :/ despite people saying that they are mids centered iems

 

[choC.]

Is there any IEMs with similar performance and sound signature to the Hifiman HE-400s?

Features I'm looking for are transparent, excellent, controlled bass extention with both quantity and quality, warm mids and detailed yet smooth highs (I hate sibilance and ear piercing highs).
 
I listen to a lot of EDM (deadmau5, Daft Punk, Armin Van Buuren) , neo-classical (ES Posthumus), alternative (Moby, Coldplay)  and even some old-school rap (Icecube, Tupac, Biggie).

So I guess what I'm asking for is a jack of all trades if there is such a thing

Budget is $300-400.

I might add I've been using the Atrio M5 (MG7) for a while and I love them, but I'd like something with a better soundstage and separation.

 

[joseph0042]

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Hey joseph, TwinQY is on a well-deserved vacation.  While I haven't heard any of the IEMs above, my understanding is that TwinQY repeatedly suggests the UE900 as he believes it to be an excellent all-rounder.  I also believe that he'd praise it's detail and separation.  Beyond that, I'm not much help.  Maybe PM him if it's urgent and you're in a rush?

 
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Yes I was, sorry about that. Definitely if those are being prioritized the UE900s would win out due to the more clear-cut presentation - if only notes weren't so rounded and slow(er) on the latter two I'd recommend them more, as this question comes up quite often and a lot of the criteria gets to be very similar in the end. Bass isn't that emphasized relatively, in fact it's downright linear when the pinhole fills. 

 
Thank you both for your help with this. And Sorry TwinQY, I hope I didn't interrupt your vacation! I had been reviewing the massive IEM review article here on head-fi, and it seemed that the W4, SE535, and UE900 were good but with individual pluses and minuses. I am definitely open to any other model that may be better if the UE900 isn't the best matchup for the music I listen to, and what I am looking for.

 

[dauhak]

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The EX1000/7550 fit more along the lines of that particular presentation, on paper it could go either way, the UE or the Sonys, but since timbre, spaciousness is mentioned, I'd be more inclined towards the Sonys.  ESPECIALLY the soundstaging - it very much fits the description. Only problem is that it is sibilant. Of course EQ does wonders, especially if you have the know-how along with a good parametric EQ. The 7550s in particular are slightly less peaky and emphasized so they'd be an easier candidate to fix up. But in terms of the other criteria it'd fit almost all of them to a T. 

 
    Well, as I mentioned earlier I can still sacrifice a lil on other spectrum but never on sub-bass region .
    I need rumbling bass that can be felt rather than being heard. I guess ex1000 doesn't have bass that Im looking for.
    Sub bass similar to mh1c, or atrio mg7.

 

[warrenpchi]

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Also, TwinQY should be in here any moment now to tell you all about the UE6000 (which I have not heard, but is reputed to be very good for your needs).  

 
It's (the UEs that is) rather balanced and warmed over (in a good way). More along the lines of the Momentum but more bite and less darkness within the presentation.

 
Well there ya go!  I've got a whole bumch of stuff on my wishlist by now, so I think it'll be quite some time before I get around to auditioning it.
 
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Originally Posted by TwinQY /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
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I was wondering if there are any high impedance low sensitivity IEMs around for me to use with the Lyr. I own Westone4 and Shure SE535, but they are both too sensitive and there is a lot of noise floor when attached to Lyr. 

 
As mentioned by Warren., add some resistance with an impedance adapter or otherwise. The W4 Appreciation thread goes into enough detail in regards to this. 
 
With 120Ohm loaded I can usually run the W4 off my bedside speaker taps (a great deal more powerful and noisy than the Lyr) no problem. Absolutely pitch black background.

 
Plus it saves a ton of money and can be used for all kinds of cans/IEMs.  If you don't imagine changing your source and signal path components soon, you might want to stock up on several impedance adapters to handle a wide range of cans/IEMs.
 
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TwinQY is on a well-deserved vacation.

 
Yes I was, sorry about that.

 
No apologies. 

 

---

 
@ Exci, thanks for helping out! 

 

---

 
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Hmm, that's tough.
 
Let's start with the one I more sure of... the IEM.  I would say that the UE700 is what you're looking for.  I can't say that it's exactly the same as the DT1350, but I think it's close enough of a match that you won't find it jarring when shifting from one to the other.  It's under $200 right now, so bonus.
 
As for the full-size, that's much harder for me to say.  I wanna say maybe *maybe* either the T50p or T70p.  But seriously, don't hold me to either of those as I heard them under less than ideal conditions at a trade show. 

 
thanks warren , what do you say about the comparison of triple fi 10 and the ue700? are they different? or are they similliar enough to be compared to each other? assume that I can get a correct fit with the TF10
 
once again thanks

 
Sure!  I wish I could say, but as I haven't really heard the triple.fi, I just can't.  However, going back to the DT1350 = UE700 = T70p thing earlier, I just found out something interesting:
 

 
Not too bad eh?  I seemed to have scored a lucky shot in the dark there.  I believe the UE700 is also cheaper than the Triple.fi?
 
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I am confused on buying an iem for budget of less than $400,

::list of near perfect audio qualities::

What you're essentially describing is the perfect IEM.. no clue, but interested to hear the suggestions as it is pretty much what I would want for < 400 USD..

 
Yeah, sounds like a unicorn IEM.  dauhak, what are your biggest priorities from that list?

 

[Iroaseta]

The ortofon eq5 and gr8/gr10 are very similar as they share the same driver, the difference mostly being price, fit and minor tuning differences. If you are considering the gr8 and don't have particularly small ears I reckon you'd be better off with the eq5.

Having said that, they are very different from the xba-40. The eq5/gr8 is more or less balanced, though slightly warm in the mids, whereas the xba-40 is pretty v-shaped, which means high levels of bass and treble. The xba-40 is also rather picky on source, though the eq5 may also hiss when paired with a low quality amp. The xba-1, in contrast, rolls off on sub bass and treble, so would be rather different.

Are you looking for the same kind of sound, but 'better', or for something different, and of course 'better', compared the xba-1?

Edit: forgot to add that the xba-30 would be a more natural upgrade to the xba-1. Also less source dependent and as an added bonus cheaper than the options listed above as well!

Hello! Thank you for the input and it gives me a lot of information!

Well, all I can say is that I'm grateful to have xba 1, it does provide all I need from what an earphone should give, by my own preference. But I think it's never the worse to have an upgrade.

What I can describe for what I want from this upgrade is that, I think, a better separation of instruments, a wider area of sound fields, more clarity and...darker bass, since I'm more into instrumental, ambient music and more preferably to chanting if it comes to vocal. Or you could simply tag all of my music and songs to tranquil, eerie, dark feeling and, you know, something in the shadow but not under the sun.

I hope you could give more information as that'll help me to make a better decision! And of course, while personal experiences are different with individuals, I'll take the opinions and measure it with my own scale then make an overall decision. I won't blame anyone for that matter, since it's my own decision to pull out my wallet and pay for it

So, please give me more information or other alternatives!

Thanks!

 

[warrenpchi]

Quote:

Quote:

Sound signature - how the frequency spectrum is being balanced, relative to one another - i.e. - whether or not one aspect (bass, treble, midrange) is recessed or emphasized.

The tight bass and soundstage size shall be noted

Hmm im not sure if vocals is considered mid or treble. I think I would like a balance, but more on mids and lows. I tried shures bt didnt like their sound tho, feels very closed in :/ despite people saying that they are mids centered iems

 
Vocals are mids... primarily lower mids and middle mids with harmonics extending into the upper mids.  Yeah, here's the thing, often times a mid-centric presentation offers very forward mids.  So you'll get the impression that vocals are all up in yo business so to speak.  I think that what you might want is a slightly U-shaped signature where the mids are pulled back from you a bit, thus giving you some space.
 
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Features I'm looking for are transparent, excellent, controlled bass extention with both quantity and quality

 
I think that you're gonna have to pick between quantity and quality here.  Not sure we can go further without prioritizing one or the other.
 
Quote:

Quote:

 
Hey joseph, TwinQY is on a well-deserved vacation.  While I haven't heard any of the IEMs above, my understanding is that TwinQY repeatedly suggests the UE900 as he believes it to be an excellent all-rounder.  I also believe that he'd praise it's detail and separation.  Beyond that, I'm not much help.  Maybe PM him if it's urgent and you're in a rush?

Quote:

Yes I was, sorry about that. Definitely if those are being prioritized the UE900s would win out due to the more clear-cut presentation - if only notes weren't so rounded and slow(er) on the latter two I'd recommend them more, as this question comes up quite often and a lot of the criteria gets to be very similar in the end. Bass isn't that emphasized relatively, in fact it's downright linear when the pinhole fills. 

 
Thank you both for your help with this. And Sorry TwinQY, I hope I didn't interrupt your vacation! I had been reviewing the massive IEM review article here on head-fi, and it seemed that the W4, SE535, and UE900 were good but with individual pluses and minuses. I am definitely open to any other model that may be better if the UE900 isn't the best matchup for the music I listen to, and what I am looking for.

 
If it were me, I'd opt for the UE900.  In fact, one of the units I'm dying to hear at the upcoming LA meet is the UE900.
 
Quote:

Quote:

The EX1000/7550 fit more along the lines of that particular presentation, on paper it could go either way, the UE or the Sonys, but since timbre, spaciousness is mentioned, I'd be more inclined towards the Sonys.  ESPECIALLY the soundstaging - it very much fits the description. Only problem is that it is sibilant. Of course EQ does wonders, especially if you have the know-how along with a good parametric EQ. The 7550s in particular are slightly less peaky and emphasized so they'd be an easier candidate to fix up. But in terms of the other criteria it'd fit almost all of them to a T. 

 
    Well, as I mentioned earlier I can still sacrifice a lil on other spectrum but never on sub-bass region .
    I need rumbling bass that can be felt rather than being heard. I guess ex1000 doesn't have bass that Im looking for.
    Sub bass similar to mh1c, or atrio mg7.

 
Just out of curiosity, why not an MH1C or MG7?  I haven't heard either, but if they're already under consideration, maybe worth a try?  Oh also, this might help:  http://www.head-fi.org/t/640788/40-iem-battle-royale-rha-ma-350-added-3-1-13  Looks like a VSonic GR01 Bass Edition is the one you want.

 

[Extreme1Bass]

Quote:

I still think they might be not enough bass quantitatively for your needs. Ever look at the Q40s?
 
Otherwise the mids might work out so you could always try and see if it works out in the end. If not, return them and you will have also learned a lesson regarding your personal preferences.

Unfortunately, the M-Audio Q40 are expensive, I can spend less than $ 70

Do you know any other product that is cheaper?

 

[meowception]

Quote:

 
Vocals are mids... primarily lower mids and middle mids with harmonics extending into the upper mids.  Yeah, here's the thing, often times a mid-centric presentation offers very forward mids.  So you'll get the impression that vocals are all up in yo business so to speak.  I think that what you might want is a slightly U-shaped signature where the mids are pulled back from you a bit, thus giving you some space.
 
Hmm thats what I need I guess. I want an iem/headphone that has clear detailed music and good tight bass, but not so much bass that it drowns away my vocals.. but yet if vocals are focused too much, the rest of the segment gets drowned out too.. btw what's the difference between a U shape and a V shape? Currently I am using a fischer audio consonance.. is that V or U? Seems like a U to me as I can still hear my vocals clearly, although for some songs, the bass covered a bit of them..

 

[TomJackR]

Hi guys,
I'm hoping someone can give me some advice on some portable headphones. At the moment I have narrowed it down to either the AKG K67 or the Sennheiser HD25-1 II. I wouldn't consider myself a basshead but I do like a decent amount of bass and I'm afraid the HD25's wont deliver this but from what I've heard the HD25's are perfect for me in every other aspect. Can anyone tell me about the bass on the HD25 vs the K67?
Thanks in advance

 

[warrenpchi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by meowception /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Quote:

Vocals are mids... primarily lower mids and middle mids with harmonics extending into the upper mids.  Yeah, here's the thing, often times a mid-centric presentation offers very forward mids.  So you'll get the impression that vocals are all up in yo business so to speak.  I think that what you might want is a slightly U-shaped signature where the mids are pulled back from you a bit, thus giving you some space.

 
Hmm thats what I need I guess. I want an iem/headphone that has clear detailed music and good tight bass, but not so much bass that it drowns away my vocals.. but yet if vocals are focused too much, the rest of the segment gets drowned out too.. btw what's the difference between a U shape and a V shape? Currently I am using a fischer audio consonance.. is that V or U? Seems like a U to me as I can still hear my vocals clearly, although for some songs, the bass covered a bit of them..

 
A "U" is just a less-steeper "V" really.  I haven't heard the Fischer Audio Consonance.  However, ClieOS's observation (which I largely trust BTW) is that it is it's "mildly U-shaped sounding with strong bottom end" so I'm inclined to believe that you're right on that one.