[x RELIC x]

Agreed on 30hz and most music. As long as 40hz is strong enough, that covers most music just fine. There are exceptions but mostly those are rare, at least in my personal library.

Anyway, I'm seriously considering the universal Angie. While I found the Layla a mixed bag, the Angie certainly seems the better value proposition, assuming performance is close.

Two words, Hans Zimmer!!

If you get a chance to hear the Angie I'd love to know your thoughts on the similarities/differences to Layla.

 

[tumburu]

I just beleive that anything lower than 30Hz is very hard to distinguish in music, not test tones.

 
Well, when working the low end of a mix, I certaily hear the difference when eq-ing the 20Hz area, let alone the 30Hz.
 
For listening only, yes, you can surely listen even on systems that don't go lower than 50Hz, but if a hp is targeted to pros, it would better deliver the first octave of the spectrum.
 

 
I certainly will be looking forward to your impressions, especially after the IEM's are well burnt in. 

 

 
Well, I don't know, maybe it's just me, but my current hps don't seem to sound any different than 2 years ago, when bought. T1 is just as painfully boosted around 8kHz and K3003 around 5k as in their first day. So, I'm still not buying that.

 

[lojay]

I've read shotgunshane's review at his site and would like to say I agree with most of his impressions but not with his conclusion. Overall a nice and balanced review.

One has to be careful with tying up value propositions in a review. We are comparing products side by side with a degree of subjectivism. Putting value in the mix will provide skewed results for those who are simply asking how an IEM performs sonically. For instance I was initially disappointed by the SR009 as I felt it gave little improvement over the HD800 for such a large premium, at the sacrifice of a large soundstage. Over time I realised that for top performance in cans you have to pay disproportionate amounts for that 10% improvement in some areas, and there will still be a 10% decrease in other areas. I think the same thing can be said about the Layla. But it doesn't detract from the improvements it has from other headphones/IEMs.

The Layla cannot beat the HD800 or the SR009, but in my experience (including living with the Layla for a week and the HD800 and the SR009 for years) the tonal balance of the Layla is on par. The result is instruments sound as natural and with as good timbre as they should.

I agree that the soundstage is not as wide as the HD800 - but again on par with the SR009. Instrumental separation is as good, if not just as precise as the two.

The main problem (as I found days before shotgunshane's review) is there is a degree of midrange muffle or veil. Not that it affects tonal balance but it makes things sound closed in. Nor is it the sort of muffle that affects detail, like the HD600 muffle. It is a sort of muffle that constricts the soundstage. This is strange because the upper midrange and treble portray an immense amount of detail and soundstage width. As a result on some tracks the Layla gives out a massive soundstage but on others the stage collapses.

In fact I tried to see if it was impedance mismatch with the Apex Teton but this problem seemed to follow me when I plugged the Layla's into the Eddie Current 445. I don't have this problem out of the iPhone. It just baffles me. I am seeing if different tips will change the sound.

So please, don't treat anyone's views here as the gospel - certainly not mine - and try the Layla or Angie yourself. If you still can't make up your mind then maybe your money could be well spent elsewhere. Speaking for myself I just wanted to own a pair of top class IEMs, but I do most of my listening on my big rig with the SR009 and am therefore not interested in comparing the IEMs out there. So kudos to those who are willing to spend time to AB different IEMs with the Layla. I won't unfortunately have time for that.

 

[Levanter]

I have similar views as shotgunshane based on my experience with Layla as well. I do not find it neutral, however I do find the sound flat in the sense that nuances and layering is lost.
The mids definitely sounded recessed, and some of my friends even described it sounded like someone stuffing cotton wools in the speakers lol.

End of the day, it's best to hear it for yourself. Since most Americans prefers a diff sound signature compared to Europeans and Asians.
I heard most Germans hate the Layla, not sure how true is that though.

 

[lojay]

I have similar views as shotgunshane based on my experience with Layla as well. I do not find it neutral, however I do find the sound flat in the sense that nuances and layering is lost.
The mids definitely sounded recessed, and some of my friends even described it sounded like someone stuffing cotton wools in the speakers lol.

End of the day, it's best to hear it for yourself. Since most Americans prefers a diff sound signature compared to Europeans and Asians.
I heard most Germans hate the Layla, not sure how true is that though.

Do you find the Stax SR009 or HD800 not neutral then? I hear a lot of similarities in tonality comparing the Layla with these two headphones.

Have you lived with the Layla's or just had a short impression?

Preferences are one thing but to draw meaningful comparison we have to be careful with the facts.

 

[Levanter]

Do you find the Stax SR009 or HD800 not neutral then? I hear a lot of similarities in tonality comparing the Layla with these two headphones.

Have you lived with the Layla's or just had a short impression?

Preferences are one thing but to draw meaningful comparison we have to be careful with the facts.

I had multiple recurring sessions for hours with Layla if that's what you mean't.
And I don't even find Layla bright enough to be compared with HD800 which is one of the main characteristics for the HD800.

 

[lojay]

I had multiple recurring sessions for hours with Layla if that's what you mean't.
And I don't even find Layla bright enough to be compared with HD800 which is one of the main characteristics for the HD800.

I should have said modded HD800, ie my pair. You might not know what I'm talking about so I will leave it there.

Most people think the stock HD800 is too bright to be neutral so why the fact that the Layla is less bright a negative?

And I've listened to the Layla continuously for a week now. I'm not saying my impressions are more valid than yours but at least I have been able to come with a detailed write up with comparisons with the TOTL cans available now and to the reader would that not be more informative than a terse "I don't like it?" I do not understand that you are disagreeing with my findings anyhow.

 

[Levanter]

I should have said modded HD800, ie my pair. You might not know what I'm talking about so I will leave it there.

Most people think the stock HD800 is too bright to be neutral so why the fact that the Layla is less bright a negative?

And I've listened to the Layla continuously for a week now. I'm not saying my impressions are more valid than yours but at least I have been able to come with a detailed write up with comparisons with the TOTL cans available now and to the reader would that not be more informative than a terse "I don't like it?" I do not understand that you are disagreeing with my findings anyhow.

Where in my past 2 posts did I write "I did not like it"? Nor have I said anywhere in my post that being less bright is a negative.
You seem unable to take other people's views other than your own which I do find a negative aspect and unbecoming if you plan to be a reviewer.
However based on your short replies with me i wouldn't want to read your reviews anyway seeing you seemed biased and easily taking offence and jumping to conclusions.

 

[eke2k6]

I should have said modded HD800, ie my pair.

Lol. This is typical head-fi

 

[lojay]

Where in my past 2 posts did I write "I did not like it"? Nor have I said anywhere in my post that being less bright is a negative.
You seem unable to take other people's views other than your own which I do find a negative aspect and unbecoming if you plan to be a reviewer.
However based on your short replies with me i wouldn't want to read your reviews anyway seeing you seemed biased and easily taking offence and jumping to conclusions.

 
I'm sorry if you misunderstood me. My point is that your stated impressions are terse and it is difficult for anyone to gain insight from what you are saying apart from "you do not like it". If you do not expand on your impressions you are bound to have others misunderstand you.
 
As to the point about the HD800, you are entitled to your opinions but facts are facts. I was targeting my response to your statement "I do not find it neutral". You drew shotgunshane's review as a reference for that statement when, to the contrary, the exact words he used were "Soundwise, Layla is pretty neutral" and "It’s able to accomplish a natural sounding, reference-quality frequency response that appeals to my neutral leaning preferences".
 
I have mentioned in HF and elsewhere that shotgunshane's review is nicely written and balanced, the only disagreement I have with him is on weaving in the price proposition in his impressions of sonic qualities, because that would mask one's true impression of the sonic qualities. Be that as it may, we share the same listening impressions.
 
Anyway, this is all you will hear from me. I was hoping someone would gain something from my impressions but if not, why bother? 

 

[Jap]

Channeling my inner Rodney King:
 
"Can't we all just, like, get along? Pretty please . . . with sugar on it?"

 

[Levanter]

I'm sorry if you misunderstood me. My point is that your stated impressions are terse and it is difficult for anyone to gain insight from what you are saying apart from "you do not like it". If you do not expand on your impressions you are bound to have others misunderstand you.

As to the point about the HD800, you are entitled to your opinions but facts are facts. I was targeting my response to your statement "I do not find it neutral". You drew shotgunshane's review as a reference for that statement when, to the contrary, the exact words he used were "[COLOR=333333]Soundwise, [/COLOR]Layla
[COLOR=333333] is pretty neutral" and "[/COLOR]It’s able to accomplish a natural sounding, reference-quality frequency response that appeals to my neutral leaning preferences".

I have mentioned in HF and elsewhere that shotgunshane's review is nicely written and balanced, the only disagreement I have with him is on weaving in the price proposition in his impressions of sonic qualities, because that would mask one's true impression of the sonic qualities. Be that as it may, we share the same listening impressions.

Anyway, this is all you will hear from me. I was hoping someone would gain something from my impressions but if not, why bother? 

For goodness sake can you re-read my past 3 post properly and clarify again where did I write "I do not like it" *** .
As regards to my reference on SGS review I should have clarified properly I share his similar views on his impressions on the mids.
While he and his friend described as stuffing toilet rolls, my friends described it as stuffing cotton wool.

And your reference to comparing with HD800 mod does not apply. When doing comparisons, everyone generally compares to stock HD800 for a fair assessment.

 

[AnakChan]

Take it to PM guys.

 

[angelom]

Hello shotgunshane. I think your review is very good and honest.

Is possible you have review for Angie soon and maybe compare with UERM? I always read UERM is excellent iem but is only custom not universal. Why this iem is very good and not make universal iem Ultimate Ears?

Do you try er-4s before or f111? I like mids very much in this iems. I really like you compare Layla and Angie with Etymotic or Fitear.

I have normal ears (not small not big) but I'm worry Layla shells are very big and custom iem isn't possible for me, I explained before.

I have iPhone 5S and ak240. Do you think ak240 is better with ak240 than your iPhone? I imagine is better but maybe not big difference? Do you like ak240? Do you use balance cable of Layla for review with ak240?

 

[goodvibes]

Agreed on 30hz and most music. As long as 40hz is strong enough, that covers most music just fine. There are exceptions but mostly those are rare, at least in my personal library.

Anyway, I'm seriously considering the universal Angie. While I found the Layla a mixed bag, the Angie certainly seems the better value proposition, assuming performance is close.

I think your tastes are similar to mine and suspect that you'll prefer it in a few ways. I instantly gravitated to the Angie when both were there for a listen. Layla was a bit warm and laid back for me. I didn't listen to them for very long and attributed the laid back character to the warmth as the bass wasn't all the way down but I can see it being a bit more than that. Angie was what I personally consider more balanced in perspective and tonality. It also won't be right for a lot of folks that prefer a ie800, Tralucent, jh16, Roxanne or k8 type of tonality. Seems that most of the top products has a bit of that extra warmth and polite mids and is becoming expected.