[macshooter]

Hey all.  Haven't been very active here lately, but I just wanted to post and say that I just took the plunge on a pair of JH16pro's.  I want to thank this forum for all the good info that finally lead to this decision.  It's been an interesting but short journey for me that started with Senn PX100's,  then HD212 Pro, then [size=x-small]ATH-CKS70[/size], and Shure SE530.   All of which I found out about either here or at headroom.  I was thinking about going with the IE8, now that they have come down in price a bit, but I thought if I add up the cost of those and all the others, I could have pulled out the stops and bought a custom.  And, probably, someday I would want a custom.  So I decided to cut to the chase and take the plunge before I end up with a box full of stuff, most of which I don't use anymore and will take a loss on if I sell.  I had to sell a guitar and a rifle, and a mountain bike to get these, but I think, I hope, it will be the best audio experience possible, while still being portable enough to use all the time/anywhere (and at work).
 
The SE530 really blew my mind, once I got used to them. I heard things I had never heard before, and left my jaw on the floor when listening to Radiohead, and stuff I had heard 1000 times, but realized that I had never REALLY heard before.  It was a real eye opener.  The only thing I didn't like about them was that they didn't really have enough bass impact for me.  Seems like many audiophiles like that sound, and I can see where it would be good if you are a pro that needs perfect accuracy.  But for fun everyday listening, I need more bass impact.  The JH16 seem like they can deliver that, without it coming at the expense of other freqs,- so it's best of both worlds.  I guess I will soon find out. I can't wait.  If these don't do it, I don't suppose anything will. 
 
Here's a mockup I did and sent to Zac.  Can't wait to see the final product.
 
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[kevroc]

That's awesome.  You're probably smart cutting to the chase, the money you save in the process will surely offset the difference and you'll enjoy better audio along the way.  Like my grandpa said, "measure twice, cut once"
 
It is interesting though, at what point do the earphones outpace your source music quality and your players capability?  I'm sure I would love some of these JH16's, but listening to mp3's on my iPhone probably wouldn't warrant it.
 
 

 

[macshooter]

My iphone is all I use.  It might not be the greatest piece of hardware, but with lossless or high bit rate mp3's it sounds great.  I definitely don't want to be tied down to (nor can I afford) an expensive headphone rig, so that I have to sit in one place for critical listening sessions.  Music for me is when I'm on the go or sacking out at night.  IEMs are perfect for that. 

 

[cybertec69]

One thing I will tell you is that the JH16's will just BLOW you away, will make all your other IEM's look like toys, no joke, have my JH16's for two weeks now and they are just WOW.

 

[macshooter]

That's what I like to hear.  I had that feeling once with the SE530, though it took a while to get there with them.  I really want to have that wow moment again! 
 
If you think about it,  there are probably very few people in the world that really get to experience what music can sound like (and most of them are probably on this forum.  I think it would be a shame to live life without ever having that experience.
 
Quote:

One thing I will tell you is that the JH16's will just BLOW you away, will make all your other IEM's look like toys, no joke, have my JH16's for two weeks now and they are just WOW.

 

 

[JSLAPPA]

That's awesome.  You're probably smart cutting to the chase, the money you save in the process will surely offset the difference and you'll enjoy better audio along the way.  Like my grandpa said, "measure twice, cut once"
 
It is interesting though, at what point do the earphones outpace your source music quality and your players capability?  I'm sure I would love some of these JH16's, but listening to mp3's on my iPhone probably wouldn't warrant it.
 
 

On the contrary,
the iPhone 4 BEGS for a good set of low impedance monitors to show you what your music should sound like. You are half right in that listening to MP3's will limit what your JH16's SHOULD be doing for you. But that's where you could listen to Apple Lossless, to get back some fidelity. In addition, there are apps for the iPhone that will allow you to listen to 24/96 FLAC files, and quite possibly 24/192 encoded files once iOS 5 shows up in September. At that point, you could realize 90% of your JH16's potential.

So, if the OP has an iPhone, he's got about 3 or 4 weeks to convert all his CD's to Apple Lossless or FLAC (using FLAC Player App), and get ready to be wowed by just an iPhone.

 

[cybertec69]

I am using my JH16'S with my Ipod Touch with line out, using a Fiio L9 cable connected to my Ibasso D10 "sweet little amp", and just purchased iBasso D6 "little monster", all my files are losless, my jaw still drops when I plug the JH16's into my ear canals

 

[macshooter]

I have over a 100 gigs of MP3s.  All the good stuff is variable 256 or 320 kbps.  That's pretty good, I can't tell much difference between that and lossless WMA.  Things don't start to really sound too different until you get below 190kbs, but 120 sounds like crap.  Anything I really really like to listen to will be bought again lossless if it's not already.  I have little cmoy amp for when I want to do more serious listening. Maybe sometime down the road I will spring for a better portable amp.  Not any time soon though, this purchase nearly killed me.

 

[cybertec69]

These things shine with lossless files 320kbps just don't cut it for me " the only music I listen to that is not lossless is over wifi and internet radio like 1.FM Slacker and pandora", and an amp is also a must, they will do just fine without one, but they will trully shine with an amp.

 

[Spyro]

(From a person that has ownwd JH5, JH13 and JH16)
 
If you are going unamped...JH5 is the only wise choice.  Kills all others and saves battery life.

 

[i2ehan]

 
Quote:

The SE530 really blew my mind, once I got used to them. I heard things I had never head before, and left my jaw on the floor when listening to Radiohead, and stuff I had heard 1000 times, but realized that I had never REALLY heard before.  It was a real eye opener.  The only thing I didn't like about them was that they didn't really have enough bass impact for me.  Seems like many audiophiles like that sound, and I can see where it would be good if you are a pro that needs perfect accuracy.  But for fun everyday listening, I need more bass impact.  The JH16 seem like they can deliver that, without it coming at the expense of other freqs,- so it's best of both worlds.  I guess I will soon find out. I can't wait.

 
This is really what drew me towards the JH16's a few weeks ago. Congrats on your purchase my friend, it'll surely be worth it down the long haul!

 
Oh, and thank you for making my own wait that much more unbearable!

 

[aamefford]

Quote:

...
 
Here's a mockup I did and sent to Zac.  Can't wait to see the final product.
 
[i

At the risk of letting on that I haven't been cool in over 30 years, what is the writing on these?  I just saw an SUV with the same thing on the back window.  North SF Bay area, CA.  Was it you?  Oh, and nice customs.  I went down-market a bit for my first - the 1964 Ears Quads.  I really wish I could compare without spending another $1200 or whatever the JH16 goes for these days.  Congrats!
 

 

[macshooter]

Just got these things stuck into my head.  I'm going to try to refrain from superlatives in my comments about them.  Though in trying to do that I am afraid my description might understate the experience a bit too much to do them justice.  The first thing that I will say is that they have enough bass.  They have the best bass I have ever heard in terms of impact, tightness, and extension all the way down to the lowest sub bass.   If you were to hear this kind of bass standing in front of a subwoofer, It would probably make it hard to breath and loosen the contents of your bowels.  Granted, I like a healthy dose of bass, so I have EQu set to +4 db  all the way out to about 128hz.  That will do it.  If you need more bass than that, you have probably rattled a screw loose in your head from blowing up to many subs.
 
For reference, the track, Vamp from Trentemoller Last Resort is a good example of what I am talking about.  The sub bass is huge, deep and very precise/controlled. ('Take Me Into Your Skin' is also remarkable, as is 'The Very Last Resort', which should probably be retitled "Detached Retina" or "Things Are Gettin' Kinda Blurry" when listening to it through the JH16  These have all of the midrange and high end clarity and detail that I have grown accustomed to with the SE530 (if not much better) but with a tower of subwoofers added to the mix (extremely accurate, precise subwoofers). 
 
I would be surprised if any subs exist that could reproduce this accurately at high volume. (take your breath away, heart palpitation, richter scale volume)  The JH16 will give you that inside your skull if that's what you want, minus the physical effects on the rest of your body.   Bass heads, have no fear.  The JH16 delivers.   (I cannot imagine what +12db would be like through the JH3A....)
 
Or if if you like you can flatten out the EQ and stop behaving like a heathen.   (I don't think I will be doing that anytime soon.)
 
All for now.

 

[Tronz]

I think I might just buy these.

 

[macshooter]

You will not be disappointed, no matter what your taste.  (basshead/audiophile)