[Kashtan]

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In case of my SE-5 (which might sound like the original one), HD800 are noticeably more forward and brighter.
I haven't heard, but looking at the graphs, Fostex TH900 should be somewhat brighter as well, and more forward, but less than HD800.
LCD-3 should be similarly dark as LCD-2, so that's the actual match in this regard.
 
Bass on SE-5 should be closest to the Fostex TH-900 one (meaning slight enhancement). LCD-3 and HD800 have no enhancement.

Thanks. A resolution better HD 800 or SE-5?

 

[AstralStorm]

It's a wash.
 
Bass-wise, SE-5 is fuller, more natural and much better controlled - which is no small feat considering HD 800 is also no slouch. Only large orthodynamics really rival the control and timbre of SE-5 bass. (Even my Beyer DT1350 is behind in midbass handling and it bests most everything out there except the orthos.)
In midrange HD 800 has a bit lighter decay, which I preferred to a small bit too liquid SE-5 mids.
Treble is different in signature enough to not allow me to really say anything, but equalized it is on par.

 

[average_joe]

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Any suggestions on what custom iem's that can seriously compete with a stationary system at the moment? 
 
I currently own the Nad M51-dac, Schiit Mjolnir amp and LCD-2 with custom balanced cables and it does sound pretty damn good. 
 
My main problem is the fact that I reside in the same room as my girlfriend, and she watches a lot of tv / series when we're home while she's knitting (damn multitasker) - making me not use my headphones much because of the huge sound leak both in and out. 
 
So - I'm considering selling the LCD-2's and my beloved Mjolnir (an AMAZING combo, truth be told) and get a new non-balanced amp and a pair of superduper-customs. 
 
I've ready that some IEM's get close to the LCD-2's in the comparison, and that's good news. I'm living in Norway, and it seems Starkey is pretty close by to me, so the SA43's are obvious contenders. I do read about issues with quality though, especially cable-wise. Besides that, I already own Westone 4 and I'm pretty damn happy with them, really. I guess Westone Customs could be something. I'm also weirdly drawn to Unique Melody just because they offer huge amounts of customization and tailoring, plus the price seems "about" right. 
 
So - what do you guys think. Any amp / custom-combo that can brawl with the LCD-2's rev 2 and a pretty powerful amp? I do like my bass, but I'm also addicted to details and soundstage. I probably prefer the highs to be somewhat recessed, the LCD-2's are perfect, while every pair of HD-800 from Sennheiser I've heard have seriously annoyed me. 
 
Cheers - and thanks for an epic write-up on customs!

 
I find the LCD-2 V1 to sound quite like the 8.A.  The SE 5-way sounds better than my 5-way, more natural and more bass power when amped well. I actually honestly no longer like my LCD-2 and would prefer something like my 8.A or 5-way or EM4 over the LCD-2.  The dynamics of the LCD-2 at low volumes isn't quite as good as the others, so I want to crank my LCD-2, and then I am listening at levels that are uncomfortable to me.  I do want to get a HD-800, but lack of time is getting in the way.
 
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Not sure about an amp but the Heir 8.A might be something to look into for a CIEM. Sounds pretty close to what you're describing as an ideal sound signature for you.
 
Edit: I don't have much experience with customs - I heard the 8.A demo and it sounded similar to the LCD-2 to my ears.

 
Good call.
 
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is that the UE ultimate ears?

 
You mean UE PRM?  Yes.  It is very nice
 
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It's a wash.
 
Bass-wise, SE-5 is fuller, more natural and much better controlled - which is no small feat considering HD 800 is also no slouch. Only large orthodynamics really rival the control and timbre of SE-5 bass. (Even my Beyer DT1350 is behind in midbass handling and it bests most everything out there except the orthos.)
In midrange HD 800 has a bit lighter decay, which I preferred to a small bit too liquid SE-5 mids.
Treble is different in signature enough to not allow me to really say anything, but equalized it is on par.

 
Thanks for sharing; I am trying to digest the info.

 

[tupac0306]

OHH!! Jealous of you being in US! Did you tune the IEMs to your favourite sound?

 

[pdiddypdler]

I guess it will be pointless to write a review of the PRM because everyone will tune it differently, I imagine the technicalities are superb though. 

 

[Kashtan]

Quote:

It's a wash.
 
Bass-wise, SE-5 is fuller, more natural and much better controlled - which is no small feat considering HD 800 is also no slouch. Only large orthodynamics really rival the control and timbre of SE-5 bass. (Even my Beyer DT1350 is behind in midbass handling and it bests most everything out there except the orthos.)
In midrange HD 800 has a bit lighter decay, which I preferred to a small bit too liquid SE-5 mids.
Treble is different in signature enough to not allow me to really say anything, but equalized it is on par.

I get it. And with the LCD-3 and R10 heavy bass did not compare? In my opinion, the two most deserving for instance bass, especially the latter.

 

[sphinxvc]

I'm thinking of stepping off the full-size headphone/amp matching crapshoot merry-go-round and getting a CIEM instead.  Hope you guys can help.  I've come a long way with my full-size headphones and I know what it is I'm looking for, but being totally unfamiliar with the CIEM companies and models, I don't know which ones offer what I'm looking for.
 
So here's what I'm looking for sonically: an overall warmish presentation (not quite as thick as an SM3 or LCD-2, but just short of it), an extreme amount of speed and resolution, preferably in silicone but I guess I can compromise, excellence in timbre and tone (these two things are very important to me), next come excellent separation and imaging.  If I had to compromise between separation and imaging, I would compromise imaging.  
 
I don't really care much for soundstage, but something relatively three dimensional would be nice.  
 
I own a B2 as a kind of throw away IEM right now, and don't enjoy it all that much, so the UERM is probably not for me.  The best UIEM I've owned is the SM3, but I thought it was a tad too thick and the comfort was bad (it was V1).  
 
The Spiral Ears flagship sounds like the right direction but 1) apparently they don't ship to the US (is this right?) and 2) they might not fit my ears.  

 

[FlySweep]

Heir Audio 8.A sounds like it'll fit the bill, sphinxvc.

 

[pdiddypdler]

Or maybe the 6.A...

 

[average_joe]

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OHH!! Jealous of you being in US! Did you tune the IEMs to your favourite sound?

 
Yes, but my "favorite" sound is a difficult one for me to achieve as I really don't have a favorite. 
 
Quote:

I guess it will be pointless to write a review of the PRM because everyone will tune it differently, I imagine the technicalities are superb though. 

 
While I won't be able to review the different sounds, the PRM does have a sound signature, and of course finding out where it rates technically in comparison will be useful.
 
Quote:

I'm thinking of stepping off the full-size headphone/amp matching crapshoot merry-go-round and getting a CIEM instead.  Hope you guys can help.  I've come a long way with my full-size headphones and I know what it is I'm looking for, but being totally unfamiliar with the CIEM companies and models, I don't know which ones offer what I'm looking for.
 
So here's what I'm looking for sonically: an overall warmish presentation (not quite as thick as an SM3 or LCD-2, but just short of it), an extreme amount of speed and resolution, preferably in silicone but I guess I can compromise, excellence in timbre and tone (these two things are very important to me), next come excellent separation and imaging.  If I had to compromise between separation and imaging, I would compromise imaging.  
 
I don't really care much for soundstage, but something relatively three dimensional would be nice.  
 
I own a B2 as a kind of throw away IEM right now, and don't enjoy it all that much, so the UERM is probably not for me.  The best UIEM I've owned is the SM3, but I thought it was a tad too thick and the comfort was bad (it was V1).  
 
The Spiral Ears flagship sounds like the right direction but 1) apparently they don't ship to the US (is this right?) and 2) they might not fit my ears.  

 
Yes, the 5-way is an ideal fit for what you are looking for, but they don't fit all ears and don't ship to the US.  You can possibly get a freight forwarder or make a friend in the EU.
 
Next thing that comes to my mind is the LS8.  Extreme speed, warm, but not LCD-2 warm, excellent separation and very good imaging.  However, the tone is different than the LCD-2 and SM3 and closer to the B2 in the treble region.  The LSX5 is another option that has a tone closer to the LCD-2, at least the demo did.
 
I haven't heard it but have read rave reviews of the EM6 and can imagine it would be good, and then there is also the 8.A, but that is just like the LCD-2 and I wouldn't classify it as having an extreme amount of speed.

 

[AstralStorm]

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I get it. And with the LCD-3 and R10 heavy bass did not compare? In my opinion, the two most deserving for instance bass, especially the latter.

 
LCD-2 bass is more linear, as in it doesn't roll off at all in subbass and has no small bass boost; weight and detail is very comparable. I assume LCD-3 sounds similar. R10 I haven't heard (which company is it?).
The bass is pretty much spot on, very slightly slow (more like speakers), but keeps perfect detail and timbre. Unnoticeable levels of distortion.

 

[Sinocelt]

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R10 I haven't heard (which company is it?).

 
Sony.

 

[sphinxvc]

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Heir Audio 8.A sounds like it'll fit the bill, sphinxvc.

 
Funny, I thought the same thing when I was reading average_joe's review, but then "enhanced" bass isn't something I usually look for.
 
Quote:

 
Yes, the 5-way is an ideal fit for what you are looking for, but they don't fit all ears and don't ship to the US.  You can possibly get a freight forwarder or make a friend in the EU.
 
Next thing that comes to my mind is the LS8.  Extreme speed, warm, but not LCD-2 warm, excellent separation and very good imaging.  However, the tone is different than the LCD-2 and SM3 and closer to the B2 in the treble region.  The LSX5 is another option that has a tone closer to the LCD-2, at least the demo did.
 
I haven't heard it but have read rave reviews of the EM6 and can imagine it would be good, and then there is also the 8.A, but that is just like the LCD-2 and I wouldn't classify it as having an extreme amount of speed.

 
I might just use a frieght forwarder, provided my ears are big enough.  The UPRM is interesting too.  It sounds like you've ordered a pair of UPRMs, are they due in soon?  
 
The LS8 has a 6khz peak according to your review.  Having just sold the HD800, a 6khz peak is not something I want to return to.  I probably forgot to mention that I like a even FR, free of discernable peaks and valleys, but shelfs are okay.  A treble shelf is exactly what I'm going for.  I figure a headphone with a smooth treble shelf + extreme speed will keep me plenty happy.  Kind of like a Stax O2 MKI actually.
 
So far, the SE 5-way and the UPRM are atop the list.  I'm having a tough time finding reviews of he EM6.  I guess I will need to break out Google translate and visit those French forums.

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

 
LCD-2 bass is more linear, as in it doesn't roll off at all in subbass and has no small bass boost; weight and detail is very comparable. I assume LCD-3 sounds similar. R10 I haven't heard (which company is it?).
The bass is pretty much spot on, very slightly slow (more like speakers), but keeps perfect detail and timbre. Unnoticeable levels of distortion.

 
My second 5-way has more bass extension than my first one, but there is still a slight bit of roll off compared with the LCD-2, however I hear more detail and focus in the bass with the 5-way regardless of the source I use.  
 
Quote:

 
Funny, I thought the same thing when I was reading average_joe's review, but then "enhanced" bass isn't something I usually look for.
 
 
I might just use a frieght forwarder, provided my ears are big enough.  The UPRM is interesting too.  It sounds like you've ordered a pair of UPRMs, are they due in soon?  
 
The LS8 has a 6khz peak according to your review.  Having just sold the HD800, a 6khz peak is not something I want to return to.  I probably forgot to mention that I like a even FR, free of discernable peaks and valleys, but shelfs are okay.  A treble shelf is exactly what I'm going for.  I figure a headphone with a smooth treble shelf + extreme speed will keep me plenty happy.  Kind of like a Stax O2 MKI actually.
 
So far, the SE 5-way and the UPRM are atop the list.  I'm having a tough time finding reviews of he EM6.  I guess I will need to break out Google translate and visit those French forums.

 
The qualities you were describing match the LS8, but of course if a smooth FR is the #1 criteria, you will have to give up other things, at least as far a I know.  I am not sure where the EM6 falls from a brightness standpoint, but the 8.A middle to upper treble isn't boosted to my ears, just the upper midrange and lower treble (although it is a smooth transition, not a peak).

 

[sphinxvc]

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The qualities you were describing match the LS8, but of course if a smooth FR is the #1 criteria, you will have to give up other things, at least as far a I know.  I am not sure where the EM6 falls from a brightness standpoint, but the 8.A middle to upper treble isn't boosted to my ears, just the upper midrange and lower treble (although it is a smooth transition, not a peak).

 
Thanks, I sent an email off to SE this morning; found a package forwarding service that should work.  =]  I have to get impressions & I'll wait to hear back from SE on whether photos & measurements would work, or whether they need the impressions shipped in to determine whether size will be an issue.  Crossing my fingers that it won't.