[mvw2]

Thumbs up on the IE8 and Eterna.  I think you hit many of their key points very well. 
 
A comment on the IE8.  The knob is something I personally disliked about the IE8 only because it was only partially helpful.  If you ran low, you lost bottom end.  If you ran high, it evened out.  Either way, it only affected frequencies below 100Hz and the midbass hump centered at 100Hz meaning it could only influence the bottom half and do nothing for midbass and lower midrange emphasis.  In my eyes, the only good bass knob setting was full as much as many people new to the amount of bass it offers shies away from that setting.  The earphone really requires a wide EQ cut centered at 100Hz to flatten out the response properly.  All the knob gets to do is make the bass anemic.  This is also mimicked from Headphone's own testing of the IE8 with the bass knob down and up.  When I owned the IE8 I sort of came to the conclusion that you simply turn it up and get used to it.  If you have an EQ with a band at 100Hz, great, but otherwise you just listen and get used to it.  You do get used to it too, and the IE8 is very enjoyable.
 
I will make a suggestion, if you still have them, to add in the Triple.Fi 10.  Frankly since you're comparing many of these high end earphones, you may want to simply compare and put that into the list as well.  As much as it's been reviewed already, it should at least exist in your review somewhere.  It's an earphone I've always liked.
 
Now if only you could get someone to loan you their SM3.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

The Zagg Z-buds are NOT good sounding earphones - not with any tip, not compared to any good, cheaper headset. When I reviewed them, they cost 80$ and I think I wasn't harsh enough on them. Now, at a cheaper price, they are thinkable, but.... only barely. If the iBud headset was sealed, I'd take it over the Zagg z-Bud.

Agreed, Z-buds sucked so bad that even though I paid for them myself I still gave them away free because it would have been a crime to charge someone for them (gave to Naamanf as a moving away gift, who hated them too).

 

[shigzeo]

Joker: you are right. I need to go back and edit that review. They are pretty bad. That is one year ago, but they left a bad enough impression that I'd not want to review another pair... even if it was updated.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

Agreed, Z-buds sucked so bad that even though I paid for them myself I still gave them away free because it would have been a crime to charge someone for them (gave to Naamanf as a moving away gift, who hated them too).

 
Quote:

The Zagg Z-buds are NOT good sounding earphones - not with any tip, not compared to any good, cheaper headset. When I reviewed them, they cost 80$ and I think I wasn't harsh enough on them. Now, at a cheaper price, they are thinkable, but.... only barely. If the iBud headset was sealed, I'd take it over the Zagg z-Bud.

The Z-Buds look different from the Zagg buds.  The housing is different and the old ones had cloth not invisible shield cables.  No idea if they still have the same signature but obviously there have been external redesigns.
 
ZBuds:
 
http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/reviews/entry/zagg-zbuds/
 
Zagg Smartbuds:
 
http://www.zagg.com/audio/smart-buds.php

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

Yo IjokerI, do you think you will eventually have a listen to FX-500 and the FX-700? FX-700 made me sell my IE8, to my ears, it bests it in a lot of aspects...

Maybe in the future but no plans at the moment. So many earphones, so few ears.
 
Quote:

Thumbs up on the IE8 and Eterna.  I think you hit many of their key points very well. 

Thanks. I did play around with the bass knob but anything higher than the 2nd setting made me nauseous after a while. Sub-bass is great but coupled with a mid-bass hump it's just overwhelming for me. The VBs are the exact opposite and they still didn't sit too well with me.
 
I still have the TF10 and will get to them eventually. I don't like the fit very much and reviewing them would mean using them exclusively for a few days. I doubt it'll be a worse overall experience than, for example, the AudioSource IEBAS (even though I only made it one day with those), but other IEMs seem to be inadvertently getting ahead of the TF10 in the queue when I'm not looking

.
 
As for SM3, who knows. Maybe someday. Head-Fi is full of generous people (thanks again for the Eterna

)
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Anaxilus /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The Z-Buds look different from the Zagg buds.  The housing is different and the old ones had cloth not invisible shield cables.  No idea if they still have the same signature but obviously there have been external redesigns.
 
ZBuds:
 
http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/reviews/entry/zagg-zbuds/
 
Zagg Smartbuds:
 
http://www.zagg.com/audio/smart-buds.php

Yep, definitely different. I was referring to the original ZBuds. I've never spoken to anyone about the Smartbuds, which by the way look like a cross between the Klipsch S4 and Denon C710. Could be really comfortable if the cables are light. 

 

[rawrster]

Quote:

On a different note, anyone who still hasn't tried a Meelec M9 may be interested in their new review sample giveaway. Great little phones and even better when free.

I guess I got this for free which is definitely a great price I only tried the M6 and anything that doesn't have that kind of fit for free (2nd gen cable) is definitely a plus for me. I was wondering what the package I got this morning was since I wasn't expecting anything. A nice surprise although they probably should have given some kind of notification. I could always use a 2nd set of budget phones to my PL30
 
edit: how the heck are you able to listen to very good earphones and then budget ones. I think I'm going to need to spend a few hours to ibuds or something to appreciate these since I used them right after the e-Q7.

 

[mcnoiserdc]

You have some few references to triple fi 10, but it is not included in your list.
I am having a big fight with the tips for tf10. The rubber ones are hard and not comfortable for me, but the foam tips cuts down bass and treble, and sound muddy to me. quite strange, and bad my experience with foams.
I now find it sounds much better with my 8 dollars IEM, lol. much better. 

 

[CEE TEE]

Joker, thank you for finally including IE8.  I did buy them before your review but with a bit of teeth gnashing and hand wringing over the "mid-bass hump" issue. 
 
It would have been a lot easier to pull the trigger and buy the IE8's after your review but it is a nice comparison/confirmation for the pair of iems that I am really happy with!

 

[mark2410]

i must say im surprised you rated the IE8 so highly, i did say they they had quite great treble on them too.
 
did you try them with an icon mobile at all? (the two are somewhat made for each other)

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

edit: how the heck are you able to listen to very good earphones and then budget ones. I think I'm going to need to spend a few hours to ibuds or something to appreciate these since I used them right after the e-Q7.

Going from something top-tier to the M9 would be a two step process for me, with the step in the middle being a good midrange earphone (e.g. the Maximo iM-590). Going directly from top-tier to bottom of the barrel, no matter how good the latter, would be a bit of a shock.
 
Quote:

i must say im surprised you rated the IE8 so highly, i did say they they had quite great treble on them too.
 
did you try them with an icon mobile at all? (the two are somewhat made for each other)

Thanks, they are very enjoyable phones and easily the ones I felt I was missing out on the least with out of my motley group of bassy earphones. I don't have an icon mobile but they were definitely not made for my warmish iBasso T4. 

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

 
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I continue to enjoy reading your review.  Due to the IE8's bass over-riding their nice but relatively recessed mids and highs, I felt that the Monster Turbine Pro Gold were a little better than the IE8.  Amp synergy was important with the IE8 to me, and only with the ALO Amphora amp did the IE8 sound truly phenomenal (to the point that I could not believe what I was hearing it was so good).  I think they sounded just as you described, but I thought the MTPG's superior bass control and improved balance vs the mids and highs outweighed the IE8's bigger soundstage.  Still, someday I hope to get another IE8 just for listening with the Amphora.  Cheers!
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[rawrster]

^
You should try the Coppers one day Although the bass on the Golds are a little better imo the Coppers does everything else better again imo

 

[mark2410]

Quote:

Thanks, they are very enjoyable phones and easily the ones I felt I was missing out on the least with out of my motley group of bassy earphones. I don't have an icon mobile but they were definitely not made for my warmish iBasso T4. 

oh no i cant imagine that would be a pleasant combo, id bet it would turn it into a super high end version of the R1.  just overwhelming warmth all over the place.  the top end senns really need that cooling brease and i know youd appreciate the treble.  personally ive never felt any BA gets treble right in the way a couple of dynamics can.

 

[Ultrazino]

Thanks. I'm already getting the Hippo VB, but now after reading your review I think I would have been better off with the Fischer Audio Eterna...

 

[Azathoth]

Quote:

did you try them with an icon mobile at all? (the two are somewhat made for each other)

I agree, I tried the icon mobile + IE8 setup at a local meet, amazing synergy. They have opposite characteristics (IE8 - dark, icon mobile - bright), so I guess it resulted in a great match