[Migou67]

.
Thank you for this excellent review of the SD!

 

[Amitl]

i'm sorry if i may sound a little stupid but.... if straight-barrel iem's, such as the EPH-100,
fit so nicely looped-over-the-ear, then who needs a design such as the Shue SE215...?? (--aside from the removable cable--)

 

[dezane222]

ljokerl
how do you rank the clarity and detail beetween eph100,gr07be,vc1000,re400, and fxt90 ?

 

[davidcotton]

Hi joker
 
Nice review of the stagediver series.  I've been interested in these for quite a while (they are also available at advancedmp3players) but was a bit nervous about the bass, particularly in the sd3.  Last time I heard a bassy iem it was the monster turbine which I really didn't like.  Is the bass anything like that (I'm aware that the turbines were a dynamic and the stagedivers aren't).  The problem I found with the bass in the turbines was that it would swamp the details making vocals etc hard to make out, so I'd end up turning up the volume which just gave me a headache.  The only bassy ba iem I've heard is the westone 3 which I liked more than the turbines.  From the sound of it I think I would be better off with the 2 than the 3 though.  Listen to progressive/hard rock.  It's hard making a choice in europe as there are so few places that offer a return on iems.  Oh and will you be reviewing the fischer amps fa4xb anytime?  They are another german brand that seem to be gaining traction on headfi.
 
Cheers

 

[Deviltooth]

The Stagediver reviews were excellent and I'd have been interested if not for the possible fit issued for those with small ears.  Now it's not something I'd buy before I tried and I'm not likely to get a chance to do the former.

 

[godlyatheist]

Just got my JH13 a day early, right before I fly home so the timing is perfect. Looking at the IEM the bores have a slightly rough finish to them. I put them in (took a while to figure out right from left) and the right side is a lot tighter than the left. I'm running them through the Audioquest Dragonfly and I keep hearing low hums  with no music playing, DAC problem? First listen is not WOW. They are more detailed than the GR07, placement of instrument in the music is a bit different but the soundstage is about the same. I don't if it has to do with my stuffed nose from chronic allergy, but the bass sounds boomy because it sounds like it came from within a cereal box, but they do hit harder and deeper than the GR07. Also, the isolation isn't what I thought it would be since I can clearly hear my phone ring(yet I can hear my heartbeat and feel the pulse in my ear....). Do I have a fit issue?
 
Edit: the JH13 are A LOT more detailed using the GR07 as a reference.

 

[Don Lehrer]

  Added the In-Ear StageDiver 2 and StageDiver 3. 
 
 
The updated ranking table can be found here.

 
Nice!! and just right before christmas, thanks!!

 

[ericr]

Hey Joker hope you're having a happy holidays.

So I'm looking for an upgrade over my current Klipsch X10s. I've tried IEMs over the past year from Westone 3, Sennheiser IE80, UE TF10, Yamaha EPH-100. All of them have been pretty good but not exactly what I've been looking for. I'm looking for a comfortable IEM that isolates pretty good with clear mids & highs with an impactful bass but not so bloated to the point where it intrudes on everything else. I listen to mostly r&b, hip hop, alternative rock, acoustic, and some trance/electronica.

I've been looking at the Audeo PFE 232 for the longest time and now that they have been discounted finally are something in my ballpark. I've also been eyeing the Shure SE846 and Sennheiser IE800 but I'm kind of afraid to spend that much on an IEM. Also at the prices I'm looking at it would it just be better to go with customs? I will be using these mostly on the go through my ipod and on my laptop. Still looking into a portable amp/dac to go along with it.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

The SM64 is well worth your consideration. Wanting more than my W4s were giving I bought both the SM64 and the 232 at the same time and it was the 232s that got returned. The 64s came across as more refined, balanced and coherent. By comparison the 232s had somewhat recessed mids and seemed to strain a bit with the highs.

They sound great with just a clip zip and are wonderful with the HRT Microstreamer.

 

[Komuso]

Thank you Joker for this extensive comparison and review of IEMs.  I really liked the Heir Audio 4Ai and was planning on trying the Noble Audio 4.  I don't buy a lot of IEMs so I figure one really nice one and done.  Well, at least that's the plan.  I was wondering whether you would also get the opportunity to try the Noble 6 and compare it to the 4?

 

[heliuscc]

nice stagediver review. I have the SD3 but am wondering whether the 2 would be better as I listen to stuff with more vocals. Some EDM, mainly electronica, more chilled than i used to be

 

[ljokerl]

Nice reviews Joker!

 
Thanks!
 

Excellent reviews joker.
I love how the RE400 keeps coming up in comparisons well outside its price bracket .

Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk

 
Thanks. The RE-400 competes pretty well outside of its price bracket, plus its signature made it a natural point of comparison for the SD-2

. 
 

  Hi |Joker|, very good review about "In-Ear StageDiver 2 and StageDiver 3".
I'm very interested to know how they are comparing to less expensive Dunu DN-1000?
Thanks.

 
They sound very different. The DN-1000 on the whole is a lot more v-shaped than either of the StageDivers. It has lots of subbass but overall has less bass than the SD-3. It's also not as tight as the less bassy SD-2. The treble of the Dunu is brighter and not nearly as smooth. It's much less tolerant of sibilance than either of the StageDivers. The Dunu is a little clearer than the SD-3 and about on-par with the SD-2. The largest difference, however, is that the StageDivers have mids that are warmer and more prominent, and sound more full-bodied and natural.
 
Personally, I like the SD-2 best by a margin, followed by the SD-3 and then the DN1000 close behind it. The SD-3 and DN-1000 really accentuate each others' flaws and each makes the other sound "off". The SD-2 is more inoffensive.
 

  .
Thank you for this excellent review of the SD!

 

 

  i'm sorry if i may sound a little stupid but.... if straight-barrel iem's, such as the EPH-100,
fit so nicely looped-over-the-ear, then who needs a design such as the Shue SE215...?? (--aside from the removable cable--)

 
Probably a rhetorical question but there’s a few reasons I can think of
1.     For the average consumer (non head-fier) it’s much easier to figure out how to wear SE215 over the ear than EPH-100

2.     Forcing over-the-ear wear eliminates complaints of microphonics

3.     Over-the-ear with memory wire makes for a very secure fit, even for beginner IEM users

4.     Ergonomic (Shure/Westone type) form factor makes earphones less visible (e.g. for use on stage)

5.     Ergonomic form factor often has less wind noise

6.     Ergonomic form factor fits under helmets, etc

7.     Multi-driver setups (e.g. SE535) take up a lot of room and wouldn’t work well with EPH-100 form factor

 
There are probably more that are eluding me right now. 
 

  ljokerl
how do you rank the clarity and detail beetween eph100,gr07be,vc1000,re400, and fxt90 ?

 
VC1000 is the best, followed closely by the RE-400, then GR07BE, and then the FXT90 and EPH-100 are about the same bringing up the rear...
 

  Hi joker
 
Nice review of the stagediver series.  I've been interested in these for quite a while (they are also available at advancedmp3players) but was a bit nervous about the bass, particularly in the sd3.  Last time I heard a bassy iem it was the monster turbine which I really didn't like.  Is the bass anything like that (I'm aware that the turbines were a dynamic and the stagedivers aren't).  The problem I found with the bass in the turbines was that it would swamp the details making vocals etc hard to make out, so I'd end up turning up the volume which just gave me a headache.  The only bassy ba iem I've heard is the westone 3 which I liked more than the turbines.  From the sound of it I think I would be better off with the 2 than the 3 though.  Listen to progressive/hard rock.  It's hard making a choice in europe as there are so few places that offer a return on iems.  Oh and will you be reviewing the fischer amps fa4xb anytime?  They are another german brand that seem to be gaining traction on headfi.
 
Cheers

 
The SD-3 has BA bass. It’s not really loose or bloated, and there’s not as much of it as with the Turbines. However, I do think the SD-2 is generally better if you’re worried about bass getting in the way as it doesn’t have that problem at all. 
 
I don’t have a set plan to review FA4 – would like to try it sometime but there’s lots of other IEMs to get through. Lear also has some high-end custom-come-universal sets on the way that are interesting.
 

  The Stagediver reviews were excellent and I'd have been interested if not for the possible fit issued for those with small ears.  Now it's not something I'd buy before I tried and I'm not likely to get a chance to do the former.

 
I understand why they are designed the way they are but I do feel the pressure from the housings after a while. This is where a true custom fit is hugely advantageous. 
 

  Just got my JH13 a day early, right before I fly home so the timing is perfect. Looking at the IEM the bores have a slightly rough finish to them. I put them in (took a while to figure out right from left) and the right side is a lot tighter than the left. I'm running them through the Audioquest Dragonfly and I keep hearing low hums  with no music playing, DAC problem? First listen is not WOW. They are more detailed than the GR07, placement of instrument in the music is a bit different but the soundstage is about the same. I don't if it has to do with my stuffed nose from chronic allergy, but the bass sounds boomy because it sounds like it came from within a cereal box, but they do hit harder and deeper than the GR07. Also, the isolation isn't what I thought it would be since I can clearly hear my phone ring(yet I can hear my heartbeat and feel the pulse in my ear....). Do I have a fit issue?
 
Edit: the JH13 are A LOT more detailed using the GR07 as a reference.

 
Give your ears a few days to get used to the fit. If one ear is still significantly tighter it's probably a good idea to get a refit. Isolation should be better than GR07 by a margin - 5-10dB at least.
 

   
Nice!! and just right before christmas, thanks!!

 
A StageDiver would certainly make a nice gift to oneself 

 

The SM64 is well worth your consideration. Wanting more than my W4s were giving I bought both the SM64 and the 232 at the same time and it was the 232s that got returned. The 64s came across as more refined, balanced and coherent. By comparison the 232s had somewhat recessed mids and seemed to strain a bit with the highs.

They sound great with just a clip zip and are wonderful with the HRT Microstreamer.

 
Only problem is, if he didn't find the W3 very comfortable, I'm not sure the SM64 will be significantly better. 
 

  Thank you Joker for this extensive comparison and review of IEMs.  I really liked the Heir Audio 4Ai and was planning on trying the Noble Audio 4.  I don't buy a lot of IEMs so I figure one really nice one and done.  Well, at least that's the plan.  I was wondering whether you would also get the opportunity to try the Noble 6 and compare it to the 4?

 
Sorry, the 4S is the only Noble set I've tried.
 
 

  nice stagediver review. I have the SD3 but am wondering whether the 2 would be better as I listen to stuff with more vocals. Some EDM, mainly electronica, more chilled than i used to be
 

 
Depends - do you ever find the SD-3 too bassy? Do you wish it's low end was tighter, even if it means a drop in impact and rumble? Do you wish the mids were more prominent relative to the bass? Do you wish the overall tone was a little brighter and less warm? (I sound like an advert).
 
If you said yes to any or all of these questions, the SD-2 is probably right for you.

 

[heliuscc]

Thanks joker!

 

[Sludig]

Excellent SD-2 and SD-3 reviews, like all the other ones.

What of this iems do you think has a LCD-2 sound signature? I think maybe SD-3, but SD-2 has more mids...

 

[dezane222]

thanks a lot joker

 

[FastAndClean]

Joker you are the best !