Multi-IEM Review - 352 IEMs compared (Pump Audio Earphones added 04/03/16 p. 1106)
Feb 11, 2014 at 1:01 AM Post #12,886 of 16,931
Hi Joker, sorry to keep bugging you about the V3 but since Alex said they could make me a universal 1964 V3, I am considering them again. The only thing I'm worried about is the treble being too soft for my liking. Or, more specifically, how "clear" the V3 sounds.
For reference, I thought the GR07 Bass Edition was had good clarity and good treble, except for the slight sibilance on some tracks. I thought the DN-1000 also had good clarity, but almost sounded a bit metallic to my ears. Same with the UE900 actually, but I'm guessing they both use the same filter on their TWFK drivers since they sounded pretty similar to me.
I also thought the RHA MA750 and DUNU DN-23, ATH-CK100, Shure SE535 and SE846 I tried were a bit too soft in the treble and lacked clarity.
 
Do you think I would be satisfied with the clarity on the V3?
 
Feb 11, 2014 at 1:34 AM Post #12,887 of 16,931
   
 
It's hard to pick a winner between them because the signatures are different. The VSD1S is more v-shaped - it has more bass and sounds warmer and more full-bodied as a result. It also has brighter, more energetic treble and sounds more sibilant as a result.  The A63 has less bass, more mids, and better midrange clarity because it lacks the midrange recession and bass emphasis of the VSonics. I should be able to say more in a few days as I'll be starting work on my final review of the Fidue sets but so far I've quite liked what I heard out of the A63. 

 
Alright, cool! I'm really thinking these may be my next buy based on how you're describing them plus the fact that Fostex priced the Te-05s out of my price range. So I can't way for more details. Thanks!
 
Feb 11, 2014 at 3:53 AM Post #12,888 of 16,931
  Hi Joker, sorry to keep bugging you about the V3 but since Alex said they could make me a universal 1964 V3, I am considering them again. The only thing I'm worried about is the treble being too soft for my liking. Or, more specifically, how "clear" the V3 sounds.
For reference, I thought the GR07 Bass Edition was had good clarity and good treble, except for the slight sibilance on some tracks. I thought the DN-1000 also had good clarity, but almost sounded a bit metallic to my ears. Same with the UE900 actually, but I'm guessing they both use the same filter on their TWFK drivers since they sounded pretty similar to me.
I also thought the RHA MA750 and DUNU DN-23, ATH-CK100, Shure SE535 and SE846 I tried were a bit too soft in the treble and lacked clarity.
 
Do you think I would be satisfied with the clarity on the V3?

 
 
The V3 doesn't lack clarity or treble presence. It's not the brightest thing out there, and it is a little smoother than the GR07 and DN-1000, but it doesn't lose out to the GR07 in clarity. It just has lots more bass that - on occasion - can take away from the overall poise and cleanliness of its sound. 
 
I compared the V3 to the DN-1000 here: http://theheadphonelist.com/headphone_review/dunu-dn-1000/
And to the UE900 here: http://theheadphonelist.com/headphone_review/1964ears-1964-v3/ 
 
Feb 11, 2014 at 8:07 AM Post #12,889 of 16,931
Just to provide some very, very brief overview of my experience of the RHA MA750, Yamaha EPH-100, and Sony MH1C. This is virtually all from memory so I can't make fantastic comparisons, but on averages they should roughly be right. Mainly used R&B and hip-hop tracks on an iPhone 5S, so for different genres recommendations may be different:
 
RHA MA750 - Only tried for a short while, so my pair weren't broken in. Once broken in they could change, but I think that the issues I had with them would still be present after break-in. 
Very good bass extension. Goes very deep indeed. Not enough impact for my liking, it simply wasn't aggressive enough. Mids are very recessed, and lower treble is definitely accentuated. Overall quite a different sound signature to the other two, and not one that I like (reminds me of listening to an extremely compressed MP3). Enclosure was too big for me to get a long-lasting seal. Packaging was mediocre, but the build of the IEMs themselves was brilliant. Cable was lovely, accessories included were good, though the tips are definitely a little delicate and the case is a little rubbish (the zip is a single one that comes back round at the end, so you can actually zip it up unevenly). My advice for putting tips on, gently fold the bottom flanges back.
 
Sony MH1C
My "old" IEM. Bass quantity is a tad too much, often drowned out the mids. Good extension, and relatively good detail but quite slow. Difficult to say whether mids were a tad recessed or the bass took over, but very similar to the EPH-100 in this respect. More treble, and overall more balanced compared to a pair of EPH-100s with less than an hour on them (I'd expect this to change), but due to a lack of detail in comparison you almost don't get this impression. They sound rather congested, busy, and less open compared to the EPH-100s (again, with under an hour on them). Packaging is of course minimal, but at least it wasn't a pain. Accessories are basic, but again, OEM part. Flat cable is sort of tangle prone, but easily unravelled. The uneven weighting means they constantly fall out, and you can't fit them over the ear because the remote (which as you'd imagine doesn't work with iOS devices) gets in the way.
 
Yamaha EPH-100
Bloody awful packaging. Horrible sharp sealed plastic packaging to hold everything together (same as stuff you get from a hardware store) as opposed to a box (so once they're open, they're not going to be repackaged). The plastic tray to get the IEMs out of also requires a bit of a pull on the cable, unless you press through the back hard. Bass impact is great, and the bass in terms of quantity is a little less than the MH1C, but it's noticeably quicker. Definitely more agility and detail at the low-end. Mids appear to have more presence than the MH1Cs; it seems that there is better balance between the mids and low-end than the MH1C. Treble right now is more recessed (again, I would have thought this will change). However, as above, there is more detail, which actually gives the impression that there is more treble than there actually is (no bad thing). Cable is tangle prone, and rather thing - we'll see how it holds up, should be fine. Overall, sounds extremely similar to the MH1C, but has more detail, is more open, and is just easier to listen to. My only issue, as they're now discontinued, if they break, I have to hunt for another pair or look elsewhere!
 
If you really like the MH1C but want an overall upgrade, I'd strongly suggest skipping the MA750s and jumping to the EPH-100s.
 
Feb 11, 2014 at 11:36 AM Post #12,890 of 16,931
Hi,
 
I am looking for the most natural sounding IEM's up to 100€. I like warm(ish), but forward mids, good treble extension and presence but non fatigating (this is very important), and non accentuated bass, but still with some good impact (not boomy at all!).  My reference are the Blox M2c (earbuds, not IEM's, I know), and I would like some IEM's that sound the closest to the Blox's. 
 
Would the GR07 be a good choice? If not, what would be?
 
Thanks!
 
Feb 11, 2014 at 11:55 AM Post #12,891 of 16,931
  Hi,
 
I am looking for the most natural sounding IEM's up to 100€. I like warm(ish), but forward mids, good treble extension and presence but non fatigating (this is very important), and non accentuated bass, but still with some good impact (not boomy at all!).  My reference are the Blox M2c (earbuds, not IEM's, I know), and I would like some IEM's that sound the closest to the Blox's. 
 
Would the GR07 be a good choice? If not, what would be?
 
Thanks!

 
    i think you should consider re-400 , its warm , forward mids , good extension , and non accentuated bass . never heard the blox .
 
Feb 11, 2014 at 11:58 AM Post #12,892 of 16,931
   
    i think you should consider re-400 , its warm , forward mids , good extension , and non accentuated bass . never heard the blox .

ClieOS told me the Blox were fun and dynamic, and that the RE-400 were very diferent... Before that I was also considering the RE-400 
confused_face(1).gif
 
 
Feb 11, 2014 at 12:08 PM Post #12,893 of 16,931
Well, your description definitely sounds like the RE-400 and not the GR07. When people say "fun" they typically mean big bass and/or a v-shaped signature, and you want the opposite. 
 
Feb 11, 2014 at 12:43 PM Post #12,894 of 16,931
  Well, your description definitely sounds like the RE-400 and not the GR07. When people say "fun" they typically mean big bass and/or a v-shaped signature, and you want the opposite. 

 
That's why I was a bit confused when he said that. I find the Blox to have a rather natural sound, not a "fun" one. 
 
I'm just a bit scared that the RE-400's don't deliver enough in terms of soundstage...
 
Feb 11, 2014 at 1:41 PM Post #12,895 of 16,931
   
That's why I was a bit confused when he said that. I find the Blox to have a rather natural sound, not a "fun" one. 
 
I'm just a bit scared that the RE-400's don't deliver enough in terms of soundstage...

  
     then you are looking for ue-600 , its fun enough for me , forward mids , sound stage is more then avg. but its not par with re-400 and likes . may not have that bass , but its good . i love them , better then anything under $80 , anything .
 
Feb 11, 2014 at 2:01 PM Post #12,896 of 16,931
  Hi,
 
I am looking for the most natural sounding IEM's up to 100€. I like warm(ish), but forward mids, good treble extension and presence but non fatigating (this is very important), and non accentuated bass, but still with some good impact (not boomy at all!).  My reference are the Blox M2c (earbuds, not IEM's, I know), and I would like some IEM's that sound the closest to the Blox's. 
 
Would the GR07 be a good choice? If not, what would be?
 
Thanks!

You can also consider Etymotic HF5. I haven't heard Blox MC2 though. 
 
Feb 11, 2014 at 4:27 PM Post #12,897 of 16,931
I just wanted to say thank you to Joker and everyone else who posted recommendations. I decided on the Fischer Amps FA-4 E XBs in the end. Pricey but I would recommend checking them out if you're looking for a detailed IEM with a slightly v-shaped sound signature.
 
Feb 11, 2014 at 4:47 PM Post #12,898 of 16,931
  You can also consider Etymotic HF5. I haven't heard Blox MC2 though. 

 
I may be wrong, but from what I read about Etymotic's, they really don't seem to be what I'm looking for 
triportsad.gif

 
I want an entertaining but balanced (pending to the warm side) sound. Something that works with pretty much all genres 
dt880smile.png

 
Feb 11, 2014 at 4:56 PM Post #12,899 of 16,931
   
I may be wrong, but from what I read about Etymotic's, they really don't seem to be what I'm looking for 
triportsad.gif

 
I want an entertaining but balanced (pending to the warm side) sound. Something that works with pretty much all genres 
dt880smile.png

 
 
That's what I read about them too...until i tried them. Honestly, the HF5 can pull out some head-shaking bass when necessary. The problem is that the fit required to do so is painful. It needs to go into the "reference plane", something that isn't easy to do. If you hit that sweet spot, the HF5 is on of the best deals in audio. You get truly awesome sound, plus nearly unbeatable isolation.
 
Don't fully dismiss it. If you can find one cheap on the forums, get it.
 
Feb 11, 2014 at 7:09 PM Post #12,900 of 16,931
Hello all!
It's been a while since I've been here. I've always used on-ear or over-ear headphones. This will be my first IEM I'm looking to buy. I have been using HD 25-1 ii's, ATH M50's, Denon AHD 2000's. I love them all. I'm very attached to my HD 25-1 ii's cause I DJ with them. Now I'm looking for suggestions for IEMS. I took a look at the review for the RHA MA750 and they have me convinced right now. It says it's got pretty deep bass, but not "bass head" level, which would be suitable for me. Again, I'm just taking on suggestions right now. I mainly listen to electronic (trance, house, dnb, dubstep, etc). My budget is at most $200 USD ~120£. If there is an IEM just barely over that, but is really worth it, I will consider it. It's been a while since I've been on this board, so I'll do my best to understand the technical details you guys spew at me :)
 

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