Hi ljokerl, reading through your reviews since days. Absolutely fabulous work!
Now seeking your advice for final decision making:
What I have:
- UE700 logitech-version (they were 50% off, got them from amazon germany for approx. $127 incl. shipping&tax; had no idea of dynamic drivers, BA, TWFK, sound signatures, ... at that time)
- used with ts comply foams (not for sound, but for fitting concerns)
- played a bit with equalizer presets (have no other IEMs for comparison) and seemed to like non-equalized most
What I search for:
- sound-upgrade and preferably better comfort
- for listening at home with my Nokia Lumia 920
- preferably a CIEM or at least custom-molded ear tips
- price limit about $400 incl. shipping&tax
Preferred sound signature:
- especially important (in alphabetical order): definition, detail, imaging, presence, transparence
- furthermore: analytical (for at-home-listening; don't know whether a most-analytic sound would be too much), forward
- maybe also: bright, brilliant, natural, sparkling, tight
- not: coloured (slightly at most), distant
Possible issues:
- small/narrow/strange ears/canals? (not sure, but the UE700 with comply foams are the first not tending to fall out of my ears ^^)
- could be disappointed if the new (C)IEM is missing something compared to my UE700?
Options in no particular order (non-custom-IEMs excl. (!) approx. $84 for custom-molded ear tips):
- Fischer Audio DBA-02 mkII (from amazon germany approx. $344 o_O incl. shipping&tax)
- Etymotic Research ER-4S (from amazon uk approx. $297 incl. shipping&tax)
- Brainwavz B2 (from amazon uk approx. $98 incl. shipping&tax)
- j-phonic K2 SP (how/where to get?)
- other non-custom IEMs available inside EU?
- other non-custom IEMs available outside EU?
- Custom Art Music One (approx. $291 incl. shipping&tax)
- Custom Art Music Two (pre-order price approx. $374 incl. shipping&tax) (frequence response:
Music One,
Music Two;
Music Two sound description by piotrus-g)
- other custom-IEMs shipping from EU?
- other custom-IEMs shipping from outside EU?
Also considered InEar StageDiver 2, but they cost approx. $496 incl. shipping&tax + additional approx. $84 for custom-molded ear tips = approx. $580, so almost 50% above limit. Moreover, SD-2 with dual-armature 2-way design you have scored 9.3 in sound quality, whereas Custom Art Music One with single-armature 1-way only costs half the money and scored 9.2, and the upgraded Custom Art Music Two with dual-armature 1-way is on pre-order for only $374 incl. shipping&tax.
Opinions on the aforementioned (C)IEMs regarding my requirements?
Other recommendations?
What would be a noticeable upgrade worth the money?
Many thanks in advance!