[princesultan]

Quote:

I'd go for the Crystal as it probably won't fall apart and is a decent enough all-rounder.

i had the exact same question. can you elaborate as to why one should choose the crystal or the xcape IE over the other? also, which is better for isolation (i'd like them for long haul flights). i would be listening to electronic music at around 125bpm but really don't want anything with TOO much bass. i also listen to rock, but i'm mainly interested in how electronic music will sound and which ones will do more justice to the actual intended recordings of the tracks i'm listening to. just a nice amount of bass and punch. i've been reading everything about both the crystals and the xcape IE's and i just can't make up my mind.

 

[ljokerl]

 
Quote:

i had the exact same question. can you elaborate as to why one should choose the crystal or the xcape IE over the other? also, which is better for isolation (i'd like them for long haul flights). i would be listening to electronic music at around 125bpm but really don't want anything with TOO much bass. i also listen to rock, but i'm mainly interested in how electronic music will sound and which ones will do more justice to the actual intended recordings of the tracks i'm listening to. just a nice amount of bass and punch. i've been reading everything about both the crystals and the xcape IE's and i just can't make up my mind.

The Crystal isolates better and - like I said - probably won't fall apart. I like the sound of the IE better, no doubt about that - but when dealers are dropping their product due to QC issues, there's obviously a problem that needs to be fixed before a product can be recommended. I think there are a number of parallels to the IE in my review of the Crystals in the multi-thread.

 

[princesultan]

 
Quote:

 


The Crystal isolates better and - like I said - probably won't fall apart. I like the sound of the IE better, no doubt about that - but when dealers are dropping their product due to QC issues, there's obviously a problem that needs to be fixed before a product can be recommended. I think there are a number of parallels to the IE in my review of the Crystals in the multi-thread.

 
Wow. This is making my decision that much harder. I'd obviously want sound quality as a top priority but you've pretty much scared me out of the IE'sdue to apparent problems with quality. Isolation is so pretty important to me, the sound signatuRe of the IE's just sounded better to me. I also have the hf5's in the mix even though they're quite different then both.
 
Whats the main build quality issue with the IE's? Is it the overheating coil iissue?

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

 
 
Wow. This is making my decision that much harder. I'd obviously want sound quality as a top priority but you've pretty much scared me out of the IE'sdue to apparent problems with quality. Isolation is so pretty important to me, the sound signatuRe of the IE's just sounded better to me. I also have the hf5's in the mix even though they're quite different then both.
 
Whats the main build quality issue with the IE's? Is it the overheating coil iissue?

Mine are cutting out near the plug but there are various other ones like the coil issue and splitting housings - you only need to read back a few pages in this thread for all the reports. The HF5 is very very different - of the highly-isolating <$100 ones the Shure SE215 is closer in signature to the Crystal/IE in my opinion. That has its own share of issues, though.
 

 

[princesultan]

Quote:

Mine are cutting out near the plug but there are various other ones like the coil issue and splitting housings - you only need to read back a few pages in this thread for all the reports. The HF5 is very very different - of the highly-isolating <$100 ones the Shure SE215 is closer in signature to the Crystal/IE in my opinion. That has its own share of issues, though.
 

 
 
So can I assume thAt you no longer give these a 10/10 like you did the v1's? Too bad. These looked like everything I was looking for. 
 
From what I'm reading the shures aren't for me. 

 

[ljokerl]

 
Quote:

 
 
So can I assume thAt you no longer give these a 10/10 like you did the v1's? Too bad. These looked like everything I was looking for. 

That's right, I really like the sound but there is no way the current build quality can net a high value score.

 

[kanuka]

Quote:

 
Quote:

 
 
So can I assume thAt you no longer give these a 10/10 like you did the v1's? Too bad. These looked like everything I was looking for. 

That's right, I really like the sound but there is no way the current build quality can net a high value score.

then i assume you consider the Build quality of the 0 and Zero better , if they keep at 10/10
 

 

[Inks]

It's really a shame about the build. The IE sounds very nice, colored but quite enjoyable without an overblown bass or treble. 

 

[princesultan]

Quote:

 
That's right, I really like the sound but there is no way the current build quality can net a high value score.

bahhh... too bad. i'm taking these off my list.

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

then i assume you consider the Build quality of the 0 and Zero better , if they keep at 10/10
 

Relative to the number of people who own them (which should be in the thousands by now) there are far fewer reported issues with the HiFiMan models vs the failures among the mere dozens of owners of the newer Sunrise earphones. I've owned all of the Head-Direct/HiFiMan IEMs except for the RE1 and have not had a single issue so far. 

 

[kanuka]

Quote:

Quote:

then i assume you consider the Build quality of the 0 and Zero better , if they keep at 10/10
 

Relative to the number of people who own them (which should be in the thousands by now) there are far fewer reported issues with the HiFiMan models vs the failures among the mere dozens of owners of the newer Sunrise earphones. I've owned all of the Head-Direct/HiFiMan IEMs except for the RE1 and have not had a single issue so far. 

is it that problem only on the IE or also with the Xcited?
 

 

[ljokerl]

 
Quote:

is it that problem only on the IE or also with the Xcited?
 

I don't think the Xcited overheats but there have been reports of shells splitting and the cable anchoring system is exactly the same.

 

[jarrett]

Hope they report on this issue...IE purchase on the backburner

 

[mkz]

Thanks joker, got one on the way. How would you rate these in terms of number out of 10 like in Multi-IEM thread?

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

Thanks joker, got one on the way. How would you rate these in terms of number out of 10 like in Multi-IEM thread?

For sound quality, the IE would be at an 8.4 and the Xcited around a 7.9