[Confispect]

So is everybody ordering at Ecost? If so this is a must purchase. 

 

[scannon18]

Quote:

So is everybody ordering at Ecost? If so this is a must purchase. 

Do you have experience with these headphones?  I am ANXIOUSLY awaiting my pair to come

 

[shotgunshane]

I now have over 60 hours on them. I have gone from being a little disappointed to really happy with these. The bass has really opened up and is starting to really sound good at lower volumes. The mids have warmed up just a little bit, so they no longer sound dry. The harsh treble is nearly gone but the nice sparkle is still there. I still get that weird cymbal shh with a few songs but is mostly gone now. The timbre is my favorite part. These have turned out to be very enjoyable; and to think I was considering selling them yesterday morning.

While the bass has definitely gotten better, I still consider them to be balanced to my ear. They really need to tell users to burn them in for a minimum of 50 hours before judging them. I noticed a couple of not so good reviews on Amazon; and what those users are describing is what I heard prior to 50 hour burn in.

 

[PsiCore]

Yeah, the timbre of the bass is something really special - I'm listening now to UM3X and there's definitly something missing in the lower parts.
 
I still have the "shhh" problem with cymbals and it's really annoying - I need to EQ it down (-5) at 5000hz to tolerable levels. I really hope it's gonna go away or I'll have to sell them (though I'd missing the great bass).
 
It's my first dynamic earphone so what's the best method to burn them in? Just let them play with EQ off?

 

[shotgunshane]

Just put your source or dap on shuffle and repeat. Put the volume a little louder than what you would normally listen at or a little louder than what you'd listen at for extended periods. The EQ shouldn't matter. Its more about the speaker just moving for extended time but I'd leave it off, so when you pick up and listen in occasionally, you can hear if the shh is still there.

I now only hear it on a small handful of songs. It is mostly gone. Makes me wonder if yours really have that many hours yet. Also different tips may help. I'm really liking the olives with them. Complys usually dampen treble a bit.

 

[Kunlun]

Quote:

It's my first dynamic earphone so what's the best method to burn them in? Just let them play with EQ off?

reasonably loud, varied playlist, continuous for another 50 hours should get things going a bit.

 

[SantinoSan]

I'm at about 40+ hours of burn-in and the harshness in the upper mid/lower treble is starting to grate on me.  I am pretty sensitive to sibilance and harshness, so I'm hoping some more burn-in will help. 
 
I will give my impressions versus a few other iem I have for any interested.
 
I have the Monster Turbines (non-pro) and the Panny 900 that I listen too most.
 
Lets start with a few words about my taste in music/sound signature.  I am a certified basshead.  I love bass...both in pure volume and in clarity.  That being said I listen to a fair amount of different genres from classical to country to hip-hop to dub-step.  Not much I don't like.  One thing is for certain, if it can't bring the bass, don't bother applying.
 
Now, onto the Atrio.  A bit more balanced that I thought according to other reviews.  The bass does not seem overbearing at all, actually the bass seems downright tame for my tastes.  The phones do have a really impressive ability to highlight the bass when the music calls for it though, and not just in quantity...the bass seems very well controlled and organic.  Definitely a step up from my turbines in quality. Quantity wise maybe a tad more sub-bass, but a little thinner in the upper bass.  I would say the bass seems as fast as the pannys but much more prominent.  Then again, I think of the panny's as bass-light.
 
To my surprise the treble is really a standout.  Very detailed and very present.  Lots of sparkle and clarity.  Way better than the turbines and I would say a little better than the pannys. A little lower in volume that the pannys.
 
 
 
The mids are where a little problem lies.  So far they sound a little thin and dry, with a rather large hump in the upper midrange that gets highlighted on some vocals, cymbals and is very noticeable in classic electric guitars.  To my ears it sounds a bit like some lower end horn loaded speakers, with a sort of upper mid-range "honk".
 
Some musical selections for an example:
 
Seal-Seal - whole album.  A nicely recorded album with good dynamics and a fairly layered sound.  Seal's voice is a difficult one to convey well as it spans a fairly large range and will sound "off" if the speakers are not up to the challenge.  My take-good, not great.  A bit stuffy sounding.  More natural timber and just the right amount of natural sibilance compared to the turbines and pannys but just missing was a bit of the lower end thickness of both the other phones. The good is that the natural sibilance of Seal's voice is clear and crisp without the ear piercing sound.
 
Bruno Coulais - Coraline OST - End Credits.  Another nicely layered album with lots of natural and organic sounds and a difficult voice to reproduce.  This is a standout to me for the Atrios.  The treble is very detailed and well represented.  The low end is also very well represented and fantastically textured.  On this recording the mid-range does not seem as recessed and the upper mid "honk" is not as apparent.  The French singers voice is very sibilant, and I experienced nothing irritating about how the Atrios portrayed it. On the contrary the panny 300s are like nails on a chalkboard for this song and the turbines just don't resolve enough detail.
 
Cookie Monster - Optimus Prime.  Nice bass...no really, nice bass. Unfortunately this recording is a bit harsh and the Atrios show it in spades.  A bit hard to listen to as the "honk" is very apparent and pretty much kept me from enjoying the music.  But the bass is killer.
 
Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare. Another album that is hard to listen too with the Atrios.  The guitars are not downtuned as in much of the heaver music, so the range is really problematic.  Very "honky" and painful for my ears.  Seriously, I felt like I was listening to a DJ play music with cheap PA speakers because of the upper midrange. 
 
Bottom line-only good for certain music.  Very revealing, nicely textured and much quicker than I expected.  More balanced on the whole than I expected.  The upper midrange  is a killer for me...I think I am really sensitive to it, and it makes some of my music hard to listen to. 
 
Like my Panasonic 300s I imagine lots of burn in won't cure this hump.  I will try to eq it out, but haven't gotten too much of a chance to play with the eq yet.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[shotgunshane]

I agree with most of your impressions. That upper mid peak did not subside until I was past 50 hours. Now with well over 60 hours they sound really good. Mids are no longer dry and the cymbal shh is gone from most of my music.

This is why I think the little instruction sheet they include should mention burn in requirements. At around 36 hours I was ready to sell them. Now they are keepers.

 

[Confispect]

Question: People buying these from Ecost did they have you make a membership there asking me for 39.95 or some crap. 

 

[SantinoSan]

Quote:

I agree with most of your impressions. That upper mid peak did not subside until I was past 50 hours. Now with well over 60 hours they sound really good. Mids are no longer dry and the cymbal shh is gone from most of my music.

This is why I think the little instruction sheet they include should mention burn in requirements. At around 36 hours I was ready to sell them. Now they are keepers.

SO glad to hear that.  I switched back to my turbines and noticed a huge reduction in detail and clarity.  It was like switching from HDTV back to standard def for me, and I am not using hyperbole when I say that. 

 

[Starsky5000]

Quote:

Question: People buying these from Ecost did they have you make a membership there asking me for 39.95 or some crap. 

 
No at the time i never had to pay ANY MEMBERSHIP. Now i called them up and they say you have to be a platinum member and pay $39.95 in order to purchase. I guess they got smart. I noticed that on their website recently. Get the Atrios Special Edition instead it will come out to about $140 total (includes the $9.99 shipping/handling charges, no tax).
 
I'm wondering if they are going to add change their rules for the Atrios special edition too. Either way it's still the LOWEST prices i've seen anywhere. You're better off getting the special edition. 

 

 

[shotgunshane]

That's lame about ecost now charging a membership fee. Guess I got mine just in time.

I can't vouch for this place but it is some kind of group buy coupon for $100 off retail. May want to check it out:
http://www.takeitngo.com/index.php

 

[Confispect]

Funny a fellow member just linked that to me.
 
What is going on did somebody infiltrate the main Atrio warehouse 

 

[shotgunshane]

SO glad to hear that.  I switched back to my turbines and noticed a huge reduction in detail and clarity.  It was like switching from HDTV back to standard def for me, and I am not using hyperbole when I say that. 

I listened to mine for a couple of hours yesterday while detailing the car and there were zero instances of the harsh/shh cymbals. I was close to 70 hours at that point. Any update on yours?

 

[SantinoSan]

I have around 50 hours on them now after a long burn in last night.  They are still boosted in the upper midrange, but don't seem as painful, but that could be me.  Not sure.  The more listen to them the more revealing they seem to be to me.  Bad recordings are rally obvious.