[jazzerdave]

I stopped taking JPS seriously when I saw their early test headphone looked like something Spiderman would wear. Seriously, companies that act as ignorant and arrogant as JPS should just be ignored and only mentioned when they fall flat on their faces, which inevitably they do. I think JPS is going for a cash grab and little else. Price some mediocre headphone sky high and walk away with the cash as some richly rich displays it to all his richly rich friends. Yeah ok, I guess I have become cynical towards some of the over hyped boutique gear.

 
So I'd definitely call the Abyss headphones way overpriced, uncomfortable, and oozing off-putting arrogance, but I wouldn't call them mediocre.  If they just slapped an Audeze headband on them and priced them around $2500, they'd provide some serious competition for the LCD-3 and SR-007.  I don't they can really compete with the SR-009, but that doesn't make it mediocre.  That being said, between the comfort, price, and the company's attitude, I wouldn't recommend them to anyone.

 

[warrenpchi]

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I'm sorry, what? "Audiophile glass compact discs"??

 
Pfft, Swarovski crystal CDs are where it's at these days. 

 
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I know it was a joke, but the "five dollar fier" thing is really fun to me. I wonder if there is some sleeper godlike IEM/headphone for under $100 that competes with far higher priced headphones.

As a fairly unexperienced head fier I don't really know the quantifiable differences between a $25, $50, $100, $400, $800, $1500 headphone. I've tried a couple from every bracket but couldn't tell you why I liked one more than the other.

 
I've pretty much given up on the concept of a giant killer.  Sure, there are some that are very good - surprisingly good - for their price.  But I'm not sure about them slaying giants.
 
Take the Monoprice 8323 and the Panasonic RP-HTF600-S that float around the $30 mark.  I've heard them, and I find both to be competent and better than others in their class, especially with regards to a decently balanced FR.  But some of the crucial things we look for are still missing.  Staging is nothing to write home about, they're somewhat prone to exhibit distortion, and congestion seems to be a way of life for them.  If $30 was my budget, I'd take them in a heartbeat, but I doubt that I'd be happy.
 
I'm also incredibly unsold on the Monoprice 8323.  Maybe it is the greatest budget IEM ever in some reality somewhere... but not for me in this world.  Anything that takes that amount of foreplay just to get a decent seal has got me totally pissed off by the time I even start the first track.  And I've been - frankly - too lazy to even try the Philips SHE????.
 
Having said all that, there are a few budget models that I personally enjoy, like RHA's MA350 and MA450i.  While both exhibit an irregular and slightly u-shaped signature paired with a generous serving of bass, they do play well with a lot of the stuff that I listen to.  But I wouldn't call them giant killers.  My UE700 have nothing to fear from them.
 
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This headphone has long been around.
 
Read!: http://www.head-fi.org/t/223263/the-stax-thread-new/21180#post_9206469

 
It does win in terms of portability. 

 
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I stopped taking JPS seriously when I saw their early test headphone looked like something Spiderman wouldn't even wear.

 
FTFY.
 
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Also, the crane hose things they use to clean the planes move way too quickly/organically. It's actually creeping me out a bit.

I am mesmerized when I saw them. So fluid, so precise...

 
So ALIVE! 

 
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Well I sent a email out to JPS today got this hours later

Hi Andre,

Thanks for your offer for review. All review samples are already spoken for into the Fall of this year.

Take care… Joe

Looks like we might see some reviews on head-fi soon. Or not. Who knows

 
Unless the review models are destined for those outside HF... wonder if Jude is getting one?
 
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Damn my 5 dollar speaker is really picky, looks like I need a Proper Dac and Some nice sounding Flac files 

 
Oh wait, you should recable them!  Then they'd be amazing!
 
Actually, that's how I feel about my Sansa E250.  Once I Rockboxed it and got it to play FLAC, I thought I had totally won one for the little guy.  Then I realized that the DAC probably wasn't great, and of course the on-board amp is just atrociously noisy.  Bittersweet victory at best.
 
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But it does sound nice with strings  

 
So do tin cans. 

 

[veyrongatti]

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Oh wait, you should recable them!  Then they'd be amazing!
 
Actually, that's how I feel about my Sansa E250.  Once I Rockboxed it and got it to play FLAC, I thought I had totally won one for the little guy.  Then I realized that the DAC probably wasn't great, and of course the on-board amp is just atrociously noisy.  Bittersweet victory at best.
 
 
So do tin cans. 

They sound terrible with pop though........ must be the way it is mastered......... mmm any cable suggestions? 

 

[MrViolin]

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Well, they make cables primarily... and the quality is outside of my budget as well.

Cables. Yup, I'm afraid that it'd be too expensivo for me tambien.
 
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An Orpheus rig these days would be more along the lines of $25k. You'll be paying closer to $15k just for the headphones.

): that inflation. And the fact that it's the orpheus. 

 

[veyrongatti]

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 My UE700 have nothing to fear from them.
 

Wait could the UE700 be giant killlers? Maybe its just nostalgia but I feel the UE700 could compare with the SE535

 

[MrViolin]

veyerongatti... that's like a aventagini <- except that sounds stupid.
Hmmmm... Contagini?

 

[Tangster]

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They sound terrible with pop though........ must be the way it is mastered......... mmm any cable suggestions? 

Coat hangers.

 

[DigitalFreak]

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Wait could the UE700 be giant killlers? Maybe its just nostalgia but I feel the UE700 could compare with the SE535

I challenge you to say that in a Shure thread. If you decide to take my challenge I hope you're a good runner

 

[warrenpchi]

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Oh wait, you should recable them!  Then they'd be amazing!
 
So do tin cans. 

 
They sound terrible with pop though........ must be the way it is mastered......... mmm any cable suggestions? 

 
For the speakers or the tin cans?  I dunno about the speakers, but maybe upgrading to twine for the cans would do the trick.  Maybe some Ohsnap continuous weave fiber twine would bring out more detail.
 
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Well, they make cables primarily... and the quality is outside of my budget as well.

 
Cables. Yup, I'm afraid that it'd be too expensivo for me tambien.

 
They do look like really nice cables though.
 
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 My UE700 have nothing to fear from them.

 
Wait could the UE700 be giant killlers?

 
Lol, probably not.  However, I only paid $80 new for my UE700, and I think I'd be hard pressed to find something else as good at that price point.
 
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Maybe its just nostalgia but I feel the UE700 could compare with the SE535

 
I challenge you to say that in a Shure thread. If you decide to take my challenge I hope you're a good runner

 
"Don't taze me bro!" 

 

[Achmedisdead]

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Actually, that's how I feel about my Sansa E250.  Once I Rockboxed it and got it to play FLAC, I thought I had totally won one for the little guy.  Then I realized that the DAC probably wasn't great, and of course the on-board amp is just atrociously noisy.  Bittersweet victory at best.
 

Supposedly the Sansa Fuze LOD cables work on the e200 players too. I can at least confirm that the Fuze and E200-series share the same proprietary USB cable, so maybe one of those Fuze LODs will bypass the CPU noise you hear from the headphone-out. (Thankfully, I don't use IEMs so I barely notice that noise you mention, but it is certainly there). So Fuze LOD, grab a portable amp, and BAM! Warren's got a transportable brick! 

 

[jgray91]

Wait could the UE700 be giant killlers? Maybe its just nostalgia but I feel the UE700 could compare with the SE535

I challenge you to say that in a Shure thread. If you decide to take my challenge I hope you're a good runner

Or nuclear-fallout-proof suit, since that's what you'll be doing.

 

[veyrongatti]

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I challenge you to say that in a Shure thread. If you decide to take my challenge I hope you're a good runner

 
 
But I love my SE535.......

 

[compoopers]

This headphone has long been around.

Read!: http://www.head-fi.org/t/223263/the-stax-thread-new/21180#post_9206469

M50s are actually really funny because of exactly what you posted. If "Beats" are the headphones of the masses, M50s are the headphones of the slightly less ignorant masses who think they've discovered headphone heaven. I think M50s are great but I find most M50 owners are convinced they are the best things to grace our ears on the planet.

I'm also incredibly unsold on the Monoprice 8323. Maybe it is the greatest budget IEM ever in some reality somewhere... but not for me in this world. Anything that takes that amount of foreplay just to get a decent seal has got me totally pissed off by the time I even start the first track. And I've been - frankly - too lazy to even try the Philips SHE????.

I actually have tried the 8323s and found them really underwhelming as well. "Just mess around with EQ and you have best IEMs ever"... not so much. Maybe it was inherent bias by me, but it just didn't sound good... not to mention the fit issues you mentioned. Seriously, you can't even walk around with those things.

 

[lee730]

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M50s are actually really funny because of exactly what you posted. If "Beats" are the headphones of the masses, M50s are the headphones of the slightly less ignorant masses who think they've discovered headphone heaven. I think M50s are great but I find most M50 owners are convinced they are the best things to grace our ears on the planet.
I actually have tried the 8323s and found them really underwhelming as well. "Just mess around with EQ and you have best IEMs ever"... not so much. Maybe it was inherent bias by me, but it just didn't sound good... not to mention the fit issues you mentioned. Seriously, you can't even walk around with those things.

Welcome to headfi and the quagmire of conflict that always plaques the forum. Once you are here long enough you get more adept at wading through the garbage. Better yet once you find individuals who you're preferences generally line up with the better the bet of not being disappointed in the gear you purchase based on others opinions...

 

[a_recording]

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M50s are actually really funny because of exactly what you posted. If "Beats" are the headphones of the masses, M50s are the headphones of the slightly less ignorant masses who think they've discovered headphone heaven. I think M50s are great but I find most M50 owners are convinced they are the best things to grace our ears on the planet.

 
The M50 is the next thing I am going to make a video review of since I get so many requests. I think they are good for the price but honestly they have a tendency to sound wooly and congested at times, and are really really not portable headphones which is what a lot of people think they are. That said if I had to get everyone on a media production team one headphone it would be the M50. (Actually, no, probably the 7550, but we are talking headphones!)