[DannyBai]

Quote:

 
Yeah, this bass is powerful like the FAD and XB90. But mids and treble are so nice (I think the treble in the R1 beats the treble in the other two without being harsh). I'm finding now that Monster foam and the stock silicon tips work best with this earphone. I'm using the LL stock silicon now. Nothing is really taming the bass that much, but it's cleaner with 30 hours burn-in on it. Now I need to try the sony hybid. although it doesn't obscure the mids and treble, I would like the bass tuned down probably a notch. This is definitely more of a "clean" basshead earphone than balance/neutral one, but I'm still loving the sound signature. Very powerful!!

Yeah I'll burn these in for the next couple of days and see.  The bass seems like it will calm down after some burn.  I still have hope for these since I wasn't disappointed with the sound at all.  Just different.  

 

[daveyostrow]

Quote:

I have a feeling I'm going to be losing the XB90ex.
I've only been listening to them for 2 hours straight but here's why.
 
I listen to many many many many music genres.
The XB90ex are MORE THAN FANTASTIC when bass heavy music is playing. And by bass heavy I mean not much focus on other parts of the sound spectrum.
I could listen to them for hours and hours.
 
When the rest of the sound spectrum comes into the picture.... I am amazed at how good these are even though the focus is subbass.
BUT. They're actually just a bit less than decent.
So. for bassy music. I will have to say they are excellent excellent excellent.
 
If, however, you are looking for all rounders with fantastic subbass, these don't work.
I played two tracks repeatedly.
Adele's "Rumor has it" and Wale's "Triumph"

Oh. last tracks for testing were this.

 
AND THIS.

 
Listening to these through the XB90ex and the FX40. There are clear differences.

cool video... but you have to burn them in to let more come through. but the fx40 will always be another story.

 

[ericp10]

Quote:

Yeah I'll burn these in for the next couple of days and see.  The bass seems like it will calm down after some burn.  I still have hope for these since I wasn't disappointed with the sound at all.  Just different.  

 
 
Here's the irony with the R1 to my ears. Although it doesn't obscure the mids and treble to my ears, I actually want some of that power bass tamed a bit. Generally for bass heavy (and non-bass heavy) IEMs we seem to recommend tips witha wide nozzle to get the most bass and best sound out of them. With the R1 - for my ears - it's just the opposite. While this is not a "balanced" earphone, you need a tip with a smaller nozzle to get the bass just right and even closer to the mids and treble. To my ears the R1 sounds best that way. I tried the large Sony hybrids, and that seemed to do the trick for what I'm looking for in the sound signature. But I also found some Phonak grey silicons while tip rolling. Eureka! It has even a tighter nozzle head than the Sony hybrids. Brings that bass down a couple of notches for me and pushes the vocals and other parts of the midrange more to the front. Treble is right there and perfect. The R1 kicks out major details for a cheap fun earphone. This large Phonak is comfortable and gives me the right sound signature with these earphones. I'll test them outside tomorrow.

 

[149700]

Quote:

I have a feeling I'm going to be losing the XB90ex.
I've only been listening to them for 2 hours straight but here's why.
 
If, however, you are looking for all rounders with fantastic subbass, these don't work.
 
Listening to these through the XB90ex and the FX40. There are clear differences.

Dsnuts claimed in previous posts that he recommends the xb90ex as perfect all rounders.
 
Just wondering, how long did you burn in them? I know from experience I hate listening to piano guys on a non-burned in phone. I hated piano guys on nearly all my iems and full size until around 50 hours in. Even for my recent hfi2400, I seriously contemplated returning them. 
 
How does it sound now? Amazing lol. 

 

[waynes world]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhL17 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
I hate listening to piano guys. I hated piano guys on nearly all my iems and full size.

 
(How's the above for editing lol?) I hate the piano guys too! Listened to them on all of my phones and felt like throwing them all away LOL!
 
Having said that, I don't really hate them

  But, I can't say they sounded great on any of my phones.

 

[atomikn00b]

hahaha.
well. like I said. I listen to many many many many genres.
 
And from initial listening, the xb90ex are great for bassy stuff and decent for other things.
 
It is actually because of the claim that they are good all rounders that I decided to use them to listen to the "piano guys".
I was more than satisfied with my bassy music.
But these piano guys also have bass and subbass (the cello and lower parts of the piano) but many other things reign as well.
 
I will continue to burn the xb90s in for the next week. If there's not too much a change by then, I'll report here and put them up for sale or trade with an eph100 (just because I'm curious).
 
I will also be getting the brainwavz r1 by the end of the week so will also report my thoughts on those.

 

[waynes world]

Quote:

hahaha.
well. like I said. I listen to many many many many genres.
 
And from initial listening, the xb90ex are great for bassy stuff and decent for other things.
 
It is actually because of the claim that they are good all rounders that I decided to use them to listen to the "piano guys".
I was more than satisfied with my bassy music.
But these piano guys also have bass and subbass (the cello) but many other things reign as well.
 
I will continue to burn the xb90s in for the next week. If there's not too much a change by then, I'll report here and put them up for sale or trade with an eph100 (just because I'm curious).
 
I will also be getting the brainwavz r1 by the end of the week so will also report my thoughts on those.

 
He he! I actually do respect those guys - saw them on some late night show the other night and was pretty impressed to be honest! But when listening to that video, they sounded only ok with my S500's (which I absolutely love with anything other than the piano guys apparently lol!). They sounded better with my almighty pimped out ksc75's (more forward mids), and less so with my PX100-II's. So, I would just have to say that the piano guys are a good and interesting headphone challenge! I also have the R1's on the way, as well as the jvc fxd70's, so once they are all burned in nicely, I will give the entire crew the "piano guys torture test" (and then be left with nothing to listen too once I throw them all away LOL!).

 

[Dsnuts]

The XB90s is one of those iems that you can just enjoy your tunes and not think so much about them. Atomik I will tell you what happens when you actually burn your earphones in. The highs actually becomes more proper. That was the one point of concern for me on open box. That is also the reason why the overall presentation is so smooth. These are tuned this way. These have basically the Sony house signature. Sony like to roll off the highs to lessen the sharpness for easier listening.. Just because these XB90s don't have the forward highs that are on the FX40s doesn't mean they are not detailed. In fact the mid detail on the Sony is actually much better over the FX40s. The FX40 has some nice highs that is easier to hear timbre detail but if you really listen to your Sonys. You will have a depth to your mids the FX40 can't touch..So it is a trade off. Truth be told I dont think there is truely a sound that is 100% versatile for everything. I think that is one of the reason why I like collecting different signatures earphones and headphone. If you think about it. If you get the exact same sounding earphone every time. What fun is in that? I like my bass earphones as much as I like my detailed earphones..
 
Mids and bass end tightens up too..  Burn in for me is actualy a ritual. Sure I listen to a phone when I rip open a new package. What person don't but from my own experience with anything with a driver in it the sounds usually improve for the better..
 
It is funny to me that great earphones like the FXD80 people end up selling without even burning them in. People think that is the end sound on them. I would have probably sold mines too if I judged them on open box but one thing I am 100% sure of is burn in. I can say that cus you guys are on my thread and I will tell you all like it is.  Phones without burn in is not getting the full sound of what they can do..Some are more affected than others. There are many guys that don't believe in burn in and that is fine. But these are the same guys that end up selling or returning stuff before their new phones are proper.

 

[waynes world]

Quote:

Truth be told I dont think there is truely a sound that is 100% versatile for everything. I think that is one of the reason why I like collecting different signatures earphones and headphone. If you think about it. If you get the exact same sounding earphone every time. What fun is in that? I like my bass earphones as much as I like my detailed earphones..
 

 
Sigh. There was a time when I thought that I could find one pair of phones that would satisfy me for a very long time. That was about 4 months ago. Then I found head-fi. Then I found ksc75's and px100'ii's. Then I found the S500 thread (and dsnuts, Doc, rick and crazy crew) and the S500's. Which lead me to the fx40's and fxd70's and R1's and.. and.. and.. and different sounding phones are definitely fun and addictive

 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Dsnuts /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Mids and bass end tightens up too..  Burn in for me is actualy a ritual. Sure I listen to a phone when I rip open a new package. What person don't but from my own experience with anything with a driver in it the sounds usually improve for the better..

 
Again, what dsnuts says! Of the few phones that I have, most of them have improved considerably with burn in. I'm a believer.

 

[149700]

Quote:

 
(How's the above for editing lol?) I hate the piano guys too! Listened to them on all of my phones and felt like throwing them all away LOL!
 
Having said that, I don't really hate them

  But, I can't say they sounded great on any of my phones.

 
Haha, I thought the quote was what I actually wrote and I panicked!
Quote:

 
 I will give the entire crew the "piano guys torture test" (and then be left with nothing to listen too once I throw them all away LOL!).

 
Doo it! 

 

[atomikn00b]

lol. I do believe in burn in and I AM burning in the xb90s as we speak.
they'll go through it for the next week. (>= 80 hrs)
 
And as for a sound that is 100% versatile for everything I agree that it doesn't exist.
But 85-90% i think does.
 
Or maybe I'm just spoiled by my Denon D2Ks and Brainwavz HM5s and even the Panasonic HTF600s
 
And as for your analysis regarding fx40 highs and details vs XB90, I agree completely even from open box. They ARE more detailed though not as easy to hear.
 
And again. From no burn in only, the XB90s pass my "bassy iem that can hold it's own with other genres" test in flying colors.
You are right that with the xb90s I can just enjoy my tunes without thinking about them. My brain sorta fills in the missing parts because I'm so familiar with how they should sound.
 
BUT. They haven't got that pass mark as all rounders yet.

It's what I get for listening to too many music genres.
 
So the journey continues.

 

[Dsnuts]

Ya the XB90EX grows on you..Believe me i was the exact same way the first time I heard them. If you have Steve Miller bands greatest hits. Or if you don't ..
 
Anybody that want to know what the XB90EX is about.. After you do your burn in track down this album and load it on your best source.. Listen to the album but the very first track.The Joker.. and hear the full on 3D glory of this recording. It will surprise you I guarantee it..
 
The depth of this tune is so deep you will hear Steve millers voice.. Clearly up front and all the insturments clearly behind his voice. There is so much layering and depth to this recording it will amaze..

 

[mochill]

 

 

[mochill]

some of my earphones ^^^^ LOL

 

[mochill]

now i gave u guys some pics ...still have a box filled with iem............oh heres my s500