BenF
Headphoneus Supremus
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The discovery thread!
- Thread starter Dsnuts
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- blon bl03 db3 ibasso am05 isn d02 isn h40 jq audio jvc-ha-fx101 jvc-ha-fx40-b-earphone-kv6902 nx7 nx7 pro philips-she3580-28-in-ear-headphones philips-she9700 pioneer-dje-1500-k-professional-dj-in-ear-headphones sony-mh1-livesound-hi-fi-stereo-in-ear-headphones sphere thermaltake-in-ear-headset tri i3 vsonic-vc1000
Snyper0012
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For a basshead cks1000 would be the #1 choice among here for quality bass. If quantity is what you are after i suggest looking at the sony xb90ex and ath cks77x
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Wow, as I always note, you go to sleep on this thread, never know what you'll find in the morning (and could take the whole morning to catch up). Pulled the trigger on Amazon for MA750, sounds really interesting. Looked at the site for the FAD wannabe, don't see a way to buy either, curious if anyone comes up with one.
Still loving the X3, best thing I've bought recently (and this money sucking site has got me buying lots...my contribution to economic stimulus). I had been considering one of the high end daps (the 2 A & K jobbies, iBasso DX100, now the Hifiman HM 901), can't imagine, for portable listening they could be much better. As I've mentioned, these are great alone, even better line out to a good amp (use my Continental). Plug my Senn 650's in, HEAVEN!!! (means to me it's a great DAC in there). Can't imagine what Fiio will to for the upgrade except more options (maybe 2 sd cards? better amp? ability to switch amps? ability to cook you gourmet dinner and rub your back?)
Still loving the X3, best thing I've bought recently (and this money sucking site has got me buying lots...my contribution to economic stimulus). I had been considering one of the high end daps (the 2 A & K jobbies, iBasso DX100, now the Hifiman HM 901), can't imagine, for portable listening they could be much better. As I've mentioned, these are great alone, even better line out to a good amp (use my Continental). Plug my Senn 650's in, HEAVEN!!! (means to me it's a great DAC in there). Can't imagine what Fiio will to for the upgrade except more options (maybe 2 sd cards? better amp? ability to switch amps? ability to cook you gourmet dinner and rub your back?)
Mackem
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Where is the cheapest place to buy the CKS1000 delivered to the UK?
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Continuation from above, for a change, pulled out the AT A900x, hadn't heard them in a while, plugged into X3, well, you know the rest...
Dsnuts
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Try ordering from this site. Might be the way to go. http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/search3.html?q=CKS1000&media=&r=any&step=20&order=score
I am listening to the Gypsy Kings this morning using the MA750 and imagery on these phones are so on point. Instruments just pop with these phones Amazing.
I am listening to the Gypsy Kings this morning using the MA750 and imagery on these phones are so on point. Instruments just pop with these phones Amazing.
Mackem
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I take it that site is legit? I think the CKS1000s might be the way to go for me since I liked the sound signature of the Basso so much.
HairyHeadMara
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Listening Coldplay's Every tear drop is a waterfall from S2 on X3 and feel like I have eargasm.
koreanzombie
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Hey Dsnuts, do you think the MA750 are better than the vsonic gr07 bass editions for mainly edm,dubstep but also anall rounder?
Dsnuts
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CDjapan is legit. Many guys on the CKM500 thread got their CKM500s from them. I believe $150 is currently the cheapest for the CKS1000. Even on Amazon US.
@Hairy. Ya the S2 and the X3 is a pairing and a half..
@Hairy. Ya the S2 and the X3 is a pairing and a half..
Dsnuts
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They are compelling product. I do like them over the GR07 offerings. I think they have the superior mids over the GR07 and a much better sense of depth and 3Dness over the flat 2Dness of the monitorish sound on the GR07s. The BEs if you can buy one used is a solid phone for your music but the MA750 new comes with a stainless steel housing that looks simply premium.
Try something new. When they sound this good it is an easy recommend. If you want to wait till next week when a bunch of more headfiers get their MA750 you can certainly read more impressions but I will say it again. Phones this good just don't come around too often for the cost.
Oh and by the way.. The first night the MA750 sounded better on my DX50. The second night after some burn it was my X3 that it sounded real nice on.. So much like how my S2 sounds great on both sources. .These do as well.. I think I prefer it on my X3 by a hair but both sources sound real nice using the MA750.
I'm now way beyond 100 hours of burn in on my Monster Gratitudes and feel that it's about time to make some real judgement on them.
The Monster Graditudes are being discontinued and are available for $59 in the US and £50 in Europe at the moment. After reading a few postitive reviews on them and seeing the current prices I decided to pick up a pair to give them a shot.
I've been comparing them to the Philips Fidelio S2's for a couple of weeks now. The S2's are the best sounding IEM's I own so they are the ones to beat for any newcomers in my collection.
The Gradutudes comes in the nices packaging I've ever seen on any IEM:
(picture borrowed from the web)
They come with five differsent sized plain silicon tips, two pairs tri-flange tips in different size and four different sized hybrid tips. The quality of he tips are very nice all over. I have settled on the second smallest silicon tips since the deliver the most opened sound for me. I found the tip choice to make a bigger difference in the sound then on many other IEM's.
Also included is two pouches. One regular small one that will fit the IEM's and some extra tips and one bigger one with belt clip that's a perfect fit for my Fiio X3.
The build quality and design are great. My only complain (ironically since it's a Monster product) is the cord that's flat and nice but a little bit less soft then the cord on the S2. This makes the cord a little bit more exposed to tangle and it also bring some microphonics when moving around. Adding the included shirt clip pretty much kills the microphonics so that's not a big problem. I still wish that the cord would have been more flexible like the one on the S2's.
The comfort is also very good. I really like the comfort on the S2's and I find the Gratitudes to be equally comfortable.
The Gratitudes does isolate really well and they do let very little sound out. These are actually one of few IEM's I can use in bed without my wife complaining about the noise leaking from them. The S2's on the other hand, being semi open, does not have the best isolation and do also leak some sound.
The S2's are a bit harder to drive. I will need to crank up the volume 3-4 notches on my X3 to reach the same volume when switching from the Gratitudes to the S2's.
I really enjoy the sound signature on my S2's. They're balanced sounding and still have a nice fullness to the sound. They also have a very nice soundstage. So how does the Gratitudes compare?
Well, they are definitely less balanced then the S2's. The overall sound signature is a little bit brighter then that of the S2's and this gives them a bit less fuller sound. The S2's have a bit more forward mids and also a tad more midbass. One of the things I like the most about the S2's is the soundstage, the Gratitudes does actually presents an even bigger soundstage. The Gratitudes also presents better detail, sometimes when switching directly from the Gratitudes to the S2's the S2's actually feels a little muffled. The S2's do have some sibliance (nothing that bother me) while the Gratitudes are very smoth with no sibliance at all, female voices are just wonderful with them. The only thing that I miss on the S2's are the sub bass, I would really like a bit more impact on the lowest notes. To me this is what really makes the Gratitudes great. The sub bass does really hit low and hard while still being very accurate. This in combination with great detail and soundstage does make them a very fun IEM to listen to.
To sum it up I would say that the S2's are probably the technically better and more balanced out of the two but in despite of this I found myself reaching for the Gratitudes more often, especially when going outside.
The list price for the Gratitudes was $229 in the US and £200 in Europe when they were realesed last year. I've actually never owned a IEM that expensive so I cannot compare them in to other IEM's at their original price but at the current prices they are a steal.
GO GET THEM WHILE STOCK LAST
Edit: I used my Fiio X3 headphone out, X3 LO to the Schiit Magni and my HTC One as sources.
The Monster Graditudes are being discontinued and are available for $59 in the US and £50 in Europe at the moment. After reading a few postitive reviews on them and seeing the current prices I decided to pick up a pair to give them a shot.
I've been comparing them to the Philips Fidelio S2's for a couple of weeks now. The S2's are the best sounding IEM's I own so they are the ones to beat for any newcomers in my collection.
The Gradutudes comes in the nices packaging I've ever seen on any IEM:
(picture borrowed from the web)
They come with five differsent sized plain silicon tips, two pairs tri-flange tips in different size and four different sized hybrid tips. The quality of he tips are very nice all over. I have settled on the second smallest silicon tips since the deliver the most opened sound for me. I found the tip choice to make a bigger difference in the sound then on many other IEM's.
Also included is two pouches. One regular small one that will fit the IEM's and some extra tips and one bigger one with belt clip that's a perfect fit for my Fiio X3.
The build quality and design are great. My only complain (ironically since it's a Monster product) is the cord that's flat and nice but a little bit less soft then the cord on the S2. This makes the cord a little bit more exposed to tangle and it also bring some microphonics when moving around. Adding the included shirt clip pretty much kills the microphonics so that's not a big problem. I still wish that the cord would have been more flexible like the one on the S2's.
The comfort is also very good. I really like the comfort on the S2's and I find the Gratitudes to be equally comfortable.
The Gratitudes does isolate really well and they do let very little sound out. These are actually one of few IEM's I can use in bed without my wife complaining about the noise leaking from them. The S2's on the other hand, being semi open, does not have the best isolation and do also leak some sound.
The S2's are a bit harder to drive. I will need to crank up the volume 3-4 notches on my X3 to reach the same volume when switching from the Gratitudes to the S2's.
I really enjoy the sound signature on my S2's. They're balanced sounding and still have a nice fullness to the sound. They also have a very nice soundstage. So how does the Gratitudes compare?
Well, they are definitely less balanced then the S2's. The overall sound signature is a little bit brighter then that of the S2's and this gives them a bit less fuller sound. The S2's have a bit more forward mids and also a tad more midbass. One of the things I like the most about the S2's is the soundstage, the Gratitudes does actually presents an even bigger soundstage. The Gratitudes also presents better detail, sometimes when switching directly from the Gratitudes to the S2's the S2's actually feels a little muffled. The S2's do have some sibliance (nothing that bother me) while the Gratitudes are very smoth with no sibliance at all, female voices are just wonderful with them. The only thing that I miss on the S2's are the sub bass, I would really like a bit more impact on the lowest notes. To me this is what really makes the Gratitudes great. The sub bass does really hit low and hard while still being very accurate. This in combination with great detail and soundstage does make them a very fun IEM to listen to.
To sum it up I would say that the S2's are probably the technically better and more balanced out of the two but in despite of this I found myself reaching for the Gratitudes more often, especially when going outside.
The list price for the Gratitudes was $229 in the US and £200 in Europe when they were realesed last year. I've actually never owned a IEM that expensive so I cannot compare them in to other IEM's at their original price but at the current prices they are a steal.
GO GET THEM WHILE STOCK LAST
Edit: I used my Fiio X3 headphone out, X3 LO to the Schiit Magni and my HTC One as sources.
jant71
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Very interesting impressions. Don't see a pic though. If the Gratitude has better bass reach, detail, soundstage, and is not prone to sibilance, how are the S2 still technically better? I guess you mean they are better balanced but that is just the sound balance which I ascribe more to tuning than technical capabilities.
Maybe other tips are needed on the S2? Sounds like you have them powered well enough but less bass reach and sibilant tendencies might be corrected with the right tips.
I'd still might go for the Monster as they are a great package for the price and more sealed so outside they should have the edge keeping more bass from being cancelled out by external Freqs.
Maybe other tips are needed on the S2? Sounds like you have them powered well enough but less bass reach and sibilant tendencies might be corrected with the right tips.
I'd still might go for the Monster as they are a great package for the price and more sealed so outside they should have the edge keeping more bass from being cancelled out by external Freqs.
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+1 on the Gratitudes, great buy at <$100, agree with your findings (and I am getting to like the S2's more and more, but Gratitudes are a really great iem, especially at that price). Like your comparisons, may do my own if I ever have the time.
As for the X3, went out to do yard stuff listening to X3 and AT A900x as previously noted. After a bit of listening, felt the bass (was listening to jazz, acoustic bass was what was played) sounded a bit soft, indestinct. Had been charging the Continental Amp, got it and did the X3 line out thing, bass much more controlled, a certain increase in overall space/clarity/stage size came through. Makes me think the amp section is maybe the wink link of the X3 (though it isn't bad, by any means, and does fine by itself with most headphones; still, I often hear improvement using line out). Maybe that is what the iBasso does better (though I don't have one to compare myself). I've also found some problems on the X3 with tagging/downloading albums in proper order, so it isn't perfect (yet). Still love it, though.
As for the X3, went out to do yard stuff listening to X3 and AT A900x as previously noted. After a bit of listening, felt the bass (was listening to jazz, acoustic bass was what was played) sounded a bit soft, indestinct. Had been charging the Continental Amp, got it and did the X3 line out thing, bass much more controlled, a certain increase in overall space/clarity/stage size came through. Makes me think the amp section is maybe the wink link of the X3 (though it isn't bad, by any means, and does fine by itself with most headphones; still, I often hear improvement using line out). Maybe that is what the iBasso does better (though I don't have one to compare myself). I've also found some problems on the X3 with tagging/downloading albums in proper order, so it isn't perfect (yet). Still love it, though.
Did something wrong with the picture, corrected now.
Yes, I was thinking that the S2's are better technically because of better balance and looking more flat in measurements, might be the wrong way to put it
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