Thanks for the kind words and feedback everyone. One more part to post, hopefully this will expand a little more on where I think these headphones fit in the grand scheme of things:
Select Comparisons
Macaw GT100S (Silver Reference Nozzle)
The Bette’s have more enhanced bass compared to the flatter and thinner Macaw and give up some clarity and detail retrieval in the midrange and treble. That said, the difference between the two is not as much as one might think. The Bette’s are slightly smoother overall and the treble “splashiness” that can occur in the Macaw isn’t an issue with the Bette even though the actual amount of treble is similar between the two. The soundstage is much larger on the Macaw and instrumental separation is better but the Bette’s have slightly better imaging. Vocals also sound more intimate on the Bette compared to the Macaw, which I found distancing overall.
JVC FXT90
The JVCs are more V-shaped, with more bass and treble and a more pushed back midrange. The Bette’s have slightly better control in bass due to lacking a mid-bass hump and the treble harshness in the JVC is all but nonexistent. Clarity and detail retrieval are very similar between the two headphones, but the Bette has better treble control over all and a clearer midrange. The sound stage of the JVC is again somewhat larger than the Bette, but the comparison is much closer here than with the Macaw. I also preferred the tonality of the Bette compared to the JVC, which seemed much more natural to me while the JVC could come across as very metallic.
Maxell DBA-700
The Maxell DBA-700 is another 1+1 hybrid with an 8mm dynamic and single BA. With the strength of the US dollar and the relative weakness of the Japanese Yen the Bette and the Maxell cost more or less the same amount. The Bette betters the Maxell in every way here - it’s not even close. Better bass, better treble, better clarity, better extension at both ends. The midrange on both ‘phones is surprisingly similar but the Bette pulls ahead again here with better detail. Soundstage is a dead win for the Bette here, it’s not even close.
OM Audio Inearpeace
The OM Audio is the first truly “good” hybrid headset I ever heard and remains the basis of comparison to most of my headphone collection. The OM has a larger mid-bass hump and more bass overall but still retains excellent control. The midrange is slightly pushed back compared to the Bette but clarity and detail in the mid and high ranges are very similar. The OM has a larger sound stage but imaging on the Bette is better.
ADDIEMs
The Bette and Apple have similar bass and midrange amounts, and the Bette has a touch more treble. The Bette has better quality bass, maintaining better texture and note separation at the extremes of the frequency range. Midranges are very similar in terms of clarity but the Bette’s are a touch smoother and thicker though no less lacking in detail compared to the thinner sounding ADDIEMs. The Bette’s have a minor boost in the high-mid/low-treble ranges and sound somewhat brighter than the flatter Apples, but again, no harshness is present. The Bette’s also have the advantage in terms of soundstage - they sound wider and deeper than the more closed-in Apple IEMs while maintaining excellent imaging and instrumental separation.