JVC HA-FX101

Too much dirt and sibilance at 5.5-6.5KHz. Also they are not so murderous about bass as many people suggest.
 
Characteristics (subjective, 10 max):
Resolution: .............................6
Transparency: .........................5
Frequency range: ...................7.5
 
Balance (5 means equal):
High relative to mid: ................6.5
Low relative to mid: ................6.8
 
Frequency accentuation brakedown:
Bass is more: ........................middle
Mids are more: ......................high
Highs are more: .....................middle
 
Qualitative characteristics:
Bass tightness.......................7.9
Highs smoothness..................5.7

The bass is very good for the price and the driver size. The sound however, could be improved further by equalization. The highs are suprisingly good but these headphones are lacking a bit of the mids. These headphones are very lightweight and comfortable, allowing up to long hours of use.

However, I can still remember the time I took these headphones out of the box, they sounded awful. Literally awful. The bass sounded distorted, the mids are non existent and the highs sounded so bad that my ears hurt. I decided to give them a burn in for around 24 hours and oh my god the sound changed so much. The bass sounded much clearer and punchy, I can finally hear some mids and the treble doesn't try to make me go deaf anymore. As it turns out, after around 48 hours of burn in, these pair of headphpnes sound pretty phenomenal fpr their price.

Sadly, having a good burn in isn't the biggest con that might actually hold you back from purchasing these decent pair of headphones. The biggest con is indeed related to how poorly built these headphones are. Made out of plastic, they are very lightweight but sadly they are not very robust, even they do look like they are. After a few months of listening, I started to hear static in my music which at first I thought it was my PC's headphone jack's issue but as it turns out it's the headphones. I still use them sometimes but the static is just irritating and it ruins my listening expetience in a way.

As a conclusion, if you are someone who listens to dubstep, EDM or anything bassy, and is going on a tight budget and wants something that looks cool and "expensive", these are what you might be looking for. However, if your budget is a bit looser, I would recommend that you go with the FX1X instead. The sound is better and so is the build quality and I would definetly suggest ypu taking a look at that first.

I had the FX101s for a short period of time and I was really enjoying them. That was until something went wrong in the left earbud. Most say its a cable connection fault. No matter what, build quality is a cause for concern in these, especially the cable. The plastic body although makes them light, also makes them more susceptible to damage. Since they were gone I got the JVC FX1X instead. A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. Much more refined sound, even punchier bass and way better build. If planning to get the 101s please do consider the 1Xs as well. But if you are new to earphones, the 101s remain my recommendation. 

When I received these earbuds I was not expecting much. I read reviews on the FX1X and FX3X, and both were laced with caveats. The few posts I found on the 101s said (more or less) that they were the least riddled with problems from the XX product line. In the end, I purchased them on a whim to have a pair of "fun" IEMs.

First Impressions:

The packaging is a royal pain to open. It's nigh upon bulletproof. The cable feels cheap, but has acceptable levels of microphonics. BE WARNED. The headphones themselves sound like crap out of the box. The treble is tinny and uncomfortably loud; the bass lacks extension/clarity. I immediately started them on a break in period of 12 hours at a volume above comfortable listening levels.

Post Break In:

That 12 hour period changed their sound somewhat, and more use will likely continue the trend. I cannot say anything objectively (as my ears may have adjusted), but subjectively it seemed like the tin can treble and shallow bass were helped mildly. The treble is forward, followed by recessed mids and a solid bass extension. In the words of another reviewer, "These earbuds are good for one thing - spewing gobs of bass." Of course, that sound is achieved with stock tips.

Recommended To:

People looking for a fun and cheap pair of IEMs with a "V" shaped sound signature, metric tons of bass, and a small soundstage.

 
I found that I had to constantly adjust these to get a consistent sound, and doing so stopped me getting into the music. Because of this I sold them quickly. They sound similar to Etymotic ER6i, with perhaps better bass. I'm not sure if they distorted treble slightly.
 
Basically, unless you get them dirt cheap or love the looks, there's real earphones to be bought instead.

Wow. What a value these are. Amazing clean punchy deep bass, great mids and sparkling highs(hot almost) all for $14. Without any eq the bass is just darn powerful. Not muddy, but deep, punchy and plenty of it. Turn on the bass booster and insanity happens. Overall bets basshead budget earphones I have heard. Can't go wrong. Love the slim 3.5mm jack also.

I purchased these headphones because some other Head-Fi-ers recommended them to me. And the community is now 2 for 2 in recommendations for me! These are some pretty serious little earbuds. They pack quite a hefty punch, especially for the price, just 17 bucks! I have owned several full size, bass heavy headphones, and these can stand up with the best of them. Honestly, they sound just as good as my Numark Red Waves, both in sound quality and bass. However, if you want these to truly come alive, you will need a good equalizer. For the iPod Touch/ iPhone, use Dance or Bass Booster. My ASUS equalizer has made these things sound the best so far. Also, like most in ears, the cables catch quite a bit of movement noise (heavy breathing and when it slides across skin or clothing.) But, other than that, they are very comfortable. They look unlike any other earbuds out there. I'm sure there are a few, but I don't see them. Back to sound, if you like dubstep/ electronic, buy these. They even sound good when listening to jazz. These have blown my mind. And again, under 20 bucks!
Conclusion: If you are on the fence, I want to push you over. It's better on this side of the fence. If you want good sound quality, with booming bass, these are what you NEED to buy. Honestly, you won't regret it.