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.
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.
If you don't mind extra treble, the JVC HAFX40 has much better sound overall, although it hurts my ears with some music, as I am a bit treble sensitive. Otherwise I like the detailed sound very much. It also has good bass.
For strong bass that sounds natural, I love my Sony MDREX210. It has 13.5 mm drivers.
I also like the Panasonic RPHJE450 for its nice bass and great fit, althout it seems to be lacking slightly in detail, especially when compared to the Panasonic RPHJE355 or JVCHAFX40, The HAS355 is a bit bass deficient though.