Apple iPhone 5

Sound:  You would think that given the Iphones evolution from the Ipod would mean that it’s a device that has some audio emphasis.  It does not.  It’s not the worst I’ve heard from a phone (yes you Nexus 4) but it’s just so tepid.  Kinda warm, kinda heavy, kinda slow, kinda listless and limp.  If you want it to be its best get something like the IE8.  Go for that V shaped roller coaster IEM that in a more powerful, more capable source would blow your socks off.  The casual blandness of the Iphone 5 will tame its proclivity for wild abandon and turn it into something you could more sedately get along with day after day.  However that just feels like the IE8’s amazeballsness is rather wasted on the 5.  Hey it’s your money but while I find it makes the 8’s more contained and usable you are still missing out on it showing just what it is capable of.  Bass it’s relatively tamed, notably in depth as it hasn’t the power to drive anything down low.  Punches are softened too.  Vocal’s fair better with a fair degree of creaminess added.  I like that personally but it does tend to muffle and suffocate breathy vocalists.  Treble, again it’s a touch muted and lacks energy.  Things should bight more than they do but the 5 just doesn’t want to extent too high nor provide the power for things to truly snap.  A sparkle should be capable of exploding, dazzling you, showering you a majestic splendour.  The IE8 can do that, I know it can but here it feels like the sort of fireworks show your dad put on in the back garden.  The IE8 can do last night of the Festival fireworks but not with the 5 powering it, it cant.