$250~350 IEM vs Portable Headphone vs Full Sized
Nov 16, 2008 at 3:48 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 12

misterDX

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i am looking for a transportable setup, so doesnt have to be very portable, my source will be laptop, and a usb-dac(ibasso D3 is probably on the top of my list) or fuze>mini3

i like etymotics sound sig, but am looking or a more heavy sound, more tight bass, and a more well defined and separated sound spectrum as a whole. Durability is also a strong point as i want this thing to last for years to come. accounting with careful handling. Lets just assume i listen to classical, jazz, pop, and rap.

now, for IEM i can go for triple fi (no shures cuz they have poor build?)and UE seem to have the best build?

for portable headphone, esw9 seem to be one option, a900ti also seem to be an option

for full sized, no denons, and have to be easy to drive for my portable amps.
what is your recommendation?


so yes, i am not sure from which medium will i get the best SQ per unit of cash, size is not really a problem, just have to fit my set up. thanks for the help!
 
Nov 25, 2008 at 10:58 PM Post #5 of 12
I would definitely suggest the triple.fi's :O

why wouldn't you buy Denon's? just curious.
 
Nov 26, 2008 at 3:29 AM Post #6 of 12
Quote:

Originally Posted by moonboy403 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
ESW10 if money's no object. I mean, just look at the damn thing!


Do the ESW10's just have an aesthetic upgrade, or do they have a sonic upgrade from the ESW9 too? I'm in the same boat as the original poster.
 
Nov 26, 2008 at 3:36 AM Post #7 of 12
I am curious too as to why you don't want the Denons. Anyway, both the SE530 and Triplefi 10 have lots of horror stories when it comes to their cables, so if you really want the best built quality I'll recommend the UM2 to you. For portable headphones the Ultrasones like the HFI-780 are probably the way to go over the ESW9, as they give you a more full-sized headphone sound and better value for money.
 
Nov 26, 2008 at 3:48 AM Post #8 of 12
X2 for the UM2 if you're looking for superior build and comfort as well as less cable microphonics.
They seem to be pretty much what you are looking for too. very tight bass.
If your intending on carrying your purchase around I would probably avoid the esw9 as there are 2 people on audiocubes who suffered from the plastic holding on the enclosures cracking.
frown.gif
 
Nov 26, 2008 at 4:10 AM Post #9 of 12
Quote:

Originally Posted by Lamenthe /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Do the ESW10's just have an aesthetic upgrade, or do they have a sonic upgrade from the ESW9 too? I'm in the same boat as the original poster.


I have both and the ESW10JPN is definitely is a quality upgrade in sound for me. Some, maybe more than a few, would like the warmer less detail of the ESW9 but not me. Both are good but the ESW10JPN is simply better in all respects for me.
 
Nov 26, 2008 at 6:15 AM Post #10 of 12
Based on SQ alone:

Denon D2000 paired with Zero DAC > ESW9 paired with 2Move > Triple.fi paired with P3

Actually they are surprisingly pretty close in SQ, and it was actually my preference that put one in favor of the other. I like D2000 for its better defined soundstage and speaker feel of the sound. The ESW9 sounds beautiful but everything is a bit too forward. The triple.fi soundstage is also small and the bass is no match for full-size headphones like D2000.

All those amps are pretty comparable with D3 so it should give you at least some idea. With better amps the D2000 will make the gap even larger from the triple.fi. I haven't tried the ESW9 with better amps, so I can't comment on its scalability. The only problem with the Denons is its subpar build-quality (loose earpads, loose screws).
 

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