Advice: RE0 vs SA1 vs SA6 vs ?
Nov 17, 2009 at 11:46 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 9

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Hi all,

My second pair of JVC Air Cushions is just going out (seems to be quite a problem with these...) so I'm taking a serious look at a higher-end IEM, but am not quite sure where to head. I'm really fond of the Sleek Audio replaceable parts idea since I have a habit of throwing around my device while at the gym. I wasn't able to find any real reviews of the SA1s, and was hoping someone could compare them to the other two IEMs, or suggest another one?

I listen to death metal (Amon Amarth, Krisiun), progressive rock (Jethro Tull, Focus), and classic rock (Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones). Sometimes take a break for trance, opera, and symphonies. Price range is up to $150. Source is a Zune 120, also have a Fiio E5.

Help?


PS
I can't seem to find the frequency responses for the Sleeks; anyone smarter than a sleep-deprived physics major in the middle of the night?
 
Nov 17, 2009 at 8:48 PM Post #3 of 9
I found that review to be quite poor; it doesn't help too much for someone to say "Music is very clear" or "they sound great!". Those are extremely relative statements.
 
Nov 17, 2009 at 9:01 PM Post #4 of 9
I can't help with the SA1 or SA6, but can tell you about the RE0. It is a very balanced, accurate, detailed phone with a slight emphasis on the trebles. The bass and treble extension is very good, but the bass quantity is not the same as the treble quantity. They are dynamic drivers, so they need some burn-in time of about 60-100 hours before the bass loosens up a bit.

Most people would describe them more as detailed and analytical, rather than warm and fun. I use the bass boost on my E5 and the "Acoustic" or "HipHip" preset EQ on my Zune 30gb, if your Zune has EQ settings. Both those help with a bit of bass response.
 
Nov 17, 2009 at 11:49 PM Post #5 of 9
I've used the SA6 and RE0. Their sounds are quite different, apples to oranges really.

So...what kind of sound are you looking for?

Depending on your personal preferences, one option will fit your tastes better then the other.

From a functional standpoint, neither have any tremendous weaknesses, so we can't rule either one out simply because they're flawed. Neither are fundamentally flawed. It really will come down to personal preference.
 
Nov 18, 2009 at 1:55 AM Post #6 of 9
Quote:

Originally Posted by mvw2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I've used the SA6 and RE0. Their sounds are quite different, apples to oranges really.

So...what kind of sound are you looking for?

Depending on your personal preferences, one option will fit your tastes better then the other.

From a functional standpoint, neither have any tremendous weaknesses, so we can't rule either one out simply because they're flawed. Neither are fundamentally flawed. It really will come down to personal preference.



Could you elaborate on the differences in the sound signatures of each earbud?

I have the RE0's are quite neutral, musical, and precise, and will expose flaws in source materials.

The SA1s, I have no idea, as I haven't seen a head-fi review yet.
 
Nov 18, 2009 at 2:54 AM Post #7 of 9
As I said in my original post, I'm probably looking for something bass-heavy, but not so much that it's bloated. I still want clear mids and somewhat clear highs.

Would the SAs bring out encoding flaws like the RE0? Do they have the tendency to be bloated when listening to already bass-heavy songs?

I rarely listen to fundamentally high-end (e.g. indie) music, so I guess the RE0s wouldn't really fit my preference. Though that new price tag is hard to stop looking at....
 
Nov 18, 2009 at 3:08 AM Post #8 of 9
The SA6 can be tuned, so you can shape both the top and bottom end as you see fit. It responds well to tip changes too, so you have additional control over the sound. Deep versus shallow insertion also changes the sound. It's versatile.

If you want bass emphasis, the SA6 wins. The RE0 simply isn't bass heavy. There is also 10 other earphones you should be looking at too.
 
Nov 18, 2009 at 8:33 AM Post #9 of 9
had SA6, re0 is much better IMO. much better dynamics, sound is so much clearer with better instrumental separation. after listening to re0, the SA6 sounded muddy to me. there is most definitely more bass emphasis in SA6, however i find that the bass in the re0 is definitely more textured and detailed. aside from bass, the SA6 cannot touch the re0. the re0 has excellent mids and highs.
 

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