[xanlamin]

This is my reference set for mid tier iem!

 

[ultraman31]

This is my reference set for mid tier iem!

What?? Only mid tier?!? Lol I’m more into headphone and I’m barely getting into earphones and this is major upgrade. I always thought headphones would be superior than earphones but this completely changes... I was using Elegia before this btw.

 

[xanlamin]

Lol! 5005 is mid tier in terms of $ as it can be had for around 400 during sale. My top tier rec would be IER-Z1R. Don't give up on headphones now! Play with both

 

[GreenBow]

I just got this afternoon and just got a time to listen to this. Included large spinfit fits pretty well, but man.... unboxing experience is amazing and I was bit surprised the dark signature of the sound with the reference filter. I switched to mid high filter and it sounds amazing!

I listened with the reference filters for a long time. Eventually I moved to the mid-highs too. Even then it seems like the N5005 are still bass heavy, but they are not. It's the bass extension over other headphones that they have. They go way into the deepest bass.

Having said that it took me a while to finally convert fully to mid-high filters. I switched back and forth between mid-high and reference, many times before settling on mid-high.

@Everyone ...

However I eventually bought the Shure KSE 1200, and I barely use my N5005 now. The Shures are another level completely. They are such an upgrade that it took me ages to acclimatise to them. Going back to the N5005 though, they are still stunning IEMs, and I am glad I still have them. Anyone getting them on sale has done themselves a favour. Mine cost just over £600, and I don't regret a bean of having spent that money. ... There are of course new competing products coming out, so bargains need to be struck.

The Shure KSE 1200 are a different prospect though, being electrostatic. The speed, tonality, and detail, are exemplary. The KSE 1200 are pitched perfect neutral too, while some electrostatic can seem bright. It's honestly an honour to own them.

 

[GreenBow]

I listened with the reference filters for a long time. Eventually I moved to the mid-highs too. Even then it seems like the N5005 are still bass heavy, but they are not. It's the bass extension over other headphones that they have. They go way into the deepest bass.

Having said that it took me a while to finally convert fully to mid-high filters. I switched back and forth between mid-high and reference, many times before settling on mid-high.

I am going to take this back. As I said above I listened mostly to my Shure KSE 1200, which are totally neutral. Honestly with Hugo 2, any warm track sounds warm, and brighter track sounds brighter. KSE 1200 are never provoked to brightness though. Neither are they ever provoked to being too warm a to lose any detail All music sits within a the goldilocks zone with the KSE 1200 and Hugo 2. (I do have a budget QED Profile lead from Hugo 2 to KSE 1200 - which is actually OK. has to be taken into consideration though.

TLDR: This means I am comfortable with a neutral signature, so can evaluate N5005 filters, and did as set out below.


Anyway maybe because I was talking about the N5005 just recently, I got them out again. I wanted to re-evaluate the mid-high filters that are in, and which I previously settled on. After much deliberation that was.

Immediately I put the N5005 on, I felt they were bright. It didn't take much evaluation to make me get the reference filters out again and refit them. Straight off they sounded more neutral.

It means after running the reference filters for ages with the N5005, and then gradually moving to mid-high. I am settled fully with the reference filters; honestly it's a no brainer. Way more balanced.

I think I went mid-high, because it gave a touch more detail. It was just fractionally on the bright side though. ........ Anyway, since it's all relative and depends on source too, I am using Hugo 2 which is ruler flat.

After today's check, the reference are in for good. No more swapping or checking. Am done. ... Oddly I argued for the reference filters before when someone said the N5005 are only any good with the mid-high. Then I must have just given the mid-high a go.

Honestly am left wondering why I ever moved to mid-highs, right now.

 

[Signal2Noise]

I bought a set of these with 4.4mm balanced plug after becoming tired of using an adapter. Price is good and the phone termination fits well. FYI, if looking.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/174292510722

 

[GreenBow]

I am going to take this back. As I said above I listened mostly to my Shure KSE 1200, which are totally neutral. Honestly with Hugo 2, any warm track sounds warm, and brighter track sounds brighter. KSE 1200 are never provoked to brightness though. Neither are they ever provoked to being too warm a to lose any detail All music sits within a the goldilocks zone with the KSE 1200 and Hugo 2. (I do have a budget QED Profile lead from Hugo 2 to KSE 1200 - which is actually OK. has to be taken into consideration though.

TLDR: This means I am comfortable with a neutral signature, so can evaluate N5005 filters, and did as set out below.


Anyway maybe because I was talking about the N5005 just recently, I got them out again. I wanted to re-evaluate the mid-high filters that are in, and which I previously settled on. After much deliberation that was.

Immediately I put the N5005 on, I felt they were bright. It didn't take much evaluation to make me get the reference filters out again and refit them. Straight off they sounded more neutral.

It means after running the reference filters for ages with the N5005, and then gradually moving to mid-high. I am settled fully with the reference filters; honestly it's a no brainer. Way more balanced.

I think I went mid-high, because it gave a touch more detail. It was just fractionally on the bright side though. ........ Anyway, since it's all relative and depends on source too, I am using Hugo 2 which is ruler flat.

After today's check, the reference are in for good. No more swapping or checking. Am done. ... Oddly I argued for the reference filters before when someone said the N5005 are only any good with the mid-high. Then I must have just given the mid-high a go.

Honestly am left wondering why I ever moved to mid-highs, right now.

Am taking back this post. I ended up with the mid-highs back in.

 

[GreenBow]

I am going to take this back. As I said above I listened mostly to my Shure KSE 1200, which are totally neutral. Honestly with Hugo 2, any warm track sounds warm, and brighter track sounds brighter. KSE 1200 are never provoked to brightness though. Neither are they ever provoked to being too warm a to lose any detail All music sits within a the goldilocks zone with the KSE 1200 and Hugo 2. (I do have a budget QED Profile lead from Hugo 2 to KSE 1200 - which is actually OK. has to be taken into consideration though.

TLDR: This means I am comfortable with a neutral signature, so can evaluate N5005 filters, and did as set out below.


Anyway maybe because I was talking about the N5005 just recently, I got them out again. I wanted to re-evaluate the mid-high filters that are in, and which I previously settled on. After much deliberation that was.

Immediately I put the N5005 on, I felt they were bright. It didn't take much evaluation to make me get the reference filters out again and refit them. Straight off they sounded more neutral.

It means after running the reference filters for ages with the N5005, and then gradually moving to mid-high. I am settled fully with the reference filters; honestly it's a no brainer. Way more balanced.

I think I went mid-high, because it gave a touch more detail. It was just fractionally on the bright side though. ........ Anyway, since it's all relative and depends on source too, I am using Hugo 2 which is ruler flat.

After today's check, the reference are in for good. No more swapping or checking. Am done. ... Oddly I argued for the reference filters before when someone said the N5005 are only any good with the mid-high. Then I must have just given the mid-high a go.

Honestly am left wondering why I ever moved to mid-highs, right now.

Am taking back this post. I ended up with the mid-highs back in.

Settled once more with the reference-filters.

I realsie what attracted me to the mid-high-filters. The bass with the N5005 goes all the way down to very low frequencies. It made the reference-filters sound a touch bass heavy but they are not.

Using the mid-high filters to me just sounds bright. It can sound attractive with certian heavier tracks.


However my out and out conclusion is that the reference filters are incredible right-on. The way I judge this is because the reference filters make the N5005:

• unable to be provoked to brightness
• and also not heavily warm

Hence the reference filters are neutral. The reference filters also mirror my Shure KSE 1200 easily the closest. A-B between the two is alsmost a slam-dunk. ... The KSE 1200 are what's called effortlessly neutral. It's impossible to provoke them to brighness, or over-warmth. They are absolutely in the middle. With the incredible detial level it makes the KSE 1200 simply mind-blowing. They take getting used to though because the detail level just simply takes time to adjust to.

The N5005 reference filters are going nowhere now, and are in for good. This is with Chord DACs. Mojo, Hugo 2, and TT2. In fact right now I am sat next to TT2 but listeing to Mojo - great DAC, with N5005. (Chord DACs are notoriously neutral.)

When I use the terms 'unable to be provoked to brightness - and - and also not heavily warm', I mean it. I don't bandy those terms lightly. I stand by the N5005 with reference 100% as neutral. No brightness, and no getting bored or falling asleep with over-warm dull detail level.

At the price I paid of about £650, I think I did good. I have seen some people saying they got them for much, much less. Prices of around £250 - and that is a screaming bargain. To me the N5005 are excellent IEMs for the price, and worth every penny/cent/and dime. (The Shure KSE1200 are worth it for their price too. I can't express what a great listen they are.)

 

[Turrican2]

At the price I paid of about £650, I think I did good. I have seen some people saying they got them for much, much less. Prices of around £250 - and that is a screaming bargain.

these are definitely worth full price. I've recently been pairing them with a Lotoo Paw Gold I recently bought and it's a really nice synergy, I can see them permanently attached to that for quite some time. Where did you hear about them going for £250? hopefully not AliExpress....

 

[ultraman31]

these are definitely worth full price. I've recently been pairing them with a Lotoo Paw Gold I recently bought and it's a really nice synergy, I can see them permanently attached to that for quite some time. Where did you hear about them going for £250? hopefully not AliExpress....

It was on sale at $200 in AKG website couple months ago

 

[rlw6534]

It was on sale at $200 in AKG website couple months ago

They were also on harmanaudio.com for the same price (until they sold out)...

 

[Turrican2]

They were also on harmanaudio.com for the same price (until they sold out)...

Damn, great deal!

 

[GreenBow]

I didn't know myself that they were a bargain on the AKG website. I would have bought a second pair for myself at that price, had I noticed.

Wow $200.

I have my N5005 going on my Hugo 2 yesterday. While Hugo 2 is probaby well above the level of the N5005, the N5005 really sound good. Really, really good.

 

[Turrican2]

I didn't know myself that they were a bargain on the AKG website. I would have bought a second pair for myself at that price, had I noticed.

Wow $200.

I have my N5005 goin on my Hugo 2 yesterday. While Hugo 2 is probaby well above the level of the N5005, the N5005 really sound good. Really, really good.

Never seem these on sale like that in the uk, might need to start paying attention

 

[AlexCBSN]

However I eventually bought the Shure KSE 1200, and I barely use my N5005 now. The Shures are another level completely. They are such an upgrade that it took me ages to acclimatise to them. Going back to the N5005 though, they are still stunning IEMs, and I am glad I still have them. Anyone getting them on sale has done themselves a favour. Mine cost just over £600, and I don't regret a bean of having spent that money. ... There are of course new competing products coming out, so bargains need to be struck.

The Shure KSE 1200 are a different prospect though, being electrostatic. The speed, tonality, and detail, are exemplary. The KSE 1200 are pitched perfect neutral too, while some electrostatic can seem bright. It's honestly an honour to own them.

After I tested the Kse 1200 nothing was the same, I actually stopped buying stuff, I just buy from 2 brands more of a collecting hobby rather than obsessive search of end game.

the shures (sorry for the expression about to be used) effed me, there’s nothing around that can compare to em, afterwards all my iems were meaningless, just couldn’t get anything with the amount of detail and mids that those have, even bought the 846’s thinking it would fill a bit the void (it didn’t but sound quality on those is mighty impressive even after 8 years, bass is the best in the ba game, it evens surpasses my Sony ier m9 bass (only ba’s, it can play against a couple of dd’s though)

anyway, getting back into topic, I haven’t used my n5005 for a while, might just get them out for a spin today, but yeah... Kse spoiled this hobby for me... that’s why I can’t stand em, nor have em, it would be hard to have something that it’s almost impossible to surpass...