Am I so bad in identifying sound quality?

Jan 21, 2012 at 9:09 PM Post #376 of 571


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Don't think we heard the same thing. While soundstage is really a forte of EX600, clarity of the Yamahas is excellent in my opinion, especially in the mids (unless the seal was not good enough).
 
What can confuse people is the super-airy treble on the EX600/EX1000 (quite the trademark of these Sonys) associated with mids less present than on the Yamahas. This is the easiest trick in the book to achieve a sense of super-clarity, you can even recreate this on most IEMs by using a strong V-shape EQ. Emptying the mids will give an impression of reinforced clarity.

I actually enjoy the super-airy treble of the EX600. It's very pleasing and entertaining. Not a fan of EQ though (like I never use the digital zoom of camera). Warn you though I am not an audiophile or with trained ears. I was still using the Apple buds one month ago.
 
 
 
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:01 PM Post #377 of 571


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I actually enjoy the super-airy treble of the EX600. It's very pleasing and entertaining. Not a fan of EQ though (like I never use the digital zoom of camera). Warn you though I am not an audiophile or with trained ears. I was still using the Apple buds one month ago.
 
 

Your a work in progress ;)
 
 
 
Jan 22, 2012 at 12:04 AM Post #378 of 571


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My son opened the package and tried the EPH-100 before I got home from work.
 
I asked him to rate the IEM's and here is his rating:
 
Build quality: 9/10
Sound quality: 9/10
Fit: 6/10
Isolation: 8/10
 
I also tried and must say you get what you pay for. While it is very good for the pop, hip-hop, rap, it lacks the sound stage and clarity of the EX600. The EX600 is much better value if you don't mind the sticking-out looks. The price of the two is not much different.
 
Edit: The EPH-100 is warmer and more neutral than the EX600. While the sound stage is less than the EX600, I think it is still decent. It sounds to me really nice on a few pop tracks I tried. I think it is a good value for the price paid, just IMO the EX600 is a better value.
 
 
 


Perhaps you could give the Vsonic GR07 a try if your son is still looking? They are on the neutral side and I would say slightly warmer than the EX600. The fit is pretty good too.
 
 
Jan 22, 2012 at 2:47 AM Post #379 of 571


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Perhaps you could give the Vsonic GR07 a try if your son is still looking? They are on the neutral side and I would say slightly warmer than the EX600. The fit is pretty good too.
 

Thanks for the suggestion. My son actually likes the EPH-100. It's great for the kinds of music he listens to. It may take a little while before he gets used to the fit.
 
 
 
Jan 22, 2012 at 4:39 AM Post #381 of 571


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You'd be surprised to learn just how many people you (now) consider audiophiles around here actually are not. And how many of those same people have not got "trained ears".

Oh, but you'll indeed find plenty of very impressive audio jargon and sweeping statements that'll make you think (many) people do know what they're talking about. The truth of the matter is many of these people have simply read countless threads, (some of them ending up) spending plenty of money on fancy gear and learning fancy words in the process. Case in point: the constant trashing and downright mockery of iBuds (and Apple products in general). iBuds are actually not as bad as you may now think.

When you have the time, you may want to have a good look at this: A Hopefully Helpful Headphone Buying Guide For Newbies - under the heading "Navigating this forum", pay particular attention to points 2, 3 & 5 - read them and then, perhaps, read them again.

So how bad do you think I now think of the ibuds? Do you use ibuds? I was not trying to trash ibuds, I was simply trying to make a point that I am NOT experienced to judge these toys. But I do know 100% that I f^^^ed up these yrs for using the ibuds while I had a chance to enjoy music more with IEM's like IE8.
 
Appreciate your advice though.
 
 
 

 
 
 
Jan 22, 2012 at 4:45 AM Post #382 of 571


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You'd be surprised to learn just how many people you (now) consider audiophiles around here actually are not. And how many of those same people have not got "trained ears".

Oh, but you'll indeed find plenty of very impressive audio jargon and sweeping statements that'll make you think (many) people do know what they're talking about. The truth of the matter is many of these people have simply read countless threads, (some of them ending up) spending plenty of money on fancy gear and learning fancy words in the process. Case in point: the constant trashing and downright mockery of iBuds (and Apple products in general). iBuds are actually not as bad as you may now think.

When you have the time, you may want to have a good look at this: A Hopefully Helpful Headphone Buying Guide For Newbies - under the heading "Navigating this forum", pay particular attention to points 2, 3 & 5 - read them and then, perhaps, read them again.


Then do you sir, consider yourself an audiophile? But I got to admit that the iBuds are actually pretty awesome. Wide soundstage, deep bass etc. The bass is also fairly controlled to me. For 20 bucks(if you do not buy an iPod or iPhone for that matter) they may be the best bang-for-the-buck. 
 
 
Jan 22, 2012 at 5:13 AM Post #384 of 571


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Then do you sir, consider yourself an audiophile? But I got to admit that the iBuds are actually pretty awesome. Wide soundstage, deep bass etc. The bass is also fairly controlled to me. For 20 bucks(if you do not buy an iPod or iPhone for that matter) they may be the best bang-for-the-buck. 
 


I agree with you on the ibuds. But I will not pick up the ibuds again when I have the option to use my EX600 or IE80 because my ears with limited training can now tell the difference in the sound quality. Yeah I will put the ibuds back on if I forgot to bring the IEM's with me to the office.
 
 
Jan 22, 2012 at 5:17 AM Post #385 of 571


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I agree with you on the ibuds. But I will not pick up the ibuds again when I have the option to use my EX600 or IE80 because my ears with limited training can now tell the difference in the sound quality. Yeah I will put the ibuds back on if I forgot to bring the IEM's with me to the office.
 



Agree, for me, when I listen to them, I think they are good until I listen to my Monster Turbines. There certainly is a difference in sound quality. But for 20 bucks, the iBuds are worth the price. 
 
Jan 22, 2012 at 5:22 AM Post #386 of 571


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Agree, for me, when I listen to them, I think they are good until I listen to my Monster Turbines. There certainly is a difference in sound quality. But for 20 bucks, the iBuds are worth the price. 

 
For casual listening when you are not really paying attention to what you are listening to, everything sounds good. But when I am in the office in a quite environment with the sound volume turned very low, man I am surprised by the difference.
 
 
 
Jan 22, 2012 at 5:39 AM Post #387 of 571


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I know you weren't trying to trash iBuds - I might have said so if I thought you were. However, I've seen hundreds of posts where people do, and have seen new members (many of them, like you, coming from iBuds) gradually starting to trash & mock them, and even the people who use them. There are several reasons for this (not worth discussing here).

I myself could never use Apple buds quite simply because of the form factor (same with the very decent sounding, and now discontinued, Sony MDRE888) - basically, I had to push them against my ears to get the SQ these buds were meant to deliver; they always fell off my ears or were far too loose and, therefore, sounded quite wrong.

I also happen to have issues with full-sized headphones where usually after 30 minutes or so they start to feel uncomfortable. It's only IEMs that I can listen to for extended periods; some of them, of course, being more comfortable than others, and depending on their particular sound presentation I can listen to them for hours on end and quite literally forget they're there.


I am not interested in trashing/mocking anything nor do I plan to spend more time at head-fi. I am VERY happy with the money spent for what I got for myself and my son. Mission is accomplished!
 
Run when you can! LOL.
 
 
 
Jan 22, 2012 at 5:42 AM Post #388 of 571


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For casual listening when you are not really paying attention to what you are listening to, everything sounds good. But when I am in the office in a quite environment with the sound volume turned very low, man I am surprised by the difference.
 
 



Yeah, it leaks quite a bit of sound too, when I used it in the train, lots of sound leaks in as well. The sound didn't turn out as good in the end.
 
Jan 22, 2012 at 5:43 AM Post #389 of 571


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I am not interested in trashing/mocking anything nor do I plan to spend more time at head-fi. I am VERY happy with the money spent for what I got for myself and my son. Mission is accomplished!
 
Run when you can! LOL.
 
 


Unfortunately I would have to wait for 3 more weeks till I complete my final purchase for now. But got to agree, Head-fi tempts you to spend a lot!
 
 
Jan 22, 2012 at 5:46 AM Post #390 of 571


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You'd be surprised to learn just how many people you (now) consider audiophiles around here actually are not.
 


...I think you'd be surprised to learn how many we are that actually find the term (audiophile) a little offensive, and thus would happily admit that we are not audiophiles. If anything, I'm a musicophile striving to find the gear that I want to listen to music through.
 
As for earbuds, the only earbud I've heard that I actually liked was a cheapo Sony earbud in the middle of the 90's. It had good, deep bass and wasn't too shabby in the rest of the spectrum. I don't think they even make it anymore. It was also the only earbud that stayed in place - every other earbud has had major fitting issues and fall off as soon as they're inserted.
 

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