Comparison ATH-E70, ATH-IM03 and DN-2000J
Recently, I received the ATH-E70 as my birthday gift. I did some auditioning and compare them with the other 2 IEM I owned, ATH-IM03 and DN-2000J . I like to share my impression and comparison.
Before I continue, my impressions and comparison has its biasness due to my preference and ability. I’m a treble-head and is sensitive to heavy bass. 98% of my library of 60k songs are female, mainly Japanese who have sang for anime and game, and some utaite and doujin. I listen to wide genre as long as they are remotely related to anime and game. The only few westerner I still listen to are Sarah Brightman, Enya, Clannad and Cardigan. Some of my favorite singers: Bonjour Suzuki, Noriko Mitose, Rurutia and Asriel. I also cannot heard difference between HI-RES and normal lossless music, did a blind test and they sounded the same. E70 I used in my impression and comparison from a local store AB it with the IM03 on 1 day and 2000J on another. I haven’t opened my E70 as I am still deciding whether to sell it, I reckon it should fetch a better price when it is new and unused. 2000j I am referring herein is without bass boost/ring, I can’t stand it with bass ring. The song I listen to might be very foreign to you but I feel that it will be easier to explain what I am referring to in terms of sound by listening to of the song I mention. Despite being tempted to give more song as examples as different songs will contrast/highlight on different aspects even within the same category. I try my best to use 1 song for 1 category.
Sound signature / emphasis
Legend: more, very noticeable: >>>, more, noticeable: >>, slightly more: >, almost the same: =
Bass (heard): e70>>im03>>2000j
Bass (felt): 2000j>>im03>e70
Mid: e70>im03=2000j
Upper mid: 2000j>im03>e70
Treble: im03>>2000j>>e70
In term of bass, BA bass and DD bass are so different and I don’t really know how to really compare them at the same level. felt and heard, this is how I try to explain it (the best I can achieve).
e70 has a quite a bit emphasis on bass but somehow the bass isn’t offensive to a bass sensitive listener. Mid and upper mid are neutral. The high are not that bright but not recessed.
2000j has slight emphasis on bass, upper mid and high. (bright, avoid if you are very treble sensitive)
Im03 has quite a bit of emphasis on the treble and slight emphasis on the bass. Mid and Upper mid a step back. (very bright, avoid even if you are slightly treble sensitive).
Details and Magic
Legend: more, very noticeable: >>>, more, noticeable: >>, slightly more: >, almost the same: =
Bass details: e70>>im03>2000j
Bass magic: 2000j>>e70>im03
Mid details: e70>>2000j=im03
No magic in the mid to me.
Upper mid details: e70>>2000j>im03
Upper mid magic: 2000j>im03>e70
Treble details: e70>>2000j>im03
Treble magic: im03>>2000j>e70
Tonal accuracy: e70=im03>/>>2000j (based on tracks only)
Sound thickness/fullness: e70>2000j>im03 (This is what I feel, i don't know what this is called)
In terms of details. 2000j and im03 have very good details. e70 is ultra detailed and hands down beat 2000j and im03. I can hear more grains, timbre and vibration in all frequencies, like I can heard every individual dots in sound and how they move and rub around. It leads me to wonder whether the details are really there in in the song in the first place or some voodoo magic enhancement. Although, e70 has the lowest in my ranking of magic. The detailing itself is can be considered magical. They sound will sound full and natural for all songs. Lets move on to mystical region.
2000j has titanium coated dynamic driver, the dynamic driver bass is more felt than heard. The punch and rumble have more feeling and life, bringing more excitement. Especially on track, Voyage To Avalon (Orchestra Version) by Kawai Kenji, on the drum and horn part. I feel like I’m riding a horse racing through the ravine heart racing with excitement, fear, anxiety, and anticipation. Boosted upper mid of 2000j, enhances almost all female singers making their voice sweeter, brighter, richer, or fuller. This causes the song to become more emotional and more expressive. Especially on track, Ten no suzu by Mitose Noriko, the song sounded more heavy (sadder), mystical, mysterious, and ephemeral.
Magic of the Im03 lie in it high. Cymbal, high hat, triangle, bells and electric guitar sounded like they with you riding toward the gate of Valhalla, shiny and chrome (brighter, more sparklely). Im03 seem like it is the least detail in the vocals department. The reason for so, high (air) of vocal is exponentially accentuated and it bleeds to the mid and upper mid vocals creating overlaying airy mist. On airy female singers, it just make them celestial, they feel gentler, purer, sweeter and more playful. The veil or mist of air and light also create a dreamy landscape. Especially on track, Pipo password by Bonjour Suzuki, it feel she is singing and dancing in the sky and I have flown through clouds made of gaseous cotton candy and marshmallow to get to her. Covered by condensed cotton candy and marshmallow, so sweet that you want to scratch off your skin. The sweetness literally drive you insane. On the other 2 she sounded like a sweet human girl but on the IM03 she sound more like a fairy who is sweet, gentle, mischievous, and seductive. The veil of mist at time, make not so good airy singer sound good. On track, Fuhen by Rin’, the singer are not good singer, they are more musician/instrumentalist than singer. They sounded good on the im03 and not so on the other 2 (im03 direct your attention to the nice airyness of their voices and less emphasis on the bad vocal control).
When the clock strikes 12, magic wear off. Time for criticism of magic now. 2000j on a few tracks the high and upper mid sounded unnatural, liken to metallic sounding brightness added to the song. They certainly doesn’t sound as bad as you might think but it is a little unnatural at times. The accentuate high of the im03 is at time a curse. Usually, we don’t mind electric guitar or cymbal a few steps forward. It get pretty apparent and disturbing when the background singer for making airy ambience/singing or instruments are so forward where they starts to steal the limelight from the main. In order for im03 to conjure magic, it needs Cinderella. Singer that sing purely with throat (with little to no air), no magic, worse of the 3 IEMs. On airy singer best of the 3 IEMs. Noisy environment is Cinderella’s evil step sisters, it is hard to hear airy sound when it is noisy.
Conclusion
All and all, these 3 IEM they will perform well for wide variety of songs and genre. They cater to different needs and emphasis of people. For a ‘normal’ person who is not too treble sensitive out of all 3 IEM, I think dn-2000j is the better choice. Nice bass feel with the option to bass boost for more. Female vocal enhancement that is universal, not some magic that doesn’t work expect for Cinderella. Good details. The flaw of metallic sound is just only unnatural, only on selected song. I doesn’t really bother me much as It neither sound bad, nor painful to listen to. E70 for treble sensitive listener or/and freak for detail and accuracy tonality. Im03 for air and treble freaks.
