[Pianist]

Quote:

 
A single dynamic driver is vastly superior to any single BA driver in existence.
 
Thumbs up if you agree =]

 
Uhh... well, I would take ER4 over Skullcandy Ink'ed any day. lol
 
Only the very best dynamic drivers in IEMs like the one in Hifiman IEMs, IE8, FX700 and a handful of others can compete with the best single driver BAs in most or all aspects of sound quality. Most of the dynamic IEMs on the market can't take on an ER4 or SA6 though. And to match top single BAs in speed and separation it really takes the very best dynamics to do that like the RE0, RE252 and up. Anything below can't compete with the best single BAs in speed and separation, and clarity too.
 

 

[PretentiousFood]

Quote:

FX700 also has the largest soundstage of any IEM I've heard, including all the BAs I tried. It doesn't always sound big - it depends on the recording - but when it does, it sounds HUGE! When I listen to it on a subway train, on some music the sound seems to fill almost the entire train - it extends really far to the left and right and has very good depth as well. It almost gives a surround sound effect. Very impressive. BAs can't sound as airy because FX700 actually has vents so the sound physically comes out of the IEM, whereas with BAs the sound is trapped inside the housing and they just cannot provide the same sense of airiness that the JVCs can.

 
I know I'm about to open a can of worms, but could you elaborate on why a BA can't sound as airy as a vented dynamic, such as the JVC? According to the glossary, airiness is a phone's ability to reproduce high-frequency reflections and to extend in the 15-20kHz range. Wouldn't "trapping the sound inside the housing" actually improve airiness? BAs are also known to handle speed and treble better than dynamics. Provided that the reflection of higher frequencies does not create interference inside the enclosure, I don't see why BAs couldn't perform as well, if not better, than dynamics, in this regard.
 
I figure that both technologies are simply means to reach a goal, particularly as of late, with dynamics tuned to sound like BAs and vice versa, moving armatures, cellulose drivers, and phones like the Merlin that combine several types. It seems sort of futile to classify sounds as being more like a DD or BA when we can't even tell what either sounds like anymore.

 

[T.F.O.A]

i noticed, people like the speed term in BA, can anybody explain, an example on this? like how does speed supposed to perform or express during listening session?

 

[kiteki]

 
Quote:

 
Uhh... well, I would take ER4 over Skullcandy Ink'ed any day. lol
 
Only the very best dynamic drivers in IEMs like the one in Hifiman IEMs, IE8, FX700 and a handful of others can compete with the best single driver BAs in most or all aspects of sound quality. Most of the dynamic IEMs on the market can't take on an ER4 or SA6 though. And to match top single BAs in speed and separation it really takes the very best dynamics to do that like the RE0, RE252 and up. Anything below can't compete with the best single BAs in speed and separation, and clarity too.
 

So? a very basic dynamic driver probably even the skullcandy ink'd can still have qualities the ER-4 doesn't.
 
 
Quote:

i noticed, people like the speed term in BA, can anybody explain, an example on this? like how does speed supposed to perform or express during listening session?

here's an example Lol http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/514102/testing-for-speed-in-iem-s-please-participate-in-my-test-speed-metal-visual-kei-symphonic-metal-instrumental-electric-guitar-shredding
 
 

 

[kiteki]

 
Quote:

 
I know I'm about to open a can of worms, but could you elaborate on why a BA 1. can't sound as airy as a vented dynamic, such as the JVC? According to the glossary, airiness is a phone's ability to reproduce high-frequency reflections and to extend in the 15-20kHz range. Wouldn't "trapping the sound inside the housing" actually improve airiness? BAs are also known to handle speed and treble better than dynamics. Provided that the reflection of higher frequencies does not create interference inside the enclosure, I don't see why BAs couldn't perform as well, if not better, than dynamics, in this regard.
 
I figure that both technologies are simply means to reach a goal, particularly as of late, with dynamics tuned to sound like BAs and vice versa, moving armatures, cellulose drivers, and phones like the Merlin that combine several types. 2. It seems sort of futile to classify sounds as being more like a DD or BA when we can't even tell what either sounds like anymore.

1. He meant airy in a different sense..... the ER-4 and CK10 are indeed very airy!! In the sense that you're describing here.

 
2. Thanks for bring this up, since when can't we tell? I think the difference between every dynamic and BA I've heard is extremely far from "we can't even tell what either sounds like anymore." =)
 
 
 
 

 

[Pianist]

Quote:

I know I'm about to open a can of worms, but could you elaborate on why a BA can't sound as airy as a vented dynamic, such as the JVC? According to the glossary, airiness is a phone's ability to reproduce high-frequency reflections and to extend in the 15-20kHz range. Wouldn't "trapping the sound inside the housing" actually improve airiness? BAs are also known to handle speed and treble better than dynamics. Provided that the reflection of higher frequencies does not create interference inside the enclosure, I don't see why BAs couldn't perform as well, if not better, than dynamics, in this regard.
 
I figure that both technologies are simply means to reach a goal, particularly as of late, with dynamics tuned to sound like BAs and vice versa, moving armatures, cellulose drivers, and phones like the Merlin that combine several types. It seems sort of futile to classify sounds as being more like a DD or BA when we can't even tell what either sounds like anymore.

 
Well, by airiness I don't mean frequencies above 15 kHz. I mean the feeling that you get as though the sound interacts with the world around you. BAs can provide that effect too sure, but with open back dynamics, you can actually feel the air being pumped into the world around you from the drivers through the vents. That's a very different feeling. With vented BAs, you may get that feeling too, but it won't be as apparent as with open back dynamics that have much larger vents for the sound to get through.
 
 

 

[kiteki]

Quote:

 
Well, by airiness I don't mean frequencies above 15 kHz. I mean the feeling that you get as though the sound interacts with the world around you. BAs can provide that effect too sure, but with open back dynamics, you can actually feel the air being pumped into the world around you from the drivers through the vents. That's a very different feeling. With vented BAs, you may get that feeling too, but it won't be as apparent as with open back dynamics that have much larger vents for the sound to get through.
 
 

I think that's why some people swear by earbuds and refuse to use any IEM's.
 
I'm not just talking about the Yuin and 9wave and Final Audio and Sony and Aiwa and TDK but even the Apple earbud has very loyal followers that have tried IEM's and BA's and gone back to their Apple earbuds.
 
 
 
 

 

[PretentiousFood]

 
Quote:

 
Well, by airiness I don't mean frequencies above 15 kHz. I mean the feeling that you get as though the sound interacts with the world around you. BAs can provide that effect too sure, but with open back dynamics, you can actually feel the air being pumped into the world around you from the drivers through the vents. That's a very different feeling. With vented BAs, you may get that feeling too, but it won't be as apparent as with open back dynamics that have much larger vents for the sound to get through.
 
 

Oh! I didn't know that the vents allowed for air to pass from one side of the driver's membrane to the other- my experience with dynamics is limited to the Meelec M9, which was hardly airy. I get what you mean though, sorry if I came off as abrasive in my last post!

 

[dogears]

@Pianist, have you tried the UE sf5v2?
 
Good thing I still have it to compare to the MDR7550

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

A single dynamic driver is vastly superior to any single BA driver in existence.
 
Thumbs up if you agree =]

Thumbs down.  The FAD SS is more resolving overall than the EX1000.  It's the closest I've heard to the levels of my customs surpassing the EX1000.  The EX1000 is more 'pleasing' overall to listen to and doesn't miss out on much.  Once I compensate for a few of it's idiosyncrasies for my personal use.
 

 

[kiteki]

Anax,
 
IERM > FI-BA-SS > EX1000?
 
For real? =p

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

Anax,
 
IERM > FI-BA-SS > EX1000?
 
For real? =p

Yup.  For my ears.  The EX1000 just offers you that extra bit of DD texture in the low end.  All 3 are great in their own right technicalities aside.  You really need a transparent source to truly appreciate the differences and for most other priorities will come first.  Even then the significance of these differences will be completely subjective to the individual.  
 

 

[kiteki]

Thanks Anax, you just killed this discussion - for better or worse - because extremely few of us have heard any of those three IEM's. ;]
 
 
P.S. Do you have any DAP's that let you appreciate the differences?

 

[Inks]

I wish the SS was at least 500$ (and even this is generous), probably then would I consider it. I kind of don't want to listen to it...for my wallet's sake.

 

[dogears]

Yep. The price is the deal breaker