[aleki]

Its not that the DBA-02 has awful bass, but it will have less than you expect. Most people automatically assume that because headphones are more expensive, they will perform like the best damn thing on earth. I have let my friends use several of my IEM's and they always tend to go for the monster Miles Davis or Coppers. I dont know if its because they know I paid more for them than my TF10's, but I'm going to assume it's because they have prominent bass quantity and a very likable sound signature. The triple.fi's have less bass quantity(dub-bass, like the bone-shaking kind), but they are still my personal favorite because out of all my IEM's, they deliver unsurpassed detail while still being fun. Although, it may not be quite so obvious unless you sit down and try them side by side(you can really tell the difference with critical listening).
Its important to understand that when you get to higher end equipment, you begin to break from the culturally accepted sound of all the cookie-cut headsets and begin to dabble in sonic specialty.
As I have mentioned before, I think the IE8's are difficult to like because the midbass hump makes them sound quite incapable, but as you become acclimated to its sound signature, you may find it more difficult to accept something else. I personally find them a close second from my TF10's. Although for the sake of enjoyment, you may like the Monster Turbine Gold as an introduction to high end audio

 

[munkyballz]

Quote:

I don't think that the DBA-02 could have horrible bass, right ? I am coming from 20$ headphones to this though (I'd say 4/10 sound rating by joker's book). From what I read around, the DBA-02 is considered as this mythical monster with amazing abilities at an earth-shattering pricepoint. The monster turbine gold also has an astounding reputation for sound, but from the tone of users around, I have a feeling that the DBA-02 was always winning the debate... So I'm confusded. As far as the Radius W2 goes, only review has been pushed out and not many people have tried it, so im skeptical..

 

The DBA02's don't have horrible bass, it's just a different sound.  Very clean, tight, neutral, and balanced.  It does what it was tuned and designed to do very well; however, that doesn't mean it will suit all listeners.  The bass is there, hits hard, but is very tight and lean.  So if you're use to more consumer type of sound (ie warmer, more bass heavy), they will seem kind of lacking in bass.  While as the turbine pros, offer a different beast compared to the DBA02.  Very good sound, more fun signature and ample bass.  Both are good, just depends on the listener's preferences.
 
Think of it this way...  The DBA is kind of like the girl at the gym, always working out and on the cardio.  Lean, barely any fat and fit as hell, though she might be a little lacking a little "oomph" in a few places.  The turbines are more like the girl that goes to the gym a few times a week, still fit of course, but just a little extra cushion in the right areas.  Which one you find more attractive, is dependent on your tastes.
 
 

 

[BLL00]

Quote:

The DBA02's don't have horrible bass, it's just a different sound.  Very clean, tight, neutral, and balanced.  It does what it was tuned and designed to do very well; however, that doesn't mean it will suit all listeners.  The bass is there, hits hard, but is very tight and lean.  So if you're use to more consumer type of sound (ie warmer, more bass heavy), they will seem kind of lacking in bass.  While as the turbine pros, offer a different beast compared to the DBA02.  Very good sound, more fun signature and ample bass.  Both are good, just depends on the listener's preferences.
 
Think of it this way...  The DBA is kind of like the girl at the gym, always working out and on the cardio.  Lean, barely any fat and fit as hell, though she might be a little lacking a little "oomph" in a few places.  The turbines are more like the girl that goes to the gym a few times a week, still fit of course, but just a little extra cushion in the right areas.  Which one you find more attractive, is dependent on your tastes.
 
 

hahahaha!! good way in putting it!
 
 

 

[Audiophile1811]

If you want good bass and audiophile sound quality, the Westone W3 is probably what you need.
Thanks 

 

[sofastreamer]

as all westones the w3 is lacking sub bass. so you only get that midbass emphasis, which is not too nice with electronica.

 

[mvw2]

Triple.Fi 10 has always been my favorite for techno stuff.
 
The MTPG is a borderline muddy earphone.  It has good bass control but is sluggish and sloppy overall when it comes to complex stuff, and the smooth treble may not suit the highs that techno stuff typically offers..
 
The DBA-02 can be great in certain ways.  In certain ways it's not.  Bass is one of the nots.  The note is very lean from the short decay and quiet from sensitivity roll off.  If bass is a big deal for you, it's not one I'd be looking at.
 
The IE8 can be nice.  It offers the bass you want.  It has very good clarity.  The sound stage is huge but only huge.  It's a spacious but more passive listening experience.
 
The e-Q7 is pretty fun with techno stuff, excellent balance, spacious, very good extension and presence.  I've used a lot of earphones, many that you'd be looking at.  This is one of my favorites.  I think it will surprise you.
 
 

 

[stacey]

I have the IE8's but unlike the other people here, the IE8's are the only high end headphones that I've listened for extensive amounts of time. The IE8 is pretty bass heavy if that's what you are aiming for and stuff like Deamau5, Skrillex, Armin Van Burren,  and other trance fits the IEM perfectly. At times the bass can be a bit much, but then again, what some people fail to mention is that the bass can be adjusted on the IEM's themselves, to various bass profiles. For the genres that you listen to OP, it will work out OK since the emphasis is on the heavy bass notes, and not crystal clear vocals. 

 

[sLaYDeMOn]

I have owned the IE8 as well for the past 2 years, and they are excellent IEM's.  At that time, I was very reluctant to spend $300 on IEMs, but I pushed myself to buy them and love every bit of it.  There is ALOT of bass, but I wouldnt say that its all good bass. My 2 year anniversary is coming up with them, and I'm now longing for something with more clarity in the deeper regions, as well as mid range.  And I'm also realizing i'm willing to spend $500-$700 for new IEMs.  I went back to my cx300's about 2 months ago when my IE8s broke and had to send them in for repair, and I couldnt stand them.
 
And agreeing with a previous poster, the most important thing about the IE8.... they suck for about the first 50-75 hours out of the box, DO NOT JUDGE THEM DURING THIS TIME!!!!  I ran the earbuds on foobar for 6 straight days when I got my replacements 2 months ago from Sennheiser, otherwise they sound like a slightly upgraded cx300.
 
I have no idea what IEM to buy now.... looking for more clarity and deeper bass, any suggestions would be helpful, thanks.

 

[i2ehan]

I'm an exclusive trance & progressive (and all else related) listener. Armin, Tiesto, Markus, A&B, Andy Moor, Pual O, Armadamusic, wtc. I've also owned the IE8's for nearly 2 years, so it's a sound I'm quite somfortable with. Just recently, I came across the ATH-Ck10's, and it was only days after that I was holding my own pair. Let me start by saying, they are perfect for me, for this genre! They pick up on every detail, and are smongst the fastest IEM's, as reported by many reviewees. Hence, they are practically fit for this genre. IMHO, everything about them trumps my experience with my IE8's, with the obvious exclusion of bass. The bass on the Ck10's is well-balanced, and there's little to no comparison to that of the IE8's. The soundstage is also not as wide as I remember on my IE8's, but 85% of the IE8's, roughly speaking, which is not at all a flaw/con. As far as isolation and comfort go, simply put, the word "perfect" is close to what I'm experiencing with my CK10's. I couldn't possible imagine any room for improvements with those 2 regards. Nonetheless, if you are looking for a very wide soundstage and punchy bass enough to satisfy any fan of this genre, the IE8's are an absolute no brainer. If you want to pick up every detail, with just enough emphasis on the bass to hear its presence, and not so much feel, try the Ck10's. I'll say this much, as much as I missed my IE8's after they were sold just a few months ago, the pair of Ck10's I bought were burned in and excessively used prior to my purchase, and the IE8's are defintiely behind me now.
 
P.S. I'm not an expert, just simply sharing my opinion. So take it all with a grain of salt. They're both great, and I wouldn't ever regret owning either. Hope that helps!

 

[imackler]

Although I don't listen to those genres much, It's hard imagining you'd be disappointed with the IE8. But I have to say, you should consider the Westone 4. Although the bass is not huge in quantity, the quality of the bass of the W4 is very impressive.

 

[sofastreamer]

but you need to eq the lowshelf to get some kind of rumbling out of the w4. if it would have a sub bass hump like the tf10 it would be a great trance iem.

 

[phntmsmshr]

Quote:

I don't think that the DBA-02 could have horrible bass, right ? I am coming from 20$ headphones to this though (I'd say 4/10 sound rating by joker's book). From what I read around, the DBA-02 is considered as this mythical monster with amazing abilities at an earth-shattering pricepoint. The monster turbine gold also has an astounding reputation for sound, but from the tone of users around, I have a feeling that the DBA-02 was always winning the debate... So I'm confusded. As far as the Radius W2 goes, only review has been pushed out and not many people have tried it, so im skeptical..

 

what will you be using as your DAP? 
 
 

 

[rangerid]

I have heard most of the IEMs listed here, IE8s, TF10s, MTPG, CK10s, and have DBA02s coming soon. I personally found the TF10s to be best for trance, house, and anything that isn't quite vocal focused since they have a V-shaped freq response. The MTPG and IE8s has a lot more midbass which can in turn cloud the low bass and texturing wasn't as great as the TF10s, but they do have more rumble and impact to them. CK10s were paper-thin sounding compared to the IE8s and MTPG and similar in clarity than the TF10s, but the bass quantity wasn't enough for these types of genres. I will be able to comment on the DBA's soon. 
 
Right now, I am using IE8s with a $200 aftermarket Beat Audio cable (profile pic), and it literally blows every universal I have heard out of the water in terms of everything except for the CK10's treble. I spent about $400 on that set-up and is another route you can look into if you are going for the upper limit of your budget. 

 

[i2ehan]

Although I don't listen to those genres much, It's hard imagining you'd be disappointed with the IE8. But I have to say, you should consider the Westone 4. Although the bass is not huge in quantity, the quality of the bass of the W4 is very impressive.

 


Just sealed the deal for a pair of Westone 4's. Let's see how they pair up with my IE8's and CK10's.

 

[jamesta]

I might be biased since I'm selling my pair (bought a set of ES5), but the W4 sounds right up your alley, albeit with a very generic EQ modification for 'bass enhancer' that is available on any media player.  I think this would be the best of both worlds: quantity & quality.  It isn't that the W4's 2 bass drivers can't produce quantity, they're simply designed to be more natural all around.  I enjoy them very much with no EQ, or with a V shaped EQ, or with enhanced bass EQ... all depending on the music but mostly my mood.  I've got a set for sale for $385 shipped, I'd be glad to give you a couple day trial.
 
FYI I have listened to the Monster Turbine Pro Coppers & Klipsch S4, both of which are dynamic drivers, both of which are outdone in the low end by the W4, even when EQ'd for extra bass.  I'm assuming in saying this but I can't imagine the Coppers can't produce just as much quantity of bass as the Golds when EQ'd to do so.