[iamdone]

With the treble boost on, I'm really liking the E5's now. I haven't done too much testing but everything is now sounding near perfect with the shures and very thin with the etys (with eq off or even bass boost on).

I'm happy I tried this before returning these. I currently think they're now going to stay. I'm about to do some tests with my PPA now to see if I can hear the sparkle that I hear with the etys and hd650's.

I guess the shures just react totally different to the ipod than the etys and that's why were seeing reports of them sounding much different from multiple sources.

So now I still happy but even more so since I finally got the shures to work for me.

 

[Tyson]

iamdone,
just curious, what chips are you using in your PPA? I'm using AD 8610's and the e5's have a good high end, but not room defining like the 4S.

 

[iamdone]

Quote:

Originally posted by Tyson iamdone, just curious, what chips are you using in your PPA? I'm using AD 8610's and the e5's have a good high end, but not room defining like the 4S.

I'm also using the ad8610s with Laracco's Discrete Diamond Buffer. It's a Headsave PPA.

My previous review was just based on using the ipod headphone jack but even with the PPA, it's sounds just how I like it with the treble boost on. It nows sounds closer to the hd650's in the high end and the bass is much closer than the etys. The hd650/zu just display the bass much more accurately and deeper. The hd650's highs are also smoother in a good sense than the shures with the treble boost. But for a portable headphone, I'm now quite happy.

 

[iamdone]

Well I think I'm back with the etys again. Even though using the treble boost made the shures much better, they're just too fatiquing. It's just too much treble but with it off, it's not enough. So I can't really enjoy them either way.

The best setup is the etys with the PPA and the bass boost on.

Oh well, I tried to make it work. I'd be interested to see what toaster22 thinks when he gets his loaner etys. Without an amp and being used the shures, I'm sure they'll be too thin. The problem is the shures may no longer sound perfect either because now you'll know they're missing the highs. So if you love you shures, I'd say not to listen to the etys. You'll end up wanting to buy higher end canalphones.

 

[zeplin]

iamdone,
because the ety's sound so good with a little bass boost on, it makes perfect sense that the shures would benefit from a little eq'ing too. there aint nothin wrong with it at all

all you are doing is tailoring the sonic signature closer to your own tastes and personal preferences. and i highly doubt that using an eq on the ipod would decrease the sound quality in any way.

to give the shures another chance, maybe you should look into getting a nice eq component...like a high end behringer. again, there's nothing wrong doing that and any other headphone you have or might buy in the future would benefit from the eq too.

 

[iamdone]

I don't really want to get more equipment. I'm also thinking that the etys sound ok without the bass boost as well. I cannot listen to the shures wiithout the treble boost but then I can't listen with it on for too long either. I would only work if ipod upgrades their software with at least an adjustable 5 band eq so I bring up the treble just a notch.

I'll try them a little longer it seems like I'm just trying too hard to make them work when the etys already seem to work.

Maybe it's using the amp that making the difference. With the amp the etys really warm up and have great detail. The shures get a little hiss, the bass can be too strong, and the treble is too intense with the treble boost on. I'll try them more without the amp since that was the main reason I got the shures. I thougt about having a headphone that sounds really good out of the ipod so I could just leave me amp at home and just use it with the hd650s.

 

[iamdone]

I'm trying it again without the amp straight out of the ipod and it does sound good. I'm might also try a different opamp in the amp that is not quite as strong in the highs and see if that works.

Oh well, I just keep playing around with them for the next week and see what happens.

 

[iamdone]

I can't take it anymore. I'm finally returning the shures. My girlfriend even liked the etys more. It could be that everyone chose the etys because they heard them first so we're all biased.

To me the shures just don't sound as clear and definately don't show the same kind of improvement when an amp is used. I am having trouble finding the fun factor with the shures when they seem slightly muddy.

I also read my return policy wrong with microphone solutions. There is no restocking fee if you follow their instructions on how to return them otherwise they can refuse the right to return them or charge at 15% fee.

 

[DJGeorgeT]

I am going to spend a little time with with the E5's thanks to SugarFried, whom I am meeting sometime soon to give these earphones a second listen. I am too an etyhead, so when I listened to the E5 at that time, I did not like it.

I am going to keep my E2 and use these on my trips and hopefully gigs. The Etys can stay at home. I don't know why people say that the etys lack bass. There is plenty of bass there, but if you need more you can always EQ a bit and boost the low frequencies.

 

[iamdone]

Quote:

Originally posted by DJGeorgeT I am going to spend a little time with with the E5's thanks to SugarFried, whom I am meeting sometime soon to give these earphones a second listen. I am too an etyhead, so when I listened to the E5 at that time, I did not like it. I am going to keep my E2 and use these on my trips and hopefully gigs. The Etys can stay at home. I don't know why people say that the etys lack bass. There is plenty of bass there, but if you need more you can always EQ a bit and boost the low frequencies.

I could spend more time with them but they just missing something even with the treble boost on. They sound much better with it on but still not as good as the etys.

I'm looking for the hd650 sound in a portable and the etys at least capture some of that. The shures have such a different sound which I don't prefer.

The good thing about the shures is my roommate was having a recording session and these headphones worked great as a stage monitor. The guitarist was able to hear the music much better than the sony 7606 and the cord stayed out of the way. Since I don't play an instrument, this is still of no use to me.

 

[rextrade]

I have to admit, after listening to the Shures, I'm beginning to like them more and more. Right after listening to the etys, the e5s definitely sound "muddy", but my ears adjust after a minute or two and I really begin to like the sound. Note that I did not like the e5s at all when I first tried them.

 

[iamdone]

I have it the other way. The shure's stay muddy but the etys sound a little thin and bright at first and then after a minute sound much better. I even like the etys more now because it's like I'm hearing all this extra detail and texture for the first time after listening to the shures for the past few days.

 

[rextrade]

One thing I noticed--with the Shures I never get that blissful sensation that I can sometimes get with etys, like when a piece of music is so detailed and clear that it almost blows me away. After listening to the Shures exclusively for a couple of weeks, the etys gave me that sensation (with Radiohead's Kid A) when I tried them again.

Also, I like the Shures on a loud subway, where the low rumble can drown out the etys bass.

 

[iamdone]

Quote:

Originally posted by rextrade One thing I noticed--with the Shures I never get that blissful sensation that I can sometimes get with etys, like when a piece of music is so detailed and clear that it almost blows me away. After listening to the Shures exclusively for a couple of weeks, the etys gave me that sensation (with Radiohead's Kid A) when I tried them again. Also, I like the Shures on a loud subway, where the low rumble can drown out the etys bass.

That's the same way I feel about the etys as well.

edit: If you like that blissful sensation of the etys, try the hd650 for your home phone. You may need the Zu cable to achieve this but it outperforms the etys in every way especially blissfullness and has a similar sound signature.

If I'm getting another headphone and paying more I'd expect it to be better in most areas and at the very least, equal in some. It shouldn't be less in any area. If they were the same price, then I could say some trade offs would make sense.

Anyway, I think I've beat this thread to death.

 

[cmascatello]

If you are looking for the detail of the Ety and the bass punch of the E5 you might be in the market for some high-dollar Sensaphonics or Ultimate Ears. From what I have read in Welly Wu's and lindrone's reviews these are the only ones that seem to approach the sound of the HD650s (full, warm, AND detailed).