[rawrster]

I wasn't able to do as much listening as I would have liked to last night as I got a headache when listening to them after 30 minutes but that's mostly the fact that I was really tired and didn't have dinner yet. I'll do some comparisons with the CK10 over the weekend as I no longer own the DBA-02 or any other very good universal. If anyone in NYC wants to loan me the DBA-02 you are more than welcome to.
 
So far on non SQ for the B2, build quality is fairly good, isolation is near the top with the Monster triple flanges and comfort is great. The lack of a chin slider is still disappointing and it would really help over the ear fit since these are made for over the ear due to the angle of the housings. The ear guides may help people but I don't like using them and prefer a chin slider. I made my own and put it on but I'll remove it before shipping it to the next user and you wouldn't even know it was there. I do not like the hockey stick plug. It is just horrible imo. I prefer straight but can deal with right angle but the plug on this one (and the M2 I have) just doesn't do any good imo. It sticks out in your pocket and just isn't as usable as the other types.

 

[dragon2knight]

Couldnt agree with you more on the plug angle,makes it almost impossible to not stress the cable when placing it in a pocket as its always pulling on it...but it really isnt a deal breaker to me.I found over the ear to be a bit more comfortable than I expected them to be(I prefer straight in,I always get more comfortable fit),and the over ear hangers work fine for me.I love the lightness of them as well,it makes for easy long time usage.

 

[rawrster]

I don't like using ear guides. The chin slider works for me and doesn't have the bulk of the ear guides. Although the ear guides for these are not as bad as certain ones (ahem..Fischer Audio) but more bulk than the Phonak ones but didn't like any of them as much as having a chin slider.
 
However I changed tips to the included comply (which apparently is what I am supposed to be judging them with) and I think the B2 is the first iem I really like the comply over the triple flanges. The highs get tamed a bit which imo is needed with these. Triple flanges usually do the job for me but apparently it is not enough for them. The brightness is a bit much for me but with these comply tips which usually make any earphones have just bass and midrange only isn't so bad with the B2. I was planning on comparing the CK10 using the same tips and source but seems that may have to change now.
 
I take back that previous initial comment on sibilance. I was using the FA-003 and then switched to the B2 and now I'm hearing some odd sibilance that is pretty bad even for me and I'd like to think I can handle a good amount of treble. Poorly recordings that have sibilance..watch out Triple flanges with CK10 seem tame in the upper regions in comparison to B2 with comply.
 
I forgot for a second that these were BA drivers since mp4nation has been all dynamic until now and used my 68 ohm impedance adapter. While it does help with the treble issue it really does make these have only midrange and some bass
 
I need more time with these apparently..

 

[shane55]

Quite interesting reads so far.
Much of what has been said does make them seem similar to the DBA-02. And in my mind... that's a good thing.
 
So rawrster... That's one of the reasons I'm such a Comply fan with my DBA's. But I trim the tip overhang back to reduce the interference with the highs.
 
I'm in the reviewer program, but I don't know where I appear in the order. I read at the beginning that there is a list, but I looked... and couldn't find it. A link perhaps... ?
 
So, when I get them I'll do an AxB with the DBA's.

 

[rawrster]

I figured you would be on the loaner program Also with the CK10 and DBA-02 I had no issues with the highs and triple flanges worked fine. So far the B2 doesn't work as well but I may have to do some listening during the day. When I listened today and last night it was right after I got home and was already tired. I should try them during the day when I am not tired yet to see if I can eliminate the tiredness factor to see if it has anything to do with what I'm hearing. All I know right now is that the B2 is brighter than the CK10.
 
Also I do not believe there is a list. I was pretty much told a few days before I was set to receive the B2 that I was going to get them.

 

[Anaxilus]

Between you and joker I believe the reports are the B2 is brighter than the DBA and CK10.  So far.  I certainly can't imagine anyone hearing the ck10 brighter than the DBA, that would have to involve some odd tips for some odd ears.  The CK10 actually gave me a headache a couple times but I think I got used to it after a few days.

 

[goodvibes]

How do the highs of the 3 phones being discussed compare to a Q-Jay? I ask because it's the only twfk I've heard other than the ADDIEM. Both of those are already a bit high end emphasized and mid recessed for my tastes.

 

[rawrster]

Quote:

Between you and joker I believe the reports are the B2 is brighter than the DBA and CK10.  So far.  I certainly can't imagine anyone hearing the ck10 brighter than the DBA, that would have to involve some odd tips for some odd ears.  The CK10 actually gave me a headache a couple times but I think I got used to it after a few days.

I haven't had headaches on the CK10 but the B2 is just overly so right now since it is 2/2 at least combined with when I am tired. As of right now I hear the end of sibilance being quite harsh and a bit painful at times depending on the amount of sibilance. The comply tips help more than the Monster triple flanges however which is something new.
 
I can't compare to either the Q-Jays or the ADDIEM since I have not heard any. Once again any NYC head-fi members are welcomed to loan me the Q-Jays

 

[razzer001]

Rawster thanks for the feedback, the reason you may find the B2 slightly brighter than other twfk based earphones is due to the OFC silver cabling which is known to help make higher frequencies stand out better than normal cabling  can. I have to admit that even for me it took a bit getting used to, but after regular use i couldn't really notice it much. Feedback like yours is appreciated as the loaner program is not just to push our product but as a means to get feedback on a model that will soon go to mass production and as it is not in mass production we do have the chance to play around with the sound to see what we can do better tune it. A property of twfk drivers is that they are quite bright and this can be noted on almost all twfk based earphones, but i myself have been doing more work on audio filters and how they can aid in reducing or enhancing certain frequency ranges and seeing how this can help to better tune the B2, so far the results are mixed and there maybe nothing changed on the final B2 model, but should i come across a good combination i will let you and the others here know.
 
 
 
I have also got quite a few message on when the B2 will be available and pricing, we can go into mass production anytime, but the total production time would be about 2 months, so at the very earliest we are see the B2 in stock by end of April. The final pricing is not confirmed but i am trying hard to contain the end retail price to a max of USD$170, there are still things we need to work out so a lot of the material costs have not been finalized.

 

[goodvibes]

If the consensus is that they're a bit hot, why not take them the other direction? We've already got plenty twfk that are on the hotter side of things. I believe the driver also has a plugged vent that can be tuned with the case. Something Q-jays do pretty well and the ADDIEM messed up. Just a question, Is your cable a silver tinned copper type or is it a one material alloy?

 

[Berserker]

I posted my review at MP4Nation. I myself didn't have any sibilance issues, unless it was a low bitrate file. Perhaps my ears aren't as sensitive? http://www.mp4nation.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=21493&start=90

 

[rawrster]

I'll post something in the next day or two but it was enough to bother me quite a bit. I tried the same setup with my other phones and the sibilance was not as bad so the B2 in my experience does make sibilance worse than what I would normally get. This includes the CK10 and Livewires just to make sure it wasn't something else. Neither of them are really dark phones and the sibilance was not as bad with either one of them. Usually I'm good with these kind of earphones but the B2 is past my tolerance limit.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

I'll post something in the next day or two but it was enough to bother me quite a bit. I tried the same setup with my other phones and the sibilance was not as bad so the B2 in my experience does make sibilance worse than what I would normally get. This includes the CK10 and Livewires just to make sure it wasn't something else. Neither of them are really dark phones and the sibilance was not as bad with either one of them. Usually I'm good with these kind of earphones but the B2 is past my tolerance limit.

Imagine if the B2 were using the same filters and tips in comparison to other peoples DBA's and CK10 w/ the only difference being the silver cable.  What an interesting little thread this could have turned into.  Nobody had preconceived notions or anticipated a difference from the DBA signature since most didn't even realize silver cable was even a notable feature.  Coupled w/ the relatively uniform impressions of the treble it is certainly thought provoking.  Alas too many uncontrollable factors already but this would have been a nice blind test to integrate into the loaner program.
 

 

[rawrster]

I've been using the same tips, source and such with the Ck10 and B2 and I'm sure I can do an A/B and tell the B2 considering the difference in sound Also you are very well aware of the difference in sound between CK10 and DBA-02 so not sure how valid an A/B comparison would be as my CK10 sounds different enough when compared to the B2 that I'm sure I can do an A/B on most songs. The treble and other parts of the spectrum on the CK10 and DBA-02 (from memory) strike me as different than what I am hearing with the B2

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

I've been using the same tips, source and such with the Ck10 and B2 and I'm sure I can do an A/B and tell the B2 considering the difference in sound Also you are very well aware of the difference in sound between CK10 and DBA-02 so not sure how valid an A/B comparison would be as my CK10 sounds different enough when compared to the B2 that I'm sure I can do an A/B on most songs. The treble and other parts of the spectrum on the CK10 and DBA-02 (from memory) strike me as different than what I am hearing with the B2

The CK10 was only mentioned as another relative point of reference for the other two.  Didn't mean they sound identical.