[lorriman]

Hello there,
 
I've not posted before, but I've had a lot of fun reading. I've been looking to find a cheap way to get a bit of near-hifi without the price tag and it seems like this is it.
 
I've just received the Brainwavz M2 due to the recommendation on the big IEM list, and that there were fairly general purpose (and warm). However I then stumbled across a review thread that had at least two reviewers saying that they are unsuited to acoustics.
 
Dang!!! Though general purpose was my aim, acoustics is what I prefer.
 
My buyers regret extends to regretting that I may not be able to get IEMs with such a good balance of reputation, build and price.
 
For the price, should I just stay with these blighters (I haven't opened them yet) or consider something else?
 
I'm open to non-IEMs, though my first thought is to IEMs. I've glanced at the RE0s but the durability issues mentioned have scared me off. They are also a little pricey, though I am willing if I have no choice.
 
I can see that I'm probably going to have to sacrifice the good-value of the M2s to get what I want.
 
Please help a headphones virgin. What I've used for the last 20 years are a pair of $10 Sonys. But I've always wanted to go further after having a near religious experience listening to Pink Floyd on a Rotel based Hi-Fi. Oh my goodness, that was 25 years ago and I haven't moved on.

 

[Smallville]

I assume you mean IEMs(In-Ear Monitors). The Sunrise SW-XScape is an alternative to the RE0s.

 

[lorriman]

Thanks for that, Smallville. Edited!
 
And thanks for the recommendation.

 

[Zephyron]

Just try em before deciding first.

No doubt the myriad of opinions of many others can get you confused, especially the negativity of reports towards certain earphones, but the ears (and by extension, sound sig preference/bias/sensitivity) using the earphones are yours and yours alone =)
 
Let them burn in and let yourself get accustomed towards it sound sig first before deciding. If your previous earphones are just run-of-the-mill cheapoes, the M2's would be a significant upgrade in possibly every aspect, be them suitable for acoustics or otherwise (from the ears of others).
 
Enjoy! =D

 

[lorriman]

I would like to try them first but under UK law I can't return them unless they are unused or faulty.
 
I realise they'll be a big leg-up form cheapos, but I also appreciate the sound of real Hifi so I am looking to avoid disappointment.
 
Thanks for the words though.

 

[Zephyron]

There's always the option of reselling them if need be, I'm sure there'll be a buyer out there, be it from HeadFi or otherwise (e.g friend who maybe impressed by the sound of the M2)
 
Initial buyer's remorse will always exist while waiting for a certain product to come and reading up on negativities about it, but if my past indicated anything, I believe you'll be wowed by the M2s then and there, perhaps even moreso when you get accustomed to it (for the record, my first canalphone was a Sony MDR-EX71LP, and I thought the world of it) =)
 
Personally, I'm in the school of thought that its moreso about sonic signature preferences rather than the actual, full blown quality of the product, so even if a certain product is of a much higher ranking on the portable Hifi scale VS the M2 but has a sound sig you don't like or can't get accustomed to, you're not gonna like it irregardless of how well regarded the earphones are or how much they're appreciated by other members.
 
That said, the M2 has what I suppose is a very 'consumer friendly' sound from how its described vs the M1, if one can call it that (as opposed to the cold and clinical ATH-CK7 I used to own for example, which many of my schoolmates admit to being detailed [or in this case, treble oriented], but were lacking in the bass department [lean bass as opposed to boomy bass], despite perfect fit and trial from multiple sources amped with an iBasso T2).

I'm sure that with its friendlier sound, you'd be engaged by it while on the path of upgrading to something else, maybe something along the same soundpath of the M2s, maybe something different =)

 

[lorriman]

I'm thinking that it may be the sonic signature that will be the issue. I was willing to compromise on the quality due to the price, but not on the sonic signature. If the sonic signature is not acoustic friendly then I may end up disappointed despite the big leg-up. I'm not so keen to take that risk.
 
At the same time I am tantalising myself with reaching in to a touch of midfi if I were to solve the problem with an RE0 while yet I'm not convinced of it's build, warmth and finally price. The Xcape looks nice but build/price again.
 
So I'm a bit stuck, hence the thread.
 
As you say I could sell it on, but I see that as a gloomy option as I may lose out more than my tight-fisted nature can endure.

 

[Zephyron]

*thinks*

The most 'well rounded' earphone in the lower end cost spectrum would be the M1s IMO.

You have the M2s right now though, and I know it can be a mental buggery when the comment of others mention that the earphone is not suited up for a certain task, but from what you are hearing, are there deficits when listening to acoustical pieces that you are not happy of? Or is the desire of knowing how a more suitable sound sig with regard to your musical preferences will go?

Remember, fit, tip type, source, and how one percieves the sound coming out of a certain earphone affects things a lot (e.g I found the DBA-02 overbearingly bright despite a fit that has me deafened from the outside world and using Shure Olives to help reduce the treble energy, but others say otherwise and will treat the very things I mentioned above as utter blasphemy and hate me for it).

 

[JosephKim]

Just putting in my 2 cents. If you like acoustics, vocals.. for me the m1 was absolutely horrible. It was to the point where I couldnt understand how they received any praise at all here on head-fi. I mean maybe some people can like that overly warm signature and call it "relaxing". I know I know theyre $30-$40, but still the lack of clarity was horrible.

 

[Zephyron]

Different folks hear the same thing differently IMO.

Personally, I don't find the M1 to be terribly lacking in clarity, but it did lack airiness overall and its lack of extension makes for a poor follow throug on the treble regions to my ears with a few things.
 
There's also the issue with cost/performance as well, where the M1 doesn't really break any new ground, but rather performs really well for its cost.
 
For your case though, I'm going to assume that its lack of clarity was because the M1 didn't have enough treble energy in its sound sig for you, another example of how different individuals perceive the same sound differently =)

 

[rymd]

Regardless to if the M2 were or weren't suited for acoustic listening, I would still shell out the extra cash to buy better headphones like RE0 or Sunrise if I were looking for "near-hifi" because the improvement in sound for the price in the sub $150 range for IEMs is incredible

 

[lorriman]

Thanks for all the comments folks. Hugely useful. Haven't decided whether to open the M2 package yet.
 
Any thoughts on the Soundmagic PL50? I just bumped in to it. Looks like better build quality than the RE0. Not so much more than the M2.

 

[mark2410]

Quote:

I would like to try them first but under UK law I can't return them unless they are unused or faulty.
 
I realise they'll be a big leg-up form cheapos, but I also appreciate the sound of real Hifi so I am looking to avoid disappointment.
 
Thanks for the words though.

erm no, undor UK you get 10 working days to send them back for asy reason you feel like.
 
however id say listen to them and see what you make of them.  they are good and then when your ready to buy something else come back and say what you like about them and what you want to change

 

[lorriman]

I'm not sure where you got that from but unless there's been a change I didn't know about then I believe you are mistaken. There's a 7day cooling off period but only for mail order and only if unopened. For normal shop retail there is no right of return even if unopened.

 

[mark2410]

google dsa, i assume it was bought at a distance as there arent exactly many shops stocking it