[TwinQY]

Quote:

Was in Bay area Changfest get together couple of weeks back, my deep respect and gratitude towards the organizers and participants for allowing me to try their cans.I was bit surprised to hate some IEMs/Headphones which i liked in the reviews and the vice versa so guess given a choice it is a good idea to try it out before buying them.
 
Interested to buy the universal Heir 3.ai or Heir 4.ai, I am in CA Bay Area (Fremont/San Jose/Dublin) so please PM me if you own either of these IEMs and could spare it to me for few mins, will bring my own earbuds and will take only couple of mins of your time. I dont want to waste fuel to go to San diego from Bay area and try them Thank you brothers again .

Probably not the right thread for that sort of stuff. Might want to go to the Bay Area thread or the Heir Audio thread.

 

[TwinQY]

Finally found the 2 parts, went through them, proofreaded a bit (something I never do), and found that some parts I just got lazy on and could use some beefing up. So I'll be using my time on the plane tomorrow to type up a doozy - expect really really long replies. 
 
Quote:

Thanks for the recommendations. I've had my eyes on the SE215 for a while, although I'm having a tough time choosing between that and the slightly cheaper Klipsch X10. However, I would also appreciate it if anyone can tell me about the Thinksound ts02, since it's the only one I know that has a mic sure to work with my brother's exact phone. 

Can't believe I missed this one, sorry. Personally found the MS01 to be more proficient than its predecessor, but the V-shape probably isn't what you're looking for as well as the lack of a mic. The TS02s are lush, smooth, you can essentially visualize the stereotypical woodie sound and it will embody it pretty much to the letter. Problem with the wood shells is that oil does cumulate on them quite rapidly even with just pulling them in and out of the ear. It can get rather annoying if you don't have something to wipe it down with. If he doesn't mind the extreme warmth, by all means consider them.
 
What exact make is your brother's phone again? Most likely the PFE022's mic will work, but just to make sure.

 

[Love Music]

OK, so after buying the CK100 I found out that am trying to find something thats more similar to my eq-7's but with more resolution/clarity on the highs. I really like the airy/tube-like/natural vocals on the ortofons. The spacious soundstage also makes it more engaging and I can get lost in my music. However the uppermids/treble can sound so unrefined and quite harsh/piercing, especially on high pitched female vocals. Sometimes the treble seems to be more forward than the mids which gets me a bit frustrated since there lows,mids and presentation can really give you that WOW factor. Distorted guitars can also have too much energy and also seem more forward which can be really fatiguing (can be a really bad combination when there are both female vocals and bass/distorted guitars on tracks). I have to turn the volume lower because of this when i'm listening to these type of music which sacrifices the liveliness of the vocals/presentation.
 
Sound Preferences :
 
-Good clarity/resolution. I hate a veiled or metallic sound.
 
-transparent
 
-airy/articulate
 
-mid forward (maybe a tad less than ck100 though)
 
-Highs with good treble extension but never harsh/piercing/sibilant as if it reaches high and far away. I also want the highs to sound airy like the lows/mids of eq-7. I feel the upper mids/highs in the eq-7's are incoherent with the lows and mids because they can sound harsh/piercing and lack the refinement. They also seem to have lost the airy sound as well.
 
-good soundstage- I want a concert hall type soundstage but vocals/mids still has to be quite forward as if your sitting in the first row in a concert. I like a live performance sort of feel.
 
-vocals are centre with forward projection and are more forward than instruments. But the instruments will still have to be engaging.
 
-good imaging and istrument seperation- able to pinpoint where everything are. Doesn't sound congested in complex passages.
 
-I don't like too much bass. the eq-7 is fine for my taste.
 
-Not too unforgiving to badly recorded music/low bitrate tracks.
 
-Good fit, comfort, isolation.
 
 
Some thoughts on the Pros and cons of the iem's I have.
 
 
EQ-7
 
PROS:
 
-Natural sounding vocals that are airy/tube-like.
-Quite a spacious soundstage but still having forward vocals.
-Accurate bass.
-Piano and classical pieces sounding realistic and engaging because of the soundstage and the extra oomph.
 
CONS:
 
-Unrefined upper mids/treble that can sound harsh/piercing. More problematic on high pitched female vocals.
-Can have too much energy on instruments at times which can be more problematic on distorted guitars etc.
-Quite a fatiguing sound. Can't get tiresome around 30 mins of usage, sometimes longer depending on the music I am listening to or just how I feel that day.
-Long housing and heavy cables. After a certain time of use it can be uncormfortable.
-Not as good instrument seperation as the CK100.
 
 
 
CK100
 
PROS:
 
-Guitar and strings sounding very realistic, more so than the EQ-7's.
-More refined highs than the EQ-7
-Non fatiguing sound. Can be used for hours at a time.
-Most comfortable iem's I own. They fit just perfectly for my small ears and they isolate well.
-Better instrument seperation than eQ-7.
 
CONS:
 
-Accented vocals.
-Not as airy as eq-7's.
-Does not have the soundstage for classical pieces.
-Can still sound a bit veiled and metallic.
-Sometimes vocals seems a bit squashed because of the small soundstage.
 
 
MUSIC PREFERENCES: J-pop, J-rock/metal, female vocals, classical and some hip hop. 
 
 
SOURCE/IEM I HAVE: Sony Walkman Z. E-Q7, RE262, CK100.
 
 
BUDGET: $250-$500.
 
 
I've been recommended the EX1000 but I think the treble tilt can be a problem for me. So others have suggested the 7550, but I want to know if there are any other suggestions though since I kinda want more isolation though since I use my iem's on the bus quite often. So far looking at W4, TDK BA200, UE900. Are there any other suggestions though?
 
 
Sorry for the ultra long post. Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it

 

[TwinQY]

Quote:

OK, so after buying the CK100 I found out that am trying to find something thats more similar to my eq-7's but with more resolution/clarity on the highs. I really like the airy/tube-like/natural vocals on the ortofons. The spacious soundstage also makes it more engaging and I can get lost in my music. However the uppermids/treble can sound so unrefined and quite harsh/piercing, especially on high pitched female vocals. Sometimes the treble seems to be more forward than the mids which gets me a bit frustrated since there lows,mids and presentation can really give you that WOW factor. Distorted guitars can also have too much energy and also seem more forward which can be really fatiguing (can be a really bad combination when there are both female vocals and bass/distorted guitars on tracks). I have to turn the volume lower because of this when i'm listening to these type of music which sacrifices the liveliness of the vocals/presentation.
 
Sound Preferences :
 
-Good clarity/resolution. I hate a veiled or metallic sound.
 
-transparent
 
-airy/articulate
 
-mid forward (maybe a tad less than ck100 though)
 
-Highs with good treble extension but never harsh/piercing/sibilant. I also want the highs to sound airy like the lows/mids of eq-7. I feel the upper mids/highs in the eq-7's are incoherent with the lows and mids because they can sound harsh/piercing and lack the refinement. They also seem to have lost the airy sound as well.
 
-good soundstage- I want a concert hall type soundstage but vocals/mids still has to be quite forward as if your sitting in the first row in a concert. I like a live performance sort of feel.
 
-vocals are centre with forward projection and are more forward than instruments. But the instruments will still have to be engaging.
 
-good imaging and istrument seperation- able to pinpoint where everything are. Doesn't sound congested in complex passages.
 
-I don't like too much bass. the eq-7 is fine for my taste.
 
-Not too unforgiving to badly recorded music/low bitrate tracks.
 
-Good fit, comfort, isolation.
 
 
Some thoughts on the Pros and cons of the iem's I have.
 
 
EQ-7
 
PROS:
 
-Natural sounding vocals that are airy/tube-like.
-Quite a spacious soundstage but still having forward vocals.
-Accurate bass.
-Piano and classical pieces sounding realistic and engaging because of the soundstage and the extra oomph.
 
CONS:
 
-Unrefined upper mids/treble that can sound harsh/piercing. More problematic on high pitched female vocals.
-Can have too much energy on instruments at times which can be more problematic on distorted guitars etc.
-Quite a fatiguing sound. Can't get tiresome around 30 mins of usage, sometimes longer depending on the music I am listening to or just how I feel that day.
-Long housing and heavy cables. After a certain time of use it can be uncormfortable.
-Not as good instrument seperation as the CK100.
 
 
 
CK100
 
PROS:
 
-Guitar and strings sounding very realistic, more so than the EQ-7's.
-More refined highs than the EQ-7
-Non fatiguing sound. Can be used for hours at a time.
-Most comfortable iem's I own. They fit just perfectly for my small ears and they isolate well.
-Better instrument seperation than eQ-7.
 
CONS:
 
-Accented vocals.
-Not as airy as eq-7's.
-Does not have the soundstage for classical pieces.
-Can still sound a bit veiled and metallic.
-Sometimes vocals seems a bit squashed because of the small soundstage.
 
 
MUSIC PREFERENCES: J-pop, J-rock/metal, female vocals, classical and some hip hop. 
 
 
SOURCE/IEM I HAVE: Sony Walkman Z. E-Q7, RE262, CK100.
 
 
BUDGET: $250-$500.
 
 
I've been recommended the EX1000 but I think the treble tilt can be a problem for me. So others have suggested the 7550, but I want to know if there are any other suggestions though since I kinda want more isolation though since I use my iem's on the bus quite often. So far looking at W4, TDK BA200, UE900. Are there any other suggestions though?
 
 
Sorry for the ultra long post. Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it

This really just sounds like either the UE900 or the EX1000. Either would do the genres justice. Since harsh treble is mentioned above pretty frequently, would probably spring for the UEs as they retain the excitement and sparkle usually without having to worry about fatigue or stridency.
 
Would have also said the CK100PRO as the mids are much less forward and they do have more treble. But that's the problem, they have inhuman amount of treble.
 
Again, your best bet would probably be the UE900 so as to be on the safe side. Have heard the 7550 you mentioned briefly, and while I didn't really think it stacked up to the EX1000 for detail alone, a vague recollection of the sound sig would suggest that it would do what you want well enough.
 
Honestly, I think you have the criteria narrowed down to a T already, and limited your choices enough. But the only way you'll be able to move forward is to actually try the pairs, or if that's not possible, buy and try (could always return them).
 
(good thing I have the eQ-5 rather than the 7s, sounds like the highs are awful, something I've never gotten with the 5s)
 
Oh, and would just cross the W4 and the BA200 right off. Nowhere near the treble you're wanting.

 

[Love Music]

Quote:

This really just sounds like either the UE900 or the EX1000. Either would do the genres justice. Since harsh treble is mentioned above pretty frequently, would probably spring for the UEs as they retain the excitement and sparkle usually without having to worry about fatigue or stridency.
 
Would have also said the CK100PRO as the mids are much less forward and they do have more treble. But that's the problem, they have inhuman amount of treble.
 
Again, your best bet would probably be the UE900 so as to be on the safe side. Have heard the 7550 you mentioned briefly, and while I didn't really think it stacked up to the EX1000 for detail alone, a vague recollection of the sound sig would suggest that it would do what you want well enough.
 
Honestly, I think you have the criteria narrowed down to a T already, and limited your choices enough. But the only way you'll be able to move forward is to actually try the pairs, or if that's not possible, buy and try (could always return them).
 
(good thing I have the eQ-5 rather than the 7s, sounds like the highs are awful, something I've never gotten with the 5s)
 
Oh, and would just cross the W4 and the BA200 right off. Nowhere near the treble you're wanting.

 
Thanks TwinQY. Ah, a fellow Asian music thread member. Really interested in the UE900 now, since Joker has also recommended them as well.
 
Actually it may just be me being sensitive to upper mids/highs. Because other people don't seem to have any problems with the e-q7's, but people have mentioned they are grainy/coarse though. I not sure though since the e-q5 and 7's are very much alike apart from the mids.
 
Apart from the highs of the BA200 does everything else fit, since they are much cheaper. What are the highs like?

 

[BerryTwoC]

Hey all, this is my first post on head-fi, please forgive any mistakes made ~

Background story.
 
I've been using my Shure SE535ltd for sometime now and feel that an upgrade is in place. I feel that its time I transitioned to Customs, and narrowed my choices down to two models. 
 

1. JH16pro FP
2. Heir Audio 8.A

 
If you happen to know of other CIEMs that might be good for me, do recommend it ! 
 
Here's some infomation on what I'm looking for.
 
Budget : My budget will be about SGD$1800 , about US$1450. This doesn't include the costs of ear impressions and shipping.
 
Usage : I'll be mainly using it on the go - eg, public transport or in school. I'll also be using them for performances in the future. 
 
Source : Currently, it will be my iPhone 4s with 320kbps files, but I'm planning on upgrading to a DX100. I probably won't have a lot of lossless files in the future too.
 
Song Genres : I mainly listen to Ballads, Pop, Rock, Rock ballads and Classical. 
 
Bass : I'm not a bass head, but I won't mind the extra bass ( since I play bass ). My conditions are that it has to be " tight ", not sure how to describe that feeling... maybe controlled and full. Low sub-bass extension would be good
 
Mids/ Treble : Vocals. I'm looking for something which excels at female vocals, since it makes up about 80% of my library. It has to be detailed, and not laid back. I don't mind something mid forward, nor slightly neutral, but the presence has to be there. Apart from vocals, it has to have good instrument separation and detail. I don't mind my music to sound " analytical ", actually I kinda enjoy it that way. Having a good treble extension will be a huge plus point.
 
Additional Information : It would be great if its sound signature is similar to the Shure SRH940.
 
Looking forward to all your advice, opinions and recommendations ~ Thanks in advance to all replies !

 

[munchzilla]

Quote:

 
W4Rs have exceedingly nice comfort, balanced, mid-forward, pretty much fits all the criteria. Great detail, upper mids - treble slope down a bit against the overall signature. Again, probably the most apt.
 
From the graphs (I did see them prior to obtaining my pair, so account for the bias on that as you will) they do correlate for the most part. In fact I found them to be even bassier. 
 
Not saying graphs are everything...but they're a great deal more important than what some others on the forums would like to say. Always keep a critical mind.

hi!
 
I was actually looking at W4 as a possible contender.
though from measurements (http://rinchoi.blogspot.ca/2012/11/westone-4.html) I get the feeling they might be a bit bassy? unsure here...
I have only tried the UM2 from Westone before and was impressed though.
will do a bit more research on these for sure.
 
thanks 

 

[TwinQY]

Quote:

Thanks TwinQY. Ah, a fellow Asian music thread member. Really interested in the UE900 now, since Joker has also recommended them as well.
 
Actually it may just be me being sensitive to upper mids/highs. Because other people don't seem to have any problems with the e-q7's, but people have mentioned they are grainy/coarse though. I not sure though since the e-q5 and 7's are very much alike apart from the mids.
 
Apart from the highs of the BA200 does everything else fit, since they are much cheaper. What are the highs like?

I'm not surprised, the UEs were really quite proficient. If you weren't too adverse to bass, I would've said the PFE232, but not really confident as with the UE900 since more time's been spent with the latter. They both have sparkle, but are relatively smooth so grain isn't a big problem. Could see the EX*** being perceived as "grainy" though.
 
BA200's treble is very laid back, very smooth and restricted. Extension's a problem as well. If the CK100s weren't up to par in that regard, these will have no hope to your ears.
 
You should go on the music thread more! Hardly see you there. Recs are quite good.

 

[TwinQY]

Quote:

hi!
 
I was actually looking at W4 as a possible contender.
though from measurements (http://rinchoi.blogspot.ca/2012/11/westone-4.html) I get the feeling they might be a bit bassy? unsure here...
I have only tried the UM2 from Westone before and was impressed though.
will do a bit more research on these for sure.
 
thanks 

Midbassy. Slightly lacking in subbass. But the mids are forward as promised, and tip rolling really does wonders (he has tip comparison measurements up as well for them)
The midbass isn't as bad as it would seem. Ever since he mentioned the impedance adapter, I've been using it and encouraging others to do the same, flattens it out a lot. 75ohm is a good compromise between battery-siphoning and practicality. Might need a portable amp if adding more impedance though.

 

[djvkool]

Quote:

hmm, I was just reading about those before I posted... what I've seen from actual measurements have been quite different from what I am looking for, are there different revisions out or something?
 
from: http://rinchoi.blogspot.ca/2012/10/heir-audio-3ai.html
I know measurements aren't end-all but what I've seen from this persons measurements so far have been quite up to my experiences.
 
thoughts?
thanks! 

 
I can see similarities to what my ears hear, but, not all accurate.
 
I would say, bass is OK, mids bumped up a bit, and upper mids/lower treble is nowhere near that rolled off

 

[djvkool]

Quote:

I am looking for portable headphones or iem's that work well with movies while flying on a plane. What iem or headphone will give me the best sound with the noise cancellation needed while flying? Looking to spend up to $200. I listen to some music, but that is not my major priority.

 
I'd say Brainwavz B2, you would have an absolute crystal clear dialogue without any muddiness whatsoever...
 
With Comply tips, the seal is absolutely spot on...

 

[djvkool]

Quote:

 
Thanks for your response. Although I'm in no hurry to buy a new pair of headphones, the X10 are pretty tempting at the current price of $90 on Amazon. The X10i was made primarily for Apple devices anyway, so unless Klipsch makes an X10A version soon, I might just go with the X10.  
 

 
I'd say run, don't walk...buy one before it gets discontinued...
 
I was sceptical to be honest, after having the chance to audition for a month or so, at $150, it would be a bargain, at $90, an absolute steal...

 

[TwinQY]

^^ Gonna say it again but actually found the treble and upper mid dip on the graph to be represented quite accurately. Bass is a bit off though IMO though, hear a tad more subbass than shown.

Precognitive bias and all that. Blah.

 

[Love Music]

Quote:

I'm not surprised, the UEs were really quite proficient. If you weren't too adverse to bass, I would've said the PFE232, but not really confident as with the UE900 since more time's been spent with the latter. They both have sparkle, but are relatively smooth so grain isn't a big problem. Could see the EX*** being perceived as "grainy" though.
 
BA200's treble is very laid back, very smooth and restricted. Extension's a problem as well. If the CK100s weren't up to par in that regard, these will have no hope to your ears.
 
You should go on the music thread more! Hardly see you there. Recs are quite good.

Too bad, they are selling them quite cheap at Amazon atm.
 
Will do, been posting there more recently.
 
Thanks for the help.

 

[RobDogg]

Quote: Originally Posted by TwinQY
 
 

Hi everyone I am a long time lurker on this site but have just signed up. 
 
Until recently I did have Miles Davis Tributes however they broke and the replacement that was given to me were the Trumpets which I cannot get a good seal on at all & they just don't stay in so I am selling them and trying to make a decision of whether to get B&W C5's or UE900's. I am unsure which IEM to go for however. I have had a look at some frequency response graphs of both of them and I like that the C5's have lots of bass, however I cannot fully rely on a frequency graph to make my decision.
 
In case you are interested in seeing the graphs here they are...
 
C5's: http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/photogallery/measured-bowers-wilkins-c5-headphones
 
UE900: http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/photogallery/measured-logitech-ue-900-ear-headphone
 
 
Music I like to listen to are bands like, Rammstein, Incubus, koRn, Garbage, Bjork, Tool, Weezer, Dr Dre, Prince, Snoop Dogg, Limp Bizkit, Deftones, Beach Boys, Beatles, movie soundtracks like Inception, Dark Knight Rises, Batman (1989) etc. So kind of a broad spectrum of tunes. I can't stand listening to music which is just crap sounding and nothing but treble, I like having awesome sound quality. I really like hearing & feeling the bass on songs, drums etc and like my highs to have clarity and be clear, not muffled or ear piercing though. I also like good isolation & sound stage. I also tend to listen to music with  V shape EQ to boost the bass and treble.
 
I currently have a pair of V-Moda M100's which I cannot recommend enough, they are amazing! I luv the bass they produce as well as the clarity of the highs, they have such awesome sound quality. So I am kind of hoping that I can get something close to M100 sounding. 
 
I plan on using the IEM's with my Sony Walkman mp3 player.
 
So anyway enough of my rambling I think I have painted a picture as to what I am after as best as I can. So please any help or advice on deciding between the UE900 or C5's would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Could not imagine why the C5s are being considered seeing your criteria. UE900s would be more akin, but notes might be thinner than what you are wanting. Good to try new things out, and besides, not that huge of a departure. Would also consider the FX700s (yes the graphs look horrible but bare with me on this) or the Atrios. But the safest choices would be the UEs, yes. Consider the W3/3.Ai if you want an even deeper V-shape but similar tonality.

 
Hi TwinQY thank you very much for your advice it is greatly appreciated So I have just researched the Westone 3's and they definitely are a possibility. In fact now its just trying to decide between the W3 or the UE900. Have you listened to the W3's?