AR-M2 looks great, price not bad either. I'd be content with a slimmed variant - do you know when its expecting to be released?
I'll try give a review, although I'm quite unqualified, I just listen for enjoyment... I'll try tech it up.
My normal sound gear is: K701's, HD800s, all the B&O In-ear headphones, Ultrasone Signature Pro's and a couple other in ears.
Source: A very old Bose amplifier, I don't care what anyone says, this thing powers headphones like no tomorrow - probably power a powerstation one day. Xonar Essence ST, iPhone and Fiio Alpen. I had a brief stint with an AK Jr and was very depressed with it, so I didn't keep it.
The Jupiters...
The Jupiters are monstrously good. When purchasing, I did a direct comparison with the Lyra and there was no comparison for me (If I was using IEMs all day for movies, I'd really consider the Lyra, its warmer, and the bass extends further); the Lyra unquestionably had deeper rolling bass, but the bass offset the mids and highs to the point they felt muffled/stifled. Again, my perspective; but when listening to the Jupiters the bass wasn't absent or problematic, its still there, with great punch, and more controlled/responsive. It doesn't roll as deep as the Lyra, but its in no way lacking.
I can't stress enough that the bass isn't better or worse on either, they are two different bass types. The Lyra bass is great, I really enjoyed it, as with the Jupiters. Its just a different sound signature that I can't put my finger on. Probably best to fire a Lamborghini down a run way, then a Ferrari, and ask a blind man which sounded better. When you don't know what you're comparing, they're both great, just different.
The isolation and proper fit with the tips makes the Jupiter a pleasure to listen to (I must say, it took a week or so of swapping tips, I'd find one day my ear was one size, the next, another) What sold me the Jupiters over the Lyra and the other IEM's I was comparing with was the mids and the highs. The highs sing, are analytical but not cold, neither warm, just right for me. When listening to music loud, they don't pierce, either.
Now on to the best bit - the bit I never cared for, until I met Jupiter. People would say, "what matters in a headphone?" I would say "Bass, sound stage, not a warm signature, more analytical". Never, ever, did I expect to say "Oh my, mids - oh. my. god." Never have vocals sounded so good, never have mids in general even had sound - that's right; mids were deaf before. The musicality, richness and crisp in-your-face yet somehow delicately placed sound is addictive. Its really terribly hard to describe.
Definitely not similar to the K701 or HD800 sound stage, obviously as an IEM they lack the airyness (for lack of any real word). But in terms of positioning, I know the drummer is 6ft to my right, the vocalist is on top of me, and the painist is 4 foot to the left. The imagery is spectacular for an IEM. Everything is close, yes, but its placed, which means a lot to me, given my whole line up is pretty ruthless in terms of sound staging.
They are analytical, yet musical, but not warm to the point you wonder what the hell you're listening to.
I don't think I've given much info thats very good in this 'review'.. but I love them, for what its worth, I haven't listened to any other headphone since picking them up, I've worn them every day, for hours daily. K701 beside me, HD800 on the floor (someone's going to hate that, its ok, its on a few boxes), the B&O in-ears are all wound and sitting on my bed-side.
I just don't care any more, everything sounds really nice through them, you can play them loud without fatiguing literally all day. I do. 9am till 5pm. Then 7pm to 9pm. I would sleep with them if I wasn't worried about necking myself in my sleep... or wrecking that beautiful cable.
One thing does concern me a little though, the cable, even if I hang it from one end and let it 'unwind' ALWAYS re-coils/twists, no matter how damn straight I make it, it will twist. I don't know why.
