average_joe
Headphoneus Supremus
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[size=x-small]Cresyn C750E Review - Mmmm, the Midrange[/size]
I came across the Cresyn C750E IEMs which look interesting and different. Haven’t heard of Cresyn, they are the largest OEM manufacturer of headphones. So, here it goes…
(Rating system: 1 star = poor; 2.5 stars = average; 5 stars = exceptional)
Transducer: Single Balanced Armature, 4.3mm x 6.3mm square type
Spec: 24Ω | 8Hz~ 27kHz | 97dB/mW | 4g – sensitivity seems closer to the Denon C710 which is rated at 110dB/mW
Cord Style: Y-cord, 1.20 m, clip attached to cable
Mini Jack Style: 45°, normal build.
Eartips Used: Single flange/Shure Olives
Physical Properties:
┣ Packaging: ★★☆ – average packaging and the ear pieces are somewhat difficult to pull out of the plastic.
┣ Accessories: ★★ – 3 sets of tips (S, M, L), cloth carrying case
┣ Build Quality: ★★★☆ – build quality seems to be a little above average with a thick, sturdy cable
┣ Isolation: ★★★★ – he stock tips provided better than I am used to isolation
┣ Microphonics: ★★★ – slight microphonics when walking, none when sitting at a desk. There is a clip that is included to prevent microphonics while moving around.
┣ Comfort: ★★★★ – very comfortable; worn in the outer ear
┣ Tips: The tips are very small and only a few tips in my collection fit on the nozzle including triple flange and Shure olives. The included large tips applied a lot of ear pressure for me and the medium did not create a good seal, so I used the olives.
┣ Fit/positioning: Due to the shape, the C750E can only be worn cables down and cannot be inserted very deep. I achieved the best sound when they were inserted as deep as possible which livened up the sound and results in the best bass response.
┗ Quick Sum: Average packaging, slightly better than usual build quality, low microphonics, good isolation
Tips/Fit:
Sound Quality:
┣ Treble: ★★★★☆- The treble is ever so slightly recessed compared to the mids, but blends in beautifully with a silky smoothness and possibly the least peaky presentation I have heard with IEMs. In This Moment – Her Kiss, which has poorly mastered female vocals that can present ear splitting tones on some IEMs is smoothed out making them listenable, which is an accomplishment for this track!
┣ Mid: ★★★★★ - The strength of this IEM is detailed, clear, and smooth midrange that has a forward presentation. Christina Aguilera – Beautiful sounds like you are sitting on the piano bench with Christina right next to you putting on a private concert just for you!
┣ Bass: ★★ - Bass is tight and very controlled but recessed compared to the rest of the spectrum and response is lacking in reverb which detracts from instruments such as the kettle drum in The Eagles – Hotel California (from Hell Freezes Over), hip hop, or other tracks with a bass line that has a lot of reverb. Songs such as Nelly Furtado – All Good Things seem to have adequate bass depth and weight.
┣ Soundstage: Good / Average ▆ ▄ ▂ ▂ ▂ ▄ ▆ - The soundstage varies quite a bit from song to song but can really extend for some of the instruments in a song while maintaining in your face vocals. For example: Ray LaMontagne – Sarah has a great, fairly wide and very 3D presentation with great up front vocals. There is great transparency, making for a coherent, entertaining, involving experience.
┣ ABF: Low – see below for pairing with my different sources
┣ Overall SQ: [3.5 / 5]
┗ Summary: Smooth, detailed, and clear with a mid forward presentation are what comes to mind when describing the Cresyn C750E. The forward mids that are in your face are some of the best I have heard, making them very enjoyable. Preferred genres are mid centric without reverb heavy bass lines such as vocal music, country, easy listening/soft rock, folk, jazz, classical, and some pop. Pairing the C750E with an E5 with the bass boost and a deep insertion expands the playlist, but reverb heavy tracks still sound like they are missing that extra oomph. The C750E performs its best at medium or higher output levels.
Sources pairing with the C750E (my personal ranking):
Fuze -> E5 w/bass boost on (1st): Warm sound with more detailed than the Fuze HP out, with a more convincing and 3D soundstage.
Fuze HP out (2st): Punchy bass, good balance, but the soundstage seemed somewhat compressed on some tracks but is comparable with the E5 on others (Queensryche – Empire sounded compressed, Pink Floyd – Take It Back didn’t).
Prodigy 7.1 sound card LO -> E5 w/bass boost (3rd): Has a good balance, but lacks the detail of the other amps tested with the sound card. The bass boost does give something extra that the others don’t have, not muddying it up like when combined with the Fuze.
Prodigy 7.1 sound card HP out (OPA627) (4th): The sound is like a cross between the E5 with bass boost and the AMP3 treble all in one. The soundstage is the best with this combination.
Prodigy 7.1 sound card Speaker out (AD 8397) (5th): Slightly less forward than with the OPA627 (which isn’t a bad think with this forward IEM), less bass, a little rougher, and slightly smaller stage.
Prodigy 7.1 sound card LO -> AMP3 (6th): The presentation is brought slightly more forward with a shift from a mid focus to an upper mid/treble focus detracting from the listening experience.
Fuze -> AMP3 (7th): The presentation is brought slightly more forward with a shift from a mid focus to an upper mid/treble focus detracting from the listening experience. Slight hiss and a decrease of bass compared with the HP out of the Fuze further detract from the enjoyment of this IEM.
IEM Comparisons in the price range:
Apple Dual Driver IEM (AKA ADDIEM; $80 new, $35 used): The ADDIEM is at its best for me when worn deeper in the ear than the C750E will go. For comparisons, both were equipped with Shure olive tips. The C750E is smoother and more mid-forward than the ADDIEM, bringing vocals or the main instrument front and center while the ADDIEM presents like you are in the audience a few rows back in comparison. The C750E has a more realistic 3D presentation that envelopes you, making the ADDIEM sound less coherent left to right. Detail is close, but the C750E is the winner as the sound is clearer and smoother allows for more of the subtle details to be heard, whereas the ADDIEM seems to have some rough edges to the notes. The C750E is more forgiving of low bitrate/poor mastering. The bass of the ADDIEM is deeper and a little more prominent, which can lead to a more balanced sound. During my comparison the C750E is either very good or bad depending upon the genre; when listening to genres that suit the C750E I am drawn in and involved a lot more than with the ADDIEM. But for other genres, while close, the little extra bass oomph and laid back presentation give the ADDIEM the edge.
Denon C710 ($100): The Denon has a very different presentation and strengths; you could say the C710 is the anti C750E, comparatively laid back presentation with recessed mids, increased treble, and very powerful bass. Just after insertion when A/Bing both sound pretty bad due to just how different they are. The genres the C750E excels with sound a little too bassy with the C710, and the genres the C710 excels with sound too bass non-existent with the C750E (when A/Bing). Bass goes to the Denon, mids to the Cresyn, and treble is a toss up, as both are so different, but if I had to choose, I would choose the Cresyn. The C710 has a wider stage, but the C750E is more transparent and coherent with a better blend between the mids and treble. Detail is about equal while the C750E is smoother.
Mingo WM2 ($90): The WM2 has a bass oriented sound with all my sources except the AMP3, so the comparison was done with the Fuze -> AMP3 powering the WM2 and the Fuze -> E5 w/bass boost on for the C750E. I used the gold version of the WM2, which is the mid version. I was amazed at how close these two sounded in this configuration, as with the same source they have very different signatures. The mids of the C750E were slightly more forward, with slightly better instrument separation, similar detail, but the C750E was harsher. While the bass with the C750E wasn’t lacking, it still didn’t have the weight or reverb of the WM2. The WM2 sounded more natural to me with a wider and more 3D stage. The differences are more than likely due to the difference in amp quality, but I was trying to get the sound signature as close as possible. With other amps these two don’t really compare as the WM2 shifts to a bass heavy presentation with the E5 (bass boost off).
NuForce NE-7M ($49): Different sound signature, very different sound. First thing to hit me when switching to the NE-7 is the sound is smeared. The NE-7 has stronger, deeper bass, but that bass sounds bloated. The mids of the C750E are more forward and just pain sound better! It is easy for me to tell the stage on the NE-7 is compressed. The overall presentation of the NE-7 isn’t bad, but the C750E sounds much better overall.
Final Remark: Music and sound preference will determine if these are the right IEM for you. If you like vocal, easy listening, country, jazz, and other mid oriented sound presented with forward mids that are very detailed with a smooth delivery, the Cresyne C750E is definitely worth considering.
I came across the Cresyn C750E IEMs which look interesting and different. Haven’t heard of Cresyn, they are the largest OEM manufacturer of headphones. So, here it goes…
(Rating system: 1 star = poor; 2.5 stars = average; 5 stars = exceptional)
Transducer: Single Balanced Armature, 4.3mm x 6.3mm square type
Spec: 24Ω | 8Hz~ 27kHz | 97dB/mW | 4g – sensitivity seems closer to the Denon C710 which is rated at 110dB/mW
Cord Style: Y-cord, 1.20 m, clip attached to cable
Mini Jack Style: 45°, normal build.
Eartips Used: Single flange/Shure Olives
Physical Properties:
┣ Packaging: ★★☆ – average packaging and the ear pieces are somewhat difficult to pull out of the plastic.
┣ Accessories: ★★ – 3 sets of tips (S, M, L), cloth carrying case
┣ Build Quality: ★★★☆ – build quality seems to be a little above average with a thick, sturdy cable
┣ Isolation: ★★★★ – he stock tips provided better than I am used to isolation
┣ Microphonics: ★★★ – slight microphonics when walking, none when sitting at a desk. There is a clip that is included to prevent microphonics while moving around.
┣ Comfort: ★★★★ – very comfortable; worn in the outer ear
┣ Tips: The tips are very small and only a few tips in my collection fit on the nozzle including triple flange and Shure olives. The included large tips applied a lot of ear pressure for me and the medium did not create a good seal, so I used the olives.
┣ Fit/positioning: Due to the shape, the C750E can only be worn cables down and cannot be inserted very deep. I achieved the best sound when they were inserted as deep as possible which livened up the sound and results in the best bass response.
┗ Quick Sum: Average packaging, slightly better than usual build quality, low microphonics, good isolation
Tips/Fit:
Sound Quality:
┣ Treble: ★★★★☆- The treble is ever so slightly recessed compared to the mids, but blends in beautifully with a silky smoothness and possibly the least peaky presentation I have heard with IEMs. In This Moment – Her Kiss, which has poorly mastered female vocals that can present ear splitting tones on some IEMs is smoothed out making them listenable, which is an accomplishment for this track!
┣ Mid: ★★★★★ - The strength of this IEM is detailed, clear, and smooth midrange that has a forward presentation. Christina Aguilera – Beautiful sounds like you are sitting on the piano bench with Christina right next to you putting on a private concert just for you!
┣ Bass: ★★ - Bass is tight and very controlled but recessed compared to the rest of the spectrum and response is lacking in reverb which detracts from instruments such as the kettle drum in The Eagles – Hotel California (from Hell Freezes Over), hip hop, or other tracks with a bass line that has a lot of reverb. Songs such as Nelly Furtado – All Good Things seem to have adequate bass depth and weight.
┣ Soundstage: Good / Average ▆ ▄ ▂ ▂ ▂ ▄ ▆ - The soundstage varies quite a bit from song to song but can really extend for some of the instruments in a song while maintaining in your face vocals. For example: Ray LaMontagne – Sarah has a great, fairly wide and very 3D presentation with great up front vocals. There is great transparency, making for a coherent, entertaining, involving experience.
┣ ABF: Low – see below for pairing with my different sources
┣ Overall SQ: [3.5 / 5]
┗ Summary: Smooth, detailed, and clear with a mid forward presentation are what comes to mind when describing the Cresyn C750E. The forward mids that are in your face are some of the best I have heard, making them very enjoyable. Preferred genres are mid centric without reverb heavy bass lines such as vocal music, country, easy listening/soft rock, folk, jazz, classical, and some pop. Pairing the C750E with an E5 with the bass boost and a deep insertion expands the playlist, but reverb heavy tracks still sound like they are missing that extra oomph. The C750E performs its best at medium or higher output levels.
Sources pairing with the C750E (my personal ranking):
Fuze -> E5 w/bass boost on (1st): Warm sound with more detailed than the Fuze HP out, with a more convincing and 3D soundstage.
Fuze HP out (2st): Punchy bass, good balance, but the soundstage seemed somewhat compressed on some tracks but is comparable with the E5 on others (Queensryche – Empire sounded compressed, Pink Floyd – Take It Back didn’t).
Prodigy 7.1 sound card LO -> E5 w/bass boost (3rd): Has a good balance, but lacks the detail of the other amps tested with the sound card. The bass boost does give something extra that the others don’t have, not muddying it up like when combined with the Fuze.
Prodigy 7.1 sound card HP out (OPA627) (4th): The sound is like a cross between the E5 with bass boost and the AMP3 treble all in one. The soundstage is the best with this combination.
Prodigy 7.1 sound card Speaker out (AD 8397) (5th): Slightly less forward than with the OPA627 (which isn’t a bad think with this forward IEM), less bass, a little rougher, and slightly smaller stage.
Prodigy 7.1 sound card LO -> AMP3 (6th): The presentation is brought slightly more forward with a shift from a mid focus to an upper mid/treble focus detracting from the listening experience.
Fuze -> AMP3 (7th): The presentation is brought slightly more forward with a shift from a mid focus to an upper mid/treble focus detracting from the listening experience. Slight hiss and a decrease of bass compared with the HP out of the Fuze further detract from the enjoyment of this IEM.
IEM Comparisons in the price range:
Apple Dual Driver IEM (AKA ADDIEM; $80 new, $35 used): The ADDIEM is at its best for me when worn deeper in the ear than the C750E will go. For comparisons, both were equipped with Shure olive tips. The C750E is smoother and more mid-forward than the ADDIEM, bringing vocals or the main instrument front and center while the ADDIEM presents like you are in the audience a few rows back in comparison. The C750E has a more realistic 3D presentation that envelopes you, making the ADDIEM sound less coherent left to right. Detail is close, but the C750E is the winner as the sound is clearer and smoother allows for more of the subtle details to be heard, whereas the ADDIEM seems to have some rough edges to the notes. The C750E is more forgiving of low bitrate/poor mastering. The bass of the ADDIEM is deeper and a little more prominent, which can lead to a more balanced sound. During my comparison the C750E is either very good or bad depending upon the genre; when listening to genres that suit the C750E I am drawn in and involved a lot more than with the ADDIEM. But for other genres, while close, the little extra bass oomph and laid back presentation give the ADDIEM the edge.
Denon C710 ($100): The Denon has a very different presentation and strengths; you could say the C710 is the anti C750E, comparatively laid back presentation with recessed mids, increased treble, and very powerful bass. Just after insertion when A/Bing both sound pretty bad due to just how different they are. The genres the C750E excels with sound a little too bassy with the C710, and the genres the C710 excels with sound too bass non-existent with the C750E (when A/Bing). Bass goes to the Denon, mids to the Cresyn, and treble is a toss up, as both are so different, but if I had to choose, I would choose the Cresyn. The C710 has a wider stage, but the C750E is more transparent and coherent with a better blend between the mids and treble. Detail is about equal while the C750E is smoother.
Mingo WM2 ($90): The WM2 has a bass oriented sound with all my sources except the AMP3, so the comparison was done with the Fuze -> AMP3 powering the WM2 and the Fuze -> E5 w/bass boost on for the C750E. I used the gold version of the WM2, which is the mid version. I was amazed at how close these two sounded in this configuration, as with the same source they have very different signatures. The mids of the C750E were slightly more forward, with slightly better instrument separation, similar detail, but the C750E was harsher. While the bass with the C750E wasn’t lacking, it still didn’t have the weight or reverb of the WM2. The WM2 sounded more natural to me with a wider and more 3D stage. The differences are more than likely due to the difference in amp quality, but I was trying to get the sound signature as close as possible. With other amps these two don’t really compare as the WM2 shifts to a bass heavy presentation with the E5 (bass boost off).
NuForce NE-7M ($49): Different sound signature, very different sound. First thing to hit me when switching to the NE-7 is the sound is smeared. The NE-7 has stronger, deeper bass, but that bass sounds bloated. The mids of the C750E are more forward and just pain sound better! It is easy for me to tell the stage on the NE-7 is compressed. The overall presentation of the NE-7 isn’t bad, but the C750E sounds much better overall.
Final Remark: Music and sound preference will determine if these are the right IEM for you. If you like vocal, easy listening, country, jazz, and other mid oriented sound presented with forward mids that are very detailed with a smooth delivery, the Cresyne C750E is definitely worth considering.
