[mancpg]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on a dynamic driver earphone that would be suitable for classical music (and jazz)? The question is I guess asking about a dynamic driver earphone that would have good response in the high frequencies, as well as the mids (along with the bass). I prefer dynamic driver earphones for their soundstage -- I tried the UE triple.fis and d-jays and couldn't get into them (also found the highs to be a little too piercing and shrilly).

I like the sound of the Atrios and really like the Klipsch S4s (especially the mids), but was hoping for something with a little more clarity in the treble. If anyone has any advice, it would be much appreciated!

Thank you.

 

[james444]

The cheapest dynamic driver IEMs that are really good with classical music IMO are the Soundmagic PL30. They are more even across the frequency range than the Atrios and have a wide soundstage and an airy sound. Maybe a tad less detail than the Atrios, but the are only $25 and for classical music I prefer them over the former.

The Sennheiser IE8 are the obvious choice among the top dynamic driver IEMs and they win hands down over the Atrios. They have good clarity and lots of detail and though they also have overly strong mid-bass this does not as bother me as much with classical music as with other genres. Overall the IE8 are amazing with classical IMO.

The IEMs I personally like best with classical music are the Playaz N1, some obscure budget IEMs that you can only buy on ebay and that have to be EQed to sound any good. I love them especially with orchestra because they have a vast, spacious sound, but they have also precarious build quality, therefore I won't risk recommending them.

 

[mancpg]

Thanks for the tips! Hadn't heard of the PL30s but will look into them! The IE8s were on my list -- wasn't sure what the fit would be like. Have you heard the Klipsch S4s? I was wondering how they might compare...

Thank you again.

 

[mark2410]

RE0

 

[ethan961]

I would have to say RE0 but even though they are dynamic will not sound much like Atrios or the like, as they have a sound sig more like a BA.

 

[ljokerl]

Definitely the RE0s, although they sound nothing like the Atrios (which aren't ideal for classical imo).

 

[ZARIM]

FX500, IE8, image X10, IE7, Westone 3.......

 

[james444]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZARIM /img/forum/go_quote.gif FX500, IE8, image X10, IE7, Westone 3.......

Image X10 and Westones have armature drivers. x2 on the FX500 being very good with classical music, but they have slightly recessed mids and in contrast very prominent highs. One may like this or not - because of the OP stating sensitivity to piercing and shrill highs I would not recommend them in this case.

One more addition, I'm currently evaluating the $80 Storm Cyclone PR2, a dynamic driver IEM that has some similarity to the Atrios basswise, but better highs. I've only tried it shortly with classical, so far it sounds very promising. I plan to spend more listening time and post my impressions soon.

 

[mancpg]

Thanks for the recommendations on the RE0s mark2410, ethan961 and ljokerl, I'll have a look at those. And thank you James444 for clarifying the post and the info on the Storm Cyclones, they sound interesting. Thank you again!

 

[u1tima]

Have you taken a look at sennheiser IE7? It's also a dynamic driver. The soundstage is just amazing so you will get the best orchestral experience with them. I upgraded from UM2s and I'm loving them at the moment.

 

[mancpg]

U1tima, I have looked at the IE7 and was considering them (especially due to the price difference from the IE8) but what concerned me was the lack of treble on them from the reviews I read. The soundstage does sound like it's impressive though...thank you!

 

[erwinrommel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mancpg /img/forum/go_quote.gif U1tima, I have looked at the IE7 and was considering them (especially due to the price difference from the IE8) but what concerned me was the lack of treble on them from the reviews I read. The soundstage does sound like it's impressive though...thank you!

I have the IE7 and it sounds great. However, you are correct in the sense it performs poorly in the treble region. When I auditioned UE TF 10 Pro, I was completely blown away by its incredible sound separation especially in the treble region.

 

[boomy3555]

I like the FX500's for acoustic, Claissical, and jazz. The mids are a bit recessed but I'm an EQ'er and I can easily change that. The FX500's are the Best Dynamics I've tried. The "claim to Fame" of the JVC's is thier incredible bass, which is not what you would normally want with accoustics and classical, but the bass is not just forward but clear, and full of warmth. I can easily FEEL the string basses and lower register brasses much more than simply hearing them.

 

[mancpg]

Thanks boomy355! I haven't found the JVCs readily available here in the UK (retail anyway) but will keep an eye out. So far, I'm intrigued by the Sennheiser IE8s. The soundstage and treble response sound like good points. I'm concerned about recessed mids though (based on some opinions), compared to the Klipsch s4s (where I love the mids a lot), and the fit.

 

[ClassicalViola]

I am currently using the Philips Fidelio S2 earphones and listen mainly to classical music. I listen to lots of large scale orchestral music (Mahler and Bruckner) and to me the S2 does the job pretty well in instrument separation and balance over the different frequency ranges. The bass is present, very extended (I can feel the broad range of bass) and not over-powering, the mids and treble (violins/violas/higher woodwinds) are also clearly defined. I feel that it is quite a balanced-sounding dynamic driver earphone overall. I have only owned it for about 3 weeks and so far I feel that the treble is on the bright side (stands out just slightly more among the frequency ranges) but it is not fatiguing. I am also very satisfied with these earphones so far because of how it presents the music with such clarity that I am aware of all the different instruments which are playing simultaneously (especially in richly textured classical music such as Mahler's symphonies). I am not sure if the sound will change much after more hours of listening (burn in?) but so far I am very happy with them! I am using the FiiO X3 as my source. Do take note that the S2 has a semi-open design which contributes to its good bass extension but sacrifices noise isolation. So it's a give and take, but overall I consider the isolation quite good for a semi-open pair of earphones!