Making your headphone not sound terrible should be a given, like you expect a car to be able to steer straight, the level of technology you put behind that, is what we pay for, i.e. the horsepower/torque in the car or precision in the headphone.
Musicality is great and all, but I'm not paying top-dollar just because the designer of the product wasn't deaf. To a large degree I agree a product has to have some "musicality", whatever that means, to be enjoyable, but if it doesn't have the technical ability to back it up, I'm not paying for it. I wouldn't buy an expensive computer with a nice operating system, but no power. I wouldn't pay a lot for a hot-dog just because it tastes good, because the actual raw materials and quality of the food is terrible. Though I'd also not necessarily pay for a high-street Noma meal, if it didn't taste good of course.
To get out of the metaphors: the original Audeze LCD 2 rev.2 and even LCD-X (cant speak to the current models) had great tonality/musicality, but compared to similarly priced headphones like the HD800, they were just a joke in terms of technical ability/resolution in most regards (especially the LCD 2), even an HD545 could compete with them in that regard. And I just refuse to pay 1000+ for that. If the LCD-2 had cost 3-400$ maybe. But no.
And still lcd2 is legendary without very big technicalities. I think for more usual people musicality has more meaning than dry technical abilities. And only for people like we there and spending not small money for different headphones or daps or else the technical abilities becomes like a supporting reason to spent more. If musical iem has technical abilities that's ideal but sacrificing pure joy of just listening music instead for searching and constantly listening for details - this is not my way of enjoying sound and iems. So i can call my self not audiofile in the the way we usually call and understand it. But i also need some level of technical abilities, so bower and wilkins really more for just easy listening not for audiofile journey to the other galaxies. But they were made so and for usual people to just enjoy sound. And they are musical for myself without big technicalities but with some level of it not to say i am listening musical peace of crap. And musicality ofcourse is subjective to everyone. I know what it's for me but this is a completely different topic. .After all i am ready to pay more for pure musicality and really big money for musicality + abilities. Not other order. Back on topic, seem new fearless line will be good contender to spend more money but me as many will wait for more opinions. And as much as i like HBB reviews , not always i prefer the same, especially in treble.
I totally agree with the searing treble problem with a LOT of chifi. It's almost as if Chinese people can't hear treble clearly or something. I don't know how else to explain it.
Don't know if someone has made real scientific research how different nations understand and what prefers in sound frequencies. But treble mania and brightness mania in many chi fi for me is very interesting and makes me think the same even it there other reason
Don't know if someone has made real scientific research how different nations understand and what prefers in sound frequencies. But treble mania and brightness mania in many chi fi for me is very interesting and makes me think the same even it there other reason
Harman would be the most likely to have done it or do it. I remember the bright signature also classically being a Japanese thing and now German. And in speakers its definitely a British thing these days; both B&W, Kef and Monitor Audio do it.
Honestly I'd suspect it has something to do with the musical taste that is most prevalent; bright tuning shows off string and many percussion instruments extremely well, along with providing good imaging - which are all very prevalent in a lot of traditional music from those areas of Asia. As for the Brits and Germans its likely for orchestral/symphonic music where it aids in separation and clarity. The 'meatier' tonality of American and Danish (speaker) brands might well be due to the spread of grungier/heavier and more 'produced' music through out the past two decades.
Just a couple of guesses...
Don't know if someone has made real scientific research how different nations understand and what prefers in sound frequencies. But treble mania and brightness mania in many chi fi for me is very interesting and makes me think the same even it there other reason
Interestingly, I was chatting with the JH guy at CanJam who said in Europe most people prefer the Angie, while in USA most prefer the Roxanne - more mid/high centric vs. bass centric. Wonder if the general musical influence in each county feeds into this.
Harman would be the most likely to have done it or do it. I remember the bright signature also classically being a Japanese thing and now German. And in speakers its definitely a British thing these days; both B&W, Kef and Monitor Audio do it.
Honestly I'd suspect it has something to do with the musical taste that is most prevalent; bright tuning shows off string and many percussion instruments extremely well, along with providing good imaging - which are all very prevalent in a lot of traditional music from those areas of Asia. As for the Brits and Germans its likely for orchestral/symphonic music where it aids in separation and clarity. The 'meatier' tonality of American and Danish (speaker) brands might well be due to the spread of grungier/heavier and more 'produced' music through out the past two decades.
Just a couple of guesses...
Nice quesses i think... This is really interesting topic. Biger manufacturers of audio gear knows much about different preferences in their target markets. And makes their gear according some scientific data. Tuning also is done for local buyers. I can say that i prefer in sound different thing than usual china guy. For example now days many iems and daps from china comes with higher mids and higher lower treble. Everywhere i read reviews i see this tendency. I understand why it is done but this i think prefered in their local buyer also. Constant treble problems and too much of them for western listeners and no problems for chinese. Who could make such iem as zs6 where treble so sibilant and harsh that it seems you head will explode and still such tuning was made intentionally and very popular in the east.
sure its "fine" but we got our tastes in bass. I found it light compared to (obv) the lx, k10's and the VX. so it probably won't satisfy the bass the other user wanted
Yea, I've seen people say that often enough that I'm more seriously looking at the Atlas or even Legend X for that matter... But if a IEM like the Roland could do what they do, at a much more reasonable price, that would be grand, wouldn't it? ^^
oh man I'm hoping so. I'm quite happy with my VX right now but if I can something cheaper with DD bass (ex1000 like bass or not, I'll EQ the hell outta it. the BA bass sounds different to me. I didn't think It'd matter at first, but I missed its rumble for a while now) and a heck of a lot of details... sold
sure its "fine" but we got our tastes in bass. I found it light compared to (obv) the lx, k10's and the VX. so it probably won't satisfy the bass the other user wanted
Had the k10s too .. for me they had less bass than Solaris, especially subbass. Maybe you had not a good seal with them. Many had problems with the fit of it .
Had the k10s too .. for me they had less bass than Solaris, especially subbass. Maybe you had not a good seal with them. Many had problems with the fit of it .
I was quite confident with how it fit for me. complys, spiral dots, spinfits and final audio tips. it also sat quite comfortable for me, flush, even more so than the k10. to me it was more balanced and the k10 had a more popular, slightly lifted bass. however, for the price, it was definitely the most spacious sounding iem I've had so far.
I would agree, many around here really like linsoul and I believe linsoul provides HBB his samples, but penon has always been the smoother experience personally....
That said, aren't the both in Hong Kong? If so, how are the shipments out from there being affected by the protests?
I would agree, many around here really like linsoul and I believe linsoul provides HBB his samples, but penon has always been the smoother experience personally....
That said, aren't the both in Hong Kong? If so, how are the shipments out from there being affected by the protests?
Linsoul is not based in Hongkong .. dunno where exactly, but I bought my fearless upgrade cable at Linsoul , they said to me they can ship with dhl . after 3 days .. I asked for tracking number , they gave me a number from a Chinese post or something .. they use a Chinese post service first to transport to Hongkong ( this took over a week ! ) in hong Kong they used DHL then .. but the hole shipping took quite long .
Penon shipped directly with dhl express for free .. took 4 days to Germany . And they are very very helpful to avoid customs charge ...
I would agree, many around here really like linsoul and I believe linsoul provides HBB his samples, but penon has always been the smoother experience personally....
That said, aren't the both in Hong Kong? If so, how are the shipments out from there being affected by the protests?
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I think for more usual people musicality has more meaning than dry technical abilities. And only for people like we there and spending not small money for different headphones or daps or else the technical abilities becomes like a supporting reason to spent more. If musical iem has technical abilities that's ideal but sacrificing pure joy of just listening music instead for searching and constantly listening for details - this is not my way of enjoying sound and iems. So i can call my self not audiofile in the the way we usually call and understand it. But i also need some level of technical abilities, so bower and wilkins really more for just easy listening not for audiofile journey to the other galaxies. But they were made so and for usual people to just enjoy sound. And they are musical for myself without big technicalities but with some level of it not to say i am listening musical peace of crap. And musicality ofcourse is subjective to everyone. I know what it's for me but this is a completely different topic. 
