[ethan961]

Burn them in for a good hundred hours though first, they do change a bit. However, the RE0 will make anything sound quite bassy if that's what you're used to, especially IEMs that actually are fairly bassy. If you still don't like them after listening to them for 2 days or so without the use of any other IEMs or cans, then they probably aren't your cup of tea. You need to give your brain a little bit of time to adjust since it is used to hearing the opposite. It's the same thing with going from a bass heavy IEM to the RE0 - brain adjustment time is needed for them to sound like they have any bass at all. Once your brain is adjusted, they sound very nice and you become accustomed to that amount of bass.
I don't remember what the Eterna Rev.2 sounded like pre-burn in in detail, but most dynamics do change with burn in. Most of the time the bass becomes tighter and things become a bit clearer.
I just listened to my Rev.2 Eternas for a few minutes then put them on my burn-in rig and let them sit for 5 days or so, so I don't know all the different stages and changes. I know that the Monster Turbine Pro Coppers I have changed dramatically with burn in. It was a case of utter disgust turning into delight after 100 hours or so of burn-in with them.
 
Try it out and see what you find. If you sell them, I doubt the buyer would be unhappy that you already burned them in for them.

 

[JosephKim]

were u the ones u picked up v1 or v2?

 

[rawrster]

Quote:

were u the ones u picked up v1 or v2?

If you mean ethan then I'd imagine he would have both and would be shocked if he does not.

 

[SolidSnake3]

Just ordered a pair 2 days ago of the Eterna V1 from ebay. I figure if I'm getting the Eterna I might as well get their most "magical" and fun sounding version. This is at least according to what I have read about them and the revision toning down a bit of what made the first so exciting to me at least.

 

[JosephKim]

sorry i was referring to the OP

 

[ethan961]

The OP had the original Eterna. Changes from the original are mainly decreased mid-bass, so if you think Rev.2 is bassy, V1 is even bassier.

 

[Caphead78]

 
Quote:

Originally Posted by ethan961
 
It's the same thing with going from a bass heavy IEM to the RE0 - brain adjustment time is needed for them to sound like they have any bass at all. Once your brain is adjusted, they sound very nice and you become accustomed to that amount of bass.

I'll certainly give them some time and see if I get acclimated to the huge change. My first real serious headphones were the SR80i's and RE0's, so I suppose there is a lot to get used to.
Quote:

Try the seal mod first. Get a small piece of transparent tape and seal off the vent on the back of the earpiece. It should reduce the bass a bit and bring forward the treble.

Thank you for the advice! I will try that as soon as I get done burning them in.

 

[Caphead78]

I am not sure whether it is because they are actually burning in or whether I am just getting used to them, but the Eterna are really growing on me now for certain kinds of music. Acoustic tracks still sound strange to me, but for most other things I find myself enjoying the extra bass now that it seems cleaner.

 

[Spud of Doom]

Shortly after I got mine I had a listen to Nightmare to Remember by Dream Theater to test out the bass. I was impressed. Opeth - Heir Apparent was another fun one.

 

[swbf2cheater]

im shaking with excitement over the v1 ;[

 

[Darkestred]

I ordered these for my mother and she has recently re-found her love for music.  I was overly impressed with these phones.  I'm a AKG701 user (although i do want to move on from them soon).  While i enjoy the AKGs they do lack something.  I'm not a huge bass-head so its not really that.  Although some more low end would be nice.  The Eterna V2s into my canamp just sounded more fun and the highs sounded much cleaner.  In that setup, the bass was not over powering but almost perfect for me.  Cymbals had much more articulation on them than my 701s.  That surprised me.  Like others are saying it really is a great phone for the price range.

 

[rawrster]

mvw2, did you ever do a frequency graph for these before EQ? I'd love to see if what I'm hearing is accurate or if it's just me getting used to these. I do know that the bass and mids is where these lie but I am hearing a recessed treble starting at around 5-6khz or so but that's a guesstimate and I haven't tried any tests.
 
I'm also wondering about what kinds of music people are using these with. I do see the popularity of the Eterna but I feel like something is missing in the fun factor for these.

 

[mvw2]

Yeah.
 

 
This is sort of where I'm at currently minus a couple.  Now this is my ears, using a pink noise track, normal listening levels, and a very flexible EQ to balance out.  Response has some sensitivity to how the earphone is worn in the ear and which tip is used, and you would of course hear different from me.  As well, frequency response is only a part of the perception.  Things like dynamic breadth, thickness of note, and so on also play a role in what we perceive in the end.  Pink noise is just continuous noise, so it won't portray what a "beat" sounds like.  For example, the Triple.Fi 10, Custom 3, or M9 all offer a thick note which creates a heavier bottom end.  Even if you EQ it flat via pink noise, you'll get a strong bass sense from these types of earphones.  The same applies for the high end.  If the high frequency notes aren't edgy and detailed, the smooth/mellow presentation can make the top end sound pretty tame.
 
Specific to the Eterna v1, I found the top end to be well balanced.  There is specific emphasis on the low end that will make the midrange and top end less dominant.  The treble is relatively soft on the Eterna, not super edgy or detailed, so it quietly blends into the presentation.  From a raw frequency response standpoint, I didn't find it lacking.  If I add EQ on the top end, the high frequencies come out.  It's just that the presentation on the top end may not be as aggressive as you may prefer or are used to depending on what you're coming from.   It's kind of like the SA6 or MTPG.  Both of these options have smooth top ends that sort of fade into the mix.  The SA6 specifically doesn't even sound at all like it has the emphasis that shows up in the graph.  Listening to it, you'd never expect any top end emphasis.  I'll note I ran the SA6 with no filtering, the black nozzle and no rear cover (basically infinite baffle).  Another example is the Custom 3.  There's a slight frequency response emphasis on the top end, but the thicker note actually makes the earphone sound a little bass emphasized if EQed flat.  In contrast, the RE-ZERO has a pretty short note, good dynamics but light on body.  You get a strong midrange and treble sense, but the bass remains light even if EQed up.  It lacks that low end heft that a thicker note would provide.

 

[rawrster]

It definitely does sound more laid back than what I'm usually using such as a CK10 or DBA-02 although the DBA-02 is much less so than a CK10. Thanks for the graph of those as well as many others
 
I might play with EQ a bit but I typically don't use it much and would need to use a different player on my computer to have a good EQ since the one I use is just a music server.
 
Also that UM3X graph is quite interesting to say the least.

 

[ClieOS]

Very interesting work there, mvw2.