[music_4321]

Quote:

actually , i had a chance to get both K3003 and Fitear 334 and i find they own totally different sound signature . AKG K3003 is much brighter than fitear 334
3003 sound more analytical than 334 , but the fitear 334 is smoother than 3003 and better coherance just like nhat_thanh said however  ............  i prefer fitear334 than 3003 because 334 is really smooth , i rarely find any flaw during whole song ......Fitear 334 is really the best universal IEM i ever heard

 
Is that really what nhat_thanh said? Looking back at nhat_thanh's post again, all he said about the K3003 was: "The K3003 is nice, but they have flaws to my ears"
 
But, hey, like I said only a couple of days ago in a different thread:
 
"...although both K3003 pairs I've owned have had a wonderful and distinct DD bass type sound --with excellent extension, BTW-- I did not then, and do not now, hear the coherence issues described by some people, an issue that, curiously enough ---as is VERY often seen on Head-fi--- only seemed to become apparent once a single member happened to mention it, a member who is quite influential on HF (and seems to have a rather strong following, not unlike that of Joker), with plenty of credibility, but someone who, in my view, clearly did not test the K3003s properly, and in less than ideal circumstances, coupled with what I personally found to be a (strong) bias against AKG, which is now owned by Harman. From that point onwards, it seems that almost everyone who now listens to this IEM --and has come across such views-- has got to say that there are so-called coherence issues. Perhaps there really is some kind of coherence issue after all, but I can't help thinking that the way it's been 'discovered'/'detected' AND described by some in the last few months is not only far from accurate, but often rather exaggerated. It's as if ---and I'm sorry to be so blunt--- mentioning such issues one gained more credibility, much like those who tend to use plenty of audio terms to appear credible, knowledgeable & experienced."
 
In case anyone is wondering, I have no issues whatsoever with anyone finding flaws with the K3003s. I have issues with those who are too easily influenced by other members and who will spread someone else's views or try to make them their own. I did not get that impression from nhat_thanh, hence my asking him to post his honest take on the AKGs on one of the active K3003 threads.
 
And then to have a Member of the Trade (from Musica Acoustics) tell us "The TG334 is the best currently earphone that is in existence now" when they obviously have a vested interest in selling this product --and obviously have not tried all top-tier phones themselves-- is a bit TOO much for my liking, and something I strongly object to and feel should not be allowed on HeadFi, at least not on a dedicated IEM thread --- this is NOT the Sponsors' forum. This is a disservice not just to other ordinary HF'ers, but to visitors of this site, those who do not register but keep an eye on these forum threads.
 
For those who don't know, no, the K3003 is not my favourite IEM, nor am I wanting to sell my pair. My favourite IEM currently is the Piano Forte IX. I personally was more interested in the TO GO! 111 than the To Go! 334 even when I can afford the latter, but that's not the point of this post.
 
Apologies for the rant and apologies to cutieboy1428 if he feels this was directed at him personally -- it was NOT.

 

[Vitor Teixeira]

Quote:

 
Is that really what nhat_thanh said? Looking back at nhat_thanh's post again, all he said about the K3003 was: "The K3003 is nice, but they have flaws to my ears"
 
But, hey, like I said only a couple of days ago in a different thread:
 
"...although both K3003 pairs I've owned have had a wonderful and distinct DD bass type sound --with excellent extension, BTW-- I did not then, and do not now, hear the coherence issues described by some people, an issue that, curiously enough ---as is VERY often seen on Head-fi--- only seemed to become apparent once a single member happened to mention it, a member who is quite influential on HF (and seems to have a rather strong following, not unlike that of Joker), with plenty of credibility, but someone who, in my view, clearly did not test the K3003s properly, and in less than ideal circumstances, coupled with what I personally found to be a (strong) bias against AKG, which is now owned by Harman. From that point onwards, it seems that almost everyone who now listens to this IEM --and has come across such views-- has got to say that there are so-called coherence issues. Perhaps there really is some kind of coherence issue after all, but I can't help thinking that the way it's been 'discovered'/'detected' AND described by some in the last few months is not only far from accurate, but often rather exaggerated. It's as if ---and I'm sorry to be so blunt--- mentioning such issues one gained more credibility, much like those who tend to use plenty of audio terms to appear credible, knowledgeable & experienced."
 
In case anyone is wondering, I have no issues whatsoever with anyone finding flaws with the K3003s. I have issues with those who are too easily influenced by other members and who will spread someone else's views or try to make them their own. I did not get that impression from nhat_thanh, hence my asking him to post his honest take on the AKGs on one of the active K3003 threads.
 
And then to have a Member of the Trade (from Musica Acoustics) tell us "The TG334 is the best currently earphone that is in existence now" when they obviously have a vested interest in selling this product --and obviously not having tried all top-tier items themselves-- is a bit TOO much for my liking, and something I strongly object to and feel should not be allowed on HeadFi, at least not on a dedicated IEM thread --- this is NOT the Sponsors' forum. This is a disservice not just to other ordinary HF'ers, but to visitors of this site, those who do not register but keep an eye on these forum threads.
 
For those who don't know, no, the K3003 is not my favourite IEM, nor am I wanting to sell my pair. My favourite IEM currently is the Piano Forte IX. I personally was more interested in the TO GO! 111 than the To Go! 334 even when I can afford the latter, but that's not he point of this post.
 
Apologies for the rant and apologies to cutieboy1428 if he feels this was directed at him personally -- it was NOT.

 
 
As always, on the spotlight, when i read cutieboy1428 i thought.....hum...heavy rain approaching 

, i wasn't wrong.
But you got a point on this one.

 

[MuppetFace]

Quote:

The best high end iem like Fit ear 335 Md still can not compete high end headphones

 
Not sure I agree with that, myself.

 

[cn11]

I sure like my TG!334's as much as my modded T50RP's (which I love). They're surprisingly spacious sounding for an IEM.

 

[shigzeo]

So, it looks like my mission is to finally hear the K3003, too. I had the chance, but I wasn't feeling good and didn't want to put my dirty ear holes around someone's nice flanges. I hope to have clean ears next time. Very interested, though I feel they are very different earphones. Isn't the K3003 open to an extent, like the DRM?

 

[evolutionx]

I always have longer listening sessions with my K3003 as compared with FitEar Mh334 ToGo.   I guess the K3003 is more forgiving on most sources and less picky on which amps they pair.   A warmer signature i guess, which i like, and i really listen to the music even though it is obvious than MH334 is technically more efficient (less flaws) /analytical.

 

[nhat_thanh]

Quote:

 
Is that really what nhat_thanh said? Looking back at nhat_thanh's post again, all he said about the K3003 was: "The K3003 is nice, but they have flaws to my ears"

 
Actually, I find the TG334 are indeed smoother and have a better coherency than the K3003, not that I find the K3003 are bad in that area.
Another flaw that I was referring to is the imaging, which I find incredibly fun, but also very odd, they are literally like those surround effect that you get from EQ. Most of the time the image is very 3D and prominent, even more so than the TG334, I enjoy this though I know it sound off sometimes.
 
However, what really restrain me from talking about the K3003, is that the pair I tried are faulty, the low frequency is cracked on the left earpiece.
I don't think the overall sound is distorted by that but the owner ends up sending them back for warranty. I would do the same of course, who want to hear cracked bass from a pair of $1300 IEM?
 
I hope that clears thing up a bit from my part

 

[james444]

Quote:

So, it looks like my mission is to finally hear the K3003, too.
 
Isn't the K3003 open to an extent, like the DRM?

 
They're vented, but not as open as the DRM. I think you should try them, especially since you're a low volume listener. To my ears the K3003 really excel at low volume more than at anything else, I don't know any other IEM that can convey depth and dynamics similarly well for nighttime listening (except for the FAD 160x, with some stuff). Markus Schulz sounds bloody marvellous even at 7/40 with the K3003, they make my UERMs sound decidedly meh in comparison. Needless to say, things get much closer at higher volume though.
 
Btw, glad you're back to doing reviews and congrats on the 334 one, missed your very unique and entertaining writing stile.

 
Quote:

I always have longer listening sessions with my K3003 as compared with FitEar Mh334 ToGo.   I guess the K3003 is more forgiving on most sources and less picky on which amps they pair.   A warmer signature i guess, which i like, and i really listen to the music even though it is obvious than MH334 is technically more efficient (less flaws) /analytical.

 
I haven't heard the 334s, from what I've been gathering so far they seem too akin to my UERMs (though probably a bit darker) to spark my interest. Speaking of which, I feel the same about the K3003 vs. UERM, the latter may be technically (slightly) more proficient, but I find myself listening to the former more frequently and for longer stretches.
 
Quote:

Another flaw that I was referring to is the imaging, which I find incredibly fun, but also very odd, they are literally like those surround effect that you get from EQ. Most of the time the image is very 3D and prominent, even more so than the TG334, I enjoy this though I know it sound off sometimes.

 
I agree that the K3003 are spacious and 3D, but would consider that a strength rather than a flaw. And to these ears they don't do surround effects like the SM3, i.e. sounds originating from all around your head. If they did that, I would have gotten rid of them in no time.
 
There's a lot of talk about accuracy on head-fi, but almost always limited to speed, tone, timbre, to matching some target curve on a graph. Almost no one seems to be interested in accurate, realistic presentation. No, I'm not saying that everything should sound like a live recording (like some would mockingly put it), but a live recording should sound just like that. In classical and jazz (two of my favorite genres) there's an abundance of excellent live recordings that require a lifelike presentation to make them come alive. Here's where some of the technically most proficient darling IEMs of these forums fall flat on their face.  I'm curious about how the 334s would fare in that regard, the K3003 at least do a really admirable job in making live recordings come alive.

 

[shigzeo]

Quote:

 
They're vented, but not as open as the DRM. I think you should try them, especially since you're a low volume listener. To my ears the K3003 really excel at low volume more than at anything else, I don't know any other IEM that can convey depth and dynamics similarly well for nighttime listening (except for the FAD 160x, with some stuff). Markus Schulz sounds bloody marvellous even at 7/40 with the K3003, they make my UERMs sound decidedly meh in comparison. Needless to say, things get much closer at higher volume though.
 
Btw, glad you're back to doing reviews and congrats on the 334 one, missed your very unique and entertaining writing stile.

 
 
I haven't heard the 334s, from what I've been gathering so far they seem too akin to my UERMs (though probably a bit darker) to spark my interest. Speaking of which, I feel the same about the K3003 vs. UERM, the latter may be technically (slightly) more proficient, but I find myself listening to the former more frequently and for longer stretches.
 
 
I agree that the K3003 are spacious and 3D, but would consider that a strength rather than a flaw. And to these ears they don't do surround effects like the SM3, i.e. sounds originating from all around your head. If they did that, I would have gotten rid of them in no time.
 
There's a lot of talk about accuracy on head-fi, but almost always limited to speed, tone, timbre, to matching some target curve on a graph. Almost no one seems to be interested in accurate, realistic presentation. No, I'm not saying that everything should sound like a live recording (like some would mockingly put it), but a live recording should sound just like that. In classical and jazz (two of my favorite genres) there's an abundance of excellent live recordings that require a lifelike presentation to make them come alive. Here's where some of the technically most proficient darling IEMs of these forums fall flat on their face.  I'm curious about how the 334s would fare in that regard, the K3003 at least do a really admirable job in making live recordings come alive.

Thank you for the compliments. Actually, it's nice to be back, but look at how much time I spend every day... too much. I've slowly getting back inside the computer and I was almost out!

 

[NickL33]

Comparing 334 to my jh 16... Well I woud say it really wins in the soundstange... But my 16 outperform in terms of bass amd sub bass... Well I cant said which is the best at each iem has its pro's and I need more time to digest the notes... Well I have recently receive the Whiplash Hybrid Cable for JH 16.. So I will take that into comparison..

 

[AnakChan]

Quote:

Comparing 334 to my jh 16... Well I woud say it really wins in the soundstange... But my 16 outperform in terms of bass amd sub bass... Well I cant said which is the best at each iem has its pro's and I need more time to digest the notes... Well I have recently receive the Whiplash Hybrid Cable for JH 16.. So I will take that into comparison..

 
Out of curiosity, what do you mean by "16 outperform in terms of bass and sub bass"?
 
The reason I'm asking (and each listener have their own expectations and preferences), is that what I personally like about the TG!334's bass is its ability to present the bass with texture and emotion. Previously when I was listening to earphones/headphones, I only focused on the forwardness and the tightness of bass, but more recently with the TG!334 and even the Fostex TH900, I started to pay more attention to the texture and personality of the bass - that's about the best I can describe it 'cos I find it hard to put to words what I hear.
 
I didn't notice this before with the JH16 (even JH-3A), UM Merlins, SigPros, or Ed8.

 

[skoog5600]

I have been following this post for quite some time and would just like to chime in with one criticism or perhaps throw a wrench in this interesting back and forth about the 334s. I really think there are just too many factors to nail down the description of what a pair of IEMs sound like as we each have a different preference in sound signature. For example, I lean towards warmth with a little more emphasis on bass. So with that said I choose my equipment, amps, cables and IEMs to enhance what my preferred sound signature is. Someone who leans towards a more neutral sound will choose their equipment with that in mind and as a consequence when they hear something like the 334s with their gear based upon their signature, they will be listening for something that may not be there. Also, I find the debate interesting, but in some ways a moot point because each of us is using different gear and as a result are getting a completely different signature than each other. Now if we all had the same gear and had this debate it might be a different story. That is not to say that it is not worth having the debate, but it really does come down to personal preference and your preferred signature will influence the gear you choose.
 
Now with that said, I really like what I heard in the 334s. One thing that comes to mind is how much more 3-dimensional everything sounded, a sort of cutting edge feel. What I mean to say is that this 3-d feel I heard I did not hear with any other IEM I tested out. In fact comparing the UM and JH, they felt outdated, almost like old technology.
 
Let the smackdown begin!

 

[audionewbi]

^that is a very fair point. I think it is matter of deciding what is the bare minimum  for you and than judging the rest based on that. For me the reference for all BA IEM is the ER4S. I judge all my BA IEM with the ER-4S in mind. 

I have never tried any custom BA IEM but have tried a number of universal IEM and till now only 2 made me want to keep them the longest. The ER4S is the only one I have kept. I think the head-fi community should soon set at least some form of standard to makes life of subjective review easier. 

 

[skoog5600]

Quote:

^that is a very fair point. I think it is matter of deciding what is the bare minimum  for you and than judging the rest based on that. For me the reference for all BA IEM is the ER4S. I judge all my BA IEM with the ER-4S in mind. 

I have never tried any custom BA IEM but have tried a number of universal IEM and till now one 2 maybe want to keep them longest than the rest. The ER4S are the only one I have kept. I think the head-fi community should soon set at least some form of standard to makes life of subjective review easier. 

Amen!

 

[music_4321]

Quote:

I have been following this post for quite some time and would just like to chime in with one criticism or perhaps throw a wrench in this interesting back and forth about the 334s. I really think there are just too many factors to nail down the description of what a pair of IEMs sound like as we each have a different preference in sound signature. For example, I lean towards warmth with a little more emphasis on bass. So with that said I choose my equipment, amps, cables and IEMs to enhance what my preferred sound signature is. Someone who leans towards a more neutral sound will choose their equipment with that in mind and as a consequence when they hear something like the 334s with their gear based upon their signature, they will be listening for something that may not be there. Also, I find the debate interesting, but in some ways a moot point because each of us is using different gear and as a result are getting a completely different signature than each other. Now if we all had the same gear and had this debate it might be a different story. That is not to say that it is not worth having the debate, but it really does come down to personal preference and your preferred signature will influence the gear you choose.
 
Now with that said, I really like what I heard in the 334s. One thing that comes to mind is how much more 3-dimensional everything sounded, a sort of cutting edge feel. What I mean to say is that this 3-d feel I heard I did not hear with any other IEM I tested out. In fact comparing the UM and JH, they felt outdated, almost like old technology.
 
Let the smackdown begin!

 
Nice post!
 
It's even a little more complicated than that, as in the case of universals --and even in the case of customs-- we don't all get the same type of fit, we don't all have the same ears and, in the case of customs, not all manufacturers will get that perfect fit for us even if we sent in perfect ear impressions.

Then, of course, you will have not just different sound preferences, but differences in music taste, music type, even within the same genre (!). And then we have our particular ways of describing sound, what I call neutral, you call thin, anemic, etc. FR graphs do help in these instances, and even there, we sometimes get different graphs for the same phone! AND, although FR graphs can provide very valuable information, there's some aspects of music that it just can't measure.

Also, although this may sound a bit odd, we are not always as receptive to music as we think we are --just like we don't always enjoy a glass of fine red wine, or a good, proper espresso-- and that's why so many people who audition a phone in a shop or at a meet may not get an accurate picture of the piece of gear they're testing -- and that's not taking into account whether such auditions were done in a quiet environment or not. And then of course, we have our (male) egos, but that's getting into more complex psychological areas.

That said, and looking as if all may seem just a pointless exercise in the end, given time a pattern does seem to develop. BUT even then, we also have what I described earlier on --and unfortunately also rather common-- when several people take one person's views and start spreading the 'gospel of truth', aka a fine exercise in parroting and regurgitation.