- Joined
- Jun 5, 2003
- Posts
- 5,444
- Likes
- 3,094
Quote:
Another thing I've always believed, in addition to your observations, is that with universal fit earphones there must be subtle interactions with each owner's unique ear canal shapes/contours which can affect the sound they observe. For example, something with the fit of the Westone 3, no matter what tip I tried or how deep/shallow I wore them, caused me to hear painful bite in the treble much of the time, and shallow bass. This was mysteriously quite contrary to what many of the satisfied owners heard. I just think there will always be too many variables with fit when using universals to come to reliable unanimous agreement on sound signatures... and things need to be taken 'with a grain of salt' with universals.
That said, I get a very good and reliable fit with the TG!334's, and am hearing all they're capable of, which is a lot! They've got me highly impressed.
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 In fact comparing the UM and JH, they felt outdated, almost like old technology.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!
Another thing I've always believed, in addition to your observations, is that with universal fit earphones there must be subtle interactions with each owner's unique ear canal shapes/contours which can affect the sound they observe. For example, something with the fit of the Westone 3, no matter what tip I tried or how deep/shallow I wore them, caused me to hear painful bite in the treble much of the time, and shallow bass. This was mysteriously quite contrary to what many of the satisfied owners heard. I just think there will always be too many variables with fit when using universals to come to reliable unanimous agreement on sound signatures... and things need to be taken 'with a grain of salt' with universals.
That said, I get a very good and reliable fit with the TG!334's, and am hearing all they're capable of, which is a lot! They've got me highly impressed.