[staxxx]

Got a pair of these today, I don't know if burn-in apply to these, but they sound much better than the marshmallows, but are slightly less comfortable, so it's a winner for me. The sound is far from analytical, and as I've read in Katun's review, EQ makes a huge difference, especially for different genres. It was well worth $20.

 

[scuttle]

I want to thank Katun. I was thinking of getting a pair of these as backups to my HF5s (I needed  earbuds that I can use while I'm asleep without worrying that my tomcat will destroy the cables - really) and the mediocre review in the big IEM comparison thread might have dissuaded me. In reality, these have very nearly the sq of HF5s - at the very least. The isolation is pretty good and the microphonics are non-existent - a fraction of the HF5s'. It's hard to believe that an IEM this cheap  can be so good.
 
Oh - I'm using them with a Cowon J3 and I've tweaked the mid-range. Mostly I play FLACs and high bitrate MP3 or Oggs, and I have BBE very firmly on.
 
Other advantages: much easier to remove than the HF5s, no earwax compression (yuck!) and with the smallest tips they fit my gf's tiny ears, so I'm getting her a pair. 

 

[scuttle]

Quote:

Thanks for sharing that, Joe!
 
Katun, I mean before the EQ.  I don't have any good way to EQ my headphones when listening from my iPod classic besides treble reducer, bass reducer, etc.

I'm not saying you should use it, but you know about Rockbox??? It's alternative firmware that you could load and would let you EQ your pod:
 
http://www.rockbox.org/wiki/IpodFAQ

 

[Katun]

Quote:

I want to thank Katun. I was thinking of getting a pair of these as backups to my HF5s (I needed  earbuds that I can use while I'm asleep without worrying that my tomcat will destroy the cables - really) and the mediocre review in the big IEM comparison thread might have dissuaded me. In reality, these have very nearly the sq of HF5s - at the very least. The isolation is pretty good and the microphonics are non-existent - a fraction of the HF5s'. It's hard to believe that an IEM this cheap  can be so good.
 
Oh - I'm using them with a Cowon J3 and I've tweaked the mid-range. Mostly I play FLACs and high bitrate MP3 or Oggs, and I have BBE very firmly on.
 
Other advantages: much easier to remove than the HF5s, no earwax compression (yuck!) and with the smallest tips they fit my gf's tiny ears, so I'm getting her a pair. 

I think that's a perfect example of the margin of improvement you get from moving up the line of superiority. We tend to think that some of these higher end models can kick the crap out of the lesser budget ones, but that isn't always the case. Generally speaking, you are still getting every bit of the music, just not quite up to par clarity and technical capabilities wise. Yeah, higher models sound fantastic, but lower ones can still sound awesome too. These are the perfect example of that, and I have countless other examples of full sized headphones that are perfect examples as well. It's all about getting maximum value, and of course, where you as a person can feel satisfied.
 
Cowon players love the FX67. Well, Cowon players love all headphones. Their EQ just doesn't get bettered by anything else.
 
Speaking of the FX67, I never really knew if I mentioned I haven't used them in a month or two. Eh, I've found a replacement... (and it's $25 this time)
 

 

[Cajunky]

FXC51 perhaps?  I thought I saw you mention them a few pages back. I picked up a pair of these and my fx67 were handed down to my wife. I always though that I preferred a more laid back signature but between these FXC51s and my FA-011s I am starting to appreciate a brighter more upfront sound. The music just seems to come to life. If it isn't the FXC51s then I am very interested. Do you have any plans to review your new replacement? Thanks again for turning me onto these low cost options. I had previously just assumed that I could never live with any entry level IEMs. My favorite thing about them is the fact that I can break/lose/give away them and just move onto another bang-for-the-bucker.
 
Quote:

I think that's a perfect example of the margin of improvement you get from moving up the line of superiority. We tend to think that some of these higher end models can kick the crap out of the lesser budget ones, but that isn't always the case. Generally speaking, you are still getting every bit of the music, just not quite up to par clarity and technical capabilities wise. Yeah, higher models sound fantastic, but lower ones can still sound awesome too. These are the perfect example of that, and I have countless other examples of full sized headphones that are perfect examples as well. It's all about getting maximum value, and of course, where you as a person can feel satisfied.
 
Cowon players love the FX67. Well, Cowon players love all headphones. Their EQ just doesn't get bettered by anything else.
 
Speaking of the FX67, I never really knew if I mentioned I haven't used them in a month or two. Eh, I've found a replacement... (and it's $25 this time)
 

 

 

[Katun]

Quote:

FXC51 perhaps?  I thought I saw you mention them a few pages back. I picked up a pair of these and my fx67 were handed down to my wife. I always though that I preferred a more laid back signature but between these FXC51s and my FA-011s I am starting to appreciate a brighter more upfront sound. The music just seems to come to life. If it isn't the FXC51s then I am very interested. Do you have any plans to review your new replacement? Thanks again for turning me onto these low cost options. I had previously just assumed that I could never live with any entry level IEMs. My favorite thing about them is the fact that I can break/lose/give away them and just move onto another bang-for-the-bucker.

Correct. But there is a catch.
 
Stock, I like the FX67 better. But, the FX67 honestly benefits more from an EQ than any headphone I've ever used. It's simply amazing! (#2 favorite sounding headphone to date, including full sized).
 
I bump the mids something around +6db, and reduce the treble 2-3db. A few other tweaks and it hits a level I still cannot comprehend.
 

 

[scuttle]

Have you tried the FXC80? Isn't it supposed to be an improved version of the 51? Or , wait, there's the 71 but is that Japan only??? Do the 51s have the same position in the ear as the 67s or do they go deeper?
 
Hmm: studying Amazon, the 80's are very different - people like them, but they seem to be a very different feel in the ear - the armature sits near the end of the sleeve, making them less comfortable. I've just ordered a pair of 51s. Partly because of the comfort, and partly because I where they sit is one of the things working for me sonically.

 

[Cajunky]

They fit similarly but the FXC51 are less bulbous. The cable exits the cylinder almost straight down and the strain relief limits how far they can go in your ear. However in my ears at that point they have already "hit bottom" and can't go any farther anyway.
 
Quote:

Have you tried the FXC80? Isn't it supposed to be an improved version of the 51? Or , wait, there's the 71 but is that Japan only??? Do the 51s have the same position in the ear as the 67s or do they go deeper?

 

 

[keanex]

Quote:

I'm not saying you should use it, but you know about Rockbox??? It's alternative firmware that you could load and would let you EQ your pod:
 
http://www.rockbox.org/wiki/IpodFAQ

The Classic rockbox is currently in beta at best. It's unusable. 

 

[SweetLou]

As an avid, "bang for the buck," shopper, I definitely like the review of these. Like many others, I overlooked this pair browsing through Joker's thread, but may have to order them. I also own the m9, and m6, as well as the ue170 and various others. There's just something about getting more than you expect for what you paid, compared with getting what you expect, or less, for what you paid. 
 
My next budget set is between these, the Brainwavz m2, fischer eterna, meelec sp51, or meelec cc51. Can anyone compare the JVC with any of those, (although these are 2-3x the price ) 
 
Lou

 

[dbdynsty25]

Sweetlou...instead of 10 pairs of 30 dollar headphones, why not get one or two really good pairs?  Just curious as to the thought process more than anything.

 

[scuttle]

Quote:

Sweetlou...instead of 10 pairs of 30 dollar headphones, why not get one or two really good pairs?  Just curious as to the thought process more than anything.

Well, I have HF5s, which most people would say are pretty good, and K had a whole stack of high end stuff, including Monster Golds. Price and listening experience aren't necessarily linked. I'm beginning to wonder if ear cavity size and shape have a much more significant effect than is assumed, so that ear-cavity/IEM interaction takes away a lot of the value of reviews.
 
Or maybe I'm just struggling to come up with reasons not to buy FX700s...
 
 

 

[scuttle]

Also, I'm beginning to think that a really good amp and excellent EQ can make up for a lot of deficiencies in *some* models of IEM. Obviously,it depends on the IEM - some faults won't be correctable, some will. K and I are both using Cowons, which can drive virtually anything without needing an external amp and have the best EQ going. Would we have had the same experience using IPods? Quite possibly not.

 

[dbdynsty25]

Quote:

Also, I'm beginning to think that a really good amp and excellent EQ can make up for a lot of deficiencies in *some* models of IEM. Obviously,it depends on the IEM - some faults won't be correctable, some will. K and I are both using Cowons, which can drive virtually anything without needing an external amp and have the best EQ going. Would we have had the same experience using IPods? Quite possibly not.

 
I can say for sure not...lol.  I have an iPod Touch 4G and a Cowon J3...and the 67s sound significantly better on the Cowon with a slight tweak to the EQ...whereas I don't have that option on a Touch (even with the poor EQu).  The Cowons, as you say, can pretty much push any headphones and can correct many of the flaws.  So yeah...agreed.
 
 

 

[SweetLou]

Quote:

Sweetlou...instead of 10 pairs of 30 dollar headphones, why not get one or two really good pairs?  Just curious as to the thought process more than anything.

 
I guess I haven't found a sound signature of an iem, that like the op, ticked all the boxes. I could easily have bought something in the 1-300$ range, but would I be able to appreciate the sound significantly had I not tried "cheaper" or "inferior" sounding phones? The best thing I can compare it to is the thought that, without trying many "inferior" cars for ex.  (which are not necessarily inferior based on price alone, just usage specs etc) how could you appreciate a Ferrari? You can only take the way someone describes something so far, before you have to just find out for yourself. That much is glaringly obvious on this website, where there is so much variability between opinions of the same headphones.