Going fully Wireless IEMs. Too soon? Or are we there yet?
Dec 28, 2018 at 5:04 PM Post #3,451 of 62,084
Perhaps, although the chipset should be the same, as would the software, unless there were some tweaks in between build runs. Having been in manufacturing in my pre-professional days, we would use assembly parts that were not always exactly the same or from the same supplier. The only way to be sure is to disassemble 2 pairs of MW07s, but who the F is going to do that?!
I think somewhere earlier in this thread there was a link to MW07 tear-up that showed that M&D used the most "dumb" Qualcomm CSR chip that has inline DAC and non-upgradeable firmware or EQ (similar to RHA). I guess they went for it not so much because it's cheaper, but because this SoC is smaller and needs less juice. This leaves larger acoustic chamber to shape and more battery to drive huge, by TW standards, 10 mm custom dynamic driver with a stiff beryllium diaphragm. Me figures that M&D, like their Grado neighbors in Brooklyn, is first and foremost outfit with hi-fi acoustic expertise, not an electronic one. So they went the way to make good sound how they know best. I would argue that even if they skimped on something with discounted Best Buy version it must be batteries and/or left/right drivers matched with less tolerance. Just my speculations though, take it easy.
 
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Dec 28, 2018 at 5:50 PM Post #3,452 of 62,084
I think somewhere earlier in this thread there was a link to MW07 tear-up that showed that M&D used the most "dumb" Qualcomm CSR chip that has inline DAC and non-upgradeable firmware or EQ (similar to RHA). I guess they went for it not so much because it's cheaper, but because this SoC is smaller and needs less juice. This leaves larger acoustic chamber to shape and more battery to drive huge, by TW standards, 10 mm custom dynamic driver with a stiff beryllium diaphragm. Me figures that M&D, like their Grado neighbors in Brooklyn, is first and foremost outfit with hi-fi acoustic expertise, not an electronic one. So they went the way to make good sound how they know best. I would argue that even if they skimped on something with discounted Best Buy version it must be batteries and/or left/right drivers matched with less tolerance. Just my speculations though, take it easy.
Quite logical. I tend to follow the same thought.

For fun, you could always exchange for a different color and see if your results are different (assuming you actually want another color). I didn't think I would like Tortoiseshell, but it's pretty nice. There's some transparency in the acetate and the lights look cool shining thru it when taking it out of the case. I usually pay cash so they cannot track my return patterns. I also visit different Best Buys so I don't get "made". My wife's like, "Why are you driving to the Best Buy 20 miles away?". LOL!

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Dec 28, 2018 at 6:14 PM Post #3,453 of 62,084
Dec 28, 2018 at 7:02 PM Post #3,454 of 62,084
Dec 28, 2018 at 8:15 PM Post #3,455 of 62,084
Great review! Sounds like typical AT sound signature. Looks nice, good codec support, but it's unfortunate you can't EQ via the app. Other than the M50xBT and DSR9BT, I haven't had much success with AT's bright leaning sound signature.

I keep wanting to try the DSR9 but holy hell the DSR7 was unlistenable it was so bright. If their TW are similar that's a hard pass to me.
 
Dec 28, 2018 at 9:03 PM Post #3,456 of 62,084
Fortunately for IEM, we can do tips rolling to tweak the sound to some degree. I like darker sound better myself, but I still can stand the ATH-CKR7TW brightness. I'm using the true wireless Comply right now anyway, it suits my preference better using this eartips.
 
Dec 28, 2018 at 9:27 PM Post #3,457 of 62,084
I just picked up the Jabra Elite Active 65t from BestBuy. The fit, features, and battery life are great. I mostly listen to audiobooks, so battery life and track control are priorities. I ran a battery life test playing an audiobook at moderate volume. After six hours of continuous play, the 65t was down to 8 percent and a couple of low battery warnings.

I wanted to try out a truly wireless for those situations where wires can get tangled or pulled.

When I did SQ comparisons to a wired Bose SoundTrue earbuds using the old IASCO sound test, the main difference to me was the bass. The lack of tip seal for me was the cause.

The three tip options were either too loose or too tight. I got better bass with the large tip but there was some ear pain/itch after a while. I did some experiments with other vendor tips. Old medium Sony tips with a green stem provided similar bass to the Bose. However, the Sony tip would sometimes come off in my ear and would not fit well in the charging case. My solution was to cut off about 2 mm of the green stem and use a small strip of white silicone tape wrap (Loctite GO2 Wrap, often used for pipes) to secure the shortened green stem to the earbud speaker stem. I pulled the tip inside out to get better access to the tip stem and the speaker stem. This provides an air tight seal and a secure lock of the ear tip. When you want to remove the ear tip, the silicone wrap can be unstuck from itself. The tape leaves no residue.

I am very happy with the new fit of the 65t with the modified Sony earbud tips. I can wear the 65t for hours with no discomfort. The 65t fit fully into my ear so there is a minimum of protrusion from the ear.
 
Dec 28, 2018 at 9:31 PM Post #3,458 of 62,084
The more I listen to these Senns the more I'm still liking! Which I have on now
I put them away the last couple of days and used the MW07. We finally got snow and have been using the MW07 while outside. Hopefully they can handle the cold as its finally coming and I like to listen to music while outside.
 
Dec 28, 2018 at 11:44 PM Post #3,460 of 62,084
Although i initially poo pood the lack of codec support, the rha true connect is a very solid option. I’ve been using them with comply tw tips and have been very impressed. The sq beats the the elite 65t. They remind me of the Bose soundsport free but with isolation which is a complement. No connection issues and solid build quality. If you are in the market for a mid range choice, They are a very good choice at their current price. Biggest drawback is the lack of wings means fit is a little dicey but I haven’t had issues in the gym save for an adjustment here and there.
 
Dec 29, 2018 at 12:03 AM Post #3,461 of 62,084
Although i initially poo pood the lack of codec support, the rha true connect is a very solid option. I’ve been using them with comply tw tips and have been very impressed. The sq beats the the elite 65t. They remind me of the Bose soundsport free but with isolation which is a complement. No connection issues and solid build quality. If you are in the market for a mid range choice, They are a very good choice at their current price. Biggest drawback is the lack of wings means fit is a little dicey but I haven’t had issues in the gym save for an adjustment here and there.
Really interested in the True Connect but the amount of reviews mentioning the left bud connection issues on Amazon has made me hesitant - especially since being in Australia and there being no local sellers, returning would be a headache if I encounter similar issues. Your comments are encouraging though.
 
Dec 29, 2018 at 12:04 AM Post #3,462 of 62,084
Why would a rattle concern you? I’m going to resist the urge to test mine. That’s just ridiculous if that’s a build issue. Could it be the manual switches?

I don't notice the rattle at all sitting, walking, or doing any other exercises aside from running. It is extremely obvious there due to the large amount of up and down movement, as if you were vigorously shaking it beside your ear.
Ironic part is that my first pair rattled notably less than my current pair, but constantly exchanging them is quite the hassle especially when its a gamble each time.
So it seems to be a widespread issue to varying extents.

If you haven't heard it yet based on your usage, I definitely wouldn't worry about it.
 
Dec 29, 2018 at 2:01 AM Post #3,463 of 62,084
Nice review of the AT. I was hoping with that big driver that these were going to be bass-heavy even though I know driver size isn’t going to necessarily affect the output.

The driver definitely can handle bass. It just tuned to a brighter signature, which if you like, you can EQ. I did to some extend, but I think my Note8 default EQ isn't really good, so I ended up turning it off.
 
Dec 29, 2018 at 6:37 AM Post #3,464 of 62,084
I just picked up the Jabra Elite Active 65t from BestBuy. The fit, features, and battery life are great. I mostly listen to audiobooks, so battery life and track control are priorities. I ran a battery life test playing an audiobook at moderate volume. After six hours of continuous play, the 65t was down to 8 percent and a couple of low battery warnings.

I wanted to try out a truly wireless for those situations where wires can get tangled or pulled.

When I did SQ comparisons to a wired Bose SoundTrue earbuds using the old IASCO sound test, the main difference to me was the bass. The lack of tip seal for me was the cause.

The three tip options were either too loose or too tight. I got better bass with the large tip but there was some ear pain/itch after a while. I did some experiments with other vendor tips. Old medium Sony tips with a green stem provided similar bass to the Bose. However, the Sony tip would sometimes come off in my ear and would not fit well in the charging case. My solution was to cut off about 2 mm of the green stem and use a small strip of white silicone tape wrap (Loctite GO2 Wrap, often used for pipes) to secure the shortened green stem to the earbud speaker stem. I pulled the tip inside out to get better access to the tip stem and the speaker stem. This provides an air tight seal and a secure lock of the ear tip. When you want to remove the ear tip, the silicone wrap can be unstuck from itself. The tape leaves no residue.

I am very happy with the new fit of the 65t with the modified Sony earbud tips. I can wear the 65t for hours with no discomfort. The 65t fit fully into my ear so there is a minimum of protrusion from the ear.

Interesting, are these they hybrid (with foam inside) or standard sony tips ? I think I tried both but went back to the large stock tips even though the seal could be better in my right ear.

Also do you have a link for the "IASCO sound test" ? I googled it but came up empty handed, thanks.
 
Dec 29, 2018 at 11:08 AM Post #3,465 of 62,084
Interesting, are these they hybrid (with foam inside) or standard sony tips ? I think I tried both but went back to the large stock tips even though the seal could be better in my right ear.

Also do you have a link for the "IASCO sound test" ? I googled it but came up empty handed, thanks.
My mistake. It is the IASCA Official Sound Quality CD. This CD has left-right tests, in-phase audio tests, sound stage tests, as well as a wide variety of music selections as reference material. There are a number of newer sound quality test CDs out there.

I used the non-foam filled Sony tips. I have many of them and few of the foam filled ones. The tips used are the ones with colored stems (red, green, lime, blue). Most sets only have three sizes. The green ones fit the best for my ears. I had to find a way to secure the slightly loose fitting tip stem. Any tape would work but the silicone tape leaves no residue.

BTW, trimming the stem is a good way to adjust how deep the tip fits into your ear canal and how it fits in the charging case.
 
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