[Duncan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark2410 /img/forum/go_quote.gif thats an interesting ranking even if im not sure how the 710 got on there

Actually Mark, you're right

Revised...

1, JVC HP-FX500
2, Panasonic RP-HJE900
3, Sennheiser IE8
4, Klipsch Image X10
5, JVC HP-FX300

Its funny, my real love hate relationship with the Denons, hated them, loved them, and now can hear their flaws far too easily... That big syrupy bass can give a certain wow factor (for example on the Shock Value II album, they do genuinly sound quite good on that!!) - but, their shortcomings exceed their positive points... Thanks for pointing that out so that I could set it straight!!
Quote:

Originally Posted by shinobi00 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hows the FX500 really? I didn't realize it was better than the 8 whats better about it? I might like to get one of those.

shinobi00,

I guess beauty is in the ear of the beholder, yet - for me, I just find the FX500 to sound cleaner (no exageratted mid-bass hump, and more extended treble) than the IE8, add to that a total lack of resonance, all of which just allows the music to flow much more easily...

The Panasonics are even cleaner sounding than the FX500, but - when you're not listening critically they can sound slightly clinical, lacking in engagement... but, realistically you could probably interchange the Panas and the JVCs quite happily

 

[mark2410]

you replaced them with the fx300????

hmm not sure im agreeing with you there either, lol. oh i have the fx300 too but havent updated sig in a bit.

did you not have the C751? ever try it with an extra 75 ohm impedance adapter added to them? i have the suspicion you may really like it if you did

 

[Duncan]

No Mark, I was going to get them but never did...

...So, given the choice out of C710 or FX300, its quite a close call (I guess I could replace both with the UE TF10, but the fit on them is just so crappy to me...)

 

[daouda]

Before we get a write-up of your or james444s impressions of the pannies vs FX500 and other phones, may i ask a specific question? I have often read reports of marked brightness, some siblilance and treble harshness (or excessive sharpness) about the FX500. Is the treble smoother or even sharper on the hje900? Also, are the mids more recessed on the FX500 or the panasonics? Its seems quite clear that the bass is stronger on the FX500, this (combined with sharp treble) could make the mids seem more recessed on these vs the panasonics... am i right? Thank you guys for your time

EDIT: well these were more like 2 questions than 1...
Oh and thanks james444 for your answer to my previous post!

 

[james444]

Ok, quick A/B/C withe the HJE900 (foam modded), FX500 and IE8 (EQ -8db@100Hz).

The IE8 stays on top due to best soundstage and most engaging/atmospheric presentation. This rating is with EQ, because on flat source I really can't stand its mid-bass hump any more (=> would have come out worst of the three).

The foam modded HJE900 is only a little less engaging, has slightly smaller soundstage, but most controlled and fastest bass out of these, least resonance and good balance. After this listening session I rate them as about equal to the equalized IE8.

The FX500 coming out third doesn't mean it's an inferior phone. Listening at night on very low volume it's even my favorite, because it has "inbuilt loudness" (emphasis on bass and treble) and perhaps the most beautiful timbre of the three. But when I crank up the volume bass becomes somewhat flabby and highs tend to get sibilant. So I'm ranking it third, but only by a close margin.

Note: Only the FX500 was used without EQ or modification. It's quite possible that if I'd try foam modding or playing a bit with the EQ the ranking would have to be revised.

@daouda: The mids on the FX500 are slightly more recessed than on the foam modded Panas. If I remember correctly, before the mod it was the other way round. Again, very slight differences, and it was not the mids lacking but the sometimes distracting presence of highs that made me try the foam mod on the HJE900.

 

[Duncan]

For information purposes (and to help clear up obvious disparities between my own and James' opinions), I will add that I do ALL of my listening without EQ...

No real reason other than that I've never really been an EQ buff...

So, all of my opinions of pretty much anything (other than the Cowon players that I sold) are to be assumed as with no EQ / Flat...

Hope that helps tidy up the differences...

 

[Napilopez]

Hey guys, just curious about the soundstage on these things. If you could give them a rating on a 1-10 scale for IEMs, what would you rate their soundstage at? Overall from what I've read it seems pretty good, from above average to good, but I guess I wanted to know more specifically. I'm a sucker for good soundstage and that it's not sooo much smaller than the IE8 sounds pretty encouraging. It seems that CZ really does do a good job at removing resonance

 

[davidcotton]

So how do these compare to the sennheiser ie7's? Also how easy is it to fit these? Listen to a load of melodick rock mainly Budget is around £120, using a 2nd gen ipod touch. Isolation is one of the key points I'm looking at.

Cheers.

 

[Orange1]

Hey I just mailed my CZ's (Panasonic 900's) to Joker so he could do a full review of them. I so have his reviews to thank for the few purchases I have made. It will be fun to see them on his ever growing spreadsheet. I am a little competitive with the CZ's and I want to see them at the top lol!

 

[shinobi00]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orange1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey I just mailed my CZ's (Panasonic 900's) to Joker so he could do a full review of them. I so have his reviews to thank for the few purchases I have made. It will be fun to see them on his ever growing spreadsheet. I am a little competitive with the CZ's and I want to see them at the top lol!

Haha, good job of taking one for the team.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Napilopez /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey guys, just curious about the soundstage on these things. If you could give them a rating on a 1-10 scale for IEMs, what would you rate their soundstage at? Overall from what I've read it seems pretty good, from above average to good, but I guess I wanted to know more specifically. I'm a sucker for good soundstage and that it's not sooo much smaller than the IE8 sounds pretty encouraging. It seems that CZ really does do a good job at removing resonance

Pretty good for 110 dollars. Just because it's commented that it isn't as good as Ie8 and FX500 dosen't make it bad. It's very engaging. Very good. Everyones tested out expensive cans in stores and been blown away. these are like that. I can feel the bass at very low parts of my body. I can easily pick out instruments. I've never tested out the ie8 or the fx500 but these are good enough. And you get some isolation.

 

[yipcanjo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orange1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey I just mailed my CZ's (Panasonic 900's) to Joker so he could do a full review of them. I so have his reviews to thank for the few purchases I have made. It will be fun to see them on his ever growing spreadsheet. I am a little competitive with the CZ's and I want to see them at the top lol!

I sold my pair to Mark (Mark2410), which he should be receiving this week. I'll be interested to get his mini-review as well!

 

[Orange1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yipcanjo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I sold my pair to Mark (Mark2410), which he should be receiving this week. I'll be interested to get his mini-review as well!

HA! Dueling reviews

 

[daouda]

Wow, those are great news, although i think JR.com'd better stock up massively on these very soon if we dont want to see a lot of frustrated headfiers in a very near future.

Before we get all those reviews there's one last question i would like to ask james. First i have to say that i am totally convinced that you havent been able to get a good fit with the pr1pro, because it took me 2 weeks experimenting with tips to finally be able to get its "real" sound, and before that i had the exact same impression as yours about its soundstage (very wide but "flat", totally lacking in soundstage immersion/3D illusion), after that it became clear that they do have some depth even though they are not the greatest in that regard (my hippo VBs feel more 3D/immersive).
Anyway you guessed it, i find the pr1pro fantastic especially for the price, but the only thing that makes me dislike them at times is their (relative) lack of warmth in the mids... Its a personal preference, but i would really LOVE them with just an added hint of warmth in the mids...
So heres my question : warmth-wise, how do the panasonic mids compare to the pr1pro (or pr2 which i beleive you said coldish mids are similar)?
And if i may stretch it a little : is there more or less bass quantity on hje900 compared to pr1pro, and are the mids more recessed, equal level or more forward?
That's it, i promise those were my last questions until we get the reviews...
Thanks in advance!

 

[Napilopez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinobi00 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Haha, good job of taking one for the team. Pretty good for 110 dollars. Just because it's commented that it isn't as good as Ie8 and FX500 dosen't make it bad. It's very engaging. Very good. Everyones tested out expensive cans in stores and been blown away. these are like that. I can feel the bass at very low parts of my body. I can easily pick out instruments. I've never tested out the ie8 or the fx500 but these are good enough. And you get some isolation.

Thanks for that! I'm excited about getting these ^_^

 

[james444]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daouda /img/forum/go_quote.gif Before we get all those reviews there's one last question i would like to ask james. First i have to say that i am totally convinced that you havent been able to get a good fit with the pr1pro, because it took me 2 weeks experimenting with tips to finally be able to get its "real" sound, and before that i had the exact same impression as yours about its soundstage (very wide but "flat", totally lacking in soundstage immersion/3D illusion), after that it became clear that they do have some depth even though they are not the greatest in that regard (my hippo VBs feel more 3D/immersive). Anyway you guessed it, i find the pr1pro fantastic especially for the price, but the only thing that makes me dislike them at times is their (relative) lack of warmth in the mids... Its a personal preference, but i would really LOVE them with just an added hint of warmth in the mids... So heres my question : warmth-wise, how do the panasonic mids compare to the pr1pro (or pr2 which i beleive you said coldish mids are similar)? And if i may stretch it a little : is there more or less bass quantity on hje900 compared to pr1pro, and are the mids more recessed, equal level or more forward? That's it, i promise those were my last questions until we get the reviews... Thanks in advance!

Hi, my fit with the PR1 Pro is fine, I get good isolation and sound characteristics match the descriptions. However, due to the shape of my outer ear canals and short corpus of the PR1 Pro (+ I hate that pointed backside) the fit is shallow and I can virtually adjust the soundstage width/depth by tilting them forward/backward. Still, my impression of their soundstage is average at best. Tilting them to gain some depth I lose some width, and vice versa.

Anyway, concerning the Panas I agree with the OP that they are a definite step up from the PR1 Pro. They do have slightly warmer mids but not by much. In fact I quite like the neutral mids of the PR1 Pros and wouldn't feel comfortable with much warmer mids than the HJE900's. BTW as you already guessed the PR2 wouldn't be a recommendable option for you.

Out of the box there's definitely more bass quantity on the HJE900 and the mids are slightly more recessed. After the foam mod mids presence is roughly on par while bass is still a tad more on the Panas, but with better texture than on the PR1 Pro's.

Quote:

Originally Posted by daouda Last edited by daouda; Today at 05:49 PM. Reason: i'm french and my english sucks

LOL daouda, vacationing in Liguria/Italy and crossing the border to France for day trips, I would have fallen to my knees and thanked god for any Frenchman with an English like yours