[Shawn71]

Yesterday, borrow a friend's  shure se535v，Se535v cannot exceed B3.

:rolleyes:

 

[willy156]

Are you saying the Havi B3 $60 earphones are better than Shure's $400 earphone?

 

[analogsurviver]

  Are you saying the Havi B3 $60 earphones are better than Shure's $400 earphone?

Can not speak regarding SE535s - never heard them, only 530 ages ago, with an inferiour source to boot. What came out of 530 with that source, was in no way even comparable to B3.
 
What I CAN say is that Havi B3 does not pale in companion of Stax Lambda Pro and AKG K 1000 - there are areas where the big established counterparts are clearly better than the B3  - but at the same time, there are also worse ... Both Stax and K 1000 are yet far more costly than SE535, even without including the respective amplifiers - none of which are normal "headamps" .
 
Havi B3 ( provided it is fed from a premium source and amplified by a powerful enough amplifier ( it is about as hungry IEM as it gets, considerably more so than majority of full range cans ) ) is capable of extremely lifelike sound, excelling particularly in soundstege. It is better in this regard than most full sized cans, it even hints at the soundstage of the AKG K 1000, which is so outstanding in this regard - still, after all these years, second to none.
 
Havi B3 Pro 1 ( Old Version ) is an outstanding IEM. It requires careful matching to your ears ( tips that will do for you can be quite a challenge to find ... ), it needs an extremely powerful amplifier for an IEM, it will follow the improvement in the front end to an unheard of level, totally out of proportion to its cost. It does require some EQ in the bass for proper SQ - and its ulimately achievable SPL in the bass is somewhat limited.
 
That "somewhat limited in the bass" still leaves both the Stax Lambda and K 1000 in the dust. Neither of them is capable of concert level climaxes in symphonic music , particularly in the bass ( timpany, big drum ) - B3 sort/kind of "does it" - at the limit, with slight compression, but without the audibly objectionable protest.  While doing it, B3 will never feel going out of composure - the overall soundstage remains solid and unperturbed.
Its greatest asset is freedom from audible resonances - there are no particular spots across the entire range that cause trouble, which, once heard, will bring you on the fence to listen when it will occur again - which is THE prescription for inducing listening fatigue. 
 
That is something totally alien to the B3 sound. It may have not enough bass ( for some music, for some listeners ) - but you can go trough the entire thread and its "parent" thread ( Chinese / Asian Brand Info thread )
and you will not be able to  find a single complaint in this direction.
 
It takes Havi B3 Pro 1 (Old version ) some 300 hours of normal playing ( burn-in, if you prefer ) to develop the proper bass extension and lose grittines in the treble; bass gets OK sooner than treble, if it is still somewhat coarse ( REMEMBER - from a good source/recording, it will mercilessly reveal inferiour recording and/or source ), play it a little longer. If you are not interested how it develops in sound, you can play say a FM tuner at normal listening level for say 12 or so days, with Havi in some drawer not to disturb anyone in the household.
 
I hope that helps - equating the price with subjective quality does not necessarilly hold true. Please note that IEMs are perhaps the most PRIVATE thing there is - and no one can guarantee that you will perceive the Havi (or any other IEM ) the same as majority on this thread. But due to the above and almost countless other testimonies it does make sense to go yet another mile with B3 ( tips, amplification, recordings ... ) - while it may well end up being the least expensive part of the entire chain, it is most unlikely to be the - weakest link .
 
Let's play :
 

 

[peter123]

@analogsurviver

What a great post!

 

[willy156]

If I were to use the Havi B3 pro1 with an iPhone 4s, would I require an amp? Also which version of the b3 do you recommend

 

[analogsurviver]

  If I were to use the Havi B3 pro1 with an iPhone 4s, would I require an amp? Also which version of the b3 do you recommend

I have not heard Havi B3 Pro 2 - but everybody that did get to hear both versions seem to prefer the Pro 1 (Old Version). Based on the verdicts/recommendations, I will pass the B3 Pro 2.
 
Regarding amp requirement - Pro 1 (Old Version ) is MUCH more demanding than the Pro 2. I do not use ANY smartphone at the moment, so can not say how powerful is the inbuilt amp in the iPhone 4s. The power requirement is also quite person dependant and music style/recording dependant ;  what one would find perfectly enough with more low/mid dynamics music ( or compreseed dynamics ) may well turn out not to be enough with high dynamic range recordings - at the same overall perceived loudness. Couple that to person to person variation, various degrees for bass EQ - you get the idea.
 
There are members with iPhones and Galaxys - plase chime in, although I remember this has been (at least partially ) answered before.

 

[halomusic]

  Are you saying the Havi B3 $60 earphones are better than Shure's $400 earphone?

Can not say that the B3 is better than se535v. but B3 really cleaner.

 

[halomusic]

se535v's sound  not real,not clean.

 

[Niyologist]

The Havi B3 Pro I sounds like my kind of IEM. I guess I'll go for it, but I wonder if the Cowon J3 + CC BH2 is a good combo. Is it?

 

[Lorspeaker]

ok, lets keep it simple....
 
the way to go about this HAVI...is to buy it first, 
then solve all the ensuing problems, if any.

 

[analogsurviver]

  ok, lets keep it simple....
 
the way to go about this HAVI...is to buy it first, 
then solve all the ensuing problems, if any.

A very good advice - unless on a really tight budget; if you in very near future for any rason can not ( or not wish to )afford an amp capable of driving the B3 properly, you would be better off with something else that is more efficient. 
 
It is similar to cars; if after purchasing your dream car can not afford for gas and tires required to run it - what is the point of owning such a car in the first place ?

 

[analogsurviver]

@analogsurviver

What a great post!

@peter123
 
I have to thank you for your great post(s) during the "desision phase", then still on the Chinese / Asian Brand Info thread.

 

[nmatheis]

What's with people digging on B3 Pro I's bass? I think it's nicely balanced and fine for most music. Maybe they're listening with crappy sources or have inadequate seal?

 

[analogsurviver]

What's with people digging on B3 Pro I's bass? I think it's nicely balanced and fine for most music. Maybe they're listening with crappy sources or have inadequate seal?

No. Although Havi B3 is stellar for its size, it can move only so much of air. And that is limited.
 
I make DAMN sure I have the proper seal - particularly while monitoring live recordings with Havi. The easiest way to check for the proper seal is by playing some pink noise; it will instantly reveal any insertion/seal problems.
 
Still, when confronted with really tough material ( I can not think of anything tougher than live microphone feed of drums ), it will reveal its limits - regardless of the unlimited capabilities of the amplifier driving it. But it has to be understood that this is an extreme - B3 Pro 1 is nicely balanced and fine for most music.
 
I have to add that some EQ of bass is necessary. It might be around + 3 to 4 dB @20 Hz - not more - but this fact does compound the bass
capabilities of both Havi and amplifier driving it. I arrived at this level of bass boost by comparing live sound heard without any technical means and the sound heard in the IEMs - Havi B3 Pro 1 ( old version ) in this case. It is about as good reference as it gets.

 

[nmatheis]

I listen to a lot of music with strong bass presence and find B3 Pro I satisfying. Merely curious why others don't. I do find it inadequate for electronic / hip-hop music with gobs of sub-bass where a sub-woofer is called for, but not a lot of IEMs can handle that well - at least not any I've owned...