[lepermessiah]

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Good to hear that ur enjoying the w4s..   by the way w4's do benefit from amping..   but i wouldn't recommend u any fiio   products if u want to see a day & a night difference.. but if u be able to get a "Head-stage Arrow 4G " ull realize what I'm trying to say..  it really opens up the w4's full potential.. mids become very crispy & the mid bass Vail vanishes.. + it gives a JH16 like a feeling ( a personal opinion though) .  get a cowon j3 or a Ipod classic and hook with a "head-stage" totally Worth it..

 
Hey man! Thanks for recommending the W4-s- I love them! Hmm.. so they do benefit from amping.. I wasn't too sure of that. I listen to music mainly via my laptop and my cell phone. Thus I was wondering whether I was doing full justice to the W4-s. I had been tempted to buy the a Classic but had been put off due to the iTunes dependency, lack of flac support and after reading about their middling audio quality. Can the Classic be rockboxed?
I guess the Classic's SQ doesn't really matter if I'm gonna run it through an amp as it bypasses the internal DAC, right? The Headstage Arrow's now on my wish list. I might buy one at the end of the year or early next year.
 
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Try the Sony hybrids, they're my favourite tips for the W4s. You'll have to grab spacers from a Comply or Shure Olive to get them to fit though. The W4s are lovely, the best of my portables, but a bit too warm and thick (not really thick, but thick for faster metal). TF10s would do better if you can get a fit, OP.
Can't really get much improvement for the W4s with my Fiio E10, but neither with my DAC1. These aren't that power-hungry, probably the most sensitive of my IEMs. I do recommend something with a low output impedance, as higher impedance stuff makes the W4s sound wonky, and become adverse to slight changes in the sound signature. Something like the O2 (or the Leckerson, I'd imagine) would be clean enough. 

 
Oddly, the largest foam tips in the included accessories bundle (Comply P-series, IIRC) fit me the best and gave an open sound. The triple flanges seal and fit well but drown out the highs. I've been planning to buy some new tips anyway. I was thinking of the Earsonics biflanges and the hybrids. I'll give the hybrids a shot as Earsonics doesn't seem to ship them tips to my country.
That's right- the W4-s are quite sensitive. I can the hiss from my cell phone before and after a track plays- something I hadn't noticed with other iems or my Grados. I was looking the Headstage Arrow... time to read about them on head-fi itself.

 

[keltor]

I like the beyerdynamics DT 880s and pretty much any of the Grados for metal, IEMs often just end up being too bassy and then the bass starts getting all muddy.  I do like my volumes fairly loud though.  99% of the time if I am listening to metal, I am wearing my DT 880s.

 

[TwinQY]

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Hey man! Thanks for recommending the W4-s- I love them! Hmm.. so they do benefit from amping.. I wasn't too sure of that. I listen to music mainly via my laptop and my cell phone. Thus I was wondering whether I was doing full justice to the W4-s. I had been tempted to buy the a Classic but had been put off due to the iTunes dependency, lack of flac support and after reading about their middling audio quality. Can the Classic be rockboxed?
I guess the Classic's SQ doesn't really matter if I'm gonna run it through an amp as it bypasses the internal DAC, right? The Headstage Arrow's now on my wish list. I might buy one at the end of the year or early next year.
 
 
Oddly, the largest foam tips in the included accessories bundle (Comply P-series, IIRC) fit me the best and gave an open sound. The triple flanges seal and fit well but drown out the highs. I've been planning to buy some new tips anyway. I was thinking of the Earsonics biflanges and the hybrids. I'll give the hybrids a shot as Earsonics doesn't seem to ship them tips to my country.
That's right- the W4-s are quite sensitive. I can the hiss from my cell phone before and after a track plays- something I hadn't noticed with other iems or my Grados. I was looking the Headstage Arrow... time to read about them on head-fi itself.

I hear good things about the W4+Arrow 4G combo. Can't go wrong with that. Complys muffle treble and make everything overly warm, the biflanges might be better than the Hybrids for some.

 

[ToXxic360]

Out of the dt880, grado 325i, Gr07, Tf10 and W3 or W2, which ones are gonna have the best sound quality?

 

[TwinQY]

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Out of the dt880, grado 325i, Gr07, Tf10 and W3 or W2, which ones are gonna have the best sound quality?

Depends on what you want . The DT880 is probably the best out of the bunch when it comes to sheer technicalities, but the Grados are probably perfect for your music, and not really that far off SQ-wise. It's likely from that you'll spring for the Beyers after that, but please keep in mind how Grados would probably be more to your like. There's also Magnums, if you want a slightly different Grado sound. Out of the IEMs, again it would really depend on what you want. There is not really one out of the bunch that is above and beyond the other, and I'm not just trying to be politically correct. Others have stated that the GR07s have really good drums and a overall balanced sound, they also have fantastic comfort and build SQ. Probably the most practical choice. TF10s are fast, punchy with sparkle up top, and really lends itself to fast music, but have pretty bad fit for some. W3s are similar, but with a larger sound I would say, more tip dependent, and boasts way better comfort and ergonomics. W2s are in the same family, they have a leaner, more balanced sound than all the others, apart from the GR07s which are more neutral. Lighter in note presentation though, and an extremely easy sound to get into.
 
In the end, it's the sound signature that you should be looking at, as they all have their pros and cons.

 

[ToXxic360]

How significant do you think the difference in SQ between the Grado, and the Gr07's is?
Because I will be at school for 6 hours M-F is the SQ worth the carrying around all day?

 

[TwinQY]

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How significant do you think the difference in SQ between the Grado, and the Gr07's is?
Because I will be at school for 6 hours M-F is the SQ worth the carrying around all day?

The two have different presentations, so difference in SQ is negligible. If you are using them at school, I would go with the VSonics as the Grados are open-back, which means they leak sound almost just as much as they produce it, and offer absolutely no isolation. 

 

[ToXxic360]

Alrighty, thank you guys for your help, you effin rule.
I'm gonna go with the Gr07's.

 

[Bummrounde]

I'm a little late, it seems, but I'll comment anyway.  I listen to 95% heavy metal most of my life, thrash to death metal but also doom and classic rock.  I've got Grado SR225 and I'll tell you they are my LEAST favorite for metal.  The SR225i may be much better, but I absolutely despise these cans.  They make all the guitars sound like buzzing insects inside a can, very harsh to my ears.  The general opinion on these is vastly different from mine, but I got them based on all the wonderful recommendations for rock/metal here on Headfi and was deeply disappointed.
 
As far as IEMs go, I've had Etymotic HF3 as primary use for over a year now, and they are perfect for my needs.  The bass never booms, but you can clearly make out anything in the lower ranges clearly; it isn't lacking but it doesn't "thump" at all.  Mids and highs are very smooth, all the details are there, but they are entry level "revealing" phones.  Until I had these, I never realized that most metal music have production issues, particularly keeping levels where they should be.
 
For over-the-ear, I have Beyerdynamic DT990s that sound awesome for 5 tracks then get fatiguing from the exaggerated bass.  At least for heavy metal music.  The Shure SRH840 are livelier sounding than the Etymotics without trampling any particular sound area.  Again, they won't really thump, and to get the fullest sound and the cleanest highs amplification really helps, even if it's "just a Fiio".  In fact, I rocked the 840s exclusively until I got frustrated with them on my portable; they sound distant and the soundstage is smaller without an amp, and they are ridiculously huge on my head on the train.  Most comfortable over-the-ears I've had, though.
 
Heard so many good things about the Vsonic GR07.  I'm debating on getting the custom fit tips for my Etys or saving up for the GR07.  WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE, COME BACK AND LET US KNOW HOW YOU LIKE THEM!

 

[keltor]

I would say almost for sure there was something wrong with your Grados and you most likely should have sent them in for service.  My very first pair of SR125s kept having the same issue with the band breaking, and after the third pair, Joe deeply apologized and sent me a brand new pair of the 325is (which were brand spanking new at that time.)  They are really great with their customer service.
 
I really find that the DT990s have too much bass for almost anything, the DT880s are nice and dark, but have a more balanced bass level (well for beyerdynamics phones which are somewhat deep in the extension.)
 
An all-important thing is to remember that more than likely when the music was recording, it was tracked with MDR-5706/MDR-V6 and quite possibly mixed-downed with them as well.
 
EDIT: Small additional comment.

 

[Mozu]

Just another quick word about the GR07s in regards to metal--someone mentioned the TF10 being "fast", but I have never had a single issue with the speed of the GR07s. I listen to a ton of metal, but Blind Guardian is by far my favorite, and they've never had a single problem keeping up with the staccato guitars or Thomen's ridiculous-tier drumming (or anything else I've ever thrown at them).
 
Hope you like 'em--let us know.
 

 

[Sylaw]

Did heard fast??? ER4s are their... i cant think of an iem which comes closer to it.. 

 

[lepermessiah]

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..... They make all the guitars sound like buzzing insects inside a can, very harsh to my ears.  The general opinion on these is vastly different from mine, but I got them based on all the wonderful recommendations for rock/metal here on Headfi and was deeply disappointed.

 
That's odd. Buzzing insects in a can? I second what keltor said- there's something wrong with those cans. Hope that gets sorted out- it's disappointing to buy something so expensive and then discover that they do not perform upto expectations or worse, if it's a lemon. If you live Stateside, you're lucky.
 
 

As far as IEMs go, I've had Etymotic HF3 as primary use for over a year now, and they are perfect for my needs.  The bass never booms, but you can clearly make out anything in the lower ranges clearly; it isn't lacking but it doesn't "thump" at all.  Mids and highs are very smooth, all the details are there, but they are entry level "revealing" phones.  Until I had these, I never realized that most metal music have production issues, particularly keeping levels where they should be.
 
Heard so many good things about the Vsonic GR07.  I'm debating on getting the custom fit tips for my Etys or saving up for the GR07.  WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE, COME BACK AND LET US KNOW HOW YOU LIKE THEM!
 

 
 
The Etys are quite revealing phones and you're completely right about the loudness war in the metal music scene. Finding flawless recordings is becoming harder than ever- in fact, I dislike listening to some artists purely because the recording and production is terrible and is a pain to listen to even if the performers are supremely talented. Custom tips for the Etys- interesting but I wonder whether they will improve the SQ noticeably as the seal with the stock triple flanges itself is very deep and isolating? Maybe the discomfort of the deep seal will be eliminated, but the SQ? I'm curious to know the result if you decide to walk down this path.

 

[Bummrounde]

Hmm, I think my description is being taken too literally. It doesn't sound broken, it sounds like the mids are severely bumped up but frigid and the highs are sharp and angry. There's a place about 10 blocks from my office where I can audition some other Grados, SR60 and RS1 and then I'll determine if they are particularly different from mine. Grado Labs is only an hour away from me, I might be able to drop them off if repairs are actually needed. As far as the Ety tips, I've had the foam ones come off in my ear twice now. I've seen pictures of the triple flanges breaking off inside ears as well. My ear canals are absurdly narrow; Comply mediums are way too big. The custom tips are about durability, comfort and seal in that order. I actually expect them to slightly detriment the SQ compared to the foam.

 

[Sylaw]

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such as Cannibal corps , Gojira... oh god and the New  lamb of god  album.... pure **** to my ears.. those records sound like very budget to me...