[conquerator2]

Quote:

Fun is used on my terms in my post, not to denote any kind of special head-fi meaning but rather to say that music played through the E10s makes my face smile and my limbs go all dancy. Exactly, in other words, what music should do.

The re-400s, on the other hand, make me stroke my bearded chin.

YOYO, IMO, YMMV.
 
Seriously though, its called sound signature.
You like fun that's nice (yeah makes your limbs go crazy)
Others like neutral and natural (rather than calling it "chin stroking", its better to call it listening for the nuances in music and enjoying it also... I would really like to know how they compare in detail retrieval - I think the RE-400 is awesome at that)
 
Also bass =/= good, I actually think the RE-400 has enough of punch, while being slightly reserved in bass-not a bad thing IMO
 
Wonder just how the RE-600 will compare, getting them later this month
 
Other than that, enjoy your music, I am glad you like it.
 
But don't call out things like "what music should do"
I am sure many people's opinion will differ here

I for one think RE-400 is an awesome value for an IEM,
Just my 2 cents.

 

[Muzeick]

Quote:

YOYO, IMO, YMMV.
 
Seriously though, its called sound signature.
You like fun that's nice (yeah makes your limbs go crazy)
Others like neutral and natural (rather than calling it "chin stroking", its better to call it listening for the nuances in music and enjoying it also... I would really like to know how they compare in detail retrieval - I think the RE-400 is awesome at that)
 
Also bass =/= good, I actually think the RE-400 has enough of punch, while being slightly reserved in bass-not a bad thing IMO
 
Wonder just how the RE-600 will compare, getting them later this month
 
Other than that, enjoy your music, I am glad you like it.
 
But don't call out things like "what music should do"
I am sure many people's opinion will differ here

I for one think RE-400 is an awesome value for an IEM,
Just my 2 cents.

OK - let me edit that earlier comment: 
 
- they do what music should do, in my opinion, which may not be the same as yours, but which is clearly the truth in my self-created universe.
 
Never really understood what 'reference' or 'neutral' means - music is not a library or a gearbox. It just has to sound good in your ears.

 

[Muzeick]

Quote:

YOYO, IMO, YMMV.
 
Seriously though, its called sound signature.
You like fun that's nice (yeah makes your limbs go crazy)
Others like neutral and natural (rather than calling it "chin stroking", its better to call it listening for the nuances in music and enjoying it also... I would really like to know how they compare in detail retrieval - I think the RE-400 is awesome at that)
 
Also bass =/= good, I actually think the RE-400 has enough of punch, while being slightly reserved in bass-not a bad thing IMO
 
Wonder just how the RE-600 will compare, getting them later this month
 
Other than that, enjoy your music, I am glad you like it.
 
But don't call out things like "what music should do"
I am sure many people's opinion will differ here

I for one think RE-400 is an awesome value for an IEM,
Just my 2 cents.

OK - let me edit that earlier comment: 
 
- they do what music should do, in my opinion, which may not be the same as yours, but which is clearly the truth in my self-created universe.
 
Never really understood what 'reference' or 'neutral' means - music is not a library or a gearbox. It just has to sound good in your ears.
;
Was listening to The Rolling Stones, 'Brussels Affair' album earlier with my thirty quid E10s. Limbs were bouncing, smile was broadening, life was good. Never for one second wanted anything more.

 

[lwien]

Quote:

 
Never really understood what 'reference' or 'neutral' means ......

 
It means that the IEM doesn't add or subtract anything from the original recording, that is, what is being reproduced is, more or less, exactly what the engineers and producers laid down in the studio.
 
Now that doesn't mean that everyone will like it.   It's kinda like when you go to order a steak from a fine restaurant.   Many would find it blasphemous to add A-1 Sauce or any kind of steak sauce to that steak simply because they want to taste it as it was when it came out of the kitchen.    For many, however, they wouldn't think of eating a steak without steak sauce.
 
No right or wrong here................just different.

 

[cstory]

Anything that makes an Ety sound like a bass monster has to be defective... I don't care how bad the seal is. Go ahead and play around with different tips and insertion, but I have a feeling yours might need to be replaced.

 
Thanks to everyone who replied to my post. It appeared to hang up on my computer when I submitted it, so I didn't think it actually got sent. I didn't bother to check for responses. I tried all the tips that came with the RE-400's and all of them sounded bad. I do use the largest foam tips that Etymotic makes (big yellow ones), so it's possible that my ear canals are a problem. I did push the RE-400's as far in as they would go, but at that point the cable is pressed against my outer ear and I can't go in any further. The problem is I have no other tips on hand that I can use right now to trouble shoot them. One previous post described the sound as sounding like a transitor radio, and that's a good description of what I am hearing. I did try to fit the Ety tips, but they wouldn't go on. I'll try and find some other tips before I send them back. I just need them to be large ones. Chuck

 

[Muzeick]

It means that the IEM doesn't add or subtract anything from the original recording, that is, what is being reproduced is, more or less, exactly what the engineers and producers laid down in the studio.

Now that doesn't mean that everyone will like it.   It's kinda like when you go to order a steak from a fine restaurant.   Many would find it blasphemous to add A-1 Sauce or any kind of steak sauce to that steak simply because they want to taste it as it was when it came out of the kitchen.    For many, however, they wouldn't think of eating a steak without steak sauce.

No right or wrong here................just different.

How is it possible for you to hear the music that was made in the studio? It's not, clearly.

Presumably what you mean is that you want to hear the music as the artist(s) and their production team want you to hear it?

In which case, what about music that is mastered and mixed with an intended market of iPhone users listening through bundled ibuds? Wouldn't you be better off listening that way? Or how about only listening to original vinyl mono albums on a mono vintage turntable? While on the same drugs that the band was on when they made the recording?

It's a weird impossible argument. If the re-400s are 'flatter' and 'colour the music' less than the E10s, but I prefer the E10s, am I somehow being unfaithful to the artists I love? Nonsense. You can add whatever sauce you want to steak. Who's to tell you what it should taste like?

 

[conquerator2]

How is it possible for you to hear the music that was made in the studio? It's not, clearly.

Presumably what you mean is that you want to hear the music as the artist(s) and their production team want you to hear it?

In which case, what about music that is mastered and mixed with an intended market of iPhone users listening through bundled ibuds? Wouldn't you be better off listening that way? Or how about only listening to original vinyl mono albums on a mono vintage turntable? While on the same drugs that the band was on when they made the recording?

It's a weird impossible argument. If the re-400s are 'flatter' and 'colour the music' less than the E10s, but I prefer the E10s, am I somehow being unfaithful to the artists I love? Nonsense. You can add whatever sauce you want to steak. Who's to tell you what it should taste like?

Nobody.said it was wrong in any way...
Just the flatter.the headphone the closer it gets to the original thing and how it sounded when recorded...
The steak is actually a good analogy.
You like a but extra bottom? That's fine. Want an even sound? Ok. Wanna bright one? Nice!
Some of us just want different things from it...
I want to get as close to neutral reference as possible, that is everything being evenly reproduced...
No wrong with a but of extra bottom.... You simply like a but more color down there.
Hope nobody makes music with apple headphones in mind.... Ain't got time for that...

 

[music_4321]

Quote:

Hope nobody makes music with apple headphones in mind.... Ain't got time for that...

 
Actually, the new Aple Earpods are very, very good phones (I bought my own pair for 25€, ie didn't get it with the new iPhone / Touch). The previous Apple earbuds (specially the latest iterations) weren't as bad as people in these forum threads often make them out to be.
 
EDIT: Oh, and build quality of the new Earpods is excellent — the only phone I have that I allow myself to abuse (given the cost) and, after several months with them, they're as good as new.

 

[laon]

Quote:

You can add whatever sauce you want to steak. Who's to tell you what it should taste like?

Exactly. You're reiterating what he said to you.
 
Glad that you like other IEM better, you probably want to look at v-shaped phones ladder if you ever feel the urge to upgrade as that seems to be the sauce you like most to go with your steak.
 
 
 
Quote:

The previous Apple earbuds (specially the latest iterations) weren't as bad as people in these forum threads often make them out to be.

They actually are, especially since there are far too many better earbuds than it.

 

[lwien]

Quote:

You can add whatever sauce you want to steak. Who's to tell you what it should taste like?

 
Huh?   What, is there an echo in here?  That is exactly what I said.    I closed my original post stating that there is no right or wrong here.   It's a matter of personal taste.

 

[music_4321]

Quote:

Quote:

The previous Apple earbuds (specially the latest iterations) weren't as bad as people in these forum threads often make them out to be.

 
 
They actually are, especially since there are far too many better earbuds than it.

 
I said, " [they] weren't as bad as people in these forum threads often make them out to be", not that they were the best earbuds. Those Apple earbuds were—and still are—often trashed by far too many people on these boards, which effectively has practically been a 'mandatory' sign / prerequisite to let others know people really know / are serious about audio.
 
Too much hype, exaggeration, misinformation, nonsense & BS about A LOT of gear (cheap or expensive).

 

[laon]

I don't see it (them being thrashed everywhere here) but they do sounds pretty bad with any measure you're applying. But whatever, I don't care nor is it relevant here.
 
Now, I hope more people who've heard RE-600 post their impression instead.

 

[music_4321]

Quote:

I don't see it (them being thrashed everywhere here)

 
Perhaps you haven't been here long enough and/or read enough posts/threads.
 
 
Quote:

...but they do sounds pretty bad with any measure you're applying.

 
Is that so? Oh dear...
 
Quote:

But whatever, I don't care nor is it relevant here.

 
I initially responded to another post that mentioned "Apple headphones" and then you decided to respond to my post. For someone who says they "don't care", responding to (my) two Apple-related posts...
 
The relevancy—perhaps—may well be (inadvertently) the not so infrequent mention of the RE-400s being today's best bang-for-the-buck phones out there and then someone (me) mentioning—only after responding to a previous post—that there's actually a 25€ very, very, very good-sounding phone, which also happens to have EXCELLENT build quality.

 

[tinyman392]

Quote:

 
Thanks to everyone who replied to my post. It appeared to hang up on my computer when I submitted it, so I didn't think it actually got sent. I didn't bother to check for responses.I tried all the tips that came with the RE-400's and all of them sounded bad. I do use the largest foam tips that Etymotic makes (big yellow ones), so it's possible that my ear canals are a problem. I did push the RE-400's as far in as they would go, but at that point the cable is pressed against my outer ear and I can't go in any further. The problem is I have no other tips on hand that I can use right now to trouble shoot them. One previous post described the sound as sounding like a transitor radio, and that's a good description of what I am hearing. I did try to fit the Ety tips, but they wouldn't go on. I'll try and find some other tips before I send them back. I just need them to be large ones. Chuck

 
Try a larger tip, or buy some Comply tips (as you are already accustomed to using foam tips).  Make sure you insert the Comply in correctly or you'll muffle the sound. 

 

[Muzeick]

I said, " [they] weren't as bad as people in these forum threads often make them out to be", not that they were the best earbuds. Those Apple earbuds were—and still are—often trashed by far too many people on these boards, which effectively has practically been a 'mandatory' sign / prerequisite to let others know people really know / are serious about audio.

Too much hype, exaggeration, misinformation, nonsense & BS about A LOT of gear (cheap or expensive).

I have heard that the new ibuds are actually pretty good and a huge step up from their previous iteration.

See, I don't think the sonic difference between low, mid and high end earphones is actually all that big any more. Which makes the price differential and the marketing claims even harder to swallow.

And to the person who doubts music might bemade with iPhone users in mind now, well please Google the following words;

Mastered for iTunes.

As for me liking a V shaped signature, well maybe. But I prefer to think of it as liking music that sounds lively and interesting and gets me going. I have come a long way in listening to and buying iems these past few years - have tried a lot of them up to say £400 rrp. And now here I am with a thirty quid pair of Soundmagics, happy as Larry. I definitely feel I have learned a lesson along the way - mostly that you don't need to spend much at all to get great sound. That might be heresy in these parts, but hey.

So if you like the re-400, cool - it's not badly priced. But it's not the bargain of the decade for me. And I certainly ain't interested in the re-600 any more.