[Zelda]

review's up, here

 

[lobehold]

Just want to chime in here.
 
I was part of the sale sometimes ago on the BA100, I ran them out of my iPhone 4 and iPad 2 and thought they sounded horrible; thin, congested and lifeless. I thought even if they don't sound as good as in the reviews, this is worse than Apple iBuds so I must have gotten a bad pair or something, then Christmas crunch started at work and I forgot all about it.
 
By accident last week I ran them from my MacBook Pro's headphone out - which I usually don't due to high noise floor - just to watch a Youtube video without disturbing anyone, and found they sounded fantastic!
 
So apparently they are pretty hard to drive and iDevices can not supply enough power to them, unless iPhone 4 & iPad 2 are underpowered compared to newer versions.
 
Why hasn't anyone mentioned this? Had no one used BA100 - which comes with a smartphone remote - with their smartphone?
 
I feel like I've been deceived, why would anyone create a pair of IEM that can not be driven properly from smartphones, and then go ahead and put smartphone remote on them? Doesn't the remote imply that they work with smartphones?
 
I bought them for use portably from my iPhone - without requiring a portable amp, and now I can't use them in the way I intended.
 
They're not bad but forget it if you think the remote means that you can run them straight from your phone.

 

[Brooko]

  Just want to chime in here.
 
I was part of the sale sometimes ago on the BA100, I ran them out of my iPhone 4 and iPad 2 and thought they sounded horrible; thin, congested and lifeless. I thought even if they don't sound as good as in the reviews, this is worse than Apple iBuds so I must have gotten a bad pair or something, then Christmas crunch started at work and I forgot all about it.
 
By accident last week I ran them from my MacBook Pro's headphone out - which I usually don't due to high noise floor - just to watch a Youtube video without disturbing anyone, and found they sounded fantastic!
 
So apparently they are pretty hard to drive and iDevices can not supply enough power to them, unless iPhone 4 & iPad 2 are underpowered compared to newer versions.
 
Why hasn't anyone mentioned this? Had no one used BA100 - which comes with a smartphone remote - with their smartphone?
 
I feel like I've been deceived, why would anyone create a pair of IEM that can not be driven properly from smartphones, and then go ahead and put smartphone remote on them? Doesn't the remote imply that they work with smartphones?
 
I bought them for use portably from my iPhone - without requiring a portable amp, and now I can't use them in the way I intended.
 
They're not bad but forget it if you think the remote means that you can run them straight from your phone.

 
Either you got a defective pair, or there is something wrong with your iDevices.  I have an iPhone 4 - and the BA100 sound great out of it.  Check the spec ratings for the BA100 - 36 ohm. 109 dB sensitivity.  These don't need amping, and any iDevice should power them fine.
 
IMO three things to check
- is the plug seated correctly in the socket?
- do you have any of Apples preset EQ settings running (they are terrible)?
- do you have a good seal?
 
They can sound a little thin when compared directly to a full sounding IEM like the DN-1000, but they definitely sound better than what you are describing.  I still regard them as one of the better duys in their price range.

 

[lobehold]

Either you got a defective pair, or there is something wrong with your iDevices.  I have an iPhone 4 - and the BA100 sound great out of it.  Check the spec ratings for the BA100 - 36 ohm. 109 dB sensitivity.  These don't need amping, and any iDevice should power them fine.

IMO three things to check
- is the plug seated correctly in the socket?
- do you have any of Apples preset EQ settings running (they are terrible)?
- do you have a good seal?

They can sound a little thin when compared directly to a full sounding IEM like the DN-1000, but they definitely sound better than what you are describing.  I still regard them as one of the better duys in their price range.

I can assure you I have checked and double checked every conceivable reason it might have for sounding bad out of BOTH my iPhone 4 and iPad 2. Yes I seated the plug in properly, no I do not EQ, and I can't possibly have a better seal unless I push it past my eardrums.

They definitely, positively, sound worse than my iBuds coming out of my iDevices.

Can someone else chime in on this? Did I get a defective pair?

 

[DigDub]

I find the ba100 lacking too. sounds thin and lifeless and veiled out from both Sony z1 and LG g2 mobile phones. probably they do need a lot of power to drive, but that defeats the purpose of the mic.

 

[Brooko]

I find the ba100 lacking too. sounds thin and lifeless and veiled out from both Sony z1 and LG g2 mobile phones. probably they do need a lot of power to drive, but that defeats the purpose of the mic.

 
OK - I'll restate again (because the specifications regarding power are very straight forward).  They are relatively easy to drive with 36 ohm being no issue for most low power sources - especially when you factor in the very high sensitivity (109 dB).  On my iPhone 4 I cannot get to 50% witout these being painfully loud.  They do not need additional power.
 
If you don't like the sound signature (which is very neutral/flat) - then you bought the wrong IEMs.
 
I noticed the poster above (lobehold) mentioned ibuds being better.  I do wonder if he's referring to Apples Earpods - which are quite bassy fr a set of buds (I actually quite like them - they sound pretty good with foam covers).  I notice neither of you list your own headphones in your profile - so it's difficult to guess what your preferences are.  If you normally prefer either V shaped (extra bass & treble) or quite bassy/warm headphones - then a neutral IEM may indeed sound thin to you.
 
Try something - wear the BA100, and only the BA100 for the next 2 days.  Don't compare with any other headphone / IEM.  Then at the end of two days try your normal headphone.  By then your brain will be tuned to the sound of the BA100 - and you may find your other headphones sound comparatively bassy, coloured, false.
 
To give an example (one I've used before).

1. Spend a week with HD600 - they sound perfect
2. Then switch to Grado SR325i - it sounds shrill, thin, and totally lacking bass.
3. After another week with the 325i - switch to HD600 - it sounds veiled, slow, dark
4. Repeat 

 
The headphones are the same - and have the same characteristic they've always had.  What does change is your comparative perception of them. This may have something to do with your perception of thin-ness.
 
If it does, and they don't match your normal (preferred) signature - sell them and move on.
 
I'll repeat again - next to my SE535 and DN-1000 they can appear a little thin.  But by themselves (without quick A/Bing with other headphones/IEMs - they are definitely not thin.  And the power of the iDevices won't change them at all .....

 

[DigDub]

I do have ety hf5 and er6i, so I think i know what 'neutral' sounds like. I do appreciate neutrality in an iem and knows how its supposed to sound like, but the ba100 just sounds very anaemic and lifeless, even a tad veiled.

 

[goodvibes]

Do some tip rolling. I do think they can benefit in both balance and presentation. Find the right ones and they're really pretty good. I don't expect them to be as good as an HF5 but with the right tips, they have a not dissimilar sig with a touch more bass

 

[lobehold]

OK - I'll restate again (because the specifications regarding power are very straight forward).  They are relatively easy to drive with 36 ohm being no issue for most low power sources - especially when you factor in the very high sensitivity (109 dB).  On my iPhone 4 I cannot get to 50% witout these being painfully loud.  They do not need additional power.

If you don't like the sound signature (which is very neutral/flat) - then you bought the wrong IEMs.

I noticed the poster above (lobehold) mentioned ibuds being better.  I do wonder if he's referring to Apples Earpods - which are quite bassy fr a set of buds (I actually quite like them - they sound pretty good with foam covers).  I notice neither of you list your own headphones in your profile - so it's difficult to guess what your preferences are.  If you normally prefer either V shaped (extra bass & treble) or quite bassy/warm headphones - then a neutral IEM may indeed sound thin to you.

On both of my iPhone 4 and iPad 2. 80% volume is just loud enough, I'm beginning to think that something is not right. Are there manufacturing issues that lowers sensitivity? Did the Canadian winter somehow changed the properties if the driver? Either way I would NOT call these sensitive.

No, I'm not referring to Apple EarPods, I mean the cheap ones that comes with the devices, the ones you can get on ebay a dime a dozen.

It's not the sound signature, as I have stated, I find them sounding great out of my MacBook Pro's headphone out, that can not be explained by sound signature preferences.

 

[goodvibes]

Ipods can play louder than that without distress. I'm not a big fan of most mobile phones for audio but if they play loud enough, it's not a power thing. You just don't like your phones as much as your more dedicated media sources or something else is up. That they sound great off your I devices has e think they're OK but..... I just connected to my Ipod touch 4 and 2/3rds up is loud, 3/4 is uncomfortable and I'm not a quiet listener. 

 

[lobehold]

Anyways they sound good out the computer and I'm OK using it like that.
 
Btw. if anyone feels that the eartip included with the BA100 isn't that comfortable and have a pair of Samsung S3 Earbuds available, if you switch the tips the difference is amazing!
 
They're much, much softer to my ears and I get a great seal without any feeling of pressure on my ear canal; only potential problem is that they only sit good on the lower position.
 
While on the topic of the Samsung Galaxy S3 earbuds, they actually sound pretty amazing; actually they sound better than BA100 to me, the bass difference is night and day and plenty of detail. If I had known it before I might have just gotten another pair of those, except it seems that 99% of these online seems to be knockoffs and the effort involved in tracking down a spare pair doesn't seem to be worth the effort.

 

[asak]

Have 2 versions of these. One from Jack directly with one vent. The other from online with 3 vents, though two look blocked(this one sounds like one of the drivers are blown).
 
Will only comment on the one from Jack. 
 
Pretty neutral. The first thing that shocked me was the sound placement. Most iems are inside the head. These are definitely distant especially the vocals. Yet the sound is very clear. Moving the tip to the inner most anchor makes everything seem closer. More resolving than a Sony xba-1 or final audio heaven IV. Highs seem are a touch rolled off. Bass if fairly full and hits impressively hard for a single BA.
 
When I listened to these for a while, thought about joker's inner fidelity comment on the jh13, "The JH13 can sound as lean and quick as an Etymotic Research earphone one moment, and crank out beats with some serious authority the next." It's kind of true for these. On the music where the notes are slow with long decay, they can hold it. When the music starts getting fast, they try to keep up. There's no artificial balanced armature decay. Pretty impressive I thought. 
 
The only downside is a touch down on absolute resolution(though they try to show it vs omission, just a bit fuzzy), they can run out of steam sometimes when things get quick, and some high roll off. 
 
It's impressive they try to do everything for the most part vs omission. They're like a raw unrefined talent. 
 
Very good value. 

 

[Monster210]

Newb here
 
I received my pair of BA100 a couple nights ago.  So excited I plugged them into my rockboxed ipod, and played "Crazy on You"-Heart.  I was dissapointed in what I heard, sounded as I was listening to second hand music.  I remembered reading about tip placement so I pushed them down.  Song got way better but still wasnt what i was used to(been using bose ie).  I tried putting on foam tips but they didnt go down enough, so eneded with large tips and bass was a bit better. Don't know how far I'm suppose to put these on also, seems really deep in canal.  Had to go from 6(all the way up) to 0 so they wont destort.  After several days of listening, all songs I tried sounded different.  I havent adjusted EQ.
 
DMB "warehouse" Highs sound real distorted(cymbals and him signing high pitch) and lacked bass.
Fleetwood Mac"Dreams"- Sounded great Stevies voice never distorted and all sounds are punchy.
Heart"Crazy on You"- Cymbals started to roll a little.  Bass seemed to have alotta distortion.  Voice held together well even at high pitch.
Depeche Mode"Personal Jesus"- Voice wasnt as crisp seemed to roll.  Not to much bass, but synths and mids were great.
 
I did purchase E1 to see if lineout will be better output, so waiting on that.

 

[Jazmanaut]

Hello
 
Just few words about my self: Im professional sound engineer, who enjoys pure and flat sound. Nothing hyped and no snake oil for me thank you.
 
Just got them couple days ago, and i was very anxious to see, how they work for me. Lots of reviews i have read was very promising, but in this thread there have been so many dissapointed people, so...
Package came from post and i plug those in to my iPhone4s and selected my soundcheck track no.1. and boy was i dissapointed. Weak bass, distorted sound and very peaky and unpleasant upper mids. Try to fiddle them out and in and try to adjust tips, and what not. Another, pro-audio soundsource did not make any difference.  No gicar. So i thought that these must be bad pair, and mailed to seller who runs local small busines and is specialised in in-ears, so he knows he´s product. He was baffled, but promised to check them out and to send me new pair.
Then i listened my other familiar cans again, just to quadruple check, that it´s not me, and went back to BA100.s and suddenly whoa!!! Very clean and smooth soundstage. Good balance, exept slight overtightnes in upper mids. What happened? Take them off and on again and they sound thin again. Fiddling them in ears and boom, sound is back. So these things are VERY precise, how to place them in ears.
Then i tried foamtips, that came along them and now i found that sweetspot much easier.
 
So how is the overall sound?
It´s quite flat overall. Subs are a tiiinybit shy, but definedly there. Bass is very clear, non hyped and precise and Lo mids are pure and nice. Upper mids are  a bit bright and there are resonance peaks at 3300 and its upper harmonics at 6600 Hz, and that bothers me quite a bit. I´m sure that many people wont even notice, and prefer this as clarity, and in a sense it is: you can find details exelently with these headphones, but do you need to find things that aren´t  naturally so visible? And it would be nice, if they could go a hint higher at the freq range.
 
So overall: At pricepoint, they are very nice. Mick works fine as well. But you neet to adjust them very precise to get good sound off them and if you are like, me and use iems just on the go, when you want good sound, when you go jogging, biking or something like that, it´s a bit hustle. 
So i still prefer my lost (sob) Sound Magic E10:s, wich are cheaper, not quite so flat, but exelent sounding and much more easier to use.
 
PS: I found that when you place them so that cord points up and go from front behind you ear, they seems to settle down much easier.
 
PPS. That distorsion that i mentioned when i first heard them, was in the record. Never before i have noticed it. So yes, they are very precise

 

[Netforce]

So just got a pair from taobao for around $30 and well I'm not too impressed and also I have a few doubts if it is legit. Sounds pretty muddy and treble is bit recessed. Got a straight angle plug and nozzle head looks quite a bit different.