[Dobrescu George]

I have posted my review on IT-01 from iBasso. It is a lovely IEM which I can really get behind and support, as for its 100$ price, it really amazes in every single way possible!

https://audiophile-heaven.blogspot.com/2018/02/ibasso-it01-love-for-music.html

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/ibasso-it01.22774/reviews#review-19921

 

[Mdclol]

@icefalkon

Stop making things so easy for companies by gladly taking unjustified price hikes up the butt.

R&D... Please. I hope I am able to articulate this nicely. But I'm sick of companies pricing their bull far higher than it should be. Its all marketing and hype. And we've all bought into it at some point, perpetuating this increasing price trend. Some folks must view R&D as rocket science that they use it to justify price hikes. IMO iBasso increased pricing to be more in line with the rest of the industry. Which is wrong because the INDUSTRY is wrong, largely thanks to us, and iBasso is merely trying to capitalize on that trend, contrary to iBasso's reputation. They didnt exploit us with their IT01 graphene driver because they knew they didn't need to. Its cheap. Keep in mind Uiisii CM5 has a graphene driver and lovely packaging and carrying caze for less than $10 on amazon. Profits would still be made with integrity, in volume.

I have been heavily involved in R&D in the race drone and aerial videography industry. It taught me a thing or two about how industries are exploting consumers by overpricing goods made easily, cheaply and with existing tooling and R&D. I am not speaking as a diehard fanboy with early special access to a hot, new product.

To Me, iBasso had a reputation of not only excellent products but also a very realistic pricing that reflected the work put into designing it.

This New IT04 is using a DD which already exists thanks to the IT01. I ask again, what R&D? If you mean tuning to complement the BAs, that is so subjective I find myself using an EQ and amp to tweak crap to MY preference regardless of the R&D already done.

Similar shell as IT01/03, therefore the tooling is already in a existence. Just needs a little work and minor subjective tweaks, like anything else. Cheap or pricey.

The crossover better be goddamn magical with 3+ nicely bored sound ports channeling each driver's respective frequencies into my earholes without crossing paths. Otherwise, I dont want to hear anything about crossover work.

This isnt to say I am not excited about the IT04.

Its just the sudden price hike for 1 additional BA driver and no wood that surprises the crap out of me. And everyone is cool with that?! Jeez.

 

[razorpakk]

The Westone 4R in your sig was 500$ when it came out. Why did you buy it?

It's a business, as long as nothing sounds (hypothetically) as good as the IT04 for less than 500$, then 500$ it's a reasonable price.
I could say it's too much and the components are too cheap for that, but what's the alternative? I cannot go DYI and make it myself, if I want it that's the price. They're not selling primary goods after all.

 

[Mdclol]

The Westone 4R in your sig was 500$ when it came out. Why did you buy it?

It's a business, as long as nothing sounds (hypothetically) as good as the IT04 for less than 500$, then 500$ it's a reasonable price.
I could say it's too much and the components are too cheap for that, but what's the alternative? I cannot go DYI and make it myself, if I want it that's the price. They're not selling primary goods after all.

My answer is the same as the answer to why folks had kids, "it seemed like a good idea, at the time".

You live and learn. Westone was well spent when we had fewer options back in 2011. Now we have Chi-fi. Labor is so cheap in China, the IT04 is priced like its made in America.

 

[scotvl]

@icefalkon

Stop making things so easy for companies by gladly taking unjustified price hikes up the butt.

R&D... Please. I hope I am able to articulate this nicely. But I'm sick of companies pricing their bull**** far higher than it should be. Its all marketing and hype. And we've all bought into it at some point, perpetuating this increasing price trend. Some folks must view R&D as rocket science that they use it to justify price hikes. IMO iBasso increased pricing to be more in line with the rest of the industry. Which is wrong because the INDUSTRY is wrong, largely thanks to us, and iBasso is merely trying to capitalize on that trend, contrary to iBasso's reputation. They didnt exploit us with their IT01 graphene driver because they knew they didn't need to. Its cheap. Keep in mind Uiisii CM5 has a graphene driver and lovely packaging and carrying caze for less than $10 on amazon. Profits would still be made with integrity, in volume.

I have been heavily involved in R&D in the race drone and aerial videography industry. It taught me a thing or two about how industries are exploting consumers by overpricing goods made easily, cheaply and with existing tooling and R&D. I am not speaking as a diehard fanboy with early special access to a hot, new product.

To Me, iBasso had a reputation of not only excellent products but also a very realistic pricing that reflected the work put into designing it.

This New IT04 is using a DD which already exists thanks to the IT01. I ask again, what R&D? If you mean tuning to complement the BAs, that is so subjective I find myself using an EQ and amp to tweak **** to MY preference regardless of the R&D already done.

Similar shell as IT01/03, therefore the tooling is already in a existence. Just needs a little work and minor subjective tweaks, like anything else. Cheap or pricey.

The crossover better be goddamn magical with 3+ nicely bored sound ports channeling each driver's respective frequencies into my earholes without crossing paths. Otherwise, I dont want to hear anything about crossover work.

This isnt to say I am not excited about the IT04.

Its just the sudden price hike for 1 additional BA driver and no wood that surprises the **** out of me. And everyone is cool with that?! Jeez.

Would you be happy with the price of the IT04s if Paul would have charged us $200+ for the IT01s he could have instead of the amazing deal he and ibasso gave us? The cable alone is worth the asking price and the musical bliss I've been hearing and enjoying from the IT01s is unheard of at this price point.
We're going to have to wait for the IT04 reviews to come out but judging by the sonic steal ibasso gave us on the IT01s I would expect the IT04s to compete with TOTL gear costing multiple times its $499.00 asking price.

 

[fritz1234]

So what does the final version of the T04 look like?

 

[icefalkon]

So what does the final version of the T04 look like?

Here you go...I just took these now..

 

[icefalkon]

I have posted my review on IT-01 from iBasso. It is a lovely IEM which I can really get behind and support, as for its 100$ price, it really amazes in every single way possible!

https://audiophile-heaven.blogspot.com/2018/02/ibasso-it01-love-for-music.html

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/ibasso-it01.22774/reviews#review-19921

George! As always great review man!! An excellent read!

I wish I could write as well as you do. lol

 

[KowalskiFUT]

Listening to my IT01 for about 10 days now I can confirm this is decent sounding set. I wouldnt say, as some others did, that it punches above its price range. If someone made me listen to this blind, I would guess these are 100-150 dollars Iems. If I lost them I wouldnt buy new one, but I aint selling them either. They sound ok out of iPhone, and thats the reason I bought them. If I lived in USA Id choose Nuforce EDC3 instead in this price range.

 

[superuser1]

I have been listening to the it01s from the zx300 over balanced and the pairing is very satisfactory to me. If i was being critical i would have liked it have slightly weightier tones. Now i am even scared to mention it04s lest another argument erupts.

 

[icefalkon]

I think the arguments are over...I hope.

I have about 400+ hours on my IT01's with the DX200 now. They have improved. Now is it because of the better cable? Is it because of burn in? I don't know...but I did do this. I had a friend of mine listen to the IT01's when I first got them and then had him try them last Friday before the CanJam. He listened both times for about a half hour. This time he said right off, these sound a LOT better than the ones you gave me before. Now they're the same ones...and this guy isn't a crazy audiophile, he's just crazy...

I will say that they are definitely better than a lot of $100 IEM's that I've owned in the past. It has nothing to do with them being iBasso...it has to do with the quality of sound they produce for me.

 

[superuser1]

I think the arguments are over...I hope.

I have about 400+ hours on my IT01's with the DX200 now. They have improved. Now is it because of the better cable? Is it because of burn in? I don't know...but I did do this. I had a friend of mine listen to the IT01's when I first got them and then had him try them last Friday before the CanJam. He listened both times for about a half hour. This time he said right off, these sound a LOT better than the ones you gave me before. Now they're the same ones...and this guy isn't a crazy audiophile, he's just crazy...

I will say that they are definitely better than a lot of $100 IEM's that I've owned in the past. It has nothing to do with them being iBasso...it has to do with the quality of sound they produce for me.

What other cable are you using with your it01s?

 

[icefalkon]

I'm using the CB12...I almost pulled the trigger on a cable that Empire Ears created with an Apple lightning connector on the bottom and MMCX for the IEM's with a control switch. I ended up spending the money for that on a set of Meze Classic 99's that I got for the dealer price. They sound awesome as well!

 

[JKDJedi]

So if your into Hip Hop and Rap, using android, to push these babys (preferably LG) I'd suggest using Bass Equalizer. The iBasso sound Stupendous!

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=music.bassbooster.equalizer.pay

 

[icefalkon]

Hmmm over 4K people can't be wrong. Looks like a good app.