[Heret1c]

Excellently through review as usual, joe! Your efforts are truly appreciated! However it seems you have confirmed what I already thought before, that the JH13s would suit my tastes more than the JH16s.

 

[average_joe]

Thanks, and my reviews are designed to help people make the right choice for their preferences.  

 

[lee730]

Amazing review Joe. You've steered me to 2 specific customs at this point. The SA-43 and the SE-5. I may end up getting them both

 

[Aevum]

out of curiousity. whats a RoCoo?

 

[lee730]

Quote:

out of curiousity. whats a RoCoo?

My guess would be this link?
 
http://www.trustedreviews.com/HisoundAudio-Rocoo-A_Portable-Audio_review

 

[average_joe]

Yes, it is that player, thanks Lee.  You can see my source information here, which includes a link to the Hisoundaudio site.  

 

[kckc]

Thanks for the super thorough review Joe! I read every word of it 

 
I'm in the search for my first customs and with the enhanced bass this just might be it!

I'm curious about the build quality though as people have stated these don't have the best build compared to another custom I'm interested in, the UM Merlin.
I know it's been asked but have you had a chance to try these with the whiplash twag cable so many people have been praising as a significant upgrade for the JH16? Or just whether or not you think it is worthwhile to upgrade the stock cable?
 
 
 

 

[average_joe]

 
Quote:

Thanks for the super thorough review Joe! I read every word of it 

 I'm in the search for my first customs and with the enhanced bass this just might be it!
I'm curious about the build quality though as people have stated these don't have the best build compared to another custom I'm interested in, the UM Merlin.I know it's been asked but have you had a chance to try these with the whiplash twag cable so many people have been praising as a significant upgrade for the JH16? Or just whether or not you think it is worthwhile to upgrade the stock cable?
 
 
 

Thanks for reading!  Since the shell is acrylic, build quality really isn't a big issue for the shell and it is more about finish.  While I have better finished custom IEMs than the JH16, there isn't that big of a difference.  As far as the drivers go, there aren't may reported cases to my knowledge of failure.  The biggest issue is the cable, but the cable is replaceable and it sounds like you may do so.
 
You can check out my TWag impressions with the JH16 here...I personally think it is very worth it as it greatly helps with the biggest weakness I hear with the JH16...soundstage depth.

 

[kckc]

Okay that makes me feel more at ease about the build quality. Thanks for your input on the cable, and yes I do plan to replace them since everyone who has replaced the cable said it was worth it, including yourself. Sorry if I missed it, but where can I find your TWag impressions with the JH16? 

Also, if you have heard the Merlin, how do think these two stack up with one another? 
 
Quote:

 
Thanks for reading!  Since the shell is acrylic, build quality really isn't a big issue for the shell and it is more about finish.  While I have better finished custom IEMs than the JH16, there isn't that big of a difference.  As far as the drivers go, there aren't may reported cases to my knowledge of failure.  The biggest issue is the cable, but the cable is replaceable and it sounds like you may do so.
 
You can check out my TWag impressions with the JH16 here...I personally think it is very worth it as it greatly helps with the biggest weakness I hear with the JH16...soundstage depth.

 

 

[average_joe]

 
Quote:

Okay that makes me feel more at ease about the build quality. Thanks for your input on the cable, and yes I do plan to replace them since everyone who has replaced the cable said it was worth it, including yourself. Sorry if I missed it, but where can I find your TWag impressions with the JH16? Also, if you have heard the Merlin, how do think these two stack up with one another?  
 

Sorry, I forgot the link: http://www.head-fi.org/t/564978/8-aftermarket-custom-iem-tf10-cable-reviewed-null-audio-lune-arete-added-9-12
 
The Merlin I have heard was a demo and didn't sound all that great.  I do own 3 custom IEMs with dynamic drivers, the EP-10 Plus, TS842, and wx i9pro.  All 3 have great sub-bass and tight bass, and then you compare them with the JH16 and they seem a little bloated and slow, but the overall power and rumble is superior.  I am not sure if that is because the note thickness of the dynamics is greater because the driver has a slower attack/decay or what, but they sound dynamic and the JH16, while close, is a little different.
 
From my experience with another members Miracle, which supposedly has the same mid/treble signature as the Merlin, the difference between the JH16 is significant.  The JH16 has a brighter sound while the Miracle I heard (and take note that it was not customized for my ears, but I did confirm what I heard with the owner) didn't have the treble, it wasn't dark or bad at all, just different.  The overall sound signature of the Miracle is very different than the overall sound signature of the JH16.
 

 

[kckc]

Wow I'm going to need some time to go over all those cable reviews.
Thanks for the quick comparison Joe!

 

[yuho]

may i know what is the art work for your jh16?

 

[lovleylady]

Ty for review.
 
Cheers!

 

[banani4000]

Hey average_joe. Thanx for an absolutely great review.
I can imagine that this question will be very difficult to answer, but I was wondering which (of all the customs you have tried/reviewed) would you keep if you only could choose one?

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

Hey average_joe. Thanx for an absolutely great review.
I can imagine that this question will be very difficult to answer, but I was wondering which (of all the customs you have tried/reviewed) would you keep if you only could choose one?

 
You are welcome, thanks for reading!
 
With my situation, it is impossible to answer.  But, I will say that there have been times in my "head-fi" career where I have been satisfied with a headphone (and I have always been an IEM guy), such as the IE8 and SM3.  I always new there were better IEMs (custom IEMs) out there and started to pursue better sound.  In that journey I have heard some amazing CIEMs.  In my experience, moving up the CIEM ladder, the higher you go the more ability the CIEMs have and can cover a wider range of genres well.  But, the ultimate "which would I keep" for me depends on my mood, the genres I want to listen to, what source I am using, what I want to get out of the sound.  I am just happy I have so many great CIEMs to choose from and if I did only have one, it could be one of many that I would more than likely be vey happy with.
 
The new FreqPhase JH line is more than likely better than the JH16 in my review and hopefully I will be able to hear one in the near future.  If you want a bass-head CIEM, the JH16 is a good choice, and if you want a more neutral sound, the JH13.