I’ve had my JH13s for about a week now. For the first few days I was pretty disappointed with them. I could tell the clarity was there under the surface, but the sound was out of focus…much blurrier than with my UE11’s. I chalked it up to the sort of issue that Jamato8 experienced, and hoped they would improve with some burn in. While I waited for that, I also started experimenting with different insertion techniques. I had become quite the insertion pro with my UE11s, so I thought I was already an expert. What I have discovered is that I needed to learn all over again how to properly insert the JH13s, and frankly, I’m still figuring it out. Most of my need to relearn is due to the fact that my JH13s are fatter and extend much further into my inner ear than my UE11s. It’s weird, my UE10s are more like the JH13s in terms of how far they go in, but the UE11s, which I submitted no new molds for, are way shallower.
With my JH13s, I have found the sound is VERY dependent on how they are inserted. The sound changes drastically with even minor adjustments in how they sit in my ears. For the guy that reviewed another guy’s custom JH13s earlier in this thread and rated another IEM as better (that was molded for him), I can totally see how he wouldn’t love the JH13s best unless they were molded exactly for him. I mean mine were molded for my ears for Pete’s sake, and I am not in love with them when they aren’t inserted just right. My advice to anyone who is not blown away by their JH13s is to watch the UE11 insertion video online, and experiment with different amounts of “twist” versus “push” as you insert them in your ears. I’m able to fiddle around until I get amazing sound most times now, but I’m still learning 1 week later.
In any case, due to (still) figuring out how to properly seat the JH13s, and/or potential burn-in, they now sound fantastic. I really haven’t listened to anything other than my UE11s over the past couple years, so here are the 3 things most different to me about the JH13s compared to the UE11s, in order of noticeability to me:
1.Clarity – The JH13s are faster and more detailed. Microdetail is astonishing. That last bit of fuzziness (pretty small I think) that I could detect with the UE11 is gone. If it’s in the recording, you’re going to hear it. When I listed to Nickel Creek’s “Speak” from the album “This Side”, the voices are so focused and clear, and I can really feel the emotion of each pluck of the guitar/mandolin. Despite the ridiculous clarity, the JH13s are very musical (like my UE11s are as well). What a combo!
2.Bass – The bass hump on the UE11 never really bothered me. I even enjoyed it on many types of music. So the fact that that hump isn’t noticeable to me on the JH13s wasn’t a big deal. That being said, I don’t miss it, as the JH13 is certainly not bass shy. What I am really enjoying, though, is that the JH13s go lower. I can hear all but the very lowest bass notes very clearly, and for the lowest notes, this is the first time I’ve experienced something that sounds like a subwoofer in a headphone. In the lowest bass notes from Eric Clapton’s “Lay Down Sally” from Slowhand [MFSL], I can’t detect any directionality to the bass, the space between my ears just resonates with the same sensation I get from a really good subwoofer. (Also note that Eric Clapton’s voice is so noticeably froggy in “Next Time you See Her” that I can’t even listen to it…seriously, clear your throat dude!
). As for Flight of the Cosmic Hippo, fuggetaboutit.
3.Dynamics – The JH13s are very dynamic. Louder passages are going to hit right after softer passages and the JH13s will take you from soft to loud very quickly. With my UE11s, I would set the volume and forget it. With the JH13s, I find sometimes a comfortable listening level gets uncomfortable when the loud passages kick in because the difference between softer and louder is much more pronounced on the JH13s when the music changes suddenly. And I’m not talking just about the most dynamic music like certain classical stuff. I must admit I’m still adjusting to this, as there are times when the level of dynamics is somewhat startling/unsettling. Especially when I listen at night before bed, when sudden changes in volume can be perceived as irritating. Of course, the dynamics of the JH13 are much more like live music, which is not a good sleeping aid.
I'll post some pics soon (clear with no artwork). I especially want to show the difference in depth between my UE11 and my UE10/JH13, as I find it curious (especially since all 3 were made from a single impression I did at UE headquarters).
