If you could help answer this 4 questions, I might be able to nail it down closer. The "sound better" to you is hard to define as it may not be the same as mine. I totally understand
1) Do you prefer more bass over treble, more treble over bass or prefer them balance equally but boosted at both end or more neutral. A slight bump at each end
2) Are you using any amp or plug straight from iphone?- If using amp, what amp? (need to determine matching criteria - like impedance etc..) I plan on using the Fiio X5 with the E12DIY, and upgrading to Muse devices
3) Do you often have to take in and out to talk to people while on listening (I do) or listen without disturbance all the time. Its a mix. I will use at work (in and out) but when at home, in for long periods
4) Do you like vocal to stand out than the rest of the music or music more than vocal or balance equally? balanced
I thought I ruled out the JH16, as I feel there is too much bottom for me. I listen to a variety, but no dance or hip hop. Mostly rock and jazz.
A bit more about me- I spent over 20 years in very high end car audio. I owed a top rated shop, designed, tuned and competed in car audio sound quality competitions, several world titles. When I tune a car, I have a bump of 6-9db on the bottom, until about 125hz, then flat from there.
I hope this helps, and appreciate the input. I am located in Phoenix, AZ
Thanks for answering Mike, lets do a little "tuning" to nail it down closer
1)
A slight bump at each end - For top of the line phones that I have heard that has this criteria = SE846 (white filter), Noble K10, Tralucent 1p2, K3003i, IE800. For Roxanne - that needs to be at 9am tuning impedance switch. Forget UE18 PRO & TG334 (its too warm for that).
2)
I plan on using the Fiio X5 with the E12DIY, and upgrading to Muse devices - OK no issue with the above as impedance is at 0.26ohm.
3)
Its a mix. I will use at work (in and out) but when at home, in for long periods - For most people, customs is a pain to take in and out and one get frustrated easily after you get the perfect seal only to be remove again - you will need lubricant or get a sore ear to do that. Universal get a consistence seal at all time but does not seal as well as custom.
4)
balanced vocal - Ok so that filters down to K10 & Roxanne. its vocal is pretty balance to both end (not as balance as UERM but UERM does not boost on both ends, so its out) . the rest is out because...
- SE846 has a very stronger vocal presence than the rest of the spectrum, I find that to be the best I have heard custom or universals for vocal. Its raw power clarity is intimate and romantic which makes it a winner for vocal jazz. Bass feels like a subwoofer kind of bass, deep deep bass and is very seductive. Most people claim they are the best in universal and I have to agree, treble is good enough with zero sibilance but much less than K10. It has almost everything done right imo.
- Tralucent 1p2 - Has a slight U shape Frequency. Vocal is subdue and bass and treble peak at both end, very airy IEM accompany by subtle bass that is just nice (not too much, not too little) . It has a speaker like like soundstage that throws the sound like listening to a speaker. It has also one of the least flaws of all universal and is agreeable by many experience headfiers as one of the best. Its bass focus more on the mid than sub and is weaker than SE846 & IE800 but stronger than K3003i.
- K3003i - A very controversial IEM that has cause many experience headfiers sleepless night fighting over its coherency in frequency. It resulted in thread been locked and a some members ban (hehehhe..) . But I like it and has stay with me for years so far. It has a slightly boosted mid and Its main strength lies in its soundstage as it has one of the widest soundstage I have heard, it does not goes deep or tall like TG334 but real wide and feels like an open IEM. Seal is not as good. Some people find it to be the best IEM ever for its ability to sound so open and natural like music flowing from an open window, full of air. Bass is super tight with zero bloat. Vocal is 2nd best beside SE846. There is a lot to like about K3003i. I tend to cheat a little by boosting its bass a little on my amp. I sometimes think that if k3003i has more bass by itself, it would be my number 1 IEM. I seriously think K3003i treble (reference filter) is about the best I have heard to date. Its treble goes all the way to the top, but yet not harsh at all. - I suspect after I said this - I might suffer some arrows and sling from other headfiers heheheh...
- IE800 - very power bass and treble and vocal boosted substantially. To me, IE800 is like a disco IEM. It sound very processed like an EQ is programmed on it. I feel like I am back in Babylon disco club. Movies are superb when mothership hover above you, the bass rumble with like 2 full subwoofer on each corner. Its a very fun sound, and will never bored you to death like UERM (sorry some people like reference sound).
- Roxanne customs - Sound similar to SE846 but not exactly the same. Its bass focus alot on mid than sub, treble is about the same at 9am. It lacks some vocal power like SE846 and K3003i but its really good enough. Its vocal sound very audiophile, very smooth and warm - very natural. There are occasion peak at treble can be tune down by going 2pm on the pot. Soundstage is deep and very 3D but is not as wide as K3003i. There is alot to like about Roxanne as it can be tune. The universal version has the biggest nuts of all universal nuts and some smaller ears have problems. It needs to be pushed really in to stay there. For customs, that is not a problem. I do find the sound a little different between universal and customs but I am not going into debate about which is better. In short I love the Roxanne for its flexibility. Also note that the pot tuning could be an issue as it has a life span of 100 or so tuning (can't remember how many times) but its easily fix with new cable. I find that anything after 12o clock, the bass start to creep into the mid and vocal starts to feel chesty.. its not an issue but it does leak a little. Anything pass 2pm, sound starts to feel too warm for my liking. Anyway Roxanne should be in your list as well, same as K10.
I have not listen to Tralucent ref 1 and some other TOTL, so the above is limited at best and just base on my opinion.
