[johntheman123]

If you love soundstage and don't really care about the cost difference - which would you choose and why: Westone ES5's or JH 16 Pros?
 
Or, is there something else in that range financially that are better?
 
Thanks!

 

[johntheman123]

Bump - hope I'm not bugging anyone with this question!

 

[Deadlovestory]

I have never demo'd JH16 or ES5 so I can't really comment on those, but I have demo'd UM Miracle and I thought that the soundstage was pretty awesome.

 

[johntheman123]

So does this imply that more drivers isn't better (i.e. JH16's 8 drivers may not be as good as a 6 driver comparison)?

 

[Deadlovestory]

Quote:

So does this imply that more drivers isn't better (i.e. JH16's 8 drivers may not be as good as a 6 driver comparison)?

Correct -- there are many other technical factors that could affect the soundstage of an IEM, such as the number of sound bores, diameter and length of sound bores, and driver tuning to name some.

 

[ZARIM]

The JH16Pro willbe better pick because it offers vast soundstage(out of head) and more highs with tight punchy bass and ES5 also has great wide soundsatge. It's mids are amazing, bass and highs are good too if compared JH16Pro then JH16Pro has more punchy bass and shimmery detailed highs than ES5. So ES5 focus on forward, rich, detailed mids and bass with good extended highs and wider soundstage. JH16Pro has better soundstage width, more extended highs, deeper punchier bass and very detailed midrange but it's not main focus of whole frequency spectrum. BTW recommendation cabe better if you add which Genres music you listen, soundsignature(forward mids, more extended highs, heavy punchy bass or overall more balance with warm or neutral).

 

[johntheman123]

I'm not an expert on this stuff yet so forgive my lack of terminology:
 
I listen to a ton of soundtracks (Hans Zimmer/Inception/Dark Knight) and love Trance music. I love listening to music when it feels as though I'm actually there (all the different instruments or sounds are separated and feel like they're surrounding me).
 
I love, absolutely love, rich and powerful - but natural - sounding bass (I always refer to my younger years being in my father's escalade with the Bose Sound system which had incredible bass). 
 
I can say that I initially purchased Shure 535's and found them to be terrible - they just sounded artificial. I found the UE 900's better than the Shure 535's by a wide margin, and ended up with loving the Westone 4R's the most (provided I stuck them far enough in my ears lol). 
 
I sampled the AKG K3003I's and found them to also be terrible compared to the Westone's or UE's.
 
I'd love a pair of headphones that allows me to hear everything in its most natural, and powerful form - and to allow me to forget I'm wearing headphones but instead feel like the music's going on in my head...?
 
-- Note: I cannot stand using the foam/expanding (or isolating) tips because they don't make the headphones sound as powerful/rich/bass surrounding as when I use the rubber tips. Not sure if that's relevant (but if I had no choice but to use expanding/foam tips, I'd have returned all of my expensive headphones and stuck with my Bose In Ears). 
 
Thank you all so much for helping with this potentially expensive decision! 

 

[lin0003]

Quote:

I'm not an expert on this stuff yet so forgive my lack of terminology:
 
I listen to a ton of soundtracks (Hans Zimmer/Inception/Dark Knight) and love Trance music. I love listening to music when it feels as though I'm actually there (all the different instruments or sounds are separated and feel like they're surrounding me).
 
I love, absolutely love, rich and powerful - but natural - sounding bass (I always refer to my younger years being in my father's escalade with the Bose Sound system which had incredible bass). 
 
I can say that I initially purchased Shure 535's and found them to be terrible - they just sounded artificial. I found the UE 900's better than the Shure 535's by a wide margin, and ended up with loving the Westone 4R's the most (provided I stuck them far enough in my ears lol). 
 
I sampled the AKG K3003I's and found them to also be terrible compared to the Westone's or UE's.
 
I'd love a pair of headphones that allows me to hear everything in its most natural, and powerful form - and to allow me to forget I'm wearing headphones but instead feel like the music's going on in my head...?
 
-- Note: I cannot stand using the foam/expanding (or isolating) tips because they don't make the headphones sound as powerful/rich/bass surrounding as when I use the rubber tips. Not sure if that's relevant (but if I had no choice but to use expanding/foam tips, I'd have returned all of my expensive headphones and stuck with my Bose In Ears). 
 
Thank you all so much for helping with this potentially expensive decision! 

I you are looking for something neutral, the Miracles may be a good choice. As for warm, the 8.A seems nice.