[Melody303]

I just got my delivery from Amazon UK, pretty surprising since I placed that order two days ago, so now I'm the proud owner of an M-Audio Axiom 25, and a pair of JVC FX101 (pink ones! ). Still waiting on the main order from eBay via Hong Kong of a pair of Audio Technica M50, and directly from MEElectronics the M9 and M31.
 
First impressions of the JVC FX101, and keep in mind, these are my very first IEM's, I'm comparing them to my extensive experience with the Sennheiser HD280 Pro and my KRK RP6G2 monitors.
I'm happy with the way the bass sounds and feels. Mids are close to being right, the complaints there are minute, but the high frequencies are quite wrong. They require EQ intervention, and for the time being, I'm just using Winamp's equalizer. Without it the highs sound significantly rolled off past 10khz, but with a big spike that's probably around 6-7khz.
EQ settings: A slight boost of about 1dB on the 1khz and 3khz bands, an attenuation of 3-4dB on the 6khz (that was the most helpful difference), 2dB boosts on 12khz and 16khz, and a 3dB boost at 14khz.
More enjoyable, but still not what I was hoping for (except for the bass, which I'm very happy with so far). I'll play around with Electri-Q tomorrow, and I'm sure I'll manage to tailor the sound more to my liking with it.
I'm not a big believer in "burn-in", but I listen to music 24/7 anyway, and I don't mind feeding the phones at the same time I'm listening on the KRK's, so they'll get the supposed burn-in whether I believe in it or not.
 
The large size tips were mostly useless, the mediums worked, but the small were the best fit for me. Oh, and it was a nightmare to get the phones out of the packing it came in.
 
The source is my computer, via a t.c.electronic Desktop Konnekt 6 audio interface. mp3 files of 192-320kbps. I'll also listen to my own material on them tomorrow, and that's obviously lossless.
Oh, I also listened directly from my Xperia Ray phone, and didn't hear any difference between the sources.
 
I really liked how Scala sounded on these (choir+piano), other than that, I've been listening to various electronic and rock music.
 
That's it for the first impression. How do you think the MEElectronics will compare once I get them?
 
Edit: P.S. I've never used an EQ for general music listening.

 

[Melody303]

Listening more now, and even without the EQ enabled, it sounds like the spike around 6-7khz toned down. On the other hand, the highs still sound rolled off, and could use some boosting.
 
Anyway, I'm expecting to pick up another delivery on Sunday.

 

[Melody303]

I just got the MEElectronics M9 and M31 today, but sadly, the 1/8"-1/4" TRS adaptor from the Sennheiser HD280 doesn't fit them. It wasn't a perfect fit for the FX101 either, but it did work for them. Anyway, this means I can't give them a proper listen just yet.
 
I gave them a very brief listen from the PC's onboard soundcard, which was uncomfortable due to the distance I am away from the PC and the cable being a standard length of about 5ft. That brief listen surprised me - I went with the M31, haven't tried the M9 yet, and the sound was surprisingly flat (relatively speaking, that is). I was expecting bass monster behavior, one outweighing the FX101, and that's not at all what I heard.
In the quick listen, I couldn't find much fault.
 
For now, I'm copying some music to my phone (Sony Xperia Ray) and we'll see how they sound from there, and I guess I'll get a standard TRS adaptor tomorrow.
 
As to developments with my impressions of the FX101, I EQ'd them with Electri-Q to a point where I was happy with the sound, and spent a few hours listening to them, as well as the constant burn-in they're getting while I'm listening on the monitors.

 

[Melody303]

M31 Android listening session.
I haven't messed with the tips at all, the stock ones that were mounted on the phones when I got them were an instant fit, and they sound good to me as is.
 
Songs that sounded fantastic on these:
Dirt Road and a Boat from Soundwave by Mathew Jonson and The Mole (minimal tech house)
Fly Me Into the Ocean by Elite Force (downtempo electronic)
Hey You (Pink Floyd tribute) by Ali Slaight (downtempo)
Homerun by Mr. Moods meets Tack-Fu (trip hop)
Moanin' by Karrin Allyson (jazz)
Something in the Way by Nirvana (acoustic rock)
On the Nature of Daylight by Max Richter (acoustic, mostly cellos)
Road Trippin' by Red Hot Chili Peppers (acoustic rock)
Sad Society Song by Mig (trip hop)
Self Oscillation by Deedrah (oldschool psychedelic trance)
Sparks by Royksopp (downtempo) *sounds really fantastic with them. If this song was my first impression on these 
headphones... I'd be floored.
Strange Behaviour by Feed Me (modern dubstep)
I Want You by Traci Lords (trip hop)
Weeeze by Radio Slave (minimal tech house)
 
Rock music in general sounded bad on these, to my taste. Many songs I consider to be very well produced in various genres were rather disappointing on these, too.
 
Total impression on comparison with the JVC FX101: The FX101 does have more bass, but always requires more fiddling around for a good fit, and keep in mind I haven't tried different tips with the M31, as I was happy with the seal, comfort, and sound, so they may still have some surprise for me in store. Still, the M31 easily outperformed the FX101 in every other respect. The JVC had an annoying 6khz boost, and while that boost is treatable with EQ, I'm comparing the stock sound here, not the treated sound.
 
And now comes the M9, and after a quick tip change (to the grey dual flanged stock tips), they're performing as well as the M31. Note that during the fiddling with the tips, I found potential for more bass than I did on the M31, but again, the M31 was an immediate fit, and had I fiddled with them, I might have found that same potential.
 
My current favorites of the three are the M31. I'm very surprised they're the flattest of the bunch, the only minor annoyance of note is that they've got a lot of what I presume to be driver flex.

 

[Melody303]

I took the stock tips that were mounted on the M31 and put them on the FX101. I'm pretty sure it makes for the best fit I've had with the FX101.
As a result, it also shows me how truly monstrous the bass on the FX101 is. Much too much.
With an imperfect fit (from the JVC stock tips), I could hear their extreme bass potential while fiddling with the fit, but not in the constant listening. I managed to find positions where the bass was damn near perfect, but there was the very annoying 6khz boost, and a lack of sparkle.
With the same imperfect fit plus EQing, they sounded pretty excellent, but not amazing.
With this supposedly perfect fit (from the M31 stock tips), the bass fully actualizes its extreme potential, and overshadows the mids significantly. The upper mids and highs still have the same trouble they did with the JVC stock tips.
With this same supposedly perfect fit plus EQing (including taking down 20-250hz down 2-5ddB) they sound good again, with excessive - though highly enjoyable bass, that doesn't intrude too badly on the mids.
 
Interesting.

 

[Melody303]

The Audio Technica M50 just arrived today, and they're everything I want from my headphones. I'd say their sound is the closest I got (can get?) to my KRK RP6G2 monitors with headphones, and I don't intend to search for something closer. I feel like I might actually be able to write music at these late at night without worrying that I'll have to fix the bass end the next day, and I'll test that theory very soon.
 
My extremely worn-out Sennheiser HD280 Pro are now retired, and I look forward to years of use from the M50, which definitely outperform them in my book.

I'll use the IEMs on the rare occasion where full headphones aren't a possibility, but otherwise, my foray into that microcosmos is now officially over.

 

[lilboozy]

So you would say the meelec m9's are better than the jvc fx101?

 

[rickdohc]

i got the 280pro and your are "spot on" with the FX101. but even with the highs i rather use the FX101 than the 280pro.
give them a few days of burn in and the highs get better, no.. its not a myth with this phones, you will notice it.

 

[rickdohc]

Quote:

So you would say the meelec m9's are better than the jvc fx101?

 
 
 
+1
 
want to buy the M9