jvc fx33 vs fx34
Mar 28, 2009 at 3:58 PM Post #4 of 16
I just got a FX34. Is sounds pretty darn good to me, but I don't have much to compare them to. They don't seem to have too much bass to me, and the highs are there. I noticed that they have a small hole in the white paper cover. Does the fx33 paper have a hole? Maybe the smaller tips on the fx34 compared to the FX33 controls the bass. I noticed that if I push the fx34 further into my ears the bass gets deeper. Maybe the overbass problem was "fixed" on the fx34 with the smaller tips?
 
Mar 28, 2009 at 4:12 PM Post #5 of 16
The old 33 cord is more pliable and a bit longer. The 34 cord is stiff and retains bends - seems cheaper.

The shorter/softer tips of the 34 does seem to tighten up the bass slightly but I found that they weren't long enough for my ear canals. YMMV.

Upshot: not much difference. Good gym/workout/podcast phones either way.
 
Mar 28, 2009 at 4:36 PM Post #6 of 16
Thanks. Do you know if the paper cover on the 33 has a hole in the middle?
The cord might have been changed because some cords were thought to cause cancer. I had a pair a while ago, which actually had a "Prop 65" cancer warning label!
 
Mar 28, 2009 at 4:46 PM Post #7 of 16
Quote:

Originally Posted by newtophones1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I had a pair a while ago, which actually had a "Prop 65" cancer warning label!


I just knew that's where recycled motor oil was going! That confirms it...

33 has the pin hole. Both the 33 and 34 sounded almost the same to me w/ a slight edge going to the 34. But I gave it to my neighbor as the cord bugged me. Now I'll get cancer for the convenience of the 33 cord...
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Edit: prop 65 might be more about the potential for the cord to pollute water supplies thru manufacturing or disposal than to directly expose the cord user to carcinogens (provided you don't injest the cord) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Califor...ition_65_(1986) Either way, good to know.
 
Mar 28, 2009 at 7:41 PM Post #9 of 16
Thanks for the link. I suspected phthalates (plastic softeners). No wonder the new cord is stiff.

I haven't moded the 33 or 34. They are bright enough for me already. What I don't like about them is their boominess. The bass is sloppy, overdone in the mid-upper bass range and weak in the lower range. Typical in a headphone of this price. But I still think they are better than the fx-66, cx-300, ep-630, and most cheap headphones. The treble doesn't grate on your ears like it does with those other headphones, esp. the cx-300. I don't understand that headphone. Maybe I got a fake but mine sounded terrible. I gave them away too.
 
Mar 29, 2009 at 7:51 AM Post #10 of 16
From what I can tell, I suspect that the boomy bass on the 33 is due to the longer foam tip, and having it shoved far in the ear. Considering the price of the 33 on ebay now, I may get one to play with. I actually have two 34's now for different family members. I may mod one to see if I can hear a difference.
I read a few of your other posts. You seem very knowledgeable about earphones. For rock, would you say that the next reasonable "step up" from the 33/34 are the pk3 or the sony ex85? I agree, I am not sure I also like the work involved in getting IEM properly fit each time, having only used the stock old Apple ear buds. The 34 is much better than those.
 
Mar 29, 2009 at 8:02 AM Post #11 of 16
These are definitely good for the price though.
 
Mar 29, 2009 at 4:35 PM Post #12 of 16
Quote:

Originally Posted by newtophones1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
From what I can tell, I suspect that the boomy bass on the 33 is due to the longer foam tip, and having it shoved far in the ear.


I think the boomy bass is just endemic to cheap earphones. The 33 and 34 are almost identical in that regard so I don't think it has much to do w/ the tips but the slight improvement w/ the 34 could owe to the shorter tip but that's just a guess. I bet JVC went w/ the smaller softer tips in an effort to make the 34 better fit the avg ear. Any sound signature improvement would probably have been an accident.

I got my 33's for $6 last summer. At such prices they make excellent experimental subjects.

Quote:

Originally Posted by newtophones1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
For rock, would you say that the next reasonable "step up" from the 33/34 are the pk3 or the sony ex85?


Yeah, you only jump to ~$40. I really like the sound signature of the PK3. It's dark but really easy to listen too and grows on you. Unfortunately my right channel has a bass rattle so I'm going to have to exchange them. Seems the PK3 QC could use some improvement as I've read some complaints about channel balance and bass freq rattling. But if you get lucky and get a robust set then they are really nice. They certainly are comfortable.

The ex85 is just another good budget phone that sounds pretty good. I like the timbre of the PK3 better but the ex85 is pretty pleasing too if not particularly special. It ~might actually be better for rock because it has more of a turned up treble and bass sound than the PK3 which has a fantastic midrange. Ppl go nuts modifying the 85's and 90's, so if you're into that...

Good luck, but realize you are exposing yourself to some gateway earphones that could lead to an expensive habit
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Mar 30, 2009 at 5:56 AM Post #13 of 16
It may be too late to save me. All I need is another electronics "hobby." Today I could not resist and got a Philips 2650. It is interesting that people think an unmodified 33 is boomy and not clear. Compared to the 2650, the 33 is "tinny" (possibly grating). Using foam for the mod may mellow them a bit. The Philips have a warmer sound, more "full" to me. Some may think it sounds muffled. I like the idea of just putting them in my ear and being done with it. Having to squeze, push, twist may become a pain. I think I prefer the Philips for longer listening. Both of these are only $10 earphones. Wonder want more expensive ones sound like ...
 
Mar 30, 2009 at 5:30 PM Post #14 of 16
I'm not familiar w/ the Philips. Sounds like you like dark headphones. There are plenty of those out there you might like and plenty of bright headphones that would sound awful at this point. But you might find that the more you listen to different presentations the more you'll appreciate the whole spectrum of sound. The more i listen to different headphones the more I realize that I can appreciate their respective strengths. That's when you know you are totally f'd and you are compelled to find the perfect compromise. Before you know it, $200 seems like a bargain!
 
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