JVC Marshmallows V2 are here! Introducing the JVC HA-FX66!

Oct 18, 2007 at 4:04 AM Post #136 of 170
Quote:

Originally Posted by taejinshikki /img/forum/go_quote.gif
i have a question.. what oval hole are you guys covering up? becasue i covered up the oval hole(the only other hole besides the main speaker hole with white covering) with tape and couldnt notice any difference.


Yeah, that is it, the little oval hole on the outside body of earpiece. That is the port. It is hard to see since it is small black hole in the black rubber. That is what I covered with a tiny piece of clear office tape. No, don't mess with the larger white filter covered hole.

I heard a significant difference, but I was listening to bass heavy electronic music. You know the kind that repeats the same heavy bass loops over and over again. I find this music ideal to listen to sonic changes like this. I listened to the same song, Thousand Nights by Gregor Tresher, with the tape completely on and off the port several times. I noted the dB increased since more sound was trapped. Even with compensation in levels, the bass was much greater, to a point that I believe people that do not like lots of bass will not like the port completely closed off. That is where the needle holes come into play. Each hole you poke into the tape lets out more sound energy and removes bass.

It is the same principle as not getting a good seal in a set of canal phones. The better the seal the greater the bass. JVC opened up an artificial and permanent seal by building a port into the unit. Closing off the port is like getting a better seal on a set of canal phones that are not sealed right in your ears. The bass naturally increases; hence more bass with the mod and thus poking holes in the tape lowers the bass level in controlled increments.
 
Oct 18, 2007 at 7:01 AM Post #137 of 170
Just got mine today, and first thing that came to mind: boy, do these look like my ATH-CK51/CK52. The tips are also the same size and shape, which means the Sony EP-EX1 eartips will fit on them. The stock eartips are pretty much the same as the EX1s, but not as flimsy.
Nice carrying case, horrible microphonics, haven't listened to them yet. I might have to loop these around my ear like I did with the Marshmallows and CK5. (By the way, don't get the wrong impression that the CK5s are any good; they're harsh and a pain to listen to.)
 
Oct 21, 2007 at 4:16 PM Post #140 of 170
these have a great fit , they stay put very well. Better than any Canal phone I've ever had. ( Fx55/ Vibes/ JBL 220/ Mylar X3 )
 
Oct 21, 2007 at 5:32 PM Post #141 of 170
Quote:

Originally Posted by Pangaea /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I know some people have mentioned they use these in the Gym- but can anyone say if they recommend using them in the gym. Do they stay in, when running/ lifting?


I find a shirt clip is an absolute must for running or else the buds gradually come off
 
Oct 21, 2007 at 7:06 PM Post #142 of 170
Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif
My Denon AH-C700 have better sound stage or imaging than the Super.fi 5 pro that I had. I am listening to live jazz right now with them and am fairly well pleased. But, my Ultrasone HFI700DVD circumaural headphones blow all my IEMs soundstage away.

My E500 were actually a little better with sound stage than the Denon, but I can't compare right now because I broke the left spout sleeping on them and I shipped them to Shure yesterday for repair. My Livewires customs have the best sound stage of any of my IEMs, and they are out for a re-fit adjustement
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The E500 were the eye opener that convinced me I didn't need to keep the Sony EX51, CX300, Bose IE, both pairs of E2c, E4c, SE310, Super.fi 5 pro, and ER6i. I sold them all (but the ER6i came back in a trade plus cash for my E4c and I kept them). I did however keep the Denon C700 after I got the E500, and added the Livewires.

If I had to pick one its the LW's (with the right source, DAC and amp it's like being there), then the E500's then the C700, but I really like all three. However, listening to the Westone 3 side by side with my E500 showed me how much better IEM's can be
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Westone 3 will be my next purchase when they hit stores.

Despite hearing much better, I haven't really been unhappy with even the Marshmallow and Air Cushion for 1/10 the cost of some of my others. I didn't hate any of my old ones that I've sold off, until after I had heard better ones as I moved up the food chain.

Well, I did hate the ER6i and Super.fi 5 pro when I first got them, but I grew into them, and they seemed to mature with burn-in as well (except the CX300 Pfffttttt! they just got worse). The ER6i had harsh upper mids with ear peircing pianos, now better, and they do open up nicely with optical out CD to my iBasso D1. The Super.fi 5 pro initially had muddy distorted bass and mids and sounded blown for the first few hours, then they cleaned up (I might have kept if they fit me right). I think something must have been stuck inside the sound tube and it came out and they sounded good.

For me, the JVC MM and AC are just some cheap "throw in my jacket pocket IEM's" that will keep me from wreckng my good earphones, and they go in easy one handed. They aren't as detailed, or balanced, or spacious as my other IEMs, but they just happen to be enjoyable enough to be able to use regularly.

I do use Piano EQ with the AC though. Otherwise I don't use any EQ with any of my IEM with the exception of bass boost turned on with my Caffeine Pro amp.



I know we've been disagreeing on the AC thing but, thanks for that informative little comparison, it's helpful. (Only can I trust it seeing as how ONE of our ear's is defective ?
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) So the Westone 3's trump the E500's eh ? I loved the sound sig of the 500's when I heard them. How would you compare the differences ? And I found this especially telling and funny: Quote:

The E500 were the eye opener that convinced me I didn't need to keep the Sony EX51, CX300, Bose IE, both pairs of E2c, E4c, SE310, Super.fi 5 pro, and ER6i. I sold them all (but the ER6i came back in a trade plus cash for my E4c and I kept them). I did however keep the Denon C700 after I got the E500, and added the Livewires.


Funny because we all do this. We find a set of cans/canals/iem's that blow everything away, yet still want the variety of different sound signatures even from those things which we found to be sonically inferior (if you will), and so ultimately... the wallet gets to bear the grunt of our idiosyncrasies ! But please, more details on the Westones.
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Doug
 
Oct 21, 2007 at 11:04 PM Post #144 of 170
Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweet Spot /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I know we've been disagreeing on the AC thing but, thanks for that informative little comparison, it's helpful. (Only can I trust it seeing as how ONE of our ear's is defective ?
evil_smiley.gif
) So the Westone 3's trump the E500's eh ? I loved the sound sig of the 500's when I heard them. How would you compare the differences ?

And I found this especially telling and funny:

Quote:

The E500 were the eye opener that convinced me I didn't need to keep the Sony EX51, CX300, Bose IE, both pairs of E2c, E4c, SE310, Super.fi 5 pro, and ER6i. I sold them all (but the ER6i came back in a trade plus cash for my E4c and I kept them). I did however keep the Denon C700 after I got the E500, and added the Livewires.


Funny because we all do this. We find a set of cans/canals/iem's that blow everything away, yet still want the variety of different sound signatures even from those things which we found to be sonically inferior (if you will), and so ultimately... the wallet gets to bear the grunt of our idiosyncrasies ! But please, more details on the Westones.
icon10.gif


Doug



Yeah, having earphones is like the slogan for Lay's potato chips, "You can't have just one".

The Westone 3 - I posted my impressions here: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...9&goto=newpost

The main points were:

Quote:

"I only had 2 minutes to listen to them, but that was enough to tell that they improve on the SE500's noticably. It took me 3-4 hours to decide I liked the Livewires better than SE500's, and 2 minutes with the Westone 3 was enough to rank them. I CANNOT compare to the Livewires, but the livewires were in the same direction as the Westone 3 but with slightly less bass (from my recollection since I mailed them out Monday to be tweaked)."

"I can't decribe everything, but there was just as much or more soundstage, more mid and high presense, plenty of bass impact without boomyness or coloration, good extension on lows and highs, mucho detail and definition of individual instruments. Side by side they do reveal the failings of the Shure SE500's, and while the SE500's sound great on their own merits."

"It appears that the Livewires and soon the Westone 3 will be replacing my Denon C700 and Shure SE500's."


In reality, I probably wont part with my E500 and Denon, but will just pick what I am in the mood for at the time.
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The FX33 and FX66 are still at the bottom of the food chain, and while they don't sound as good as the Super.fi 5 pro, SE310 or the E4c that I sold, the bang for buck ratio of these is still high enough that the enjoyment from them exceeds the $10-20 I could get by selling them.
 
Oct 26, 2007 at 1:40 AM Post #145 of 170
just got these, they sound ok, burning them in now, don't forget your 24 pink noise!

not very much bass extension, though before it drops off i'd say its pretty well balanced.

microphonics are nonexistant to me which is nice and they are more comfy than the fx33's.

ps i switch R and L to insert them upside down a la shure for no microphics and nice comfort and better isolation.
 
Oct 26, 2007 at 4:53 PM Post #147 of 170
before the burnin, i'd say the bass was a little light, but the mids were in line with the treble.

after burning them in, the mids suckout is apparent, along with the big boomy bass and little mid treble hump, hiding the maybe lack of extension on both ends. when turning up the volume i would agree it gets pretty bad but i dont do that.

i would like more isolation but i do not want more bass. has anyone tried poking a hole in the filter or replacing it? or would that make the mid trebs worse and not help the mids?

they are decently comfy in shure
 
Oct 26, 2007 at 6:29 PM Post #148 of 170
I don't think I would try the Kramer Marshamallow mod on these.

I mentioned that to treat the midrange suckout that the piano or pop EQ on an ipod helps. Also, using a Meier Headsix portable amp helps improve the mids enough to not need EQ.

But, nothing, amp or not, allows them to play loud without increasing sibilance or shrillness and muddying the bass. This seems to be worst with rock music.

They are best with acoustic, jazz, new age, and classical - with midrange boost EQ or with a forward sounding headphone amp like the Headsix. With that setup, at moderate volume levels (from quiet up to just short of loud) they really do sound like earphones that should cost 3-4x more.

As for isolation, I find it is nice sometimes to have only 20db sound cut, instead of 25-35db isolation, so it is safer to wear them driving or walking down the sidewalk. My Livewires are a little too isolating for that. For a cheap solution to isolation, I'd pop in the ER6i with Shure black olive foam tips, and EQ the bass instead, when I want to be deaf to the world.
 
Oct 26, 2007 at 8:03 PM Post #149 of 170
Quote:

Originally Posted by DoomzDayz /img/forum/go_quote.gif

i would like more isolation but i do not want more bass. has anyone tried poking a hole in the filter or replacing it? or would that make the mid trebs worse and not help the mids?





This mirrors what I have found. The Bass sounds is a little thin for my ears and the isolation is not as good as the Marshmallows. It is because JVC ported the unit. Outside sounds comes in through the port and into your ears by design. The trick is putting a small diameter hole in the office tape that you place over the small port hole. See the video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbuSYk4FNXE

Try the mod and see how it sounds. It is very easy to do and reverse if it does not help. No harm done. So far I have gotten no feedback from anyone who has a lot of experience with headphones and has tried the mod.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showpo...36&postcount=1
 

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