[Tranzaddict]

Been using the X10 for a week now and I am quite satisfied with it. Coming from the stock ipod buds, these were a giant leap in improvement to enjoying music on the road. The X10 is my first higher end IEM so I have nothing to compare it to, but overall, they changed the way my music sounded and gives me more of a sense of listening to full range speakers. The amount of bass these IEMs produce is the biggest shocker for me, as I listen to mainly bass heavy electronic music, therefore the bass is very satisfying. The bass is well defined and articulate, each beat that pounds my ears are tight and punchy, just the way I like it. I do listen to classical music too, while listening to piano music, I can sense the weight added to each key stroke making the sound fuller and more grand, sounding more real to me. Lastly, I kinda regret getting these...in a good way though

, because they are making me want to explore the more expensive higher end territory (full size HP and amps), as the X10's sparked my curiosity and interest in finding out how the higher end stuff sounds like and how "real" and "live" recorded music can get.

 

[nephilonic]

At 50ohm impedence, do these need to be amped? I will not be using an amp so if I need an amp to get the best out of these it's not ideal.

 

[Tranzaddict]

I am using the X10 with an iPod nano and dont feel the need to use an amp. The loudest I can go before hurting my ears is around 90% volume, anything higher than that I cannot bear. With a good amp, they might improve the sound quality, but I do not know myself since I am new to all of this.

 

[ben.]

Just got my X10's. Very impressed with the sound for such small things, but you are paying a lot because of the size of them. Cord looks a bit fragile, but I can't comment on durability yet.

They really expose the quality level of the input. I'm playing some 128kbps mp3's and they sound pretty awful now, whereas before I was content with them.

They have very good bass response, but bass heads should know they don't really fabricate bass, it's just well presented if it's there already, with perhaps a bit of extra kick. Test track for bass: LTJ Bukem - Demon's Theme. Soundstage is impressive, you get encompassed by the sound quite well.

My only previous phones were Sony EX90LP's, and I don't really think it's fair to compare. If anyone does want a comparison I will tho.

 

[tstarn06]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nephilonic /img/forum/go_quote.gif At 50ohm impedence, do these need to be amped? I will not be using an amp so if I need an amp to get the best out of these it's not ideal.

Don't NEED an amp, but do benefit from one. Pick up a FiiO E3 on Dealextreme for $8.50. I have three of them, and while the Minibox E+ is far better, the little E3s give the X10s a nice SQ boost in my view, not just more bass, etc. At least that's the case with my Sony and Clip. Not as much with the Zune.

 

[ben.]

My D2 seems to power them fine, although I've not tried an amp with them. 20 volume on the D2 gives them sufficient beef to get your ears rocking.

I'm going to slightly edit what I said before. If you feed these things bass, they give you bass! I've now found that the medium gel in the left ear and large gel in the right ear gives the best seal

Listening to Way Out West's self-titled album, which has plenty of low frequency synth bass and powerful kick drums, really is a joy if you like being shaken around a bit.

I'm still going to stand by my judgement that if you don't have a source with much bass, the X10's won't compensate. They don't create 'boom' or spread the bass out so it fills up the med-bass frequency range, much like some cheap Sony earbuds I had.

They are very comfortable, slightly less so with the bi-flanges, but those only seem to give me a very slight increase in sound quality, if any. So the extra hassle of getting a seal with those isn't worth it, I just stick to the single flanges.

 

[communic]

Just got these and like everyone else am very impressed. Some treble moreso mids were a little troubling with stock gels, sibilant somewhat. Chucked on some Complys and completely eradicated the problem (I'm extremely sensitive to sibilance and that's completely gone!) In addition mids not as direct as before but still a little too forward for my tastes.

Bass seems to go extremely low with good impact and exceptional layering. Midbass under control so not bloated in the slightest. Soundstage seems quite narrow and everything seems mixed in centre though the warmth and all round detail compensates as these things pretty much breathe life into music!

Although the forward mids are probably the thing I hate most about them it doesn;t detract from the overall quality of the X10's. Also it does allow me to play the music at a lower volume and not feel the need to turn up to hear the vocals! Isolation does also play a part in this as it does block out a fair bit of noise (will have to try them on the Tube though)!

 

[elnero]

Try the bi-flange tips.

 

[communic]

Tried the biflanges from the get go and even that was a bit too much for my ears (I am overly sensitive to sibilance)! Complys completely eradicate that while still maintaining almost the same sparkle.

On a side note after after about 13hrs use soundstage seems to have opened up. Don't know if its pyschological or not but either way I'm not complaining!

 

[ADD]

I'm amazed the term sibilance has even made it's way into a thread about the X10. Of all the headphones / IEMs I have ever heard, the X10 is the only one in which I can detect absolutely zero sibilance, unless the recording is full of it to begin with. I just wish it had more resolving power at the extreme high frequencies, but I have never tried an IEM that could manage that and probably never will. Actually most IEMs to my ears sound like glorified telephone speakers, Shure and Westone being by far the worst offenders. they can't even manage the top end response of a budget pair of hi fi speakers. So Klipsch has in my opinion done stunningly well.

 

[epithetless]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADD /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm amazed the term sibilance has even made it's way into a thread about the X10.

I'm not. Like communic, I'm quite sensitive to sibilance, and the X10s are definitely able trigger that sensitivity. Having had the opportunity to listen to them again, I agree that this comes down to a lack of resolving power, but not exclusively at the extreme high frequencies -- rather, throughout the high frequency range (and there's something funny going on in the midrange as well). Compared to the Sleek Audio SA6 and even the X5, the X10 tends to smear the highs and vocals subtly, such that sibilants are not necessarily painful (as with some other 'phones), but slightly compressed and exaggerated. In recording terms, I guess you could say they're a bit hot.

All that said, I still find the X10s quite enjoyable as fun, non-analytical IEMs go (oh, the bass!

).

 

[elnero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADD /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm amazed the term sibilance has even made it's way into a thread about the X10.

Before I bought a pair of X10's I had read of a few people complaining about sibilance which is part of the reason I held off on them. After I finally decided to try them though at first I couldn't understand how anyone could have complained about sibilance problems with them. That was until I started trying different tips, certain ones really made the treble rather rough. So I see where some people might have problems but those problems should be alleviated with some tip experimentation, most likely the included bi-flange ear gels will solve it.

 

[ADD]

Quote:

Originally Posted by elnero /img/forum/go_quote.gif That was until I started trying different tips, certain ones really made the treble rather rough. So I see where some people might have problems but those problems should be alleviated with some tip experimentation, most likely the included bi-flange ear gels will solve it.

Yes, I agree. I was not impressed with the X10 until I inserted the biflange to a certain canal depth. I have a post near the top of the Klipsch sponsor forum detailing my first experiences with the earphone and I settled on the biflanges very early on. I also tried an X5 the other day. Far more comfortable for me than the X10 was - because the tail is longer and did not put a pressure point on my outer ear. The problem was that it sounded like a very poorly positioned X10, even when inserted as deeply as I dared with the biflange.

 

[tstarn06]

You are right about proper insertion with the bi-flanges. But once you get them in the right spot (not toooo deep, but enough to seal the entire ear canal), they sound wonderful. No other sleeve works as well. Oh, Klipsch sent me two extra pair, no questions asked (I had requested single flanges as my free 2 pair, but changed my mind).

 

[ThreadStarter]

Some have mentioned microphonics. How bad is it? Can you work out? Ski?