cjp87
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2010
- Posts
- 28
- Likes
- 11
I suppose this is primarily about the x10s, since my last pair of (deceased by way of new dog...) IEMs were MS01s, and coincidentally, I thought they were pretty perfect for the price. I actually just made a thread over on the full-size forum a couple of days ago asking about something with a similar sound signature in the full-size category, only to have Thinksound's CEO tell me that they'll be releasing supra aural and circumaural headphones throughout the year. So, I think if I'm going to ever jump into cans, I'll wait for those.
But for now, I need some new headphones, and I think I'm going back to IEMs. It's been too long since I've had some nice ones, and slumming it with whatever pack-ins I've found around the house is just not cutting it anymore.
The things I loved most about the Thinksounds were their accuracy and warmth. It was a bit of a revelation when listening to, for example, a Bill Evans Trio track when I could not only hear the thrumming of the upright bass, but the actual sounds the bassist makes moving his hands around the bass and plucking the strings (I've played in several non-professional jazz bands, so I'm familiar with how it sounds sitting next to one). Or when you can actually hear brass players' tongue strikes at the beginning of solos (Bolero from Blast! is an example of that). But that level of detail didn't sacrifice the pleasant warm tone that the Thinksound Rains had, either. It really was a perfect combination for listening to jazz and instrumental music, where a combo recording sounded like sitting in a comfy cigar lounge ten feet from the stage.
Anyway, that's what I loved about the MS01s. The only reason I haven't already gone back and purchase a new pair is, as I said in the other thread, that I'm unfortunately a bit of a technology addict, and any purchase must come with a search for alternatives and new things. After putting some feelers out into the world of full-size phones, I believe I've come back to IEMs for now, and I've sort of landed on a decision between these two sets. The main reason I want to ask is because the x10s were previously pretty close to $200 when I last searched IIRC, and now they are up on Amazon for just over $100-- seems a pretty massive discount. I read before that they were disappointing in the $250 range, but in the $175 range, they were standouts.
Well, now they're in the $100 range, which pits them directly against the MS01s (which I and several reviewers I found believe would be good choices in the $200 range anyway). Has anyone directly compared the two? Would the things I loved about the MS01s be lost in the x10s (or replaced by something I would love more? I listen to a pretty large variety of music, but the things that I care most about as far as sound reproduction goes are instrumental genres: jazz, symphonic, classical, etc. Stuff like rock and rap and pop are good and all, but to me, they don't demand the sort of attention that jazz et al. do.
I did find one comparison that someone did briefly on this forum, but it didn't provide a lot of information, and I believe the price difference between the two sets was much greater at that time as well.
I appreciate any input you guys have.
But for now, I need some new headphones, and I think I'm going back to IEMs. It's been too long since I've had some nice ones, and slumming it with whatever pack-ins I've found around the house is just not cutting it anymore.
The things I loved most about the Thinksounds were their accuracy and warmth. It was a bit of a revelation when listening to, for example, a Bill Evans Trio track when I could not only hear the thrumming of the upright bass, but the actual sounds the bassist makes moving his hands around the bass and plucking the strings (I've played in several non-professional jazz bands, so I'm familiar with how it sounds sitting next to one). Or when you can actually hear brass players' tongue strikes at the beginning of solos (Bolero from Blast! is an example of that). But that level of detail didn't sacrifice the pleasant warm tone that the Thinksound Rains had, either. It really was a perfect combination for listening to jazz and instrumental music, where a combo recording sounded like sitting in a comfy cigar lounge ten feet from the stage.
Anyway, that's what I loved about the MS01s. The only reason I haven't already gone back and purchase a new pair is, as I said in the other thread, that I'm unfortunately a bit of a technology addict, and any purchase must come with a search for alternatives and new things. After putting some feelers out into the world of full-size phones, I believe I've come back to IEMs for now, and I've sort of landed on a decision between these two sets. The main reason I want to ask is because the x10s were previously pretty close to $200 when I last searched IIRC, and now they are up on Amazon for just over $100-- seems a pretty massive discount. I read before that they were disappointing in the $250 range, but in the $175 range, they were standouts.
Well, now they're in the $100 range, which pits them directly against the MS01s (which I and several reviewers I found believe would be good choices in the $200 range anyway). Has anyone directly compared the two? Would the things I loved about the MS01s be lost in the x10s (or replaced by something I would love more? I listen to a pretty large variety of music, but the things that I care most about as far as sound reproduction goes are instrumental genres: jazz, symphonic, classical, etc. Stuff like rock and rap and pop are good and all, but to me, they don't demand the sort of attention that jazz et al. do.
I did find one comparison that someone did briefly on this forum, but it didn't provide a lot of information, and I believe the price difference between the two sets was much greater at that time as well.
I appreciate any input you guys have.
