[Kfcounts]

I want to thank all of you hard core IEM gurus for your reviews and comments. In appreciation of your patience with so many newbies, I forced myself not to post another redundant question for the best budget IEMs. Instead I just lurked, searched, and read. I have to say that I'm really impressed that you guys, who have multiple high dollar IEMs, will still weigh in with opinions on $20 units.

Now that I have some better than junk units on order, It's time for me to reveal my ignorance and ask what I'm sure may be a real rookie question.

Do you guys have a consensus for source of music?
What do you listen to when you do you critical comparisons?
Is it different from your everyday music?
I'm not talking about your players or genre. What type file, bit rate, ripping application, etc?

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kfcounts /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do you guys have a consensus for source of music? What do you listen to when you do you critical comparisons? Is it different from your everyday music? I'm not talking about your players or genre. What type file, bit rate, ripping application, etc?

I don't think I belong to the hardcore IEM guru club (yet), but as for your questions I personally try to get as wide of a testing range as possible. Obviously most testing is still done with my regular collection, which is fairly limited variety-wise and mostly in 320kbps mp3 (portable) or flac (home use) ripped mostly via mediamonkey's built-in utility. However, I have a separate set of tracks of very different genres and bitrates to at least get a sense of how an IEM performs under different conditions. I can certainly appreciate when a budget earphone performs admirably at making 96kbps with crappy mastering listenable, just as I can appreciate a high-end earphone revealing every possible flaw in the source material.

 

[Kfcounts]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljokerl /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't think I belong to the hardcore IEM guru club (yet), but as for your questions I personally try to get as wide of a testing range as possible. Obviously most testing is still done with my regular collection, which is fairly limited variety-wise and mostly in 320kbps mp3 (portable) or flac (home use) ripped mostly via mediamonkey's built-in utility. However, I have a separate set of tracks of very different genres and bitrates to at least get a sense of how an IEM performs under different conditions. I can certainly appreciate when a budget earphone performs admirably at making 96kbps with crappy mastering listenable, just as I can appreciate a high-end earphone revealing every possible flaw in the source material.

I just this past week downloaded media monkey to make playlists compatible with Rockbox. Its good to know its acceptable for ripping. I didn't know if you had to use the LAME program (which I haven't used). I had been using MP11 and RealPlayer (good file renaming feature).

So you do use multiple file formats. Does this color your purchase recommendations? In other words, is it a waste to buy a certain level (say >$100 model) if you aren't using flac source?

Or put another way... does the quality of the mp3 or aac file level the playing field? If you only have 128-192 files, can you still descern the subtleties between say a iM-590 and a Re0?

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kfcounts /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just this past week downloaded media monkey to make playlists compatible with Rockbox. Its good to know its acceptable for ripping. I didn't know if you had to use the LAME program (which I haven't used). I had been using MP11 and RealPlayer (good file renaming feature).

Well, I only use it because I'm lazy (99% of my collection was ripped long ago) and because there is no perceivable difference to my ears. How close you get to bit-perfect also depends on how well your drive behaves and the settings used. If you want the best, perhaps EAC is a better option.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kfcounts /img/forum/go_quote.gif So you do use multiple file formats. Does this color your purchase recommendations? In other words, is it a waste to buy a certain level (say >$100 model) if you aren't using flac source? Or put another way... does the quality of the mp3 or aac file level the playing field? If you only have 128-192 files, can you still descern the subtleties between say a iM-590 and a Re0?

Yes, there are still differences between IEMs at low bitrates. I wouldn't call the difference between an Im-590 and RE0 subtle, but this is in large part attributable to the signature differences. I obviously find it a greater upgrade to switch from the Im-590 to the RE0 with 128kbps tracks then to switch from 128kbps to 320kbps with the Im-590. That said, the concept of diminishing returns does apply, as do personal preferences. I don't doubt that there are many people who would even prefer the Im-590 to the RE0.

 

[Kfcounts]

Thanks to opinions on this forum, I have a pair of iM-590s on order as a major upgrade from Wal-Mart grade earphones. They will be my critical pair and I also have a pair of cheap JVC air cushions on order for exercise/yard IEMs.

None of my mp3s were ripped higher than 256 and most are 192 or 128s. I guess I need to consider re-ripping music at higher rates and/or consider keeping dual file type libraries.

I'm old enough to have gone through college with vinyl albums and have progressed through cassette tapes and CDs. When I was big into auditioning Hi-fi equipment, the better hardware you got, you revealed the imperfections in the recording medium. Therefore you started with very good front end source before you invested in loudspeakers costing $1000 and up. So as temped as I was to invest in a pair of Re0's, I didn't think I had the quality of music to do them justice.

 

[ljokerl]

Investing in RE0's is a little more complicated than just getting more out of your setup. There are many, many people who buy them after reading all the great reviews without realizing that the sound signature is not what is usually considered "fun" or "popular" and definitely not what they are looking for. They usually end up returning the RE0s the next day because they are not used to listening critically and picking out the detail that the RE0 can provide, so I cannot stress enough that people need to keep their own preferences in mind and place them over whatever the reviewer says when picking earphones.

Honestly, I think the AirCushions and Im-590 is about as good as you can do for your first steps into the world of head-fi. Once you can easily distinguish the ways in which the Maximos are superior to the JVCs (not just the bass/treble quantity, but soundstaging, positioning, tonal balance, detail etc), you can start thinking out your upgrade path. It actually takes a little while to get accustomed to moving up a tier in the earphone world past the first few steps. Also, taking a step back is always more noticeable than taking the same step forward. Just use your Maximos for a while and then go back to stock buds to check.

Also, I wouldn't worry too much about re-ripping those 256k mp3s. I can never tell the difference between 256k and 320k.

Lastly, in portable audio, the importance usually goes something like this, IMHO:

Headphones > Source material > Source > Amplification > Cabling

I.e. upgrading from a mediocre source to a good one will yield a smaller performance boost than upgrading from 128k to 320k, but a larger one than upgrading your amp. Of course there are exceptions. If your phones are extremely inefficient, getting an amp will likely yield a greater difference, etc.

 

[Kfcounts]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljokerl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also, I wouldn't worry too much about re-ripping those 256k mp3s. I can never tell the difference between 256k and 320k. Lastly, in portable audio, the importance usually goes something like this, IMHO: Headphones > Source material > Source > Amplification > Cabling I.e. upgrading from a mediocre source to a good one will yield a smaller performance boost than upgrading from 128k to 320k, but a larger one than upgrading your amp. Of course there are exceptions. If your phones are extremely inefficient, getting an amp will likely yield a greater difference, etc.

Now that is good stuff. That's the kind of advice I can really use.

I'm hoping I've chosen wisely. My personal taste in sound is for smooth clear mid range and dynamic precise high frequency. In loudspeakers, I gravitate to British 2-way mini monitors with metal dome tweeters.

From my first cheap speakers, I moved up to Infinity 3-way Reference Studio Monitors. I loved their metal ribbon tweeters but discovered that crossover frequency between mid and tweeter on most 3-way systems usually adversley affected the reproduction of female vocals. The bass was impressive, but the overall effect was lacking.

IMO the crossover frequencies of 2 and 4 way systems sound better. I fell in love with Celestion monitors but could never afford them. I got something very similar in B&W's. So, I am not going to miss a booming bass. I would rather have the clear musical mids and highs, than give up some of that to produce a wider frequency range (more bass). Also the power to produce low deep precise bass frequencies is orders of magnetude above what is necessary for Mids/Highs. If you don't have the good amplification, you get clipped highs.

So for my bang for the buck IEMs, I am looking for the equivalent of precise British Mini Monitors that can be driven to very musical heights using just the MP3 player amp.