Yep after browsing through the Monster Turbine appreciation thread on this forum, I also went out to FutureShop and bought it. Today is the last day on sale 119.99CDN from original 149.99CDN retail price. However, I got mine for just $99.99 becouse the sales person said it's the promotional pkg price if I buy the extended product replacement warranty - 2yr for 29.99. Basically this means I still paid $119.99 but comes with a 2yr replacement warranty for just $9.99. To me this is well worth the investment to get the extended product warranty for such a great fair of in-ear "speakers" at only $10 bucks. Mine is exactly as depicted from your pic. Red stich on the leather case
. I'd have to say the process of unboxing and removing the contents from the box was an awsome experience. The packaging and the quality of the materials are really top notch. It's the best purchase experience I've had on headphones/in-ear monitors. While I'm typing out this msg, I've being testing its SQ from my laptop source for the past couple hours. And i'm already totally blown away! From my past purchase experience on headphones, I had high hopes and expections for them and then the actual product turned out to be just about to meet my expections or below. This time I really didn't expect to get such a great sound from a MSRP of 149.99CDN pair of in-ear "speaker" (Monster called them speaker for good reasons, and now I truely believe it. It's not just a marketing gimick.)
Keep in mind that the source I'm getting my music from is only from my laptop with an integrated soundcard from 2yrs ago, but using the newest sound driver. Listening to my lossy compressed MP3 audio files, and I'm already getting new profound listening experiencing from my fav tracks - pop, rock, r&b, hip-hop,jazz, various gen of music.
So far the experience tells me that the sound reproduction and delivery from the source is fairly accurate. I'm not truely an audiophile but having heard more than a dozen pairs of headphones, I can clearly notice a SQ difference from a lower bitterate source vs a 320kps lossy mp3 files. Although all the mp3 files I'm lisening atm from my laptop are all lossy, but my ears can already distinguish diff in sq between diff bitterate tracks. Obvious the lower bit tracks sounds flatter and less dynamic to me and the higher bit files sounds fuller, richer and more airy.
I'm going to do further listening when I get home with beter source from my lossless audio tracks and high grade Auzentech X-Meridian(Oxygen 8788 chipset) with upgraded OPAMPs(read my sig), as well as from my hifi stereo system.
I'm preety sure the SQ will only get better from what I've being really enjoying from my laptop atm.
My quick ratings of Monster Turbine are as follows:
Packaging - 10/10 (Excellent packaging, best unboxing experience ever had)
Material/Content Quality - 9/10 (Excellent, one point from perfect becouse I love metal everything
)
Included accessories - 9/10 (If they include mini to standard stereo adaptor, I'd give it 10)
Actual Monster in-ear Speaker Build Quality - 9.5/10 (the cord length may be problematic for some people but for my usage and in my situations it's just perfect - The spec stated its 4ft long if i remember correctly. Yes I can feel the weight of the metal housing and it really feels like a high quality in-ear monitor, and not those light weight cheap flimsy plastic in ear mon from other manufactures. The reason for not a 10 is today is only my first day usage, if the unit is still in perfect workmanship order at 2-3 yrs from now, I'll consider it 10/10 with its cost in mind
.
Sound Quality - 9.5/10 *MSRP considered (The bass is rich and full with deep extension, if you're one who really appreciate the enjoyment of bass which makes up 1/3 of music, you're going to love it. While I praises its bass compartment, it doesn't drown out mid/high. The sound reproduction is crystal clear, detailed, and I can easily identified each diff instrumental notes effortless. In other words, the sound isn't muffled but well seperated.
Sound Stage - 9/10 (It's really remarkable for a sub $100CDN in-ear monitor to deliver fairly airy soundstage. The lisening experience is very similar to a $200 closed full-sized studio monitor but at a fraction of price. I can feel the airyness in some tracks and it feels like putting on my $200+ studio full size monitor.
Seals - 10/10 (Yes it stuck like a earplug, perhaps its even better than some cheapo earplugs that one can buy from dollar store or walmart. Upon inserting the standard mid size included plugs, it COMPLETELY seals out outside noise. I'm sitting in my workplace atm, and I can barely hear anything around me - Well, my other senses such as my eyes can tell me there are people walking, chatting, and various unwanted noise while I'm listening my fav tracks
. I'm preety sure this is one of the main reason why i can give its SQ rating and sound stage ratings this high. To get the perfect seal for your ears is absolutely important becouse then no sound leakage means all the notes are perfectly delivered to you and this doesn't affect low range like bass only but the overall listening experience.
Here is my short listening review, and I've got to pack up and go home now
More to come...and if you have any questions, let me know
I also noticed it has a 3 year replacement warranty written on the box compared to the 1 year I've seen in unboxing info. My question is are the Canadian Monster Turbine's packaging different from the American ones. I've emailed Monster about the 3 year replacement warranty and I'll see what they say. I attached a pic of the case and I will attach a picture of the 3 year replacement warranty printed on the side of the box if needed.
