OK, I've had a day to listen to these and start to really compare them to the IE8.
After doing several A/B comparison tests I feel these are not actually better than the IE8 just different. The question then is when should someone choose one over the other and why. Some of this may be rehashing of other's thoughts but another confirmation never hurts.
Overall sound signature differences.
The IE8's emphasis on sound stage and bass gives them the most extension in the area of bass. This extension is great for any music that is bass centric including music like cello's or other bassy wind and stringed instrument as well as more obvious instruments like drums. This bass emphasis does spill over into the midrange though making them very warm sounding which can depending on music sound heavenly or to dark. The treble also has great extension but is slightly recessed in the lower part of the treble range or the high end of the midrange. This tends to make certain brass percussion instruments slightly tinny but also makes brushed hihats and higher pitched cymbals sound more pure.
The MTP Gold, are not as extended in the bass but have as extended treble as the IE8 and have a stronger more forward midrange that is not coloured by the bass and is stronger in the upper mids / lower treble ranges. This makes cymbals like hihats sound more brassy and aggressive but never in a sibilant fashion.
If you listen to music at lower volumes (20%-35% on my Ipod Touch) and want to still feel bass, the IE8 will give you the sound you are looking for. If you want to hear the treble and midrange more completely then the MTP Gold will be more to your liking.
At a mid volume level (35%-50% on my Ipod Touch) if you want a dominant bass sound that can move you the IE8 will fill your needs so long as you are OK with mids and to some degree treble that is slightly subdued in comparison to the bass, or if your OK with using an EQ to balance the sound, or have a decent amp that is not bassy you will find the sound fairly balanced at mid-volume levels. If on the other hand you want bass that is more proportionate to the midrange and treble then I feel the MTP Gold may be more to your liking.
At high volume levels only bass monsters need apply for the IE8 or you will need to liberally apply an EQ to tame the bass down. But the MTP Gold starts to have a simlar issue with treble and midrange so again it comes down to picking your poison.
For my genre's of music I would go as follows:
- New Age - IE8, the sound stage and bass and warm sound suits this genre very well.
- Accoustical music folk - draw, the IE8 sound stage kinda balances out the MTP Gold's stronger mids.
- Accoutical music rock - MTP Gold, the more forward mids and lower treble create a more intimate experience and the slightly narrower sound stage is OK for most rock. Watch out for the cymbals if you don't like them drawing your attention to much though.
- New Jazz/Jazz - draw, most of my New Jazz/jazz is fairly dark so is played well from the IE8 but anything that is brighter is played better from the MTP Gold. Both IEM's do cymbals well depending on the type of cymbal being used and whether they are being brushed or not.
- Folk music - draw, this will come down to pereference for sound stage and whether your music is darker sounding (IE8) or lighter sounding (MTP Gold).
- Psychodelic Rock (Pink Floyd and the like) - IE8, the darker sounding IE9 plays Pink Floyd very well, plus I find the slightly less emphasized cymbals fit with the music more cohesively.
- Classic rock - MTP Gold, the more aggressive mids and more forward upper mid/lower treble makes the guitars growl more as well as the singers voices, the stronger cymbals also fit better with the music.
- Newer Pop rock (Chris Daughtry for example) - IE8, most modern rock/pop seem to have boosted midranges which help balance out the IE8 but if you really like alot of midrange you may prefer the MTP Gold so this one is very close to a draw depending on preference.
- Classical Music Choral - MTP Gold, the more forward and more neutral mids work better for this music. But the sound stage of the IE8 can be a major factor in this area and may trump the mids for some.
- Classical Music Orchestral - IE8, the large sound stage simply creates a stronger concert impression.
- Classical Music strings - MTP Gold, For me detail and mids are supreme in this area so aside from Cello music I find the MTP Gold to suite this music better. Also much of this music is smaller in stage area so does not need a large sound stage.
In my own case I am strongly leaning toward selling my IE8 as I can not justify $700 in IEM's and I feel the MTP Gold will fit the majority of my music listening better (I like alot of classic rock). I think I can live with the smaller sound stage and loss of bass at lower volume levels and I can handle the MTP Gold better at moderate volume levels for when I want alot more bass presence.
