[ljokerl]

You are right, a lot of the pricing needs to be updated, which I am a bit hesitant to do as it will require me to move things between the tiers, messing up the order. I don't think the ATH-CK10 can be had below $260 anymore and the HJE900 supposedly isn't available below $250 (even though froogle still says $130).
 
Quote:

Nice list, though the C3 should be updated in it's pricing (getting it <100$ is hard nowadays). Xears is doing well in the budget region while Skullcandy is doing the opposite lol. 

 

 

[ljokerl]

Double post 

 

[HeatFan12]

 
Quote:

I don't know if I'd recommend the NE-700X as a compliment to the Turbines. The fit is not as friendly and the sound is not all that different. Have you considered the Xears TD-III? Same price range as the Nuforces but quite similar in shape to the Turbines - you shouldn't have any fit problems with them. The sound is a bit different, too - more spacious and fluid but still with a good bass kick. 

 
Thanks very much joker.  I believe the Xears TD-III is exactly what I'm looking for.  Just caught your "got wood"? woodie reviews and after your suggestion and reading your impressions there was no need to wait.  I ordered the Xears....I purchased them for $66 shipped.  Is that the going rate nowadays?
 
Thanks again and I'll post a few thoughts upon arrival...
 

 

[DervishD]

Interesting demonstration of the law of diminishing returns. Fits more or less what I think, that there is no big point in spending very big bucks in phones for having more than reasonable quality.
 
Of course, we are not very reasonable at all 

 and want the best of the absolute best if we can afford it!
 
To be sincere, and taking into account my reduced experience with expensive (let's say, more than 150USD) models, I've noticed the biggest jump in sound quality in phones which are between 50 and 90USD, coming from phones of about 40USD max. Above that 90USD I haven't yet found a model which I think is worth the extra money, and no giant killer below 40USD, either.
 
I still think that the best ratio of sound quality vs. cost belongs to the Meelec M9. I yet have to find a cheaper phone with such audio quality. This said, my current favourite is a model which retails for 80USD, so I have to recognize that quality has its price.
 
Again, thanks for the number crunching Do you have spare time to actually listen to and enjoy music? It's incredible the amount of time you put in this forum, and it's impossible to thank properly

 

[martinqiao7]

joker, the sound score for CK-100 was 9.75 on the review, but 9.6/10 in the summary table, u might want to adjust it.....

 
 
and thank you for this incredible review, i have just order my ck-100 and its on the way.
 
 
 

 

[ljokerl]

 
Quote:

 
Thanks very much joker.  I believe the Xears TD-III is exactly what I'm looking for.  Just caught your "got wood"? woodie reviews and after your suggestion and reading your impressions there was no need to wait.  I ordered the Xears....I purchased them for $66 shipped.  Is that the going rate nowadays?

Should be around 40EUR + shipping. $66 sounds about right.


Quote:

Again, thanks for the number crunching Do you have spare time to actually listen to and enjoy music? It's incredible the amount of time you put in this forum, and it's impossible to thank properly

Oh yes, luckily I have more than just entry-level sets in review most of the time. The higher-end review sets are what I end up listening to at my leisure (currently that would be the W4). Part of the reason high-end IEMs take me so much longer to review is that I have to force myself to go and do some testing and writing instead of just throwing on an album and listening.

 
Quote:

joker, the sound score for CK-100 was 9.75 on the review, but 9.6/10 in the summary table, u might want to adjust it.....
 
and thank you for this incredible review, i have just order my ck-100 and its on the way.

Thanks, fixed. Hope you like the CK100

 

[rawrster]

Quote:

Oh yes, luckily I have more than just entry-level sets in review most of the time. The higher-end review sets are what I end up listening to at my leisure (currently that would be the W4). Part of the reason high-end IEMs take me so much longer to review is that I have to force myself to go and do some testing and writing instead of just throwing on an album and listening.

 
That is pretty much why it takes me so long as well although there are some rare reviews where the writing part just comes easily (1964-T review). I'd rather listen than test
 

 

[Shufny]

Wainting for your thoughts on the Xcape v2. I got mine yesterday and they sound how you described the v1. Maybe the bass is slightly elevated, which pushes the midrange further back, but I love the extension. I don't mind a bit more low-end anyway, because buses tend to suppress them. Loving the fit, and less microphonics compared to the Brainwavz phones too.

I still think you should find some time to ask Thomas for an XR 120 Pro II for a review. They are really cheap, and the Xcape owners here think it's pretty close to it in terms of clarity (or even better). Overall they should be really energetic, probably due to a treble spike around 7-8kHz, and the pretty balanced lows. Personally I've yet to hear it, but I'll get a loan pair probably next week. Of course I can write some personal updates, if you will.

On an other note: Are you intrested in the Superlux HD 381 ? I don't know how much it costs to send an IEM to you from here (hungary), but if it's not the price of the phones (~$30) it maybe worth it. We have a spare 651 too, but I think it doesn't worth your time.

I'm glad that even you guys "suffering" from this. I many times find myself just listening to the music when "testing" phones, and having to rewind, because I have no idea how something I was looking for sounded.  

 

[ljokerl]

 
Quote:

I still think you should find some time to ask Thomas for an XR 120 Pro II for a review. They are really cheap, and the Xcape owners here think it's pretty close to it in terms of clarity (or even better). Overall they should be really energetic, probably due to a treble spike around 7-8kHz, and the pretty balanced lows. Personally I've yet to hear it, but I'll get a loan pair probably next week. Of course I can write some personal updates, if you will.

On an other note: Are you intrested in the Superlux HD 381 ? I don't know how much it costs to send an IEM to you from here (hungary), but if it's not the price of the phones (~$30) it maybe worth it. We have a spare 651 too, but I think it doesn't worth your time.

Alright, I'll see what Thomas says after I get the TD-III writeup up in this thread. I've heard of the Superlux but know nothing about it. I doubt shipping will cost more than $10 but if you have contact info for Superlux I can give them a shout myself and see what they say.

 

[Raguvian]

I bought the M31's and found them to be incredibly fun to listen to. Then again, I found the M6 to be lacking in bass. The M31's are also a lot more comfortable and better isolating to me, as well. They also have a nice, weighty feel, whereas the M6 feels cheap. Plus the black finish on my M6's is peeling off already.
 
Great reviews as always! Looking forward to reading more of them.

 

[Inks]

M6 lacking bass? lol....

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

M6 lacking bass? lol....

The M31 can make a bass drum seem lacking in bass... The next step up from that is strapping two woofers to your head.

 

[Raguvian]

Quote:

M6 lacking bass? lol....

Considering I find the M31's to have an appropriate amount of bass, yes.

 

[jjmai]

Quote:

M6 lacking bass? lol....

m6 sounds tinny when compared with m31's bass.  m31's sound is much more mainstream, with lots of bass quantity. at slightly higher volume, the bass beats in songs stand out from the rest sound spectrum a lot.

 

[Anaxilus]

The black finish on the M6 comes off?  I thought that was black plastic.....