[Zephyron]

My impressions with the Westone 4's were pretty much spot on with yours when I tried them =)
 
The most predominant thing that stood out with the to me were their liquid-like midrange (above and beyond what the SE535 had to offer, makes both the SM3 and SE535 sound somewhat dry in comparison) and a very naturally sized soundstage.

Bass quantities were nothing to scoff at either too, and the treble presentation is polite enough, that when combined with the rest of the frequency spectrum, to allow it to to be worn for long periods of time without suffering from listening fatigue IMO.
 
Combined with the comfort of the Westone 4s, they're the earpiece I'd turn to for relaxation if I could afford them right now =)

 

[breakfast]

Just wondering if there is an easy way to see cost-to-performance on the original chart. I'm looking to spend under $200 (ideally under $100) and just wondering if I'm going to see a significant jump in performance from $100 to $200 spent.

 

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

Well it's rich for my blood as well but I don't have as many earphones as you do so it doesn't add up quite like it does for you although I did get it 2nd hand so it's not quite $450.
 
That's a shame about those tips. I would have liked it to be for the nozzle only and not the body of the earphone but oh well. I did get an opinion of the custom tips by another user but wanted more opinions.

True, I have way too many cheap earphones. The 1964-T absolutely has to be the most I've spent on a single in-ear. Second place would probably go to the ATH-CK90Pro. I really don't buy many expensive earphones myself.
 
I think ACS will do a custom sleeve not fitted for the Ety nozzle. It's pretty pricy though - the ACS/Ety collaboration deal is sweetened only by the fact that you get a voucher for free ACS impressions by registering your Ety earphone.
 

Quote:

Hey joker,
 
How do you compare the treble of the M2 and M3?
 
I like treble and you said in reviews that the M2 have a better treble than M3. Is that true? They share the same sound signature?
 
Because i have more than $100 to spend and if the M3 is better than M2, then will be my choice.
 
I'm looking for a upgrade from my CKM55.

I don't recall saying that the M2 had better treble than the M3. If anything they are very similar with the M2 maybe being a tiny bit livelier. The bigger difference, however, would stem from the overall balance - the midrange of the M2 is very prominent and the treble comes across as a bit of an afterthought sometimes. Not so with the M3, which is very well-balanced across the spectrum. If you want the earphone with the more prominent treble, that would be the M3 for me. I have not heard the CKM55 so I cannot give a comparison to that.
 
 
Quote:

 
Combined with the comfort of the Westone 4s, they're the earpiece I'd turn to for relaxation if I could afford them right now =)

Great disclaimer - I think that applies to all of the ultra-high-end universals. I remember thinking the same back when I first auditioned the CK100...
 

Quote:

Just wondering if there is an easy way to see cost-to-performance on the original chart. I'm looking to spend under $200 (ideally under $100) and just wondering if I'm going to see a significant jump in performance from $100 to $200 spent

If you have a formula in mind I can provide the source spreadsheet. Something simple like SQ or average pts/dollar is easy to calculate but favors budget stuff very heavily. Personally I do feel there is a jump between the best <$100 and the best <$200 earphones but it will depend heavily on the earphones and/or desired signature in question. If you're interested in more number play I did some simple average calculations by tier a little while ago.

 

[Ikarios]

Joker, out of curiosity - do you remember all the sound signatures of everything you've listened to, or do you refer to notes or something? I ask because I have a hard enough time juggling the sound signatures of everything I've listened to in my head... and you've heard at least 5 or 10 times as many sets. Mind-boggling...

 

[victorbrt]

 
Quote:

Hey joker,
 
How do you compare the treble of the M2 and M3?
 
I like treble and you said in reviews that the M2 have a better treble than M3. Is that true? They share the same sound signature?
 
Because i have more than $100 to spend and if the M3 is better than M2, then will be my choice.
 
I'm looking for a upgrade from my CKM55.

I don't recall saying that the M2 had better treble than the M3. If anything they are very similar with the M2 maybe being a tiny bit livelier. The bigger difference, however, would stem from the overall balance - the midrange of the M2 is very prominent and the treble comes across as a bit of an afterthought sometimes. Not so with the M3, which is very well-balanced across the spectrum. If you want the earphone with the more prominent treble, that would be the M3 for me. I have not heard the CKM55 so I cannot give a comparison to that.

Thanks for the info Joker. The CKM55, from what i've read from friends, share the same sound signature of Brainwavz M2, but M2 is a lot better.
 
So, the M3 have same sound signature of M2 but is better?
 
I'm considered the HJE900, but now i can only find them for the MSRP price - $250. Do you think that they worth in this price?
There's also the Triple Fi, but i read too much fit issues.

 

[rawrster]

Quote:

Quote:

Well it's rich for my blood as well but I don't have as many earphones as you do so it doesn't add up quite like it does for you although I did get it 2nd hand so it's not quite $450.
 
That's a shame about those tips. I would have liked it to be for the nozzle only and not the body of the earphone but oh well. I did get an opinion of the custom tips by another user but wanted more opinions.

True, I have way too many cheap earphones. The 1964-T absolutely has to be the most I've spent on a single in-ear. Second place would probably go to the ATH-CK90Pro. I really don't buy many expensive earphones myself.
 
I think ACS will do a custom sleeve not fitted for the Ety nozzle. It's pretty pricy though - the ACS/Ety collaboration deal is sweetened only by the fact that you get a voucher for free ACS impressions by registering your Ety earphone.
 
 

 
You can thank whoever had the W4 up in the FS for my impulse buy. The W4 is easily the most I've spend on a universal by a good amount and not sure yet what I plan on doing with them but I'll hold onto them for at least a month or two. I also meant custom tips in general and not particularly the ACS. After what I've been hearing I'll pass on the ACS tips and rather go with Westone or 1964 Ears.
 

 

[jiddu]

Hi, hopefully I can get some help with this:
 
MEElectronics M6 vs. Nuforce NE700x.. not sure which to pick.  I'm in Canada and not willing to do the used or crossborder thing for this purchase, pricewise $15 difference from this retailer because they sell the M6 at full MSRP sadly but it's convenient for me. 
 
I mostly listen to electronica (a lot of DnB and House) and want good SQ across the spectrum of course but bass is important (extension, output and hopefully detail), I've never had IEMs before which is making it hard to chose but I've bought full size headphones based on reading I've done here (HFI-780) and am satisfied with my choice.  For reference I've read that the Ultrasone HFI-780 had massive bass and great extension, some people complained that it's like wearing a subwoofer on your head but by instinct I chose them knowing I could EQ it down if needed and have to say that the low end is just right for me, really I've a proper sub in the HT room so I find these headphones to simply suffice on that end.. hence I figure that means I'm a bit of a basshead and look for that quality now when reading about these IEMs. 
 
I don't expect the same kind of performance from IEMs and in this price range of course, just the most capable set so that I don't dread listening to my portable when I'm away.  I've been recommended the NE-7m before but now there's the ne700 which seems like a step up, the M6 is recommended here for exactly my type of music though so I'm considering it too even if it's in a different category because of US prices.

 

[Ikarios]

Well... I got my DBA-02s in today. People say you should spend some time with a headphone/earphone in order to get to know it better, but I don't particularly like to subscribe by that policy. Your brain can only do so much adjusting to the sound, and when I listen to headphoens I usually do it fresh - that is, not having listened to other headphones for maybe an hour or two before the demo. This usually happens because I get new headphones in the morning, so I don't really have time for headphone listening (which is usually late at night).
 
First, the good - I *LOVE* the mids. They have the same kind of analytical detail that I like in the iM716s, and presumably other Etymotics. It's not too warm or fleshed out, but it's not recessed - I guess they would best be described as "dry". The DBA-02 is a very very quick headphone, and that applies to the mids as well. Compared to the IE8 and the RE262, the DBA-02 is like a Lotus Elise compared to... say, a Ford F150 (powerful, but a little slow) and a Lexus RX350 (nice and luxurious) (sorry, I don't really know too much about cars). The DBA-02 has so much detail and is so fast you hear everything through a microscope. The bass is tight and textured, and the treble is possibly even more detailed than the mids.
 
But now, the bad... granted, I am coming from the IE8 and lately, some testing with notable bass-heavy closed full-size sets (DT770/80, M50, SRH750DJ), but the DBA-02s just don't seem to have any bass. It may be tight, but it becomes a problem when I try to listen for bass extension and can't pick it out. I don't really care if the bass isn't bloomy and powerful, I just like to hear the texture behind the rhythm bass and kick drums. That isn't really happening... and a lot of it has to do with the treble. People weren't kidding when they said the DBA-02 was a relatively bright headphone. It has great extension, and cymbals sound  much more realistic than what every other IEM I've listened to (and many full-size sets) can do, but it's the quantity that's the problem. Most notably, there seems to be a peak between around 6kHz-8kHz (or somewhere around there), making crash cymbals sound bright - but not on the shimmer, which a lot of other treble-heavy sets do, but rather on the initial hit. This might be due to the super-fast decay of the DBA-02, but nevertheless it's still a little bothersome. The treble brings all the cymbals out to the front, so that you can hear every hi-hat, ride cymbal, even the snares. I'm trying really hard to block out the cymbal attack noise, even after half an hour of listening (which is usually about when my brain starts to kick in the habituation) and it's just not going away.
 
Since I've only had about half an hour total, one pair of tips (although the biflanges and hybrids I got don't seal with my ears at all), and one "listening session" I will not go into further detail. I plan on keeping the DBA-02 at least until the CC51 comes in later this week, so I can do a direct comparison, but it's not looking good so far. I really want to like the DBA-02, I really do - it's nice and small, has a great form factor, has an awesome cable, and looks great - and the detail is to die for. Maybe if I can find foam tips that fit...
 
 

 

[DKaz]

Quote:

Well... I got my DBA-02s in today. People say you should spend some time with a headphone/earphone in order to get to know it better, but I don't particularly like to subscribe by that policy. Your brain can only do so much adjusting to the sound, and when I listen to headphoens I usually do it fresh - that is, not having listened to other headphones for maybe an hour or two before the demo. This usually happens because I get new headphones in the morning, so I don't really have time for headphone listening (which is usually late at night).
 
First, the good - I *LOVE* the mids. They have the same kind of analytical detail that I like in the iM716s, and presumably other Etymotics. It's not too warm or fleshed out, but it's not recessed - I guess they would best be described as "dry". The DBA-02 is a very very quick headphone, and that applies to the mids as well. Compared to the IE8 and the RE262, the DBA-02 is like a Lotus Elise compared to... say, a Ford F150 (powerful, but a little slow) and a Lexus RX350 (nice and luxurious) (sorry, I don't really know too much about cars). The DBA-02 has so much detail and is so fast you hear everything through a microscope. The bass is tight and textured, and the treble is possibly even more detailed than the mids.
 
But now, the bad... granted, I am coming from the IE8 and lately, some testing with notable bass-heavy closed full-size sets (DT770/80, M50, SRH750DJ), but the DBA-02s just don't seem to have any bass. It may be tight, but it becomes a problem when I try to listen for bass extension and can't pick it out. I don't really care if the bass isn't bloomy and powerful, I just like to hear the texture behind the rhythm bass and kick drums. That isn't really happening... and a lot of it has to do with the treble. People weren't kidding when they said the DBA-02 was a relatively bright headphone. It has great extension, and cymbals sound  much more realistic than what every other IEM I've listened to (and many full-size sets) can do, but it's the quantity that's the problem. Most notably, there seems to be a peak between around 6kHz-8kHz (or somewhere around there), making crash cymbals sound bright - but not on the shimmer, which a lot of other treble-heavy sets do, but rather on the initial hit. This might be due to the super-fast decay of the DBA-02, but nevertheless it's still a little bothersome. The treble brings all the cymbals out to the front, so that you can hear every hi-hat, ride cymbal, even the snares. I'm trying really hard to block out the cymbal attack noise, even after half an hour of listening (which is usually about when my brain starts to kick in the habituation) and it's just not going away.
 
Since I've only had about half an hour total, one pair of tips (although the biflanges and hybrids I got don't seal with my ears at all), and one "listening session" I will not go into further detail. I plan on keeping the DBA-02 at least until the CC51 comes in later this week, so I can do a direct comparison, but it's not looking good so far. I really want to like the DBA-02, I really do - it's nice and small, has a great form factor, has an awesome cable, and looks great - and the detail is to die for. Maybe if I can find foam tips that fit...
 
 

 
I felt much the same way until I got the comply TX-100.  A good seal really brings out the bass and the built in filter ever so slightly calms the 8KHz region.
 
 

 

[dlechner]

Thanks for the review.  I bought a pair of RE-ZEROs in the FS forum and love them!!!  Thanks for all the time you spend on the reviews!

 

[Ikarios]

I hope no one minds that I'm making this thread my depository for random thoughts, but I just popped in the RE0s after a little time with my Sunrise Xcapes (V1)... wow, these sound nearly identical. Maybe a teensy bit less bass, maybe a more neutral midrange, treble is a tiny bit more extended... but otherwise, they sound like long-lost twins. It might have to do with the fact that I'm still using the Sunrise silicone tips... I'll have to try the default RE0 tips later.

 

[Fantoon]

How is the soundstage of the W4 compared to the DBA-02, sorry if this question has been answered before. 

 

[Anaxilus]

Aflac, sounds like you admitted yourself that you aren't getting a proper seal on the DBA.  I think you'll be surprised by what you hear if you can manage it.  Not only will you find bass but you will add body to the whole spectrum.

 

[Ikarios]

Quote:

Aflac, sounds like you admitted yourself that you aren't getting a proper seal on the DBA.  I think you'll be surprised by what you hear if you can manage it.  Not only will you find bass but you will add body to the whole spectrum.

With the stock Fischer single flanges it sounded like I was getting a seal, it was only with the biflanges and hybrid-like tips that I couldn't get to seal (these sounded even worse, less bass and thinner treble). I ordered a set of T100 Comply's, which should be here by the end of the week, which should help seal and attenuate some of the treble. That might do a lot of good.
 

 

[AngryBaconGod]

With the stock Fischer single flanges it sounded like I was getting a seal, it was only with the biflanges and hybrid-like tips that I couldn't get to seal (these sounded even worse, less bass and thinner treble). I ordered a set of T100 Comply's, which should be here by the end of the week, which should help seal and attenuate some of the treble. That might do a lot of good.
 

To be picky, DKaz specifically mentioned the TX-100 Comply's. The TX versions have the ear guard, which I read as claimed to "ever so slightly calms the 8KHz region."

It's not clear that the T-100 would do that.