[ljokerl]

 
Quote:

Compared to women, IEMs are generally less sibilant, harsh and tend to have a more balanced response.  They also could be considered to have a better bang/buck ratio and are much easier to move on the FS forum when you grow tired of them.  When you factor customer service into the equation it really becomes a no brainer. 

Awesome 

 


Quote:

Well, here's the thing about BA's for me.  They have a unmatched ability to image clearly and realistically compared to dynamic IEM I've heard so far.  If you can provide superb timbre, low-end presence and coherence in a multi BA they can be quite superb.  My ES5 is the closest for me yet.  Most of you know I was a steadfast DD guy and probably considered more of a basshead by some.  Only the DBA and ES5 were able to make me switch hit.  I don't doubt that the FX700 is an inevitable purchase for me though.  This time the lack of isolation being an asset rather than a hinderance.    

True for my Miracle as well. I saw a post on TechEnclave comparing the Miracle to FX700 saying that the timbre of the Miracle is 50% better. I don't find that to necessarily be true (or quantifiable for that matter) but the Miracle can definitely compete in timbre with the best dynamic driver earphones have to offer. It's much like the SM3 with but proper treble energy and less thickness down low.
 

 

[LooptroopRocker]

@Joker: will you be reviewing the Sunrise SW-XCape Impressive Edition you think? My sincerest apologies if this has already been asked to you, it's just that I hear they retain most of the sound quality of the V.1 but with some bass quantity and I must say that that sounds almost too perfect for me, so I hope you understand the curiosity!

 

 

[ljokerl]

 
Quote:

@Joker: will you be reviewing the Sunrise SW-XCape Impressive Edition you think? My sincerest apologies if this has already been asked to you, it's just that I hear they retain most of the sound quality of the V.1 but with some bass quantity and I must say that that sounds almost too perfect for me, so I hope you understand the curiosity!

I don't know, to be honest. Sunrise sent me a package (or at least said they did) a week or so ago but I have no idea what's in it. Also I haven't been paying attention to all of the nomenclature so the "Impressive Edition" is news to me. 

 

[james444]

Quote:

I have fallen in love with the JVC. From Mahler to Mingus, K-OS to Krall, DJ Shadow to Donovan; as you noted the magic with strings; piano, acoustic guitar almost crushingly gorgeous...I was a little surprised to read that you found the bass a bit "excessive for your liking" but this just points to the woefully insufficient breadth of my listening. For me, how well the phones convey and handle dynamically/tonally high-contrast symphonic music is the single most important thing. Even IEMs that do well with strings, for instance, can have real trouble with the big brass passages of say a Mahler or a Bruckner symphony in full stride.

You should give the Sony EX1000 a try. Honestly.
 
Quote:

If it were me, I'd get something on the analytical side to compliment them because middle-of-the-road BA-based monitors such as the SM3 and W4 still won't give you the dynamic range, timbre, or air of the JVCs. Basically, the things they do really, really well for BAs will be wasted on you due to the nature of the FX700. Half-jokingly, I can recommend the FI-BA-SS - nothing I've heard -and certainly not the JVCs - sounds quite like it. Then again, if you wanted to move into that price range you would probably give up the JVCs and go full custom. More seriously, the Ortofon e-Q5, which I hope to review next week, is worth a look. It's an interesting sound and different enough from the FX700 to at least warrant some reading. It should also be slightly less shocking of a change from the JVCs compared to, say, a CK10 or DBA-02.

As a counterpoint to the FX700 the FI-BA-SS are an excellent recommendation for classical. Or the FI-BA-A1, if you want to get 80-90% of the SS for 80% less. The Ortofon e-Q5 are also great with classical, but (like all moving armatures) struggle a bit with those aforementioned high dynamic passages in a full stride Mahler symphony.
 
Quote:

True for my Miracle as well. I saw a post on TechEnclave comparing the Miracle to FX700 saying that the timbre of the Miracle is 50% better. I don't find that to necessarily be true (or quantifiable for that matter) but the Miracle can definitely compete in timbre with the best dynamic driver earphones have to offer. It's much like the SM3 with but proper treble energy and less thickness down low.

While the SM3 and W4 have very good timbre for BA based IEMs, they still fall a bit short (to my ears) in rendering sounds that require a high amount of bass texture, like the low vibrato of cello or double bass. I wonder if a custom BA like the Miracle is closer to the FX700 in that regard?

 

[race2c]

I would just like to give this reviews a very, well deserved thanks. They helped to decide on my M6s.
 
Cam

 

[ljokerl]

Added Kozee Infinity X1 & Earsonics SM2
 
Quote:

While the SM3 and W4 have very good timbre for BA based IEMs, they still fall a bit short (to my ears) in rendering sounds that require a high amount of bass texture, like the low vibrato of cello or double bass. I wonder if a custom BA like the Miracle is closer to the FX700 in that regard?

I would say yes but the Miracle is still on the 'new toy' stage for me. So far it has remained flawlessly textured and detailed no matter what I've thrown at it.


Quote:

I would just like to give this reviews a very, well deserved thanks. They helped to decide on my M6s.
 
Cam

Glad to hear it.
 

 

[chinesekiwi]

Hey Joker, how would you compare the likes of the eQ7 to the SM2?
Sidegrade?

 

[ljokerl]

 
Quote:

Hey Joker, how would you compare the likes of the eQ7 to the SM2?
Sidegrade?

Yes, definitely sidegrade. The SM2 is more impactful than the e-Q7 and less aggressive with detailing. I don't actually like its signature too much personally but it is a very good earphone. Amazing what a $250 pair of dual-drivers can do nowadays - the Shure SE530 in my ears right now is not as impressive to me.

 

[roy_jones]

I'm sort of surprised that the 1964 EARS triple driver is better sonically than the W4.  It says a lot about the quality of their IEMs. 
 
I'm pretty sure I read in the W4 thread some poster(s) who have the JH13pro suggest that the W4 is playing in the same ballpark, so by transitive logic, it would seem to suggest to me that I've been underestimating the value and quality of the 1964 EARS customs.  Of course, it's always dangerous when one starts getting into making transitive assumptions in this fashion...

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

I'm sort of surprised that the 1964 EARS triple driver is better sonically than the W4.  It says a lot about the quality of their IEMs. 
 
I'm pretty sure I read in the W4 thread some poster(s) who have the JH13pro suggest that the W4 is playing in the same ballpark, so by transitive logic, it would seem to suggest to me that I've been underestimating the value and quality of the 1964 EARS customs.  Of course, it's always dangerous when one starts getting into making transitive assumptions in this fashion...

I think that says more about the JH13 than the 1964T. I really don't think the spread between the W4 and 1964-T is very large but the 1964 is more textured and more detailed. Having a perfect seal each time helps as well. Difficult to compare the otherwise due to different signatures. My Miracle, which is in the same price range as the JH13, is better still. I think the spread between the Miracle and 1964-T is a lot bigger than the spread between the 1964-T and similarly-priced universals.

 

[SCL5]

Why not trying the Shure SCL5. I prefer it to the SE535

 

[IpodHappy]

ljokerl, your reviews are always impressive.  Thanks so much for the time, outright work, and dedication you share with the community.  I'm really looking forward to your SE530 review, but was wondering if you are planning a comparison between the SE530 and the newer SE535?

 

[EndlessMike]

What do you guys reckon is better: a Monter Turbine @ 100 or a Hippo VB @ 80

 

[ljokerl]

 
Quote:

ljokerl, your reviews are always impressive.  Thanks so much for the time, outright work, and dedication you share with the community.  I'm really looking forward to your SE530 review, but was wondering if you are planning a comparison between the SE530 and the newer SE535?

Well, I don't have a 535 and the 530 is a loan so I don't think that's going to happen.

 

[GalmArn]

Wow, you have a whole new bunch of Xears IEM added to your planned list.
I am curious about the Resonance model.
 
But personally, it's the fact that the GR07 directly jumped at the bottom of your In progress list that interested me the most. I was looking to the DBA-02 for its very good ratio sound quality / price, but the GR07 seems to be a great contender, with a sound signature that could be closer to my tastes.
 
Again, thank you for your work.