[DervishD]

 
Hi, inabstracto
 
Quote:

DervishD, do you think A151 complement Clip+ well? I also use this player and am currently looking for durable earphones that will go through hours of jogging without any scratches. Isolation and overall sound quality are also factors but it's the build quality that brought my attention to A151s. 

That's exactly my current portable rig: the A151 and the Clip+. They fit quite well together, and in fact (although I'm risking being burnt alive for this) the weak link in the chain is the Clip+. I won't go into details but I'm very disappointed with this player.
 
The A151 are surviving quite well my commutes, no scratches, no damage, and I'm not particularly careful with them. I mean, I'm very careful with my belongins, but I don't put extra attention in the phones, they receive the same tender loving care as the rest of my possesions.
 
The A151 cable is surprising me a lot, it is resisting, without any kind of problem, the hard life in the mass transports in Madrid. People is not as careful as me with MY belongins and the cable has suffered a more than fair amount of pulling, stretching, etc. without any damage. I'm glad of the A151.
 
If you're going to use them running and isolation is important, try foamies instead of silicone tips. Isolation increases and sound is not affected negatively as long as the foams doesn't protude much from the nozzles. I'm going to write a small review of different foam tips. In fact, I should have written it a week ago, but I can't afford the time right now. So, the short version: I'm using cut-to-length SoundMAGIC foamies with a great deal of success.
 

 

[inabstracto]

Isolation is actually more important to me while I'm on train (commuting on a daily basis) than during jogging. Anyway, I can get over it unless there's little or no microphonics. That's one of the reasons I turned my attention to over-the-ear design and to A151 in particular.
 
The second is the aforementioned build quality. I have Head-Direct RE2 for more than a year now and while I'm generally satisfied with the sound quality, I need to repair the broken cable .

 

[Katun]

To tell you the truth, I love nearly every aspect about this IEM, except the sound.
 
For some reason, it doesn't sound like a BA at all. It sound like it has a huge veil over the music that in turn makes it slow, muddy, and very unclear. It almost reminds me of a HD650 IEM, yet with much less technical capabilities and an even more veiled sound. I don't know why, but I can listen to any headphone or IEM and then listen to this an instantly notice the lack of clarity, distance music, and muddy sound. Other than that, I love all aspects about the IEM, especially the cord.

 

[inabstracto]

Hm, maybe it's a matter of source? Did you consider it? I was almost convinced to buy the A151s . Although this may not be the best choice of earphones for electronic music (FA Eterna would probably be better), I think I'm starting to value the build quality more than the sound signature.

 

[tinyman392]

Quote:

Hm, maybe it's a matter of source? Did you consider it? I was almost convinced to buy the A151s . Although this may not be the best choice of earphones for electronic music (FA Eterna would probably be better), I think I'm starting to value the build quality more than the sound signature.

Definitely not great for electronic music.  It'll work, but not as well. 
 
I did read through the whole thread, but I find the mids to be harsh with a spike somewhere in the mid to high frequency that kinda hurt my ears while using my iPod Touch 4G.  One specific song that does this is Staind - Take This on the Chapter V CD during the chorus.  Anyone notice this or is it just me.

 

[garcsa]

Hi,
 
Nice rewiev, thanks! Are you made your foamies from 3M 1100, like i do? My experience is that always the shortest ( with good sound isolation !) eartips have the most accurate frequency response, soundtage etc. With my A151 the DIY foam eartips drastically reduces highy frequency energie ! Whats your opinion about it? Have a nice day! Regards from Hungary ,    Csaba

 

[DervishD]

Hi
 
Quote:

Are you made your foamies from 3M 1100, like i do? My experience is that always the shortest ( with good sound isolation !) eartips have the most accurate frequency response, soundtage etc. With my A151 the DIY foam eartips drastically reduces highy frequency energie ! Whats your opinion about it?

The only problem I've had with homemade foamies, to date, is muffled sound and detail loss if the foams were too long. Cutting them so they don't protude from the stem solved the problem. Right now I'm using them with foamies very similar to the 3M with no problem at all. Looks like you're having a very similar problem.
 
Other tips I've used frequently with the A151 are the SoundMAGIC ones. The problem was the same: I had to cut them to avoid muffled sound, but now they work.
 
I still have to make tests with the tips that dziendobry gave me as a present. I've tested them, but not for long. Right now I don't have much time to do more tests
 
From what I've read in this forum, including some foamies with the A151 would be a great move from Meelec. Meanwhile, DIY foamies, SoundMAGIC foamies or even Comply tips are the way to go. As for Comply, supposedly there is no model compatible with the A151, but I'm not sure.
 
Have fun

 

[garcsa]

Hi,
 
Thanks! By the way before about a two weeks ordered a pair of PL30 - because to try and it HAS  foamy eartips, too... , for $23,50 !
Not received yet. I have cca 50 pairs of different silicone eartips, I'll try to combine them with foams - like Moster do : http://monstersupertips.com/overview.asp   . Regards !  Csaba 

 

[DervishD]

Thanks for the info about the Monster Supertips. It may solve my problem with silicone tips sliding out of my ears
 
As for the PL30, I never really liked them, ended up giving them to a friend. To me, the voices sounded a bit muffled and in addition to that they peeled when I tried to clean them.
 
This said, I was keeping an eye on the SoundMAGIC E30, but the review from fellow ljokerl got my mind entirely changed. I have, more or less, similar sound tastes than ljokerl, and the way he described E30 made me reject these phones as a future candidate.
 
I think it's a better idea to save a bit and order another pair of Meelec CC51 (the first one was stolen by my wife, and I don't dare getting them back, she says they are the BEST phones she has heard...) rather than buying a pair of E30 just because they look good.

 

[garcsa]

Yeah, the CC51 has a really impressive sound ( ordered to my big son with my A151  -33% ), but after that I try my first BA IEM  - how to say : dynamic and balanced ones , as we know produces sound in two different ways -  I fall in love with BA ! Before about a 25 years bought a pair of Quad ESL 57 (very cheap - the guy didnt know what he sell , after a few month I have to sell them - but never forget its sound signature!) before used just dynamic speakers . So the difference is moreless similar , to me. I'm happy to live that I can listen music from my personal player in very good quality for relativly reasonble price! 

 

[garcsa]

...this 25 years is 30    . With A151 heard first time that when Stan Getz take a breathe when plays sax on Getz /Gilberto one of my favorite album, and NEW details on Dark Side of the Moon listened million times ago!!!   And you're right dear DervishD: Meelec can think about some foam eartips for A151!   Jó éjszakát!
 

 

[garcsa]

Hi,
Maybe this will help to somebody , when wants to hear the best from A151. 
For my taste  and my ear canal size this is  the best sounding eartip:
put on stem some teflon tape, than isolation tape to  be cca 4-5 mm (diameter)
My favorite eartip was included with M11+  : shortest, biggest biflange. 
So cut about 3-4 mm from 3M foamy ,make a hole on it put on stem, then the
silicone. Done! (Not my original idea).
There is no foamy  absorber and the soundstage is ok, too.
Best sounding and best  isolating eartips tried with A151 - for me of course.
On the photo you can even see the end of stem.

 

[garcsa]

...or just put the stock earbuds in to your favorite foam eartips. No teflon, no tape.  

 

[garcsa]

...or just turn inside out the smallest stock ear tip ang pull it on A151, now you can use almost any ear tip

 

[tman1]

Has anyone had issues with losing sound out of these? Every headphone I've had eventually loses sound in one or both ears due to the cable coming loose inside the insulation either at the earpiece or the jack, and it happened again to my main 'phones (PL50) and backups (KOSS KE29) almost at the same time. I'm sure having them shoved in my pocket or a backpack a lot of the time has a lot to do with this, but really not practical to do it any other way when walking around or commuting.
 
I'm ready to buy these but just making sure these are pretty durable before springing for them.