[12345142]

IMO, even at the minimum setting, the IE8s have an obvious bump in the midbass. Also, the 'edit' button is located at the bottom left of the posts you've made.

 

[Earphone]

A friend of mine had someone listen to his $35 sony in ears xb40 or something like that. That person who listened had bought MTPC tried it for less than a day, and concluded the sony sounded a lot better. Said the sound from the MTPC was "crappy". He returned them and purchased skull candies instead....
 
There was no point in me intervening since not only could he not hear how inferior the cheap buds were, but thought they sounded better. 
 
And I am looked at like I lost my mind for buying the westone 3's when to them it sounds worse than $35 sony or skull candies. 

 

[Deep Funk]

Quote:

A friend of mine had someone listen to his $35 sony in ears xb40 or something like that. That person who listened had bought MTPC tried it for less than a day, and concluded the sony sounded a lot better. Said the sound from the MTPC was "crappy". He returned them and purchased skull candies instead....
 
There was no point in me intervening since not only could he not hear how inferior the cheap buds were, but thought they sounded better. 
 
And I am looked at like I lost my mind for buying the westone 3's when to them it sounds worse than $35 sony or skull candies. 

It is about your ears. If the Westone 3's make you enjoy your music why bother. 
 
Sometimes it helps to use a very distinct track but in the end it comes down to preferences...
 

 

[chinesekiwi]

Quote:

Quote:

A friend of mine had someone listen to his $35 sony in ears xb40 or something like that. That person who listened had bought MTPC tried it for less than a day, and concluded the sony sounded a lot better. Said the sound from the MTPC was "crappy". He returned them and purchased skull candies instead....
 
There was no point in me intervening since not only could he not hear how inferior the cheap buds were, but thought they sounded better. 
 
And I am looked at like I lost my mind for buying the westone 3's when to them it sounds worse than $35 sony or skull candies. 

It is about your ears. If the Westone 3's make you enjoy your music why bother. 
 
Sometimes it helps to use a very distinct track but in the end it comes down to preferences...
 

It's more preference of sound signature then 'ears'.

 

[tommyf]

I just found this thread, i have to say it's pretty funny! 
Here's some  funny reactions/comment by people trying my K240s:
"Those isolate you perfectly from every noise outside, right?"
"I love the bass, it's so loud"
"They sound just like mine" (Beats owner)
"Nothing special" (at least twice)

 

[Deep Funk]

Quote:

It's more preference of sound signature then 'ears'.

True, going from 128 kbps to 320, going from ear buds to MDR V6 makes a big difference and I was hooked from then on. My preferences changed a lot... 
 

 

[sphinxvc]

Let a family member try on my Hifiman RE-262 iems day before yesterday.
 
He just closed his eyes.
 
That was satisfying to watch.

 

[mikeaj]

I was talking with my officemates (other engineering graduate students) about audio not too long ago.  One (let's call her Jill) has always used the cheapest earbuds, while the other (let's call him Jack) has used some $30 IEMs like Senn CX300, Soundmagic PL30, etc.  Jill's latest crappy earbuds were falling apart, so I was trying to convince her to get something better as a replacement.  She only really listens to music while working out, so she hadn't felt the need to try out anything better.  In fact, she was wondering what the big deal about expensive IEMs/headphones was, and if there actually is a difference.
 
The next day, I brought in my AKG K601 to let her get a listen.  15 seconds later, she puts them down.  "Wow!  It sounds like I'm there!  Before, I was listening to music, not listening to music.  [pause]  I'm kind of sad now.  I didn't need to know that there was really a difference."
 
Then I let Jack listen.  About 1 hour later, he gives them back.  "So..............pretty nice."
 
In the end Jack and I convinced Jill to get the Meelectronics M9 ($20).  After using them, she loves the carrying case, the wire clip, and how it actually doesn't fall out of her ears when she's running.  She's pleased with the sound for the cost, and I think they're appropriate for her needs.  Success story?

 

[melomaniac]

Quote:

 
Sometimes it helps to use a very distinct track but in the end it comes down to preferences...

I disagree - you and I may both like Joanna Newsom, or some old funk: but if you listen to it on quality equipment and I hear it on stock Apple ibuds, then we're not hearing the same music (in fact I'd be missing much of the enjoyment). The preference for a certain kind of music or track is inextricably bound with the sounds, not just with a sequence of amplitudes and frequencies but with the richness and weirdness of Joanna Newsom's voice in the space she performs in, or the lush and fat combo swaying in the syncopated rhythm... Inversely, even if I hated Joanna Newsom's voice, I might be able to agree that we both discern characteristics of vocal performance: and in fact if we did not (perhaps because we're listening through iBuds) we would have nothing to argue about. I know it's almost considered impolite, but there are real differences in sound quality, and they are NOT differences in taste - in fact you can meet serious and discerning audiophiles whose taste are terribly different from yours, and you can have friends who like the music you like but could not care less about how bad it sounds on their boombox.

 

[pp312]

Yes, but what about the pale of water?

 
 
Quote:

In the end Jack and I convinced Jill to get the Meelectronics M9 ($20).  

 

[sunwolf]

I've introduced people to my music before but not my headphones. They always prefer their pop or rock music. At that point I consider them a lost cause since the sound quality can hardly matter for crappy music.
 
Most people have superficial tastes in music (along with film and literature). And most of those people also have superficial tastes in technology and everything else.
 
If they have no curiosity then it's impossible to educate them and I say just let them be. If they are curious they'll find us on their own.

 

[Deep Funk]

Quote:

Quote:

 
Sometimes it helps to use a very distinct track but in the end it comes down to preferences...

I disagree - you and I may both like Joanna Newsom, or some old funk: but if you listen to it on quality equipment and I hear it on stock Apple ibuds, then we're not hearing the same music (in fact I'd be missing much of the enjoyment). The preference for a certain kind of music or track is inextricably bound with the sounds, not just with a sequence of amplitudes and frequencies but with the richness and weirdness of Joanna Newsom's voice in the space she performs in, or the lush and fat combo swaying in the syncopated rhythm... Inversely, even if I hated Joanna Newsom's voice, I might be able to agree that we both discern characteristics of vocal performance: and in fact if we did not (perhaps because we're listening through iBuds) we would have nothing to argue about. I know it's almost considered impolite, but there are real differences in sound quality, and they are NOT differences in taste - in fact you can meet serious and discerning audiophiles whose taste are terribly different from yours, and you can have friends who like the music you like but could not care less about how bad it sounds on their boombox.

True too... I was just thinking, what if I had Massive Attack's "Angel" on my DAP? Through the PX200 II bass actually goes deep but through the K181 with Large Club (bass) you are taken into a deeper realm of bass presence (no kidding) and since better bass quality often makes the difference for a lot of consumers, that was what I actually meant. 
 
Preferences, I preferred the 'sharp' definition of my Pioneer over a K701 (properly amplified). That brings me back, the Pioneer Monitor 10R somehow works out of my D33 Discman and when a close friend tried it with Adele's "Hometown Glory" she was so impressed with the sound that she thought it was on too high a volume on the D33 while it was not. It is just extremely clear in sound and a track like "Hometown Glory" can sound very loud even on a normal volume. She is still used to ear buds by the way...  
 

 

[KuKuBuKu]

Quote:

I've introduced people to my music before but not my headphones. They always prefer their pop or rock music. At that point I consider them a lost cause since the sound quality can hardly matter for crappy music.
 
Most people have superficial tastes in music (along with film and literature). And most of those people also have superficial tastes in technology and everything else.
 
If they have no curiosity then it's impossible to educate them and I say just let them be. If they are curious they'll find us on their own.

totally agreed

 

[sphinxvc]

Reminds me of something I've read before somewhere:  "Most people are other people."
 
Quote:

I've introduced people to my music before but not my headphones. They always prefer their pop or rock music. At that point I consider them a lost cause since the sound quality can hardly matter for crappy music.
 
Most people have superficial tastes in music (along with film and literature). And most of those people also have superficial tastes in technology and everything else.
 
If they have no curiosity then it's impossible to educate them and I say just let them be. If they are curious they'll find us on their own.

 

 

[aL69]

I remember the time when my classmate tried my SR225 on his phone. he said he liked the beats studios more (because of the obvious reason, which is MOAR BASZS).