[Aeneas]

Check out this eBay seller - he selles 'fakes' that are completely identical, but much cheaper and available in whatever size choices you want.
 
http://stores.ebay.com/lostearbuds
 
I can personally say there is no difference in fit, quality, comfort, size or sound - I compared them myself. Also, I have now mixed up my genuine SOny hybrids and the 'fakes' from this seller.
 
I've been using his 'fakes' for over a months (just 1 pair) with no problems whatsoever.
 
And to the person who prefers eQ-7 to customs, you couldn't have picked a worse time! I sent my TF10 to China for rehelling with additional driver on Saturday and really hope I don't regret it.
eQ-7 beats standard TF10 hands down for me, except in electronic and rock and maybe metal, but they're not really my genres.
 
Solved the slider issue (I prefer a stage monitor fit, under my shirt) with electrical tape (smooth side on cables and another peice to cover adhesive afterwards) - it's best done with 3 hands, for a tight wrap on the slider.

 

[EraserXIV]

honestly, the e-Q7 is THE best IEM i've ever tried, i'm surprised it doesn't get more love than it does around here. it handily beats almost all mid-fi full-sizes as well.

 

[Photofan1986]

I've been really tempted to try those out for a very long time, but always ended with another phone
First, RE-252 and now SM3

But I think a time will come when they will sit in my ears!

 

[james444]

^ I think you would like them. They are not as ultra-refined as the SM3, but they are very transparent and have extreme clarity across the whole frequency range, an aspect in which they beat the SM3 hands down. As you know, I'm still trying to form a conclusive opinion on the SM3, but I can safely say that they don't make me want to sell my Ortofons.

 

[rawrster]

They are very good but not the best earphone I've heard. The treble rolloff prevents that from happening for me.
 
@Eraser: what headphones are you referring to? I don't have the space or time at home to even think about a headphone rig so just wondering. Maybe in the future one day.

 

[Pianist]

Quote:

^ I think you would like them. They are not as ultra-refined as the SM3, but they are very transparent and have extreme clarity across the whole frequency range, an aspect in which they beat the SM3 hands down. As you know, I'm still trying to form a conclusive opinion on the SM3, but I can safely say that they don't make me want to sell my Ortofons.

I totally agree with this. I am selling my SM3 right now because clarity and musicality is really not that great on them. They are too technical IMO. e-Q7 is more fun to listen to IMO as it has a more natural, musical sound. Right now, I decided to turn the Hifiman route and will be trying out RE252 and the new RE-ZERO, but if those won't do it for me, them I will most definitely be going back to the wonderful e-Q7.

 

[rawrster]

you should think about the RE262 as well Pianist That is supposed to come out sometime this month assuming no delays like the RE-Zero.
 
I've been told by a couple of people that the SM3 isn't for me so I will continue to enjoy the e-Q7 as these are my only good pair of earphones right now. That should change over the next week or so but thankfully I still have my e-Q7 or I would be stuck with..PL30 or M9. I hope my recent string of bad luck on earphone build has ended. My e-Q7 had to have surgery performed on them and my Coppers had to be exchanged for a new one which should be coming in this week hopefully.

 

[Pianist]

 
Quote:

you should think about the RE262 as well Pianist That is supposed to come out sometime this month assuming no delays like the RE-Zero.
 
I've been told by a couple of people that the SM3 isn't for me so I will continue to enjoy the e-Q7 as these are my only good pair of earphones right now. That should change over the next week or so but thankfully I still have my e-Q7 or I would be stuck with..PL30 or M9. I hope my recent string of bad luck on earphone build has ended. My e-Q7 had to have surgery performed on them and my Coppers had to be exchanged for a new one which should be coming in this week hopefully.

 
Oh yeah, I will definitely be interested in those when they come out. For now, I want to try the RE252 and the RE-ZERO though. Then I will wait for reviews on them, and if the RE262 turn out to be better than the RE252 and RE-ZERO sound wise, then I will just sell the latter two and buy the former.

 

[Photofan1986]

Woohoo, I am also eager to see what those new RE-262 have to offer!
@pianist: So, you also left the SM3 clan? Hope you'll enjoy the RE-252 more. Definitely worth a try, even more if you can find them second hand for a good price ^^

 

[rawrster]

I don't think I'll get the RE-Zero. It seems too inconvenient for me. A right degree balanced plug connected to a cable adapter does not seem very good for portable. I'll probably get the RE262 down the line however as I do enjoy the head direct signature. If only they could improve their cables..like put the CK10 or CK100 cable on them and they would be a tank Put that on the e-Q7 as well while you are at it..that's how good those AT cables are.
 
@Photofan: you really should try the e-Q7 one day. They are quite good although I'm not a fan of the stupid cable.

 

[Pianist]

Quote:

Woohoo, I am also eager to see what those new RE-262 have to offer!
@pianist: So, you also left the SM3 clan? Hope you'll enjoy the RE-252 more. Definitely worth a try, even more if you can find them second hand for a good price ^^

Yeah, I am leaving the SM3 clan sadly. lol I respect the technical abilities of this IEM, but I do not find them musical enough for my tastes. They work really well for bed time listening, but sound too neutral and technical for using as portables while out and about during the day. They simply don't put out enough energy in the upper mids to pull me into the music, especially after a long, hard day at work. I know the RE252 is also neutral, but from what I've read it doesn't have a dip in the upper mids, which should make them more suitable for me. And knowing how good the RE0 already is, I have little doubt that the RE252 will be at least giving the SM3 a run for their money, if not surpassing them in some aspects.
 
My concern right now is that the RE252 may still lack the depth and dynamics that the e-Q7 has. I felt that the RE0 really lacked this - they sounded a little flat and compressed compared to the e-Q7, although they did have stellar treble. If the RE252 can keep all of the RE0 strengths, including the treble, while adding more dimensionality and dynamics to the sound, they would be just about perfect IMO. In case the RE252 and the RE-ZERO will not satisfy me, then I will probably wait for the RE262 reviews, but will most likely end up with the e-Q7 again at least until Head-Direct comes out with something that is truly a step up from the current high-end universals.

 

[Photofan1986]

 
Quote:

I know the RE252 is also neutral, but from what I've read it doesn't have a dip in the upper mids, which should make them more suitable for me.

Quite the opposite, actually. The RE-252 have a slight hump in the upper midrange, that give "bite" to strings and wind instruments.
 
 
Quote:

And knowing how good the RE0 already is, I have little doubt that the RE252 will be at least giving the SM3 a run for their money, if not surpassing them in some aspects.

Sure! Clarity for instance feels better than SM3 to my ears.

 

[gameboy115]

Quote:

Yeah, I am leaving the SM3 clan sadly. lol I respect the technical abilities of this IEM, but I do not find them musical enough for my tastes. They work really well for bed time listening, but sound too neutral and technical for using as portables while out and about during the day. They simply don't put out enough energy in the upper mids to pull me into the music, especially after a long, hard day at work. I know the RE252 is also neutral, but from what I've read it doesn't have a dip in the upper mids, which should make them more suitable for me. And knowing how good the RE0 already is, I have little doubt that the RE252 will be at least giving the SM3 a run for their money, if not surpassing them in some aspects.
 
My concern right now is that the RE252 may still lack the depth and dynamics that the e-Q7 has. I felt that the RE0 really lacked this - they sounded a little flat and compressed compared to the e-Q7, although they did have stellar treble. If the RE252 can keep all of the RE0 strengths, including the treble, while adding more dimensionality and dynamics to the sound, they would be just about perfect IMO. In case the RE252 and the RE-ZERO will not satisfy me, then I will probably wait for the RE262 reviews, but will most likely end up with the e-Q7 again at least until Head-Direct comes out with something that is truly a step up from the current high-end universals.

I wont surprise e-q7 has a edge on clarity if it is similar to UM3X

 

[EraserXIV]

 
@Eraser: what headphones are you referring to? I don't have the space or time at home to even think about a headphone rig so just wondering. Maybe in the future one day.

I've had a detailed listening with the SRH840, SRH750DJ, K271 MKII, M50, MDR-V6, D1001K.
Demo impressions with the HD800 (yes, that HD800), DT770 PRO.
 
Although they are all great, none of them made me forget the e-Q7. Many times I still found myself comparing them to the e-Q7 and using them as reference. I admit, I didn't get enough headtime with the HD800, and from my demo impressions they were stunning, but nothing that made me want to immediately pawn off my e-Q7 so I could get enough money to buy them. I will concede that the HD800 was better, but again, they were driven out of a pretty high-end system and even then the e-Q7 still wasn't completely forgotten by me. Maybe next time I get a longer impression of the HD800 I will change my mind, because admittedly I didn't spend as much time with them as I wanted to.
 
However, I can safely say that among the SRH840, SRH750DJ, K271 MKII, M50, MDR-V6, DT770 PRO, D1001K, none of them surpass the e-Q7 and some of them are even put to shame when you A/B them next to the e-Q7.
 
I had opportunities to listen to the K701, HD600, HD650, but I am not comfortable giving an opinion on them yet. Next month when I go back to Boston I will be able to get a detailed session with them (and the HD800) so then I may be able to tell you how those compare with the e-Q7.

 

[Pianist]

Quote:

I wont surprise e-q7 has a edge on clarity if it is similar to UM3X

SM3 is indeed similar to UM3X in clarity and the e-Q7 as well as RE0 clearly surpass it in this aspect.