Just picked up a used ASG-1 Rev 1.2 that came with a pair of Sony hybrids, another pair of tips (but not sure what they are, definitely not the stock ones), and I'm using it now with a pair of transparent tips that I can't recall what they used to be on.* I'm writing a more detailed account but so far these are my impressions:
1) Hybrid Tips, M - general fit of the shell is that they can't get inside my ear as much to begin with, so there's really not much of a seal compared to the M6P, Westone 2 (that I borrowed from my brother for a month before), and similar shell designs. However, while the seal seems like they can't block out noise (if I put them on back to back there isn't really much difference), they do a good job of anchoring to my outer ear that deeper insertion is not necessary to keep them there, which saves me from a lot of itching or quicker heat build up in my ear canal.
Galaxy S3**, Media Monkey : When I first listened to this pair a few months back they immediately seemed a bit too dark, but I considered that a good compromise given I plan on using them with portable devices anyway, and shouty mid-treble and loose bass are things I want to avoid since no fit or cold room can be enough to keep using the IEMs if my ear drums are complaining. Tonally, it sounds a little bit like my Galaxy S with the M6P, only a bit darker (cleaner, actually) and smoother (no sharp treble peaks).
iPad2, FLAC Player : A bit better - less rolloff on the treble, less of the excess bass. I actually didn't notice teh treble was lacking until I played metal tracks, which either had a lot of high frequencies on them (cymbals, lead guitar, female soprano and up vocalists), or not enough (Crue, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Pantera, Skid Row, etc) that either way you'd miss what "isn't" there as presented. On vocal-centric tracks like Norah Jones, the Peter Malick Group disc (which has a lot of Norah Jones on it too), Focal (car audio) and B&W test discs, and audiophile vocal CDs, I don't notice much of the treble roll off; not much of the excess lower midrange and bass either, except on some Norah Jones tracks the decay of the bass lines and sometimes her own voice has a hint of an unnatural bloom to them that rears its head at a little bit higher volumes. Take note, though, that because of the smooth treble it's easy to go too loud on these, especially when you're trying to bring out the upper midrange the same way some people would need higher volume settings to bring out the bass in other headphones/IEMs/speakers. Over all, lucky me because I was planning on using these a lot more with the iPad given the M6P is a headset that I still use on the go if there is enough reason for me to anticipate important calls (or make such calls clearer).
iPad2, Accudio using HD650 EQ correction profile*** : Closer to flat, treble down to upper midrange still smooth (no peaks, not shouty, etc), didn't notice any unnatural bloom on the lower frequencies. Drum hits are more natural - has that "bite" to it with no wayward low freqs getting in the way softening it.
2) Westone* clear tips, M - Same fit as described above, but sound changes as follows...
Galaxy S3** : Sound has moved closer to the iPad2+FLACPlayer sound above; I barely notice its treble problem until I used my reference system (HD600+Cantate.2)
iPad2, FLAC Player : Similar improvement - a bit more treble but retains its smoothness at any volume, less of the unnatural lower midrange to bass bloom.
iPad2, Accudio using HD650 EQ correction profile*** : If you know what high efficiency Fostex FR drivers (with a proper enclosure and notch filter) powered by Flea amps sound like, this is kind of like that. It won't give you extreme treble extension like Sonus Faber or Stax (or any other speaker brand that uses non-dynamic HF drivers), etc, that allows soprano vocals give you goosebumps, but there's a lot of clear treble and it doesn't get out of hand. I suspect it will be a lot better if Accudio can make an actual custom profile for the ASG-1 instead of my using custom EQ settings, or those intended for what some might consider a similar headphone (but ultimately different, of course). Or at the very least, an iOS7 fix.***
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*I have a pair of M6P here and a pack of old tips from a Shure SE205, and these tips are loose on the M6P. I kind of remember a local headphile giving me a pair of Westone tips, so these are likely it (I just can't be sure because I just saw them next to my laptop when I brought ASG-1 home). Note also that Neutron MP is too dark with the EQ switched on, even if I set it to flat, 64bit processing or not, so I didn't use it anymore as it is too similar to MediaMonkey otherwise; Crossfeed narrows the soundstage but making imaging seem more accurate, which is to be expected, but on its own not enough for me to give up MM's interface.
**NOT Wolfson, if that matters
***Chose profile as a similar one, but of course by my ears an HD650 on new pads doesn't have as much roll-off on the treble as the ASG-1. Also, I can't use it right now because Accudio just totally froze on me, and now even FLACPlayer is showing a lot of bugs, starting with not finding ANY of the album art, but at least it kinda works.
