killz23
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2009
- Posts
- 477
- Likes
- 11
*This is my first review, so be nice with me please 
and sorry for the low-quality pictures. Took them with my ipod touch. Will try to get better ones soon 
*
"Life is too short to listen to bad headphones" - Noel Lee
With that in mind, Monster, a renowned brand for its high-end audio and video equipment, came out with Monster Turbines. This is probably Monster's first foray into the in-ear monitor industry, and, if I might say, it has successfully made a splash. For those unfamiliar with the brand, here's some information:
Quote:
First off, here's my background in audio equipment:
I started with a pair of Creative EP-630, which blew my mind away when I first listened to it. And that prompted my upgraditis. I now currently use a pair of Ultimate Ears Triple.fi 10 pro, Koss KSC75 for portable use, a pair of Denon D2000 for home use. That said, let's get into my impression of this pair of babies!
Accessories and Packaging:
I love the way they pack those babies! I've been burning through different pairs of headphones and IEMs (sub $100 - $200 pairs) and not many of them put time into actually packaging their product! While some might call this marketing gimmick, I call this "consumer sensitivity." Consumers don't simply spend $100 for just an earphone and a box. Admittedly, some might find those accessories unnecessary to fully enjoy music, I think a company, or any business for that matter, should put some thought into protecting the product they're selling.
Monster Turbines come with a beautiful box that opens up to reveal the IEM, and a leather pouch that looks like it costs more than the IEMs themselves! You get 5 pairs of silicon tips (3 different sizes for standard bi-flange and 2 different sizes for tri-flange) Personally I settled for the bigger of the 2 tri-flanges as I find that it seals better and sits better in my ears.
Arguably, packaging is not something that should be taken into account when reviewing an IEM, or any headphones, but I feel that the Monster Turbines deserve my nod in this respect simply because they've outdone numerous competitions.
Sound:
When I first received them, I was skeptical with the sound quality because I've heard from some head-fiers (as well as un-impressed reviewers) that the bass is overbloated, the treble is too bright, the mids are recessed etc. I have to admit that I bought into all that negativity even prior to putting them into my ears! Needless to say, I felt cheated and wanted to send them in right away to get my money back.
However, occasionally, just occasionally, I heard some sparkles in them. And I told myself, "hmm.. Maybe there's something in them that's waiting to be revealed.."
That said, I took the babies off my ears, put them on some burning-in time for about..20-ish hours and prayed for some miracle to happen. Will there be a miracle, though?
After the burn-in time, I meticulously picked up the IEMs, and I put them on.
The sound just blew me away.
The bass is tighter, the mids are clearer.. I am hearing nuances in my music, and I love the way they sound! The burn-in time proved to be the missing link here, and right now in my ears I am hearing as if a different set of IEMs.
Compared to my UE 10 pro, both sound really warm and fun. (note that I'm not a specialist in audio jargons) I love the way that the Turbines let me enjoy the music I really love, which consist mostly of R&B, Pop, Instrumental and Rock. I figured that Monster probably tweaked the Turbines to fit the younger generation of music lovers who bask in pop, techno and similar genres of music. For one, the bass is definitely more prominent, which is what most youngsters consider as "good" earphones. Neutrality might be the holy grail of most audio purists, but for us younger generation, it's all that bass that matters. And in that respect, Turbines has scored a solid 9/10 in my book.
Warranty and Post-Sales Service:
Again, I don't think that warranty and post-sales service should be any consideration in reviewing an IEM, (therefore it doesn't affect my rating of the IEM itself in any way) but I just need to mention the 5-star warranty service they offer.
With your purchase, Monster is so sure of their goods that they're offering a 3-year limited warranty. If, by any chance, your IEM breaks down or takes a dip in the pool, give Monster a call to arrange for a replacement. I am personally unaware of how many exchanges you get, but I've only done it once (after using the Turbines daily for close to 5 months). It should be noted that I'm a person who works his gears really hard, I travel a lot, move around a lot, jump, climb, crawl and sprint around a lot, so the Turbines are subjected to rougher conditions that it would've been otherwise. Nevertheless, the Monster rep, (i think her name was Alice, such a sweet soul) took my name and issued a return authorization number right away. No hassle, no worries. That's quality service right there.
As such, I am very impressed with their service, and I am thoroughly satisfied with my purchase, knowing that I will be able to get at least some help if anything goes wrong.
For those who are considering this pair, it's not the best in its price range for sure. But if you're thinking of getting a good bang-for-the-buck, with a sprinkle of musicality and fun, I think you won't go wrong with the Turbines.
*P.S: There are numerous fake products in the market right now, and the Turbines Fakes are probably one of the most, if not the most, prolific mass-produced fake IEMS in the market. If you do decide to purchase the Turbines, please get it from authorized dealers. Here's a list of authorized dealers (certainly not exhaustive):
Quote:
Stay AWAY from these sites when you're considering getting a pair:
Quote:
and sorry for the low-quality pictures. Took them with my ipod touch. Will try to get better ones soon *"Life is too short to listen to bad headphones" - Noel Lee
With that in mind, Monster, a renowned brand for its high-end audio and video equipment, came out with Monster Turbines. This is probably Monster's first foray into the in-ear monitor industry, and, if I might say, it has successfully made a splash. For those unfamiliar with the brand, here's some information:
Quote:
First off, here's my background in audio equipment:
I started with a pair of Creative EP-630, which blew my mind away when I first listened to it. And that prompted my upgraditis. I now currently use a pair of Ultimate Ears Triple.fi 10 pro, Koss KSC75 for portable use, a pair of Denon D2000 for home use. That said, let's get into my impression of this pair of babies!
Accessories and Packaging:
I love the way they pack those babies! I've been burning through different pairs of headphones and IEMs (sub $100 - $200 pairs) and not many of them put time into actually packaging their product! While some might call this marketing gimmick, I call this "consumer sensitivity." Consumers don't simply spend $100 for just an earphone and a box. Admittedly, some might find those accessories unnecessary to fully enjoy music, I think a company, or any business for that matter, should put some thought into protecting the product they're selling.
Monster Turbines come with a beautiful box that opens up to reveal the IEM, and a leather pouch that looks like it costs more than the IEMs themselves! You get 5 pairs of silicon tips (3 different sizes for standard bi-flange and 2 different sizes for tri-flange) Personally I settled for the bigger of the 2 tri-flanges as I find that it seals better and sits better in my ears.
Arguably, packaging is not something that should be taken into account when reviewing an IEM, or any headphones, but I feel that the Monster Turbines deserve my nod in this respect simply because they've outdone numerous competitions.
Sound:
When I first received them, I was skeptical with the sound quality because I've heard from some head-fiers (as well as un-impressed reviewers) that the bass is overbloated, the treble is too bright, the mids are recessed etc. I have to admit that I bought into all that negativity even prior to putting them into my ears! Needless to say, I felt cheated and wanted to send them in right away to get my money back.
However, occasionally, just occasionally, I heard some sparkles in them. And I told myself, "hmm.. Maybe there's something in them that's waiting to be revealed.."
That said, I took the babies off my ears, put them on some burning-in time for about..20-ish hours and prayed for some miracle to happen. Will there be a miracle, though?
After the burn-in time, I meticulously picked up the IEMs, and I put them on.
The sound just blew me away.
The bass is tighter, the mids are clearer.. I am hearing nuances in my music, and I love the way they sound! The burn-in time proved to be the missing link here, and right now in my ears I am hearing as if a different set of IEMs.
Compared to my UE 10 pro, both sound really warm and fun. (note that I'm not a specialist in audio jargons) I love the way that the Turbines let me enjoy the music I really love, which consist mostly of R&B, Pop, Instrumental and Rock. I figured that Monster probably tweaked the Turbines to fit the younger generation of music lovers who bask in pop, techno and similar genres of music. For one, the bass is definitely more prominent, which is what most youngsters consider as "good" earphones. Neutrality might be the holy grail of most audio purists, but for us younger generation, it's all that bass that matters. And in that respect, Turbines has scored a solid 9/10 in my book.
Warranty and Post-Sales Service:
Again, I don't think that warranty and post-sales service should be any consideration in reviewing an IEM, (therefore it doesn't affect my rating of the IEM itself in any way) but I just need to mention the 5-star warranty service they offer.
With your purchase, Monster is so sure of their goods that they're offering a 3-year limited warranty. If, by any chance, your IEM breaks down or takes a dip in the pool, give Monster a call to arrange for a replacement. I am personally unaware of how many exchanges you get, but I've only done it once (after using the Turbines daily for close to 5 months). It should be noted that I'm a person who works his gears really hard, I travel a lot, move around a lot, jump, climb, crawl and sprint around a lot, so the Turbines are subjected to rougher conditions that it would've been otherwise. Nevertheless, the Monster rep, (i think her name was Alice, such a sweet soul) took my name and issued a return authorization number right away. No hassle, no worries. That's quality service right there.
As such, I am very impressed with their service, and I am thoroughly satisfied with my purchase, knowing that I will be able to get at least some help if anything goes wrong.
For those who are considering this pair, it's not the best in its price range for sure. But if you're thinking of getting a good bang-for-the-buck, with a sprinkle of musicality and fun, I think you won't go wrong with the Turbines.
*P.S: There are numerous fake products in the market right now, and the Turbines Fakes are probably one of the most, if not the most, prolific mass-produced fake IEMS in the market. If you do decide to purchase the Turbines, please get it from authorized dealers. Here's a list of authorized dealers (certainly not exhaustive):
Quote:
Stay AWAY from these sites when you're considering getting a pair:
Quote:
