[Illustrated]

hi guys, i'm going to buy either of these earphones.
i really need help on deciding which to get.
 
i really like a warm and balanced sound - i like my bass to be rounded and fat and not "sharp"; and my treble to not be overly jangly but still being clean and clear. i prefer a wider soundstage so i can listen to the individual instruments (i'm a music player).
 
the bands i listen to are: Radiohead, The Strokes, Phoenix, Gallows, Coldplay, a little electro here and there. basically everything indie/alternative.
 
the price points are more or less the same for these @ the site i'm getting it at.
unless you guys have a better site that i don't know of?
 
i was planning on getting the Sennheiser CX870 which sounds perfect imho. very balanced sound. i previously had a Sennheiser CX95 but it died on me. i know the CX870 -> CX400ii is a little of a downgrade but the site i'm getting it from is OOS on the 870's :\
 
anyway i saw a few good reviews on the CC-51 but i'm really worried that it doesn't have the warm sound that i want. is the bass good and rounded? how does it compare to a 400ii?
 
really need help on this guys, would really appreciate it if someone with experience with these 2 could help me!

 

[Illustrated]

help? anyone?

 

[Marcus_C]

I've got to ask? Which site are you getting it from? The cc-51 is in a different price range than the cx400ii either the senn is overpriced or that's quite the deal on the meelec. That aside maybe read this thread: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/478568/multi-iem-review-158-iems-compared-westone-4-radius-twf21-added-03-27 Joker's reviews tend to be accurate as far as i'm concerned and it should give you plenty of options if you decide the cc-51 isn't likely to have enough bass for you.

 

[Illustrated]

I'm getting them from amp3.co.uk. do you have experience with the CC-51? i feel like venturing out and trying a new brand but i'm really afraid that the sound lacks the bass warmth-ness like Sennheiser's full sound. i'm not bass inclined and in fact i hate it when a sound is overly bass-y but i just like a really full sound with adequate bass.

 

[Marcus_C]

Please don't spend £40 on the cx400. I haven't heard the cc-51 so can't comment on it. I've not heard the cx95 either though can guess more or less how it sounds. Adequate bass is a very loose term. This thread: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/541204/concise-multi-iem-comparison-panasonic-rp-hje450-added-mar-20-2011 has popped up recently again and it's a good description of a lot of sounds. If you just want a different brand, the m9/m6 from meelec are also better than the cx400 imho.

 

[Illustrated]

are you sure the M9/M6 is better than the CX400ii? the price points are WAAAY different. and from your comment it sounds a lot like you're slightly biased against Sennheiser... and my friend i can assure you that the CX95/CX870 sounds NOTHING like the CX300 counterparts.
 
i need more real opinions on the CX400 and CC51, so... anyone?

 

[Berkovajazz]

M6 are 10 times better than cx500.
I'm sure that you will like new MEE line, especially one of their top model, like cc51.
One my friend found them more better than original Monster Turbines (sources iTouch, Clip Rockboxed, Tascam Recorder)

 

[Marcus_C]

No, I haven't heard the cx95, the only senn's i've used are the cx271, cx300, cx300ii, cx400ii, cx55 and ie6, but I stand by preferring the m6/9 to the cx400ii (in fact all of them useability wise). Yes, I am biased against Sennheiser, as I am against Shure and Jays, it sounds like you're biased towards sennheiser, nothing wrong with that either, they are your ears after all and earphones from the same brand tend to have one/several common sound signature types. As an aside you know you can get the cx870 for about £40 unless you have vouchers or a big discount pass, they're a newer model which generally equals better sound.

 

[Illustrated]

well all i can say is that the CX95/870 more or less > all of the models you listed haha. don't know about the ie6 though.
 
i'm not biased towards Sennheiser, the truth is that in my area people don't care much for earphones. i've only ever personally tested Shure, Sennheiser and the Brainwavz M2/M3. and i can tell you for sure that the CX95's sound is superior to everything else i heard. there's no biasness, just pure honesty lol.
 
can you share the link/discount codes/vouchers? i've really milked the search engine dry and couldn't find another source selling them... not too sure about dealing with Amazon :\ and i'm not US/EU/UK so it makes it harder for me :\
 
P.S.: Berkovajazz, why're they 10 times better? would help forum-ers 10x better if your comment was at least constructive on the topic :S

 

[jant71]

Can't agree. I've owned both the CX95 and M2(R03 actually). The CX95 is a notch below the M2. Maybe a bit more soundstage size for the CX95 but can't say it won any other category. I can see a simple CX95 has more bass so it is better argument if that is all that matters but the Visang/Brainwavz phone was technically better.

 

[Illustrated]

wow interesting. because to me i thought the M2 was crap (that's just me).
the bass was horrible. and i'm NOT a basshead. it just sounded flat and thin for the M2. it was just sad.
like you said, the soundstage triumphs over the M2, and the bass is better.
not to mention the mids? the CX95's better in this department too.
the treble is debatable but i thought the CX95's one was more pleasing and didn't go to the point of being piercing which did for the M2 (again, that's just me).
Also, the overall sound signature's MUCH more balanced than the M2 (it's a treble oriented earphone), and with the larger soundstage i don't understand why'd you say the M2 is technically better :S
 
but that's just my personal opinion, no offense.

 

[Marcus_C]

Quote:

can you share the link/discount codes/vouchers? i've really milked the search engine dry and couldn't find another source selling them... not too sure about dealing with Amazon :\ and i'm not US/EU/UK so it makes it harder for me :\

 
I only mentioned those because I assumed there was some reason you were sticking to one retailer even though it didn't have your favourites in stock. You can get the cx95 for about £30 if that's what you like.

 

[Illustrated]

wow sounds good, do you have a link? would really help. gave up on my hunt for these elusive things

 

[Marcus_C]

It's from play:http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/17729846/Sennheiser-CX-95-Headphones-High-End-Noise-Isolating/Product.html?_%24ja=tsid:11518|cat:17729846|prd:17729846
 
Which isn't good really as unless they've changed their policy they don't ship electronics outside the UK, On another note, it wouldn't surprise me if the cx550 was the same as the old cx95 either, that might be worth looking in to.

 

[jant71]

Quote:

wow interesting. because to me i thought the M2 was crap (that's just me).
the bass was horrible. and i'm NOT a basshead. it just sounded flat and thin for the M2. it was just sad.
like you said, the soundstage triumphs over the M2, and the bass is better.
not to mention the mids? the CX95's better in this department too.
the treble is debatable but i thought the CX95's one was more pleasing and didn't go to the point of being piercing which did for the M2 (again, that's just me).
Also, the overall sound signature's MUCH more balanced than the M2 (it's a treble oriented earphone), and with the larger soundstage i don't understand why'd you say the M2 is technically better :S
 
but that's just my personal opinion, no offense.

You might have had a bad fit as the M2 is a bass slanted earphone. Just not as much as the CX95 or CC51. CC51 is like a better CX95 and the best of the bunch. I think the concensus is the M2 has more detail, tighter bass, more accurate image, better tone/timbre and can handle quicker more complex music with less smear down low than the CX95. No offense taken it is possible for them to sound that way as they are a shallow fit and fit is user dependent. Typical is M1 for those who want balance or more treble and M2 for those who want a warmer low end emphasis.