[ljokerl]

 
Quote:

Right now I'm in the middle of reviewing the V-Moda M-80. It's no giant killer joker but I think you'll find it a generally nice can. I did some A/Bing against the P5 and the Beats Solo and it easily trumps the Solo.

No big accomplishment there but I do like the M-80.
 


Quote:

 
 
it sounds like another "guess the can" contest? the first one was fun 

Yes... winner gets my pink Skullcandy Smokin' Buds 

 

 

[estreeter]

Joker, have you heard the DT440s ? The cups make them too big to be 'portable', but A-T did design them to fold, albeit with a somewhat goofy headband. Almost zero isolation, completely useless away from a desk/bedroom, but I find myself really missing those cans 18 months after selling them. Interested to know if you've ever sold a pair of cans only to buy a second pair.

 

[Mad Max]

A-T?  Or you mean BD?
 
I never noticed much change burning-in ESW9, so if you do not like it, sell or return it.  I didn't think it was so bad, until I picked up MDR-7509HD (too big and clunky for portable use, but I used them as such anyway, lol).  Trumps ESW9 completely, more so after all the modding I did to it.  I think ESW9's unique sound is what keeps people hooked, I think.  Damn shame; I did love the look and comfort of those cans a lot.
 
ljokerl, thanks for the nice ES10 write up; did you find them as energetic as Grados?  Any bumps or peaks around 5kHz, 7kHz, or 10kHz?  Dips?  How exactly was the midrange balance?

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

Joker, have you heard the DT440s ? The cups make them too big to be 'portable', but A-T did design them to fold, albeit with a somewhat goofy headband. Almost zero isolation, completely useless away from a desk/bedroom, but I find myself really missing those cans 18 months after selling them. Interested to know if you've ever sold a pair of cans only to buy a second pair.

No, haven't heard them. I have gone back to headphones after selling them, though. I've owned several PortaPros and Yuin PK3s and bought the JVC RX700 twice. More recently bought another Ety ER-4S after a two year hiatus.

 
Quote:

ljokerl, thanks for the nice ES10 write up; did you find them as energetic as Grados?  Any bumps or peaks around 5kHz, 7kHz, or 10kHz?  Dips?  How exactly was the midrange balance?

The treble isn't very even but there aren't any huge spikes that I noticed. It is bumpy but I would have to have the headphones on hand and do some slow sweeps to figure out where exactly. They are energetic, maybe as much as a set of MS1s or MS2s (which I find to be slightly less energetic than the average Grado) but not harsh or grating. For reference, I did not like the SR125 or SR325is as much as the MS1/MS2 - too bright for me. 
 
Mids are not as forward as bass/treble.
 

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

A-T?  Or you mean BD?
 

Sweet Jesus, I really am losing my mind - yes, I do mean the BEYERDYNAMIC DT440 ....
 
Thanks for the clarification. Time to start cutting back on my beer intake while I still have 3 or 4 braincells left.
 

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

Sweet Jesus, I really am losing my mind - yes, I do mean the BEYERDYNAMIC DT440 ....
 
Thanks for the clarification. Time to start cutting back on my beer intake while I still have 3 or 4 braincells left.
 

You've got it backwards... those last few braincells are what's holding you back!

 

[DaBomb77766]

Hm, so I tried the ZX700 a few times in a Sony store, and I honestly didn't like them much at all.  To me, they sounded a little...constrained and congested?  Maybe a little muddy too.  I dunno, they just weren't doing it for me.  I loved the build quality and ergonomics and all, but to me, they just didn't sound very good at all...maybe I'd just need more time with them?  I only really spent about five minutes listening to them.
 
Makes me wonder if the ZX1000 would have a similar sound signature or not...hm, maybe it's just the signature I don't like.

 

[Unwise]

How do the TMA-1's compare to the HD 25 in sound and comfort?

 

[roma101]

TMAs are darker, soundstage slightly bigger, comfort wayyyy better but less isolation, bass is good but relaxed when compared to the HD25. HD25 have punchier bass, clamps tighter which increases isolation but not be that comfortable to some (I have no problem with it for a couple hours), and has an overall more aggressive sound sig, which can be very good for rock (something of a closed Grado). It's brighter up top. Narrow soundstage but decent depth. Slightly recessed mids. 

 

[Proglover]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I remember clampage and (dis)comfort of TMA-1 being similar to HD-25.
 
But I only used TMA-1 for an hour or so, sound sig is not my cup of tea

 

[kyuuketsuki]

Quote:

Maybe I'm wrong, but I remember clampage and (dis)comfort of TMA-1 being similar to HD-25.
 
But I only used TMA-1 for an hour or so, sound sig is not my cup of tea

 
The sig of the TMA-1s is definitely a love, hate or EQ affair. If you don't mind EQing, they respond remarkably well. If you don't like EQing, you'll either hate them or you'll love them, or you'll only like them for their strongest genres like electronica. They are a warmer version of the HD25s. If you have the right set-up, the HD25s have more punchy bass, but without the right set-up, I'd say they were about equal (though from my Cowon J3, the HD25s were still better, but I needed to up the volume a fair amount more). The great thing about the TMA-1s is how easy they are to drive. For people like me who wants their portable rigs, portable, having a 32ohm impedance helps vs the 70ohm HD25. That said, for most music, unEQed, I prefer the sound of the HD25s, but EQing closes that gap pretty decently (but you need a full EQ, the iPod EQ is simply not enough. You need EQu or Cowon EQ or Rockbox Sansa EQ imo). The TMA-1s never have the same highs, but they become much better while retaining their non-fatiguing sound. 
 
As for comfort and clamping force, the TMA-1s are interesting to say the least. They have high initial clamping force, but because of their build materials they decrease over a period of time. The clamping force remains fair enough for train rides, but isn't consistent like the HD25s. And that is where their comfort comes from. The fact that they use rubber materials to build them instead of hard plastic gives them durability and comfort, but it takes away from the clamping force. The HD25s on the other hand uses a high quality hard plastic that is durable and retains its clamping force. So less comfort for more isolation. If you wear glasses, the HD25s may not be the best fit. With my regular glasses I never have a problem with the TMAs, but start feeling discomfort with the HD25s. With my sunglasses, they are both pretty bad, but the TMAs improve (ie, if it was cloudy and I was already wearing my TMAs and then had to put on my sunglasses later), but not enough to say they are completely comfortable.
 
That said, I cannot say that either the TMA-1 or the HD25-1 II is significantly better than the other. They are both really good headphones that are both damn near indestructible. I've only briefly demoed the M80s and my initial impressions were the same... Really, if I had the money to waste, I'd get either the M80 or HD25 to compliment my TMAs, but I think instead wait until I have enough to buy a proper portable upgrade. 

 

[ikehouserock]

Hey joker,
 
Just wanted to say thanks so much for the amazing amazing thread (and the IEM one, too!). Thanks to you now I'm stuck trying to decide between a PX200-II, MDR-V6, ZX700 or the CAL!.

Decisions decisions!

 

[RAFA]

The impressions on the ES10 are very accurate. I have both, the ES10 and the DT1350. It would be really nice if the ES10 would have the same type of pads like the DT1350. With small ears the ES10 is more like a over-ear headphone and not an on-ear headphone. Out of the box, the ES10 was an outstanding headphone. There should be more love on head-fi for these

 

[Unwise]

Hey!
Thanks for the advice! I downloaded Equ and am loving it. About to pick up the TMAs but now there is all this talk about the M80s (which I can get for 180). How would you compare those with the TMAs? I figure they are probably more comfortable but is there sound comparable. Thanks again. 
 
Quote:

 
The sig of the TMA-1s is definitely a love, hate or EQ affair. If you don't mind EQing, they respond remarkably well. If you don't like EQing, you'll either hate them or you'll love them, or you'll only like them for their strongest genres like electronica. They are a warmer version of the HD25s. If you have the right set-up, the HD25s have more punchy bass, but without the right set-up, I'd say they were about equal (though from my Cowon J3, the HD25s were still better, but I needed to up the volume a fair amount more). The great thing about the TMA-1s is how easy they are to drive. For people like me who wants their portable rigs, portable, having a 32ohm impedance helps vs the 70ohm HD25. That said, for most music, unEQed, I prefer the sound of the HD25s, but EQing closes that gap pretty decently (but you need a full EQ, the iPod EQ is simply not enough. You need EQu or Cowon EQ or Rockbox Sansa EQ imo). The TMA-1s never have the same highs, but they become much better while retaining their non-fatiguing sound. 
 
As for comfort and clamping force, the TMA-1s are interesting to say the least. They have high initial clamping force, but because of their build materials they decrease over a period of time. The clamping force remains fair enough for train rides, but isn't consistent like the HD25s. And that is where their comfort comes from. The fact that they use rubber materials to build them instead of hard plastic gives them durability and comfort, but it takes away from the clamping force. The HD25s on the other hand uses a high quality hard plastic that is durable and retains its clamping force. So less comfort for more isolation. If you wear glasses, the HD25s may not be the best fit. With my regular glasses I never have a problem with the TMAs, but start feeling discomfort with the HD25s. With my sunglasses, they are both pretty bad, but the TMAs improve (ie, if it was cloudy and I was already wearing my TMAs and then had to put on my sunglasses later), but not enough to say they are completely comfortable.
 
That said, I cannot say that either the TMA-1 or the HD25-1 II is significantly better than the other. They are both really good headphones that are both damn near indestructible. I've only briefly demoed the M80s and my initial impressions were the same... Really, if I had the money to waste, I'd get either the M80 or HD25 to compliment my TMAs, but I think instead wait until I have enough to buy a proper portable upgrade. 

 

 

[estreeter]

I havent owned a lot of IEMs, but the RE262 continues to blow me away. I know tip choice is important with any IEM, but the difference between the stock biflanges and the large biflange tips, in my ears, is night and day. If I could find a tip that was halfway between the two, I would have it all - fantastic sound *and* a comfortable IEM. I was hesitant to go back to HiFiMan after my experience with the RE0, but they have definitely kicked a goal with the 262.