[justanotheruser]

UPDATE

I thought I'd reached the point where the triflanges simply couldn't go in any further. Well, in total disregard for my eardrums I simply CRAMMED

them completely and utterly in as far as they could possibly go. Albeit, it hurt at some points...a lot. However, once they were in I wouldn't have been able to hear a train going by. I also eq-ed up 8 and 16 dB at 8K and 16K respectively, noting that etymotic makes their drivers respond more to higher frequencies to simulate what we normally hear when sound is produced outside the ear.

Now I think perhaps that the "problem" is simply that my source and recordings sound plasticy - and that the E5s simply reveal this whereas the QuietComforts mask it. The details are almost revealed better by the QuietComforts, but it's not as true to the recording, I think. They're supposed to be details...and maybe are over-emphasized by regular phones. I am now undecided about these...maybe I'll try them for another few days.

 

[Zoide]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Natsuiro I went to a local store and was happy that they had e5c's and happier that they let me try them. But I was really disappointed in them. Shocked actually. But it could just be that I don't like the sound signature. I think it could also be that they just aren't what you are looking for.

What equipment were they plugged into? I remember that when I tried the universal fit model of the even-more-expensive Sensaphonics 2X-S, I was pretty disappointed. However, this was because they were plugged into the very bad headphone out of a receiver. Once I tried the real thing on an iPod's headphone out and on a headphone amp, they sounded 20X better.

 

[justanotheruser]

I tried my G4's built-in mini out, the line outs of my Delta 44 (line outs seem to drive them well enough, btw), and my brother's iPod (not the latest version, but the one before).

As you can tell, I'm trying to like the sound but I'm finding something lacking. I've decided that there is enough detail...and plenty of impact (earsplitting). The tone is just aweful, though - also - there really isn't much depth, although I expected that to some degree. It just has such a dark, sterile, compressed sound...maybe too "tight" for my tastes.

 

[bLue_oNioN]

Sterile and compressed are not words I would use to describe the E5. I would stay away from the tri-flanges and work mostly from the foamies. Try pairing these with a better quality source and material bank.

 

[Mina]

The source is almost as important as the earphones themselves, for the E5c's, you'll need your music at apple lossless, or equivalent. Otherwise your asking the E5c's to paint a master piece using a toilet brush, it just isn't going to happen.

Mina.

 

[justanotheruser]

Well - that's what's so shocking to me - I can take a lossless or wav file, encode it at 192 mp3 and really not hear any difference. I hear a huge difference listening through my computer speakers and my old MDR-7506s. Maybe something went wrong in the production process? I just can't figure it out!

 

[Natsuiro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoide What equipment were they plugged into? I remember that when I tried the universal fit model of the even-more-expensive Sensaphonics 2X-S, I was pretty disappointed. However, this was because they were plugged into the very bad headphone out of a receiver. Once I tried the real thing on an iPod's headphone out and on a headphone amp, they sounded 20X better.

I used a sony D-NE1 pcdp's lineout and a portable pimeta. Not the best set up, but it was quite obvious that the sound sig was not for me.

 

[justanotheruser]

Well, I'm packing these babies up and sending them back tomorrow. Obviously they were just a bad match.