schneller
1000+ Head-Fier
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Quote:
Thanks for the comparison.
Though the highs on the Q-Jays could be an issue for me.
I was considering the SA6, SF5Pros, SF5s, and Q-Jays from the get-go. The SF5Pros look a little dorky to me, so I'm pretty sure they are no longer in the running. The build-quality of the SA6 is my biggest concern.
Originally Posted by Pianist /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think Q-jays are about on par with if not better than the SA6 and cost less. Here, I'll jot down some pros and cons of each below, judging from my own ears. Keep in mind though, that I only auditioned the Q-jays for about 10 minutes overall, while I had the SA6 for over a month now: Sleek Audio SA6: Pros: - deep, tight and neutral bass response that doesn't overpower the rest of the frequency spectrum - warm, detailed and musical midrange that is pleasant to listen to - well detailed and extended highs - treble and bass quantity can be adjusted somewhat using the different bass/treble tips - good imaging and instrument positioning - good isolation and comfort, especially when using the Shure black olives - very little microphonics when worn over the ear Cons: - build quality seems questionable and the treble tubes can detach rather easily from the earphone when removing the sleeves - the sound lacks some depth and especially dynamics compared to multiple driver IEMs and quality dynamic driver headphones (their most serious flaw IMO) - can be a bit thin sounding at times, again compared to multiple driver IEMs and dynamic drivers -the midrange is warmer the neutral and does not sound quite as natural as on the Q-jays - may not fit very deep into the ear depending on the shape and size of the ear canals, making wearing them over-the-ear difficult (the cable keeps on slipping from the ear to the side) Q-jays: Pros: - deep, tight and decently punchy bass response - excellent, natural midrange reproduction - well extended, sparkling highs - excellent detail throughout the frequency spectrum, maybe even better than SA6 - good imaging/instrument positioning - decent depth and dynamics - incredibly small size makes these a really comfortable IEM, even more comfortable than SA6, at least for my ears - build quality is great Cons: - soundstage can sound compressed and very in-the-head at times - the highs can become a bit too much and fatiguing after a while - the bass fades away rather quickly: it hits you and then it's gone without a trace - the overall sound is a bit thinner and more analytical than some other dual-driver and triple-driver IEMs out there, but definitely more dynamic and engaging than that of SA6 IMO Some other possible alternative in that price range include Klipsch Custom 2, the all new Sennheiser IE6, Futuresonics Atrio M5/M8, Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 (the new non-pro version is better), as well as Head-Direct RE1. However, out of all of those I only owned and listened to the RE1s, so I can't really comment on any others. Personally I think that Head-Direct RE1 requires an amp to shine and sounds quite dull and boring without one, plus the ergonomics aren't that great on the RE1 - the cables are quite noisy, and you can't wear the 'phones over the ear, plus the cable is a little too short for tall users and becomes too long with the extension. Hope this will be of some help. |
Thanks for the comparison.
Though the highs on the Q-Jays could be an issue for me.
I was considering the SA6, SF5Pros, SF5s, and Q-Jays from the get-go. The SF5Pros look a little dorky to me, so I'm pretty sure they are no longer in the running. The build-quality of the SA6 is my biggest concern.