[Mahalko]

Ipod 3 year old, MacBook 6 months. Maybe I should mention that I am using Itunes /Amarra and uncompressed files with the laptop...

 

[IamYuri]

Ok, i just checked it. Your IPod might be gen5, while good sound is gen6 and 7.

 

[ricky1989]

I have to agree with Mahalko comments about the sm64. The highs, mids and lows are presented in a neutral and balanced fashion (perhaps with a tint of warmth compare to ER4's). Soundstage is really wide, placement of instruments and vocal are good. However I noticed instruments separation is just shy of um3x, which i was using before purchasing the sm64. My ears are easier to discern different instruments in songs with the um3x.
Except of the point just mentioned. I would opt for the sm64 over my um3x.

 

[IamYuri]

Do you amp, ricky? What player do your use?

 

[Tom Yum Goong]

Oh boy, do I really need to buy another amp to do more testing?
In which way does the sound change when you amp them "properly"?
I hate carrying around an amp with me, but if it really changes the soundquality so much. Curse you, Head-Fi!

 

[ricky1989]

Quote:

Do you amp, ricky? What player do your use?

 
I dont have an amp in the moment. I plug it directly to my mac and an ipod touch. Again, with the computer, the earphone sounds better as Mahalko said. 
This is a reason why i am eager to test it with sony's PHA-1 (looks nice and not really expensive)

 

[Tom Yum Goong]

Not really expensive?
...
It looks pretty awesome and the reviews are really tempting, but I don't get how people are carrying around this metal bricks+player.

sorry for the off-topic stuff

 

[ricky1989]

In HK the amp is around $4k HKD (~500US). Which is cheaper than the earphone, where shops are asking for 4.5k HKD (560US)....
 
Yea, especially it comes packaged with a DAC. I used to own a RS Predator, sold after 9 months of use, entirely because of the bulkiness it caused

 

[Tom Yum Goong]

So is it really advised to pay almost as much for an amp as you paid for the earphones?

Or I could just buy a DX100...
Let me just quick rob the nearest bank


EDIT:
Okay I just red that amping a Cowon J3 is a non-no. Something about double-amping...
I guess I'll just wait till I have the money for a DX100 or the Fiio X3 comes out

 

[azerty6713]

Hi  !
The SM64 are just updated with a new version !
 
Source translated from French by Google
 
Quote:

Montpellier Earsonics firm has decided to recall sent models of its new flagship, the SM64. Far from being due to a fault, the company wants them to add one improvement. Commercial director Max Capgras addresses and buyers:
 
 
Quote:

 

Dear Customer
You recently purchased a SM64 and we thank you.
We thought we had already reached a high level of sound quality with the latest in our ITE universal
and it is therefore in a constant improvement that we are happy to share with you that a change is now available.
This will greatly increase the listening pleasure even the SM64 could get, and demonstrates the care given to our products.
Details:
-As a result, we obtain a better control of the spectral balance (medium "sauce Earsonics" upper midrange and deleting any sibilance on some players high listening levels) with better support in the lower spectrum used in low power drives ...
-Lowering the overall impedance of 95 ohms headphones for better "driving" with low level players such iPod, J3, etc..
With this modification, the SM64 can perfectly go amp to operate ... Use an amp certainly improve the listening experience (as with our EM4 and EM6) but it is not mandatory.
This change is of course supported by us if you wish to contact us sav@earsonics.com
PS: From now on, all our SM64 series are manufactured with the changing
Cordially

 

 

[Tom Yum Goong]

Wooooooooow.

When did you get this mail?
Man these are pretty unexpected news.
I don't even know what to say

Exactly the stuff I was complaining about...I hope i will get the mail anytime soon!

 

[ricky1989]

Yea, i was posted with the news. Sounds incredible for earsonics to do that. 
In the same time, does it means ours are now officially Limited High Impedance version? lol
 
Anyways, the conversion process requires us to post the earphone back. (for anyone who is going to take the offer)

 

[Tom Yum Goong]

Quote:

Yea, i was posted with the news. Sounds incredible for earsonics to do that. 
In the same time, does it means ours are now officially Limited High Impedance version? lol
 
Anyways, the conversion process requires us to post the earphone back. (for anyone who is going to take the offer)

The limited "hard to drive and slightly sibilant"-version

I havn't received the received the mail by now, but sending my SM64 back to Earsonics is not that much of a problem for me...Germany is pretty close to France

 

[ricky1989]

Sibilant doesnt occur to me, most probably because i quite like the bone chilling highs 

 
I would love to hear feedback from people who are going to get (buy/ convert) the 95ohm version before making the jump. Shipping would worth it only if improvements are found.

 

[Tom Yum Goong]

It will sure take a while until someone gets back their "improved" SM64. I really love these precise and airy highs too, but sometimes they just go way too high for my taste. I'm pretty excited what my pair will sound like

If the highs are getting too shy for you, I could sell you my Headphonelounge cable. Improves highs and soundstage