So I got mine today, finally. The bag was sturdy and of good quality (much better than etys little pouch). I love the little metal loop on it, if you want to attach it to something. The big selection of sleeves was super nice, although many are kind of useless and similar to each other. (BTW, there's only one kind of white tip on the pic on the package, so I guess there's nothing wrong with that after all.) The paper box they came in was nice enough to not go in the trash can and slided open by pulling a little strap. A nice little detail. As was the winder and shirt clip. I was also amazed by the finish. It looks like a children's toy with the silvery plastic, but a really well-made one. Amazing value for $20. They really have an eye for detail! Presentation: 10/10.
Over to the sound. I only got a good seal with the foamies, which was expected. At this point they could sound like Koss the Plug and I'd still be kind of satisfied, because of the excellent presentation. But they didn't, they were actually pretty good. I'd describe the sound as surprisingly full with a good amount of bass, considering the $20 price (clear bass - I won't touch the other setting for now by fear of the nobs coming off, plus I don't want more bass). I do prefer my iM716 over these sound-wise; they simply do not reproduce sound as truely, and do not have the clarity and sparkle of the iM716 (or more expensive ety 'phones for that matter). Except for that they make voices sound slightly unnatural. Maybe something is slightly off in the midrange, or maybe I'm just used to another sound signature which I like more. I'm not sure, but at this point, it kind of bugs me. It's not a big deal though, and for some electronica I listened to, I think I actually prefer that darker less clear sound. Sound: 8/10 (considering the price).
I'll probably use them for a week or two and let my ears burn in, because
- They sound really good (for $20).
- They go over the ear, so no microphonics
- They don't really need an amp.
- They cost $20, so I won't cry a lot when I lose them.
- They don't go deep in the ear, which is good when you have to be ready to take them off and communicate with people.
The $29 deal from Head-Direct is really good. $20 from focalprice is better, but you have to wait a month, and Head-Direct has good customer service that I'm sure focalprice can't match.
The PL-30 is a great choice for a cheap option when you don't want to worry about losing or damaging them. I am using mine as workout earphones. The bass is a little boomy and the midrage detail is not great, but the overall sound is decent, and excellent for the price.
Man, I really love these phones. They sound even more awesome with the Fiio E3. The white bi-flanges gave me the best seal, followed by the medium sized grey ones. Although I don't use the white in public because even though I clean my ears once a day they get wax on them.
just got mine today and they sound even better than I thought they would. The bi-flanges isolate and stay sealed VERY well for me. I just worked out in them and they were great. No problems with losing seal with them over my ears. I got mine from focalprice and they took ten days to reach me in MA. Also they come with a buttload of accessories - a bunch of tips, a shirt clip, a cord "holder" and a great case that I actually am going to use for my SA6s instead of the weird Sleek case. I am way more impressed than I thought I would be. Also I have settled on the clear bass setting. The other is just a bit too much bass for my brain to handle...Highly recommend them - esp. for 20 shipped!!
Several members seem to be having trouble with the tips on the PL-30. I use the head direct bi-flange but they are big. I am useing now the Skullcandy ink large tips. I get lots of bass and everthing else with these tips. I just bought the skullcandy ink iem and use the tips that came with it. The skullcandy ink iem are very cheep.
After some "burn in" I got a much better sound than before. The trick was to push them with the thumb in a twisting motion so they go a couple of millimeters further up the ear canal. Huge success - the seal got even better (still using foamies). Plus I'm getting used to the mush darker sound signature. I guess one cannot overemphasize how important it is to get a good seal with IEMs.
Also, as someone else wrote here, they are TINY, so I can use these while lying down in bed or resting my head on a pillow in the bus.
Holly mother of bass....
I just tested the PL-30's with the foam tips again, with some twisting and other tricks I learned to get a nice seal and I ran some BASS tests on these puppies. ALL MY FREAKING GOD! The bass is amazing... so deep and clear at the same time. As for the other frequencies I think they are doing pretty amazing job for 20$ headphones. Overall the PL-30's are as far as you can go in SQ for 20$.
I got mine today, not expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised at the acceptable sound and very nice packaging. Quite an upgrade from the usual OEM buds included with MP3 players.
if anyone cares, here's my thoughts on an A/B with SR-60's and these.
i put on "Sognariket Sine Krigarar" by Windir with my SR-60's with reverse HD414's, quarter modded. The PL-30's are set to "clear bass" and have the foamie tips. Grados have much better treble. The treble on the PL-30's is a bit flat, and the midrange feels a bit flatter as well. The PL-30's have very clear bass though, they sound a lot like Senn PX-100's in my opinion. Of course the PL-30's won't touch the Grados in SQ, but they have their strengths in different areas.
In my experience Focalprice will deliever their orders within a week or two, they just forget to let their customers know when they are out of stock!
Anyway, the pl-30 out compete most IEM´s in the 20-50 dollar range. But compare them with any decent headphones or IEM´s in a higher price bracket they might not do as well, depends on your ears, taste of music, but for 20 dollars you certainly get a lot.
Give them a good burn-in, find the right sleeves and fit and they are way better than f.ex cx 300 ro JVC HA FX 66.
Ordered mine on October 16th, and recieved them two weeks later.
First impression is quite good. The sound is not as rich or lush as on my ATH-A700`s. Soundstage can`t compare either. But I guess comparing the two is not fair at all. They are not burned in yet, so a more detailed impression will not be posted by me before a week or two has passed by. Overall thus far, I am happy! They will definately be perfect as my new gym companions.
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