music_4321
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2008
- Posts
- 5,120
- Likes
- 341
Further impressions:
My SM3s have now got about 16 hrs' burn-in, 10 of which with pink noise; so far there's been no change whatsoever - still generally sounding quite muddy. I can make out details in the music but it's more my brain, I think, helping bring out those details I've come to know so well. There is a veil, no question about it.
Also, I gave the 535 an added 5 hrs' burn-in with pink noise, and I still get the same anemic bass I first reported, and pronounced treble. And still prefer the 535s over the SM3s.
The fact there's been, in my view, far too much talk of which tips to use with the SM3s only further confirms, to me, there really is something not right about the SM3 sound presentation; still cannot believe how underwhelmed I am. With the IE8s, by contrast, I attribute so much talk of tips and tip mods to the somewhat awkward shape of the IE8's earpieces. I was lucky I got a perfect fit and very good seal right from the moment I tried them on. Burn-in in those was practically unnoticeable after 150 hrs, perhaps just a tiny bit of refinement - can't tell for sure.
I find the treble still more bearable on the SM3 than the 535s, though the SM3's treble is still clearly recessed. I can see myself managing much longer listening sessions with the SM3s due to what I perceive as pronounced treble on the 535s, but on the whole I still prefer the latter's overall sound along the whole frequency range.
I can also now confirm what I've been sensing for some time now: namely that too many things written in these forums tend to be exaggerated, and very much dependent on factors such as the all too familiar FOTM. Our ears, at least mine, become used to a particular type of sound fairly quickly and I feel quite a few people often, unknowingly, deceive themselves believing they've found a new 'holy grail', that is until the next new toy comes round. I strongly believe as well that the influence of so many of these posts cannot be underestimated.
My SM3s have now got about 16 hrs' burn-in, 10 of which with pink noise; so far there's been no change whatsoever - still generally sounding quite muddy. I can make out details in the music but it's more my brain, I think, helping bring out those details I've come to know so well. There is a veil, no question about it.
Also, I gave the 535 an added 5 hrs' burn-in with pink noise, and I still get the same anemic bass I first reported, and pronounced treble. And still prefer the 535s over the SM3s.
The fact there's been, in my view, far too much talk of which tips to use with the SM3s only further confirms, to me, there really is something not right about the SM3 sound presentation; still cannot believe how underwhelmed I am. With the IE8s, by contrast, I attribute so much talk of tips and tip mods to the somewhat awkward shape of the IE8's earpieces. I was lucky I got a perfect fit and very good seal right from the moment I tried them on. Burn-in in those was practically unnoticeable after 150 hrs, perhaps just a tiny bit of refinement - can't tell for sure.
I find the treble still more bearable on the SM3 than the 535s, though the SM3's treble is still clearly recessed. I can see myself managing much longer listening sessions with the SM3s due to what I perceive as pronounced treble on the 535s, but on the whole I still prefer the latter's overall sound along the whole frequency range.
I can also now confirm what I've been sensing for some time now: namely that too many things written in these forums tend to be exaggerated, and very much dependent on factors such as the all too familiar FOTM. Our ears, at least mine, become used to a particular type of sound fairly quickly and I feel quite a few people often, unknowingly, deceive themselves believing they've found a new 'holy grail', that is until the next new toy comes round. I strongly believe as well that the influence of so many of these posts cannot be underestimated.
