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91. sony wh-1000xm5 vs focal listen wireless (W):

The wh-1000xm5 has more bass and sub-bass, a wider soundstage, smoother treble, and generally a warmer signature.

The listen wireless has leaner mids, much better background detail, is clearer, more transparent, better bass-mids-treble balance, better imaging, better instrument separation, clearer bass, better treble, and more forward mids.

The 1000xm5 was used via bluetooth since it sounds better than wired mode, whereas the listen was mostly tested on wired mode. I was quite disappointed with the 1000xm5’s sound quality, since the listen wireless cost me a lot less ($120 new). But even if they were the same price, the listen is better in most areas. Of course, the listen does not have ANC, and the 1000xm5’s is best in class, so that’s one reason why you may buy the 1000xm5 instead. Another reason is that it is comfier and lighter. But for anything sound related, I prefer the listen a lot more.

 

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92. thieaudio monarch mk1 (W) vs sennheiser ie900:

The monarch has better treble, is clearer, more natural, has leaner mids, a better bass-mids-treble balance, more transparent, better instrument separation, and clearer background detail.

The ie900 has a wider soundstage, more bass, is more holographic, sounds more as a whole, better bass, airier, smoother treble, livelier, and is comfier. However, the bass has a tendency to overpower everything else.

 

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93. thieaudio monarch mk1 vs sony ier-z1r (W):

The monarch has a little more forward mids, is smoother overall, with fuller mids, more natural vocals, is comfier, but treble can get shouty.

The z1r is clearer, with better bass, better treble, is faster, a little more transparent, livelier, a little wider soundstage, airier, more holographic, better instrument separation, more height, a little better background detail, and sounds more as a whole.

 

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94. k's earphone bell-lbbs vs moondrop chaconne (W):

The chaconne is clearer, more transparent, has a leaner treble, is more natural, with more forward mids, better instrument separation, and better background detail.

The lbbs has much more bass and sub-bass, more height, is livelier, sounds more as a whole, is airier, with a slightly wider soundstage.

 

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95. a&k se180 (W) vs a&k sr25 mk2:

The se180 is superior is almost every way: better background detail, wider soundstage, a little more bass, clearer, better imaging, more transparent, better instrument separation, more height. I couldn’t find anything that the sr25 clearly did better sonically. The difference is incremental, but the se180 is clearly better. However, the sr25 is a lot more compact and easier to carry around.

Every a&k device seems to aim for the same neutral reference sound, and the only difference is in technical ability, not tuning. I think this is a good thing, because when you buy a&k you know exactly the kind of sound that you will get. This is unlike sony’s approach, with the wm1a and wm1z having different tuning, as well as the m9 and the z1r. Of course, a&k’s approach can get boring for some, but if you get bored, you can always try other brands.

 

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96. ve monk vs yincrow x6 (W):

The monk has more recessed mids and a sharper treble.

The x6 has more bass, better background detail, is airier, clearer, more transparent, better bass, wider soundstage, sounds more as a whole, a little more height, smoother treble, more forward mids.

I still remember the days when the monk was a huge hit, being a $5 wonder. However, those days are long gone, and the $10 x6 is much superior.

 

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97. sennheiser ie900 vs 64 audio u12t (W):

The ie900 has much more bass and sub-bass, is airier, wider soundstage, better layering, is livelier, and has smoother notes overall, though the bass sometimes overpowers everything.

The u12t is clearer, more transparent, better background detail, leaner overall, better bass-mids-treble balance, more forward mids, tighter bass, and better instrument separation.

 

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98. a&k se180 vs a&k sp2000t (W):

The se180 has a little more forward mids, a little more bass, and a little more height.

The sp2000t is a little clearer, leaner overall, more transparent, has a little wider soundstage, sounds more as a whole, has more power, is more natural, clearer background detail, clearer bass, is lighter, and has more side buttons.

I only have the sem1 module for the se180, so the comparison may be very different with any other module. Both have a similar house sound, and while the sp2000t is better in most aspects, the difference is not that much. It’s incremental, and one has to ask how if the incremental difference is worth the $1,000. However, this is only with the OP amp on the sp2000t. I really like the tube amp, and it pairs really well with neutral iems. The tube amp makes everything smoother, fuller and more expansive, as well as giving that analogue sound. For some people I think this tube sound will be worth the extra $1000.

 

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99. sennheiser ie900 vs sony ier-z1r (W):

The ie900 has a wider soundstage, smoother mids, more bass and sub-bass, sounds more as a whole, better bass-mids-treble balance, a little airier, smoother treble, and comfier.

The z1r has more forward mids, is clearer, more transparent, tighter bass, leaner mids, sparklier treble, better background detail, a little more height, better imaging, and better instrument separation.

These two iems are known for their bass. I was actually surprised to hear that the ie900 has more bass quantity. Unfortunately, I feel that it is too much, since it tends to overpower everything else. The bass of the z1r is tighter and tends not to overpower other frequencies.

 

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100. sennheiser ie900 vs thieaudio monarch mk2 (W):

The ie900 has much more bass, is airier, has a wider soundstage, a little more forward mids, more height, sounds more as a whole, better imaging, much more expansive, great cello, is comfier, but bass can overpower everything else.

The monarch is clearer, more transparent, with better background detail, sparklier treble, better bass-mids-treble balance, more natural, better instrument separation, leaner mids, tighter bass.

 

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101. moondrop chaconne (W) vs focal listen wireless:

The chaconne is airier, has a little leaner treble, is more transparent, with more forward mids and clearer background detail.

The listen has a little more bass, with better imaging, a wider soundstage, and is smoother overall.

 

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102. etymotic evo (W) vs etymotic er4sr

The evo has more bass, more forward mids, fuller notes, a little wider soundstage, is airier, better background detail, better layering, better instrument separation, is smoother, more lively, more natural.

The er4sr is more transparent, clearer, has thinner notes, a sharper treble, and is more neutral. It sounds flatter, and sometimes harsher.

The evo rounds off the sharper edges of the er4sr, and I prefer it for that, but those who love the traditional "ety" sound might end up preferring the er4sr.

 

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103. etymotic er4sr vs etymotic er3se (W):

The 4sr is thinner overall, clearer, more neutral, with a sharper treble, better background detail and clearer bass.

The 3se is a little smoother, airier, more natural, a little wider soundstage, a little more height, and fuller notes.

The sound is pretty similar, with the 4sr being a bit more technical. However, I prefer the tonality of the 3se; it is a little less reference, but a little more natural.

 

[LzL962]

Thanks for all the reviews, would it be possible for you to compare Sony IER M9 and the IE900?

From what you reviewed, looks like the IE900 has more bass than Z1R and Z1R has more bass than M9, so I am assuming IE900 has more bass than M9, but I read somewhere online that IE900 has similar amount of bass as M9.

 

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Thanks for all the reviews, would it be possible for you to compare Sony IER M9 and the IE900?

From what you reviewed, looks like the IE900 has more bass than Z1R and Z1R has more bass than M9, so I am assuming IE900 has more bass than M9, but I read somewhere online that IE900 has similar amount of bass as M9.

Thanks for the support!
Unfortunately i do not have either the m9 or the ie900 atm (i cycle through iems a lot), but the bass on the m9 is not that prominent, and it's very pronounced on the ie900. Perhaps they were referring to the quality of the bass instead of the quantity?