The discovery thread!

[Mackem]

Was thinking of pulling the trigger on the S2s. Really good price even with Tenso fees and shipping to UK..Then I forgot I haven't verified my address and they'll likely go back up in price by the time I receive the verification letter

 

[waynes world]

  Was thinking of pulling the trigger on the S2s. Really good price even with Tenso fees and shipping to UK..Then I forgot I haven't verified my address and they'll likely go back up in price by the time I receive the verification letter

 
If you have a driver's license, just take a picture of it, and then black out everything except for your picture, name, address and date of birth (I think that's all they are looking for) using something like photoshop. Provide that to them, and you should get a verification email (not letter) very quickly (ie within a day or two). 

 

[PeterDLai]

I'd be tempted to get a pair of the S2 myself, but so far it seems that everyone here with experience with both the S2 and M200 (DannyBai, Dsnuts, dweaver, ericp10, Exesteils, kalbee, etc.) are unanimously in favor of the KEF (with regard to sound, at least). Because the M200 fit my ears fine, I think I'm able to contain my curiosity (until the next big discovery

).
 
I'm scared someone's going to chime in and say they prefer the S2 now just to push me over the edge...

 

[waynes world]

  I'd be tempted to get a pair of the S2 myself, but so far it seems that everyone here with experience with both the S2 and M200 are unanimously in favor of the KEF (with regard to sound, at least). Because the M200 fit my ears fine, I think I'm able to contain my curiosity.
 
I'm scared someone's going to chime in and say they prefer the S2 now just to push me over the edge...

 
 Believe me Peter, the S2's are WAY better - I really think that you need them {take it from someone who hasn't heard either of them lol).. 

 
Seriously, if the M200's fit your ears and you are happy with their sound, then I think that you can safely give your wallet a break this time!

 

[Dsnuts]

I don't expect everyone to like the S2s as I do. I know they are not gonna be everyone cup o tea.. I think much of it will be determined by your taste in sound as a preference. 
 
For me I like all sorts of different sounds the only ones I don't care for is bass anemic ones. On the other hand I don't like phones with too much bass either.. The S2s only real issue is the way they sound not broken in. People will judge them or any phone for that matter based on an open box experience and I am gonna tell every single person that thinks about getting the S2. They need a long burn in. The upper registers on them can sound rough on open listen. Can sound analytical a bit sterile sounding even. It is the type of phone you have to own and go though the process and hear it mature over time. Once given ample burn in time. They start to show what they can do more and more with more use and more different gears.
 
Burn in is not gonna magically transform phones to become another sound or anything like that but what it did for the S2 was give them more refinement balances and tames any type of peakiness heard on open listen..I kinda have a good feel for how phones will sound after some burn in even before burn in especially larger dynamics. Sure the S2 is not perfect..If I was to pin point on a flaw. Hmm I suppose if they had some better isolation, but then better isolation means sealing off the big grill in the back which means smaller stage.
 
Maybe the depth, but then with my X3 and NFB-5 there is no lack of depth on the sounds. Hmm..The highs could be smoother perhaps. For $115 or so. All I am saying is. If anything happened to my pair. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Asap.  

 

[PeterDLai]

   
 Believe me Peter, the S2's are WAY better - I really think that you need them {take it from someone who hasn't heard either of them lol).. 

 
Seriously, if the M200's fit your ears and you are happy with their sound, then I think that you can safely give your wallet a break this time!

 
Yeah, nice try. 

 
On another note, it seems like Amazon Japan got in more stock of the Fidelio S2 as they're not showing how many are remaining anymore (indication of replenished stock, maybe). I just wonder if they're going to be raising the price back up anytime soon.

 

[MrEleventy]

I had the M200s in my amazon cart and I chickened out. Good thing too because I just bought a pair from the fs threads for 140, I recently got a pair of fisher audio dba-02 mkII. Really nice balanced sound, awesome sparkly highs, great imaging and separation, and nicely detailed. Wish it had a little more punch to the bass and a larger soundstage/ less forward presentation. I like them but I wish I got them before I went overboard with the t90s, they didn't wow me and I know it would've if I didn't have the t90s. I have higher expectations with the m200, they've built quite a reputation.

E: If I'm not a fan of the sound or have fit issues, you guys get first dibs for the same price. Just so you'd know.

 

[Dsnuts]

http://www.head-fi.org/t/681247/free-amp-giveaway-with-conditions-audio-gd-nfb-10se#post_9795969

 

[Dsnuts]

Now I'm questioning myself for liking the Onkyos more than the S2.... Time to bring them out for another round.

Yeah, the new Sony Hybrid IEMs look promising. Seems like the have the same lead designer as the EX1000s, which are already amazing if not for the upper treble spike. I'm expecting great things from these

Na I don't blame you one bit. Like I said it will be more a sound preference than anything. I should be finishing up study for a test I have tomorrow but I had to take another listen to my Onkyos.. They keep on sounding better the more time they get the burn in.
 
I was listening to my Bassos earlier as well and I have to say I feel like I am wealthy in the great sounding musical earphone realm. Lol. 
In no particular order lets see we got the NE-700, IE-HF300, CKS1000, Bassos, XB90EX, Adiago III, FXZ200, CKM500, CKM99...My S2 seem to be the only neutralish phone in this crowd maybe that is why I enjoy em so much though I have to admit I didn't enjoy my GR07 or EX600 nearly as much.

 

[7S Cameron]

  Na I don't blame you one bit. Like I said it will be more a sound preference than anything. I should be finishing up study for a test I have tomorrow but I had to take another listen to my Onkyos.. They keep on sounding better the more time they get the burn in.
 
I was listening to my Bassos earlier as well and I have to say I feel like I am wealthy in the great sounding musical earphone realm. Lol. 
In no particular order lets see we got the NE-700, IE-HF300, CKS1000, Bassos, XB90EX, Adiago III, FXZ200, CKM500, CKM99...My S2 seem to be the only neutralish phone in this crowd maybe that is why I enjoy em so much though I have to admit I didn't enjoy my GR07 or EX600 nearly as much.

Even though I love my CKN70s, your impressions of the S2s have me tempted. You seem to be blown away by the sound, they are only $115, and they have a microphone. I was going to get the Onkyos, but I will probably go with these instead. I'm a little worried since I've never really owned any neutral audio equipment that I know of. All my speakers and headphones have had some sort of color to them. Do they still have enough bass for dubstep?
 
Another reason I want the S2s is because of your impressions with pairing the CKS1000s and the X3. Since I plan on getting the X3, I'd like my IEMs to pair with it well. Which means I need bright or neutral phones.

 

[Exesteils]

Na I don't blame you one bit. Like I said it will be more a sound preference than anything. I should be finishing up study for a test I have tomorrow but I had to take another listen to my Onkyos.. They keep on sounding better the more time they get the burn in.

I was listening to my Bassos earlier as well and I have to say I feel like I am wealthy in the great sounding musical earphone realm. Lol. 
In no particular order lets see we got the NE-700, IE-HF300, CKS1000, Bassos, XB90EX, Adiago III, FXZ200, CKM500, CKM99...My S2 seem to be the only neutralish phone in this crowd maybe that is why I enjoy em so much though I have to admit I didn't enjoy my GR07 or EX600 nearly as much.

Agreed. The GR07 were king when they came out but that's no longer the case. I like the S2, no doubt they stand out, even in this current market of excellent budget IEMs, but as I said, I tend to rank earphones based on how much I enjoy them on-the-go, so musicality and isolation is King to me. Given, the Onkyos don't scale nearly as amazing hooked up to my ODAC/O2 combo as the S2(seriously, what's up with that?). 2nd round of listening, after another 24hrs of burn, will start tonight, I'll look at them objectively this time instead of comparatively to musical phones.

 

[thatBeatsguy]

Agreed. The GR07 were king when they came out but that's no longer the case. I like the S2, no doubt they stand out, even in this current market of excellent budget IEMs, but as I said, I tend to rank earphones based on how much I enjoy them on-the-go, so musicality and isolation is King to me. Given, the Onkyos don't scale nearly as amazing hooked up to my ODAC/O2 combo as the S2(seriously, what's up with that?). 2nd round of listening, after another 24hrs of burn, will start tonight, I'll look at them objectively this time instead of comparatively to musical phones.

 

 

[daveyostrow]

id be interested to hear from someone who heard both the s2 and the gr07BE, the bass addition may be just as warm as the s2... or warmer?

 

[waynes world]

  Another reason I want the S2s is because of your impressions with pairing the CKS1000s and the X3. Since I plan on getting the X3, I'd like my IEMs to pair with it well. Which means I need bright or neutral phones.

 
From X3 thread:
 

  Tried the X3 out with my T-Peos H-200 and the synergy is better than with the Heir 5.0.  I think the Dark/Dark quality is why the Heir works better with LO to the the RSA Intruder where-as the T-Peos sounds just brilliant right out of the X3.  Has anyone else made the same observation with the H-200?  I am using complt 500's on the t-peos BTW.

 
Just saying...

 

[drbluenewmexico]

got my Onkyos hf300 and am burning them in and burning in my x3.  how did your onkyos sound
with the X3  DS?
 
am waiting on whiterabbitjapan.com for a quote for shipping me the S2s.  they have done a good
job getting me the tenores and bassos a few months ago.  both of which sound fantastic on my C3
an upgrade to those on the x3 should be quite remarkable!!!!!!
still musing over getting the 1Ks, but seems like too many birds in the nest...