[kingdixon]

Hello People!

I'm new here, Lurked around here alot to read X5 reviews and finally made the decision to buy it Since I just received my X5 today. I updated it straight away to FW 2.4. (had 2.3 installed in the box) but I have a question regarding the Volume of this player..I use HD 419 with this and I have to raise the volume all the way to about 90+ to get decent loudness on Low-Gain. Since HD 419 isn't really high-end headphone I'd like to know why the low sound. Does any one else face this problem or is it just my player? 

Thanks alot guys!

i think thats pretty normal on low gain, usually i do 60 to 70 on high gain, which can reach 90 on low gain for me.

 

[marcin z]

~65/120 @low gain is loud enough for me when using my modded T50RPs, with CIEMs I rarely go over 30/120.

 

[Wokei]

Most of the time...at 60 and very rarely increase volume except for some recording...protect your hearing at all time

 

[x RELIC x]

READ THIS PEOPLE. World Health Organization recommendation and read the links in the posted article.

Far too many people 'enjoy' their music far too loud for too long. Then later in life pay for it with either loss of hearing, or constant ringing, or a combination. In the end it's not worth the 'fun'.

Edit: I'll add that we didn't evolve to be bombarded with loud sounds for long periods. Our ears were designed to only take so much.

 

[Barbs]

+1 on the hearing thing - i've been overdoing it with the w60's + x5 + e12 combo.

Going to sell my e12, because while the bass is nice i've realised the sound is far sweeter and the bass is already excellent with the x5+ w60 combo.

By the way - what a difference moving from the X5 has made - I also agree it is a fantastic sounding product.  Not sure if anyone wnats to buy a mont blanc e12 but I'm putting it on ebay this weekend, message me if you're interested (70£, free shipping and mint condition UK only.)

 

[AudioBear]

IMHO you don't need an amp for the X5 unless you have an inefficient can, and i would say never on an IEM.  Sure you can use and amp as an equalizer but the X5 has one built in anyway.  Why add more mass and wires just to change the tone?
 
There is some excellent advice above.  Read the link on hearing loss and turn down the volume.  I'm 72 and although I have a 4-6K and HF loss I still hear better than a lot of 20-year olds today because they just listen at to high a volume.
 
FWIW I listen at 30-50 on an IEM.  Turn down the volume and save your ears.

 

[514077]

  Yes. Higher is better. 01 to 07 is labelled as bad, 08 to 13 as transition, and 14 to 20 as good.

Thanks.  My computer isn't good at reading tables.  Again thanks.

 

[Paulus XII]

I'm 40 and already have permanent ring in my right ear :S
 
Always listened to music at very high volumes. Till recently. Fortunatly there's still no hearing loss, so time to stop with the childish.

 

[Dobrescu George]

i feel like in between.
 
@Akroma your experience is totally normal, your x5 is working fine, and you should happily enjoy it. I would make a stretch if i were you, and get better headphones, ultrasone dj one, or sennheiser hd5XX or akg k550, or sennheiser urbanite xl and you might enjoy music even more. One advice would be to not get ath m50, i considered it under hd 419. 
 
Listening at loud volumes is bad for your ears, but i can totally understand that thing, as i end up listening loud some times because i listen while walking and the city noise is too high for music to be heared how it should, It is not good for your hearing, but as long as you don't end up at the end of the day with ringing in the ear, everything is fine. if at evening, or when you go to sleep you hear tinnitus, you are listening too loud.
 
another advice that would be usefull would be using EQ to make it seem louder without it being louder. For example, i want louder cymbals, but i am fine with mids and bass at lower volumes, because i am used to live music, un-recorded, but real live music, which has some louder than ever other instrument cymbals. so i use eq on x5 to add to treble, +4db, and i can listen at much lower volumes, because it is easyer for me to hear very fine details ^_^
 
at the end of the day i end up protecting my hearing, and enjoying more!

 

[Paulus XII]

Thats a good advice, I do the same ; )

 

[uzi2]

   
Listening at loud volumes is bad for your ears, but i can totally understand that thing, as i end up listening loud some times because i listen while walking and the city noise is too high for music to be heared how it should, It is not good for your hearing, but as long as you don't end up at the end of the day with ringing in the ear, everything is fine. if at evening, or when you go to sleep you hear tinnitus, you are listening too loud.

 
This is why isolation is my no.1 priority in choosing IEMs for portable use and nothing beats the Etys.

 

[514077]

I, too, have something odd going on in my right ear.  The high sibilance seems to be atrified and there is a slight distortion around F# two above middle C.  Not bad, but I wonder if it's from playing in a band or mostly having my right ear pointing to the piano while tuing for 34 years.
I find that once the phones are on, I can overcome it and enjoy music, but it bothers me to think I'm losin' me powers.

 

[AudioBear]

UELong
 
If you have been playing for 34 years there is no doubt you are losing your powers!  Yes the distortion you are hearing could be the piano, but it could also be a sign on some other health problem. If it's distinct enough to be heard clearly then maybe a trip to the ENT is in order just in case.  They can do a first class hearing test while you are there.  The advantage of that is you can use it to know how to equalize for flat, although in the rare event I equalize I usually emphasize bass or treble and forget about flat.
 
A lot of musicians wear IEMs which have now been shown to cause hearing loss (look at the 1964Ears Adel technology  at http://www.1964ears.com).  
 
As long as you can still enjoy music, tune an instrument and tell when it's time to call the piano tuner you're doing ok!

 

[Dobrescu George]

   
This is why isolation is my no.1 priority in choosing IEMs for portable use and nothing beats the Etys.

I had read in some places that etys tend to have less soundstage than ie8. i had not tried myself, but it seemed like a general agreement that ie8 have the best soundstage, and for me it is one of the most important aspects, so this is why i cannot choose etys, or other BA based iems.
 
Again, the ideea about soundstage is purely what i had read, not what i had heared in my experience, but i cannot test any BA based iem, only dynamics, and only from sennheiser.
 
most of times, i can do just fine with the isolation i have. these days it is much better, but in the past, i needed a little louder sound to still get the same details. with eqing it is much better.
 
Anyways, as soon as i will be able to, i am going to use some over the ear headphones in public. I am a little afraid of using iems, because i touch different things in public, then i touch my iems, and i would preffer as few bacteria as possible getting near... just saying, iems can be very fun, but i plan to either use over the ear headphones or have some anti bacterial wet tissues, to clean my hands and probably the silicone tips. this is also a valuable advice for anyone using iems, i strongly recommend using strong hygyene.

 

[Paulus XII]

Some Dodot to clean the tips must do it