[Kunlun]

Hifiman filters fit the fx850, something to consider for those thinking that the highs need taming.

 

[Lorspeaker]

never tot 850 is ..."sharp"  , hmmmm not on my dull-en ears

 

[musicinmymind]

  Hifiman filters fit the fx850, something to consider for those thinking that the highs need taming.

 
it will also further boost low end....i have both worth a try.

 

[LaPierre]

The 850 to me is both warm and cold. The bass is pretty large and it isn't unrefined, it just has a little bit too much upper bass which comes off as bloaty and as warmth. The treble to me isn't bright/edgy/sharp, there's just a small peak in the lower treble and it rolls a little too much (like a lot of JVCs tend to do). The FX850 isn't very well balanced, it's a little skewed in places that slightly hurt its overall sound. Namely upper bass and upper midrange (emphasis), but with EQ or mods to tame the bass quantity it's a very pleasant and refined IEM. Though closing the rear port entirely makes them sound unnatural with a smaller soundstage. They aren't perfect, they're like a slightly obnoxious friend with a lot of charming qualities. The upper bass appears to add a veil to the sound, but make no mistake -- the FX850 is has lots of resolution which is very obvious when you fix the bass.

 

[ronaldo7messi10]

  The 850 to me is both warm and cold. The bass is pretty large and it isn't unrefined, it just has a little bit too much upper bass which comes off as bloaty and as warmth. The treble to me isn't bright/edgy/sharp, there's just a small peak in the lower treble and it rolls a little too much (like a lot of JVCs tend to do). The FX850 isn't very well balanced, it's a little skewed in places that slightly hurt its overall sound. Namely upper bass and upper midrange (emphasis), but with EQ or mods to tame the bass quantity it's a very pleasant and refined IEM. Though closing the rear port entirely makes them sound unnatural with a smaller soundstage. They aren't perfect, they're like a slightly obnoxious friend with a lot of charming qualities. The upper bass appears to add a veil to the sound, but make no mistake -- the FX850 is has lots of resolution which is very obvious when you fix the bass.

 
what IEM would you recommend which is better than the 850 then?

 

[Inks]

I agree completely with LaPierre. 

 

[LaPierre]

   
what IEM would you recommend which is better than the 850 then?

Could not say. I bought the FX850 when it was about 400$ on amazon and wasn't unsatisfied. At 300$ I'd say it's really good. The FX850 is the only IEM I own, but I have compared it to others headphones I've had (or tried extensively) including the Sony MDR-MA900, HE-400i, DT880 and in a couple days I'll be able to compare it to the K612. So far only the HE-400i has bested it in resolution and the FX850's soundstage it almost as big as a DT880s (it's odd in that its very large yet still sounds somewhat inside of your head, I guess to a degree its inevitable for in-ears to overcome that, or maybe its placeabo because you feel them inside your ear. Or maybe response unevenness due to different seals in each ear, either way). I wrote that as if the FX850 is flawed, and it is. I really like neutral headphones, but the FX850 makes me forget that and brings forth certain tonal characteristics even planars can't quite replicate. I recommend them if you're interested.

 

[LaPierre]

I don't think it's worth spending the extra money to get something better than the FX-850 for in-ear headphones. If you don't already have a really good pair of fullsized headphones, there's no real reason to get top-dollar IEMs. Full-sized headphones offer a more realistic sense of imaging and (if they're open, Grados/HE-400i excluded) and a bigger, more tangible soundstage that surrounds you rather than floats around your head (which IEMs seem to do). 

 

[subguy812]

  Could not say. I bought the FX850 when it was about 400$ on amazon and wasn't unsatisfied. At 300$ I'd say it's really good. The FX850 is the only IEM I own, but I have compared it to others headphones I've had (or tried extensively) including the Sony MDR-MA900, HE-400i, DT880 and in a couple days I'll be able to compare it to the K612. So far only the HE-400i has bested it in resolution and the FX850's soundstage it almost as big as a DT880s (it's odd in that its very large yet still sounds somewhat inside of your head, I guess to a degree its inevitable for in-ears to overcome that, or maybe its placeabo because you feel them inside your ear. Or maybe response unevenness due to different seals in each ear, either way). I wrote that as if the FX850 is flawed, and it is. I really like neutral headphones, but the FX850 makes me forget that and brings forth certain tonal characteristics even planars can't quite replicate. I recommend them if you're interested.

That is very fair. They are flawed, at times bass overwhelms and I have never had treble issues with these so I don't hear that. I enjoy their sound signature so much. They work so well with all genres I listen to. They best many of the cans I have had. Huge soundstage for an iem. I am really happy with them. I use the stock silicon tips as well.

 

[LaPierre]

  That is very fair. They are flawed, at times bass overwhelms and I have never had treble issues with these so I don't hear that. I enjoy their sound signature so much. They work so well with all genres I listen to. They best many of the cans I have had. Huge soundstage for an iem. I am really happy with them. I use the stock silicon tips as well.

Yeah, I'm not sure what it is about them but they do certain things very, very right. Perhaps a fine example of listen with your ears, as measurements don't really tell you much about their performance. I hate/love their bass sometimes, it's not like they're super bass heavy but they too much upper bass. 

 

[7S Cameron]

Anyone have any tips for getting a good seal with the spiral dot tips? I have odd sizes earwholes. What I mean by this is medium sized tips are always just barely big enough, so it is a lot of work getting a perfect seal. Large tips are always WAY too big for me. I'm not used to tips like this that require shallow insertion and it takes me a while to get a good seal every time. I'm not even entirely sure I am getting a good seal.

 

[james444]

  Though closing the rear port entirely makes them sound unnatural with a smaller soundstage.

 
Exactly, they need some rear airflow to sound natural. Reducing airflow is fine and attenuates the mid-bass. But closing the port entirely spoils the signature.
 

  I really like neutral headphones, but the FX850 makes me forget that and brings forth certain tonal characteristics even planars can't quite replicate.

  Yeah, I'm not sure what it is about them but they do certain things very, very right. Perhaps a fine example of listen with your ears, as measurements don't really tell you much about their performance.

 
X2

 

[subguy812]

  Anyone have any tips for getting a good seal with the spiral dot tips? I have odd sizes earwholes. What I mean by this is medium sized tips are always just barely big enough, so it is a lot of work getting a perfect seal. Large tips are always WAY too big for me. I'm not used to tips like this that require shallow insertion and it takes me a while to get a good seal every time. I'm not even entirely sure I am getting a good seal.

I have grown accustomed to large...only ones that give me a great seal

 

[james444]

  Anyone have any tips for getting a good seal with the spiral dot tips? I have odd sizes earwholes. What I mean by this is medium sized tips are always just barely big enough, so it is a lot of work getting a perfect seal. Large tips are always WAY too big for me. I'm not used to tips like this that require shallow insertion and it takes me a while to get a good seal every time. I'm not even entirely sure I am getting a good seal.

 
Try wearing the cable over the ear, but without swapping left and right earpieces. Results in a completely different angle between nozzle and ear canal (and housings protrude a lot less btw).
 
For some people, this works better than cable-down or over-ears with swapped earpieces.

 

[nightdance]

   
Try wearing the cable over the ear, but without swapping left and right earpieces. Results in a completely different angle between nozzle and ear canal (and housings protrude a lot less btw).
 
For some people, this works better than cable-down or over-ears with swapped earpieces.

Wearing the cable over ear definitely changes the sound quite substantially. IMO, there is less bass impact and narrower vertical soundstage, but wider horizontally.