[gtmaster303]

Quote:

would you recommend i buy a pair of 9396 or white 8320s?
ive been using the regular 8320s on the go, and they arent exactly friendly when it comes to movement. easily tangled and cord noise galore. they also dont isolate as well as i like, because deep insertion is tricky. i was thinking the new finish of the white ones would help make the 8320s more travel freindly.
i understand the 8320s sound the best, but is the 9396 comparable?
or should i stick to what i know or try something new? i just dont want the 9396s to sound like crap

for on the go... they are cool.. isolation is very good like any other small IEM...  and to me the sound is good enough to enjoy all genres ,,,  i still prefer my 8320 for critical listening though but for just all out fun and walking around or working then my choice would be the 9396, i have compared the 9396 to others i have but i prefer the 9396,, just my opinion...   i have had both for months now and they are the only ones i keep in my travel case
 

 
5th gen ipod classic
FiiO e-11 amp with leather type slip case
3.5mm to 3.5mm line out
3.5mm to ipod dock
8320 with mold
9396 with mold
all in a convinient pelican case

Just placed my order. Thanks for the help

Sent from my Galaxy S Relay

 

[HAMS]

Quote:

Does anyone know which OEM Monoprice sources these drivers from? I highly doubt they make them in house, and the variance issue could be a very real one as I think more about it.
 

true, yours maybe really was bad pair. so I just ordered black version of monoprice and turn out to be defective pair,, compared with my old pair (8320) the sound is far to harsh I can't stand to hear. now order more of black version to compare.

 

[Nawawa]

I don't post much but i hope this will help some of you guys having fitting problems from the big housing and lack of bass.
 
Tip:
Use RE0 double flange tips. Can be bought from head-direct website. These will bring the housing further out, therefore it will not sit in your ear but slightly further out.
 

 
 
Alternatively, just buy Philips SHE3590. Easily available, cheap, comfortable and with more bass. Not as detailed as the Monoprice 8320 but every IEM is different.

 

[BloodyPenguin]

Quote:

 
Alternatively, just buy Philips SHE3590. Easily available, cheap, comfortable and with more bass. Not as detailed as the Monoprice 8320 but every IEM is different.

I agree, the Philips SHE3580 are a good little inexpensive IEM.  Like you said, deeper bass...  but not as much detail. 
 
..

 

[socks2sound]

imma need halp on this. ;A;

So I want to recable my monoprice 9927 with mogami cable, but I'm not sure what cable to use from mogami. 

Plus, I've little to no experience when it comes to soldering, so if there's any other materials I need to buy for this endeavor, I would definitely appreciate it. 

When I'm done with it, I'll definitely post results. 

 

[Kamakahah]

Here is a list of what you'll need to do your re-cable.
 
Materials to make the cable:
1. Cable - you choose, but find something flexible. Preferably 26-28 awg.
2. 3.5mm TRS. I like Neutrik plugs because they work well and are reasonably priced.
3. Y-split of some sort. You can just use heat shrink if you'd rather not pay for or make one.
4. Heat-shrink. Try to get some 3:1 ratio. Most in-store are 2:1 and will leave space between the cable and plug.
    I think I used  3/8" size for my neutrik plugs, slipped on just right. No need for a heat gun, a simple lighter or match will do.
5. Some cable strippers/cutters.
 
Materials for soldering:
1. Soldering gun (I'm assuming you have one)
2. Solder - I like Kester 331 63/37 .031 water soluble flux solder. Flows wonderfully, makes shiny joints, and the flux can be cleaned easily
    with distilled water.
3. A flux desoldering braid for removing the old wire from the soldering points on the driver. The desoldering braids with flux work quickly so
   you won't have to apply heat for very long to the driver points. 
4. Make sure to 'tin' the stripped end of the cables before you try to solder them to the points, it will help to make the process faster and
   safer on the drivers.
 
Recommendations:
1. Watch some Youtube videos. Lots of stuff on soldering techniques and a few on making cables that will be informational.
2. DIY threads here on the forums have TONS of information to help you out. 
3. Practice first before you jump right in to doing the re-cable. 
4. Keep track of which cables are connected to what. Label and mark to keep the right cables going to the right channels/soldering spots.
5. Practice braiding on a pair of shoe strings or paracord before your cable. 

 

[socks2sound]

Quote:

Here is a list of what you'll need to do your re-cable.
 
Materials to make the cable:
1. Cable - you choose, but find something flexible. Preferably 26-28 awg.
2. 3.5mm TRS. I like Neutrik plugs because they work well and are reasonably priced.
3. Y-split of some sort. You can just use heat shrink if you'd rather not pay for or make one.
4. Heat-shrink. Try to get some 3:1 ratio. Most in-store are 2:1 and will leave space between the cable and plug.
    I think I used  3/8" size for my neutrik plugs, slipped on just right. No need for a heat gun, a simple lighter or match will do.
5. Some cable strippers/cutters.
 
Materials for soldering:
1. Soldering gun (I'm assuming you have one)
2. Solder - I like Kester 331 63/37 .031 water soluble flux solder. Flows wonderfully, makes shiny joints, and the flux can be cleaned easily
    with distilled water.
3. A flux desoldering braid for removing the old wire from the soldering points on the driver. The desoldering braids with flux work quickly so
   you won't have to apply heat for very long to the driver points. 
4. Make sure to 'tin' the stripped end of the cables before you try to solder them to the points, it will help to make the process faster and
   safer on the drivers.
 
Recommendations:
1. Watch some Youtube videos. Lots of stuff on soldering techniques and a few on making cables that will be informational.
2. DIY threads here on the forums have TONS of information to help you out. 
3. Practice first before you jump right in to doing the re-cable. 
4. Keep track of which cables are connected to what. Label and mark to keep the right cables going to the right channels/soldering spots.
5. Practice braiding on a pair of shoe strings or paracord before your cable. 

Thanks to you, I've decided on mogami 2893 with a neutrik 3.5 mm trs. As for the y-splitter, I'll probably just use some heatshrink, lol.

Thanks again! I'll try to post pics as soon as possible (provided that my unsteady hands don't prove to be the end of my nice iems >>)

 

[gtmaster303]

Image S4, 9396, 8320 shootout
 
Just got my new 9396 in the mail today. I must say, they are impressive for the money. The bass is a little heavy for my liking, by a few hairs, but very decent and compact IEM. That said, the clarity does not compare to the other two. The S4 is much more clear, and my God, the 8320s are by far and away the best.
 
Quick summary
 
9396: very powerful bass. Almost too powerful at times. Low end is heavy. That's not to say the mids and highs aren't there, but they get overpowered by the amount of bass there is. Get this IEM if you want a travel friendly IEM with lots of low end punch. Very cheap too. Good amount of isolation. This will sweep away all of the skull candies, stock earbuds, apple earpods, etc. Best part about this package is that they are easy to fit and sound decent.
 
S4: Clarity is great. Night and day difference with bass compared to 9396. Listening to them back to back it makes me feel as though the S4 bass is lacking. But the mids and highs show much more nicely.
 
8320: Value king, bar none. Has just the right amount of bass, clarity is unparalleled. I will leave the rest of my praise up to this thread, as you know how good it can be. Fitment is a problem, you will look like a dork, and they don't do well when traveling (although I think the rubber cord model will help this slightly). Isolation is also not as great, but sound is unbeatable.
 
But if you love music, don't subject yourself to subpar IEMs. Honestly, the S4 and 9396 are blown away by the 8320. That's not to say the other 2 suck. They are decent. But it's like comparing a BMW, Mercedes Benz, and Ferrari. All great cars, but you already know which is the best.
 
Bottom line: Should've went with my gut feeling and gotten the white 8320s (best sound, best finish, best cord). I've been spoiled by the sound quality and budget mid range IEMs no longer sound impressive to me.
 
What I've learned:
Not all IEMs sound their best under the same EQ settings. Every IEM has to be tweaked differently to get the best sound. And expect to tweak them. They won't sound great right out of the box.
 
That being said, it's not about how they sound stock. It's also not about how they sound tweaked. It's about whether or not the IEM can handle the tweaking. Messing around with the 9396 I noticed that the sound got more distorted the more I tried to "perfect" it by changing EQ settings. The 8320 on the other hand handles EQ tweaks very well. Distorting the sound is a little harder. It can handle "higher highs" and "lower lows" if you want them.
 
Now... how do I trade in my 9396s for the white 8320s again? (rhetorical question)

 

[Nawawa]

Anybody comparing these with Philips 3590 and Awei ES800M? I've got all 3 with me here. Will come back with results and post my views if anybody wants.

 

[BloodyPenguin]

Quote:

Anybody comparing these with Philips 3590 and Awei ES800M? I've got all 3 with me here. Will come back with results and post my views if anybody wants.

I have owned all three.  For a pure SQ standpoint the Monoprice wins for me.  Though they others have good qualities as well.
 
..

 

[jaejw1]

Quote:

 
Now... how do I trade in my 9396s for the white 8320s again? (rhetorical question)

too bad it wasnt for you..  oh well.

.  
it is good for outside use,, when sq isnt important

  thanks for the quick comparison

 

[Tom22]

Quote:

I don't post much but i hope this will help some of you guys having fitting problems from the big housing and lack of bass.
 
Tip:
Use RE0 double flange tips. Can be bought from head-direct website. These will bring the housing further out, therefore it will not sit in your ear but slightly further out.
 

 
 
Alternatively, just buy Philips SHE3590. Easily available, cheap, comfortable and with more bass. Not as detailed as the Monoprice 8320 but every IEM is different.

i have both the phillips( actually the same colour as well) v adn the 8320s. i found both to be enjoyable! the phillips is better for more bass heavy music ( it digs really deep down there) for all around performance i grab the 8320s (vocals sound fantastic on them)
 
btw you have the re-zeros how do they compare to the 8320s ?

 

[Tom22]

Quote:

Image S4, 9396, 8320 shootout
 
Just got my new 9396 in the mail today. I must say, they are impressive for the money. The bass is a little heavy for my liking, by a few hairs, but very decent and compact IEM. That said, the clarity does not compare to the other two. The S4 is much more clear, and my God, the 8320s are by far and away the best.
 
Quick summary
 
9396: very powerful bass. Almost too powerful at times. Low end is heavy. That's not to say the mids and highs aren't there, but they get overpowered by the amount of bass there is. Get this IEM if you want a travel friendly IEM with lots of low end punch. Very cheap too. Good amount of isolation. This will sweep away all of the skull candies, stock earbuds, apple earpods, etc. Best part about this package is that they are easy to fit and sound decent.
 
S4: Clarity is great. Night and day difference with bass compared to 9396. Listening to them back to back it makes me feel as though the S4 bass is lacking. But the mids and highs show much more nicely.
 
8320: Value king, bar none. Has just the right amount of bass, clarity is unparalleled. I will leave the rest of my praise up to this thread, as you know how good it can be. Fitment is a problem, you will look like a dork, and they don't do well when traveling (although I think the rubber cord model will help this slightly). Isolation is also not as great, but sound is unbeatable.
 
But if you love music, don't subject yourself to subpar IEMs. Honestly, the S4 and 9396 are blown away by the 8320. That's not to say the other 2 suck. They are decent. But it's like comparing a BMW, Mercedes Benz, and Ferrari. All great cars, but you already know which is the best.
 
Bottom line: Should've went with my gut feeling and gotten the white 8320s (best sound, best finish, best cord). I've been spoiled by the sound quality and budget mid range IEMs no longer sound impressive to me.
 
What I've learned:
Not all IEMs sound their best under the same EQ settings. Every IEM has to be tweaked differently to get the best sound. And expect to tweak them. They won't sound great right out of the box.
 
That being said, it's not about how they sound stock. It's also not about how they sound tweaked. It's about whether or not the IEM can handle the tweaking. Messing around with the 9396 I noticed that the sound got more distorted the more I tried to "perfect" it by changing EQ settings. The 8320 on the other hand handles EQ tweaks very well. Distorting the sound is a little harder. It can handle "higher highs" and "lower lows" if you want them.
 
Now... how do I trade in my 9396s for the white 8320s again? (rhetorical question)

i actually thought the 8320s were clearer than the s4s
i own both 
 
i felt the s4s bass was overpowering ( well i guess overpowering is bit strong, more like masking the mids) just for comparison sake this is the song i used ( i'll provide the link below) the little synthetic rain drops or little details (guitar riffs) its at about 00:36-00:41.plus the vocals were not as nice and clear, distinct as with the 8320s. it feels very recessed and in the background behind the bass rather than being in front and centre where it should be. unless your listening to instrumentals that is 
 
the bass was centre stage. plus i thought the bass was just be bit slower than the 8320s, plus the sound was darker than the 8320s. the song had bass drive throughout but like i said the s4 took that a bit too far. (more 1note bass)
 
 
the highs were more fatiguing on the s4s a bit sharper than i like, but in comparision showed how laid back the treble is on the 8320. if the only there was a middle ground between these two. 
 
but for a bit more sparkle the s4s would have that over 8320 but the 8320 have a smoother treble
 
thats not to say the 8320s were the best! i even compared it to the noontec zoros ( same song , also not the same category but still for comparison sake). that was lightyears better!
 
 
 
 
 
regardless for my 8320s i made them custom fit for me using the radian earplugs ( i took of the tape mod i had prior to making the custom tip ) 
 
i use to use the tape mod with a needle poke in it for increase bass response but after making the custom fit, the port ( in addition to the tape mod and the custom earplug) made the bass far too bloated 
 
you can watch the entire video if you want (its a pretty good video =)  but after listening to the 8320 with them on i was again surprised its worth $7 even though the puddy i bought to make it custom fit costed me 21 so almost 30 but now if the 8320s break, all i have to do is buy a new pair, burn em in and use the custom tips again!
 
oh yea heres the video
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnAhnxmSNFw

 

[Tom22]

just curious for those that made custom fit with putty or whatever, did anyone still kept the tape mod on the 8320? 
 
did anyone try to cover the vents on the outside? how did it sound if it was covered)
 
i heard somewhere said the the vents on the face of the iem was for the mid range
 
the port near the nozzle is for bass response. forgot where i read that but just curious

 

[Tom22]

a bit off topic but did anyone noticed these on monoprice
 
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10823&cs_id=1082708&p_id=10246&seq=1&format=1#largeimage
 
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10823&cs_id=1082302&p_id=10244&seq=1&format=1#largeimage
 
first one looks soo much like the studios but more functionalities ( bluetooth, soundcard etc) and plugs into the computer
 
the second one looks exactly like the monster inspiration but plastic rather than metal ( glossy plastic no doubt)