[Anouk]

Well, i guess it all depends if you buy used or not and if you buy in europe or the states... I think indeed top dynamic driver iems can beat balanced armature ones, bass, soundstage to name a few points. Although i generally have better seal with balanced armatures.
I am still pretty interested i na full-on review, so not only the bass compared, between the current dynamic driver models, although in the end i think i will rebuy the ie8 (lucky to live in europe for once) and buy a custom sleeve for it to se eif that iwll fix my problems with it.
Greetings, Anouk,

 

[pdupiano]

wow forgot all about this thread... sigh....

I actually got a reminder to finish my review for the turbines and I handed it in the other day now I'm pushing off my review with the etys/shures etc.. until spring break (next week). But when I was doing my review I have to admit the prat from the Turbines are a bit on the muddy side if I can use that word to describe them. instead of:

^^^^^^^
you get
^__^__^^

So its a bit loose on some detail but I love em, quite frankly its like a nice inbetween set of phones between the Etys and my se530's so it has something I Really like. PLUS I don't have to keep changing IEM's at this point when I have the Turbines in my ears. I wouldn't be caught dead listening to trance with my etys (bass light) so I normally switch between the etys and the senns and the shures on an hourly basis depending on what mood I'm in. But with the turbines, they play everything reasonably well (its not like one of those jack of all trades, master of none thing , its like jack of all trades but just shy of master on most). Yeah sorry for disappearing on this thread but I'm still trying to get everything worked out with school and some diy projects. Looks like spring break will be 9 days of catch up work

 

[ethan961]

hmm. I came from PFEs and now have atrios. I miss the highs and the mids details quite a bit. How much detail could I get back by going with the monsters instead? I am really tempted to sell the atrios and get these now that they can be found for a lower price overall.

 

[shigzeo]

can't speak for v2 of the atrio but the monster are more of a musical machine while the atrio seem more of a monitor presentation so that will probably tell you that the mids are pushed forward a bit in the monsters, but not to detriment of anything. they are better except for bass extention, weight and cable to the atrio.

 

[tstarn06]

To Ethan...Thought you found you could EQ the highs/mids with the Atrio? I would definitely sell the M5s and get the Turbines if more detail is what you seek.

 

[shigzeo]

you can if you want do that but still if mids is what you want, the monster will sound fuller than the atrio despite eq.

 

[thwood3]

Let's here from the $96 buy.com customers. Were you satisfied with what came in the mail? Just curious. I got cold feet and stayed away but I hope it worked out for you all who didn't. Feedback por favor.

 

[oarnura]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif glad you came to like them oarnura. hope you enjoy for a long time. they are very nice. love this hobby but i hate it too $$$

I like them for what they are... they are a good warm sounding phone. I do like my Phonak PFE more because the detail loving audiophile in me likes the resolution of the Phonak.

The Turbines are darker and aren't as revealing so bad recordings sound good on them which makes them a great phone for listening at work. The do offer good detail, better than some of the other dynamic IEMs I have heard (cheaper price points) but not as much as the Phonak. The PFE also have a faster bass transient and decay, the turbines are slower but not to the point of being a problem. On some songs the slower decay sounds nice. Nothing seems off about them to complain about really.

Overall the Turbines are different than the PFE because they sound totally different. I can use either for different types of listening.

I know that is a cop out review but I am calling it as I see it. The Turbines did get me to like the Dynamic driver sound. It was the first one that didn't just drown everything in bass and offered good midrange and high-end clarity.

Does anyone know if Monster wants these back after the review period? I can't imagine what they would do with used IEMs.

 

[tstarn06]

I received word after I sent them my review that the Turbines were mine to keep. I will PM the new contact name I have, since the original person has left the company.

 

[oarnura]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I received word after I sent them my review that the Turbines were mine to keep. I will PM the new contact name I have, since the original person has left the company.

That's good to know... I think I am ready to send the review. I wanted to give them a good listen and burn-in before I formed my final impressions.

 

[Anouk]

Wow that was a great promotion by monster then if you can keep these after only having to write a review! I wish things like this were done in europe! Really cool!
Greetings, Anouk,

 

[pdupiano]

oarnura, from your description of a dark and slow iem, it seems to me that the turbines are simply dark and laid back in other words warm. The same is said about the hd650's and they aren't bad in fact may regard them to be at the top. The turbines are laid back and I like that, its a nice change from the etys that I listen to. And if a characteristic, like slow decay actually sounds good for other types of music, then its part of the signature of the iem not really a problem with it. I think that the decay for the etys are too fast and I have difficulty enjoying vocals like norah jones or diana krall with them, but they sound great with the turbines (which sound close to the se530s). I dunno I think most people readily admit certain *Flaws and imperfections as characteristics to "good" <preconceived good headphones like the W3 (remember all those folks saying the sibilance was good and part of the sound sig) versus calling them flaws immediately as in the case of the Turbines. But I think your right that the turbines sound differently and that's the problem, you can't really judge what is good on bad if theyre just different. I gotta try me some phonaks

 

[cn11]

pdupiano-
I agree with you about the Turbines. They do just make music all the more enjoyable. I found the opposite with the Phonaks. Their laser-like detail just sort cauterized all the fun out of music for me. I guess I'm a warm, laid-back, signature sort of listener. To each their own.....

 

[epithetless]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cn11 /img/forum/go_quote.gif pdupiano- I agree with you about the Turbines. They do just make music all the more enjoyable. I found the opposite with the Phonaks. Their laser-like detail just sort cauterized all the fun out of music for me. I guess I'm a warm, laid-back, signature sort of listener. To each their own.....

Well put, cn11 (the entire post, but I especially like the "cauterized all the fun out"

).

I don't find the Turbines particularly laid-back myself (in comparison to, say, the IE8s, which I would describe that way), but it's all a matter of relativity, I guess. I wonder if what most people characterize as "aggressive" or not laid-back is what I tend to find harsh, in which case my threshold for in-ear excitement may just be lower than the norm.

 

[ethan961]

I can eq the highs but it doesn't really sound natural. I wouldn't mind the same kind of presentation, with more clarity. I could go for the IE8s but the fact that i would have to use all my spending money for my holiday and the fact that i probably won't get a good seal due to my ears being very funnily shaped makes the purchase kind of pointless. I need to save up for some MS1s or something anyways.
It'll have to wait until after the trip anyways, as I have to have at least something that sounds good for the trip and im leaving in a week. I just hope that FiiO gets here in time
The one thing I would miss about the atrio is the cable - it is the best cable I have ever seen on a pair of earphones. It doesn't tangle, doesn't keep shape, and it stays relatively flexible in the cold.
I too found the phonaks too 'perfect' sounding, and it seemed more like I was trying to examine every chord rather than just listen and have fun.
Oh well, once I get back i'll sell the atrios and get the monsters.