[Agony]

I've got some questions on the new TF10 I just received yesterday in the mail.

1. Do these require burn-in? I know usually balanced armatures don't need burn-in, but right now, they really feel lacking in clarity and overall sound quality. I've also read that the TF10s benefit from burn-in a lot, but after around 20 hours, they haven't sounded much better. The S and T sounds are echoing, which I've never heard in any headphone I've had. Not really sibilant, but it sounds like the note is sang in a tunnel.

2. Can these be successfully driven to 100% with the iPhone 3GS/iPod Nano 3G? Maybe the reason I'm not hearing what I should be is my source. I'm currently running them unamped out of my 3GS. I might pick up a FiiO e5 - can that successfully drive my TF10s to 100% potential, or substantially more than the 3GS/3G?

Thanks in advance for answering.
Cheers.

 

[Byakushiki]

1: Mental burn in yes, physical...Not so much. My advice is just to enjoy them from the start and don't think too much about burn in. If you're having comfort issues, decore a pair of the Comply Foams and stuff the foam into the medium silicone tip, backwards if necessary. Generally a big improvement.
2: Sort of. It's not the best but it could be worse. Impedance does max out at 64.5 ohms so a portable amp would help. Bottoms out at 6.5 ohms. My Droid 2 can't drive it completely but my TouchPad can. Something to do with the fact it's the equivalent of the Galaxy S's equivalent in audio quality except with a great deal more power.

 

[Agony]

Can anyone make a comparison between the TF10 and M50 sound-wise, ignoring the fact that ones an IEM and ones a full-size? The bass impact on these seem extremely heavy compared to my M50, and after listening to my TF10, my M50 sounds bass-less. Also, like stated, the highs seem very lifeless and cloudy. Maybe my drivers are blown, or was I expecting too much from these IEMs?
 
So are the TF10s supposed to be cloudy compared to my M50 or did I get a blown set?

 

[Byakushiki]

Sounds like it's underpowered. Boost the 4kHz with eq or get a portable amp.

 

[Agony]

Would a FiiO e3 suffice? I only have $10 on Amazon credit left, and I don't want to charge my card that much. If an e3 would get the job 100% done, that would be great. Thanks.

 

[LaaG]

Nothing wrong with your TF10s from your description. They are dark sounding earphones, some would even say they are boomy or muddy because of their sound signature.
They are quite revealing and detailed but just dark. The S and Ts you are hearing might be a badly mastered track.
 
I use them on my iPod nano 2g and it seem to power the TF10s fine. 

 

[Byakushiki]

I'm going to argue otherwise. The mids will feel a bit distant, that's my only complaint but the treble is really well defined and maybe a bit overextended.
Impedance chart...You will need at least an E6 for them. Impedance peaks out right at 64.5ohms, and dips as low as 6.5. Which many players won't hit, resulting in a "dark" sound. You can EQ to bring it back up, or use a more powerful source/amp. That's why it sounded dark.

 

 

[Agony]

Yup, I used my buddy's e11 with my TF10's today and they sounded much better. I'll be picking up an E6 from Amazon. Thanks guys.

 

[alv4426]

They match up pretty well; haven't felt the need to upgrade yet after maybe 4-5 months with the E6. You will need an LOD if you didnt have one yet, Fiio L3 gets the job done. 
 
Quote:

Yup, I used my buddy's e11 with my TF10's today and they sounded much better. I'll be picking up an E6 from Amazon. Thanks guys.

 

 

[Agony]

Would an E5 work as well as an E6? And would the E5 require a LOD?

 

[rushofmusic]

 
I own the TF10s and I've had plenty of time listening to the M50s from a friend of mine
 
I think the TF10 beats out the M50s in every aspect (as they should) except for comfort. The TF10s are clear, have great detail, an open and airy sound, and great soundstage. The bass isn't boomy but it is punchy and has great control, vocals sound bright and alive, but instruments like violins (anything classical) sit at the very bottom of the the V-shaped freq. response so it does sound very recessed. Highs have great detail and extension but can be a little sibilant on some songs.
 
The M50s have a very average soundstage as most good reviews will note, they have a good amount of bass too which is a little boomier but I think lacks a little control that the TF10s have. And the mids and highs don't even compare. 
 
The TF10 is notorious for being uncomfortable though so the M50s win in that regard (theyre also built like tanks). If you continue down the road of Hi-Fi and end up getting an amp, the TF10 is a better long run investment because it actually does benefit some from an amp (I have Fiio E10) whereas the M50s really don't.
 
If you wanna know more about the TF10s, I have an in depth review on my profile.
 
I debated getting the M50s for awhile for their bass, but after doing research and digging, I'm going to lean towards the Ultrasone HFI-580. Especially now that the M50s are so expensive compared to what they used to be..
 
As for burn-in for the TF10: People always argue that since the TF10s are balanced armature, they shouldn't need burn in, but when I got my pair they sounded so dark and congested that I almost immediately returned them. Fortunately I gave them the benefit of the doubt and let them burn in for 20 hours before listening. I decided it was a good time to see whether I could debunk the myth of burn-in or not and I actually timed out exactly 20 hours while they burned in with pink noise. During this time, I did not listen to them at all. When I came back to them, the sound opened up much more and they had the open, airy sound that they are well known for. I love my TF10s and I am a firm believer in burn in (though not every pair of headphones may benefit or benefit a lot from it)

 

[LaaG]

Quote:

 
As for burn-in for the TF10: People always argue that since the TF10s are balanced armature, they shouldn't need burn in, but when I got my pair they sounded so dark and congested that I almost immediately returned them. Fortunately I gave them the benefit of the doubt and let them burn in for 20 hours before listening. I decided it was a good time to see whether I could debunk the myth of burn-in or not and I actually timed out exactly 20 hours while they burned in with pink noise. During this time, I did not listen to them at all. When I came back to them, the sound opened up much more and they had the open, airy sound that they are well known for. I love my TF10s and I am a firm believer in burn in (though not every pair of headphones may benefit or benefit a lot from it)

Had the TF10s for 2 years now and recently lost the right earpiece. Loved them so much I bought a new set from amazon, a bonus since they were also on offer.
 
I mixed the old left earpiece (the old one seems to have a seam where the L/R indicator is) with a freshly opened brand spanking new right earpiece (completely smooth with no seam were the plastic has been molded).
 
Unsurprisingly, no difference in quality. Not even a volume imbalance. They sounded perfectly matched.
 
The old ones were my everyday earphones so I would like to think I would notice if they sounded different.
 
 
The TF10s are just dark earphones, an amp wont magically change it. After an hour listening to my B2s and then switching over to the TF10s, you get an idea of just how dark the TF10s are / how bright the B2s are. Even when amped and using different DAPs and sources.

 

[Agony]

Had the TF10s for 2 years now and recently lost the right earpiece. Loved them so much I bought a new set from amazon, a bonus since they were also on offer.

I mixed the old left earpiece (the old one seems to have a seam where the L/R indicator is) with a freshly opened brand spanking new right earpiece (completely smooth with no seam were the plastic has been molded).

Unsurprisingly, no difference in quality. Not even a volume imbalance. They sounded perfectly matched.

The old ones were my everyday earphones so I would like to think I would notice if they sounded different.


The TF10s are just dark earphones, an amp wont magically change it. After an hour listening to my B2s and then switching over to the TF10s, you get an idea of just how dark the TF10s are / how bright the B2s are. Even when amped and using different DAPs and sources.

They're not just dark, they sound alike to my $20 JVC IEMs. Paired with an E11, like I've said, made it sound much, much better. Better than my M50.

 

[mingamo]

for portable m50ness can i recommend the CKM50?

 

[thedips]

1. i too thought that burning on mine made a difference...but more from a fitment and seal standpoint ( getting more comfortable in my ear and my ears becoming more accustomed to it ) i am not witnessing those S/T sounds you are describing
 
 
2. it runs quite fine w/o any power/amp.... with my RSA PREADATOR it does clean up the bass and that muddy middle that people tend to describe (def not boomy in terms of bass and I'm a bass junkie... just clean and punchy very detailed bass ) i also think that the highs are very analytical/very clean and detailed. the amp does take that detailed sound and spread it out a lot more... you will hear more separation especially with very crowded tracks in mids and highs. 
 
setup: MACBOOK PRO (320kbps/AAC files) / RSA PREDATOR  DAC-AMP / stock tf10s / stock cables