Budget -
$500-1500. I'd prefer to stay under $1000
Source -
iPhone or iPad
Requirements for Isolation -
Some. 90% of listening in home/car/office but occasional air travel too
Will you be using these Headphones in Public?
Yes
Preferred Type of Headphone -
IEM
Preferred tonal balance -
Warm, bordering on dark. I like a solid but accurate bass but prefer to avoid mid-bass "humps", I must have lush and accurate mids, timbre is super important, but I don't want super-forward vocals (think natural vocals vs. vocals through a microphone). I enjoy an extended, accurate treble but do not like any harshness or emphasis; I'm a big cymbals guy and like air and decay.
Past headphones -
In an ideal world, I'd be able to combine several aspects of the top 3 I've owned: the bass of the CA Vega, the mids of the Westone ES5, and the treble of the JH Angie. The Westone were my favorite overall sound signature although they lacked sub-bass and their treble wasn't flawless. The Vega are very alive and musical but the tuning isn't exactly comfortable to me; they sound like getting in a car and nearly maxing out the bass/mid/high on the stereo EQ; also the vocals sound a little strange in timbre to me, and they seem to lack a bit of lushness in the mids especially saxophone and acoustic guitar (Eric Clapton Unplugged, Blues Traveler Four, piano trios). The Angie had a wonderful top end but were too flat feeling overall. I would try to just amp the Vega but I don't think it would completely fix the mid or high end and I am hesitant to throw more money at a $1300 IEM if their sound signature isn't already exactly what I want.
Preferred Music -
Live album staples: Bonnie Raitt Road Tested, Little Feat Waiting For Columbus, Eric Clapton Unplugged, Earth Wind and Fire Live at VelFarre, Springsteen Live in Dublin, Sara Barielles Brave Enough: Live at the Variety Playhouse, Ben Folds Live, Rolling Stones Get Your Ya-Yas, Lake Street Dive Live at the Lizard Lounge.
Jazz staples: Hampton Hawes All Night Sessions, Oscar Peterson Trio We Get Requests, most late 50's/early 60's bebop (Monk, Coltrane, Pepper, Haynes, etc.)
Other staples: Dr. John, Ben Folds Five, Daft Punk, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Avett Brothers, Billy Joel, Chicago, Chris Thile, Punch Brothers, Doobie Brothers, Three Dog Night, Elton John, Elliot Smith, No Doubt, Isley Brothers, James Taylor, Nina Simone, Paul Simon, most things produced by Mark Ronson, Rufus Wainwright.
What would you like to improve on from your set-up -
I would like a sound signature more suited to my taste while retaining the quality and uniqueness of the CA Vega. I would prefer phones that I don't feel the need to DAC/AMP even though I probably will at some point.
$500-1500. I'd prefer to stay under $1000
Source -
iPhone or iPad
Requirements for Isolation -
Some. 90% of listening in home/car/office but occasional air travel too
Will you be using these Headphones in Public?
Yes
Preferred Type of Headphone -
IEM
Preferred tonal balance -
Warm, bordering on dark. I like a solid but accurate bass but prefer to avoid mid-bass "humps", I must have lush and accurate mids, timbre is super important, but I don't want super-forward vocals (think natural vocals vs. vocals through a microphone). I enjoy an extended, accurate treble but do not like any harshness or emphasis; I'm a big cymbals guy and like air and decay.
Past headphones -
In an ideal world, I'd be able to combine several aspects of the top 3 I've owned: the bass of the CA Vega, the mids of the Westone ES5, and the treble of the JH Angie. The Westone were my favorite overall sound signature although they lacked sub-bass and their treble wasn't flawless. The Vega are very alive and musical but the tuning isn't exactly comfortable to me; they sound like getting in a car and nearly maxing out the bass/mid/high on the stereo EQ; also the vocals sound a little strange in timbre to me, and they seem to lack a bit of lushness in the mids especially saxophone and acoustic guitar (Eric Clapton Unplugged, Blues Traveler Four, piano trios). The Angie had a wonderful top end but were too flat feeling overall. I would try to just amp the Vega but I don't think it would completely fix the mid or high end and I am hesitant to throw more money at a $1300 IEM if their sound signature isn't already exactly what I want.
Preferred Music -
Live album staples: Bonnie Raitt Road Tested, Little Feat Waiting For Columbus, Eric Clapton Unplugged, Earth Wind and Fire Live at VelFarre, Springsteen Live in Dublin, Sara Barielles Brave Enough: Live at the Variety Playhouse, Ben Folds Live, Rolling Stones Get Your Ya-Yas, Lake Street Dive Live at the Lizard Lounge.
Jazz staples: Hampton Hawes All Night Sessions, Oscar Peterson Trio We Get Requests, most late 50's/early 60's bebop (Monk, Coltrane, Pepper, Haynes, etc.)
Other staples: Dr. John, Ben Folds Five, Daft Punk, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Avett Brothers, Billy Joel, Chicago, Chris Thile, Punch Brothers, Doobie Brothers, Three Dog Night, Elton John, Elliot Smith, No Doubt, Isley Brothers, James Taylor, Nina Simone, Paul Simon, most things produced by Mark Ronson, Rufus Wainwright.
What would you like to improve on from your set-up -
I would like a sound signature more suited to my taste while retaining the quality and uniqueness of the CA Vega. I would prefer phones that I don't feel the need to DAC/AMP even though I probably will at some point.
