[souperman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghoti /img/forum/go_quote.gif This whole thread befuddles me. I don't have any problems like the ones listed here. I don't find them muddy at all and I like the way they reproduce percussion. Could be a litany of variables, but maybe the Vibes are just the kind of headphone I like.

have you tried the e2c's? we are comparing the vibes to the e2c's and those problems are what the e2c does so much better than the vibes. and so much better means a lot. the snares just sound god awful on the vibes and i listen to rock mostly

 

[ghoti]

Quote:

Originally Posted by souperman /img/forum/go_quote.gif have you tried the e2c's? we are comparing the vibes to the e2c's and those problems are what the e2c does so much better than the vibes. and so much better means a lot. the snares just sound god awful on the vibes and i listen to rock mostly

I haven't tried them. If I ever have the opportunity, I'll post my impressions.

I will say that I do not have any issues with the percussion on the vibes as compared to the other headphones I do have.

 

[souperman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghoti /img/forum/go_quote.gif I haven't tried them. If I ever have the opportunity, I'll post my impressions. I will say that I do not have any issues with the percussion on the vibes as compared to the other headphones I do have.

good to know...i disagree

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Quote:

Originally Posted by souperman /img/forum/go_quote.gif good to know...i disagree

lol seriously, as a member of school bands for so long, the snares on these things sound really hollow with no body. Not even a dance floor would be able to recognize that they were tight snares.

Pity, because I thought it was the tips at first, but alas...

 

[rwest1389]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMarchingMule /img/forum/go_quote.gif Until the snares came in.

x2 (or 3+?)
i really cant stand music that is percussion dependent on vibes. just lacks the crisp ends of um1s. Good for other music which benefit from soundstage though

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwest1389 /img/forum/go_quote.gif x2 (or 3+?) i really cant stand music that is percussion dependent on vibes. just lacks the crisp ends of um1s. Good for other music which benefit from soundstage though

I am in genuine shock reading that. The UM1 has more snare bite than the Vibes?!

 

[scrypt]

I was pleasantly non-nonplussed to find the following review on iLounge. In the past, various sweeping assertions in the iLounge forum led me to think the site focused on novelty rather than traditional listeners' criteria. Apparently, I should have avoided stereotyping the site (i.e., as a haven for uncritical iPod users, since iPod owners are as capable of sophistication as everyone else). In my view, the Vibes reviewer made an earnest attempt to think critically and fairly.

I quite appreciated this:

Quote:

On a scale from "neutral" to "colored," there’s no doubt that v-moda has aimed for colored sound with vibes - a boon for those who want their music to sound exaggerated in the bass department, like the company’s prior Bass Freq, but a problem for those who prefer to have balanced, detailed sound across most or all of the spectrum. . . . If you’re listening to tracks with lots of mid-bass or bass sound, Vibe will bring out facets you might well have missed before, rather than overwhelming you with a wave of muddy throbbing. That said, we found its sound coloration hard to describe in traditional terms: while it is warm in the clinical sense, disproportionately accenting mid-bass and bass, it isn’t warm in the most pleasant sense of the best audio equipment we’ve tested. . . .

I liked the iLounge reviewer's observation that the Vibes' low end, while exaggerated, is detailed rather than muddy. I'm not certain I agree completely, but I respect the reviewer's specificity.

It seems to me that certain Head-fi members who have trashed the ER-6i and UM2 in comparison to the Vibes are looking for qualities that many traditionalists might actually want to avoid.

What amazes me is when people complain that Vibes lack bass. Are people looking for even less neutrality than is present in V-Moda's evolving house sound? If so, then what are they looking for exactly -- a vibrating PS2 controller crammed into the ear canal? How, one wonders, would their ideal earphones sound and feel? I keep picturing a sonic French tickler, but perhaps I'm mistaken.

 

[penguindude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrypt It seems to me that certain Head-fi members who have trashed the ER-6i and UM2 in comparison to the Vibes are looking for qualities that many traditionalists might actually want to avoid.

While those who enjoy the Vibes find them to be colored, they appreciate them for the fun musicality they reproduce. You know, not every high-end audio equipment has to be a "reference" model.

 

[souperman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by penguindude /img/forum/go_quote.gif While those who enjoy the Vibes find them to be colored, they appreciate them for the fun musicality they reproduce. You know, not every high-end audio equipment has to be a "reference" model.

thing is...i'm not looking for a "Reference" model as you call it. just looking for something i like listen to.

 

[penguindude]

Then perhaps the Vibes are not for you. But calling it muddy and unclear seems to be exaggeration. Nonetheless, you're entitled to your opinion and the 2 do have different sound signatures.

 

[dawalsh]

I have them both. I prefer Vibes over e2c just because it's so comfortable and for some reason e2c is a pain to(put on/off and wear) me.I have to admit that e2c sounds better though.

 

[scrypt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by penguindude /img/forum/go_quote.gif While those who enjoy the Vibes find them to be colored, they appreciate them for the fun musicality they reproduce. You know, not every high-end audio equipment has to be a "reference" model.

Which is exactly the reason I wouldn't presume to judge someone for preferring Vibes to fare by Shure and Etymotic Research. Sound is a matter of personal taste; no one's taste should be more important to you than your own.

In fact, I reserve judgment on the Vibes, having only heard them for twenty minutes. I'll post more in a few weeks (if I feel the results are interesting) after borrowing a pair from a friend for an extended period.

However:

My point isn't to disparage Vibes or the people who champion them. It is to qualify enthusiasm with a possible disclaimer: Listeners who are accustomed to a flatter frequency response might prefer other IEMs. While many here have said they find Vibes to be better than the ER series or the UM2, that doesn't necessarily mean Vibes are better in the most traditional sense (better constructed, better spec'd, better tuned, better driver'd). I do, however, wince at misleading comments on Amazon and the Apple site that suggest Vibes lack bass.

Please understand: I'm not interested in casting doubt on V-Moda earphones or the tastes of V-Moda enthusiasts. I'm merely saying that buyers who read glowing assessments and assume Vibes will sound better than whatever IEMs they own already might do well to hear Vibes first and avoid being swayed by the magnetic allure of their look. Everyone wants to have fun; most of us would like to think our headphones are "fun"; but the Vibes' sound might not translate to fun for every listener.

And for the record: My limited experience with Vibes thus far doesn't suggest they sound especially muddy. I did feel they lacked the upper-end detail of the ER line, but that is not the same as calling Vibes "muddy," "bloated," "corpulent" or "pudgy," or otherwise suggesting they watch their carbs and join a sonic health club.

 

[BrotherMovesOn]

This is a little off topic, since the comparison being is discussed is between the e2c and the vibe. I've only the two the e2c for a grand total of about 2 minutes and don't remember my impression of them. However, I did have the e3c which I sadly lost a few months ago and I bought the vibes to replace them. I definitely prefer the sound of the vibes to the e3c. Although I enjoyed the e3c a great deal, I always found them lacking in the treble department. The vibes I don't find lacking in any area, have a great soundstage, and maybe a little extra bass. From what I recall reading in the past, the e3c have a little more bass, little less treble when compared to the e2c, but I'm not sure if that's an accurate description. So I'm also surprised to hear the vibes being described as unclear and muddy when compared to the e2c. Even more surprised when I hear people say that they lack bass. It makes me wonder what they are comparing the vibes to. In any case, to the OP, I'd like to suggest listening to Goldfrapp's 'Strict Machine' with the vibes before you sell them. I think this song really showcases what the vibes are capable of, especially in terms of soundstage. If you do get a chance to check this song out, I'd be interested to know whether your opinion of the vibes changed or remain the same.