[SleazyC]

I would say out of all the music that I listened to hip-hop was by far the most enjoyable to listen to on the FX500. The strong bass just really makes me want to bob my head with the music. Very engaging headphones with hip-hop.

 

[AnAnalogSpirit]

Here's my musical lineup/spectrum

Electronic:

Electro, Bass, DUB, Drum & Bass, Techno, House, Trance, Hardcore, Happy Hardcore, Speedcore


Industrial:

Pop, Synthpop, Techpop, Darkwave, EBM, Industrial, Industrial Techno, Industrial Rock


Other:

Mainstream, Indie, Top 40, Soul


I would say that the HP-FX 500 EXCELS where there is a need for EMOTIVE Bass driven music, with authentic, not exaggerated (if somewhat shy) mids, and somewhat accentuated (though not Phonak Audeo PFE-class accentuated) treble (with a note of "harshness" that calms down post 300-500 hours. Mine were smooth 300+ and are now very nice 500+ hours into the game.

I actually am having a lot more problems getting used to the HiFiMAN/Head-Direct RE0 (albeit they are burning-in)... THOSE have a TON of treble "resolution" and detail, just their (the RE0's) forte' I'll say, for A-B comparison, while I'll say the HP-FX500 is their antithesis, body-filled, detailed, articulate Bass imaging.


I definitely think you'll enjoy it if you choose to try out the Victor HP-FX500. Best Headphone's I own.

 

[CaptHowie]

How do the HP-FX500's go with rock, say, something like Green Day?

 

[marcusicp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptHowie /img/forum/go_quote.gif How do the HP-FX500's go with rock, say, something like Green Day?

I enjoy them with rock. At first I wasn't so sure about the FX-500's with any music with a guitar but after a while they have really started to shine. Like said above, after 300 or so hours it seems as if most of the harshness is gone from the treble. I find that I am grabbing the FX-500's more and more the longer I have them. Like other dynamic drivers, these seem to only get "better" with time.

 

[ignorant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by james444 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The IE8 is surely capable of producing nice vibrating low bass, the problem is the mid/upper bass hump at 80-100Hz which is way too prominent and simply drowns out everything else. Try a low frequency sweep and you will see it can vibrate quite nicely and go down below 20Hz. Same with the mids, they are not that recessed, a bit laid back ok, but I suppose the main reason you find them recessed is this massive mid/upper bass drowning out part of the midrange. Now the FX500 doesn't have this mid/upper bass hump and therefore more room for the low bass to shine. On the other hand, with no mids-invading upper bass to blame, the mids on the FX500 are *really* somewhat recessed. So, as much as I like both of these phones I don't believe jumping from the IE8 to the FX500 in search of better mids will make you happy. I'd recommend trying to tame the IE8's bass before dismissing them. IME there are two possibilties: pair them with a bright amp/source or a source with a high quality equalizer. I'm doing the former with the Nuforce Icon mobile and the latter with a rockboxed Fuze. Both give great results and transform the IE8 into entirely different, more likeable phones IMO. I own quite a few IEMs and I do not think any them is an upgrade to the IE8 if you take the bass hump out of the equation. I do realize you have no EQ on your Zune at the moment, but you plan upgrading to Sony X or Zune HD in the future which both have EQ, the Sony's supposedly a very good one. My advice would be to upgrade the source first before jumping from the IE8 to a different IEM.

So if I equalize the mid bass down then will I get bass similar to the Victors and also bring out the mids? I'm still waiting until the Zune HD comes out and seeing how they synergize with the IE8 until I decide whether to go for the Sony X or the Zune.

 

[HONEYBOY]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ignorant /img/forum/go_quote.gif So if I equalize the mid bass down then will I get bass similar to the Victors and also bring out the mids? I'm still waiting until the Zune HD comes out and seeing how they synergize with the IE8 until I decide whether to go for the Sony X or the Zune.

I absolutely love my IE8s and the bass does indeed go deep but I still don't quite think that the IE8 can reproduce that natural bass that the FX500 presents. I think this is something inherent in the housing of those phones.

 

[midoo1990]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ignorant /img/forum/go_quote.gif So if I equalize the mid bass down then will I get bass similar to the Victors and also bring out the mids? I'm still waiting until the Zune HD comes out and seeing how they synergize with the IE8 until I decide whether to go for the Sony X or the Zune.

There is no way you are gonna get the same bass from the ie8 to match that of the fx500,at least not with me even after some customization with the EQ.As for the ie8,its bass can go low to 20HZ but you cant even feel it.i said it before,in some of my songs there are passages with low bass notes and the ie8 doesnt even recognise or show them while the fx500 presents them with ease and you definetly can hear the vibraton and tactile feedback from the drivers and wooden housing.

 

[shigzeo]

the ie8 and nearly any earphone will render a square wave of 20Hz or 20 000Hz irrespective of their frequency responses. music sometimes has square wave patterns, but not always. in ideal test situations, the ie8, while humped, is quite a performer, but for listening pleasure, i think it is less useful for a wide selection of music.

i have just taken a new batch of photos of the victor fx500 and will get them ready for a renewal of the review i did over a year ago.

 

[ignorant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HONEYBOY /img/forum/go_quote.gif I absolutely love my IE8s and the bass does indeed go deep but I still don't quite think that the IE8 can reproduce that natural bass that the FX500 presents. I think this is something inherent in the housing of those phones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by midoo1990 /img/forum/go_quote.gif There is no way you are gonna get the same bass from the ie8 to match that of the fx500,at least not with me even after some customization with the EQ.As for the ie8,its bass can go low to 20HZ but you cant even feel it.i said it before,in some of my songs there are passages with low bass notes and the ie8 doesnt even recognise or show them while the fx500 presents them with ease and you definetly can hear the vibraton and tactile feedback from the drivers and wooden housing.

In that case the FX500s are worth checking out after I decide on the Zune HD or the Sony X. If I do go with the Sony X I hope that the IE8s will synergize well with it otherwise I really will pick up the FX500. I'm hoping that the Zune HD + IE8 work well together since the IE8s go really well with the flash based Zune models.

 

[chinesekiwi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HONEYBOY /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think this is something inherent in the housing of those phones.

Like birchwood......
If you know the acoustic properties of birch wood....
(Strong lows, strong treble).

 

[Anthonym]

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcusicp /img/forum/go_quote.gif I enjoy them with rock. At first I wasn't so sure about the FX-500's with any music with a guitar but after a while they have really started to shine. Like said above, after 300 or so hours it seems as if most of the harshness is gone from the treble. I find that I am grabbing the FX-500's more and more the longer I have them. Like other dynamic drivers, these seem to only get "better" with time.

+1 Ever since I've got FX500, I've been testing with different genres and never thought I would enjoy different types of music this much. It CAN take whatever I throw at. For instance, I like Linkin Park but not a huge fan. But I'm turning into one since I got this. I don't know what instruments are they as I'm not a musician but those producing subtle bass from "Shadow of the day" are oh soo good. It melts my ears

 

[CaptHowie]

I'm seriously considering the FX500's then if they are good with rock and alternative/indie...

 

[shigzeo]

after many many good and more expensive earphones since last year, the fx500 remains one of my favourites. i think at its japanese price of 9000 yen or less even, it is the best bargain in the industry. well made, short but good cable, good sound and great looks.

im getting back into it!

 

[james444]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ignorant /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just bought the Sennheiser IE8s a month ago and now I'm looking at these guys for an upgrade : ( I feel the statements about the bass to be true; they just don't produce that nice vibrating bass that I've been looking for. They do have a lot of mid and upper bass but I want to feel the bass. There isn't enough treble quality for me either (I came from the Phonak Audeo PFEs) and I'm hoping that the mids aren't as recessed with the FX-500s as they are with the IE8s.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ignorant /img/forum/go_quote.gif So if I equalize the mid bass down then will I get bass similar to the Victors and also bring out the mids? I'm still waiting until the Zune HD comes out and seeing how they synergize with the IE8 until I decide whether to go for the Sony X or the Zune.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HONEYBOY /img/forum/go_quote.gif I absolutely love my IE8s and the bass does indeed go deep but I still don't quite think that the IE8 can reproduce that natural bass that the FX500 presents. I think this is something inherent in the housing of those phones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by midoo1990 /img/forum/go_quote.gif There is no way you are gonna get the same bass from the ie8 to match that of the fx500,at least not with me even after some customization with the EQ.As for the ie8,its bass can go low to 20HZ but you cant even feel it.i said it before,in some of my songs there are passages with low bass notes and the ie8 doesnt even recognise or show them while the fx500 presents them with ease and you definetly can hear the vibraton and tactile feedback from the drivers and wooden housing.

Well, I should be working on my overdue Cyclone PR2 review (great bass too BTW), but you guys just made me AB the FX500 and IE8 again. Here's what I get with my rockboxed Fuze:
- FX500 EQ set to flat
- IE8 EQ flat at 20Hz, -8db at 90Hz (to compensate hump), upper bands all flat

Result: the sub bass rumble on Marcus Schultz' Mainstage is virtually the same with both IEMs. There's as much vibraton and tactile feedback for me with the IE8 as with the FX500.

Possible explanations? The IE8 fits my ears perfectly and I get a very good seal. I've been reading a lot of complaints about tricky fit with the IE8, even recommendations to wear them only loosely sealed. I'd assume a poor fit or an intentional loose seal would certainly affect sub bass and tactile feedback. Other than that maybe the EQ on our sources behave differently, but i find that less likely.

Don't get me wrong, I do not claim at all that bass on these two phones is the same. On the contrary there are obvious differences, e.g. the FX500 being smoother and maybe a bit more natural with acoustic bass (upright bass), or the equalized IE8 being slightly less boomy on certain tracks. Right now I'm testing with songs from a variety of genres as I prepare my comparisons to the Cyclone PR2.

But strictly replying to ignorant's question I stand by my opinion that
- yes, you can get as much sub bass vibration with the equalized IE8 as with the FX500.
- yes, equalizing the hump on the IE8 will bring out the mids better than the FX500's mids with flat EQ.

 

[midoo1990]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ignorant /img/forum/go_quote.gif In that case the FX500s are worth checking out after I decide on the Zune HD or the Sony X. If I do go with the Sony X I hope that the IE8s will synergize well with it otherwise I really will pick up the FX500. I'm hoping that the Zune HD + IE8 work well together since the IE8s go really well with the flash based Zune models.

Dont worry,because the zuneHD will have the same Dac used in the last generation zunes so when you pair the ie8 with it,you will have the same sound as from the zune 16gigs.i have the zune120 and i also finds it pair well with the ie8 and with the fx500.
James444,what tips are you using with the ie8 are they the foamies?i tried as you said to shove them deep into my ears but the problem is the soundstage becomes significalty narrowed and the bass bass becomes very boomy and the treble is almost killed.i just put them at the entrance of my earcanal and then slightly twist them inwards,and i can definetly hear the bass and there is tactile feedback but not as strong or powerful as the victors nor the bass sounds natural to my ears as the victors.my only problem with the victors is the sharp and piercing treble on some of my songs.