[AuxIn]

I know this problem.
Generally these cables are extremely thin and flimsy,
Never had luck with soldering.
I think the (only?) solid xears are the PSII pro (thick cable)
 
I´ve had the Ultraphile on my watchlist ... any pro/cons about the sound?
 
I just saw a brand new flagship on the page - 

Maestro M700PRO

...and ordered 

BTW: disount code only bring down price to €35 meanwhile - well, granted
but I think these are my last xears, too, if they don´t blast me away and outdo my XT2pro, at least xe200

 

[AuxIn]

My impressions of <Maestro-M700PRO> after 2 days ( no burn-in).
 
If I listen to these without direct comparison to others, I have nothing to complain.
They don´t blast me away, but (as many xears) warm sound with decent bass.
Big pro is their fit. They´re very comfortable and the first xears I can use with the stock silicone-tips.
The (flat) cable is much thinner than i.e. XGF500PRO - looks kind of cheap tbh,  very light,
so low force pulling at your ear (recommend shirt-clips anyway).
In sound-signature they´re quite similar to xe200, but xe200 clearly win the competition.
Bass of M700 is only a little less than xe200 (and I use xe200 "bass reduced"  
But they lack this -I´ll say- "loudness effect" of xe200
(like this filter on old amplifiers, adding volume, body and thickness to the music)
And the most annoying are the mids (i.e.vocals, percussions), they simply sound strange,
hollow (like bad seal, but that´s def. not the reason)
However, that only jumps at you in direct comparison - and I still would rank them above 
Brainwavz M4 and M2 (at least bass-wise), and far above xgf500, xm100pro or tm5pro (worst xears to me)
 

 

[bronth]

Well, all these QC issues are becoming REALLY annoying. Yesterday, after 9 months of pretty careful in-door use I somehow lost the metal anti-wax grid on my left channel Revolution IEM (I got the Purple Edition at a reduced price from the official Xears eBay shop). I'm not even sure how could it get out of the IEM when I didn't abuse them in any way and even haven't removed the original silicone single-flanges since day one. But I'm quite happy that this grid didn't do any harm to my ear channel.

 
What I should stress: I had greatly enjoyed these IEM's for their semi-analitical, rather wide, sparkly and not bass-heavy sound and used them as my main go-to IEM's. Moreover, I was thinking of getting a second pair of a different Xears model in order to get rid of switching them between my PC and headphone rigs. But now I'm so disappointed that I'm not quite sure what to do next. Should I write to the Xears Boss? Or will he tell me just to get rid of the second grid?

 
I have been digging this forum for quite a long time, but I can't still figure out what is the best alternative to Xears considering their nice sound quality/price value and easy availability in Europe? Any input from you guys is highly appreciated!
 
(BTW, on a side note, are there any Monoprice IEM resellers who ship to Europe for cheap?)
 

 

[bronth]

I probably should add that I mostly listen to Classical, Jazz and some Rock/Metal. And these Xears Revolution replaced my previous go-to IEM's - Radiopaq Classical (they were nice too, but their build quality was even worse, I was totally disgusted by the need to constantly re-glue one of the metal shells which split for the first time only after a month of very light use).

 

[AuxIn]

After more than a week I have to complement 
the Maestro-M700PRO aren´t that bad - actually they´re quite good.
Don´t know if it´s due to burn in or that you always have to acclimate to new IEMs,
but regarding mids/vocals I can´t complain meanwhile.
Wouldn´t recommend them above xe200 (or xt2pro) but will def. keep them....

 

[poophead]

I just broke my XE200s Cord issues
I'm looking to get a new pair
What's the best pair of Xears available atm? Is it still the XE200s?
ljokerl's reviews don't cover some of their newer models :/
Most important thing for me is sound quality and no cable issues
Should I just get another pair of XE200s or is there something better?
I listen to mainly hip hop/ rap, r&b, and rock
Supreme refs. look pretty awesome. How's the sound in comparison to the 200s?
Thanks guys
 
Btw are flat cables better than round? In terms of durability and everything.

 

[AuxIn]

From my experience / history*, the xe200 are still the best available (esp. if you´re already used to their sound)
But I never tried XSR300.
Flat cable generally produces more noise.
PSIIpro is claimed to have the best, strongest cable 
 
[*have/had; TM5pro / XGF500pro / TDII / XM100pro / XT3 / M700pro / XE200ebony / XT2pro]

 

[MuZo2]

Try the N3 this time. I had both XE200 and N3i and N3 got more time before its cable went off.

 

[MuZo2]

Has some one tried the Xears Mini Rocket XM100PRO, They look really cool.

 

[AuxIn]

N3i? there are only N3 ebony meanwhile (on my watchlist for long)
 
XM100pro
see post #811 http://www.head-fi.org/t/545450/xears-appreciation-thread-formerly-td-iii/810#post_8453202
main downside here is sibiliance

 

[MuZo2]

Quote:

N3i? there are only N3 ebony meanwhile (on my watchlist for long)
 

N3 is revised version of N3i, cable is changed and no mic now, rest is same.
 

 

[poophead]

Alright but how do the N3s compare to the XE200s in sound? 
Has anyone tried the supreme refs or the other flat cable IEMS? 
I'm leaning towards ribbon cables
B/c my research is telling me that they're more durable 
But I wanna know if I'm sacrificing sound quality by buying the flat cable ones. 
Thanks guys

 

[-sandro-]

Can I ask you how they broke?

 

[MuZo2]

Quote from ljoker

The sound of the Xears Nature N3i bears a resemblance to that of Xears’ previous higher-end woody, the TD-III Blackwood, with the major differences being a slightly larger soundstage and less mid-forward balance. The bass of the N3i is the most powerful and prominent of Xears in-ears I’ve heard, narrowly beating out the PS120 and TD-III. The sub-bass is more powerful than with the XE200 and the entire low end is boomier and more full-bodied. Part of the reason is longer note sustainment – the N3i tends to have longer decay times than the other Xears in-ears. Impact is very sizeable and will probably be excessive for some but the N3i still manages to sound clean and resolving compared to the majority of bass-heavy mid-range earphones.

The mids are very smooth, as with the TD-III, but the N3i is slightly less forward in the midrange, which is partly responsible for the greater prominence of its bass. The midrange is by no means recessed but bass bleed is slightly more noticeable and the whole sound signature is richer, warmer, and thicker compared to the TD-III. Texture lags slightly behind the XE200PRO and is about on par with the TD-III, as are detail and clarity. For an earphone with a sound signature that places so much emphasis on the low end, the overall cleanliness of the N3i is enviable but unfortunately the clarity can be difficult to appreciate with all of that bass drawing attention to itself. In direct comparisons to other bass-heavy sets, however the clarity of the N3i shines and even the far more balanced Spider Realvoice could not beat the clarity or detail of the Xears on tracks where the bass did not overwhelm.

The treble of the N3i is low on sparkle but has good clarity and detail. It is not the sort of crisp, clinical treble found on some of my favourite analytical earphones but it works well to compliment the bass and midrange. It extends well enough upward and easily matches the other Xears models in overall proficiency. Presentation, on the other hand, is what most certainly sets the N3i apart from the already-spacious TD-III and lesser Xears models. The TD-III is already well above average in terms of the space it produces but the N3i sounds bigger still. The soundstage extends farther in all directions and whereas the TD-III leans very slightly towards intimacy, the N3i images more evenly across the sonic space. It can be fairly intimate when necessary but is also capable producing very good ambience. Instrumental separation is moderate, as with the TD-III, and airiness lags slightly behind the XE200 and XR120 models. On the whole it is a very solid presentation with a headphone-like feel and even well-tuned competitors like the Spider Realvoice sound a bit small next to the N3i.

 

[poophead]

Quote:

Can I ask you how they broke?

No idea. I was listening on the plane and I fell asleep. Woke up and it wasn't working. It works, but only in a fixed position. To be honest, if I were to decide between the N3 and the XE200s, I think I'd probably choose the XE200s. They look cooler, it's the same price and I really liked their sound.
Tbh I think the main issue for me right now is whether I should get the 200s or the ribbon cable models. If I'm not sacrificing too much with their ribbon cable models, I want to get those. Just need some opinions on them.