[music_4321]

Quote:

Originally Posted by atothex /img/forum/go_quote.gif Trusty ears tell me that for top tier IEMs, Jerry Harvey is the only game in town.

Well, I guess I should get rid of my ES3X's, then, and follow your objective piece of advice and get the JH13's

Quote:

Originally Posted by emann /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just get some of the new UE 700's for only $230 and be done with it. They sound great. Probably better then many IEM's costing much more.

It's be better for the OP and other viewers of this thread if you could substantiate your comment. Simply saying 'they probably sound better than many IEM's costing much more' is VERY misleading.

Now, to try and answer the question from the OP:
From the high-end universals I've had (see my sig), in my view the UM3X wins hands down. Won't go into details here as I've said enough about those IEM's in other threads, but I find the UM3X to be the most natural, neutral & balanced (universal) IEM I've ever tried - wonderful detail and NON- fatiguing. AND, the comfort level is second to none, pretty much matching my custom ES3X's. Also a fantastic cable which causes no microphonics.

 

[3X0]

Whenever someone says "better" or "worse" comparatively to other models as the foundation for their review, I know to disregard the majority of their opinions (meaning no offense to them, I certainly don't vocalize this disregard). Tastes should not comprise the majority (or entirety) of a review.

 

[emann]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3X0 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Whenever someone says "better" or "worse" comparatively to other models as the foundation for their review, I know to disregard the majority of their opinions (meaning no offense to them, I certainly don't vocalize this disregard).

Smart fellow.

 

[atothex]

No such thing as objectivity here... Not even measurements look the same from test to test.

If someone I trust says something is better, then I take their word for it. Will I like it better? Not necessarily, but I DO listen to them with an open mind. I suspect you skeptics do as well; you just don't like admitting it.

 

[3X0]

Well there's a difference between saying "the SE530 is better than the TF10Pro" (purely taste) alone and following that with "the mids of the SE530 are lush, smooth, and more pronounced than the mids of the TF10Pro" (qualifying the taste).

There's a sense of consensus that I think MUST be credible (i.e. strong mids on the SE530, great treble on the TF10Pro, excellent soundstage on the IE8) that must be roughly true from the sheer unanimity of the idea. But when there's no qualification and the competition is tossed to the wayside in comparison ("such-and-such IEM is better than the rest"), well..

 

[atothex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3X0 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well there's a difference between saying "the SE530 is better than the TF10Pro" (purely taste) alone and following that with "the mids of the SE530 are lush, smooth, and more pronounced than the mids of the TF10Pro" (qualifying the taste). There's a sense of consensus that I think MUST be credible (i.e. strong mids on the SE530, great treble on the TF10Pro, excellent soundstage on the IE8) that must be roughly true from the sheer unanimity of the idea. But when there's no qualification and the competition is tossed to the wayside in comparison ("such-and-such IEM is better than the rest"), well..

People have been saying that stuff about the R10s for like decades.

How much info do you want about a brand new IEM? People are just getting their customs; detailed listening impressions will have to wait.

Like I said, preliminary reports from trusty sources are overwhelmingly positive, just like with the HD800s. I believe the consensus is that it's better than the HD6x0s in every way, and nothing has happened to disprove that yet.

 

[3X0]

I guess my ignorance is bliss then.

 

[Audiotodd]

I cannot attest to the quality of many custom IEMs but I can say that the Shure SE420 is of the highest possible quality. It tends to get a bad reputation among true cost-is-no-object audiophiles, but it really is a huge step up from many single-driver monitors. I highly recommend it.

 

[Ed Seedhouse]

As for the IE8's being really "ear buds" I must demure, at least for may own ears. And I have found the isolation just fine as well, once one finds the right tips (admittedly a protraced and rather annoying process).

Which, as everyone's ears are different, as are their tastes, I would hasten to point out should not be generalized to "everybody".

 

[qusp]

^^ wow you must have some funny shaped ears if you can get part of the IE8 into your canal. and again the reactionary misses that I did in fact qualify my statement by saying 'with stock tips'

 

[Zalithian]

W3's - edgy, strong. Very pronounced and wet treble. Solid slamming bass and a mid bass hump BUT only with certain tips. I had no fit problems or sibilance problems. The least warm of the three.

UM3X - Very balanced across the board. Dry treble, especially compared to the IE8's and W3's imo. Mids are a bit forward, but every frequency is pretty balanced and smooth. They're also fairly warm and offer great detail and separation.

IE8's - Thick sound, fairly wet treble but less so than the W3's. Best bass extension of the three (best sub bass) and the most quantity in bass quantity across the board. Recessed mids but very smooth. Biggest soundstage/headstage

W3 and IE8's are like opposites. The UM3X is more like a middle ground between the two.

I found the UM3X to be the most comfortable, followed by the W3, and then the IE8 but I also have small ear canals and never got that perfect fit I was looking for with the IE8's. If you can get them to stay in place they are without a doubt very comfortable as well.

 

[3X0]

Quote:

Originally Posted by qusp /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^^ wow you must have some funny shaped ears if you can get part of the IE8 into your canal.

I'll have to post a picture soon of my middle ear nearly consuming the IE8..

 

[qusp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by decay /img/forum/go_quote.gif @qusp Whew, I didn't think it's going to be this heated. The quote you bolded in post #7 was to clear up your IMO about IE8, more precisely what's quoted in post #8. It's unnecessary to those who read the IE8 appreciation thread but for other who skimp to this thread I don't want them to miss out because they think IE8 is a earbud-like IEM.

well perhaps try to be a little less obtuse if the idea is to 'clear something up'

Quote:

Now, may you lay off the personal harassment? I've read and posted in the JH13Pro and

LOL personal harassment, you wouldnt do too well at high school being that touchy.

Quote:

ES3X appreciation threads, so no thank you for reminding me how to search. As for been a "smart ass", my, I didn't know clearing up one's post meant that. No need to hammer

well when someone follows both of your posts with a strange facetious extract with not much to say and a tongue smiley its a little disconcerting. I also finished my post by making sure that everyone knew that everything in my post was IMO (even though it was smattered the whole way through the posts). do I have to have an IMO in every single line in a post. and does it have to be IMO?? surely saying something like 'I found that such and such ' is enough.

also, hammer LOL, if I had the hammer out you would know about it hehe

Quote:

me for been here for only 2 month either. But let's leave it alone, we both have better things to do than exchanging spicy words for nothing.

ok fine, i'll stop 'harassing you' from this side that was what seemed like YOU were doing. all the same i'm happy to move on and bury the hatchet so toi speak; not that I had the hatchet out

 

[qusp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3X0 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll have to post a picture soon of my middle ear nearly consuming the IE8..

yes but surely the actual body of the IEM stays on the outside?? I mean its HUGE and strangely shaped. you must have some caverns going on there mate

 

[bakhtiar]

IE8s are the IEMs with shallow insertion, IMO. But, depends on the tips

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