hacking_tj
Disciple
Which one Is the best IEM for android phones,I use Galaxy S3 & Google Galaxy Nexus.
Want best IEM for them,budget is upto Rs 7,000 maximum.
Want best IEM for them,budget is upto Rs 7,000 maximum.
Audio Random IEM / Headphone Rants
- Thread starter esanthosh
- Start date
bennysachdev
Adept
The Fiio E17 is excellent vfm since its portable and lets you tune your bass and treble. Also its working great for me since the last 6months and hasn't crapped out yet. The build quality is pretty good. The sound quality is decent. Its clean. I think if you set your expectations right you might be pretty amazed by the lil device. What its not, is that it is not very detailed in any part of the spectrum. But you won't really notice that until you try some high end dacs/amps which are way overpriced compared to the E17.
cyanide911
Adept
I don't want to make a new thread for this, I have a small question.
SoundMagic E30, are they durable? These will be quite pricey as compared to headphones I'm used to buying and I don't want them crapping out after a year or so
SoundMagic E30, are they durable? These will be quite pricey as compared to headphones I'm used to buying and I don't want them crapping out after a year or so
esanthosh
Skilled
Solidly built like a tank - No!
Can last a year? Possibly. No yanking the cable, no wrapping around iPod, stored in pouch when not used, no throwing around - do all that and pray the driver does not fail or even if it fails, it does so within the warranty period. Holds true for 2000 bucks IEM (Rupee or USD)
On a side note, no increasing the volume to compensate for not so great isolation. Otherwise, IEM will be there, your hearing may not
Can last a year? Possibly. No yanking the cable, no wrapping around iPod, stored in pouch when not used, no throwing around - do all that and pray the driver does not fail or even if it fails, it does so within the warranty period. Holds true for 2000 bucks IEM (Rupee or USD)
On a side note, no increasing the volume to compensate for not so great isolation. Otherwise, IEM will be there, your hearing may not
esanthosh
Skilled
Ever since my M4 was stolen, I wondered what I was missing. Now, thanks to gREen, I know . I was not feeling all that well yesterday, so only had a brief listen.
M4 is actually fun. Bass is well done with good extension and impact. It rumbles a little bit, the mid-bass quantity should be a little more than M1, but may fall short of M2. The bass, I feel, might actually be quicker than M1 and M2, but definitely less textured. When I read "B2 with bass", I was imagining a crisp, sweet, forward mid range and this was exactly the opposite. The mid range is recessed, is definitely not lean but not rich in texture either, errs more on the side of neutral, clean but not exactly crystal clear. It felt like the upper mids are more forward in the mix than the lower mids. As a result, with Opeth for instance, vocals seemed to take a back seat. The treble had decent extension, forward, but felt a tad grainy in places. Would have been satisfied with a better extension, but from what I remember, the treble extension is better than what was present with M1 or M2. Sound stage is lacking in width, but due to recessed mids, the depth perception is good enough. Separation is decent, imaging too was decent. While softer passages were definitely enjoyable, complex passages felt a bit overwhelming. May be it was the cramping in space and a slight lack of airiness. Details are present, but it is definitely not micro detailed - more par for the course. It is not quite B2 with bass, even after accounting for price difference and the driver type. But, on a very approximate basis, I can see how one can make an argument that speed and forward treble is a la B2. But, for me, the essence of DBA-02 was the crisp sound, the sweeter mid range, the separation, apart from great speed and lots of micro-detail - those are not essentially captured by M4.
I thought the cable would be a little more thicker than this. Disappointed that Brainwavz continues to disregard a cord cinch - a minor irritant as always. Isolation and comfort was good as well.
On an overall basis, I think M4 is more suited for my library full of Prog Metal and stuff than M1 or M2. But, I am not really sure how to place them in relation to M1 and M2. The best I can do is to compare to E30 and see how it goes. I don't think that $70 MSRP reflects any value. May be MP4Nation realizes this and have constantly put it on sale at $28 for a while now.
But have I missed out on anything since it was stolen? I am not sure about that. It might have been fun for a while, but I might have put it up for sale eventually. For now, I have my costliest (and not anywhere near worth) extra IEM case
. I was not feeling all that well yesterday, so only had a brief listen.M4 is actually fun. Bass is well done with good extension and impact. It rumbles a little bit, the mid-bass quantity should be a little more than M1, but may fall short of M2. The bass, I feel, might actually be quicker than M1 and M2, but definitely less textured. When I read "B2 with bass", I was imagining a crisp, sweet, forward mid range and this was exactly the opposite. The mid range is recessed, is definitely not lean but not rich in texture either, errs more on the side of neutral, clean but not exactly crystal clear. It felt like the upper mids are more forward in the mix than the lower mids. As a result, with Opeth for instance, vocals seemed to take a back seat. The treble had decent extension, forward, but felt a tad grainy in places. Would have been satisfied with a better extension, but from what I remember, the treble extension is better than what was present with M1 or M2. Sound stage is lacking in width, but due to recessed mids, the depth perception is good enough. Separation is decent, imaging too was decent. While softer passages were definitely enjoyable, complex passages felt a bit overwhelming. May be it was the cramping in space and a slight lack of airiness. Details are present, but it is definitely not micro detailed - more par for the course. It is not quite B2 with bass, even after accounting for price difference and the driver type. But, on a very approximate basis, I can see how one can make an argument that speed and forward treble is a la B2. But, for me, the essence of DBA-02 was the crisp sound, the sweeter mid range, the separation, apart from great speed and lots of micro-detail - those are not essentially captured by M4.
I thought the cable would be a little more thicker than this. Disappointed that Brainwavz continues to disregard a cord cinch - a minor irritant as always. Isolation and comfort was good as well.
On an overall basis, I think M4 is more suited for my library full of Prog Metal and stuff than M1 or M2. But, I am not really sure how to place them in relation to M1 and M2. The best I can do is to compare to E30 and see how it goes. I don't think that $70 MSRP reflects any value. May be MP4Nation realizes this and have constantly put it on sale at $28 for a while now.
But have I missed out on anything since it was stolen? I am not sure about that. It might have been fun for a while, but I might have put it up for sale eventually. For now, I have my costliest (and not anywhere near worth) extra IEM case
@esanthosh thanks for the low-down on the BRAINWAVZ M4, how will you compare it to the earlier flagship model --> the M3.
I wanted to buy it for $28 dollars but could not come around to convince my father about it, apart from that the stories that most pieces that were bought during the discount period were caught up at the customs offices was not really comforting.
I wanted to buy it for $28 dollars but could not come around to convince my father about it, apart from that the stories that most pieces that were bought during the discount period were caught up at the customs offices was not really comforting.
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esanthosh
Skilled
@ALPHA17,
The reason I left out M3 even in a from memory comparison is that I didn't remember it all that well. But, I'll try....
The bass quantity of M4 is definitely better than M3. The extension might be similar, but the presence in the lower ranges (due to increased quantity) is much better with M4. You might hear a faint rumble with M3, but you can feel it a bit with M4. On the other hand, M4 tended to get a little boomy at times, which would not happen with M3.
The mid range is the exact opposite. While not too forward, M3's mid range as I remember it was warm, sweet, thick and quite engaging. Relatively speaking, M4 would lack the warmth and engagement. In the context of it's signature though, M4's mids are not bad at all. They are clean sounding and not dull at all.
The treble on the M4 should be more forward. The quantity is more than M3, but I am not sure it's qualitatively better all things considered. I guess M4 might bring out a bit more sparkle and detail on the treble front.
Sound stage and presentation would go to the M3, however. M4 is more a circle around a little head, M3 will have more width and will sound more spacious.
If you take the signature as a whole, M3 has a laid back sound with more emphasis on the mid range, followed by treble, followed by bass. M4 is V-shaped, feels a lot faster than I remember M3 and it could do better with Metal than M3.
As usual, just remember the disclaimer that auditory memory vanishes faster than you can switch IEMs. So, take it with a bag of salt.
The reason I left out M3 even in a from memory comparison is that I didn't remember it all that well. But, I'll try....
The bass quantity of M4 is definitely better than M3. The extension might be similar, but the presence in the lower ranges (due to increased quantity) is much better with M4. You might hear a faint rumble with M3, but you can feel it a bit with M4. On the other hand, M4 tended to get a little boomy at times, which would not happen with M3.
The mid range is the exact opposite. While not too forward, M3's mid range as I remember it was warm, sweet, thick and quite engaging. Relatively speaking, M4 would lack the warmth and engagement. In the context of it's signature though, M4's mids are not bad at all. They are clean sounding and not dull at all.
The treble on the M4 should be more forward. The quantity is more than M3, but I am not sure it's qualitatively better all things considered. I guess M4 might bring out a bit more sparkle and detail on the treble front.
Sound stage and presentation would go to the M3, however. M4 is more a circle around a little head, M3 will have more width and will sound more spacious.
If you take the signature as a whole, M3 has a laid back sound with more emphasis on the mid range, followed by treble, followed by bass. M4 is V-shaped, feels a lot faster than I remember M3 and it could do better with Metal than M3.
As usual, just remember the disclaimer that auditory memory vanishes faster than you can switch IEMs. So, take it with a bag of salt.
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@esanthosh I understand, no need of the disclaimer.
I told you I am trying to do a basic review of the JVC Marshmallow's, I have been listening to them quite intently and this is what I could draw out [vis-á-vis CREATIVE EP 630's and BRAINWAVZ M1] --
Just a few of the things I wished to share. If the M4's are still available for $28 I might look into purchasing them OR the SoundMAGIC E10M. I am wary of the latter because I lost a pair of PL-30's in ~7 months of standard usage, the driver in one of the housing decided to die on me.
I told you I am trying to do a basic review of the JVC Marshmallow's, I have been listening to them quite intently and this is what I could draw out [vis-á-vis CREATIVE EP 630's and BRAINWAVZ M1] --
- It has a sound-stage so to speak of;
- in single instrument passages it excels but come multi-instrumental section and throw in vocals and the individual sound becomes compressed, vocals and bass get rendered pretty okay but the treble goes to hell and sharp sounds like crash-hats, high-hats, cymbals et al seem to crash and shatter something I don't enjoy;
- isolation is at par with EP's and superior to the M1, this thanks to its straight into ear construction;
- bass is adequate, treble is passable but again losses clarity and detail as soon as complex sounds are to be rendered. Highs are okay and I felt that with my Sansa Clip+ [RockBOXed] on higher volume levels [> -25dB] they had a tendency to crash and shatter;
- overall a fun experience to listen, especially in situations like bus / metro travel where you are not fully into the music nor do you want to listen to Honey Singh on the bus radio but as soon as I returned to my home and wanted an analytical breakdown of the music I was experiencing I was trying to get back to the M1 as fast as possible;
- details very grubby at volume levels below -30dB, my M1's on the other hand in a relatively quite environment sound great even if I go all the way down to -45dB.
Just a few of the things I wished to share. If the M4's are still available for $28 I might look into purchasing them OR the SoundMAGIC E10M. I am wary of the latter because I lost a pair of PL-30's in ~7 months of standard usage, the driver in one of the housing decided to die on me.
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esanthosh
Skilled
Was very interested in Dunus at one time, but that interest faded away quickly.
In Joker's thread, all their models got a build quality score of 4.5 or 5. Accessories, except for Trident is again 4.5 or 5. They seem to get that part so right. But SQ score ranges only from 6.7 - 7.1. Above average, but not really interesting enough for me to buy.
How is the DN-18 revised edition different from the one Joker reviewed? (Sorry! I do not venture outside of my subscribed threads these days :unsure
ALPHA17,
E10M and M4 are both not going to be entirely satisfactory. But, if you could get M4 for $28, give it a try. It should add something different in your collection.
You could save up and get a better IEM if you want to. Without going entirely analytical, EPH-100 would be something to consider. I'd assume it's priced way beyond what you want to spend now. But, it strikes a good balance between 'too less' and 'too much' very nicely. Without spending a fortune, it puts you within striking distance of the so-called top-tier sound. At a lower price level, VSonic GR06 which is said to be a very good value for money in that price range can be considered.
PS: Is it just me or is there a gaping hole in India between the budget range of M3 (4K) to IE8/TF10 (14K+)? There used to be RE0/RE-ZERO locally, but then there is no official dealer / distributor for Hifiman in India any more.
In Joker's thread, all their models got a build quality score of 4.5 or 5. Accessories, except for Trident is again 4.5 or 5. They seem to get that part so right. But SQ score ranges only from 6.7 - 7.1. Above average, but not really interesting enough for me to buy.
How is the DN-18 revised edition different from the one Joker reviewed? (Sorry! I do not venture outside of my subscribed threads these days :unsure
ALPHA17,
E10M and M4 are both not going to be entirely satisfactory. But, if you could get M4 for $28, give it a try. It should add something different in your collection.
You could save up and get a better IEM if you want to. Without going entirely analytical, EPH-100 would be something to consider. I'd assume it's priced way beyond what you want to spend now. But, it strikes a good balance between 'too less' and 'too much' very nicely. Without spending a fortune, it puts you within striking distance of the so-called top-tier sound. At a lower price level, VSonic GR06 which is said to be a very good value for money in that price range can be considered.
PS: Is it just me or is there a gaping hole in India between the budget range of M3 (4K) to IE8/TF10 (14K+)? There used to be RE0/RE-ZERO locally, but then there is no official dealer / distributor for Hifiman in India any more.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Thanks for the encouraging words but I am student currently and intend to be in this stream for a few more years, so it might be a little hard. I will see if I can acquire the BRAINWAVZ M4 OR M3. Thy should keep me contented, for now. Hopefully.
True, in most sections it is so in India, it is either the absolute pits OR absolutely overkill luxury items and I think you must be aware of the herd mentality in things like IEM's.
It pains me when somebody sees me with my BRAINWAVZ M1's and thinks his SkullCandy's are better thanks to them being a known brand, also it is pointless to waste one's breathe in such encounters so I praise his stuff self depreciate myself and go back to listening tool
Ever since my M4 was stolen, I wondered what I was missing. Now, thanks to gREen, I know
M4 is actually fun. Bass is well done with good extension and impact. It rumbles a little bit, the mid-bass quantity should be a little more than M1, but may fall short of M2. The bass, I feel, might actually be quicker than M1 and M2, but definitely less textured. When I read "B2 with bass", I was imagining a crisp, sweet, forward mid range and this was exactly the opposite. The mid range is recessed, is definitely not lean but not rich in texture either, errs more on the side of neutral, clean but not exactly crystal clear. It felt like the upper mids are more forward in the mix than the lower mids. As a result, with Opeth for instance, vocals seemed to take a back seat. The treble had decent extension, forward, but felt a tad grainy in places. Would have been satisfied with a better extension, but from what I remember, the treble extension is better than what was present with M1 or M2. Sound stage is lacking in width, but due to recessed mids, the depth perception is good enough. Separation is decent, imaging too was decent. While softer passages were definitely enjoyable, complex passages felt a bit overwhelming. May be it was the cramping in space and a slight lack of airiness. Details are present, but it is definitely not micro detailed - more par for the course. It is not quite B2 with bass, even after accounting for price difference and the driver type. But, on a very approximate basis, I can see how one can make an argument that speed and forward treble is a la B2. But, for me, the essence of DBA-02 was the crisp sound, the sweeter mid range, the separation, apart from great speed and lots of micro-detail - those are not essentially captured by M4.
I thought the cable would be a little more thicker than this. Disappointed that Brainwavz continues to disregard a cord cinch - a minor irritant as always. Isolation and comfort was good as well.
On an overall basis, I think M4 is more suited for my library full of Prog Metal and stuff than M1 or M2. But, I am not really sure how to place them in relation to M1 and M2. The best I can do is to compare to E30 and see how it goes. I don't think that $70 MSRP reflects any value. May be MP4Nation realizes this and have constantly put it on sale at $28 for a while now.
But have I missed out on anything since it was stolen? I am not sure about that. It might have been fun for a while, but I might have put it up for sale eventually. For now, I have my costliest (and not anywhere near worth) extra IEM case
Welcome
Actually it was sounded flat by beginning but later with more burn-ins the bass was great and details is okay for me.
More importantly i observed this when i changed the source i.e, iPhone to stone plus, pc. I dosent sounds great with the iPhone but i feel the real thing when i shifted to other sources.
Glad its best VFM for Rs.1.7k.
@gREen Sire, where did you source the M4 from? Did you buy it for the super-discount from Amazon?
How many days did it take to end up with you and did you have any issues with the customs guys?
Sorry for only asking a lot of questions and not actually contributing anything constructive.
How many days did it take to end up with you and did you have any issues with the customs guys?
Sorry for only asking a lot of questions and not actually contributing anything constructive.
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Sourced from MP4NATION on the super discount price of $28 which cost merely 1670rs including $0 shipping and customs.
it takes merely 14-15 days to arrive and no issues from customs whereas those Bangalore guys are in nightmare with the customs guys.
dont be a sorry as i will ask lot of question by the time i buy a new pc upgrade. :bleh:
you are one of the guy in TE, helps and contributes a lot. I appreciate and respect you.
Thanks for the information, will check up with MP4Nation if the discount is ongoing, if yes I think am going to indulge myself.
You are most welcome, for any help PM away. Cheerio!!
esanthosh
Skilled
OTOH, if there are no questions, there would be no contribution
What you say about the perception of Skullkandy vs Brainwavz is a universal problem. There's always the popularity oriented general crowd and an enthusiast crowd. Do you think everybody looks at me the same way when they learn that I prefer 1920's silent movies in B & W and Mono over "enjoying" a blockbuster 3D movie with HD Audio over the same capable equipment? To them, I am someone who watches movies that "nobody knows about". Yet, within the enthusiast crowd, I am still learning to walk baby steps. There's so much I do not know.
Let me suggest another way: Over time, get both E10M and M4. Not really aiming to make your father chase you around, but getting a taste of different manners of presentation even within the similar budget and SQ tier would make you more aware. The more you hear (as opposed to just reading reviews), the better equipped you become to get upgrades when you start earning.
Was very interested in Dunus at one time, but that interest faded away quickly.
In Joker's thread, all their models got a build quality score of 4.5 or 5. Accessories, except for Trident is again 4.5 or 5. They seem to get that part so right. But SQ score ranges only from 6.7 - 7.1. Above average, but not really interesting enough for me to buy.
How is the DN-18 revised edition different from the one Joker reviewed? (Sorry! I do not venture outside of my subscribed threads these days :unsure
True that the package, accessories and built quality is top notch. I actually quite like the earphone hard case, soft pleather case and the plethora of tips provided. Airline adaptar, 6.5mm jack...
About the sound quality. DN-18 revised edition is certainly a likeable IEM for the given price. Upper midrange issue is solved, doesn't sound dull now. Treble extension is quite good now. And the bass bleed is not noticeable. In fact midrange stands out and is quite smooth in nature.
Just ignore them. Should be fine with you. I too see people saying they got bose earphones and they sound so better. I just nod and go my merry way.
abhi_jollyguy
Adept
Fischer Audio has stopped their cooperation with GD AudioBase - buy Fischer Audio, Sunrise Audio at the best prices!
Fischer Audio said:
Dear Friends,
We strongly recommend not to buy any products on the web-site GD AudioBase - buy Fischer Audio, Sunrise Audio at the best prices!.
They delay the shipment for around 2-3 months or even do not ship at all and not refund money.
We stop the cooperation with them and recommend to everybody!
Thank you for your attention!
Damn gd-audiobase's reputation is getting worse day by day:sleep:
Fischer Audio said:
Dear Friends,
We strongly recommend not to buy any products on the web-site GD AudioBase - buy Fischer Audio, Sunrise Audio at the best prices!.
They delay the shipment for around 2-3 months or even do not ship at all and not refund money.
We stop the cooperation with them and recommend to everybody!
Thank you for your attention!
Damn gd-audiobase's reputation is getting worse day by day:sleep:
Gryph0n
Adept
Interesting. I do that too, but for me its probably more out of nostalgia than any actual movie appreciation. One image that is stuck in my head from childhood is Charlie Chaplin rolling through the gears and machinery in "Modern Times". I have had an incredible love for Charlie Chaplin movies since those very young days.
Well, I'd put it down as irritating than a nightmare. The delivery was delayed by around 2 weeks, and we had to shell out ~500 extra for the privilege of importing something. To me, from my interactions, it just felt like that the customs guys only wanted to figure out the cost of the item so that they could arrive at how much duty to levy. It didn't feel like they were out to hound and harass us.
Of course, YMMV if you're in a different city, and maybe we were just lucky to not get too much harassed.