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$500 cans on, this is how you dream right - Official Headphone Thread
- Thread starter HiResDes
- Start date
opticalmace
Member
I'll mention these Klipsch IEMs have been excellent for upbeat music like electronica, pop, rock, and generally music with high tempos and good bass.Zeth said:
I first purchased the HeadDirect RE-0's (I think that was the name) and their clarity was exceptional for classical music and all those sorts of genres. They were very technical, but I like listening to pretty fun stuff most of the time. I returned them and got the Klipsch and I've been very satisfied.
Something to think about.
opticalmace
Member
Kinda hard to say. I have a Grado SR-80 pair, which is obviously a lot worse than the 225, but I could imagine how they would be good for indie and rock, and wouldn't be necessarily great for electronica.Zeth said:
I bought a Denon D-2000 last year and they are really excellent at the complementary genres, particularly bass-heavy music such as hip-hop and electronica. I don't listen to my Grados anymore but I think that is primarily because they are several tiers below the Denons (unlike your 225).
I went for the Klipsch S4 because for most of my on-the-go listening I prefer more of the music I mentioned previously. You kind of have to choose what genres you'd like to listen to on your portable, and if you're okay with someone that overlaps with your Grado's genres, complements it, or is somewhere in between.
I like my IEMs a lot but they are basically just for work music, or when I need to walk around. At home I just use my big headphones.
Dynamite Ringo Matsuri
Member
Yep. Some receivers have good DACs built into them. If it sounds good to you and you don't notice any part of the sound spectrum missing, then I wouldn't worry about it.
Dynamite Ringo Matsuri
Member
Yep, just like with any other hobby. Ignorance is often bliss, at least where your wallet is concerned :\
I ended up buying the AD700 since I'm really curious about its soundstage. I listen to some classical and folk and have IEM's for anything that needs strong bass in the meantime. I'm going to pick up the M50 next week (I want portable over the ears) and the DT770's will have to wait until fall since I won't be gaming or watching movies at home much in the summer.
That said, Amazon shipped the AD700's today which is surprising. Figured they would wait until Monday. Since the seller I bought it from (Beach Camera) is based in Jersey, I'm guessing I'll be seeing them tomorrow even with regular shipping.
Anyway, the m50's are $150 right now. Hoping the price normalizes by Fri.
That said, Amazon shipped the AD700's today which is surprising. Figured they would wait until Monday. Since the seller I bought it from (Beach Camera) is based in Jersey, I'm guessing I'll be seeing them tomorrow even with regular shipping.
Anyway, the m50's are $150 right now. Hoping the price normalizes by Fri.
Dreams-Visions
Member
That's the crazy thing about audio. You don't miss what you've never heard. But once you hear it, you can't UNhear it...and you have to upgrade.Alucrid said:
Meier said:
Audeo PFE 122 - Higher Priced Option
MEElectronic CC51-P's - Mid Tier Option
MEElectronics M21P - Lower Priced Option
...There are plenty of others that have mics as well
Kyaw said:
Why are you comparing AD2000s which are a thousand dollar headphones to headphones that currently cost less than a hundred bucks...It should be quite obvious as to which one is better
Dreams-Visions
Member
Unfortunately, I've never heard the 700s...but I owned the AD2000s for a long time. Their bass is second to very, very few.Kyaw said:
Hold on is he talking about Denon's, those are AHD2000, which are an entirely different animal than the Audio Technica AD700...Especially the open-aired version of the AD700.
Generally closed headphones will sport better bass, while open aired ones will sport better soundstage...Although the Denon's do have great soundstage for a closed can apparently, I'm sure it is still slightly less spacious than that of the open-aired AD700 or AD900.
AKG K701 are also open-aired, and they couldn't possibly be any more different than the Denon's. Mostly all AKGs outside of the DJ-series focus on the mid to upper regions of the sound spectrum. The bass is very lean, especially in comparison to the Denons.
Generally closed headphones will sport better bass, while open aired ones will sport better soundstage...Although the Denon's do have great soundstage for a closed can apparently, I'm sure it is still slightly less spacious than that of the open-aired AD700 or AD900.
AKG K701 are also open-aired, and they couldn't possibly be any more different than the Denon's. Mostly all AKGs outside of the DJ-series focus on the mid to upper regions of the sound spectrum. The bass is very lean, especially in comparison to the Denons.
Holy crap, bad typo was bad... ><
I meant Audio Technica AD1000. AD2000s are not $1000 either.
http://www.audiocubes.com/product_info.php?products_id=1088
And what kind of bass Grado 225i offer compared to AD700s?
I meant Audio Technica AD1000. AD2000s are not $1000 either.
http://www.audiocubes.com/product_info.php?products_id=1088
And what kind of bass Grado 225i offer compared to AD700s?
I would just cop some Alessandro MS1's...And then eventually the MS2's if you find that you like their sound signature as they're much of a safer pick than regular Grados.Kyaw said:
DT990's sport slightly recessed mids, but honestly with the right amping you won't even notice.
Dynamite Ringo Matsuri
Member
Totally different applications Meier. IEMs were originally developed for stage monitoring use, and some of the tech is derived from hearing aid tech. Due to the acoustic seal achieved, sound quality from a pair of IEMs is typically by and large better than that which can be achieved with conventional earbuds (unless we're talking about Yuin OK2s or something). Some of the high end IEMs and custom monitors can compare quite favorably with full sized cans even.Meier said:
rance said:
The Beyers would have been the better choice no doubt, but they're also like three times as expensive. I've had the AD700 for about half a year and I already want to upgrade. It's not because they're bad, it's because they're far better than the old sony's I had, and it's making me want to move up to something more hi-fi. We'll see if expenses can justify it in the near future. Anyways, the AD700s are impressive for around 80 bucks. Just don't expect them to perform well in all genres. Classical and acoustic? Awesome. Hip Hop and Trance kind of stuff.... not as good. I view em as good complimentary cans if you have another bass heavy set like the DT990s or a closed set like the M50.
Meier said:
Slightly cheaper on Amazon because of free shipping and no tax. For me in CA anyway.
Here's a page that shows compatibility with the iphone. The ONLY thing I would change about the headset is the mic location. It's a bit low on the wire. I actually asked them why and they said its because some people like to wrap the wire behind and over their ear. Weird.
https://www.meelec.com/Articles.asp?ID=155
VSONIC GR07
Details: VSonics flagship dynamic-driver monitor
Current Price: $155 from lendmeurears.com (MSRP: $155)
Specs: Driver: Dynamic | Imp: 50Ω | Sens: 105 dB | Freq: 7-30k Hz | Cable: 4.3 L-plug
Nozzle Size: 4mm | Preferred tips: Stock single- and bi-flanges, Sony Hybrid
Wear Style: Over-the-ear
Accessories (4.5/5) Single-flange (3 sizes) and bi-flange (2 sizes) silicone tips, foam tips, over-the-ear cable guides, and hard clamshell carrying case
Build Quality (4.5/5) Rectangular in shape and designed for over-the-ear wear, the GR07 features adjustable-angle metal nozzles and beefy gray cabling reminiscent of the silver cord used by the old VSonic R02ProII. The cord can be somewhat resistant to staying behind ones ears without the included ear guides. The cables arent flexible or tangle-resistant as I would like still reasonably good for the asking price. The strain reliefs on the VSonics housings arent as flexible as I would like either but otherwise the build is extremely well thought-out.
Isolation (4/5) Like most dynamic-driver in-ears, the GR07 is vented but the fairly long nozzles help keep isolation reasonably high
Microphonics (4.5/5) Cable noise is very low as the GR07 can only be worn in the over-the-ear configuration. Although the conventional cable clip is missing from the accessory pack, the cable cinch and ear guides can be used to fix the cord in place
Comfort (4/5) Though the GR07 uses fairly large 11mm drivers, the lightweight, form-fitted, over-the-ear style housings actually work very well for prolonged listening with their slim profile and rounded edges. The angle of the nozzle is also adjustable in every direction by ~40º
Sound (9.4/10) Despite the rapid growth of the IEM market in the past couple of years, competition in certain niches is still fairly low among higher-end earphones. One such niche is the dynamic-driver professional monitor a market segment VSonic clearly had in mind when designing the GR07. The earphone utilizes an 11mm bio-cellulose transducer and delivers more than enough sonic bang to compete with similarly-priced offerings from Western brands. One catch of this particular driver is the importance of break-in the earphones fail to impress when it comes to resolution or smoothness until several days in. I am generally quite sensitive to sibilance and listening to some of my tracks with the GR07 was downright unpleasant until 50 hours in or so. Happily, the earphones do eventually settle into their intended sound, and what glorious sound it is!
Overall balance is definitely a strong suit of the GR07. Presence is excellent across the range and the earphones remain refined and detailed at the limits something Ive always particularly liked about Sennheisers IE-series models. The low end of the GR07 is deep and punchy. For a dynamic-driver earphone, the GR07 is rather quick, which does show through in bass control and accuracy. At the same time, the bass is well-weighted and carries realistic attack and decay, striking a fine line between the slightly thicker bass notes produced by the Sennheiser IE6 and IE7 and the leaner bass presentation of armature-based monitors such as the Fischer DBA-02 and Westone 2. The only other higher-end dynamic that could be used for monitoring the HiFiMan RE252 doesnt fare nearly as well either when it comes to bass extension, body, or overall presence.
The midrange is balanced properly with the low end and maintains the same impressive levels of clarity and detail. Unlike the similarly-priced Sennheiser IE7, the GR07 is not at all forward in the midrange. It is also nowhere near as warm and thick as the Sennheisers, instead taking the RE252 route with a leaner (and arguably more realistic) note presentation. Tonally, the mids of the GR07 are quite neutral, leaning only slightly towards warmth and having no coloration at all compared to the majority of higher-end dynamics. Texture levels are very good but, as is the case with almost all dynamics, the detailing is not very aggressive compared to higher-end BA-based monitors from Fischer, Etymotic, Audio-Technica, and the like. This makes the GR07 seem smoother and gives it certain finesse in getting the complete sonic picture across without inducing listening fatigue. At the same time, it makes the volume easier to turn up inadvertently when listening to the GR07 something I caught myself doing on several occasions.
At the outset, the GR07s lower treble is probably the only real problem with its sound signature. Luckily, it is also the part that undergoes the most dramatic change with burn-in, becoming noticeably smoother and balancing out nicely with the rest of the frequency spectrum. Dont get me wrong the GR07 has excellent treble presence and remains noticeably brighter than Sennheisers IE7 - but, once settled, places a bit less emphasis on the treble than on the midrange. Sibilance, so striking out of the box, becomes nearly a non-issue at low-to-moderate listening volumes. Like the low end, the highs of the GR07 are fairly well-extended and always remain crisp and detailed. Of course the GR07 cant quite match the bell-like clarity of an ATH-CK10 or the sparkle of the JVC FX700, but then it isnt meant to. As a neutral and accurate monitor, it performs exceedingly well.
The presentation of the GR07 is again very competent on every level. The soundstage is wide and spacious. It is slightly oblong in shape, losing out in depth and height to competitors such as the IE7, and tends to position things a bit farther away compared to more intimate-sounding dynamics such as the Radius TWF21. At the same time, the GR07 cant quite throw sonic cues as far as the TWF21 or JVC FX700 when push comes to shove, but then it is deep-fit stage monitor and not a consumer-oriented open-back canalphone. Instrumental separation is still excellent and the GR07 is anything but congested-sounding. To my ears it provides a very cohesive sound without becoming overly analytical despite impressive levels of separation and layering not an easy task by any means. Without a doubt the presentation of the GR07 is helped along by decent imaging and a good dynamic range. On that point, the sound of the VSonics is very effortless almost as much so as that of the HiFiMan RE262. Lastly, a note on usability although the GR07 is fairly transparent to source, its high impedance makes it a consistent performer and its signature isnt particularly susceptible to poor synergy. In addition, the integrity of its sound is not dependent on tip choice to the same degree as, say, a DBA-02, making it a great first step into higher-end in-ear territory for those with limited hands-on IEM experience.
Value (9.5/10) Designed for use as a stage monitor, VSonics new flagship is a very strong performer on several levels. Utilizing bio-cellulose drivers that undergo marked improvement with break-in, the GR07 does have the right sound signature to become one of the few studio-friendly dynamic-driver earphones. Its biggest selling point is the excellent balance across the spectrum, offering controlled but well-weighted bass, clear and articulate mids, and accurate treble. As is the case with some of the pricier in-ears from Ortofon, Westone, HiFiMan, and even 1964EARS, one of the GR07s greatest strengths is its lack of real weaknesses, both in sound quality and overall usability. Putting aside the eternal debate on the virtues of balanced armature vs. dynamic transducers, especially for monitoring applications, it is quite easy to see that the GR07 is worth the asking price, and maybe more. Those looking for a particular sonic flavor may want to steer clear of the GR07 but for everyone else it is an easy one to recommend.
Pros: Well-built and well-designed; great balance and presence across the spectrum
Cons: Quite sibilant until several hundred hours in
Sennheiser PX100 IIiMeier said:
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