Audio - Device Reviews and Information

So coming from the LG V series, I noticed that I just really missed my audio quality. Whether taking the train to get to work, or just listening at home.
I also see audio being neglected on the ROG phone fourms. Maybe due to this device not selling all that well. Just look around...no real community.
For anyone interested, I pulled the trigger and got the latest flagship from FIIO. The Q5s TC. Is it worth 350? Eh, depends. The sound is definitely clean. The IFI Xdsd is discontinued. The Xdsd would be the preferred choice. That's not to say the Q5s TC is bad. Is still portable in the pocket. ( If you don't wear lame skinny jeans)
No hiss on sensitive IEM's. The base punches and slams. Good on the lows, mid and highs. The gain from low to high is very noticeable and not recommend. The base boost SUCKS! IFI seems to be the only company that know how to do it.
Fiio just makes the mids muddy.

Related

Wired Headphones with Mic

Anyone using an aftermarket headset with the phone? I've been using the phone as my sole music player (sorry cowon d2+) and i want to get a bit more sound quality out of them. IEM that comes with the phone is not bad but i keep reaching over for my over the ear headphones and that also means i have to use the phone for conversation instead of leaving it in the pocket
I was thinking of giving the phonak PFE 022 a try. Any suggestions?
I've been using the UE TripleFi 10vi, they work just fine.
Until I recently got my BT headphones, I was using the motorola EH20's. They're inexpensive (<20$), hit like a train ,they sound 10x better than the ones that come with the captivate, literally, I put those ones in once and after that they stayed in the box lol, and theyre really good at noise cancelling. More than I expected for what I paid. and for being headphones, if you put them in correctly, they wont come out. Ive ran with them many times and not once did they fall out.
I was using my Shure 115's ....till I lost them in my gf's messy ass room. So I got a pair of "Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5vi's" coming in tomorrow for $60 on sale at buy.com. I'll give a review tomorrow.
mikeypopps said:
I was using my Shure 115's ....till I lost them in my gf's messy ass room. So I got a pair of "Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5vi's" coming in tomorrow for $60 on sale at buy.com. I'll give a review tomorrow.
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Click to collapse
I look forward to the review
mesasone said:
I've been using the UE TripleFi 10vi, they work just fine.
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I haven't personally experienced the UE TripleFI 10/10vi but from what i hear from the price point which it's in ($300+ range), i've seen a bit of mix reviews on the unit. I frequent head-fi.org and those guys are very picky.
If you don't mind, do you mind providing a bit more review on the headset? UE Triple FI 10 is definitely on the top of my list but i don't want to make too much compromises just for the mic capability
Hey Guys. I was using my old iPhone earbuds that came with my old iPhone 3G until they broke. My wife has a HTC Aria and the earbuds that came with them have 3 controls on them plus the mic. Any idea if you can get something with more than just the one control on the wire to work with the Captivate?
compared to the 115s
So the Ultimate Ears came in today - Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5vi's
Come with two sizes of memory foam earbuds and 4 sizes of silicon.
The port on the Shure's is much smaller allowing you to compress the memory foam a good bit smaller before insertion.
As well at Shure's foam is black and slick coated allowing for easier insertion and wont get earwax colored.
Click to control works just as a pause and play button for music no track skipping.
The mic is still well placed when you use the phones in the over the ear configuration. Landing somewhere mid jaw.
Plugging them into our 3.5 port is very snug almost worrying that you might be making it to loose for other plugs. But at least you wont pull these out by accident.
The mic pick up is very good even in loud environments.
Sound clarity is great I tested them with some Lady Gaga, Simon & Garfunkel, R Kelly, Kesha, and Big Boi. All in flac format, I love that our phones can play flac. Sound were very crisp and tight. Older songs like Simon & Garfunkel sounded better with our 5.1 on but others like Big Boi Shutter Bug are muddled by it.
Bass production is good and more than suffice for my music , but then again that could be the flac helping a lot. I like clean bass its bad if it distorts the other channels. I only expect the bass to get better once they get some more time on them and open up.
Now as for as construction compared to Shure's. Nothing can top Shures they just feel solid. And their customer service is bar none. But if I never have to call Ultimate Ears about these it would be an even better testimony.
The biggest difference sound wise compared to shure 115's is the hi's sound punchier more tuned with the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5vi's not better but different, I think better for classical music would be the best way to describe it. Better for Lady Gaga too with all the crazy sounds in the background coming out more. The choice and ears are yours. Obviously the 115's dont have an inline mic so nothing to mention there.
mikeypopps said:
So the Ultimate Ears came in today - Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5vi's
Come with two sizes of memory foam earbuds and 4 sizes of silicon.
The port on the Shure's is much smaller allowing you to compress the memory foam a good bit smaller before insertion.
As well at Shure's foam is black and slick coated allowing for easier insertion and wont get earwax colored.
Click to control works just as a pause and play button for music no track skipping.
The mic is still well placed when you use the phones in the over the ear configuration. Landing somewhere mid jaw.
Plugging them into our 3.5 port is very snug almost worrying that you might be making it to loose for other plugs. But at least you wont pull these out by accident.
The mic pick up is very good even in loud environments.
Sound clarity is great I tested them with some Lady Gaga, Simon & Garfunkel, R Kelly, Kesha, and Big Boi. All in flac format, I love that our phones can play flac. Sound were very crisp and tight. Older songs like Simon & Garfunkel sounded better with our 5.1 on but others like Big Boi Shutter Bug are muddled by it.
Bass production is good and more than suffice for my music , but then again that could be the flac helping a lot. I like clean bass its bad if it distorts the other channels. I only expect the bass to get better once they get some more time on them and open up.
Now as for as construction compared to Shure's. Nothing can top Shures they just feel solid. And their customer service is bar none. But if I never have to call Ultimate Ears about these it would be an even better testimony.
The biggest difference sound wise compared to shure 115's is the hi's sound punchier more tuned with the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5vi's not better but different, I think better for classical music would be the best way to describe it. Better for Lady Gaga too with all the crazy sounds in the background coming out more. The choice and ears are yours. Obviously the 115's dont have an inline mic so nothing to mention there.
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Click to collapse
How's the battery life with Flac? I tried the same buds and hated them b/c of the lack of bass reproduction, even in 320kbps variable.
Wow - finally a post I can offer some real assistance.
I'm a musician, and I have the Shure E2 and the UE Superfi.5 (the originals, which they don't sell anymore) for my wireless monitoring on stage. Both are excellent phones, although I think the quality of the UEs are better and the sound is a bit cleaner through all the frequencies.
My best advice is to replace the foam on either with Comply tips, they are tons more comfortable and mold much better to the ear. You'll notice a difference immediately, but a huge difference after an hour.
Thanks for the replies everyone.
Here is my last question. Can i buy UE TripleFi 10 and replace the wire with TripleFi 10vi? i think i've heard that they're compatible but i wasn't exactly sure
60hzrumble said:
Wow - finally a post I can offer some real assistance.
I'm a musician, and I have the Shure E2 and the UE Superfi.5 (the originals, which they don't sell anymore) for my wireless monitoring on stage. Both are excellent phones, although I think the quality of the UEs are better and the sound is a bit cleaner through all the frequencies.
My best advice is to replace the foam on either with Comply tips, they are tons more comfortable and mold much better to the ear. You'll notice a difference immediately, but a huge difference after an hour.
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Click to collapse
@60hzrumble
Thanks. I play bass and like bass in my rock music. For instance, take the song Airbag from Radiohead's OK Computer. great bass in a non-funky/r&b song. On my old Sony X Walkman this sounded awesome. The bass sounds great on the Captivate using Rock On (cubed) with my Skullcandy Heavy Metals, but there is not enough at the high-end. The 5vi's are awesome on the high-end. Any recommendations for good overall reproduction?
You might be heading to dual driver land aka $200+ phones land.
60hzrumble said:
My best advice is to replace the foam on either with Comply tips, they are tons more comfortable and mold much better to the ear. You'll notice a difference immediately, but a huge difference after an hour.
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Is the foam on comply tips slick coated like Shure's are. I knew its brody licking them before compressing and inserting but the Shures just slide right in when you do that.

Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 Noise Isolating Earphones

What do you think, are they good? I ordered a pair in purpose to use them with my Sony Ericsson MW600 Bluetooth stereo headset. Do you have these and can give me honest opinion?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-U...ccessories&hash=item3cbf58355c#ht_3744wt_1146
come on dude these are triple fi 10
after shures they are the most vfm in-ear phones
i used it for few days and sound is just just awesooommmmmeeee
but sold it in a day coz they are hugeeeee
i have small ears and these will pop out like a stick...
if it fits u then order a comply foam tip set as the set provided will get damaged soon
these are bass tight triple armature and have a solid and punchy bass, bass is the best thing about these but it also doesnt drown the midrange and treble
some guys say it has the best treble but i really liked its bass, its ample and everything else sounds sooo clear.
anyways now using the klipsch s4i and its also good except for some minor issues.
DO NOT USE TF10 WITH MW600, IT WUD BE A INSULT TO THEM.
MW 600 IS GOOD BUT THESE DESERVE A BETTER SOURCE(BTW AM A MW600 USER)
Look at this review, the idea to use fi 10 with mw600 came from here. The guy said that there is no difference in sound quality if the fi10 connected directly or through mw 600.
http://www.knowyourcell.com/sony-er...eviews/394574/sony_ericsson_mw600_review.html
When I'll receive the set I will try them with and without the Bluetooth headset and then decide, the mw600 is very comfortable in use so it seems like a good idea to use the fi10 with mw600.
I've been using Triple Fi 10's for several years now, with multiple devices. They're the best I've ever used, and the most durable. With other headphones, I've had issues with the earpiece tubes (the bits the foam/silicone cushions slide onto) becoming brittle & disintegrating after very little use.
Unfortunately, it seems that the Triple Fi's are no longer being made, so they'll become increasingly hard to find.
They're either still being made or they have a huge stockpile. Amazon has had them on sale between $95-100 for the past three years during Thanksgiving.
I've been using my TF10vi for quite a while. I got cable with built-in mic and it has work fantastically with the SGS2. The TF10 is very good for its price.
As the poster above mentioned, fitting of the TF10 can be a bit tricky. I used the "flip mod" and it is staying in my ear much better.
Down side with using a nice IEM with the SGS2....you can totally tell the poor audio quality of the Yamaha codec. But since you are using the MW600 then you'll have a different experience.
I've had them for a while and they're great. Nothing else beats these especially for their sale price.

ajay one + or sennheiser cx 300-II chrome headpones ?

which headphones should i purchase i have read great reviews on both but hopefully some one can give me some feedback as to which is the better out of the pair, i dont listen to music a lot but when i do i want a nice crisp clear sound with no distortion.
which should i get ?
A word of warning: All headphones sound a wee bit dull and lifeless when plugged into the HOX due to its dreadful amp circuitry (I guess it must be the amp side as I'm led to believe the Nexus 7 uses the same DAC, despite sounding waaaaay better on the same cans.) If this really bugs you (as it does me) you'll probably end up investing in an APT-X capable Bluetooth streamer as a workaround because although a cheap dedicated headphone amp might solve the impedance issues that toally lose everything over 16KHz with my TDK BA100s, it's not going to improve the general muddiness of the sound I've noticed even using cheaper dynamic driver IEMs. I've got a Samsung HS3000 streamer on the way to try (it was pretty cheap, at about £20 so I'm not too worried if it doesn't sound fantastic and it would be really difficult for it to sound worse than the HOX )
Regarding the actual headphones you choose I've only tried (briefly) A-Jays 3 but I'd describe them as having a notably better soundstage than CX300s (I or II, I didn't notice a difference in sound to be honest) - they have better instrument separation and placement... But the Sennheisers (several sucessive pairs of which were my mainstay for years before switching to the TDKs I've got now) are far more bass-centric and could take a lot more in EQ if that's your kind of thing. I listen mostly to a mixture of electronic music like dubstep and drum and bass which tends to favour these kind of earphones, and progressive rock and metal, which definitely sounds much better through something with a more detailed high end and real mid punch like the BAs I'm using now.
The CX300s were something of a revolution in the IEM market when they first came out, because there was nothing else cheap worth owning. Now they have a lot of competitors (A-Jays, Soundmagic, MEElectronics, etc, etc) who if anything outdo the cheaper Sennheisers.
If you've never used IEMs before, you might find a while to get the tip size and style that suits your ears best sorted. They usually come with a few different sizes of the single flange silicone type, but there are also double and triple flange silicone tips and aftermarket 'Comply' memory foam tips I'm using now. They are dead comfy. You'll know when you've got the fit/position right because you won't be able to hear anything outside short of a small nuclear blast happening next to you, plus the bass tends to lose all depth without a good seal.
Oh, and one more thing: Don't buy Sennheisers from eBay. Or, for that matter, any online distributor you haven't heard of. 95% of those available are fake, and some are physically very good copies right down to the packaging.
Azurael said:
A word of warning: All headphones sound a wee bit dull and lifeless when plugged into the HOX due to its dreadful amp circuitry (I guess it must be the amp side as I'm led to believe the Nexus 7 uses the same DAC, despite sounding waaaaay better on the same cans.) If this really bugs you (as it does me) you'll probably end up investing in an APT-X capable Bluetooth streamer as a workaround because although a cheap dedicated headphone amp might solve the impedance issues that toally lose everything over 16KHz with my TDK BA100s, it's not going to improve the general muddiness of the sound I've noticed even using cheaper dynamic driver IEMs. I've got a Samsung HS3000 streamer on the way to try (it was pretty cheap, at about £20 so I'm not too worried if it doesn't sound fantastic and it would be really difficult for it to sound worse than the HOX )
Regarding the actual headphones you choose I've only tried (briefly) A-Jays 3 but I'd describe them as having a notably better soundstage than CX300s (I or II, I didn't notice a difference in sound to be honest) - they have better instrument separation and placement... But the Sennheisers (several sucessive pairs of which were my mainstay for years before switching to the TDKs I've got now) are far more bass-centric and could take a lot more in EQ if that's your kind of thing. I listen mostly to a mixture of electronic music like dubstep and drum and bass which tends to favour these kind of earphones, and progressive rock and metal, which definitely sounds much better through something with a more detailed high end and real mid punch like the BAs I'm using now.
The CX300s were something of a revolution in the IEM market when they first came out, because there was nothing else cheap worth owning. Now they have a lot of competitors (A-Jays, Soundmagic, MEElectronics, etc, etc) who if anything outdo the cheaper Sennheisers.
If you've never used IEMs before, you might find a while to get the tip size and style that suits your ears best sorted. They usually come with a few different sizes of the single flange silicone type, but there are also double and triple flange silicone tips and aftermarket 'Comply' memory foam tips I'm using now. They are dead comfy. You'll know when you've got the fit/position right because you won't be able to hear anything outside short of a small nuclear blast happening next to you, plus the bass tends to lose all depth without a good seal.
Oh, and one more thing: Don't buy Sennheisers from eBay. Or, for that matter, any online distributor you haven't heard of. 95% of those available are fake, and some are physically very good copies right down to the packaging.
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Click to collapse
thxs for the advice i think i will go for the a jays one + many thanks for a very detailed and helpful reply

[Q] Oppo Find 7/7a Stock Earphones Opinions?

Hey,
I normally just look past the earphones that are shipped with phones, since they're usually quite cheaply made and sound unimpressive. I was without my main earphones today, so I decided to try them out. To my surprise the build quality is excellent and even more surprisingly they sounded good! Great base response and incredibly clear high ends.
What are your guys thoughts on these earphones and how do they compare to others you may own?
Thanks,
Louis
lhayati said:
Hey,
I normally just look past the earphones that are shipped with phones, since they're usually quite cheaply made and sound unimpressive. I was without my main earphones today, so I decided to try them out. To my surprise the build quality is excellent and even more surprisingly they sounded good! Great base response and incredibly clear high ends.
What are your guys thoughts on these earphones and how do they compare to others you may own?
Thanks,
Louis
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They're much better than the default HTC ear buds.
It was satisfsctory, would have preferred a gold plated and right angled 3.5mm jack....
Just done two test calls and both where terrible really bad interference on other end of line
Sent from my X9006 using Xparent Green Tapatalk 2
I own a pair of beats in-ears I got with my HTC Sensation, and I have to say Oppo's in-ears are much better in total sound quality!
If you prefer ridicilous bass, beats are good. Also the wearing is much more comfortable in my case.
greetz
I also like the sound quality of the stock earphones, perhaps a little too much base and they don't dampen the environment noise as strong as my old sgs2 earphones.

Review of SoundMagic E10S in ear headphones with smartphone remote w/lots of pics!!!

removed.
Great review, thanks. One thing I'm wondering for you or anyone who owns these or an older version is how well they stay in-ear. I've been hearing these are great budget headphones and your review attests to that fact, but I'm always in the market for a good pair of earbuds that have good sound quality, not TOO expensive, and stay in my ears when running/exercising. Any guess on how they'd hold up in that respect?
For running/exercising you will need something more durable with in-ear stabilizers. Otherwise, you need to use Comply Foam tips. They will be wedged in your ears and create a perfect seal which enhances the bass.
For the one with stabilizers, these one: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2673036 were great and also these one http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2581215 - CKX9 sounded great.
hi, thanks for this review.. how's the microphonics? Thanks
chonghua said:
hi, thanks for this review.. how's the microphonics? Thanks
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Click to collapse
No microphonics effect with these headphones.
I have these but I can't find a pair of comfy eartips. I tried them all that was included, and the ones that came with my Xperia Z ultra. And I ended up taking the old eartips from my Sony MW600 bluetooth headset. Still I'm not fully satisfied..I get the feeling that they are not getting squeezed in there like they should. Its like I can still hear outside noise from the street and people talking and cars driving by.
These pair of in-ears might not be right right for my ears so I ordered the "TTPOD T1E". Hopefully they might fit my ears and isolate outside noise better.
But other than that the sound is outstanding for the price I paid for these!
I just bought this today. it sounds amazing, but you need to use the right eartips that fits your ears, i found this troublesome for me at first, because with the wrong eartips, you wouldn't like how it sounds.
I also have SM MP21 [so now i own two SoundMagic products ], the sound quality of E10S is way better and accurate. The bass is not overwhelming like MP21, it's just right. The MP21 have higher sensitivity than E10 & E10S, so with the same volume MP21 will sound louder. For ergonomics, i feel that MP21 is more comfort in my ear than E10S.
E10S is an amazing product for the price, i hope it will sound better after break in.
I also tried the older E10 and E30 at the store, i think there's a difference between E10 and E10S, i feel the bass is louder on E10, E10S overall sounds smoother. E30 i don't like the way you have to attach them to your ears, the sound of E30 is more similiar with MP21 but with more controlled bass. E10 & E10S sound brighter and detailed, you could say that they are airy.
I could be wrong with E10 and E30, because i'm testing them at the shop i bought the 10S, i don't have lots of time to tinker with them and the shop surrounding is noisy.
hey... I am a bass head.... how is the bass of these earphones.... also are they comfortable and stable while doing mild exercise?
HiatiX said:
hey... I am a bass head.... how is the bass of these earphones.... also are they comfortable and stable while doing mild exercise?
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Click to collapse
Bass is ok, but not the strongest. Staying in your ears will depend on eartip fitment. But, these are definitely not a basshead headphones.
I have the e10m and I'm using them with the g3 they sounds really great beyond the price also it has very quality aluminum earpiece design.. But unfortunately i can't say the same for the cables and control unit they both very poor quality cheap plastik you have to take care of it so gentle.
It damages so quickly and easily, i start to use them since almost 1 month ago in the gym and now controls doesn't work anymore but, there is more it randomly turns down the volume or does the opposite it turns up all the way up on its own and blow your earphones of course your ears too.. Also sometimes it activates the stupid google search and stops the music.
As you can image it's so much annoying you want to throw them away when these things happens. Other than that they sounds really awesome the bass is solid and it doesn't really overcome the mids and highs.
I'm open to earphone advices btw, which is kind of the e10. Basses can be even more powerful i don't care but it shouldn't be less than e10's i'm a little bass head i think.
Note: Sorry for the possible grammar fails and corrupt sentences I'm not using this language often.
In person it takes like 5 min from me to say someone hello .
I have the e10s to use it with htc m9 & i've only used it for a couple of time & it damaged like you described already.
I googled "soundMagic e10s volume issue & found your post.
cant believe this product has such crappy quality !!!
Deagles said:
I have the e10m and I'm using them with the g3 they sounds really great beyond the price also very quality aluminum earpiece design... But the cable and control unit they both very poor quality you have to take care of it so gentle.
It damages so quickly and easily, i start to use them since almost 1 month in the gym and now controls doesn't work anymore but, the worse thing is it turn down the sound or opposite it turns up the full volume and blow your earphones and of course your ears randomly on its own and sometimes it's activating the google search and making the music stop.
As you can image it's so much annoying you want to throw them away when these things happens. Other than that they sounds really awesome the bass is solid and it doesn't overcome the mids and highs.
I'm open to earphone advices by the way, which is kind of the e10. Basses can be more powerful i don't care but it shouldn't be less than e10's I'm a little bass head i think.
Note: Sorry for the possible grammer fails and corrupt sentences I'm not using this language very often in person it takes 5 min from me to say a hello really.
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Click to collapse
dsymbol said:
I have the e10s to use it with htc m9 & i've only used it for a couple of time & it damaged like you described already.
I googled "soundMagic e10s volume issue & found your post.
cant believe this product has such crappy quality !!!
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Click to collapse
Hey i have updates a few months ago the earphone jack just broke.. So i had to change it and i did but, im not happy with the sounds quality anymore it can be psychological or a real thing i dont know anyways...
Now I'm thinking to give a try the new Piston 3.0.
i'm getting a factory replacement.
So, i'll see how this Chinese quality earphones hold up...
Deagles said:
Hey i have updates a few months ago the earphone jack just broke.. So i had to change it and i did but, im not happy with the sounds quality anymore it can be psychological or a real thing i dont know anyways...
Now I'm thinking to give a try the new Piston 3.0.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

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