LiveWires Trips, Review...

[Wilson@Jaben]

[XiaXueYi]

...?

[project86]

I think this thread was started for posting my review (originally posted on Head Fi last week), but I think something got miscommunicated. So I'll go ahead and post it here myself. If I have misinterpreted something, feel free to delete or move this as needed. The following is my (rather long) review, I hope it helps some people make a decision that they are happy with.

Introduction

I am mostly a speaker guy. Sure I’ve owned a few pair of nice IEMs like Etymotic ER4S and plenty of big cans like Sennheiser HD580, Grado SR325, Equation Audio RP21, etc. But my real passion has always been full scale audio. I’ve owned way too many speakers over the years, ranging from Acoustic Energy to Zingali and most of the alphabet in between. My thirst for upgrades stopped a few years back when I got the chance to demo the Linkwitz Labs Orion loudspeaker (yes, as in Siegfried Linkwitz). I immediately commissioned a local shop called Wood Artistry to build me a pair, and over the course of about a month I decided to make it an Orion++ System (which includes the dual matching Thor subs). There was no contest; this system simply put all other speakers to shame, even those with ridiculous 6 figure price tags. Unfortunately a recent move has forced me to donate these to my brother’s house for safe keeping, as they have certain space requirements which my new place could not accommodate. I still pay them frequent visits. I still have a few decent speakers around the house, including my classic Altec Lansing Valencias, Pinnacle BDC1200s, and Mackie HR824 monitors. With 2 small kids I don’t really feel comfortable having anything more expensive around. At the vacation house I have a dedicated theater with Triad Gold series in-walls all around, including dual Gold series powersubs. Electronics range from a lowly JVC RXD701 to high end Marantz, Lexicon, and McIntosh. I’ve played drums for many years and regularly attend live music events of various types. I feel somewhat qualified to judge if sound is being reproduced accurately or not.

My brother is an audio engineer by trade, and has worked on numerous albums that you have likely heard of. Although he no longer works there full time, he maintains a relationship with a local studio, so I get to visit as well and tinker with their gear. He is also quite a headphone aficionado, owning many of the top cans including Ultrasone Edition 8 and 9, Sennheiser HD800 and HE90, Stax SR007Mk2 and 4070, Sony R10, AKG K1000, Audio Technica W2002 and L3000, Grado PS1000, and more. He also has most of the worthwhile in ear monitors including Ultimate Ears Triple Fi 10, Shure SE530, Westone 3 and UM3X, and Sennheiser IE8. Other gear he has includes amps from Vincent, Eddie Current, Luxman, DarkVoice, and Musical Fidelity, and DACs from Esoteric, MBL, Audio Horizons, and Wavelength. Sources are McIntosh and Esoteric. I’m only listing all this stuff it can be made clear that this is purely a review of these IEMs, since the gear is transparent. I won’t even start listing the equipment I had access to in the studio, as it is too extensive of a list. Certainly all top notch stuff though, like Lavry Gold, Genelec, Apogee, Studer, Neve, TAD, etc. They have the requisite Pro Tools HD system, but also have lots of great analog gear, much of it lovingly restored vintage gear which was nice to see in action.

The most important part of my brother’s “collection”, at least for this review, are the various custom IEMs that he has. Equally important is the fact that they fit fairly well in my ears. I get an excellent seal, with only minor pressure on the antihelix and concha areas. I can still listen for 20 minutes at a time before I need a break. His stable of customs includes the new JH13pro from Jerry Harvey Audio, the Alien Ears C3 from Hearyourself.com, the ES3X from Westone, the Z5 from .A.R. Inc, and a collection from Ultimate Ears including UE4pro, UE10pro, UE11pro, and the UE-Hybrid. Initially I didn’t understand why he had so many customs, but I guess it makes sense; I like to try new speakers, he likes to try new headphones. Customs can not be resold, so he just ends up keeping them. I also see that there are plenty of folks on head-fi with huge collections like his.

Since I no longer have custody of my Orion++ system, I was interested in finding a reference level pair of customs that I could use to replace them (although they really are irreplaceable….). I could afford whatever I wanted, but don’t like to waste money when it is not needed. So I contacted Livewires to order the Trips. I knew I could return them within 30 days if their sound did not measure up to some of the other flagship designs.

Just over 3 weeks later, a package arrived from Livewires. When I opened it, I was a bit surprised to find a set of duals inside. Apparently something got mixed up and I ended up with duals instead of triples. John Diles apologized but asked me to try them out for a while to see how they compared to the triples that I would eventually get. I found that they fit pretty well but I broke seal too easily, so would need to send them back for a refit anyway. I spent about 2 weeks with them and worked on my comparison with the other customs, then sent them back along with my new impressions. An agonizing 8 weeks later, I finally had my Trips.

Package

The package for the Trips was a bit sparse. They come properly protected by bubble wrap, so damage was not an issue, but the bundle does not inspire confidence that you just received a world class product. There is a small case (the typical SoundMagic type of round semi-hard case with a zipper). Inside that case is the cable (silver for my order), a cleaning tool, and the actual Livewires Trips. The only other item in the package was a fairly cheesy flyer advertising Livewires and giving insertion/removal instructions. It looks like it was printed on a cheap inkjet printer. I know this was not a fluke because my original shipment of Duals included the same item.

I know that Livewires are a budget choice, so I guess I can’t fault them for not including things like a high end case or fancy manual. On the other hand, little details like that can really enhance the initial impression of the product.

Pictures

Here are a few pics of the Trips. Photography has never been my strong point, so I apologize for the quality. I've included some pics of the duals too, just for comparison.

Right Ear


Left Ear


Right Dual


Left Dual


Trip


Another Trip (I just realized I forgot to capture the right trip, will update someday)


Trips with Sansa Fuze, an excellent combination






Product

The Livewires Trips offer great build quality. I would consider them on par with Westone, JH Audio, and Ultimate Ears. All have very minor imperfections, but you have to look very close to find them. The clear and light colored transparent units seem to showcase the imperfections a lot more than the darker colors or solids. The best I’ve ever seen was a Unique Melody remold which appeared to be absolutely flawless, but in my opinion the little tiny bubbles or hazy spots don’t really matter.

I opted for the clear (aka silver) cables. They look excellent, and are the perfect compromise between flexibility and durability. I don’t really care for the memory wire section but that’s long been a complaint of mine. I do appreciate the swivel connector as it allows me to just let the cables hang, a method I much prefer compared to the over-the-ear method. I borrowed a black cable from a friend and I think it looks quite a bit cheaper than the silver cable. Now that I think about it, this is generally the case with all brands.

In my opinion, there is really no magic involved in making a custom IEM sound great. Most of them use off the shelf drivers from the same few companies, and even the JH Audio “custom” drivers are just slight variations of the same (I highly doubt that armature manufacturers have the technology to make higher end products for JH Audio, but continue to offer their own inferior designs… but that’s another discussion). It is simply a matter of driver selection, tuning the length/diameter/angle of the sound tubes, and building a very basic crossover (compared to a full size speaker crossover). The Trips use what appears to be the Knowles Acoustics TWFK dual driver and a larger single driver, possibly a Knowles CI-22955. These are just guesses (drivers could be from Sonion, Star Micronics, etc) since the Livewires have a small “sock” covering each driver (see pictures). Each “sock” has a strap on top through which the internal wiring is routed, thus creating a cleaner more organized look. They may have a more important role such as vibration control, or perhaps to obscure the driver model info, but that is just more speculation. The Trips also use an acoustic damper, which looks like a red “plug” about halfway down the sound tube of the low frequency driver. John Diles tells me it is part of the design, used to smooth out frequency response. There are various types of acoustic dampers on the market, made from different materials and ranging from a few dollars to over $100. Again I have no idea which ones are used in the Trips. As a side note, the dual driver Livewires do have the socks but do not have the acoustic damper.

The obvious difference between the duals and the Trips is the mid/high frequency drivers. The duals use a single component, while the Trips use the dual driver unit, although they still terminate into a single sound tube (exactly like the setup of the Westone ES3X which sounds so similar….. in fact I’m fairly sure the ES3X uses the exact drivers I mentioned earlier). I can’t be sure but I believe the Trips low frequency driver is different from the duals. I never had both models side by side, but from my pictures they appear slightly different. I could be wrong. Whether it is a different driver or just different crossover and tuning, the Trips do show a nice improvement on the low end.

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[project86]

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Listening

I like to think of myself as a music lover rather than an equipment lover. The gear is just there to reproduce the music that I love. That sounds like common sense, but I think many people get caught up in the hardware side of things and as a result don’t get to truly enjoy the very art for which the equipment was designed to reproduce. That being said, I hope you enjoy reading my take on this music as well as how it was reproduced by the Livewires Trips.

I’ve already mentioned too much equipment, but I’ll add that most of these were played from the redbook CD, with some SACD and FLAC files mixed in as well. A Sansa Fuze was used for FLAC duty, since my tests indicated it was just as good as the Cowon D2+ and the iMod/RSA SR-71 I compared it to. Rather than comparing the different customs to full size cans as many have done, I’m going to compare them to speakers, because that’s what I am more familiar with. I realize that may not be very helpful but it is the best I can do. Just know that the top performers here really can compete quite well with the top full size headphones on the market (as posted by some other reviews for the ES3X and JH13). Anyways, on to the music.

Joseph Haydn - String Quartet in D Minor, Op. 9, No. 4; String Quartet in F Major, Op. 77, No. 2. The Fry Street Quartet

As much as I dislike Ray Kimber for his wacky cables ($25k for 8’ of Black Pearl speaker cable? Really?!?), he almost redeems himself each time I listen to one of his IsoMike recordings. This SACD is no exception. The warmth, the presence, the sheer you-are-thereness of the violins, viola, and cello are unprecedented. The Livewires allowed me to tap into the lushness of the performance without even thinking about the equipment that stood in between me and the performers. Soundstage was immense yet not in an artificial way. The Fry Street Quartet played this with superb musicality and unfailing beauty of tone, and the same can be said of the Trips.

Dengue Fever – In the Ley Lines

One of my favorite bands at the moment, Dengue Fever is difficult to classify. Part psychedelic surf rock, part 60’s Cambodian pop, with a good helping of  and soulful jazz. Best of all is singer Chhom Nimol, who has a ravishing voice and sings almost exclusively in Khmer. I have been a huge fan of theirs since the self titled first album was released back in 2003, so I was excited to learn that the Bowers and Wilkins Society of Sound was releasing a new album called In the Ley Lines. It is mostly old tracks revisited, with about half being studio work and half live performances. The Society of Sound releases have a solid track record for excellent sound quality, but this release blew me away. Seeing Hands, one of my favorite tracks from the last album Venus on Earth, is presented here as a live performance, and is one of the best live recordings I have ever heard. From the drums and percussion to the Farfisa organ, everything is just perfect. The Trips really deliver the goods here. There’s not a trace of sibilance to be found, and they have excellent impact when the large and floor toms are being worked by drummer Paul Dreux Smith. The mix has incredible warmth and clarity, and the Trips bring you right there to the front row. A studio track titled Hold My Hips is another standout track, with solos from the Farfisa, saxophone, and guitar sounding rich and natural. I really don’t have enough adjectives to continue raving so I’ll stop.

Dustin Kensrue – Please Come Home

The lead singer of hardcore band Thrice changes things up and showcases his softer side on this solo project. Sort of a /roots affair, it is refreshing and different yet somehow traditional and familiar at the same time. One of the best tracks is the bluesy Blanket of Ghosts. Of particular note is drummer Chris Jones’ drum kit, which sounds like he used hydraulic heads and zero rings to obtain a muffled sound yet still retain some decent tone. The Trips reproduced the drums so well that I felt as if I was on the throne playing them myself; I could clearly tell the orientation of the various toms from left to right. I could also tell that he used a rather thin crash cymbal because of the full bodied sparkle that it produced. I’ve heard this song many times but using the Livewires caused me to notice these details for the first time.

Elektric Music – Esperanto

Karl Bartos, longtime member of the influential band Kraftwerk, split from that group in 1991 and started performing on his own under the name Elektronic Music. His first album Esperanto contains a mix of “traditional” Kraftwerk-eque songs and more interesting experimental (for the time) electro-pop numbers. My favorite track Crosstalk is a bit more traditional but has a harder edge than most Kraftwerk releases. It features many elements like dreamy arpeggiated synths, heavily textured Juno 106 basslines, and an amazing vocoder. If none of that means anything to you, I apologize….. just know that this is classic “electronica” for lack of a better word, and it sounds amazing. Again, the Trips do an excellent job of conveying the subtle nuances of the mix. Soundstage is tricky to define on music doesn’t involve “real” instruments, but the Livewires present this song as an expansive wall of sound. They accomplish all this while never blurring the very busy midrange area as I’ve heard many lesser earphones do. I also appreciated how the Trips got the bass region just right; nice and tight and low, but not overbearing.

Hiromi’s Sonicbloom – Time Control

I have to admit that it took me a long time to warm up to Piano virtuoso Hiromi Uehara’s work. This being her fourth major album, I decided to give her another try, and now I realize that I was wrong. Her music is staggeringly complicated, in rhythm, counterpoint, dynamics, sonority. Its appeal is to the intellect, not the emotions. It’s beautiful and frustrating at the same time, and I can only take it in small doses, but I am learning to enjoy it. Time Flies is admittedly one of her simpler works. It starts by showcasing some of her creative synth work, using what sounds like a Nord Lead (sounds like the high pitched whistle from 90s west-coast hip hop like Warren G. and Dr. Dre). It has to go high into the 17+khz range if not higher. The Trips played it back with a nice full body, without being harsh or sibilant. This simple sound caused many other high end IEMs to stumble during my tests. A few minutes into the song we get treated to brilliant drum and guitar work which showcases the effortless natural clarity of the mids on the Livewires.
They convey every subtle yet important detail without exaggerating any one frequency at the expense of another.


Living Sacrifice – Conceived in Fire

Any question about the Livewires Trips’ bass performance was laid to rest by this track. Living Sacrifice is a metal band that focuses heavily on percussion, with the regular drummer backed up by a percussionist playing roto-toms and other goodies. The lows are decimating yet refined, with crunching guitars and growled lyrics dominating the mix. The Trips produced exceptional bass on my favorite track Symbiotic; powerful, deep, clear, and rich in detail, without overshadowing the rest of the frequency spectrum. Some other high end IEMs, while initially seeming to have a pleasingly colored sound, fell apart on this song once a back to back comparison with the Trips was done.


Headphones – Self Titled

Singer/Songwriter David Bazan, formerly of the group Pedro the Lion, started this group after Pedro the Lion dissolved. Instead of Pedro’s usually soft, acoustic indie rock sound, Headphones focuses more on synthesizers and drums, though the familiar gritty sound remains. On Natural Disaster, the Trips treat us to a nice warm, natural sounding midrange that really makes the (extensively used) large tom-tom come alive. The synths, while deliberately sounding low-fi, also have an impressively rich texture. I was impressed with their ability to keep Bazan’s voice immersed in the mix, considering the fact that it is not recorded particularly well.

McCoy Tyner – Asante

This somewhat unloved album is actually my favorite release from Tyner. For me, this is the pinnacle of what I would call somewhat experimental jazz, without actually swerving into the realm of fusion or free jazz. The Trips throw a huge soundstage that is very focused with respect to where the players are in relation to both the listener and each other. They also capture the subtle intricacies of each performer’s particular instrument, much like your ears do when attending a live concert.


Matisyahu – Light

The interesting 3rd album from Matisyahu deviates from earlier offerings by mixing his trademark hip-hop/reggae sound with a bit of alt rock, dancehall and acoustic, sometimes even within the same track. We Will Walk is an excellent example, with an extensive battery of digital effects making Matisyahu’s distinct voice almost unrecognizable. The music fluctuates between an aggressive synth laden dancehall tune and a slow, dreamy, almost funky flow. At one point during the chorus, things become extremely busy with several overlayed vocal tracks on top of the already overflowing, high bpm music. The Trips render all the textural and transient details with great clarity and finesse, never letting anything get lost in the mix. They bump up against the limit of the recording itself, as confirmed by the high end studio monitors I had on hand.

Sigur Rós – Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust

This band is actually not my favorite. I’ve tried most of their critically acclaimed albums and couldn’t really get into them. This album is mostly more of the same except for a few gems. The opening track Gobbledigook gives us a persistent barrage of drums and guitar, and there is great use of backing vocal harmonies. Not since Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody have I enjoyed a silly song this much. The drums are the most interesting part; they don’t seem to change much in volume, yet the overall energy builds from a simple pace-keeping rhythm to a pounding, driving force. The Trips are able to keep up with this very dynamic (if unusual) performance without a hiccup, and once again the well balanced presentation pays off. Góðan Daginn is my other favorite track. A simple, soulful tune with hauntingly beautiful guitar and vocals, the bass drum is masterfully recorded to hit very low and deep while still somehow fitting with the gentle theme of the song. The recording really captures the live feel of all the instruments, and once again the Trips lack of mid-bass bloat really pleases.

The Weepies – Say I Am You

The Weepies have been aptly described as playing “subtly intoxicating pop- melodies”. There really isn’t much to the music; it’s all very soft and delicate, and really pulls you in to the details. The Trips showcase Deb Talan’s small but sweet voice and Steve Tannen’s emotive guitar work. Micro-details abound as fingers slide across strings and picks gently pluck away.


Dexter Gordon – Dexter Calling

This album is the counterpoint to the earlier mentioned McCoy Tyner album Asante, both circa 1970. To me, this is the pinnacle of what I consider more traditional jazz. Complex yet highly accessible, songs like The End of a Love Affair almost seem as if they are telling a story in another language, using a saxophone instead of a voice. The listener feels that although they don’t speak the language, they get the gist of what emotions are being expressed. The Livewires once again proved adept at placing each performer in their respective position on the stage, on par with some of the best electrostatic full size cans I’ve heard. I especially loved the perfect tone of the upright bass; most other customs either boosted the bass to the point of sounded unnatural, or else rolled it off so it wasn’t prominent enough. Instead of 4 guys being on stage in a typical configuration, you got a bassist who was several feet too close (and therefore too loud), or else a bassist hiding a few feet behind the others. The Trips were just right.


The Postal Service – The District Sleeps Alone Tonight

I really like The Postal Service. But I don’t particularly care for the various remixes of their music. The John Tejada remix of Such Great Heights from this single is one exception. It has an enormous bass line that practically rattles your skull when listened to on the Trips. It is still melodic and “in its place” in the mix, but man is it huge. The Trips present it with authority and precision.


The New Amsterdams – Killed or Cured

I like classic rock, but sometimes it feels like I’ve listened to my favorite 20 albums or so over and over again. I’ve never really been a big fan of “retro” style bands like Oasis that deliberately copy the sound of a specific classic rock band. But The New Amsterdams seem able to capture everything that the term “classic rock” means to me and present it in a fresh unique way, free from gimmicks or formulas. Full Thunder Moon is almost a ballad, with the Livewires capturing the subtleties of the heartfelt lyrics. Watch the World Cave In has huge bass, and is honestly not a very good mix. The Livewires do what they can, but the bass still overshadows the rest of the track. The effect is even worse on something like a UE11pro.

Frou Frou – Details

The most famous song Let Go is by far the best on the album in my opinion. As expected, Imogen Heap’s breathy voice sounds amazing, but the rest of the track shines as well. It’s got a laid back sound that makes you want to relax, but really there is quite a bit going on. The Trips make you want to turn the volume up and revel in every little detail and nuance to be heard. There’s a very powerful bassline that once again is captured perfectly by the Livewires.

Dave Brubeck – Brubeck and Rushing

Jimmy Rushing and Dave Brubeck don’t really seem to be likely candidates for a partnership, but somehow it all comes together beautifully on this album. Listening to There’ll Be Some Changes Made back to back with the above mentioned Dexter Gordon track The End of a Love Affair was like being at a great Jazz Club circa 1961. When the Gordon track is over, the listener moves up a few rows and then the Brubeck song begins; the players are scattered in different places on the stage, and the piano sounds a bit more lively, but it is an equally convincing illusion of being there.


Metallica - …And Justice For All

For me, Metallica peaked with this release. Nearly every track is an instant classic of metal. Songs like To Live is to Die and One showcase the band’s excellent musicianship, but also the high quality of the recording. I concede that the bass guitar is pushed back too far in the mix, but aside from that I appreciate the clinical sterility of it all. The drums have an interesting sound, and the bass drum is more if a knock than a thump. It sounds excellent on the Trips. Mid-range reproduction on this album can make or break the experience, and I think is partially to blame for the mixed reviews garnered over the years. I’m happy to report that the Livewires do it Justice (see what I did there?), giving us the full weight of the intricate but heavy guitar work. Time after time the Trips end up being just right.


Anuhea – self titled

I’m not a huge R and B fan, but a friend lent me this album and I enjoyed it. Endlessly is a smooth down-tempo number with amazing warmth and clarity. It features an excellently recorded piano (my brother tells me it is obviously a Yamaha Grand… I wouldn’t have known) that reminds me a bit of the Norah Jones sound. The Livewires handle the deceptively complex track with grace; especially pleasing is the egg shaker in the background, which sounds so real you can practically see it being played. Charismatic SOB has a faster sound with more energy, and the bass hits exceptionally low. The Piano again sounds rich and full, although this time it is probably not a real piano, it still sounds excellent.

YUI – Can’t Buy My Love

I have to admit I’m a sucker for J-pop. YUI is less of a guilty pleasure than some of her counterparts as she is actually quite talented as a singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist. As with many big budget J-pop albums, everything is recorded incredibly well and sounds squeaky clean. My favorite track Rolling Star actually deviates from the usual light rock sound in favor of an aggressive almost pop-punk feel. Yui has somewhat of a high voice, and many IEMs derive the listener of the full extension of her high notes. The Trips present them as pleasingly sparkly but never shrill. They also image like crazy with panning drums and multiple guitar tracks throwing a very wide soundstage.

Mistabishi – Drop

I love drum and bass music, but the genre has become stale as of late. Mistabishi’s Drop is an exception to that statement, and is probably the most original album of its kind in the last ten years or so. Printer Jam is an original and creative track using the sounds of a printer to compose the beat. From the moment the bass kicks in, the Trips make you feel as if you are in a large nightclub with a huge sound system. The bass is almost overwhelming but dialed back just enough to let you enjoy the rest of the mix. Again, some IEMs overdo it, while others fail to give you the full attack of the lower frequencies, but the Trips get it perfect.

I’m running out of time but I also listened to the following:
Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon
A Fine Frenzy – Bomb in the Birdcage
Yo-Yo  – Yo-Yo  plays Ennio Morricone
Wonder Girls – The Wonder Years
Beastie Boys – To the 5 Boroughs
Jimmy Eat World – Futures
Gustav Holst – The Planets
 Sinatra – Classic Sinatra: His Greatest Performances
Dmitry Shostakovich – Symphony Number 5 in D Minor
Rakim – The 18th Letter

[project86]

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I have to apologize for my descriptions…. Reading through what I just wrote, it seems like I cannot properly say what I mean. I want to be as detailed as possible without resorting to cliché audiophile terminology that doesn’t really mean anything. I just can’t stand reviews like this:

“The highs were somewhat chalky, but the upper midrange was wonderfully liquid, and there was palpable air around the woodwinds. The lower mids had satisfactory bloom; the bass, however, could have benefited from a little more rhythm and pace.  depth yielded a Row G perspective.”

To me, that doesn’t really mean anything at all. And yet here I am using some similar terminology in my notes. So I apologize. Once again I’ll reiterate that this is merely my impressions based on lots of casual listening, and NOT to be taken as an objective review.

On to the competition, listed in general order of preference.


Jerry Harvey Audio JH13Pro
These 6 driver customs are the newest “flagship” custom monitors out there, and the hype surrounding them is huge. I have my doubts that owners can give an objective opinion given the hype and the high price tag. Having some experience with DIY speaker building, I also question the assumed superiority of dual drivers doing the job that is normally done by a single driver, given the required volume levels. Nonetheless, I was quite impressed with them. For the most part, they present the entire spectrum evenly with no discernable bumps or dips, save for a modest increase at around 60hz. Using test tones, I was able to discern that they have a bit less rolloff in the 18khz and up range compared to the others. I have read Jerry Harvey quoted as saying no other drivers really go above 17khz or so, which hopefully is a misquote because that is simply not true. The Livewires Trips present very well in that area, all the way to ~20khz, although again the JH13pro probably have a more flat response up there. But try as I might, I could find nothing substantial to complain about. The only minor issue I have is the boost at around 60hz. It might make them sound a bit more lively, but it seems to go against the “ruler flat” reference monitor signature that these otherwise exhibit. I do not think they are the vast leap forward over the competition that they have been made out to be, but I could support the argument that they are possibly the best available (with best being a loaded word here). On the other hand, they are so remarkably clean sounding that I can understand some people finding their sonic presentation a little stark compared to some others on this list. In my opinion, that’s what a DAP with a good EQ is for, but I respect the alternative preference. Maybe that’s why they were given the 60hz bump, just to liven them up a bit. Overall these are a highly enjoyable product. There are plenty of other reviews around which I think are fairly accurate, so I won’t say much more.

Their nearly complete neutrality reminded me of the Green Mountain Audio Calypso speakers that I used to own, although those required augmentation from a decent sub to finish off that last 15hz or so.

.A.R. Inc Z5
These were possibly the biggest surprise of this entire experience. They were purchased in early 2006, which at the time made them by far the most advanced design on the market (that I am aware of). UE11 wasn’t released until a year and a half later. They were thoroughly ridiculed on Head-Fi by people who claimed that 3 drivers were plenty (oddly enough several of those people now own the 6 driver JH13…..). I was pleased to be able to try them as no reviews seem to exist. They sounded shockingly similar to the JH13, which is of course a good thing. Lows were nearly identical. Despite only having a single midrange driver, the mids kept up with the JH13 in every discernable way. Their only real disadvantage was the upper treble region; I detected a bit of a boost around 12khz, followed by a graceful rolloff from there. It was an interesting sound, and initially caused me to think they might be more detailed than they really were. Once I figured out the trick, I could see how it didn’t fit with the rest of the sound sig. I think they were trying to overcome the limitations of the drivers they had available at the time, and it was an interesting choice, but ultimately didn’t work for me. They had an ever so slightly different soundstage than the JH13. Not better or worse, just slightly different but equally as wide and deep.

I know this company to be reputable as I’ve purchased their earplugs for years. I don’t know how much faith I have in them as a high end audio manufacturer though... The Z5 looks like a rather poorly made product compared to the rest here. The website has very little info about them, and the specs are listed as “estimated values”. The price is also very high at $1,000. Had I heard these 3 years ago when they were first released, I would call them a breakthrough product and highly recommend them. At this point though I’d say go with the other more established competitors, despite the excellent sound of the Z5.

If the JH13 is the GMA Calypso, then the Z5 is the GMA Continuum 2; it came first but was ever so slightly less refined and quite a bit less handsome.



Westone ES3X
These were a real treat to listen to. I know many people love the Westone sound, and these carry on that tradition completely. Some might say that the mids are slightly boosted or colored, and I can’t say I completely disagree, but it is a very pleasing sound signature. It makes for a very intimate performance, especially on certain types of jazz and  music. That’s not to say that they can’t handle death metal or gritty punk; they most certainly can. I absolutely love the heat sensitive tips and wish more companies used them. Build quality was very high all around and I appreciate that the price is “somewhat” reasonable. It’s hard to explain what is so attractive about their sound signature, but I’ll put it this way: Some might find the JH13 to be too sterile; others might find UE11 to be a bit heavy handed; most will likely find the ES3X to be just right.

A somewhat similar sounding speaker would be the Adam Audio S4V-A studio monitors with their very revealing ribbon midrange. They are not the last word in full range frequency response, but they still present a compelling case for being the most enjoyable on this list.

Livewires Trips
After all that I’ve posted in the “listening” section, you should have a fairly good idea of what these are capable of. I must say that I was quite surprised and impressed with the sound of these. I have read about the Fidelity Triples being a big disappointment (supposedly due to defective drivers but I have yet to hear someone with a good review of a functioning new set), and I wasn’t sure if these were a joint design from before the company split, or a completely different product. After receiving my Trips, I can confidently say they are very different from the pictures I’ve seen of the Fidelity models. The Livewires Trips have a very similar configuration to the ES3X: Large bass driver and two small drivers for the mids/highs that share a single sound tube. Fidelity appears to use two large drivers and one small driver. In any case, the sound achieved by the Trips is excellent and definitely on par with the ES3X. I know that is hard to believe given the price difference but that’s what I concluded after careful listening to both. The ES3X does offer more colors, more accessories, and those great heat activated tips. They also offer quicker shipping of your finished product, at least by most accounts I’ve read. Does that justify a $500 price difference? Not in my mind. As I’ve said, the sound quality is so similar as to be virtually indistinguishable. Every time I thought I put my finger on a difference, I would listen to the other product and the difference would vanish. Since blind testing on a product like this is not feasible, I have to trust my ears which tell me these are extremely similar IEMs. They appear to use identical drivers, with nearly identical placement within the custom shell (at least the ones I compared did). The only difference would be crossover design, and both companies appear to have done an equally excellent job. Build quality appears equally high in quality, although the particular ES3X I had on hand was a nice translucent blue with custom artwork which made it appear more attractive than the Livewires, which are simple understated clear with black face plates. Both had silver cables which seem very similar and were on par or better than some of the others here. I kept expecting to find some area to focus on where I could say “Aha! That’s where the Livewires cut corners compared to Westone in order to offer the low price.” Aside from the above mentioned issues of limited colors, lack of artwork, and sparse accessories, I could find nothing. I enjoyed the swivel cable on the Livewires more that the traditional fixed type that the others used. I enjoyed the special tips of the ES3X more than the regular acrylic used by the Livewires. I basically call this a tie. I hesitate to say the Livewires folks copied the ES3X, but that would be a good explanation. The drivers and materials are cheap enough, and they have no R&D costs to recoup. I don’t want to make an accusation or spread rumors…. But if I was to market a custom IEM, that might be the way I’d handle it.

To make a somewhat flawed comparison, in speaker terms these would be the Emerald Physics CS 2.3. They use the same concept as the Linkwitz Lab Orion system, and from my admittedly limited time spent listening to them they achieve very similar levels of excellence. They also do this at about half the cost. This is where the analogy breaks down because in my opinion the Orion and the CS 2.3 are better than any competitor, at any price. The Livewires Trips compete well with their higher priced competition, but do not clearly exceed them as the Orions and CS 2.3 do.

Ultimate Ears UE10pro
These old classics just refuse to go away. And for good reason; they still sound great. Words like “analytical”, “clinical”, and “sterile” all apply to these. Whether those are insults or compliments is up to you. The problem here is that the JH13 does everything these do, but extends the bass deeper, the highs slightly higher, and does so without negatively impacting the balance of the frequency spectrum. UE10pro owners certainly have nothing to be ashamed of; these are still world class customs and indeed I have ranked them in my top 5. But for a new buyer I would suggest skipping them and moving to another model to reap the benefits offered by newer technology.

To keep my speaker analogy coherent, these would be Green Mountain Audio Callistos. They do everything the Calypsos and Continuums do but with less bottom end extension, and a bit less focus in the soundstage.

Ultimate Ears UE11pro
I was a bit surprised at this model. I was hoping it would be similar to the UE10pro but with an enhanced bottom end, which was really the only major improvement I felt the UE10pro could use. Instead I found that the balance was upset by the low frequency coloration. The bass quality was excellent; it was the quantity that I took issue with. Another unwelcome side effect was the mid-bass also becoming far too prominent. To me this reduces realism and serves as a reminder that I’m dealing with a recording, rather than making me feel like I’m hearing the performance live. For that reason, I ranked these lower than their older “less advanced” counterparts.

These remind me of a speaker setup that we have probably all encountered. You have a wealthy associate who spent big money on a 5.1 surround system. Perhaps it is Paradigm, Definitive, or PSB. Something towards the top of the line for that brand. You are excited to audition the setup. But when they fire it up, you quickly discover that something is wrong: the subwoofer is turned up way too loud. Through the fault of the integrator who installed it, or maybe the auto-setup routine of the processor, or worse yet, deliberately done by the owner because he thinks more bass is always better. The sad part is that you can tell the sound is highly accurate, but it is being masked by the thumping monstrosity in the corner. You might even enjoy it for a few tracks on the demo CD, but you certainly wouldn’t want to live with it.


Livewires original models
Many reviews have been done on these over the past few years, some differing wildly in opinion. I agree with some that likened these to high end Grado headphones like the RS1. They are fairly neutral and yet detailed and airy. They excel at vocals without being harsh or sibilant. Bass is very accurate and detailed but doesn’t have quite the extension or authority of some of the higher end models listed above. Soundstage is only fair considering the standards set by this group, but in my opinion still superior to any universal IEM on the market. As you sit getting lost in the music, the sudden realization hits you: These are the cheapest in the group by quite a bit, and are indeed cheaper than many flagship universal IEMs. The value here is very impressive. Note that I consider these a tie with the UE4pro listed below.

A speaker that these remind me of is the Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1. The Sierras have better treble extension than most speakers costing twice the price. They have formidable bass extension for a monitor speaker, but still can’t quite compete with larger designs. Above all they are an excellent value, so much so that they may very well be the cure for upgraditis.

Ultimate Ears UE4pro
These budget models fall somewhere in between the flat sound of the UE10 and the boosted sound of the UE11, thankfully leaning more toward the former. Bass notes are presented faithfully and without drawing much attention. This is likely a good thing because while they do seem to go ever so slightly lower than the Livewires duals, they also show their weakness a bit more often. On jazz passages with complex upright bass work and a busy drummer, they sometimes became a bit muddled and confused. On the other hand, the mids are fairly accurate and the highs are nice and sparkly. Soundstage is fairly convincing, wide enough but not very deep.

I ranked these as tied with the Livewires. They are slightly better at bass and treble extension, and the soundstage is a tad wider. They lose in bass/midbass clarity, and seemed a tiny bit harsh on occasion. Factor in the price which is about 60% higher, and it all evens out. It sounds like I am picking on the UE4 but that is not my intention. The Livewires focus on what they are good at and simply omit what they can’t handle. The UE4s seem to attempt more, which is sometimes successful and sometimes not. But both are excellent budget customs. I wish I had a JH5pro to compare as they also have dual drivers and are similar in price.

In speaker terms, these would also be the Ascend Sierra 1s. But in this case they are in a smaller room and placed too close to the rear wall, which changes their sound a bit. Bass is more prominent but less clear, and soundstage is just slightly different. It’s not a perfect analogy but it’s the best I could think of.


<contined next post>

[project86]

<continued>



Ultimate Ears UE-Hybrid
To be honest I had never heard of these before, and was a bit surprised that a hybrid dynamic driver had already been paired with a balanced armature unit in a custom IEM. I thought this was the future of IEMs, not something that had been done for years already. In any case, these were a lot of fun. They are the complete opposite of the UE10 but somehow it still ends up being lively and fun. They have possibly bigger and more authoritative bass than any other on this list due to the dynamic driver (yes that includes the UE11s – I think that is just the nature of dynamic drivers versus armatures). Balance and neutrality are completely thrown out the window in favor of dynamics. The mids and highs are acceptable but by no means as good as the rest here. The experience is similar to that of being at an extremely large and loud concert (Metallica for example). By no means would you describe it as clean accurate sound. But you would still enjoy the heck out of it as is pounds your brain. I would love to see UE or another company revisit this design, perhaps as part of a triple driver unit. The upgrade to newer, higher end balanced armatures, along with some fine tuning of the sound signature, could yield astounding results.

These remind me of my vintage Altec Lansing 846A Valencia speakers. They have a 15” driver and a compression horn, installed in a very large cabinet. I’ve not heard a speaker do what they do any better, despite their being almost 40 years old.

Alien Ears C3
I had heard good things about the Alien Ears triple driver models, so I was glad I got a chance to listen to them. Overall I was not disappointed, considering they are a budget model. They had a very large, full sound to them that made most music fun to listen to. They were very laid back, and more forgiving of bad recordings than the rest in this pack. Detail was good enough but not on the level of the rest on the list. Soundstage was interesting; it was large and immersive but instruments were a bit difficult to localize. Again that shows the personality of the C3; they want you enjoying the music, not picking it apart. Some listeners might find them too dull and wish for more immediacy, but I personally enjoyed what they had to offer. While I notice that I am listing them as last place, don’t take that the wrong way. They are very enjoyable and I would still choose them over most of the top universals on the market.

When this pair was purchased, customer service was supposedly excellent. I have read that it has declined now but have no personal experience either way.

I would liken these to the Infinity Primus 360 towers. Big and unattractive, yet smooth and full sounding, they are an excellent bargain if you are looking for a laid back presentation at a good price.

Conclusion

This whole thing kind of felt like an exercise in futility. Subjectivity is an interpretation of performance using ears and music while objectivity is proof of performance using as many scientific measurements and methods as required to make a point. I have neither the equipment nor the time available to do a proper evaluation that would objectively prove what I thought I heard. So I am limited to reporting on what my particular experiences were with these particular products. I was torn about even posting this as it is almost worthless in predicting what you might hear when trying them. But in the end I decided I would post it as long as I clearly stipulated what it was.

Once again, please do NOT use this as any sort of definitive comparison. This is just one man’s humble opinion, and he is sharing it with you for fun. I did enjoy my time listening to these, and I was frankly amazed at the level of competence they all achieved for relatively little money (compared to full size speakers). As a father of two (including a newborn) I have very little time to spend listening to full scale music on my main system. Using a high end custom lets me achieve most of the fidelity (and even more in certain respects) for very little money, without bothering the family.

The Livewires Trips impressed me in every way. When I used them in the studio with true reference class equipment, they presented a very accurate sound. I was able to closely duplicate the sounds that I heard over the various high end studio monitors including Genelec, Dynaudio, and TAD. That accurate, dynamic sound was also very obtainable in a home setting, or even on the go using an excellent DAP. I do not think they need an amp, although they do seem a bit less sensitive than some of the others. If I had to nitpick I’d say that the Trips don’t really handle much of the extremely low frequencies in the sub 20hz range. They do reproduce a bit of sound down there but it was very rolled off. The JH13pro did seem to reproduce that range a bit better, but the effect was negligible in general use. I don’t find this to be a big issue as music rarely contains any info in this range, and many of us can’t hear that low anyway. The low  string on a 4 string bass guitar is around 40hz, and a low B on a 5 string is maybe 35hz. A larger tympani might go around 35hz as well. Even most pipe organs don’t go to 20hz, and very few compositions call for it for that very reason. In any case I figured I’d post that to indicate that they are not infallible and indeed probably not recommended for bass-heads. Other than that I simply can not find fault with their sound.

Something to be considered though is the wait time. While my duals only took a bit longer than 3 weeks, my Trips took almost exactly 8 weeks to arrive. Note that I live a few hours drive time away from the EarPeace office, so mail transit time was not an issue. Not only that, but I was never really given a direct instruction as to when they would be ready. I tried to be patient and only called a few times. Each time I was told by the very nice female who answers the phone that the parts for the Trips were on back order. It didn’t seem like they really know when they would arrive. Finally on my last call they said the product would be in the next day, which was true since I got them in the mail the next day after that. I am not sure why they can’t keep a decent supply of parts (I assume the drivers are the issue?) on hand. If they told me from the beginning that I would be waiting a long time, even given a vague estimate like 6-9 weeks, I would have been fine with that. But having it be an unknown was a bit frustrating.

In the end, the results were entirely worth the wait. I can see how some people might need a product within a certain time frame, in which case I would say spend the extra money and order from Westone. If you have the time and are willing to be patient, order from Livewires. Plan for at least 8 weeks wait time, or even longer if a refit is needed. Just know that you will feel like Ralphie Parker (A Christmas Story) checking the mail every day for your decoder ring.

The top contenders in this comparison where all excellent (and even the lesser models were very very good). Using a proper EQ, you could make the ES3X, UE11, JH13, and Trips all sound very close to each other. In my case, I’ll be keeping the Trips. I can certainly see valid reasons for wanting to go with another product. Ordering the JH13 would give a nice mental boost in knowing you have the current high end IEM. If you are a bass lover, the UE11 might be more to your liking. And if you have sensitive ears, the soft material of the ES3X might be just right for you. There are also other customs out there which I have not had the pleasure of trying, such as ACS products, Sensaphonics, Sleek Audio, Futuresonics, Starkey, and more. There are also several other models from JH Audio that I’d like to try. But based on my listening thus far, I think the Livewires Trips can hold their own with any other product on the market, regardless of price.


<END OF REVIEW>


Looking back on the review as I originally wrote it, I see a few things I should have fixed. Mainly the ranking of the various customs. I'm not so sure that JH13pro should be my top ranked item, and the .A.R. Z5 is definately not 2nd place (although I don't know exactly where to put it now). But I've decided to preserve the original review as-is to keep things honest. I hope this helps, and I will check back once in a while to answer questions that people might have.

[XiaXueYi]

Yes, I read your review some time after looking around in the thread "Califorrnia Dreamin'", and I must say your review is a treat.

And to OT a bit, the reason why I simply had to go and pay more attention to Metallica's older albums.

If you ever had the chance to increase the repertoire of the customs you can listen to, please do update or make new comparisons! 

[crazyguy106]

I'd just like to state that there was actually quite little description about clarity, separation, detail reproduction; instead it was really more about the frequency volumes and presentations at various levels.

May I just propose to really re-examine the idea of everything being about that. I respect your playlist and album list and definitely would agree with many things that you say, but may I do not think that it is a fair comparison by just talking about frequency ranges/bumps and all. Talk about frequency responses, like high frequencies sparkle a bit too much because the frequency response in that range is too slow and the highs retain for such a long time that it loses out real decay in an optimal live setting. Because of the fact that you care more about frequency range, bumps and whatnot, I am proposing that you might lose out on the whole idea of the review and the experience of listening to music as a whole.

I myself would count myself an avid musician and love to appreciate various types of music. What I love is the presentation of the original music (meaning without taint) to my ears to my head, with utter accuracy and speed so I can make out nuances, individual notes and really appreciate HOW a musician plays it rather than simply WHAT is played, therefore I love the details within. However, this review covers absolutely nothing on that. So if I may suggest an improvement to a somewhat comprehensive, though lacking in what means much to another music lover, is to actual go into how the music is represented. Thanks

P.S. Just re-read some of your disclaimers, I think that you might not be aiming for an objective description so it's up to you. But because of the lack of description, I would have to simply disagree with the style of music listening I guess. But that's a matter of personal choice by now.

[XiaXueYi]

I rather think that these two parts of his posts

I have to apologize for my descriptions…. Reading through what I just wrote, it seems like I cannot properly say what I mean. I want to be as detailed as possible without resorting to cliché audiophile terminology that doesn’t really mean anything. I just can’t stand reviews like this:

“The highs were somewhat chalky, but the upper midrange was wonderfully liquid, and there was palpable air around the woodwinds. The lower mids had satisfactory bloom; the bass, however, could have benefited from a little more rhythm and pace.  depth yielded a Row G perspective.”

To me, that doesn’t really mean anything at all. And yet here I am using some similar terminology in my notes. So I apologize. Once again I’ll reiterate that this is merely my impressions based on lots of casual listening, and NOT to be taken as an objective review.

Conclusion

This whole thing kind of felt like an exercise in futility. Subjectivity is an interpretation of performance using ears and music while objectivity is proof of performance using as many scientific measurements and methods as required to make a point. I have neither the equipment nor the time available to do a proper evaluation that would objectively prove what I thought I heard. So I am limited to reporting on what my particular experiences were with these particular products. I was torn about even posting this as it is almost worthless in predicting what you might hear when trying them. But in the end I decided I would post it as long as I clearly stipulated what it was.

Once again, please do NOT use this as any sort of definitive comparison. This is just one man’s humble opinion, and he is sharing it with you for fun. I did enjoy my time listening to these, and I was frankly amazed at the level of competence they all achieved for relatively little money (compared to full size speakers). As a father of two (including a newborn) I have very little time to spend listening to full scale music on my main system. Using a high end custom lets me achieve most of the fidelity (and even more in certain respects) for very little money, without bothering the family.

Are more than enough telling that his review is not about the usual "clarity, soundstage, etc" sort of thing.

Treat it more like a PoV than that sort of highly technical review which nobody really understands. And I personally think that even now, when I got acquainted with the so-called "audiophile jargon", I still think they're confusing, and say little or nothing about the music.

To describe music in mere tehnical jargon I would say is in the end I would say, useless (and maybe even insulting)...

Everyone understands how you would normally give a review, but do note that reviews do not have a template. And ultimately reviews shout "IMO!!!".

I have seen your reviews and I rather think you are one of those who have already lost yourself/yourselves in the "hardware side of things". Plus you're on the side of "picking out details". Then there are those that "listen to the music, not to the details".
I am of the opinion that both are actually mutually inclusive and blend in like the yin-and-yang philosophy - the details can help you immerse yourself in music, while the 'musicality' of the music allows you to appreciate the details paid to the instruments and such.

No offense intended.

[crazyguy106]

Of course, thus my P.S.

If you understand I'm not into the hardware side of things and I don't go trying out every headphone/earphone out there and buying every single one of them. I buy one and stick to it. So by that definition alone I don't belong to the "hardware" side of things.

If you're talking about it I'm under the more "analytical" side of things. And my jargon are not that of audiophiles, which are to me utter rubbish, they're more of technical audio descriptions which are not completely orthodox. And again, when I do a review it's to give an objective take on things so that you might know what you want from the things. In case you haven't noticed, he didn't talk about placement of the instruments in rather empirical terms, like estimations or direct comparisons, everything was "just nice" or "better" or something to that extent. He didn't give detailed on piano runs, ability to separate the notes etc.

I personally care more about the music than the equipment, I just like certain equipment because they allow the music to be more neutrally represented, and if you don't understand that you might never. If you know about indian carnatic music, jazz music, and actually listen to the heavy metal music, or even classic rock music, you would realise how important the details are to just understand what the person is doing and why he's doing it.

Take for example, one of my favourite recordings, Besame Mucho with Jim Hall and Christian McBride. You can hear Jim Hall singing lines as he takes a solo. You start appreciating his ideas and musicality through the thing if you're looking out for such details. When you can actually identify and appreciate the little subtle details in the music, that's when you're really appreciating it, at least in my opinion. Take for example, the difference between Lang Lang and another pianist playing the same Pathetique Sonata. It's all in the subtle details, the rubatos, the breaks, the phrasing. If you don't actually begin to understand these and understand that the subtleties and details make a world of difference, then it's alright. (Lang Lang lacks subtlety mostly)

It's like looking at an art piece, and never realising what each brushstroke means. The idea of how a painting is actually 3-dimensional, as the paint has piled on at different layers, the different strokes of the artist, makes you appreciate the art that much more than the simple "oh it's beautiful".

What I concentrate on is going beyond what's superficial and start going into the details of the art itself, and having the right equipment allows you to do that if you're not fortunate enough to get exposed to good, live music. So that's what I'm talking about.

P.S. This is why I keep trying to teach everyone how to observe music. Take it to a deeper level. Everyone can do it, even though you might be thinking that it's pointless. It's highly rewarding.

[Shanekua]

To describe music in mere tehnical jargon I would say is in the end I would say, useless (and maybe even insulting)

I think the point of the so-called ‘jargon’ is to bring some common ground for comparison. There’s a reason why they are so widespread in forums. They are an attempt to provide some common ground in describing what is fundamentally not visual but aural hobby.

Sure the terms may differ from person to person, one person’s exact understanding of bass head is not another’s person. But they give the general idea of the direction at least. In my audio journey I have found that such classifications have given me a good starting point to see what audio hardware will suit my taste. It’s invaluable that people have a general, common understanding, for easier comparison and contrast.

Definitely credit to TS for attempting the review and writing at length his experience with different music. But I must admit I had difficulty following his descriptions, as he notes himself in the review.

As a person seriously considering customs because of the comfort issue, I would have liked to see more comparatives to give me a better sense of his writing. Sure you may not use the exact terms but even attempting to describe them in a  others would understand will add more value to the review.

[project86]

While I respectfully decline to get into a large discussion about the merits of audiophile terminology, I do wish to clarify a few things.

1) The word objective has been used several times here, but I'm doubtful the user really understands its meaning. Objective reviews require measurements which, as I mentioned, I am not equipped to take. Once we have those measurements, we would still need a baseline hearing test from every single reader of the review to adjust for his or her personal impairments. Additionally, we would need to factor in the varying dimensions of each reader's ear canal with respect to diameter, bend angles, depth, etc. Once we have all this, we could begin to formulate an actual objective review. I can drop words like clarity, pace, timing, attack, decay, edginess, bloom....... all day long, but that is certainly not "objective" by any means. That being said, I did in fact touch on some of the things you accoused me of skipping, such as the placement of instruments or performers on a stage, or the ability to resolve details without getting congested.

2) The fact that 2 performers play a piece differenly is of course a given. I'm not sure what that has to do with anything...... you just reminded me of an old cartoon that I felt captured the irony of the hi-fi scene. It featured an audiophile with a very expensive system (complete with numerous tweaks) demonstrating it to a music-loving acquaintance. After the listening session ended, the gearhead wanted to know his friend’s opinion. The music lover thought a minute, then replied, “He conducts it a lot faster than Bernstein, doesn’t he?”

It sounds like you are trying to imply that I don't know how to listen properly...... which is not the case. But my physical/emotional reaction to a piece of music is not relevant to a review, so I try omit that type of hyperbole.

3) Spending more time in the studio with people who actually make and record the music we enjoy, gives you a new perspective about this whole "audiophile" thing. I wish everyone could have a chance to do the same.

4) How exactly do you define "Speed"? Especially as it pertains to custom IEMs that all use basically the same drivers from the same manufacturers?

I'll stop there as I don't want this to become a debate.... just a friendly conversation. I also notice that you have JH13pros, and myself and XiaXueYi have Livewires Trips. I certainly don't want this to become a pissing match between brand loyalists.

[project86]

I think the point of the so-called ‘jargon’ is to bring some common ground for comparison. There’s a reason why they are so widespread in forums. They are an attempt to provide some common ground in describing what is fundamentally not visual but aural hobby.

Sure the terms may differ from person to person, one person’s exact understanding of bass head is not another’s person. But they give the general idea of the direction at least. In my audio journey I have found that such classifications have given me a good starting point to see what audio hardware will suit my taste. It’s invaluable that people have a general, common understanding, for easier comparison and contrast.

Definitely credit to TS for attempting the review and writing at length his experience with different music. But I must admit I had difficulty following his descriptions, as he notes himself in the review.

As a person seriously considering customs because of the comfort issue, I would have liked to see more comparatives to give me a better sense of his writing. Sure you may not use the exact terms but even attempting to describe them in a  others would understand will add more value to the review.

I can respect this, and again I do apologize for the lack of description in some cases. What else would you like to know? I'll try my best.

[crazyguy106]

Not about brand loyalism. And I was not referring to you... And about most of what the second post I made in this thread is talking to Xia Xue Yi not to you. And the tone that I had was due to the fact that whatever was mentioned by Xia Xue Yi was rather direct and calling me a "hardware-based" person. Which I don't believe I am. So I was taking a stand and explaining it to him/her.

I appreciate that you like your music. And when I mean objective I simply mean talking about things like frequency response and all. When you're into music, or play it, you're required to understand the fullness of different frequencies and tell differences between instruments' frequency response, overtone productions, just to begin working out ways to actually meld them together. That's why I see a need to talk about frequency responses and all, rather than just bumps. There was not much description added to it, it was "touched upon", not expounded on. I personally take those are rather important, the separation and details.

As I said on another thread I personally think that LW3 is a great buy. If I had not preferred a JH sound, I wouldn't go for JH 13. I bought it before it came out, because I use it for stage monitoring and I know that JH produces great stage mons, not about price or loyalism.

When I mean speed, I mean decay of instruments. If you're in a live setting you'd realise the decay of each instrument defers, like the snare hit or the cymbal. Whether is it legato or staccato. Speed of the presentation shows you that. The clarity of a hiromi piano run, and the lack of or the presence of overlapping overtone interference will change the sound. The intended, is for the natural decay of the instrument, not of the instrument or rig you're using.

I can enjoy music on a 10 dollar earphone as much as I do on my JH13. The appreciation of the details can be done more with JH13 of course, but the more important thing is the source, which is the musician. What I'm saying is that there is no basis of comparison of the descriptions. Everything's starting from scratch rather than having reference point. Start with where the positions usually are on your favourite system, then talk about where the placement of the instruments are on your LW3. Talk about separation as according to the spilling of overtones over to one another, whether it affects one another in your listening. Talk about clarity of individual notes, the intonation. Romantic classical violinists are notorious to play a flat note flatter than another, more staunch classical violinist, on purpose. These things tell me a lot about the player, the music and the expression.

You can miss out everything of the details and still enjoy the music. That I agree. Great music is great music. But it's even greater when the details are put before you.

PS I do spend quite a bit of time in the studio and recording myself... Many might have a big argument against it or more... But I'd like to state that it helps, but it doesn't replace.

[Shanekua]

Thanks for the reply.

I’ve tried the Livewire Trips (belonging to two different people), and I was left with the impression that the amount of bass was about right but it was muddy and extremely undefined. In addition, the trebles seem to be harsh. I’ve not written them off yet because of their price and that many people have written well about their price/performance ratio. Also, I think this may well be as both times I did not get a relatively good fit and had to hold the LW3s in place.

Your review, in particularly the comparisons section, shows you’ve heard a lot of different customs. It would be great if you have some direct comparisons with some of the known IEMs so I can relate to them. I’ve tried many of the top tier universals before settling on the TF10, may some comparisons would help me greatly 

What do you think of the LW3’s separation of instruments, like whether each instrument is heard distinctively? For example in music with layered electric guitars, or in Big band jazz, i noticed some IEMS tend to mesh the sound together when the louder instruments, the electric guitars or the brass, enter. I did not notice this on my TF10s.

Also, I like ‘speed’ and ‘soundstage’. Between the UM3X and the TF10, I can immediately pick out the notes of fast bass riffs that the UM3x blurs but the TF10 seems to render clearly. Hence why i bought the TF10 despite the Westone’s superior comfort.

Currently, i’m consider also the ES3x(most comfortable right?) or the JH10x3, anything above that is way to high a price to pay for comfort seeing as i’m perfectly happy with the sound from my TF10, just that they hurt after a couple of hours.

Your comments are greatly appreciated!