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Review of SMS Audio SYNC by 50 on-ear wireless headphones (2013) w/lots of pics!!!

This is a review of a new model of SMS Audio SYNC by 50 on-ear wireless headphones. http://smsby50.com/products/sync-by-50-on-ear-wireless
Before anyone makes a judgment of "uh, another pair of status headphones by a rapper", I want you to open up your mind and your ears because this is one of the BEST pairs of wireless headphones I have tested and reviewed so far. Period. And since it offers a hybrid option of being used either wireless or wired - the sound quality is almost the same when comparing it. To be honest, I didn't have a high expectation when I received these for review. But after charging it up and running through 4+ burn in (white/pink noise loop to condition drivers), I couldn't believe my ears how sweet these sounds and even took a trip to a nearest Best Buy for a/b comparison with the latest Beats Studio. By far the clear winner was SYNC by 50. Now let's go more into review details.
First, let's start with packaging. This sets a tone of the product quality even before you get to the headphones itself. Opening it up definitely felt like x-mas time going through your presents. You slide off the outside sleeve to reveal a big blue box, a common color scheme of black'n'blue with these headphones. Under the cover you are greeted with Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson picture pointing at you like Uncle Sam "I want you" to join him. Another flipped cover and you get to the middle where you see a well crafted hard shell carrying case with a same black'n'blue design. Also in a side pocket you have owners manual, product catalog brochure, soft touch cleaning cloth (blue), and SMS Audio stickers (nice touch!). Yes, presentation is very impressive but it means absolutely nothing without a golden egg inside of that football shaped hard shell case. That's where we are headed next.
Once you take headphones out of the case you notice how light they are, at only 190g and with a neatly foldable design they fit snugly in the case which makes it easy for traveling. With a precise click action of the hinges, after unfolding these you can adjust the headband to your liking. The design and construction felt very sturdy, and plastic parts had a nice shiny piano finish where use of cleaning cloth will come very handy. The inner side of headband top has a foam cushioning wrapped in black leather with blue stitching. Earpads are marshmallow soft made out of ultra plush memory foam OVALFIT. Here is something a lot of people get confused, a difference between on-ear versus over-ear headphones. These are on-ear headphones which mean earpads will be smaller pressing against your ears creating an air pocket between drivers and your ear canal. Over-ear are typically bigger and go "over" your ear. I actually prefer on-ear design since it improves sound quality and doesn't "sweat" as much. One side of earphones has micro-usb charging port and opening for charging led, and I assume that's where battery is housed. Full charging from empty takes less then 4hr and battery should last 10-12hr which also depends on level of your listening volume. The other side has 3.5mm port to use a cable for wired application, built in mic, power on/off switch, and VERY WELL laid out playback and volume controls. The large round button in the middle, discretely hidden by S logo, is your play/pause/pickup/hangup call button. Volume up and down positioned logically at the top and the bottom, and track skip next/prev positioned at the front and the back. There is no second guessing or fumbling to locate these buttons, the layout makes perfect sense without looking at it, in daylight or at night.
I was happy to see physical on/off switch which also has dual functionality with a spring loaded push for Bluetooth pair up that was very fast and painless. These headphones support the latest Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX codec, and backward compatible with BT2.1, 3.0+EDR, and support HFP, HSP, A2DP, and AVRCP protocols. If you are out of battery juice or want to listen to a device without bluetooth connection, it's just as simple as plugging included cable and going wired. As a matter of fact, while paired up with my Note 2, I was going back'n'forth wired and wireless by connecting and disconnecting the cable. And speaking of cables, both usb to micro-usb and audio cables were included and neatly stored inside of the inner pocket of hard shell case. Both of the cables are crafted with black'n'blue theme, felt very heavy duty with a nice shielding and overall cool design details. I tested and found included usb cable to be ONLY for charging, not for data transfer. The audio cable has in-line remote with a single multi-function button and built-in mic. Multi-function button worked perfectly with Android devices with single click play/pause/call controls, double-click to skip next and triple-click to skip prev to control playback of music tracks. I also thought it was a great idea for the side of the connector going to your phone/tablet to be angled for a better strain relief.
With design and built quality covered, here comes the most important part - the sound quality. According to their website, these are professionally tuned 40mm drivers, and from my personal experience you always have to burn in these before starting to judge the sound. I did give it initial 4+ hours of burn in connected wired to my laptop while running white/pink noise loop. That really made a sound delivery shine and brought up a lot of details and clarity. That is normal and expected from true high quality drivers. Once I had them on, I couldn't put it down going through my collection of music. Another important point to note, I switched to using Neutron media player (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.neutroncode.mp) and would HIGHLY recommend only to use that player for your audio if you want to unlock true potential of your multimedia phone or tablet. Don't get discouraged with enormous array of settings and control options. Take your time and you will really appreciate quality of it's 32/64-bit audio processing engine and audiophile controls. But audio player can only bring up the best of the source and in order to hear that you need drivers that can translate it into analog sound delivered to your ears. SYNC by 50 truly DELIVERED it with a perfectly balanced sound across entire frequency range with an extra bump in powerful bass delivery, yet without overpowering or distorting it, a vibrant mids and crisp highs sounding clear and natural, bringing vocals right in your face surrounded by details of other instruments around them. I'm not going to lie and tell you these sound better than my audiophile $400 UE900, but for wireless headphones these sound truly incredible, thanks to BT4.0 + aptX. I was also pleased with a soundstage of these and how clearly I was able to hear position of every sound. The dynamics and clarify also held very well over the whole volume range. While doing a/b comparison between wireless and wired, I can only mention a slight improvement in sound width and a few more sparkling details of high frequencies with wires on. Also I should mention while taking/making calls, sound was great and people on the other side had no complains except while connected wireless they felt my voice was a bit distant verses wired using in-line remote/mic.
Overall, I was VERY impressed with SYNC by 50 on-ear wireless headphones. Everything from the design details to controls and sound quality was executed perfectly. I have seen and read before about their previous over-ear wireless model with KLEER technology, but was put off by a need to use separate wireless transmitter. Looks like SMS Audio done their homework and put a lot of thought into improving the design while also following the latest technology trend of BT4.0+aptX, and that really paid off! If I have to think of some negatives, I would say not being able to know how much charge is left in the battery since there is no led or voice prompt indicator (unless I missed it), and also assuming some people with big size heads might find these headphones to be a bit tight on their nugget, judging this by my average size head where I felt fitment to be very comfortable but perhaps closer to it's limit in terms of tightness. Currently, you can only get these directly from www.smsaudio.com website and they retail for $229 and come in shadow black or cool silver. It is pricey, but considering design and sound quality, as well as factor of brand name recognition, these are a much better value then Beats. Plus keep in mind, once it becomes available on Amazon, you probably will be able to get a better discount deal. Definitely gets my recommendation!
Here are the pictures.
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Hi
First, thanks for your long review! I just want to ask you a question. Do the controls work with Android? Will it work with CM10.2 on a HTC One with PowerAMP?
And do you probably have pictures with you having the headphones on? I ask, because i recently bought the Soul by Ludacris SL150, but afterwards because they were too big i selled them again. Now i'm using the Beats by Dre Solo (Wired), which have about the perfect size for me.

zotac1907 said:
Hi
First, thanks for your long review! I just want to ask you a question. Do the controls work with Android? Will it work with CM10.2 on a HTC One with PowerAMP?
And do you probably have pictures with you having the headphones on? I ask, because i recently bought the Soul by Ludacris SL150, but afterwards because they were too big i selled them again. Now i'm using the Beats by Dre Solo (Wired), which have about the perfect size for me.
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Absolutely, both wireless and wired controls work perfectly with Android. Wireless Bluetooth protocol supports volume, playback, transport, and call controls. Wired doesn't support volume, but multifunction button works perfectly as I mentioned in my review.
Sorry, I don't usually take pictures with headphone on my head. It definitely sounds like you need on-ear headphones NOT over-ear since those are bigger. SL150 is on-ear as well but do look more wrapped around and bigger, just from the pictures I'm seeing. I think new SYNC by 50 on-ear will have a lot better fit. I don't know if they sell them in the store like Best Buy to try it out, but if you order from Amazon and find fit to be not perfect - can't you just return it back? Your other option is V-Moda M-80, check into my signature link for detailed review. It's probably the smallest on-ear portable headphones you can find, wired only. But there might be some comfort issues, although their sound it out of this world, the best out of everything I have tested. SYNC by 50 are very comfortable, marshmallow-comfortable and earpieces tilt relative to headband which I see SL150 doesn't have. You definitely get convenience of wired/wireless with SYNC, good bass response, excellent wireless sound quality, and comfort. A matter of comfort is something you will need to test it yourself since ymmv.

Thanks for the review.
Do the controls on the headphones work when the headphones are wired, like forwards and backwards playback, and also does the volume control lower the volume of the system or the headphones, when wired and wireless?
also can you use these at the gym ?

faddys123 said:
Thanks for the review.
Do the controls on the headphones work when the headphones are wired, like forwards and backwards playback, and also does the volume control lower the volume of the system or the headphones, when wired and wireless?
also can you use these at the gym ?
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When you use them wired you need to use remote built into the cable; that will control playback and call, but but not the volume. The controls on earcup are only for wireless operation. And of course it will be perfect for the gym to use wireless so you don't pull any wires when exercising. Or if you are next to treadmill and want to plug in your headphones, just use the wire.
Or and the volume lowers headphones volume, while you can adjust system volume separately. It's typical with all bluetooth headphones.

Hey, thank you for your review. Do you have any comparison to serious headphone brand like Sennheiser, AKG, Grado? Comparing to beats audio which is toy brand, not headphone brand is not really satisfying. If by UE900 you mean logitech it is not good recommendation to these SMS.

corckie said:
Hey, thank you for your review. Do you have any comparison to serious headphone brand like Sennheiser, AKG, Grado? Comparing to beats audio which is toy brand, not headphone brand is not really satisfying. If by UE900 you mean logitech it is not good recommendation that these SMS.
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If you are looking for a good audio quality and considering your references above, these will not satisfy you. Keep in mind, I got heavier into audio reviews later last year, so got a chance to run more comparison for the reference Old gen Beats are junk, though I heard new Beats might be better, but I can't comment on that since I didn't have a chance to test it (and have no plans for it). Contrary to that, Monster DNA Pro are serious audiophile quality. Back when I tested UE900, those were the best IEMs at the moment I had, while now I would not recommend them since you can have Westone W40 (or upcoming W30 which I hopefully get a chance to review) or Audio Technica's latest ATH-IM03 with a much better sound and build quality. So, my impression of SMS was based on my earlier impressions.
Yes, comparing them to Senns or AKG or Grado - they will not stand up. But considering their are in $200 price range and wireless, it adds a lot of value to them. I know Monster DNA Pro Wireless is about to be released, but they will be priced around $400+. I'm sure they will sound awesome, but that's double the price. Actually, I think you might want to look into UE9000 over-ear wireless (though battery powered for ANC): www.amazon.com/Logitech-UE-9000-Wireless-Headphones/dp/B0094S37GS/ - I heard a lot of good things about these. Considering UE just discontinued all of their in-/on-/over-ear headphones (only UE900s is left), you can get UE9000 on amazon for under $300.

vectron said:
Yes, comparing them to Senns or AKG or Grado - they will not stand up. But considering their are in $200 price range and wireless, it adds a lot of value to them. I know Monster DNA Pro Wireless is about to be released, but they will be priced around $400+. I'm sure they will sound awesome, but that's double the price. Actually, I think you might want to look into UE9000 over-ear wireless (though battery powered for ANC): www.amazon.com/Logitech-UE-9000-Wireless-Headphones/dp/B0094S37GS/ - I heard a lot of good things about these. Considering UE just discontinued all of their in-/on-/over-ear headphones (only UE900s is left), you can get UE9000 on amazon for under $300.
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I already own pair of Sennheiser MM 550-X which I chose after lots of hearing and research. I compared them to beats audio (which generally are not worth even 1/10th of their price), AKG, Sony MDR-1RBT, Parrot ZIK and many more. By far 550's have the best sound quality and virtually no lag, I couldn't say if they are wired or not. But I am always open to something better and I thought that these SMS could compete. By price tag I would expect they sound at least as good as 550's, but unfortunatelly they seem to be as overpriced as Beats Audio. However I thought I would give them a shot and tomorrow I will hopefully have an oportunity to listen to them.
I'm surprised you mentioned $200 price of these SMS, because where I live 550-X are priced $500 and Audio Sync by 50 are priced $550. Maybe that's why I expected a lot from them. Now I see that this comparison is a little pointless, so I think that by now I should stick to 550-X. They are really badass wireless headphones, but I think that there still is room for improvement.

$500?!? Is that UK price or something? They definitely not worth that much.

vectron said:
$500?!? Is that UK price or something? They definitely not worth that much.
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Poland. SMS brand just entered the market so probably they try to position themselves as premium brand and we have so called "being new tax" when sellers raise prices to the skies for first few weeks to get higher profit from people who are unpatient and will buy no matter the price. So after all these headphones are not really worth considering.

They look very good
Sent from my g2 using Tapatalk

I have wired Beats Studio v2, and I want to buy a wireless headphones, so my choice was Beats Studio v2 wireless, beacause is the same model as the wired one but without wire (obviously), so I already know everything about this headphones. But I always wanted to buy SMS Audio and now that I read your review I'm really undecided. Beats got an incredible ANC system and I love it, because when I travel by train or bus I'm completely isolated from other people's noise, are the SMS isolated so well? Thanks for your response

Curtis7990 said:
I have wired Beats Studio v2, and I want to buy a wireless headphones, so my choice was Beats Studio v2 wireless, beacause is the same model as the wired one but without wire (obviously), so I already know everything about this headphones. But I always wanted to buy SMS Audio and now that I read your review I'm really undecided. Beats got an incredible ANC system and I love it, because when I travel by train or bus I'm completely isolated from other people's noise, are the SMS isolated so well? Thanks for your response
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Beats have active noise isolation, it's more effective because it samples outside noise and cancels it out by adding a flipped waveform of that noise. But as a result you get a humming noise which affects background noise floor thus making a sound not as crystal clear. Other headphones like SMS do passive noise isolation (if I remember correctly since I don't have it anymore), which just blocks outside noise by providing a good earpad seal, though sound quality improves because you have black background. I can't speak for the latest Beats headphones since I didn't have a chance to review them. Never had luck getting Beats review samples since they favor more social medial channels with lots of subscribers or Apple crowd, and do NOT care about XDA-Developers Android community Now with Apple acquisition they definitely don't care about review on XDA-Dev lol!!!

vectron said:
Beats have active noise isolation, it's more effective because it samples outside noise and cancels it out by adding a flipped waveform of that noise. But as a result you get a humming noise which affects background noise floor thus making a sound not as crystal clear. Other headphones like SMS do passive noise isolation (if I remember correctly since I don't have it anymore), which just blocks outside noise by providing a good earpad seal, though sound quality improves because you have black background. I can't speak for the latest Beats headphones since I didn't have a chance to review them. Never had luck getting Beats review samples since they favor more social medial channels with lots of subscribers or Apple crowd, and do NOT care about XDA-Developers Android community Now with Apple acquisition they definitely don't care about review on XDA-Dev lol!!!
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Thanks for your answer. All I want to know is, can I hear other people talk while wearing SMS Sync? I travel a lot and is important to me to just listen music, without background noise like people or street noise. This happen with Beats, but as you said sound is not properly clear. Thanks

I tried to hook it open on my Samsung galaxy s6 edge but it didn't work? Can u tell me why?

Review of Logitech/Ultimate Ears UE900 headphones w/lots of pics!!!

removed.

Since I got a few PMs from people inquiring if these UE900 can be worn wires down, I did some research and planning to order a few now bendable replacement cables from ebay (like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2m-Handma...ayer_Cables_Adapters&var=&hash=item4175e56a9b). Once I receive it, I will update my review.

Tell those people to embrace cable over the ears. I was VERY resistant to it at first, but the weightlessness of wearing them over the ears is amazing. Like you're not wearing them.
Overall, nice reviews. I personally like a little more focus on the negative aspects, because it shows you worst case. That's why I read the low rating reviews before buying anything. If you can deal with the negative aspects, then you've probably found a gem.
Do you find they lack (like many reviews say) the ability to make you feel the bass impact, carrying bass detail without bass quantity?
-No longer accidental, just Jeremy. F.cfb
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

jRi0T68 said:
Tell those people to embrace cable over the ears. I was VERY resistant to it at first, but the weightlessness of wearing them over the ears is amazing. Like you're not wearing them.
Overall, nice reviews. I personally like a little more focus on the negative aspects, because it shows you worst case. That's why I read the low rating reviews before buying anything. If you can deal with the negative aspects, then you've probably found a gem.
Do you find they lack (like many reviews say) the ability to make you feel the bass impact, carrying bass detail without bass quantity?
-No longer accidental, just Jeremy. F.cfb
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
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I was hoping you, as one of the few true audiophiles in this forum, will reply to this review sooner or later
Regarding cables, the comments actually came from another forum (AndroidForums) where I mirror all of my reviews. But nevertheless, I have been thinking about it and tend to agree. If I remember correctly you have SE215, with removable cable (the same one as UE900). Do you have a flex piece next to the headphone connector you bend in a shape to go over your ears? That's how it is with UE900 which is kind of a PITA to put your headphones on. When the cable is free hanging you just insert earpieces and put the wire around your ears. It's a lot easier this way based on my experience, for example using Klipsch S4A IEM and especially useful when you have bulkier earpieces. UE900 are very lightweight and small, almost go into your ears flush so in theory it could be worn either way but because of that flex rigid wire you can't hang those down. It will be interesting to see how the replacement cable going to work. I'm especially intrigued by "samsung" control reference, hoping they put correct resistors into the remote for volume control on my Note 2.
Now regarding bass of UE900. When you read a lot of professional reviews they all compare these to 50 other audiophile quality IEM reviewer tested before. I'm building up my headphone collection starting with reviews of cheaper lower quality ones and moving up to quad drivers. That explains my upbeat tone When I tested cheap $5 headphone from dx.com - those sounded great to me. When I stepped up to S4A - it was a huge improvement, but after testing UE600 I realized how much clarify a single armature driver was able to deliver. At the same time, I was able to distinguish that UE600 lacked bass, even after a prolong burn in. With wireless headphones my comparison continued where those with BT2.1 or BT3.0+aptX sounded awful and compressed, while BT4.0+aptX made a significant improvement to the point where I was very impressed by SYNC by 50 on-ear wireless headphones. But in parallel, when I compared Jaybirds BBX and Plantronics BBG2, both of which had old BT stack but it's own proprietary dsp decoding - I was blown away by BBG2 sound quality. M-Duo was impressive, but v-shaped FR wasn't really my cup of tea, although at the beginning I was very impressed with it's sound. So far everything I have tested was either v-shaped or enhanced either at low end or high end. So, when i started with UE900 - I found it's balanced sound to be amazing! The bass response has improved after burn in. Now, I also read about these having a pinhole which a lot of people seal for a better bass response (I'm still contemplating about it).
I have to absolutely agree EU900 carry a lot of bass details, and it has a slight bass bump, but it's not in your face to make you feel the bass. I have a number of bass heavy headphones where you get in-your-face bass without a need to adjust EQ. But I hate how that bass is delivered, colored, saturated, in some cases sounding hollow without "weight", etc. So I was excited about UE900 because to my ears it was ideal, especially since I listen mostly to EDM music where you get a lot of bass to begin with. But once I get my review pair of Westone W40, I will be able to make a true comparison between these two quad driver IEM and their bass response. Basically, my EU900 review was "standalone" while Westone will be more of a comparison, the same way how all those other pro reviews come out

I listen to a ton of EDM as well (Revolver's "The Chamber 24", which is his live set from Tomorrowworld is playing right now).
Bass is tricky. I wouldn't want all boom or all detail.
With my SE215's, I've used both the stock cable that has the memory wire and now use the mic/remote cable that doesn't. Both have their merits. Memory wire stays on better, but without it's more comfortable. I can get used to either. I wish I'd known about UE900 cables working on Shure when I bought my mic cable. It'd be nice to try out.
-No longer accidental, just Jeremy. F.cfb
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

jRi0T68 said:
I listen to a ton of EDM as well (Revolver's "The Chamber 24", which is his live set from Tomorrowworld is playing right now).
Bass is tricky. I wouldn't want all boom or all detail.
With my SE215's, I've used both the stock cable that has the memory wire and now use the mic/remote cable that doesn't. Both have their merits. Memory wire stays on better, but without it's more comfortable. I can get used to either. I wish I'd known about UE900 cables working on Shure when I bought my mic cable. It'd be nice to try out.
-No longer accidental, just Jeremy. F.cfb
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
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Yep, apparently these cables work with UE900, SE215, SE315, SE425, and SE535. I'm glad you mentioned "memory wire", I was looking for the right word to describe it lol!!!
I never heard of Revolver, but just looked them up on YT. Funny comments about their Tomorrowworld (darth & vader remix). A bunch of people posting about sounds being copied, and then another producer chimes it telling everybody "we all use the same Vengeance library" lol!!! Vengeance guys pretty much built EDM and in general club theme with dozens of their commercially released sample and sound sets which every single producer used in the last 7-8 years. Vengeance guys are actually producers behind Cascada and Spencer & Hill. But anyway, I digress here... My EDM cup of tea is Avicii, Showtek, Afrojack, R3hab, Spencer & Hill, Mikkas, Klaas,and commercial dubset like Krewella and Skrillex.

As promised, here is my review of replacement UE900 cable which also supposed to work with some Shure headphone models. The direct store link: http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=3352 in case if their ebay listing (http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2m-Handma...ayer_Cables_Adapters&var=&hash=item4175e56a9b) is not available.
Without a doubt, UE900 is the top headphones pair in my collection with one of the best sound quality. Being high end audiophile IEM, these come with detachable cables which mean if down the road wires brakes or the connection is compromised - you can replace the cable and continue using headphones. The cable that comes standard with UE900 is twisted pair which gets braided after y-joint. The intent is to keep signal isolated, away from any interference. Although I found these original cables to be very unique, to be honest I wasn't too happy about it because they were easy to tangle and felt fragile. Another thing I wasn't too crazy about was the memory wire next to earpiece that supposed to retain shape around/behind your ears. First of all, you spend the time making a perfect loop adjusted to your ear, but when you wrap and store the cable in the pouch or hard storage box, it gets bent. Also it takes longer to put these hoops on and to adjust and align earpieces. You also don't have an option to wear headphones wire down. Not to mention that for Android you can only use multi-function button and not volume controls - common for all other in-line remotes.
So here comes Lunashops custom UE900 cables which I can with certainty recommend as MUST have replacement, especially if you have Samsung Galaxy phones. First of all you get a very generous length cable, 1.2m, which is perfect for keeping your smartphone in the pocket while having complete playback control under you fingertips. Multi-function button works perfect with any Android phone to play/pause/call and control playback with double/triple click, as well as long press to start Google Now. Built-in microphone was OK too, and I had no problem with phone calls or speaking with Google Now. I also didn't notice any microphonics effect. But what makes it standout is Volume up/down buttons which I confirmed to work with my Note 2!!! Samsung uses different set of resistors in their OEM headphone volume control which is different from iPhone controls. I haven't seen anybody else making headphones with a specific Samsung volume control. These work perfectly!!! Lunashops also has HTC in their list of compatible devices, but I'm not 100% if that includes volume control as well. They offer different versions of these cables with Samsung and iPhone in-line remote/mic. Multifunction button will work with any android phone, while I confirmed volume on Samsung version to work perfectly with my Note 2. Furthermore, you also get an option of straight 3.5mm plug or with 270-degree angle which I found to be a lot easier to handle than a regular 90-degree angled connector.
The cable itself is very easy to bend and it has a nice soft rubbery protective cable jacket. In-line remote/mic had a solid durable plastic construction, and so does the y-splitter. The piece with SMB connector is clear plastic with something that almost looks like a little bit of cloudy glue residue. But despite its look, the workmanship is very good and clean. I do have to question the decision to use red cable with white plastic connector tips. In my opinion it would have been better to use a neutral black color instead since for example UE900 is blue while Shure headphones vary in colors between black, clear, and other choices. But from a functional perspective - these are just PERFECT!!! Of course, the most important test is the sound quality. I have done a lot of a/b comparison between original cables and these replacement cables and found them to sound identical to my ears. As a matter of fact, the sound actually improved. Now with wire up I get a much better fitment and seal which improves the bass response significantly. Even so I'm not a big fan of over the ear wires, these are a real pleasure to use due to soft nature of the cable which effortlessly goes behind your ears. Also now you can use UE900 with wire down, although the angled design will make them stick out a little bit. Furthermore, it also compromises a seal which means you will get less bass wearing UE900 wires down. But it's still manageable considering that now you have an option to wear it both ways. For my particular taste I will continue wear these wire-up because I value bass
Overall, I consider these replacement cables to be a fantastic addition to UE900. It gives you flexibility to wear headphones wire up or down, provides a much better fitment/seal with wire up which improves bass response, and gives you ability to control volume up/down if you have Galaxy smartphone. For $20 plus change - this is no brainer! My only comment is that I wish this cable would come in neutral back color. Otherwise, it's perfect!
Here are the pictures.
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That red cable would be useful for me if it terminated in a straight stereo 3.5 mm plug instead of that Y-cable.

vantt1 said:
That red cable would be useful for me if it terminated in a straight stereo 3.5 mm plug instead of that Y-cable.
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Absolutely!!! For any on-/over-ear headpones with detachable cables - that would be perfect!!!
I'm talking to these Lunashops guys right now. They specialize in custom cables for headphones (check out their website). I will ask them if they can make such custom cable.
Also, after reading my review they mentioned about being able to make the same cable as above in all black which I think will a great idea since its a neutral color to go with any headphone color.

vantt1 said:
That red cable would be useful for me if it terminated in a straight stereo 3.5 mm plug instead of that Y-cable.
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I found another custom cable on luna-shop website which might do what we looking for: http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=3373 and only $6. The only problem is they talk about HTC One compatibility and I'm not 100% about Galaxy (Note 2) compatibility. That in-line remote doesn't look like Samsung oem remote (like the one I got in my UE900 cable replacement). I pinging luna-shop guys and waiting to hear feedback. If it confirmed to work with Note 2, I will get a review sample to post in here.

vectron said:
I found another custom cable on luna-shop website which might do what we looking for: http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=3373 and only $6. The only problem is they talk about HTC One compatibility and I'm not 100% about Galaxy (Note 2) compatibility. That in-line remote doesn't look like Samsung oem remote (like the one I got in my UE900 cable replacement). I pinging luna-shop guys and waiting to hear feedback. If it confirmed to work with Note 2, I will get a review sample to post in here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I might have a go at making my own cable once my new cables arrive. I got 12 of these:
Let's see how they'll end up!

As much as I was excited about my UE900 replacement cables with Samsung in-line remote/mic AND volume controls (
http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=3352), I felt that red color of the cable wasn't as appropriate for these blue color earbuds. After discussing this with lunashops.com, they mentioned about being able to make the same cable in black. So for anybody interested, go ahead and contact them with a request for the same cable as I mentioned in my original review above but in black color.
It has the same excellent built quality, flexible cable to go over ear, 270-degree gold plated 3.5mm connector, and in-line remote with mic that has multifunction button for play/pause/call, double/triple click transport control, long press Google Now, and volume up/down adjustment for Galaxy phones.
Here are the pictures.

Found this while googling for replacement cables for shure. First off a Big Thank You!
I have two questions:
1. How is the call quality using the mic?
2. Can anyone confirm these work with Samsung Galaxy S3? S3 might not have the same earphone pinout as the note 2.

fatestkid said:
Found this while googling for replacement cables for shure. First off a Big Thank You!
I have two questions:
1. How is the call quality using the mic?
2. Can anyone confirm these work with Samsung Galaxy S3? S3 might not have the same earphone pinout as the note 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Call quality is ok, no better than original UE or even Samsung earbuds in-line mic.
Will try to test it with S3 the next time my in-laws are over, they both have S3 phones.

I just wrote a review about FiiO RC-SE1 replacement cables for UE900, which you guys might enjoy: http://www.head-fi.org/t/657641/mak...e-rc-x-will-be-in-the-market/90#post_10217616

Yep, I read that. I'm pretty sure I'm going to blame you for that $30 purchase, but having a mic on my cable is so convenient.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

jRi0T68 said:
Yep, I read that. I'm pretty sure I'm going to blame you for that $30 purchase, but having a mic on my cable is so convenient.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, in-line remote is very convenient for everyday use, especially when you are on the go or to remotely play/pause the song. But when you want to sit down and enjoy the best possible sound, you can't beat this upgrade. I can tell you with certainty, it wasn't just a subtle improvement, it was really noticeable. I don't even care about microphonics or complete color mismatch between clear cable and black/blue earbuds. Btw, with your SE215 it will be a perfect color match. If you are going to get it, I would really be curious to hear how it sounds with 215s.

Could anyone confirm that this lunashop cable (ue900/shure) works with the nexus 5, volume buttons and all?
Thanks in advance!

Review of Don Scorpio Dolphin premium headphones w/lots of pics!!!

removed.

This headphone looks like it references Bose a bit:
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And you might want to keep an eye out on this part here:
Other than that, it seems like a great headphone for the price! Is it ported? The back of the earcup looks like it has a vent in it.

Just wanted to say I can't get enough of these headphones. They hands down beat Senns, B&W, V-Moda, Monster, and other heaadphones in $300+ range. I thought Sennheiser Momentum over-ear was the reference in quality for closed back over-ear headphones, but Dolphins destroy those in sound quality. Just my humble opinion

Can I connect another headphone to this headphone
If me and my friend need to listen to one phone, Can my friend connect through this headphone or what ?
Since there are two jacks on the headset, one on the left and the other on the right, can I connect another headphone ?
If so, is the sound volume decreased or not ?

mido_ameer said:
If me and my friend need to listen to one phone, Can my friend connect through this headphone or what ?
Since there are two jacks on the headset, one on the left and the other on the right, can I connect another headphone ?
If so, is the sound volume decreased or not ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, they have so called share-play where you can daisy chain headphones playing from one source. I do it sometime when my wife and I watch a movie on laptop. The volume level stays the same.

I know I'm a bit obsessed with these headphones, and for a good reason lol!!! But anyway, I was checking for something else on tvc-mall and noticed they dropped the price on Dolphins down to $110.

Colors?
Can't seem to find a listing for the Blue, Gray or Black versions?
As the other colors that I can find (Pk, Lg, Wh, Lo) are not what I would want.

twsecrest said:
Can't seem to find a listing for the Blue, Gray or Black versions?
As the other colors that I can find (Pk, Lg, Wh, Lo) are not what I would want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TVC mall only has that "ocean" color. But when I got the 2nd one from them, it was actually blue. Haven't seen any other colors beside pearl white.

Looks precisely like what Im looking for. 2 questions:
1: How is the bass compared to the beats?
2: Have you tried the Marshall Monitors? If so, how do these stack up? I was about to buy the Monitors, but then I saw this and it peaked my interest.

Never heard Marshall Monitors; also those are not as highly discussed on head-fi? In comparison to Beats, Dolphins will have a lot better separation/layering of sounds where Beats just overpower/saturate and spill into lower mids. Dolphins will definitely have more details across the entire frequency range, though neither Dolphins nor Beats will have natural tones when it comes to upper mids where your vocals are sitting. But you get used to it. Audio Technica ATH-M50/50x will deliver a more accurate sound, thus they referred to as studio monitors (with enhanced bass) to provide a more accurate monitoring.

vectron said:
Never heard Marshall Monitors; also those are not as highly discussed on head-fi? In comparison to Beats, Dolphins will have a lot better separation/layering of sounds where Beats just overpower/saturate and spill into lower mids. Dolphins will definitely have more details across the entire frequency range, though neither Dolphins nor Beats will have natural tones when it comes to upper mids where your vocals are sitting. But you get used to it. Audio Technica ATH-M50/50x will deliver a more accurate sound, thus they referred to as studio monitors (with enhanced bass) to provide a more accurate monitoring.
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Im looking for something like the Audio Technica ATH-M50x but portable as I will use them for a few applications, one of which will require an inline mic. What can you recommend?
Also, the Monitors have been discussed quite favorably on head-fi. Apparently they are regarded as a worthy successor to the Majors.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

scorpionhd2 said:
Im looking for something like the Audio Technica ATH-M50x but portable as I will use them for a few applications, one of which will require an inline mic. What can you recommend?
Also, the Monitors have been discussed quite favorably on head-fi. Apparently they are regarded as a worthy successor to the Majors.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By "portable" do you mean smaller footprint once folded? Or a smaller size, like on-ear versus over-ear? If you are not too picky about audiophile quality, you should look into V-Moda XS: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2716437 - it doesn't get any smaller or more portable once folded. Even V-Moda M-100 is portable enough, though it's too v-shaped and more for dance music with recessed mids, but bass is awesome!!! and very comfy over-ear design. Btw, V-Moda M-80 (non-folding version of XS) was recently for sale on Amazon for $80.

vectron said:
By "portable" do you mean smaller footprint once folded? Or a smaller size, like on-ear versus over-ear? If you are not too picky about audiophile quality, you should look into V-Moda XS: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2716437 - it doesn't get any smaller or more portable once folded. Even V-Moda M-100 is portable enough, though it's too v-shaped and more for dance music with recessed mids, but bass is awesome!!! and very comfy over-ear design. Btw, V-Moda M-80 (non-folding version of XS) was recently for sale on Amazon for $80.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Size is not an issue. I do however want over the ear. By portable I mean simply that they fold into a case of sorts, be it a hard or soft case. But like I said, it has to have an in line mic. And I do want sound quality. Dance music isn't really my thing.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

vectron said:
By "portable" do you mean smaller footprint once folded? Or a smaller size, like on-ear versus over-ear? If you are not too picky about audiophile quality, you should look into V-Moda XS: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2716437 - it doesn't get any smaller or more portable once folded. Even V-Moda M-100 is portable enough, though it's too v-shaped and more for dance music with recessed mids, but bass is awesome!!! and very comfy over-ear design. Btw, V-Moda M-80 (non-folding version of XS) was recently for sale on Amazon for $80.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hiya, what do u think of the donscorpio dolphin in comparison to the yamaha pro 500? I'm trying to decide between the 2. Also, have u heard of the donscorpio dramas?
Thanks

seraphism said:
Hiya, what do u think of the donscorpio dolphin in comparison to the yamaha pro 500? I'm trying to decide between the 2. Also, have u heard of the donscorpio dramas?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I gathered, Pro 500 is a lot heavier, has less bass, and not as forgiving when playing lower quality audio. It does look polished (piano polished ) and kind of reminds me of a slicker Beats version, and it costs 2.5 times as much as Dolphins. Btw, Penonaudio has different colors of Dolphins: http://penonaudio.com/DONSCORPIO-Dolphin ($99).
Dramas have a lot more bass. Didn't hear those, but if they have more bass than Dolphins - it will be certified basshead cans

scorpionhd2 said:
Size is not an issue. I do however want over the ear. By portable I mean simply that they fold into a case of sorts, be it a hard or soft case. But like I said, it has to have an in line mic. And I do want sound quality. Dance music isn't really my thing.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is your budget and type of music you are listening to?

vectron said:
Just wanted to say I can't get enough of these headphones. They hands down beat Senns, B&W, V-Moda, Monster, and other heaadphones in $300+ range. I thought Sennheiser Momentum over-ear was the reference in quality for closed back over-ear headphones, but Dolphins destroy those in sound quality. Just my humble opinion
Click to expand...
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Does this still holds true after spending enough time with them? thanks

bravobs said:
Does this still holds true after spending enough time with them? thanks
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Honestly, I cool down a little bit lol!!! In terms of build quality, it's hard to beat V-Moda, but in terms of sound quality I still think Dolphins are better than Beats, B&W, and V-Moda. Not so with Senns, but Dolphins still sound pretty good at a fraction of the price.

vectron said:
Honestly, I cool down a little bit lol!!! In terms of build quality, it's hard to beat V-Moda, but in terms of sound quality I still think Dolphins are better than Beats, B&W, and V-Moda. Not so with Senns, but Dolphins still sound pretty good at a fraction of the price.
Click to expand...
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lol! i know. we really need to wait a little bit before finding faults to a new headphone. but a good sounding headphone will be a good sounding headphone, just maybe not as good as we thought the first time we heard them. So it's still a great buy at that price range right? have you tried takstar pro 80? i have it and i thought it's very good. any chance you could compare them? the thing is i have no idea if its an upgrade.
wait. you're talking about the $300 b&w headphones?

bravobs said:
lol! i know. we really need to wait a little bit before finding faults to a new headphone. but a good sounding headphone will be a good sounding headphone, just maybe not as good as we thought the first time we heard them. So it's still a great buy at that price range right? have you tried takstar pro 80? i have it and i thought it's very good. any chance you could compare them? the thing is i have no idea if its an upgrade.
wait. you're talking about the $300 b&w headphones?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was talking about $400 P7 It's a great pair of phones, premium quality build and materials, but after awhile I couldn't get a comfy fit and bass was too overpowering, while upper mids were a bit colored. B&W makes amazing speakers, so they were trying to squeeze speaker design into headphones
I KNEW you are going to bring Takstar Pro 80 because that's what a lot of people compared Dolphins to on head-fi, and I remember Dolphin won hands down. I was watching a movie last night on my laptop, and my wife daisy-chained her IEMs to Dolphins so we don't wake up kids, and I enjoyed the sound a lot. Fantastic bass, great soundstage, and overall great sound signature. It's not audiophile neutral/balanced quality since there is some coloration, but they have a fun sound and fantastic ergonomics to fold flat. Btw, I verified with Penonaudio and they have EVERY color in stock!!!

Review of SIDY DM2 HiFi in-ear headphones with DIY filters and MIC w/lots of pics!!!

This is a review of SIDY DM2 HiFi in-ear headphones with MIC. http://penonaudio.com/SIDY-DM2
After my recent review of Xiaomi Piston headphones, I made a point about being careful where you buy your headphones from, no matter how much they cost (even $25 original headphones have fake versions). Since I was only able to provide a trusted link on Amazon US to purchase Pistons, I received a lot of inquires asking about where to get these outside of US. The store I highly recommended was http://www.penonaudio.com (also, they have eBay store http://stores.ebay.com/bigbargainonline). These guys sell everything legit, they are an authorized distributor for most of the products in their store which also means a valid manufacturer warranty, and overall provide a great support and excellent shipping service with very careful packaging. But what is most important - they offer a lot of rare headphone gems from Asian manufacturers at a very reasonable discounted prices. Instead of doing my own research for the next pair of in-ear headphones to review, I put my trust into their hands and asked Penonaudio to give me their recommendation. Now after I received DM2 - I couldn't be happier because this is one pair of amazing headphones with DIY bonus I haven't seen before. Let's take a closer look.
This time I was a little less surprised with a tin can packaging box DM2 arrived in since I experience similar one from Astrotec I reviewed before. I still think its a great way to present your product and to ensure the packaging box will be used later since you can find a lot of great uses for a tin can. Inside, beside headphones itself, SIDY included a very impressive collection of eartip accessories, interchangeable duct filters, and a pair of soft silicone earhooks for behind-the-ear fitment. It's always great to have a selection of eartips to make sure you find the best fitment to ensure a perfect seal - #1 contributing factor to get the best sound! Here they included 2 pairs of double flange tips, 3 pairs of S/M/L regular wide opening eartips, and 3 pairs of S/M/L original narrow opening Audio-Technica branded eartips. 2 other pairs were used for extra duct filter "packaging". Typically, that's all that you get for tweaking the sound - different sizes for your ear fitment and going between wide and narrow opening to change the sound signature. With SIDY DM2 there is a little surprise which adds DIY capability to change the sound even further. Included are 3 pairs of interchangeable filter ducts, color coded for different sound characteristic. These filter ducts are threaded on one side and securely screw into the shell of earpieces. Red one - designated for a balanced sound, Black one - for enhanced bass sound, and Silver one - for mid-centric sound. I do have to note that Silver duct was included with my pair of DM2, but moving forward I was informed it probably not going to be included with a package due to a sound signature which is not necessary a desirable one (I will not go into too much details, just that it cuts too much of low frequency content).
I will talk about the sound a little bit later, but for now let look more into the design of these headphones. Without a doubt DIY bonus is very unique, but so does the design shape of these earpieces. With a solid metal housing, these have a very interesting shape which obviously contributes to internal acoustics of the sound. At the same time, the tapered down shape can feel a bit slippery between your fingers when you insert these into your ears. Another less favorable comment, I wish they should have a little longer strain relief of the cable at the earpiece. OK, those are probably the ONLY two critical comments I have about these headphones - everything else is done to a perfection! DM2 comes in two variants, one with MIC/phone control and OFC cable and the other one for audio only with Silver wires cable (the one I got). Cable insulation is made with a durable TPE material, where cable is not too thin, a bit springy, tangle free, and with no microphonics. I was a bit surprised there was no chin slider, especially on Silver audio cable version, but I can live without it. 3.5mm plug is gold plated and 270deg angled for convenience. Though I haven't tested MIC version of the cable, I'm sure it has multifunction button for play/pause/call and Android/iOS phone/playback controls.
Now comes the fun part - sound test! I already mentioned about silver duct and will not go into more details since most likely it will not be included in future shipments (no loss here). Black filter duct added substantial amount of sub-bass rumble to satisfy even a basshead demand, but of course you have to pay a price of a little bloated low end and reduction in mids level due to overpowering bass. But once you move to a Red filter duct - you are rewarded with a sound heaven!!! I found the best combination that worked for me was with Audio-Technica largest tips. I didn't even have to do too much of burn-in, 4-5hr of running a pink loop sealed a deal for me! DM2 has a perfectly balanced warm transparent sound I heard in a while! Starting with a low end, even with red duct you get an enhanced bass quantity extended down to sub-bass layer and a fast punchy mid-bass. It's very well controlled, detailed, and separated without spilling or overpowering mids, and actually got a bit tighter even after a short burn-in. Mids are very well detailed and sound natural. I absolutely love the clarity of upper mids and top end which makes vocals sounds very clear, lush, and natural. Not too bright or pushed back, in my opinion these headphones are definitely not v-shaped (despite fun factor of enhanced bass quantity). Treble is very detailed and clear as well, not too bright yet still with a pleasant sparkle, very easy on your ears without fatigue while listening for extended period. Definitely don't have to worry about sibilance, the sound is very smooth. And if that wasn't enough, the soundstage is quite wide with a detailed instrument placement which is surprising for in-ear headphones. Also, it was equally easy to drive it from a dedicated DAP and my Note 2.
Overall, I was VERY impressed with a sound quality of these in-ear headphones. I know some might think I have "new toy syndrome" hyping these up, but honestly I'm comparing it to other dynamic and multi-driver IEMs that cost hundreds more, and with an exception of sound being not as detailed or a bit thinner, at $65 these stand up to other headphones that cost double or triple as much. I know the Asian market has a bad rep for counterfeits and fake headphones, but at the same time it's filled with small lesser known companies that produce simply amazing and unique headphones that I find to be a true sound gems! SIDY and DM2 is definitely one of them which I highly recommend. And of course, Penonaudio is among top trusted places where you can collect these gems at a very reasonable price!
Here are the pictures.
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Need more comparison to your other IEM

coffemix said:
Need more comparison to your other IEM
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With a current setup of red filter duct and audio-technica largest eartip, it blows out of the water most of the single driver dynamic or single driver balanced armature in-ears I have tested with an exception of RE-400 (regular non-balanced review coming up shortly, since RE-400B was balanced version for HM-700). RE-400 doesn't have as much bass, but has midrange details that I value a lot. Just in two different categories. When it comes to multi-driver BA IEMs, they offer a bit more details, but I can tell you that DM2 comes close to ATH-IM03, though IM03 sound will be thicker and more detailed, but not $300 better.

vectron said:
With a current setup of red filter duct and audio-technica largest eartip, it blows out of the water most of the single driver dynamic or single driver balanced armature in-ears I have tested with an exception of RE-400 (regular non-balanced review coming up shortly, since RE-400B was balanced version for HM-700). RE-400 doesn't have as much bass, but has midrange details that I value a lot. Just in two different categories. When it comes to multi-driver BA IEMs, they offer a bit more details, but I can tell you that DM2 comes close to ATH-IM03, though IM03 sound will be thicker and more detailed, but not $300 better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi! Thanks for the review. I was considering getting the DUNU DN-1000 but after reading your review i really don't know what to do. I have the X5 too and pairing it with the Phonaks PFE 113 but I found they are lacking bass with the X5. So i'm looking for a nicely balanced sound but with some good bass. Any suggestion, please? Thanks!

addsfsds said:
Hi! Thanks for the review. I was considering getting the DUNU DN-1000 but after reading your review i really don't know what to do. I have the X5 too and pairing it with the Phonaks PFE 113 but I found they are lacking bass with the X5. So i'm looking for a nicely balanced sound but with some good bass. Any suggestion, please? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ciao, man! Just replied to you on head-fi in X5 thread Hopefully "mochill" in there will be able to chime in since I believe he has DN1k, but honest DM2 is a great value and sound fantastic.

vectron said:
Ciao, man! Just replied to you on head-fi in X5 thread Hopefully "mochill" in there will be able to chime in since I believe he has DN1k, but honest DM2 is a great value and sound fantastic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ciao!! Thanks for the replies, I prefer to continue here as the X5 thread is a bit too much crowded Mochill came in and now i'm confused about what he said in various Ostry kc06A (the new variant) threads.. Can you please tell me a bit more about the DM2 (paired with the X5) and the bass response? I still love my PFE but bass is very weak, they sound too flat now :\ I just need some punchy bass and i'll be happy

addsfsds said:
Ciao!! Thanks for the replies, I prefer to continue here as the X5 thread is a bit too much crowded Mochill came in and now i'm confused about what he said in various Ostry kc06A (the new variant) threads.. Can you please tell me a bit more about the DM2 (paired with the X5) and the bass response? I still love my PFE but bass is very weak, they sound too flat now :\ I just need some punchy bass and i'll be happy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There not going to be a limit to variants because of all these great little budget headphones As I mentioned before, IM03 is my favorite IEM right now, but it's very pricey. DM2 is a great budget alternative. It has a nicely balanced sound and a mid-bass hump which results in a fast driving bass punch. You also get bass extension down to sub-level with a nice texture, but it's not overpowering. It pairs up nicely with X5, but keep in mind with fw1.2 it will sound a little warmer and with fw2.0 update it will be a bit more cleaner (I hope FiiO will find some happy medium in fw2.1 lol!!!). Regarding Ostry KC06, a lot of people are raving about it. I should have KC06 sometime next week, and also I should receive KC06A sometime in June (their first production batch was sold out within a week, they have to manufacture 2nd batch now). If you can wait a month, I will be able to compare DM2 to KC06 and KC06A. I'm also waiting for MOE-SS01, supposed to be the same as one of those JVC in-ears.

vectron said:
There not going to be a limit to variants because of all these great little budget headphones As I mentioned before, IM03 is my favorite IEM right now, but it's very pricey. DM2 is a great budget alternative. It has a nicely balanced sound and a mid-bass hump which results in a fast driving bass punch. You also get bass extension down to sub-level with a nice texture, but it's not overpowering. It pairs up nicely with X5, but keep in mind with fw1.2 it will sound a little warmer and with fw2.0 update it will be a bit more cleaner (I hope FiiO will find some happy medium in fw2.1 lol!!!). Regarding Ostry KC06, a lot of people are raving about it. I should have KC06 sometime next week, and also I should receive KC06A sometime in June (their first production batch was sold out within a week, they have to manufacture 2nd batch now). If you can wait a month, I will be able to compare DM2 to KC06 and KC06A. I'm also waiting for MOE-SS01, supposed to be the same as one of those JVC in-ears.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey man, this sounds just so good!! I'm really looking forward to read about your comparisons, it seems like we both like the same sound signature from what I read and the IM03 are the IEM i really wanted to get but i can't Paid 30 minutes ago for my university fees, no more money for months
If you want to get the KC06A earlier you could use mistertao.com Cheers!!!!!

addsfsds said:
Hey man, this sounds just so good!! I'm really looking forward to read about your comparisons, it seems like we both like the same sound signature from what I read and the IM03 are the IEM i really wanted to get but i can't Paid 30 minutes ago for my university fees, no more money for months
If you want to get the KC06A earlier you could use mistertao.com Cheers!!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm all about commercial EDM (Avicii, Afrojack, Showtek, Hardwell, Nicky Romero, R3hab, Mike Candys, etc.). So it's mostly synthesized music with a powerful beats and vocals. I like enhanced bass (a little of sub-bass rumble for a nice low end texture) and mid-bass hump to get that strong beat with a fast attack. And I'm moving away from v-shaped sound signature since I want to hear vocals loud and clear. So, I'm trying to focus mostly on balanced in-ears with bass enhancement (but not basshead type).
DM2 fits that signature. Just keep in mind, they do have a slightly odd shape which could be slippery toward the end of the shell (due to narrowing down) - but overall you can leave with that. Just have to be careful with a cable because strain relied is shorter.
Regarding Ostry, I was actually contacted by them directly, and they are sending me review samples. KC06 is available right now, while KC06A has to wait for a second batch. I have done so many headphones reviews (check out my signature link with all the reviews I have done on XDA), and post across so many different websites - I get contacted by a lot of companies asking me to review their products, but as you can see it's a lot of work (don't want anybody to think reviews are just a way to get free stuff).

I'm mostly into Rock, Jazz and live recordings (Beatles, Muse, Black Keys, Franz Ferdinand, EST etc) and i like a balanced sound with some bass "action", i'm annoyed at how the PFEs sounds "boring" paired with the X5, that's why i need a more "fun" IEM
I'm really intrigued by these DM2 and i think I'll eventually get them when I'll get some money, the comparison with the IM03 is just too tempting!
I read a lot of your reviews so I know who you are And it's great to see that the time spent reviewing is rewarded with samples! It must be absolutely great to have the chance to listen to all these beauties! And I really can't wait to read the comparisons between the Ostrys!
My IEM story is pretty short.. I started feeling the need of something better in 2003-2004 (I was 16 years old) and bought my first IEMS, the Koss sparkplugs ( that farting bass! xD), then bought my first "strange" pair after 2 years, the Crossroads MylarOne XB, i've been in love with them so much! Then, after a lot of years, bought the PFE 113 in 2010 as my personal graduation gift, i love them so much! The year after (thanks to head.fi xD) i also bought the Panasonic RP-HJE900. Those were some bad ass and fun to hear IEM! End of the story. I still have all of them in working order but the Panas..While in China, I went to the gym, then went home to the campus and washed the pants with the poor babies and let them soak overnight..the result was a faulty right channel...It broke my heart that I couldn't buy them back!
Sorry about the long story Have a good day!

Quick update: After reading mochill changed his idea and all the hype around and after reading that a user said they sound like a refined with more bass version of the PFE 112, I just ordered the tenores! I think I'll still get the DM 2 as I'm having a summer job and these IEMs are not as expensive as shures and others so i can afford to buy another pair..damn head-fi xD

addsfsds said:
Quick update: After reading mochill changed his idea and all the hype around and after reading that a user said they sound like a refined with more bass version of the PFE 112, I just ordered the tenores! I think I'll still get the DM 2 as I'm having a summer job and these IEMs are not as expensive as shures and others so i can afford to buy another pair..damn head-fi xD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which one are these? Zero Audio Tenore ZH-DX200-CT or something else?

vectron said:
Which one are these? Zero Audio Tenore ZH-DX200-CT or something else?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are exactly the Zero Audio Tenore ZH-DX200-CT, on amazon.com i found them for $49 shipped, couldn't resists having a bit of money left on the prepaid card

addsfsds said:
They are exactly the Zero Audio Tenore ZH-DX200-CT, on amazon.com i found them for $49 shipped, couldn't resists having a bit of money left on the prepaid card
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's not bad shipped to Italy. Btw, that Amazon review is too much fun. When you read through all the comment afterwards, it's like a head-fi discussion on Amazon lol!!!

[Q] What Earbuds Do You Recommend?

I don't consider myself an audiophile, but I certainly do appreciate good sound. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions or were aware of any deals currently available? I don't want to spent a ridiculous amount, but would like something reasonable and tailor-made for the Z3C, especially since it's the first phone I've bought outright in a long while. I figured I might as well invest in a quality pair of earbuds.
I've heard the Sony NC31E headphones being recommended time and time again in many reviews and just noticed FS is having a sale right now for the MDRXB50APB model, but again, I have very little knowledge when it comes to these things so would appreciate some input. Most Bose earbuds are outside my budget, but feel free to give me your thoughts on any brands you think are worth buying.
Thanks a lot guys!
Also, currently I'm using Beats earbuds that were included with the HTC One a couple of years ago and they work really great with my existing phone, which is hardly known for music, so maybe I should just stick with those?

boojay said:
I don't consider myself an audiophile, but I certainly do appreciate good sound. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions or were aware of any deals currently available? I don't want to spent a ridiculous amount, but would like something reasonable and tailor-made for the Z3C, especially since it's the first phone I've bought outright in a long while. I figured I might as well invest in a quality pair of earbuds.
I've heard the Sony NC31E headphones being recommended time and time again in many reviews and just noticed FS is having a sale right now for the MDRXB50APB model, but again, I have very little knowledge when it comes to these things so would appreciate some input. Most Bose earbuds are outside my budget, but feel free to give me your thoughts on any brands you think are worth buying.
Thanks a lot guys!
Also, currently I'm using Beats earbuds that were included with the HTC One a couple of years ago and they work really great with my existing phone, which is hardly known for music, so maybe I should just stick with those?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't really suggest anything in terms of Earbuds, but I can recommend you getting the app Viper4Android when root is available.
It will change your life!

Dsteppa said:
I can't really suggest anything in terms of Earbuds, but I can recommend you getting the app Viper4Android when root is available.
It will change your life!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the tip. I had played around with Viper on my current phone last year, but didn't really notice any improvements. Will give it another shot since so many people swear by it.

Dsteppa said:
I can't really suggest anything in terms of Earbuds, but I can recommend you getting the app Viper4Android when root is available.
It will change your life!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 for V4A :good:
The Xiaomi Piston 2.1 have well impressed me for the price, fantastic sound and compatible inline controls. You can get a genuine set here

geronimoid said:
+1 for V4A :good:
The Xiaomi Piston 2.1 have well impressed me for the price, fantastic sound and compatible inline controls. You can get a genuine set here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny you should bring up the Pistons because I'm using a Xiaomi phone right now. Will definitely look into those, thanks!

Try yuin, if it's not too expensive for you.

Why wouldn't you get the official Sony noise-cancelling earbuds? I picked up a pair on ebay for £20 - the noise cancelling works great, they sound pretty good and are comfy (come with 3 different sized tips).

jfinnie said:
Why wouldn't you get the official Sony noise-cancelling earbuds? I picked up a pair on ebay for £20 - the noise cancelling works great, they sound pretty good and are comfy (come with 3 different sized tips).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sadly for some reason these don't have an inline remote (no track or volume change) or proper call handling, both pretty much a must for buds meant for regular phone use, IMHO.

Motorola buds
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app

ghtop said:
Sadly for some reason these don't have an inline remote (no track or volume change) or proper call handling, both pretty much a must for buds meant for regular phone use, IMHO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't see the OP list those as requirements; but I take your point. I guess I am an old-timer who just listens to music with headphones... For me, the noise cancelling - for cheap - is more useful.

What's your budget?

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'm definitely looking into the noise canceling ones as I've never tried such earbuds before. I managed to find someone who's willing to sell his NC Bose earbuds for 80, that currently retail for 350. As mentioned, the Beats I'm using are pretty amazing already, so I'm curious how much better the NC will be if I can get them.

Why not use the supplied earbuds? They work lovely for me and it even has a mic input.

I should mention the different headphone modes that are available for the Z3C work really well. I haven't even messed with the equalizer yet, but I'm liking STH-30, which is why I leave that as the default, but each setting is very unique, depending on your tastes.
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I have a dozen ear buds, both Bluetooth and wired. After comparing all of mine, I realized Sennheiser's CX 300s are the one for me.
The cable is light, the buds don't puncture ears like most do. It stays on comfortably even while jogging, and the sound quality is great. Sounds best with clearaudio+ and headphone setting to STH-30.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001E...200_QL40&qid=1412834791&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1

I already have excellent noise cancellation earbuds, VSonic GR07 Pro Dynamic Noise Isolation Earbuds. Is there any reason to use Sony's MDR-NC31E's over any other brand? Do they have special customization or presets for their own models?

kandelai said:
I already have excellent noise cancellation earbuds, VSonic GR07 Pro Dynamic Noise Isolation Earbuds. Is there any reason to use Sony's MDR-NC31E's over any other brand? Do they have special customization or presets for their own models?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Noise isolation is not the same as noise cancellation - I'm not sure why you're comparing them. The technology is built into the phone, so you don't need a separate battery pack for it like with other noise cancelling headphones. They're lower profile than the VSonic, and yes there are presets on the phone for Sony buds.
But everyone's tastes in earphones are different, my advice is just to stick with what you already find comfortable and great sounding, as you can go a bit crazy trying to find the perfect set. Just enjoy your music instead

ghtop said:
Noise isolation is not the same as noise cancellation - I'm not sure why you're comparing them. The technology is built into the phone, so you don't need a separate battery pack for it like with other noise cancelling headphones. They're lower profile than the VSonic, and yes there are presets on the phone for Sony buds.
But everyone's tastes in earphones are different, my advice is just to stick with what you already find comfortable and great sounding, as you can go a bit crazy trying to find the perfect set. Just enjoy your music instead
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like good advice. thanks. :good:

The best!
boojay said:
I don't consider myself an audiophile, but I certainly do appreciate good sound. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions or were aware of any deals currently available? I don't want to spent a ridiculous amount, but would like something reasonable and tailor-made for the Z3C, especially since it's the first phone I've bought outright in a long while. I figured I might as well invest in a quality pair of earbuds.
I've heard the Sony NC31E headphones being recommended time and time again in many reviews and just noticed FS is having a sale right now for the MDRXB50APB model, but again, I have very little knowledge when it comes to these things so would appreciate some input. Most Bose earbuds are outside my budget, but feel free to give me your thoughts on any brands you think are worth buying.
Thanks a lot guys!
Also, currently I'm using Beats earbuds that were included with the HTC One a couple of years ago and they work really great with my existing phone, which is hardly known for music, so maybe I should just stick with those?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mate, after chasing the perfect solution for a few years, including ear buds and over ears, I can say i have found the ultimate solution.
Jaybird bird blue buds x (blue tooth ear buds, no more messy cables!) + Decibullz custom contour replacement moulds (a perfect custom fit for your ears. maximum comfort, buds never fall out!)+ lastly, Comply memory foam ear bud tips (pure comfort and sound isolation )
There you have it. Not full audiophile but for less than $200 YOU WONT LOOK BACK!

Woza72 said:
Mate, after chasing the perfect solution for a few years, including ear buds and over ears, I can say i have found the ultimate solution.
Jaybird bird blue buds x (blue tooth ear buds, no more messy cables!) + Decibullz custom contour replacement moulds (a perfect custom fit for your ears. maximum comfort, buds never fall out!)+ lastly, Comply memory foam ear bud tips (pure comfort and sound isolation )
There you have it. Not full audiophile but for less than $200 YOU WONT LOOK BACK!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the suggestion. Those Jaybirds do indeed sound sweet, but they still cost a pretty penny (although I'm sure it's worth it for some) and is well above the budget I'm willing to allot for earbuds. Perhaps others can benefit from your recommendation though.