After spending a long time browsing and using audiophile forums. I'm i the only one who think's how overhyped allot TOTL are when put under microscope. The £350 Etymotic ER4SR only uses 1 BA yet bests allot IEM's that use over 4 BA Or the HD600 vs HD800. Not to mention when EQ is brought they get offended when it can help a HD600, ER4 and others, I sometimes use a 4.5db 200Hz low shelf for bass boost on my ER4.
What is your question ?
Seriously?.
What is your question ?
Seriously?.
I'm guessing this is the question: "I'm i the only one who think's how overhyped allot TOTL are when put under microscope."
A question mark at the end would help ;)
I also had to look up what "TOTL" stands for (Top of the Line Headphones).
And what's a "BA"?
And what's a "BA"?
I'm assuming it's Bel with weighting curve A. Normally, used as dBA (A-weighted decibel).
BA = Balanced armature?
I'm not that familiar with the IEM market.
There are some very good headphones in the $200 - $300 USD range and in a "blind" test (where the listener didn't know the brand or price) I strongly suspect most people wouldn't pick the most expensive headphones.
And the main difference in "sound character" is frequency response and that can be tweaked with EQ. "Audiophiles" will often use all kinds of terminology that seems to mean something but and they are usually "magic qualities" that can't me scientifically defined or measured. In reality there are
4 parameters (http://ethanwiner.com/audiophoolery.html) that define audio quality, and of these
only frequency response & distortion apply to (passive) headphones. And, under most normal listening conditions with normal program material, distortion isn't audible. (I don't ever remember reading a headphone review where distortion was mentioned.) The electronics in active headphones (wireless or noise canceling) will generate some noise, so with those you can add noise to the list.
BA = Balanced armature?
There are good scientific/engineering reasons for making a 2-way or 3-way speaker. But with headphones or IEMs a single driver can cover the whole frequency range so I assume it's just a marketing gimmick.
I'm not that familiar with the IEM market.
There are some very good headphones in the $200 - $300 USD range and in a "blind" test (where the listener didn't know the brand or price) I strongly suspect most people wouldn't pick the most expensive headphones.
And the main difference in "sound character" is frequency response and that can be tweaked with EQ. "Audiophiles" will often use all kinds of terminology that seems to mean something but and they are usually "magic qualities" that can't me scientifically defined or measured. In reality there are 4 parameters (http://ethanwiner.com/audiophoolery.html) that define audio quality, and of these only frequency response & distortion apply to (passive) headphones. And, under most normal listening conditions with normal program material, distortion isn't audible. (I don't ever remember reading a headphone review where distortion was mentioned.) The electronics in active headphones (wireless or noise canceling) will generate some noise, so with those you can add noise to the list.
BA = Balanced armature?
There are good scientific/engineering reasons for making a 2-way or 3-way speaker. But with headphones or IEMs a single driver can cover the whole frequency range so I assume it's just a marketing gimmick.
Yeah the Etymotic ER4S uses only a single balanced armature but can handle a full range fine. Never had any issue giving it a 6db bass low shelf on my ER4SR if i wanted more low end. It's always been a gimmick, i know a reviewer who call's any single balanced armature set up with a ER4 sound " Single BA sound" while droning on how Single dynamics/Hybrids are better.
When in my view the ER4SR bass profile reminds me of either those exotic planar/electrostatics.
Distortion is always a debate argument among Headphone/IEM fans. I would have £100 for everytime i hear people say they can hear the ER4SR's 0.5% THD and XR's 0.7% THD. The biggest IEM review list on head fi was a sighted listening test full of highly rated $1000 stuff he didn't take it kindly when blind testing was brought up.
Alway's love to see a blind IEM face off.