shotgunshane’s IEM (custom and universal) recommendations, favorites and classics

If I‘m not mistaken I read in one or two reviews that Jomo Samba‘s sound is very similar to the Prophile8 with both switches up, except that the Samba does have a bit more subbass rumble and also a bit more sparkle up top. If that would be true then I think the Samba would definitely be my thing, because the only thing I miss on the PP8 is subbass and a bit more treble. So my question: Has anyone of you had the chance to compare the Samba with the PP8?

 

I have Samba Universal and had Prophile for few weeks on loaner.

What you describe is pretty true, Samba truly has more subbas and reach lower and much more energetic treble with better extension. Overall, Samba sounds even better when you focus on technical parts like speed and clarity. But Prophile(with both switches off) overall sounds more balanced, little bit more reserved and always 100% in control, Samba sounds more V shaped in direct comparison, more exciting, but also slightly more fatiguing sound.

 

@deafdoorknob and @shotgunshane, how would you guys compare Andro and PP8?

 

what @shotgunshane said, also pp8 is better at layering v andro better at sounding spacious. andro has moar body to the upper mids, it's very appealing but not neutral.

for me tho, pp8 fitted like a glove whereas i fiddle with the andro a few times per listening session, which was subconsciously distracting (something i wasnt aware of until trying the pp8)

 

Well there is the new smaller pp8s.....looks very appealing now.

 

Thank you guys. I thought about switching to PP8 from Andro but the PP8 that I saw on headfi was sold too quick for me to make a move. Guess I'll have to work on what I have for the time being.

 

PP8 felt like a reference tuned andromeda with more detail to me on a short listen.

Personally preferred andromeda for the musicality and price, but if cost no object it would depend on what music genres I was listening to. If I was listening to classical, pp8 for sure, if I was siding towards vocal based tracks I would rather have andromeda for the musicality and most importantly price.
Only thing I dont really like about andromeda was the pretty bad fit compared to the custom like fit of the pp8.

 

As promised, my report from last weekend's stopover in Hong Kong.

@My Hotel (these 3 belong to @deafdoorknob, source: ZX2)
Sony EX1000:
@deafdoorknob kept going on and on and on about the great bass these have. I have to agree. Bass is deep and impactful and mids are smooth with nice timbre. The treble is a bit “textured"(@deafdoorknob's PC term). I'd go so far as to say it was a bit etchy.

Fender FXA2:
"fun" sound sig, like a good cheap 2.1 sound system.

Parterre: wide surround sound stage, sweet mids/highs let down soft bass

(Source for all below: micro iDSD, Normal, Bit-Perfect, iEMatch=High)

@Kingsound
PP8:
Compared to Andro, better stage, layering, comfort. More to come in a detailed shootout report in the Andro thread below.

@Jaben
Polaris:
detached, muddy bass, sucked out vocals, sibilant (burn-in shouldn't be an issue with these demos). Tried with a podcast and confirmed @deafdoorknob's impression of voices sounding hollow and strange.

Dorado:
lack of cohesion, bass less muddy than Polaris

Vega:
had them in L/R reversed (very U-shaped) initially (facepalm). Took a while to recalibrate with them inserted correctly L/R. Less U-shaped, but still too much bass emphasis, a bit sibilant (I seem to be sensitive).

EarSonic
S-EM6: muddy bass, ok mids/highs
S-EM9: better bass, mid suck

final
E3000: a bit bass heavy, good value
E2000: moar sub bass

fitear ToGo 334
super engaging, natural mids/highs, bass a bit tubby

Dita “The Truth” cable (with Andros, A35, cf. PWA No. 5)
slightly less (or tighter) bass, slightly thinner/distant vocals (reduced mids?), “ethereal” sound(?). Extremely microbionic.

Dita Dream “The Truth”
vocals/guitar a bit thin sounding, treble emphasis, good air, tight bass, treble less “textured” than EX1000

@DMA Audio
Unique Melody ME.1
weak sauce bass (fit issue?), tooby vocals/guitar/piano, closed-in stage

LCDi4 (loose fit w/ no hooks, had to hold them with my fingers)
W-shaped?, wide/shallow stage, warmish, thin treble, bass a bit tubby/bloomy

W500
slightly boomy bass but deep w/ good slam, precise stage, slightly thin vocals/treble, touch sibilant, good microdynamics

W900
hard time with L ear fit (didn’t happen first time I heard them in TPE), sweet vocals, cohesive, wide stage, precise image, natural/deep/tight bass
Not as impressive as when I heard them the first time, but the environment wasn't the most conducive to good listening, plus I was getting tired. Will also be in the shootout report in the Andro thread below.

Zeus-XL ADEL
switch back: tight but bass light
switch fwd: slightly boomy over-emphasized bass (needs a middle setting)
overall: wide stage, so-so imaging, good mids/highs

Vision Ears VE8
tight centre image, moderately wide/deep stage, full/fat tight bass (but a bit too much sub emph.), good timbre/tone, microdynamics, bass not as natural as W900

@Jaben (again; I know these aren't IEMs but I heard them)
Ether C
light and comfy, good plankton/detail, a bit shouty, shallow stage, timbre a bit “off”, bass light but extended, so-so microdynamics

Aeon
forward, bass even lighter than Ether C, poor extension, deeper stage, better micro/macrodynamics

Summary
Highlight was PP8, which I just got back from comparing with Andro and W900 and will post about in the Andro thread. ToGo 334 was really nice too, though it could have been that I was standing for along time and finally found a place to sit down when I tried them. Weak bass is a no-go for me as I mostly listen to pop/rock crap. Hong Kong is just amazing for head-fi audio gearz. And the used market there makes it so easy to buy/try/sell stuff. @deafdoorknob is a lucky guy on that front.

Kind of kicking myself that I didn't think to try the Utopia. So much to do in one day and got focussed on IEMs (@deafdoorknob's bias).

Thanks again to @deafdoorknob for showing me around and using up all his good-will free listening credit at these stores. I promise I'll buy something next time!

 

I'm going next week. Any recommendations for stores that stock the PP8? You think I could find second hand one anywhere?

 

Kingsound in MK (official distributor/retailer) will give you a better discount haggling experience possibly BUT there is nothing else to dem unless you want to dem full sized hp, amps and sources.

Let's Go Audio in wanchai is the best option for pp8 and iems in general, full line of nobles, cfa and 64 audio in store for dem. (as well as dita, ue18, etc).

go on weekdays around 11:30 for least traffic.

@TomHP cant remember if you are a cable agnostic or not, but you can dem iems @LGA there with whatever cables and tips they have, and going on weekdays they will have time to entertain that.

 

Great info, appreciate it!

 

Decided to post this shootout here rather than in the Andro thread as I'd said earlier. Seems to make more sense.

So down to my local (C)IEM store My IEM to compare Andro, W900 and PP8. I'd heard W900 before after @Torq (Retired)'s positive review and was very impressed with the bass quality. I then heard PP8 in Hong Kong (as mentioned above) and was even more impressed overall. Heard W900 later that day but had trouble with fit and conditions (both mine and environmental) weren't the best. So after finding out that My IEM also has PP8 as well as W900 it was time for a proper comparison.

Note: It's a small store and the guy beside me had really bad BO brought on by our 35C° temps. Then Mr. Eau de Cologne showed up. So my perceptions may have been adversely affected by olfactory distractions.

Source: ZX2 (all crap off)

Tracks:
Adele - Set Fire To The Rain
Amber Rubarth - Don't You
Eagles - Hotel California (HFO)
Daft Punk - Get Lucky
Infected Mushroom - IM The Supervisor
Peter Gabriel - Red Rain (1986 original master)
EBTG - Only Living Boy in New York
Rodrigo y Gabriela - Tamacun
Rush -YYZ
Kelis - It's the Weekend

My Andros: @Bill-P foam-in-largest-port mod, PWaudio No. 5, SYMBIO Wide Bore tips
See this post in the Andro thread for my comparison of SYMBIOs and Spinfits that I'd used previously.

W900 (SYMBIOs)
Don't remember which tips they had on them when I heard them the first time, but I had problems getting a good seal this time so used the SYMBIOs. Compared to Andro, slightly thinner vocals, tighter image, natural phat bass but not as impressive as last time (used micro iDSD as source then). Really good impact and timbre from the floor toms in Only Boy in NY. Andro has a more spacious stage. Passes @deafdoorknob's It's the Weekend sub-bass test, whereas Andro is slightly lacking. W900 is seamless from bass through treble, very cohesive sound. I haven't heard that many hybrids but these are the best I've heard.

The W900 demos in Taipei look much better than the ones at DMA in Hong Kong, both internally and externally. But their appearance and finish isn't really commensurate with the price. Hopefully the customs look better than the demos.







PP8 (Spinfits)
I think the ones I heard in HK had the stock silicone tips (black) and had a shallower fit that allowed me to grab the shells easily with my thumb and forefinger. Today the fit was much deeper and the shells almost flush with my ear. The fit in HK was secure and comfortable, today a bit forced, having to insert them deeper to get a good seal. Fit and comfort is a huge step above Andro, but with the SYMBIO tips, Andro manages to catch up in security of fit.

OFF/OFF: Balanced tone/timbre through bass/mids/treble. deep tight bass, tighter image and more layered than Andro, also a bit more engaging. Bass not as naturally textured as W900 but still very good. Sounded slightly shelved up compared to Andro and W900 which had similar quantities. It's the Weekend sub-bass test ranks between Andro and W900.
Bass ON: Wins the It's the Weekend test, but too boomy for me. Prefer Bass OFF.
Treble ON: A bit more edge/air. Subtle increase in brightness. It was ON when I heard it in Hong Kong and didn't bother me, but would probably leave it off for most of my listening.
*Edit: switches can be easily toggled with a fingernail.





Summary
Pretty much agree with @jowls shootout results. To quote Jude, "To my ears," PP8 bass isn't quite as good as W900, but is a bit better than Andro. Andro is more spacious sounding, but PP8 has better imaging and placement, and is more engaging to listen to. As @deafdoorknob said to me, considering sound and comfort, it's better value than the Andro. If I had to choose one now it'd be the PP8. I couldn't have afforded it (had I known about it) when I bought the Andros. I guess I could now if I sold my Andros and the used ZX2 I just bought.

 

Another advantage of PP8 over Andro is that PP8 is less dependent on source. Andro is a total diva.