Is the Klipsch S4 that bad?

[esanthosh]

*******? Please don't. PLENTY of bad experiences.

eBay - you mean the GEB (Global Easy Buy)? That is always too costly! It includes Price + shipping + calculated customs duty and other charges + eBay charges + margin for the forwarding service.

That screenshot if you look closely has "India" in the address. That is MY screenshot - I added it to cart and this is the last step before checkout

EDIT: Also read my updated post completely. I have given you a few options for buying NE-700X.

[CrowdAds]

[Agent_milo]

Ouch, thanks for the warning.

From your screenshot, I think Amazon will ship the product to India. Hopefully.

[Agent_milo]

@lestatar

In terms of size, how big are the Hippo VBs compared to the Creative EP 630s? I had the EP 630 and it was a comfortable fit. Some people mentioned the VBs were a tad too large for small ears. And I'm not sure if my ears are actually small

EDIT: I'm no fan of too much treble, so I think I'm going to tread lightly on the Hippo VB. Too bad, since the price is so very attractive, Rs 2k isn't a small amount at all.

[lestatar]

@AgentMilo: Sorry, missed your PM and my inbox full anyways...

The VBs are very differently shaped versus the EP630. The EP630 is very small as you know, the whole housing can fit in my ear. I actually used them for a long time as my go-to-sleep IEMs as they pretty much fit flush in my ear so sleeping for me with them on was great. Plus they were pretty inexpensive so I was not overly concerned about damaging them when I slept.

The VB housings are indeed much larger. They are not necessarily ginormous, but are pretty big. However, the tip is basically the same as most IEMs - I mean the actual nozzle size, the part that goes into your outer ear canal. Still, yes, the housings themselves will kinda stick out a bit and you may find them a bit strange coming from the very low profile EP630. This is really a matter of getting used to stuff IMO - sorta like you wore Nikes your whole life and then suddenly you start wearing Adidas.

As for the VB sibilance some mention? Never bothered me a whit. But to be fair, I am kinda old and for sure have a little bit of high frequency hearing degradation. I think I am rubbish above 16khz or so...not bad, but not dog whistle capable either. And to be fair, I personally like a brighter top end versus one that is more subdued. Not to the point of ssssssssibilance, but still crisp.

Not sure what to suggest for you my man. I feel your confusion with this stuff. So many to choose from and we all have our faves! Like I said before, can be pretty hit or miss, which does suck in terms of money and in your case, accessibility perhaps.

Here's a suggestion, maybe before you jump in on an IEM purchase. Are there any large, respectable audio stores you can visit? I am thinking of one with a generous return/exchange policy [preferably refund policy]. If you find something like this, a place willing to take stuff back after you try them, perhaps you can build your own IEM database. By sampling a variety of IEMs and then reporting back here, people might be able to get a better sense of exactly what you may be looking for in terms of IEM sound characteristics that you prefer.

Yes, a pain in the ass. Yes, maybe you cannot find a retailer who will play ball with you. But worth a shot.

Otherwise, best you can do is ask more specific questions about IEMs that interest you and then read what people say, trying to get a sense of how they might sound to your ears.

You already have a good start - you mentioned the relative "muddiness" of the EP630 I believe. This indeed is what I and I think, other EP630 owners have found. So now you know that your perception and understanding of "muddy" bass is pretty much in line with how other people think of it. Now, how about the mids and highs?

See what I am suggesting?

cheers man,
-les

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by lestatar

missed your PM and my inbox full anyways...


-les

You could empty the inbox in less time than it took to write that post, you slacker!

[esanthosh]

Originally Posted by lestatar

Here's a suggestion, maybe before you jump in on an IEM purchase. Are there any large, respectable audio stores you can visit? I am thinking of one with a generous return/exchange policy [preferably refund policy].

Such a thing does not exist in India, unfortunately. You are talking about a place where TF10 is sold for $380 and wars are fought over $20 IEM RMAs (It's a 44 page thread, but the first post should give an idea). Either you take risk by buying online or stick to Brainwavz brand (the only brand with a supporting dealer on Indian forums) / Sony / Creative / Philips / SkullKandy - take your pick

Originally Posted by lestatar

If you find something like this, a place willing to take stuff back after you try them, perhaps you can build your own IEM database

There are a couple of places I know of (who actually deal in IEMs) -

Lynx India, Chandigarh (Not sure what's actually available though. It is claimed that he has 10 or so IEMs for auditioning, but those could be just Kanens)

PristineNote, Mumbai (Brainwavz IEMs, MEElectronics IEMs too I think, may be some Audio-Technica headphones)

[lestatar]

^ ouch man. Thanks for the info. Stuff like this should make the rest of us feel very fortunate when it comes to gear and IEMs...

[steinburger1109]

Originally Posted by lestatar

As for the VB sibilance some mention? Never bothered me a whit. But to be fair, I am kinda old and for sure have a little bit of high frequency hearing degradation. I think I am rubbish above 16khz or so...not bad, but not dog whistle capable either. And to be fair, I personally like a brighter top end versus one that is more subdued. Not to the point of ssssssssibilance, but still crisp.

You also lurve your Panas, and loads of people complain about the sibilance of those. I love my Panas, as well, mind you. Just throwing it out there.

[lestatar]

^ True dat!

Pro-tip: Don't get old. lolz

[esanthosh]

Originally Posted by lestatar

As for the VB sibilance some mention? Never bothered me a whit. But to be fair, I am kinda old and for sure have a little bit of high frequency hearing degradation. I think I am rubbish above 16khz or so...not bad, but not dog whistle capable either.

I don't hear much after 16Khz either. But, I still found the VBs sibilant, but not hugely. Besides, most of the sibilance occurs somewhere below 10Khz, so it has nothing much to do with your or my HF roll-off. There are a number of factors at play (not age ) - tips, foam mod, the volume you hear at (sibilance impact would reduce a bit at lower volumes) and more importantly, music and the recordings you use because sibilance range varies according to the artist, though around 6-8 is about average, I think.

[esanthosh]

@Agent Milo,

Back on topic, I got a reply from the other MEElectronics dealer in India. He offers CC51 (Black with Mic) for Rs. 4,150 (Free shipping within India) and you can pay via Bank transfer. You can contact them at jse [at] hathway [dot] com for further details and queries. It is up-to you to decide now from the choices given.

On Hippo VB, I came across a few impressions on head fi, which said that they sounded 'dark' with treble almost missing until they burnt it in for 50 hours. Can any one who's got the newer revision of Hippo VB confirm this?

[lestatar]

^ Indeed! esantosh knows much more about this stuff in terms of details than I do. He speaks truth

[Agent_milo]

After much research I'm finally narrowing my selections down to the Meelectonics CC51 and the Hippo VB, based on the availability here. Here's what I know of both of them.

'+' denotes what I think is great about it, '-' is something I'm doubtful about. And as with everything else, my assumptions are based on the large number of reviews I read so far. So it isn't neutral nor subjective to me, but just me echoing common thoughts of all the reviewers.

Meelectronics CC51

+ The design
+ Form factor
+ Warm sound
+ Tight, punchy, responsive bass
+ Little to no sibilance
- Average soundstage
- Instrumental separation weaker compared to VB

Hippo VB
+ Price
+ Bass tsunami
+ Bass detail
+ Great soundstage
+/- Neutral sound
- Build quality
- Form factor
- SSSSibilance

It's now that I'm totally confused on which one to select. The soundstage is the biggest factor that makes me lean towards the VBs more. However, I don't know what exactly soundstage is as experience; from what I read it seems to be the ambiance and the 'space' the sound creates- I believe one can feel the artists performing live around them. I'm quite anxious not to mention excited about experiencing good soundstage- its one of those things that drives me nuts more and more when I read about it.

But purely with the design, build quality and the lasting factor, I'm for the CC51; the ceramic build seems to last long, and seemingly feels solid in your hands.

I'm not worried about bass at the moment, since I know both of these have ample amount of them, with the VBs pocketing a little bit more of it.

If anyone here has any idea about the soundstage comparison between these two, I would like to know about them. But then again, I'm amateur when it comes to this, so I probably wouldn't notice Nevertheless, I wish to buy the best possible given my budget. Personally I'm leaning more towards the CC51 due to the design and sparse sibilance.

Thanks alot!

[lestatar]

^ Agent_Milo: Hate to do this to you buddy, but...

I just got my hands on those Nuforce 700x. Gonna do my layperson version of a review after a few days, but I gotta say this right now:

Ain't no secret how much I love my Pana HJE900. Far and away the "best" IEMs I currently own and for sure my fave.

However, these Nuforce 700x are incredible for 60USD. There are a few reviews online, including on that other site on that massive IEM thread. Every single one of them is gushing and completely on the money according to what I am hearing from these Nuforce 700x at the moment.

These things are badass. B A D A S S I tell ya. Basswise, I totally feel they bridge the gap between untoppable VB and fast, punchy yet surprisingly low-capable Pana HJE900. Very generous soundstage, nicely balanced mids and crisp, not sibilant highs from the 700x [remember I might be a bit High Frequency challenged though] with strong details all-around. Add in gorgeous looking and top notch build quality/materials - really, I am amazed at what I got for 60USD. I absolutely love the VBs but I gotta be in the mood for them - they are great overall but honestly, at the moment I totally feel the Nuforce offer a better all around IEM presentation...at least to me.

Yeah perhaps a case of "oh snap, new gear = awesome gear" syndrome, but I don't think so. I know what I like to hear and these things rock.

crap...I know I am now gonna be raving over these Nuforce things, FWIW...I just know it.

...ooops...too late.

My Maximo i590s just got demoted to sleeping/under pillow/Angry Birds on my Tab while in bed duty.

dfkt, get a pair to try and revie...P L E A S E!

PS: A hint of a pending post: tonight I came across Headphone Heaven, here in Hong Kong of all places. I s^&t you guys not. Wait till you see the pics. Seriously. Let's just say tonight I heard: Ortofon, Etymotics, FinalAudio, Westone, Shure and like a dozen others.

[cnhardwick]

Originally Posted by lestatar

PS: A hint of a pending post: tonight I came across Headphone Heaven, here in Hong Kong of all places. I s^&t you guys not. Wait till you see the pics. Seriously. Let's just say tonight I heard: Ortofon, Etymotics, FinalAudio, Westone, Shure and like a dozen others.

Cannot wait.

[Confispect]

Definitely can't wait I'm there.

[Agent_milo]

lestatar, you really are cruel! Just when I thought had a fix- nearly. But 700X isn't available here, I probably have to pull it off Amazon. Darn, confusion in the air again

[Pinkys.Brain]

I haven't heard the Nuforce or the Hippo VB, so I can't say anything about them. But I would characterize the CC51 as a "safe" choice. They don't have an overwhelming bass, the mids and the treble are more than decent, but they don't sound harsh. Another reason I bought them was how high the customer service of Meelec is regarded. Also you won't find any outright negative review.

As for the soundstage: IMO it depends on the music you are listening too. For me, soundstage is more important for live recordings, jazz and classical music. It's not so important for electric, pop music and hiphop. And even then the soundstage of the CC51 can in no way be called "bad". Most reviewers call it "(above) average".

As for teh build quality: The housings are great, no doubt, but the cable is rather thin. But I still haven't found any mentionion of cable break, as the insulation is rather stiff. If you take normal care that shouldn't be a problem.

[Agent_milo]

Good to know. I listen to live more than studio stuff. So MEe has good service eh? But will it do us people in India any good? With these crap worthy shipping charges and all..

[esanthosh]

You need to look at this. No need for crap worthy shipping charges or sending back to US

I too will say CC51 is a safe choice. On NE700X, didn't you get a reply from Faheem?