Review : VSONIC VC02

Entry level VSONIC earphone with 3mm driver(smallest so far?)

Initial impressions :

- muddy sound
- I like the cables, they're much softer compared to the GR07
- unfortunately the cables are highly microphonic

Impressions after messing around with the fit :

- requires deep insertion, reverse comply tips recommended

- sounds like a more... neutral and cleaner version of the sony xba-3, although not as articulating

- must be amped

- not for low volume listening

Verdict :

I kinda like these, now I can just skip purchasing the xba-3s. 

Notes :

- polarity inverted as per rinchoi, unplug cable and reverse to fix

Review take 2 : AKG K550

So I had the opportunity to pick up the K550 again and have a go at it.

I braced myself and pressed play.

Initial impressions :

- oddly, this pair sounds a whole lot better than the previous I've auditioned

- glare and ringing still there but does not take center stage, sort of tolerable

- huge sound stage??? this is odd

Impressions after 30 minutes :

- partially sucked out mids, has the potential to shout at higher volume

- tinny highs

- yes, huge sound stage I guess

- reminds me of a poor-mans Audio Technica A2000X with better comfort and more bass

- something is not natural with the presentation, I can't quite pinpoint it

Verdict :

Assuming this is a good pair, needs to be amped to do it's sound any justice. I'm not even going to buy the headphone and risk getting a shitty pair out of the box. At their worst, its like having feces coated diamond tipped knife continuously stab your ears.

But I enjoyed the demo unit though :P

Review : Audio Technica CK100PRO

Triple BA, 3-way earphones by Audio Technica. An update to the CK100 model.

Initial impressions :

- Wonderfully fluid and realistic textured mids, close or on par with ACS T1 level(personally I prefer these over the T1)

Impressions 10 minutes later :

- Extremely boosted splashy highs

Verdict :

You will enjoy this earphone if you have severe hearing damage or already partially deaf from 8~9k onwards

Review : Final Audio Adagio II & III

Adagio II & III

Initial impressions :

- strong bass overpowering the mids and highs (especially so for the II)

- the III has troubling highs to my ears

Impressions after a trying 10 minutes :

- ear rape for the III

- ear poop for the II

- overpowering thick bass, lackluster vocals
- uninspiring highs for the II and bothering for the III

- zero clarity

- a sound that wages war against transparency

Verdict :

Final Audio Adagio II

Final Audio Adagio III

Listening to both reminds me of cheap no-branded 1 dollar earbuds.

Review : Denon D600

"Audiophile grade" "Loudspeaker in a headphone" "Flat EQ" Music Maniac(???) headphones.

Initial impressions :

- Very comfortable

- Impressive, grand, larger than life sound

- Tamed down treble compared to the older Denon series

- That special warm smooth sound you get due to the acoustic optimizer foam is gone, replaced by a sort of thickness from the mids to the treble

Impressions after 15 minutes :

- Bumped mid bass makes the sound appear grand, larger than life

- Not that much better compared to the Noontec Zoro

Verdict :

- Nothing special

- Asking price too high for the sound quality

- Not flat at all

- The Noontec Zoro is a much better purchase 

Review : Alessandro MS1i

"High end products" Music Series. Perhaps high end entry level.

Initial impressions :

- The whole spectrum sounds muffled

Fin

Review : AKG K550

"Reference Class" Headphones.

Initial impressions :

Sounds like these....

The ADDIEMs are
- sound stage below average
- heavy hitting quick bass, clean
- extended treble that doesn't really sparkle(or add air)
- dry, sometimes robotic vocal

Hey not bad, maybe these are for me after all....

Impressions about 2~3 minutes later :

- flat soundstage with no imaging
- wtf vocals like staring at the sun
- ok the review ends now I have to take these off right away!

Verdict :

My ears had severe placebo channel imbalance, loss of hearing on certain frequencies for the rest of the day.

Anti burn-in

I have the VSONIC VC02 on the way. When I get it I'm not going to burn-in at all. No, I'm just going to leave it aside if I find the sound disagreeable in any way. I'll then listen to other gear and get back to it during the 50 hour mark, 100 hour mark, etc to see if the sound changes. This will be purely without the IEM being plugged in and used at all during the gaps.