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.