Zephyron

Mini 2nd Gen is said to be the same as Nano. There's still bass rolloff, but its not as severe. If possible, try hearing the same tracks from a same source (prefereably MP3 192kbps+) placed onto both a Nano and a Shuffle, try to note the difference. A Shuffle should sound fuller, stronger and more crisp as compared to the Nano from the headphone out. IMO, iPods are overrated with the exception of Shuffle (underrated) and iPod Video (just nice)

Hmm, CK7 is currently out of stock. Once stock comes back though, Hung Brothers (SLS, $159 before discount, cannot give away discounted price, but take away 20-25% and you get the idea ), Jade's Gift Shop (Not sure of location, can ask other members here, I think its in the east, ~$110) and Stereo Electronics (Woodlands, Causeway point, $119) will be carrying them. Stereo Electronics and Hung Brothers will most likely be the ones getting them first as they're distributors for AT Asia last I remember. Once AT Asia re-stocks on CK7s, I believe Aron (Stereo Electronics) will be the first to inform us of the good news. CK7 at its discounted price from all 3 locations mentioned above (Choose which one is closest to home for you ). Comparing it to the Cresyn LMX-E630xL series, it has much better clarity and instrumental separation, and has a greater feeling of airiness and better levels of imaging. Bass is also much punchier than the Cresyn, with much better sense of decay of bass instruments. The Cresyn's mid-range feels warmer and fuller when compared to the CK7 however. After extended listening however, the CK7 makes the Cresyn seem muffled in comparison IMO, but then again, the CK7 is about 2.25-2.5 times the price, so its a bit unfair to compare. With regard to the iPod Mini post that I missed... Best not lahs, a Mini is HDD based. If you have a rugged lifestyle, it may not be the player for you. What's more, the Mini is regarded by the folks over at head-fi to be supposedly the worst sounding iPod of the bunch in the then already weak sounding iPod family (from the headphone out that is, different story with line-out to amplifier), because its bass rolloff is severe. A square-sine wave test over at Cnet showed that the 1st gen Mini has 0 bass output (Note: The iPod Shuffle did score a perfect rating for this, it recreated the square sine wave perfectly), the 2nd gen Mini only partially solved that, and the 2nd Gen mini supposedly shares similar sonic signature to the Nano, so if you're utilizing the headphone out of the Mini/Nano, I would suggest to forget it altogether. All iPod has unuseable EQ (except for Acoustic) as well. With regard to Flash based players with decent SQ and implemented ID3 (artist, genre, album, year based browsing) browsing, there's the iAudio U3 w/ Firmware 1.20. The 1GB version of the U3 is available for somewhere in the SG$270 region and the 2GB version @ ~SG$350. To use firware 1.20 however, be prepared to sacrifice 50MB of internal storage space. The 2GB version will be recommended for Firmware 1.20, and I rolled back my U3 firmware to 1.13 w/o the ID3 browsing, happy enough with File Tree Structure since I keep my files neatly. If you do purchase the iPod Mini however, do yourself a favour, up your budget by a lot, a whole lot at that, more, get a portable amp and an iPod lineout dock and a dock to amp cable

^ I wouldn't really recommend the Shure e2c, a lot of bass, though not flabby, but mids feel grainy and the highs just aren't there enough. For a balanced IEM or canalphone, you might want to consider either the ER6i or CK7. But with a budget of $300, this is hard. For sub $50 earphones, go with either the Creative EP630/Sharp MD33 (SG$49, Creative Fair @ Creative Building) or the Cresyn LMX-E630(R/D)L (SG$42 @ Stereo Electronics, Woodlands Causeway Point). This leaves you with a budget of SG$251-258 depending on which earphone you buy, T10 and U3 would be out of your budget because of the earphone factor so the iPod Shuffle (Simplicity and portable SQ at one of its best) would be the MP3 player of choice if you're not looking for other features like FM, LCD screen and such. However, you'll be required to use iTunes for music transfer (its not drag and drop last I remember). A 1GB version of the Shuffle can be had for SG$178 (note, if you do get the Shuffle, consider the Creative EP635 or the Cresyn LMX-E630SN, white necklace versions of the EP630 and the LMX-E630xL series). All the above listed should have covered your MP3 player, earphone and even travel expenses

Not for me though, for me, it reduces treble (sibilance cut) and slightly increases low-mid bass, but it does both to not such a significant degree. The larger and deeper your ears are, the better off you are for the bi-flange. After switching back to the L size flange (took a while to adjust to it though) with the CK7, I find that the high-end clarity opens up for me (been using the bi-flange ever since the start to reduce pre-burn in sibilance and harshness though) and if I continued using the bi-flange it will muffle up a bit of the high end clarity for me (My ears aren't all that deep, the edge of the bore of the bi-flange touches my ear, interrupting with sound output and reducing overall clarity). For burning in the CK7, I'll stick with the bi-flange. Now, I sometimes still do switch back and forth with the bi-flange and the CK7's L-size flange, depending if I need the extra isolation of the bi-flange.

Hmm, you can try asking afbug to see if he has any pairs left for purchase

You might wanna consider the LMX-E630... Although bumping the price range by about $10-25 will get you an Audio Technica ATH-CK7 depending on location of purchase From what I've tried thus far for under $100... Its either the (LMX-E630 + EQ) or the (Creative EP630 + UE SuperFi Bi-Flange sleeve + No EQ), I like them both quite a lot In terms of balance, soundstaging and clarity though, the CK7 stomps the both of them flat IMO, and it looks classier too

Hmm, I see that you used an EX51 before. Imagine EX51 with more bass, but better controlled, more prominent mids, and less screechy highs. Clearer as compared to the EX51. Its performance league is about the same as the Cresyn LMX-E630 but on the bass department rather than the clarity department. I had managed to try out a burnt in EP630 for once, its pretty nice sounding when I paired it up with my UE Super.Fi BiFlange. A lot of bass but not flabby with moderate listening volumes, quite smooth as well, and its one kinda earphone I don't use any EQ with. Hmm, if anything, I think these will make a good budget 'gaming' IEM where lotsa bass and boom are needed ADD: Its may act as a partial solution to the bass rolloff of the iPod Nano as well, achieving a more neutral response out of the Nano

The EP635 looks only to be just a necklace and white version of the EP630.

For good closed cans, you might want to consider the Audio technica ATH-Axxx series. Quite a number of the users over at head-fi like the ATH-A900. Isolation on the go probably will not be as good as IEMs, but should be sufficient to filter out low noise levels? From what I hear from the users over at head-fi, after burn in, its got good bass response and extended treble. Forgot what was said about the mids though, but after burn in, it won't be as congested. Its soundstaging is also not bad. A general remark made about the A900 was that it sounded a bit bright even after burn-in. Can anyone confirm? Also, the Sennheiser HD25 (?) gets some rep from the users over at head-fi as well. Not sure of what its strength and weaknesses are. Hmm, I think there's also the Sony D66 Eggos? Also not sure about its strenght and weakness. (I remember these looking like some alien equipment of some sort with awkwardly winged 'ears' jutting out. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong On a side note, due to our weather being the way it is, I'd rather wear IEMs outside, otherwise its gonna be a lot of sweat

Both of us usually meet somewhere near the city area, usually Bugis or Plaza Singapura. My Studio Project coming to an end next coming Tuesday, maybe somewhen after that after the SportaPros arrive?

^Still owe ya 8 bucks. Pay ya when we meet again

^ Wah... that's... tiny o.O Won't fit my ears as you saw how the UE BiFlange mod on my CK7 fit me

^^ Oh, so just now you bought the E2 sleeves for the CK7 arz? They actually fit? This is surprising

Billing info recieved? How much I still owe ya?

Tri-flange tips are not for everyone though. Some mod their tri-flange into a bi-flange by either snipping the small top flange or larger bottom flange depending on their size of their ear.

^Gotcha boss, will meetcha once my Studio Project is done... I've finished animating my rice sack! 220 frames at 28.96 seconds! Woohoo! *goes ballistic*

$10 including the BiFlange? Or would that be too much? o.O I cut a 20 cent hole in the middle of the sponge to further bring out the mids and highs (half-Kramer-mod)

Aiyoh, retro is cool okay! Saw someone with a Grado SR80 (I think, the SR?? badge was taken off) on the MRT the other day as I was walking down the carriage to get off at Yio Chu Kang. I thought it looked cool and I bet he was enjoying the music as well Retro-respect man!

Koss PortaPro series and Sennheiser PX100?

Master Bug, after getting the SportaPros, I don't think I'll need to keep the KSC 75 around any longer. I cut a hole in the middle of the sponge already, would you still want it?

^Aha, sounds to me like the congestation problem with dynamic driver based IEMs o.O Its not so bad with te CK7 I admit, I face the same problem with the CK7 when listening to Dakota Star's (then Daiki Kasho, Gran Turismo 4) What to Believe, musical part after the chorus. This is the part where the song gets real busy, and the CK7 gets a little congested. Its way worse on cheaper IEMs in my experience (EX51/71, EX81, HJE50, LMX-E630, EP630). The ER4p can do things better mainly because it uses a balanced armature driver, and I loved the ER6i, but chose the CK7 for its comfort and microphonics elimination instead I know about 'Dogfight', must listen to it one day for myself since I don't have the song. Treble muddiness? Wah, I'm a bit shocked here, especially when I thought the highs are equal the ER6i

You stay Boon Lay? Can meet quite eaily larz, I live down at Woodlands, Boon Lay would be easy to reach So when can kross and I pass you the deposit?

kkx2, I think the CK7's sound signature isn't for you. Its nearly flat throughout the sound spectrum to my ears, with the exception of a very slightly emphasized treble much like the ER6i, which is why I like it lots I haven't tried the HJE70 OTOH, but phones like the EP630, which is basically one class below the HJE70, are the ones not according to my taste because according to people, they sound more 'fun' (aka coloured sound, usually from higher bass output to more forwarded mids). People who like the EP630, HJE70 and such usually will like musical phones better I guess, finding phones like CK7, ER6i etc boring, but some of us here prefer analytical listening and have fun picking out details in the music rather than just 'listen' to the music, which is I don't really like phones like the EP630 because of its 'funness' I guess (Its strange perhaps, but true ). 20+ hours isn't nearly enough though, I had mine burnt in near continuously for almost a week, a minimum of 72 hours is recommended I believe. It'll sound a bit dry at first, but the harsh treble will settle down, the mids will fill in slightly and the bass will become slightly more prominent and tighter after burn in is completed, becoming what I'd call 'flatter' in the sound spectrum. One thing that the CK7 does only 'decently' on the bass is however, bass detailing, which loses out to the ER6i by perhaps 20% or so as far as I remember. PS:To rate the HJE50 at 85-90% of the CK7 is a tad bit too much I'd say. My ears tell me 65-70% or so, same reasons as yours, but the HJE50 sounds harsher to me in the low and mid-highs and its clarity falls below the CK7 by quite a margin.

Need manpower?

^I'm going for the SportaPro too Don't have any online payment methods tho, so gotta meet up with whoever is paying (Master Bug or Squalle?).