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but finally gave up on in-ear and went to the tried and true Bose QC2's for great sound reproduction. After getting the right fit, the sound range and depth from these little gems are AMAZING. don't judge them right out of the box. They were also very compact, which meant they were difficult to hold and maneuver into/out of my ears. I first tried in-ear headphones back in 2003 because I wanted something that could easily go from my pocket to ears, but still sound decent.
They sounded good to me, but they got uncomfortable after a few hours in my ears. I bought them on price and reviews, but would now give $200 easily as I now know how amazing they really are. I travel all the time with my job and depend on earphones 100% of the time for my listening experience. I am picky about sound "depth" and the QC2 was the only thing that fit the bill and was comfortable.
Try them with every one of the supplied gel tips first before you decide on their sound quality. I got these from Amazon for $149 via a lightning deal. I tried different tips, etc. However, I could only use them once seated on the plane. I no longer need my Bose QC2 headphones because these do it all for me.
I'm a true audiophile and gadget junkie. I found the that the larger single fold tips fit perfectly, and create an amazingly comfortable seal. This is CRITICAL to get the full range of the speakers. Plus, they have a longer grip so maneuvering them into place is easy as well. I bought these X5 earphones and all I can say is WOW. I've found I can wear them for hours and not even notice they are in my ear. I went with the Etymotic SR4's.
This is a first for me. I was stuck with crappy earphones for general listening while walking around the airport.Until NOW. First advice. I love them so much because I can wear them while walking, working out, and on the plane. Thanks Klipsch.
After slipping these into place you just have to ask yourself "Just what obscenely shaped hunks of junk have I been trying to get my ears to wrap around for all of these years".So they are the most comfortable things you can put into your ears PERIOD.Oh. and the audio is suburb.
As for the sound, I have been running them on higher bitrate MP3s on my laptop, and they sound great. This was my first "higher end" IEMs, so I am limited in comparing them to others. Clear mid/lower ranges with super rich overall impression of sound. However, I can with confidence say that this purchase was worth my money. The X5s look great and fit my ears comfortably (and stay in place). The base, as some people have commented, is not overstated, instead a "tight/crisp" thump, which I like.Packaging is high quality and the carrying case is top notch. I can highly recommend the X5s.
It is clear and defined, not muddy or boomy. The highs have a sparkle without being harsh or raspy. Although I was once a professional bass player in a previous life, I'm going to try to tell you in plain English why these are great earphones. The midrange is good. If you buy the Image X5 earphones, you will not regret it. The quality is such that you can tell if the bass is in tune. Female voices are crystal clear.
For those of you who saved all those high bitrate mp3's, you can now hear the reason you did that. The bass is excellent. What this means in real life is that you can hear each individual instrument, even when that instrument is in the background. Indeed, you can discern the quality of the instrument. Male voices are clear with no unwanted low overtones. These earphones compare very favorably with my high end Sennheiser headphones. You know you want them.
The X5s are very small, they can easily be worn for hours on end. I previously owned the Klipsch Image S4 series, but found the bass too muddy and looked for IEMs with more sonic accuracy. I got these for $99 new at Ultimate Electronics, but they sold out. So I went up several price brackets and tried these: Shure SE530, Etymotic ER4s, Klipsch Image X10, Klipxh Image X5, Phonack PFEs. Remember a well-made single Balanced Armature is good enough. Most of you can get a decent fit with the stock tips included with the X5s, the oval shape really fit my ears nicely, and the nice bass will add just the right amount of warmth as intended by your music, drums strikes are individually discernible, the kick drum magnificently reminds you its there. However, the X5s have ample bass that gives the music full-bodied life.
Bass isn't just the obligatory "boom" anymore, now it's what the artist and mastering technician intended. The overall sound signature is not cold and lifeless like the Etymotics. Mids are perfect, you can hear the rasp and breath in a voice. I will be writing a full, detailed review on these on my audio site.
A good portion of my wallet goes to audio products, specifically earphones and ancillary equipment. There is no shortage, and the treble extension and overall accuracy of the X5s is actually better than the X10s. I know $250 seems steep for a Single Balanced-Armature earphone, when others claim to have two or three Armatures to bring more range. Compare to the Shure, and every other brand, Klipsch Image IEMs are the most comfortable for universal IEMs. High notes on the Violin are crisp, both the leading and trailing edges of the notes flow smoothly. Soundearphones has a %15 off sale on these I believe. Needless to say, I feel in love witht he Image X5s. These occasionally go on sale in the mid $100 range, keep an eye out.
There is no distortion in the highs, little details surround you, sibilance is not a problem. Many users say the X10 has more bass, I have found the X10 seems to have more quantity because it seems to go a little bit deeper into your ear due to it's smaller size. Definitely worth the money. It also has reviews for other headphones @ [.].
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