Upgrade From JVC Kenwood HA-FX850 to the FX1100?

Discussion in 'IEMs and Portable Gear' started by IlikeIEMs, Apr 8, 2016.

  1. IlikeIEMs

    IlikeIEMs New

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    I have the JVC Kenwood HA-FX850. I am so happy every time I listen to them that I really can't imagine any IEMs that would sound better. This probably demonstrates my ignorance and lack of exposure to audiophile-level IEMs. Anyway, I am wondering whether anyone has an opinion on whether it would be an actual upgrade to buy the next model up, the JVC Kenwood HA-FX1100.

    If my thread is something that would bring the general quality of the IEMs discussed in this forum down, then I apologize and ask that the moderator just delete this thread.
     
  2. Griffon

    Griffon 2nd biggest asshole on SBAF

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    Have confidence and don't be afraid to ask. Keep an open mind.

    Unfortunately chances are that people here don't have a ton of knowledge of JVC IEMs. Would you please provide us with some more details about what's your headphone&IEM experience and your music preference so we can better help you climb the endless ladder?
     
  3. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

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    Welcome! I think that's a great question.

    I haven't heard the 1100, but I have the 850.

    I'd say if you love what you have, just keep loving it! Spend your $$$ on new music or a new player if you want to upgrade.
     
  4. IlikeIEMs

    IlikeIEMs New

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    Thank you all for your gracious welcome! As far as IEMs, I have Beyerdynamic 160, ME M6 Pro (that comes with a surprisingly spacious case), a NuForce 750, a Creative Aurvana 3, and the JVC Kenwood HA-FX850. I like listening to classical, Jazz, and groups like Rush, Yazoo, Yes, and Andreas Bocelli. I sometimes listen to a few Bassgasm-like tracks to check how my bass is working. The JVC can render subwoofer levels when playing Bassgasm-type tracks - it's just too bad I can't stand listening to that kind of music generally. I like the JVCs so much that I am thinking that the 1100s would be the end all be all, and that to go up in quality from there I would have to get a music player like IBASSO. I have never heard the UERM, Senn 535 or higher, or any CIEM. I am interested in hearing the Auresonic 2.5 and that would be frankly the highest-priced IEM that I could imagine owning.

    I spend a lot of time staring at the ceiling sick. I have had a massive heart attack and 4 strokes in the past 8 months. I have a serious congestive heart failure condition, and I lose between a half cup to a full cup of blood a day from Crohns disease which has not gone into remission for at least the past agonizing 5 years.

    Anyway, I just bought the LG G5 and am thinking of getting the B&O DAC module when it comes out. I would be hoping that it might take the place of a music player and would allow me to afford the 2.5s or something similar, assuming there is a better-sounding IEM than the JVC 1100s (which is tough for me to imagine). If there is something better sounding, it would probably be illegal, LOL!!!
     
  5. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

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    Wow, I wish the best for your health and I hope you have the medical care you need.

    For the 1100, I would look on head-fi as people have reported that the 1100 has a different, darker, tuning than the 850. Don't think of it as the 850, but better.
     
  6. Griffon

    Griffon 2nd biggest asshole on SBAF

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    Dear God I wish you are getting better every day.

    On the other note, if you happen to be in Canada, I can send you my secondary portable rig (Pono+Jupiter) so you can get an idea of a relatively proper IEM set-up.
     
  7. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    The 1100 is a bit smoother and darker than the 850. It's only better if you find the 850 too bright.
     
  8. IlikeIEMs

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    Wow! Thank you so much for your prayer, and for your generous offer! I know that I am missing some key information on the proper set up. I would also like the guidance that you could provide on evaluation nomenclature, so that I can match up the terms used in evaluations with the actual sounds. That basic knowledge would make the evaluations I read on this site come alive and be more "real" and useful.

    I am in the US, in the state of Missouri. It seems like nearly all of the listening events take place in the Western US, and then mostly in California, although my impressions as a newbie could be wrong due to my lack of knowledge of institutional history. To me, the reason for this seems to be that West contains the center of mass of the staff and of the largest numbers of serious and knowledgable members.
     
  9. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

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    I'm not a fan of the 850's bass, it's oddly fatiguing for me. How is the 1100's bass different?
    Also, is the 1100 clearer and more resolving?
     
  10. IlikeIEMs

    IlikeIEMs New

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    Thank you very much, Luckbad. I am not trying to annoy you with my ignorance, but both you and Kunlun have mentioned that the 1100 is has a darker sound. Would you mind explaining what it means when the 1100 is "darker" - does this mean that the sound of the bass is more emphasized?

    Since you have the 1100, or have heard the 1100 in person, do you think that a hi res music player like the first generation Walkman paired with the 1100 would be a good setup? If not, would you happen to have any thoughts on what might be a good high res music player pairing with the 1100, where the player is relatively inexpensive?
     
  11. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    @IlikeIEMs "Darker" means the treble is less emphasized. I can't comment on DAPs because I've never owned one. I do almost all of my listening at a computer. I personally like the 1100 a lot, but I feel it's about $100 too expensive, it barely blocks outside noise at all, and it's a bit fragile for real mobile use (so is the 850).

    @Kunlun I wouldn't say the bass on the 1100 is really different from the 850, mostly the treble. In some ways, that means it's less resolving than the 850 because you get extra perception of detail from more treble. If you think the bass is too high on the 850, the 1100 won't solve anything for you.
     
  12. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

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    Thanks! I felt like the bass on the 850 had a mid-bass punch plus some muddiness (people are calling it "wooly") that led to fatigue. I'm a fan of bass, but sub-bass usually more than mid-bass.
     
  13. phillip

    phillip Friend

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    If the 1100 is the same as 1200, and I've tried both 1200 and 850, I'd love so much of the 1200.

    It's less splashy on the treble (less hot, which is a good thing for me), and still retains the same sound on the bass and mids (less recessed).

    I'd need more time to audition it for me to buy. That's just my initial mental note.
     
  14. MuppetFace

    MuppetFace Sultana of Seafoam Green - Moderator

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    An old thread; I hope the OP is doing okay (if you're lurking, do let us know)?

    I actually really like the FX1100. Did not care much for the FX850 due to the bass, though with mods they sounded pretty good. The FX1100 seems to have a similar bass emphasis, and yet... it seems better controlled. It does not overshadow the rest of the sound sig for me personally. The mids seem more present. The highs seem more refined.

    I would still describe them as sounding "thick," but they are the best iteration of JVC's house sound yet IMHO.

    Also the black stained wood is nice. Gives them a sleek, classy appearance.
     
  15. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

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    @MuppetFace
    What iems/ciems have you been liking lately?
     
  16. MuppetFace

    MuppetFace Sultana of Seafoam Green - Moderator

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    Aside from the FX1100, my fondness for the IE800 has been rekindled as of late, tho I still find myself using EQ settings with it. Spent some quality time with the F111 and Melomane from FitEar, both of which occupy opposite ends of the FitEar spectrum for me, one being FitEar's take on the "Ety sound" while the other is a more laid back Parterre basically. Still haven't heard the 'FitEar FitEar' but would like to at some point, along with their newer Aya CIEMs

    Speaking of which, apparently my MH335DW is eligible for the studio revision mod? The one that places a titanium tube inside one of the bores and elevates the treble level. Before I was told it couldn't be done since two of the bores were merged for space reasons. But now they're saying two bores is a-okay? Not sure if I should do it, though; sending it back to FitEar thru Jaben is a bit nerve wracking, and I kinda like the slightly dark tonal balance of MH335DW as is.

    Haven't really listened to many new IEMs as of late. I'm waiting for Campfire to fulfill my Andromeda order request. Also interested in hearing the T8iE mkII at some point. The new Radius line that Tyll was talking about sounds interesting too.
     
  17. james444

    james444 Mad IEM modding wizard level 99

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    I had the Radius TWF41 on loan from a friend a while back. Here's from a few PMs I wrote to him, including a short comparison to the JVCs (slight caveat: he forgot to include the largest stock tips, so I had to use 3rd party tips).

    "They're definitely the best sounding Radius IEMs so far, no doubt. The low end has still the typical smooth and warm "Radius" signature, but is better controlled and clearer than on their previous models. While bass amplitude seems to converge towards more neutrality with each model, they still retain a rather slow-ish decay which makes for a low end that's rather soft and easy on the ears. Plus, it lends more depth to the presentation, whereas IEMs with fast and tight bass tend to sound more upfront."

    "Mids strike me as smooth and highly detailed at the same time, which is a great combination. A tad on the warm side when compared to flatter phones, but overall just a slight and tasteful coloration that enhances the relaxing aspects of music. Treble seems to be tuned for maximum detail extraction and I feel it's a little less smooth and more peaky than the rest of the spectrum - but then again, nothing severely annoying stands out, and it could well be my 3rd party tips that contribute to this impression."

    "According to my listening tests, the TWF41 have mild but definite treble peaks at around 7.5kHz and 10kHz with both sets of tips I have at hand. Imo they're clearly tuned to enhance perceived detail, however I think it's done quite tastefully and I wouldn't call the result "over-sharpened". Actually, the mix of their warm-ish / smooth low range and detail-oriented high-range works quite well in my book, a little reminiscent of the K3003's tuning, which is overall flatter but not widely different."

    "I did a quick A/B yesterday evening. The FX850 sound still quite different to the TWF41, even after the mod. They have tighter bass and more forward treble. I would say they're pretty much on the same SQ level, just different signatures. The modded FX1100 sound actually closer to the TWF41, with less forward treble than the FX850. But among the phones I know, the TWF41 are quite unique sounding, their soft, enveloping low end combined with their detailed, almost fragile treble."

    "I plan to send your TWF41 back somewhere next week. I've spent enough time with them and really like them, they remind me of British speaker sound in some way: smooth, warm-ish, yet still very detailed. The one gripe I'm having with them isn't about sound, but about fit. Even though I can get them to seal as they should, I can't get them to fit reliably and comfortably at the same time. It's probably due to the nozzle angle as you pointed out, whatever... bottom line, my ear anatomy and the TWF41 are somewhat incompatible lol ;-)"
     

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