Are my headphones bad?? Or just a bad model/brand??

[Supercurio]

A couple years ago I purchased on ebay what was labeled as a JVC HA-FXT90 pair of earbuds. They turned out to be Chinese remakes... not the authentic JVC headphones. The drivers inside are clearly different - it's REAL obvious, if you look at them. JVC discontinued the model, so I found a pre-owned pair that's been used under 100 hours, and bought them. I confirmed they're authentic.... but I'm really worried about them!

The problem: the sibilance is SO intrusive! Every high note, every Sss, every cymbal hit... even snare hits just bust into my ear. It's overpowering. I can turn the volume down where it's not painful, but then I don't get the same enjoyment of my music. I have a LG-V20, and with the fake pair I felt totally fine there just wasn't as much detail. But this isn't added detail. It's pain.

From reviews I read, this model should have a low-mid hump. Not an extreme high end. But maybe I'm wrong about them?? Or maybe something's gone wrong with this particular pair?? If anyone has any experience with this model earbuds or this problem and can offer some advice, I'd be so grateful! I'm doing some further burning in right now, but I doubt that will solve it. :/

 

[rojo]

A couple years ago I purchased on ebay what was labeled as a JVC HA-FXT90 pair of earbuds. They turned out to be Chinese remakes... not the authentic JVC headphones. The drivers inside are clearly different - it's REAL obvious, if you look at them. JVC discontinued the model, so I found a pre-owned pair that's been used under 100 hours, and bought them. I confirmed they're authentic.... but I'm really worried about them!

The problem: the sibilance is SO intrusive! Every high note, every Sss, every cymbal hit... even snare hits just bust into my ear. It's overpowering. I can turn the volume down where it's not painful, but then I don't get the same enjoyment of my music. I have a LG-V20, and with the fake pair I felt totally fine there just wasn't as much detail. But this isn't added detail. It's pain.

From reviews I read, this model should have a low-mid hump. Not an extreme high end. But maybe I'm wrong about them?? Or maybe something's gone wrong with this particular pair?? If anyone has any experience with this model earbuds or this problem and can offer some advice, I'd be so grateful! I'm doing some further burning in right now, but I doubt that will solve it. :/

Have you tried different ear tips? An improper seal can result in weak bass, giving the impression of a treble-heavy response. It'd be a good idea to get a variety pack of ear tips in multiple sizes, in foam and silicone, to see what fits you best. Once you find your best fit, you can order a pack of just that style when your test tips wear out. Also, install Neutralizer on your LG V20 to flatten the response of your ear buds. That app plays test tones at octave intervals and lets you dial each of 10 bands of eq to a perceived equal volume.

 

[Supercurio]

Thanks for replying. I have only tried what I have... based on what's comfortable. I do notice some differences with different positioning in my ear... but the sibilance is always real present to a greater or lesser degree. I hav not tried foam tips yet, which I'm itching to do. Just haven't got them right now.

So that could solve some of it. I forgot to mention, the LG sounds better than my computer does. The sibilance is WAY worse when I tried listening to music from my laptop. It was better (but not what I hoped) on the phone. My computer is important though because I do a lot of music editing as a hobby.

Hopefully soon I'll have some new tips to test. In the meantime, I'm still curious if I was wrong about this model, or if some issue be present with the earphones themselves that's contributing to this.

 

[rojo]

Thanks for replying. I have only tried what I have... based on what's comfortable. I do notice some differences with different positioning in my ear... but the sibilance is always real present to a greater or lesser degree. I hav not tried foam tips yet, which I'm itching to do. Just haven't got them right now.

So that could solve some of it. I forgot to mention, the LG sounds better than my computer does. The sibilance is WAY worse when I tried listening to music from my laptop. It was better (but not what I hoped) on the phone. My computer is important though because I do a lot of music editing as a hobby.

Hopefully soon I'll have some new tips to test. In the meantime, I'm still curious if I was wrong about this model, or if some issue be present with the earphones themselves that's contributing to this.

Ear tips are kind of funny. I've got a pair of KEF M100 on which I use medium silicone tips. My KZ ZST ear buds have large silicone tips. On a pair of completely wireless cheap Chinese ear buds I use small foam tips. The buds all fit my ears differently, and one size tip does not fit all. I still think you should try the sampler pack and give each permutation an audition, regardless of what has been successful on other ear buds.

Sorry I can't offer any advice about how those JVC ear buds are supposed to sound, as I've never listened to them. JVC isn't a terribly popular brand around here.

On your laptop you can equalize using Equalizer APO, although that will probably require more guesswork and experimentation than Neutralizer's equalization method on Android. Also, if your laptop analog out is that far inferior to your V20 then you might be a good candidate for a decent DAC. Maybe try a Behringer UCA202 if you don't subscribe to the elitist pursuit of boutique electronics. If the headphone out of that device isn't strong enough for your tastes or for the impedance of your ear buds, you could always add a Fiio A5 or JDS Labs O2 or similar headphone amp later if you wish. I'm currently listening to my MrSpeakers Aeon Flow open backs plugged into a Fiio A5, plugged into the Behringer DAC, plugged into my laptop, and it sounds pretty damn close to my phone's headphone out with EQ disabled -> Fiio A5 -> Aeon Flow to me.

 

[Supercurio]

Ear tips are kind of funny. I've got a pair of KEF M100 on which I use medium silicone tips. My KZ ZST ear buds have large silicone tips. On a pair of completely wireless cheap Chinese ear buds I use small foam tips. The buds all fit my ears differently, and one size tip does not fit all. I still think you should try the sampler pack and give each permutation an audition, regardless of what has been successful on other ear buds.

Sorry I can't offer any advice about how those JVC ear buds are supposed to sound, as I've never listened to them. JVC isn't a terribly popular brand around here.

On your laptop you can equalize using Equalizer APO, although that will probably require more guesswork and experimentation than Neutralizer's equalization method on Android. Also, if your laptop analog out is that far inferior to your V20 then you might be a good candidate for a decent DAC. Maybe try a Behringer UCA202 if you don't subscribe to the elitist pursuit of boutique electronics. If the headphone out of that device isn't strong enough for your tastes or for the impedance of your ear buds, you could always add a Fiio A5 or JDS Labs O2 or similar headphone amp later if you wish. I'm currently listening to my MrSpeakers Aeon Flow open backs plugged into a Fiio A5, plugged into the Behringer DAC, plugged into my laptop, and it sounds pretty damn close to my phone's headphone out with EQ disabled -> Fiio A5 -> Aeon Flow to me.

Yeah, I've been doing more research on tips since hearing back about this. I do have some different size ones, just not foam ones. I usually use medium sizes (my old pair had mediums, and I'm assuming they were large bore, and the speaker came really close to the end of the tips). I think that pair is bass heavy, so those tips sounded fine with them. But using them on these made things real treble heavy. I pulled out some large tips I had stored away, and if positioned differently in my ear, they seemed to resolve a lot of the issue. I read Normal Bore and foam both can help increase bass, so I'm looking to order some SYMBIO N tips on ebay. I may just have to try and see what works. I'm new to all that, so it'll take some time. But it's good you opened my eyes to it!

 

[tyhjaarpa]

I was not aware that JVC even makes IEM. What you descripe does not sound right to me as any quality IEM should not do that, haven't even tried any low end model personally that does that for the level you descripe.

I personally run these and have been really happy with the performance vs price: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01H5SI88U/ but as you want some higher end I would take a look on Sennheiser or Grado.

 

[Supercurio]

I was not aware that JVC even makes IEM. What you descripe does not sound right to me as any quality IEM should not do that, haven't even tried any low end model personally that does that for the level you descripe.

I personally run these and have been really happy with the performance vs price: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01H5SI88U/ but as you want some higher end I would take a look on Sennheiser or Grado.

Yeah, JVC has a lot of 'quality' IEMs. You can look them up and there's a ton of reviews on hi-fi threads. These are dual-driver earbuds, so they have separate low and high drivers on each side. This is supposed to create more clarity, which is why I was attracted. The bass is actually really beautiful, just trying to tame the treble. I honestly think either these have some issue, or I just have terrible tips. Or both. With all the decent to great reviews, I doubt it's the model itself that's the problem. Possibly my ears are also a little sensitive to the frequency curve of them? I don't know for sure. Just gotta keep trying things and see what I come up with.

 

[afterlife2]

If you don't mind waiting 2 weeks. These are fantastic: https://www.ebay.com/itm/KZ-ZST-Pro-In-ear-Super-Bass-Earphones-Dynamic-Music-HIFI-Headphones-Cool-Gifts/202209402659?hash=item2f149e9f23:m:mcHmp7LIg6SM2lnHcY9sjuQ

 

[rojo]

If you don't mind waiting 2 weeks. These are fantastic: https://www.ebay.com/itm/KZ-ZST-Pro-In-ear-Super-Bass-Earphones-Dynamic-Music-HIFI-Headphones-Cool-Gifts/202209402659?hash=item2f149e9f23:m:mcHmp7LIg6SM2lnHcY9sjuQ

I have those. I found them to be a tinny mess -- kind of the opposite of a solution to OP's overwhelming sibilant problem. They can be EQ'd to sound impressive (and indeed I do crave listening to them from time to time), but they suffer with profound grit when playing heavy polyphony and complex voicing. I wouldn't recommend them for mixing, even with EQ.

@Supercurio I don't think you're imagining the sibilant peak. See the measurements at https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/JVCHAFXT90.pdf -- but definitely take them with a grain of salt. Measuring ear phones isn't an exact science, as ear canal shape and length varies from person to person. These variations can have significant effects on response at the ear drum. Also, Tyll Hertsens (the InnerFidelity measurement guru) is still refining his head-related transfer function compensation curve, so the peak you hear could be more or less pronounced than what you see graphed. Be that as it may, the native uncompensated response should be sloping down at 5 kHz, not up.

You could try putting a snip of a paper towel over the driver hole and securing it in place with the silicone ear tip. That ought to attenuate some of the sibilance, and would probably make them sound quite nice.

 

[afterlife2]

Maybe you got a bad batch. I've used mine with tv, music and movies and never experienced your thoughts. Do you own any other KZ? KZ-ATE is another good one.

 

[rojo]

Maybe you got a bad batch. I've used mine with tv, music and movies and never experienced your thoughts. Do you own any other KZ? KZ-ATE is another good one.

No, the ZST is the only KZ IEM I've tried. The ZST does sound surprisingly good when I enable bass boost on my headphone amp. It's an unholy combination that shouldn't work, but it somehow does through some sort of mysterious aural alchemy.

 

[Supercurio]

I have those. I found them to be a tinny mess -- kind of the opposite of a solution to OP's overwhelming sibilant problem. They can be EQ'd to sound impressive (and indeed I do crave listening to them from time to time), but they suffer with profound grit when playing heavy polyphony and complex voicing. I wouldn't recommend them for mixing, even with EQ.

@Supercurio I don't think you're imagining the sibilant peak. See the measurements at https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/JVCHAFXT90.pdf -- but definitely take them with a grain of salt. Measuring ear phones isn't an exact science, as ear canal shape and length varies from person to person. These variations can have significant effects on response at the ear drum. Also, Tyll Hertsens (the InnerFidelity measurement guru) is still refining his head-related transfer function compensation curve, so the peak you hear could be more or less pronounced than what you see graphed. Be that as it may, the native uncompensated response should be sloping down at 5 kHz, not up.

You could try putting a snip of a paper towel over the driver hole and securing it in place with the silicone ear tip. That ought to attenuate some of the sibilance, and would probably make them sound quite nice.

Yeah, thanks for those ideas. I'm gonna stick with them and see what different options may provide (starting with ear tips). Also, since it has 2 drivers, I've found just turning it one way rebalances the bass a little (since bass/highs are on different sides, from the 2 drivers). I assume that's why it adjusts a little with turning. The sound is incredibly crisp and clean. There's a lot about them I do like when the sibilance is not there. Hopefully I'll figure out a way to make them work!

A question about eq's... when we speak of getting an eq for headphones, is that like a separate device that eq's the signal going into the earbuds, or something that eq's the tracks themselves before playing them? I've never gone into that realm with headphones, so if you can give me a brief overview of it I'd appreciate it.

 

[Supercurio]

Dude "From reviews I read, this model should have a low-mid hump. Not an extreme high end ?"

From where did you read the reviews? Is it from TrustedReviews or Gadgetranks headphone section?

"with a mild mid-bass hump and excellent note thickness" . http://theheadphonelist.com/headphone_review/jvc-ha-fxt90/

That was one place. Not sure where else I read reviews from, I just read what I could find. I think I would have understood reviews on them better if I knew more about other prominent headphone models, because a lot of the comments were in comparison to other models that I've never tried. So I probably didn't fully understand them.

 

[rojo]

A question about eq's... when we speak of getting an eq for headphones, is that like a separate device that eq's the signal going into the earbuds, or something that eq's the tracks themselves before playing them? I've never gone into that realm with headphones, so if you can give me a brief overview of it I'd appreciate it.

I wasn't kidding about the paper towel hack. Give it a try and see what happens. At worst it doesn't work and you remove the hack. But if it does work it could transform your almost perfect eat buds into your ear bud end game.

When I was talking about eq I was suggesting software that acts as a dsp to shape all sound coming from your device. Did you click the link to Neutralizer that I posted earlier?

 

[highfigh]

I always wanted ear buds with "excellent note thickness". That's a new one and on Feb 17, it will be 40 years since I started working in the HiFi business.

 

[rojo]

I always wanted ear buds with "excellent note thickness". That's a new one and on Feb 17, it will be 40 years since I started working in the HiFi business.

Looks like you found a source for some excellent BS thickness.

 

[highfigh]

Looks like you found a source for some excellent BS thickness.

Does that mean depth, or viscosity?

 

[rojo]

Does that mean depth, or viscosity?

Ew. That was more literal than I was prepared for.

 

[rojo]

@Supercurio any updates? Did you try different ear tips? Did you try the paper towel hack? Neutralizer?