Click to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions
PRODUCTS YOU MAY LIKE
Trending Posts in Audiophile
itsamepe
Sennheiser PC37X randomly goes bad after disconnecting the cable ?
Greetings, Yesterday I was using my headset like normal with my macbook, just listening to music and on a call with people like usual, and the headset was perfectly fine. The stock wire that came with the headset is extremely long and yesterday it annoyed me very much that it kept getting tangled with itself, so I decided to see if the cable is replaceable. I pulled out the cable from the headset and saw the adapter, and looked online for a replacement. Upon plugging it back in, the audio sounded extremely muffled and washed out. Im not sure what I did wrong to make it mess up like that as I've always taken good care of it, ive had it for about 2 years and its always just been chilling on my desk, but anywho I thought the cable just went bad and ordered a replacement. The replacement came, and the issue is still persistant, so I am not sure what the issue is I've tried multiple different headsets and the issue is not with the port, and I also tried it with my windows laptop and...
Apr 23, 2024
MrChiSox
Big changes coming to my tiny little music room, I've recently purchased a new stack. Currently figuring out where to locate it all and ordering up the necessary cables, it won't be too long before I'm up and running. I am now the proud owner of a brand new stack. It's a European brand called Earmen. Amp, DAC, Streamer & Linear Power Supply. It won't be long!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB15yM4UptQ
Apr 23, 2024
Briankan
Recommendation for my next headphone set? I have Koss 95x
Hey all, What would you recommend I get next and why? I have Koss ESP-95x electrostatic massdrop headphones. These are my first and only audiophile set. I love them. I think my only real requirements is $500 or less for the headphones and that they have a little more low end. I don’t need thump but these are really light on lows…but the experience is still awesome. Also any recommendations on an amp? I only have my electrostatic thingy. I am using the Topping D50 DAC. thx!!
Apr 22, 2024
Simthaniel
Rigs
Modded headphones with qudelix at the core
When I received the Qudelix 5K, I had already modified a pair of Superlux HD-681 headphones. I previously soldered my own balanced connections to the drivers, providing multiple ways to connect and...
Apr 14, 2024
brothamike
A decent set of IEMs
I am in the midst of a 300 hour burn-in but, I will say I am enjoying how this set sounds so far. Before I received these which was btw late by a few weeks, I purchased a Sony/Kimber Kable MMCX...
Apr 12, 2024
merrick97
Should I exchange the PC38X for better headphones?
I bought the PC38X headphones FOR GAMING and they are great, but I have NO use for a Microphone since I don't do competitive gaming and I was wondering if there were better headphone options at a similar price without a headphone, where (presumably) more of the cost was put into making it sound better. I also find that my PC38X don't get quite as loud as I would like and I was wondering if a cheap amp like the iFi Go link would draw a little more volume out of my phones. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BN6MM822?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details I went with the PC38X since it was considered the best bang for buck headphones. I care most about using spatial apps like DOlby Atmos and DTS Headphone:X. Suggestions are welcome.
Apr 11, 2024
LostnAmerica
Sound Signature of the Grell Project.
Wondering what type of sound signature the Drop Grell project headphones will have or trying to attain. Any update would be appreciated.
Apr 8, 2024
Drop Refurbished
Like-new products you can trustDrop Rewards
Get $5 for every 500 points you earn! Learn more
Drop Keyboard Club
Become a member and expand your keycap collectionCollaborate With Us
For Brands & DesignersFollow Drop
Tips: Bi-flange and foam tips really suck the life out of the Planamic’s already restrained upper regions so beyond a few songs they weren’t used again. You might have a different experience. I found the Planamic best with tips of two types; those that bring the driver as close as possible to your ear drum, or fairly shallow, wide bore tips. The first type refers to the stock single-flange tips. If you want to get the bass I rave about later in this review, those tips are key. Sony has a similar tip they include with the AS800AP, but the flange was so long it interfered with my ability to get a consistent seal. If you’re willing to give up some bass and balance out the sound without resorting to EQ, wide bores tips will be key. I tried with those from JVC, TFZ, and Ultimate Ears. JVC and TFZ tips reduced bass quantity and increase upper treble. You lose some of the visceral feedback of the low end to gain energy in the upper regions. Not worth the trade off for me as the visceral bass is why this thing kicks @$$. The UE tips pulled the driver too far from the ear missing out on the point of that style of tip so stay away from these. The below impressions were made with the stock, medium single flange tips. My qualms with the mid and upper-treble are lessened with the aforementioned wide bore tips. After pulling the Planamic out of the plastic bag it was shipped in and checking out the nice accessory kit, I plugged it into Radsone’s ES100 which was pulling USB DAC duty on my Asus FX53V laptop. What track did I want to listen to first? Hmm. I knew just the one; “Look At That Butt (feat. Jarina De Marco)” by Dillon Francis. I've really been feeling the strong Latin influences of his current work, and the music video for this track is especially ridiculous. So yeah, “Look At That butt” would be perfect. And it was. At 15 seconds when the first hit of bass kicked in, I jumped because I was not expecting the physical response the Planamic provided. That moment immediately solidified this earphone as something special. The Planamic’s low end provides what to me is the most visceral low end experience I’ve felt from an in-ear. The way notes linger and rumble and the sensation they provide is akin to a full-sized stereo, limited to your ears and not the entire body of course. Haywyre’s “Sculpted” provides an outstanding example of this the moment the low end drops at 23 seconds. I found texturing to be quite good with notes showing depth and feeling. Impact is solid too giving the Planamic’s low end lots of authority beyond it simply being the most emphasized aspect of it’s sound. Speed of the Planamic’s driver is far from sluggish or clumsy, easily keeping up with balanced armatures in presenting the insanity of Havok’s sophomore thrash metal release, “Time Is Up.” Just to really drive it home, where the Planamic truly specializes is in the feeling of bass, something the vast majority of earphones fall flat on. I have a couple planars in the ADVANCED Alpha and HiFiMan Susvara. When wearing the Susvara, if you lift it off your ears just enough to break seal with your head, sub-bass goes through the roof and you feel waves of bass slapping the sides of your head. While not quite as exaggerated through the Planamic, that the gist of how I experience the bass on this thing. It’s unique and awesome in the proper sense of the word. The mid-range is pretty nice too. That rise from 1K to 4K does a stellar job of pulling vocals and instruments through the bass and with giving the frequency entire range solid clarity. The Planamic didn’t rip my face off with wicked detailing, but it wasn’t muddied or slurred either. There are times where the Planamic’s frequency balance doesn’t help such as on Scroobius Pip’s “The Struggle”. Everything on this track comes across more mellow than it should. Pip’s vocals should pop more. The background vocals are too smooth. The guitar work sounds great and the drumming carries the beat well, but in general it all sounds a little off. On the other, Skrillex’s “Devil’s Den” has effects and synthesized vocals that sit right where the Planamic plays best and as such the pairing of the two is outstanding. If you like Dubstep. In Massdrop’s marketing material, they say that the hybrid planar/dynamic driver gives music a unique timbre. I don’t really know what that’s supposed to mean, but you would think aiming for accurate timbre would be desired. Soooo, to see just how unique the timbre was I pulled out the Master of Timbre itself, JVC’s HA-FXT90. How was the Planamic? Well, a little warmer and thicker but instruments sounded more or less as they should. I certainly found the Planamic’s timbre more accurate than a lot of hybrids which are often lighter and brighter than is ideal. Treble is where I find the Planamic struggling most. Take for example Evil Nine’s “Golden Throne”. In the opening moments there is a high pitched synth line that through the Planamic is barely audible. Run the same track though most other earphones and while still subtle, there’s a good chance you’ll notice it significantly more. The way this earphone is tuned means that some aspects of the track are downplayed significantly more than they should be. In some cases this leads to a neat effect and gives the track a ton of depth to the sound stage where on other earphones it’s much more flat. Those striving for raw accuracy may be infuriated. Flaws in emphasis aside, the quality of the treble itself is actually quite good. It’s well controlled with zero distortion I could detect and is not even remotely fatiguing. You can absolutely crank the volume with this thing and pending the low end doesn’t tire you out, can listen for hours on end. Heck, it even cures The Crystal Method’s “Grace ft. LeAnn Rimes” of it’s painfully shrill and sibilant vocals and sound effects. I found the sound stage on the Planamic to be quite open and spacious, an achievement made more impressive by the lack of treble energy which often exaggerates this area. It comes across deeper than it is wide, but with some quality separation and layering. Again, I refer you to Havok’s works to verify since they can end up a congested mess in the wrong hands. Imaging is smooth and accurate without any dead zones, though the lack of width does make picking out precise instrument locations somewhat of a challenge on especially busy tracks. The Planamic’s bass-forward sound and recessed mid- and upper-treble means this isn’t an earphone that can do everything. When you get a track that plays to it’s strengths it will blow your mind, but other times it lacks energy and falls flat. That inconsistency can be frustrating when it crops up (thankfully not very often in my experience). When it all comes together you’ll have a stupid grin pasted across your face. Plus, that bass presentation is unique and engaging enough by itself to warrant hunting down songs that play it up." My complete thoughts on this earphone; https://thecontraptionist.blog/2018/10/11/massdrop-x-mee-audio-planamic-bring-it/
As a gear minimalist, I can't "afford" to have IEMs/cans with niche tuning. While I avoid all-rounders precisely because they tend to be "meh". I tend to prefer gear that works great with good set of ranges of music types.
Again, to reiterate, I appreciate the honest review.
I'm looking at you nuForce EDC3 *cough, cough*