My XP3 does has the ear-piercing highs period, that's called the break-in period, just ~30 hours and it'll settle down, after that, the changes is not so significant anymore.
My 250+ hours has been reached yesterday, didn't notice anything much right now, and the details still quite analytical, not sure why though, compare to my AT-CK300M which has good detail trailing such as the clinging sound has some tiny good amount of trails, XP3 still lack of that, if that's because of the V shape sounding then I guess I'll have to live with that.

Maybe your cassette player has higher output power? When I reached the 180-hour mark, I auditioned the XP2 and feels the XP2 has higher volume than my XP3, not too sure what happen but it does, good luck with your burn-in.

Not all factory ear-bud suits all people, I use one of my Galaxy Note's stock ear-bud and it fit perfectly but the metal housing does hurt my ear if I tend to use it more than an hour, probably will try the double-flange and see if helps (reduce bass and increase mid-treble).

Yes, the mid and treble sounded better to me by using the double-flange IMHO, though I'm not sure how others feels.

OH MY GOAT!! A friend has deceased (mourning), a sad... very sad day indeed.
Well, it's time to move on, how about this time you try the XP2?

This post has been edited by wildwestgoh: Oct 4 2012, 08:08 AM

I had auditioned the GR02 and took the XP3 instead, the bass is strong on the GR02 but I like something more on the mid and detail so I chose XP3, GR02 is great, but the bass is similar to XP1, way too much unless you're one that like Beats that kind of Bass.
Anyway, XP3 is great (almost 300-hour, yeah babe!) but it seems my ear can't accustom to the huge driver build housing, hurts my ear every time I wear for more than half-an-hour, I have found a way to minimize the stress but it'll still hurts my ear, at least I can now wear longer, probably an hour or slightly more.

Umm, if you does not like deep bass perhaps this is not for you, I have AT-CK300M and the bass is on totally different level, btw I'm using XP3.
FAD Adagio 2 is probably your best bet, but I would really suggest you to audition it yourself, probably seek for unit that's already more than 100-hour+ for much precise and settled sound signature of its true nature.

My 300-hour+ still has room for improvement, 600-hour perhaps?

If you had flip few pages to read those posts then you will notice why Beyerdynamic is making good drivers, and it's so hard to loosen it, a good 300-hour is just the beginning, first 70-hour can't even consider a listening pleasure.
The IEM is bassy at 0-hour, almost spoiled the fun of "virgin" but as you burn-in that sensation will disappear. Which is why I chose XP3 over GR-02.
But if you don't like bassy IEM then like I said again previous page, this IEM might not suits you.

My XP3 is currently settled down quite a few, bass is still remain but way better than the first 70~100-hour. With the included double-flange ear-bud, the bass is much relaxed.

This post has been edited by wildwestgoh: Oct 10 2012, 07:51 AM

Lots of the Beyerdynamic has very long burn-in, just the improvement isn't that noticeable any more after 100-hour+, only if you really notice it using different song/music after few days of burn-in. Need even longer period of gap to really notice the changes.
And the driver is not that huge (2cm), IMO it could be only 11.5 mm at best, could be 8.5 mm?
It's the housing that actually alter how the sounds like, XP3 has the colder metal ticking sound, slightly on the analytical.
SCLG boss also told me that cable also require burn-in, and it'll affect the overall sound stage, well, I won't know until I can reach that level. He did let me audition his 600-hour++ DT231Pro, the sound stage is just so amazing, and it's only RM2xx headphone.

Now I'm going to let it burn-in around 3 days before I have another listen (~9-hour per day)

I myself is using Hippo Cri Cri+, suit my taste as the mid is much forward, not too sure about Govibe Martini but SLCG boss recommend Govibe Minibox AMP for such IEM, I haven really auditioned it for long using that AMP though.
Either way it's all up to you, you'll have to audition them both if you plan to buy.

Hippo CriCri only up to 16/44(48?) while Hippo Cri Cri+ up to 24/96.
If you on the budget then Cri Cri is enough, CriCri+ can delivery better detail for those seeking higher quality in their audio listening.
Hippo does has some features that CriCri+ does not, such as the Gain switch and Bass switch.

Oh darn, sorry for the mistake. I thought it has the USB in (That's charging unit)
I have yet to try Govibe Martini+, but I feels the output might be too high for IEM.
You can also try Govibe Minibox, great little AMP for IEM.

Out topic but I want to know if the CKM55 has same signature and/or quality as the older sibling CKM50?
From many review the CKM55 seems to have degraded in terms of quality from CKM50.
Was looking for the CKM50 but the housing might not suits me, same construction as XP series, bad for my ear on long-hour listening.

This post has been edited by wildwestgoh: Oct 12 2012, 01:33 PM

Yeah, somehow after I auditioned the burn-in XP2, I was slightly regret that I bought XP3... *sigh* oh well~
At least XP3 has good presentation on the instruments sounds stage.
Going to burn-in more to see what will it become.

Add: Found another way to wear comfortably for long hours for this huge housing.
Solution is wear it over-ear, yes there's no mistake here, over-ear, it's even easier to wear over those normal over-ear type.
How? While normally the wire is straight down, now you turn it ~120 degree to the front, then put the wire over-ear, that's it.
The huge housing will face down instead of up, better insertion for those with small ear (like me ) especially wearing the double-flange.
Now, it's even better at handling the annoying microphonics problem, minimize it even further, now I can wear it up to 3 hours and still no pain around the ears.

As requested by Walabies boss~
[attachmentid=3099897]

This post has been edited by wildwestgoh: Oct 14 2012, 04:02 PM

XP2 compared with XP3? If that's the case then probably it's a yes? I wouldn't say it has more bass but rather the focus on which part, XP3 has V shape sounding, while XP2 is much balanced so the amount of bass is slightly on the mid so you feels more bass, XP1 is exceptional case (bass all the way).
Instruments sounds stage is better at XP3, great at differentiate the instruments apart due to its detail nature, slightly analytical due to its housing sounding I guess, more "ting ting" than "ding ding". But because of this the mid sounds laid back, vocal song with lots of heavy instruments will pushes the vocal back but full instruments orchestra will definitely sound really nice.

Still depends on your taste though, some people doesn't like the sound signature of Beyerdynamic.
You'll have to audition it yourself to find out if it's a worth while upgrade, price wise? Definitely, a value for money

You can wear them over-ear and then pull the "cable slider" up to reduce those annoying microphonic.
And they're comfortable that way cause of the reduced weight of wearing them straight down.
Refer to this post (well, it's my post):
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=55318738

Too late? I think he deleted the picture?

+1 Definitely!! Try not to add EQ as it drives away the original intention of the music/song itself.
Nokia N8, not sure about the SQ of the DAC but you can try to compare against Hippo Biscuit at Jaben.

Oh~~ you can, Foobar can do EQ as well, and bypassing windows volume control, but I don't use EQ myself.
Unless you're talking about those EQ provided by those Realtek? Or Windows built-in so called "enhance" (bass boost, loud, etc.).

Directly... from... laptop... eww...
You should get yourself a Hippo CriCri+ or for a starter the Acoustic UD100 (sold here in garage sales), these are recommended DAC for ultimate listening, those SQ produced by those cheap Realtek chips + electrical interference is not good for your IEM.

XP3 after 600 hours, cable burn-in as well.
Now this XP3 is my daily IEM companion.

Next stop probably save up for EPH-100, this one even more poisonous, like Taipan.

You want focus on the vocal or the instruments? If you just need the volume on the instruments then XP3 (V shape), if you focus on all aspect then XP2 (balanced), or if you want those head-shaking-full-range-bass then XP1 (full bass; low to mid bass).
Still unsure? Then you had better take your own source (DAP, Laptop??, DAC, etc.) then test it at Jaben or any Retail (Jaben partners) and pick your choice.