this is a review on beyerdynamic mmx/DTX 102 ie with a |
Joker| stylish text and also some helpful extra comparisons!
let's write:
Brief: low-profile mid-value
MSRP: $79.00
Specs: Driver: dynamic driver | Imp:
23Ω | Sens:
104 dB | Freq:
10-23k Hz | Cable:
1.2m L-plug;
Wear Style:
Over-the-ear – strait down
Accessories (3/5) – Single-flange silicone tips (3 sizes), carrying case, mic/headphone separator ( mmx 102 ie)
Build Quality (3/5) – light, good strain reliefs, no cable cinch, cheap plastic feel, left/right markings got erased within first few weeks.
Isolation (3/5) – these are vented and so the isolation is not specially good , it just isn’t suited for noisy means of transportation
Microphonics (5/5) microphonics are non-existent when wearing them over-ear but in cable down mode you need to attach the clip holder or you would hear the cable brushing against your shirt.
Comfort (3/5) –
they don’t require particularly deep insertion to sound their best and remain quite comfortable even for lengthy listening sessions as a result , nozzle is on the big side so I wouldn’t be surprised if some people get ear discomfort, but I’ve gotten used to them after 6 months of usage , driver flex is present and a slight change in insertion depth causes driver flex to appear or changes the perceived bass hugely so I don’t fiddle with them when I get a “good” fit, fearing one of them would sound bassier than the other!
Sound (7.5/10) – They aren’t Beyerdynamic’s top product and their younger sibling DTX 160 ie has a better overall fidelity and may be more worth your money, if clarity is what matters to you most. They have a balanced sound signature and are rather flat if you don’t insert them deep, cause then they would sound heavy on the bass.
Bass is deep and has a nice slam. It may be the selling point of these consumer-friendly pair! I don’t know if it bleeds into mid range but when inserted shallow it doesn’t bloat a bit and becomes more recessed so even if there was any bass bleed, it becomes zero with non-deep insertion. bass quality and speed -again- are lower than that of DTX 160 ie , but then again at this price point they're good IMHO.
Mids are nice and not very warm nor analytical. They just exist and make the midrange spectrum full without any –as some call it- “wow” factor. Upper mids and lower highs are great, not too forward and not too recessed. Highs are there but some might prefer a little more trebly sparkle. I tend to increase their gain in my Fiio x1’s when I listen to classical music but when listening to bright trance tracks I return them to default. They don’t like amping much and tend to become inaccurate and too coloured with mid to high gain settings.
My favorite aspect of the DTX 102 ie Headphones besides the bass is the presentation. The earphone’s soundstage is wide enough for my taste. DTX 160 ie staggers behind the older more affordable pair in this case, unfortunately tough.
Some tiny comparisons:
(disclaimer: even if I had a perfect ear, because I didn't use proper devices, comparing two headphones without them is always prone to being wrong and so always take them with a grain of salt)
DTX 160 ie (
$134.99 amazon) : I listened to them in a shop and I settled on the 102 ie because it had a flatter sound and was cheaper, While fidelity is very important and DTX 160 ie has better value fidelity wise. DTX 160 ie reminded me of my ATH-m50 ( I know they’re full-size but who cares
) cause they made a fun and clear sound but DTX 102 ies’ reminded me of my Vsonic GR07 classic colour( though no where as clear as GR07s sounded) with their flatter sound signature. I also felt 160's had a narrower head-room meaning you feel instruments are near your ears.
Vsonic gr07 Classic
($99.00 amazon ): at a merely 15-20 bucks more you get a huge amount of improvement in sound and… actually everything! and if Vsonic GR07’s had an authorized retailer and warranty in my country, I wouldn’t have hesitated a second to get them instead of these or DTX 160ie for that matter.
Value(3.5/5): you should have already guessed by now that I don’t really think 80 dollars is a fitting price for Beyerdynamic DTX 102ies ... maybe about 50.
conclusion: I think it was not a bad choice to buy mmx 102 ie's because unlike many earphones in the same price bracket, it has a flat sound signature and a wide sound stage, but if it wasn't for the clearity,entry lvl accesories and a few build quality issues that were mentioned above (also maybe for some, Comfort) I would give them a big thumbs up.
Update: with foam tips
I use "T400 sized" foam tips. the isolation is better but the highs get muffled by them, so I increase them a bit, I also lower the bass a lot because foam tips fully isolate the bass and so it gets bassy this is a picture of my fiio x1's equalizer after inserting foam tips to make the sound sig. flat again!
after inserting foam tips to make the sound sig. flat again!
thank you for reading my review on DTX 102 ie and if you find it close to your experience, click on the Like bellow.
i bought these on amazon on 50% discount. Is there any way to know they are fake?