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Amazing sound quality inexpensive earbuds

I'd like to share my experience with quality earbuds for my Galaxy S3. I read reviews of many headphones looking for something reasonable and when I almost pulled trigger on $150 Yamaha EPH-100 I found this review of LG Quadbeat SE (also known as HSS-F420):

http://en.goldenears.net/15834 (a lot of earbuds reviewed there)

Just look how clean waterfall diagram is. I ordered them from gooddigitalshop.com that is Korean company located in Seoul. I got them within a week and am absolutely amazed with the sound not to mention that they costed me $21 ($29 with shipping). I used Paypal but they also accept credit card. Not only that sound is clean transparent and very, very dynamic with beautiful midrange, but also comfort is great. I ordered second pair for my wife and just got confirmation that it was shipped. Yamaha might be good as well but it is 16ohm - minimum recommended for S3. LG Quadbeat SE is 24 ohm. I also have AKG K271 mkII and this LG earbud is pretty close. Be sure it is SE version since they make another regular Quadbeats. SE version has red logo on the back of each earbud. I hope this might be of use to anybody looking for high quality earbuds.
128x128kijanki
61 responses Add your response
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,200 posts
 
Kijanki,

Sounds similar to 3 pieces included with Klipsch s4.

The widest ones provide the most bass but become uncomfortable over time and tend to slip loose easily with me. BEst sound, not best fit.

The ones I use normally are not as wide and close to those sonically, save a tad of bass, but level is still good and way better than most standard earbuds. They also tend to seal fairly well and stay in my ear better.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki OP
4,428 posts
 
I'm happy guys that you like them. I would hesitate to recommend anything more expensive because of my limited experience and issues of fitting etc.

Thanks to everybody for your response and opinion/evaluation.
mtruong34
34 posts
 
I just posted my impression on head-fi:

I just got the LG Quadbeat Red version this past weekend. I've only burned in for about 10 hours and initial impressions indicate it's very very good for the $25 I paid. The HF is the best thing about these IEM's. Extremely clear, sparkly and non-fatiguing. The mids are not quite as good as the highs but that's just saying they are good and not excellent. Maybe they'll get better with more burn in. Bass is adequate - not boomy but not super tight either and highly dependent on a good fit. Soundstage is OK, not super wide or deep. So far, only listened with the default double flange tips which seem to work fine so far. Will try the others later. Also, the cable is a user-friendly flat design and exhibits some microphonics. As expected, since these are bundled 'phones, they are VERY easy to drive. Other earphones owned are Blox M2C & TM7 and Westone 4.
mtruong34
34 posts
 
OK, I've let the quadbeats burn in about 20 more hours and there is slight improvement in the mid and bass. However, this slight improvement in the individual areas has magnified the overall enjoyment factor. I'm thinking this can be classified as tonal balance. With the excellent highs and mediocre mid and bass out of the box, the music just didn't seem right. Now that everything is more balanced, the musicality has jumped up quite a few notches.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki OP
4,428 posts
 
Mtruong34, I found widest rubbers to expand and clean midrange while smallest rubbers remove most of the bass. Have you tried it?
mtruong34
34 posts
 
I just tried the other 2 sets of tips and for my ears, the default double flange fit and sounded the best by far. The large made the bass very boomy, not tight and controlled at all. The small had no bass and highs were shrill. Doing some more critical listening, I've determined the greatest weakness of these earphones - the soundstage. Soundstage never got better with burn in. The music never extended beyond the width of my head. From the goldenears graphs, the Quads measure VERY well, and I can hear this, but they can't measure soundstage, and this is what I've determined makes the Quads inferior to the great earphones.
jp1208
502 posts
 
Mtruong, which earphones do you like the best that have a more expansive stage?
mtruong34
34 posts
 
My reference IEM is currently Westone 4. My daily use are earbuds called Blox TM7. Both have incredible soundstage. Unfortunately with the TM7, they are always sold out and always so within days of being available. Any earbud from Blox is incredible, again if you can get your hands on a pair.
liquid-smooth
48 posts
 
While ear buds are handy and sound good, doctors are warning us against usage - they are particularly dangerous for our hearing - the big headphones are somewhat better, but still loud speakers are the way to go.

Of course you can't carry them with you, but I just stopped mp3 usage, and I don't really miss it - I rather enjoy this glorious hobby for a long time to come...
kbuzz
214 posts
 
Great sounding , well balanced and not sibilent. Fit is a bit problematic. Does anyone make aftermarket buds for these like comply?
kijanki's avatar
kijanki OP
4,428 posts
 
Kbuzz, fit gets a little better when they get oily from the skin.
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