S4's vs X5's From An Owner of Both

[rich tarno]

I bought the S4's first at a local Best Buy ($80) --- they do not stock the X5 . I was not entirely happy with them, but not completely disappointed, either . They seemed to improve with a little break-in time. I decided to buy the X5's ($150 at Amazon) because I read many good reviews, and also got some prodding from blsamuel, a member of this forum.

Initially, I wasn't blown away by the X5's. They seemed overly bright with very little bass in contrast to the S4's which had muted highs and a muddy type of base. At this point let me state that I have been using both 'phones with two mp3 ploayers, a Cowon and a Sony. As a result of my comparisons, I found out that my two mp3 players have a distinctively different sound. The Sony is much brighter, the Cowon more laid back. It is for this reason that the S4's are a poor match with the Cowon, they sound much better with the Sony. At first, I preferred the X5's with the Cowon, but after a break-in period, they sounded just as good with the Sony.

The break-in seemed to solve the initial overly bright, not enough bass sound of the X5's. Their sound now is lively, clear, and full --- an exciting sound! The S4's, in comparison, seem dull. This is in direct contradiction to the views of many others that have said that the S4's are "fun" ---they're not fun to me. Others might like that kind of sound, but its not for me. In fact, I returned the S4's. Even though I paid twice as much for the X5's, they're worth the extra cost to me.