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Gear Used During Testing: · Shanling M2s · Fiio X3 · Mojo Chord · Schiit Valhalla 2 · Google Pixel 2 · Pro-Ject Carbon Esprit
Other Gear Referenced: · Nu Force EDC IEMs · Shure SE215 IEMs
Playlist Used For Testing Across Devices: · Joanna Newsome – Go Long · Boris – Blackout · Mulatu Astatke – The Way To Nice · Hans Zimmer – No Time For Caution · Ratatat – El Pico · Thelonious Monk – Monk’s Dream · Pavement – Grounded · Earl Scruggs – Flint Hill Special · Between The Buried and Me – Prequel to the Sequel · Future Islands – Seasons (Waiting On You) · The Beatles – Strawberry Fields Forever · Ryan Gustafson – Hard Drugs and Long Relationships · Elliott Smith – Alameda · Om – Thebes · Tom Waits – Dirt In The Ground · Southern Nights – Glen Campbell
Obviously, the audio files I used were higher quality than you’ll get from streaming, but if you wanted to listen to the playlist here is a link: https://8tracks.com/livingspeedbump/audio-gear-testing
So, let me just jump right into the soundscape and overall sound qualities of the EDC3’s. Midrange is king here, and the real shining start of the EDC3s. Unlike so many headphones on the market with a v-shaped sound signature (boosted bass and treble with cut mids), the EDC3s are much more neutral with well-defined and exceptionally smooth mids, giving the EDC3s a very warm sound overall. Vocals are incredibly pleasing and really stand out. To many people that are just used to cheaper consumer headphones (which tend to have the v-shaped sound signature), the EDC3s may require an adjustment period. The bass is present and just slightly boosted, but not exaggerated. Highs are the weakest aspect sonically of the EDC3s, being just airy enough not to get lost in the mix. This definitely isn’t the end of the world, while very clear and present highs are great for some genres and situations, it isn’t ideal for every day listening with multiple devices.
I walk 2 miles to and from work daily, and get a lot of on-the-go listening in. I have the Fiio X3 paired with the Mojo Chord for days I want to use over-ear headphones, and use the Shanling for IEMs, generally. The biggest difference, of course, was due to the Chord, which really helped bring the EDC3s to life.
I tested the EDC3s with my Xbox One controller as well to test the microphone. After a few hours of Rainbow Six and Rocket league my friends said there was no issues with the way I sounded, though the audio wasn’t as clear as they were used to with my Cloud II’s. This was to be expected though. I love having the option of a braided cable, or a cable with the in-line microphone and controls. If I was using my phone for listening on the go, I would absolutely make use of the cable with the in-line mic, but I ended up just using the braided cable. I do wear glasses, and the cable gave me no discomfort.
Overall, the EDC3s are another very solid collaborative offering from Massdrop and Nu Force. They perform well out of their price range and provide a much different experience that many other IEMs in the same price range. If you have any questions feel free to ask me and I will answer to the best of my ability!
Massdrop x NuForce EDC3 In-Ear Monitors
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Massdrop x NuForce EDC3 In-Ear Monitors
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Product Description
Following the success of the Massdrop x NuForce EDC, named The Absolute Sound’s 2017 Earphone of the Year, we’re excited to announce its big brother: the EDC3. This new IEM swaps the original’s single dynamic driver for three balanced armatures per ear, and the lightweight housing is entirely translucent to showcase the drivers within Read More
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keyboard_arrow_downCEE_TEE
3480
Feb 13, 2018
Solid, All-Rounders…
Ryu, Street Fighter
Soldier:76, Overwatch
EDC3, NuForce
Sound Matters All-rounders don’t optimize for one or two areas, but look for overall strength across the range of attributes.
When it comes to sound values, the typical mass market IEM pumps up the bass value and creates a big peak somewhere in the treble.
If it is a smoother transition, we call this tuning “V-shaped” because EQ with sliders looks like this (bass is on the left and treble to the right):
Some music recordings already contain overly boosted bass and sharp glare in the treble. A boosted bass + treble peak tuning usually adds too much and can be fatiguing to listen to over long periods of time.
The alternative is to tune something musical (enjoyable to listen to) but more neutral than the typical mass market IEM. (Bass, mids, and treble in balanced amounts.) Mids seem to get neglected in a lot of mainstream products. So that’s where we started. Then we added treble to give a sense of air, but without being too bright-sounding. Finally, the prototypes went around for bass feedback with a couple different dampers until we got the okay from our community test group.
Balanced armature drivers: One bigger bass driver + two on top for mids/treble
Dampers look like this:
The new EDC3 is a combination of 3 drivers per ear that each handle different sections of the sound, some crossovers to mix sound in the right amounts, and balanced armature technology for drivers that fit into the earpieces. There’s also a mechanical damper (or filter) that we used to tune the final balance. We hope that the Massdrop x NuForce EDC3 is the the well-rounded character that you will be enjoying late into the game…
Ryu, Street Fighter
Soldier:76, Overwatch
EDC3, NuForce
Sound Matters All-rounders don’t optimize for one or two areas, but look for overall strength across the range of attributes.
When it comes to sound values, the typical mass market IEM pumps up the bass value and creates a big peak somewhere in the treble.
If it is a smoother transition, we call this tuning “V-shaped” because EQ with sliders looks like this (bass is on the left and treble to the right):
Some music recordings already contain overly boosted bass and sharp glare in the treble. A boosted bass + treble peak tuning usually adds too much and can be fatiguing to listen to over long periods of time.
The alternative is to tune something musical (enjoyable to listen to) but more neutral than the typical mass market IEM. (Bass, mids, and treble in balanced amounts.) Mids seem to get neglected in a lot of mainstream products. So that’s where we started. Then we added treble to give a sense of air, but without being too bright-sounding. Finally, the prototypes went around for bass feedback with a couple different dampers until we got the okay from our community test group.
Balanced armature drivers: One bigger bass driver + two on top for mids/treble
Dampers look like this:
The new EDC3 is a combination of 3 drivers per ear that each handle different sections of the sound, some crossovers to mix sound in the right amounts, and balanced armature technology for drivers that fit into the earpieces. There’s also a mechanical damper (or filter) that we used to tune the final balance. We hope that the Massdrop x NuForce EDC3 is the the well-rounded character that you will be enjoying late into the game…
FabioRocks
13
Aug 21, 2018
CEE_TEE‘ The new EDC3 is a combination of 3 drivers per ear that each handle different sections of the sound‘
Is it a 3-way cross-over? In the Brent Butterworth review he said It’s a 2-way design, basically the two balanced armatures for mid-highs are wired in Parallel. Can someone confirm? It’s not very clear. Thanks.
Is it a 3-way cross-over? In the Brent Butterworth review he said It’s a 2-way design, basically the two balanced armatures for mid-highs are wired in Parallel. Can someone confirm? It’s not very clear. Thanks.
CEE_TEE
3480
Feb 9, 2019
FabioRocksCorrect, two-way design. The bigger driver handles bass and the other two drivers handle mids/treble together...
sangviro
45
Feb 20, 2018
My thoughts exactly. @shotgunshane commented as if he knew exactly the reasons behind the price difference between the two IEMs. If he wasn't sure to begin with, he shouldn't have have just replied with a direct answer like "Different tuning.". Besides, I was asking @Jyri for answers, not you @shotgunshane.
Gear Used During Testing: · Shanling M2s · Fiio X3 · Mojo Chord · Schiit Valhalla 2 · Google Pixel 2 · Pro-Ject Carbon Esprit
Other Gear Referenced: · Nu Force EDC IEMs · Shure SE215 IEMs
Playlist Used For Testing Across Devices: · Joanna Newsome – Go Long · Boris – Blackout · Mulatu Astatke – The Way To Nice · Hans Zimmer – No Time For Caution · Ratatat – El Pico · Thelonious Monk – Monk’s Dream · Pavement – Grounded · Earl Scruggs – Flint Hill Special · Between The Buried and Me – Prequel to the Sequel · Future Islands – Seasons (Waiting On You) · The Beatles – Strawberry Fields Forever · Ryan Gustafson – Hard Drugs and Long Relationships · Elliott Smith – Alameda · Om – Thebes · Tom Waits – Dirt In The Ground · Southern Nights – Glen Campbell
Obviously, the audio files I used were higher quality than you’ll get from streaming, but if you wanted to listen to the playlist here is a link: https://8tracks.com/livingspeedbump/audio-gear-testing
So, let me just jump right into the soundscape and overall sound qualities of the EDC3’s. Midrange is king here, and the real shining start of the EDC3s. Unlike so many headphones on the market with a v-shaped sound signature (boosted bass and treble with cut mids), the EDC3s are much more neutral with well-defined and exceptionally smooth mids, giving the EDC3s a very warm sound overall. Vocals are incredibly pleasing and really stand out. To many people that are just used to cheaper consumer headphones (which tend to have the v-shaped sound signature), the EDC3s may require an adjustment period. The bass is present and just slightly boosted, but not exaggerated. Highs are the weakest aspect sonically of the EDC3s, being just airy enough not to get lost in the mix. This definitely isn’t the end of the world, while very clear and present highs are great for some genres and situations, it isn’t ideal for every day listening with multiple devices.
I walk 2 miles to and from work daily, and get a lot of on-the-go listening in. I have the Fiio X3 paired with the Mojo Chord for days I want to use over-ear headphones, and use the Shanling for IEMs, generally. The biggest difference, of course, was due to the Chord, which really helped bring the EDC3s to life.
I tested the EDC3s with my Xbox One controller as well to test the microphone. After a few hours of Rainbow Six and Rocket league my friends said there was no issues with the way I sounded, though the audio wasn’t as clear as they were used to with my Cloud II’s. This was to be expected though. I love having the option of a braided cable, or a cable with the in-line microphone and controls. If I was using my phone for listening on the go, I would absolutely make use of the cable with the in-line mic, but I ended up just using the braided cable. I do wear glasses, and the cable gave me no discomfort.
Overall, the EDC3s are another very solid collaborative offering from Massdrop and Nu Force. They perform well out of their price range and provide a much different experience that many other IEMs in the same price range. If you have any questions feel free to ask me and I will answer to the best of my ability!
gemmoglock
63
Mar 31, 2018
livingspeedbumpThanks! Any comparisons/similarities with other earphones? I'm cross shopping these, the Primo 8s, UE900s and Brainwavz B400. Use a Pinnacle P1/PX currently and enjoyed a HD600 demo if that helps :)
aka_cucumbers
1
May 13, 2018
Can you compare these to the Etymotic ER3(XR/SE) or ER4(XR/SE)? Or any other Etys? Thanks.
Jfkreloaded
14
Apr 25, 2018
I've just received these headphones, and there's a irritating hum behind the tunes. I've checked the cabling, connections, and have swapped the wires. I've also tested it across multiple platforms and against other earbuds. These, unfortunately, have the hum persist no matter what I play. I'm sure these headphones sound great when they actually work (not to mention the bass is severely lacking), but I would recommend against purchasing Massdrop made products until they improve their quality control. I usually love Massdrop, but I'm disappointed by the execution of their self made products.
Captain_Nemo
10
May 4, 2018
Thank you, I really appreciate you proposal to change it just in case.
Before leaving previous comment I tried to switch channels through equalizer but the noise stayed in the right. So, I decided that the problem is with the earphones. After your reply I tried a couple of other earphones with the same result. I agree that the problem is not with your earphones.
In sum, they are really good for the money - they are more spacious than westone 4 and NuForce seems to be very cooperative company - recommended.
Before leaving previous comment I tried to switch channels through equalizer but the noise stayed in the right. So, I decided that the problem is with the earphones. After your reply I tried a couple of other earphones with the same result. I agree that the problem is not with your earphones.
In sum, they are really good for the money - they are more spacious than westone 4 and NuForce seems to be very cooperative company - recommended.
zeeke
0
Dec 19, 2019
I am having a buzzing in one earphone at a certain frequencies, is there a way to fix this?
Varholiaglimp
939
Mar 15, 2018
I'm interested in the EDC3s, but will they sound better than the corpse of my late uncle? I realize that IEMs will be more portable than Uncle Antonio on subway rides, but how will the signature differ? I listen primarily to Mexican funeral marches and my favorite band is Wolves of the Sierra. Can anyone help?
DoHi
53
Mar 16, 2018
VarholiaglimpNot too sure about the sound, never heard your uncle Antonio.
Educated guess though... They will smell immeasurably better.
Unless they smell more 'Weekend at Bernie's" than the OG EDC... Then all bets are off.
jaydunndiddit
3262
May 9, 2018
I would say typically, no, it is not needed. But, it can depend on specific driver types i.e. beryllium. Technically, all speakers are "broken-in" from the factory before being placed in their housing so it should not be needed except in those rare one-off scenarios that use some sort of exotic, stiff diaphragm. Of course, that could be marketing fluff as the only manufacturer I can think of that documents this process in their manuals is Focal.
Sethkot
4
Feb 27, 2018
I am quite new to iems but I am aware that there are more iems that use mmcx cables than 2 pin cable connectors. Since EDC3 has a 2 pin cable connector, would it be difficult to find a replacement cable? Since the market for 2 pin cables are smaller, would it mean that there are fewer options for us to upgrade after we bought EDC3?
I was also recently looking at Fiio's F9 iem, they cost a bit more than EDC3 at around $138(£99) compared to the ED3's $99(£70).. does anybody have any experience with the Fiio F9 and could offer any advice? How would EDC3 compare to the SE215?
Please do correct me if I am wrong, still sort of a newbie in this field.. thanks!
I was also recently looking at Fiio's F9 iem, they cost a bit more than EDC3 at around $138(£99) compared to the ED3's $99(£70).. does anybody have any experience with the Fiio F9 and could offer any advice? How would EDC3 compare to the SE215?
Please do correct me if I am wrong, still sort of a newbie in this field.. thanks!
helmut_perchu
1
May 10, 2018
Hi :-) I will receive sonner as I expected my item and I wonder I could change the cable for a balanced one? I will plug it into a hiby r3 2,5mmm output balanced.
Do you have any some links to purchase this kind of cables suited for the edc3?
Thank you
Do you have any some links to purchase this kind of cables suited for the edc3?
Thank you
Jyri
818
Nuforce
Apr 17, 2018
I am pleased to announce that Massdrop X NuForce EDC3 has won the Reviewer´s Choice award from SoundStage Experience! The reviewer, Brent Butterworth, is an industry legend and known for his detailed writing, knowledge and professionalism. Even if you are not interested to purchase the EDC3, this review is worth reading!
Brent also took measurements, which are linked on the review.
"The Massdrop x NuForce EDC3s delivered the best sound I’ve heard for under $100 -- not just from earphones, but from any audio product I can think of."
https://www.soundstagexperience.com/index.php/equipment-menu/864-massdrop-x-nuforce-edc3-earphones
- Jyri/NuForce
"The Massdrop x NuForce EDC3s delivered the best sound I’ve heard for under $100 -- not just from earphones, but from any audio product I can think of."
https://www.soundstagexperience.com/index.php/equipment-menu/864-massdrop-x-nuforce-edc3-earphones
- Jyri/NuForce
jaydunndiddit
3262
Jul 11, 2018
Yes, those are the correct ones. A little tip: when they start to lose shape, flip the flanges inside out and they should return to normal shape after a while. When they stop doing that that means it's time for a fresh pair.
jaydunndiddit
3262
Apr 18, 2018
Just got my pair and upon first listen, they are not bad at all. As intended, they are very neutral. A very easy-going sound; no odd spikes anywhere. Just super laid back and enjoyable. Will update once I get some more ear time with them.
jaydunndiddit
3262
Apr 23, 2018
Also, I should note the PX has an impedance of 50 ohms compared to the much more sensitive EDC3 at 16 ohms. The PX really does sound better out of an amped source but the EDC3 sounded great from pretty much anything I used it with, including my phone. I used my iFi iDSD BL for both, same as the Noble X (which is also pretty sensitive) since it has an output impedance under 1 ohm to make sure everything was hiss-free.
Havnor
3
Apr 23, 2018
jaydunndidditThanks so much for the comparison, you pretty much covered everything. I ordered the PX yesterday, I am currently using M6 Pro so its a direct upgrade from my side. I was looking for sound signature/stage which is similar to my HD650's. M6 Pro was a disappointment with lack of bass and disoriented highs with sibilance which makes it fatiguing. EDC3 looks promising, I might actually order it too, after I receive the PX. But according to P1 reviews, PX might be the IEM for me.
xcmike
3
May 12, 2018
Where can I get a replacement inline mic cable for the EDC3? I accidentally snapped it the other day...
idaw
2
Jun 18, 2018
Hi Jyri,
I was just wondering what the quality difference is between these two cables. And how does the mic cable produce a warmer sound and more bass? What do you think would be the best choice for sound quality overall? Does the mic cable make it sound more muddy and less clear?
Thanks!
I was just wondering what the quality difference is between these two cables. And how does the mic cable produce a warmer sound and more bass? What do you think would be the best choice for sound quality overall? Does the mic cable make it sound more muddy and less clear?
Thanks!
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