I found that by fiddling with the tips a bit, I was getting a better insertion angle and better sound.

Insertion angle is critical to IEMs. People tend to focus on seal only without working on the ideal angle for their ear canal. Long ago, I found I could improve pretty much every IEM by getting the angle just right for me. Usually in then upward at a slant for me. I started wearing most straight bore, drop down hanging large housing IEMs over the ear and upside down so I could get just the right angle. Big difference for me.

Insertion angle is critical to IEMs. People tend to focus on seal only without working on the ideal angle for their ear canal. Long ago, I found I could improve pretty much every IEM by getting the angle just right for me. Usually in then upward at a slant for me. I started wearing most straight bore, drop down hanging large housing IEMs over the ear and upside down so I could get just the right angle. Big difference for me.

What a relief!! If anyone says the Angies (or K3003s, for that matter) suck, I now know why.  <---- insert appropriate smiley/emoticon (I expect to get at least an extra 3003 brownie points <---- insert inappropriate smiley/emoticon)

Have just had a good 30-minute A/B session: HD800 vs Angie. Two things stood out on the Angies: Resolution and tonal balance.

Well, what can I say, the Angie's treble and midrange are in a class of their own, to these ears. By contrast, the Senns' mids sound somwwhat recessed and thin—this, along with the fact they're an open-back headphone, makes them have a bigger sense of space—so, the Angie's midrange is clearly not recessed, has thicker note weight and sounds more life-like while not being lush/warm at all.

The treble is extended on the Angies, with plenty of energy, but it just never sounds harsh or strident like the Senns can at times at louder volumes. The wonderful thing about the Angie's treble is that even at moderate volumes the timbral qualities remain excellent, with plenty of very, very convincing sparkle — the UERM's treble sounds a bit smeared in comparison, while the K3003's treble sounds somewhat grainy (something I'd have never thought I'd say about the AKGs...unless directly compared to the Angie's treble, that is, as I've always felt the former's treble, though admittedly rather hot, it remained pretty clean).

Resolution on the Angies is so good that some may perhaps find it a bit much initially. This is not a lean and/or clinical phone. I personally find it very exciting in that, while there's plenty of detail all round, no one frequency seems boosted.

BTW, I had a listen with the Angies. You must be using extremely unresolving gear with the HD800.

As noted before, my rig is: Late 2011 MBP > V200 (with onboard DAC) > HD800.

Now, I didn't say the Angies were necessarily more resolving (using the same gear, of course), but the resolving qualities of the Angies simply stood out for me, particularly in the midrange & treble, where they sounded more convincing and life-like than the Senns — perhaps my perception of a more linear tonal balance and a heavier note weight account for 'my' findings.

What did you make of the Angies?

I personally use the medium sized sillicone tip and I need to get the end of the sound tube of the Angies to touch the concha of my ears to get a secure seal for me. A tiny bit discomfort but mostly no complaints. Purrin what gears did you use to feed the Angies?