[REVIEW] 18 IEM reviewed and compared!!! (Final update NOV 2, 08)

[Aurven]

Great work here! Very informative for someone looking for a new pair of universals!

[ioXt_2]

Thank you for the nice roundup! Always a pleasure to read your thread. Keep it up!

[Jabada]

Originally Posted by ClieOS

The point of providing a pouch / case is to give the protection needed when you are not using the IEM. Soft pouch, though convenient, lacks sufficient protection for delicate device. If you put it in you backpack along with other bigger, heavier things, the IEM won't survive for long.

Same reason with small case. Putting the IEM into the case often require stressing the cable a bit. The smaller the case the more stress you need to apply to the cable. Why use a small, tightly fitting case when you can use a larger case? A small Altiods tin with foam inlay does a better jobs with room to spare.

For all these reason. Shure, UE, AL, and CrossRoads all score higher for providing a functional hard case.

Yes, but once you put a shirt clip on the EX700SL, it won't fit into the nice leather case anymore.

I agree with your point of added protection, but I wouldn't put my USD180+ IEM with heavy things mixed. Also, I don't think you'd do that even with your triple.fi and ending up with dents in the case, or even worse things. Maybe, I just baby too much my gears
So, for my needs, they are just fine. Smaller than I'd like, but fine.
There is the fact they are made of leather. Maybe too pricey to make a bigger one?

Try this with the Sony:

[ClieOS]

Of course. I won't put my IEM anywhere near heavy stuff, but for the purpose of reviewing I must assume people want to use the included case as it intended and will not be as careful as we are.

I put my EX700 in a CrossRoads' hard case. The clip I used isn't easy to put on or remove so I can't use the original case like you do. It really doesn't matter cause I alway keep spare hard case at hand.

[Scott549]

The RE2 sounds like a cheaper and perhaps viable alternative to the super.fi 5 Pro. Has anyone compared the two?

[zeluiz22]

having owned several of these phones, I agree that the Triple.Fi's and the SA6's are at the top of the chain.

However, your "if" regarding the Triple.Fi's, ("if you can get a good fit...") is one of the reasons why I think the SA6's are superior. The TF's are just way too clunky, akward, difficult to fit properly and therefore the SQ suffers measurably. Most frustratingly, they are incompatible with Shure foamies, which could really help matters otherwise.

The SA6's, by contrast, are tiny and light and far easier to fit with sufficient stability that you can walk, run, whatever, and forget that they are on.

Even with a good fit, I still found the SA6's to have a naturalness and musicality that the the Fi's lacked by comparison. For me, "sparkle" is the the word that comes to mind with the SA6's. The TF's lacked some of that, and sounded a little more dull to me.

[tstarn06]

Interesting you should mention fit. I was a confirmed Shure yellow foamie user with the Sleeks (just seemed to fit best), to the point where I sold off any Shure olives I had sitting around. Never really tried them with the SA6s. On a whim, I decided to use a small on the right side and a medium olive on the left (the only two I had in my collection, and my ears are no the same size), and the fit is great, as is the SQ. Don't even feel them, and they are very easy to insert, etc. Can't imagine a more comfortable IEM, even the UMs. I know others had been using the olives with the Sleeks, but now I am a convert as well.

[ClieOS]

Fit is often a very personal problem. I have (in my own opinion) a very standard mid size ear canal which makes fitting a very easy task on almost any kind of IEM. Plus, I have very much get used to the feeling of inserting an IEM into my ear than I seldom get irritated.

TF10 is one of those IEM that won't fit on people with very small ear canal, but if you have ear canal slightly larger than small size, than it will fit. The bigger earpiece is indeed awkward to wear at first, but it isn't something one can not adapt to. Once you spend enough time to get the right fit, it will become easier. I never use flipflop mod on them cause I don't actually feel like the normal wearing style is too bad. The reason I use foam on it is because it takes away the slight treble harshness and makes it sounds overall smooth. It is possible to get a good fit, even your initial experience might not be so great. Of course, it will never be as comfortable as SA6.

SA6 is indeed more musical than TF10, but its strong sonic character means certain music genres will not sound as good on it. If you read the original SA6 thread than you will notice some people don't like how SA6 sounds because of their musical preference, while others really enjoy the sound. SA6's greatest strength (the warm, mid centric sound) can become its weakness if you are looking for a more neutral and balance sound. While TF10 might not have one very strong point like that of SA6, its good performance over all spectrum is what makes it great, thus a higher ranking over SA6.

[fdhfdy]

TFs are good sq IEMs although easily got sealing lost for quite a few users.

Also hate the strong PVC smell of TF10s. Hope UE didn't make them with such smelly material.

[robojack]

Originally Posted by fdhfdy

I hate the strong PVC smell of TF10s

Agreed, my UE SF5P also have that smell, even after half a year of use.

[oicdn]

holy christ...that's an awesome review!!!!

[Brooklyn Hype]

Originally Posted by fdhfdy

Also hate the strong PVC smell of TF10s. Hope UE didn't make them with such smelly material.

I actually like that smell.

Anyway, nice write-up, very informative.

[Kooonsty]

It is a great review, I learned a lot, thanks

[Laokid18]

Thanks! now I know, I need the qJAYS.

[Snacks]

Nice; ty for the time & effort! Makes me want to give IEMs another try.