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Good IEMs for on-stage / live use

post #1 of 23
12/8/09 at 2:07pm
Thread Starter 
I found another thread with a similar request, but there was no final resolution from the author, so I'm posting my own. Here goes...

I'm trying to decide on some good IEMs for myself (and to recommend to others) for use on-stage / live use. Basically, we're going to ditch our monitor wedges for an in-ear system. Because this isn't a "professional" gig, I need some recommendations that are GOOD solutions, but not too pricey.

I guess I'm primarily looking for....
- VERY GOOD sound isolation
- GOOD sound / clarity
- Reasonably priced (say $75 - $125), but closer to $75 is preferable
- Able to be worn over the ear so as to be less noticeable

Thoughts for us? A good friend of mine let me borrow is Shure E3s (now SCL3), and they were quite good in my limited testing. Other than my Sennheiser CX300s and Zune Premium Headphones, though, I don't have much to compare with. I know that there are some much better IEMs out there.

Anyhow, I've been loooking at a few models...
- Etymotic ER-6i
- Shure SCL3
- Westone UM1
- Klipsch S4

Of those, I think I'm leaning toward the Klipsch S4. Is the isolation good enough for that application? What other models should I be looking at and why?

Thanks so much for your help!

Yip
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post #2 of 23
12/8/09 at 2:41pm
the s4 definitely has the worst isolation of the er6i and scl3 but the isolaltion isnt bad im just not sure about live use..ive never used the um1 so i cant tell you the isolation on that.

isolation wise goes er6i>scl3>s4 based on what ive used. since price kinda seems to be the issue er6i probably would be a good choice. the isolation is amazing. it will be hard to find another iem in your price range that can beat their isolation and the clarity is good. also they are really small so it will be hard to notice them.

EDIT: actually the er6i, scl3 and um1 would probably all be good choices. the err6i for reasons above and the scl3 and um1 are stage monitors. will these just be for stage use or will they be going into an mp3 player,computer, etc?
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post #3 of 23
12/8/09 at 3:56pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the insight, Rawrster.

I'm surprised to hear that the Klipsch S4 are worse on isolation. From some reviews I've read, the isolation was supposed to be *very* good. You appear to own some, though, so I guess you'd know. I'm not needing "rock arena"-level sound isolation, as our stage volume will be fairly managed, but without GOOD isolation we'll have to turn the volume up on the IEMs, causing more ear fatigue, less detail, etc..

As for their usage, well.... I'm *primarily* looking for an on-stage solution, but with a full understanding that these will be used for MP3 players as well. I know that I plan on doing that, at least!

For whatever reason, I'm somewhat turned off to the Etymotic ER-6i. I'm not sure why. I guess I've read some negative reviews in the "durability" department. Thoughts?
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post #4 of 23
12/8/09 at 4:04pm
I would consider something as low-profile as possible. The UM1 is pretty small and fits entirely in the ear with the cord looped over and out of the way. The Shure and Ety stick out quite a bit more and would be way more noticeable on stage.
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post #5 of 23
12/8/09 at 5:43pm
oh im not saying the isolation on the s4 is bad. i use them on my commute with nyc bus or subway and for the most part i cant hear much except when the subway tracks grind against the subway. its works in that but its still nothing compared to the shure or etymotic iems. once you owned iems that have those kind of isolation the rest just dont compare. i just had no idea what kind of isolation you needed. if you needed something like "arena isolation" i would probably go with something else but something like if you are playing in a club or something the S4 might work.

in terms of durability i could see why there could be negative reviews. the y split and up the cable is pretty thin. how long they last will depend on how you treat them like any other iem. if you just throw them in your pocket they wont last long regardless of what you buy. if you wrap them up and put them in a case after they are used it will be fine. i had them for a year before i sold it and they were just fine for me. here are some old pics i had of them to let you know what i mean



also since they may also be used for mp3 players you may want to give an idea of what kind of sound you want coming out of them since they are all very different.
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post #6 of 23
12/8/09 at 8:10pm
Thread Starter 
You know, it's funny... you kind of get your brain wrapped around a particular item (in this case, the Klipsch S4) and you *only* want to hear what you want to hear! I need to be a bit more open-minded on this....

Unfortunately, I don't currently know how much isolation I really need. This is a church stage setting, not a club, so it's not insanely loud by any stretch. After we ditch the monitor wedges, we're primarily dealing with the main speakers (which we're behind), people singing in the crowd (not too loud), and some stage volume from the drums, guitar and bass. Of all those items, the monitors wedges have been the loudest, and those won't be an issue any longer. The isolation *does* need to be good enough that the wearer isn't having to really UP the volume to hear themselves. That would be bad.

As for "sound", well.... that's a good question. For me personally, I'm not a huge fan of the "overly bass heavy" type IEMs. I prefer a natural sound with all frequencies present, but nothing obnoxious. From what I've read, the Klipsch S4 IEMs have a very good sound across the board (after burn-in), as do the Etymotic ER6i. The Shure E3 sounded good, in my limited testing. Not sure about the Westone UM1, but I haven't seen much negative about those.

One thing to note, I suppose: the ER6i and the S4 IEMs both seem to be oriented toward being really good headphones (portable media players, etc.), whereas the Shure and the Westone are marketed more toward stage/performer level IEMs. That may ALL be marketing speak, but it is an observation.

Currently, I'm seeing the pricing as...
- Etymotic ER6i = $68 shipped
- Shure SCL3 = $95 shipped
- Klipsch S4 = $80 shipped
- Westone UM1 = $110 shipped (+$20 cashback)

Pricing is pretty reasonable across the board, with the Etymotic and Klipsch being slightly more enticing.

Hmmmm.....
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post #7 of 23
12/8/09 at 8:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by eddiewalker View Post
I would consider something as low-profile as possible. The UM1 is pretty small and fits entirely in the ear with the cord looped over and out of the way. The Shure and Ety stick out quite a bit more and would be way more noticeable on stage.
i doubt the er6i will stick out much. they are insanely small and go in pretty deep in your ear so will be hard to notice unless you are looking for it.
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post #8 of 23
12/9/09 at 12:33am
Thread Starter 
Seems like all of these headphones are able to wrap up and over your ears, which is absolutely suitable. I guess I'm really trying to figure out the isolation on each of these. Seems that I saw the ER-6i at -20db isolation, the S4 was around -16db, and the UM1 at around -25db. Not sure if I saw this right, but could the SCL3 have a -37db isolation? If so, that's crazy.... and maybe the answer to my question.

Any other thoughts, folks?
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post #9 of 23
12/9/09 at 12:47am
where did u get that number on the scl3? no way it has better isolation that the er6i. however based on the prices u showed the scl3 is a bit overpriced..i would not buy them at 95 shipped
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post #10 of 23
12/9/09 at 12:55am
Thread Starter 
Yeah... I can only find those numbers here...

Shure SCL3 | Sweetwater.com

...and nowhere else, so pretty hard to believe them.

You think $95 is overpriced on the SCL3, eh? Sounds like you're pretty convinced that the ER-6i is the ticket for me.
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post #11 of 23
12/9/09 at 1:05am
i got my scl3 for around $30-40 used and wouldnt pay too much more for them.

it depends really on how much u think ur going to be using it outside the stage...its its close to almost all on stage only it would be er6i. however with an mp3 player or such..it would probably be S4 or ER6i depending on preference. S4 I consider more of a fun iem and ER6i more flatter but a lot of people find them to be lacking in the bass department. i think either one are great values.
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post #12 of 23
12/9/09 at 1:43am
Thread Starter 
Good enough. I'll be weighing the ER6i and the S4, then. The two lowest priced units, which is nice since I'm recommending these to some others as well. I noticed that the S4 has a 2-year warranty (vs 1-year for the ER6i).... something I'll need to weigh.

As for usage percentage, well... they'll be used more for MP3s than for on-stage, but they DO need to be an effective/useful on-stage solution. Either one I get, I can certainly return them if they don't suffice.

Thanks for your help!

Yip
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post #13 of 23
1/4/10 at 6:59pm
Thread Starter 
My thoughts and my decision here...

MY TAKE: Klipsch S4 vs Etymotic HF5
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post #14 of 23
1/4/10 at 9:28pm
The UM1 was meant for stage monitoring. The whole UMx series was designed for musicians. Therefore, I recommend the UM1 for your price range. The ER6-i will have better isolation, but by no means should the UM1 be considered unacceptable. Etymotic earphones isolate so well because they go quite deep in the ear, 'deep enough to touch your brains' some might say in comparison to other monitors.
It is not totally marketing speak for the UM1s, as in it does not make any difference for people who just want to use them as everyday IEMs, BUT they were designed with performers in mind.
In the end, any IEM with decent levels of isolation should work for you, it's more about what you want to hear out of them.
One word of caution, Etys are known as analytical IEMs, meaning they really excel at what they do BUT they are very highs oriented, which may leave you wishing for more bass. The bass that is there is good, but for some people it may not be enough.
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post #15 of 23
1/4/10 at 9:36pm
I'm surprised no one has suggested this, but you should find a used pair of ety er4p. They have amazing isolation, better than the er6i, and great clarity. It will hit the upper end of your price range, but I doubt you'll feel the need to upgrade anytime soon.
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