hmm im going to say FX500

also probably the RE-0 but mostly the FX500

Well there's a good point. The Grado's are bright but manage to combine it with a certain warmth.

I'd take bright over sweetness and warmth but would like a bit of each ideally.

Trying to describe a sound you like is really hard.

Dunno, I'm telling him to expand his horizons. He's had a grand total of 1 bright can. He should try something dark with luscious deep warmth now. ;D I'm working off the list of IEMs he listed anyway.

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Mark and I may disagree on this one. The FX500 is not a warm sounding phone. Unlike a Grado it has a recessed mid-range and it also has deep bass presentation. Like some Grado's it has sharp highs. It is also has excellent clarity. All in my opinion.

Yep I do like brightness. To my ears the Grado's get a nice mix of a bright forward psuhy sound but they temper it with a bit of warmth and sweetness. I'd really like that combination if I can get it. My experience has been that its a very pleasant combination to listen to. thats why I used the Sonus Fabers on the Krell Amp. the speakers just temper the brightness and aghgression of the amp so that the sound doesn't become hard and shrill and thus I get a fast forward bright sound which has a touch of warmth and sweetness to just take the harshness off.

Don't just stick with my list of IEM's - if you know of others by all means add them to the fray.

Not that I've heard either but I think you could rule out the REO and the CK10, which have been mentioned in this thread, as these phones are known for their neutral sound signatures. Grado's are coloured, forward sounding and very engaging phones. I'm yet to hear an earphone that reminds me of a Grado.

Does the Grado GR8 sound anything like the full Grado cans?

I've not heard it but from what I've read, it's a Grado in name only. There is at least one thread devoted to it here, maybe you should check it out.

Well one problem is that I don't think there are any IEMs that have that "Grado sound." But you can try for something with similar brightness, but having some warmth and sweetness to them. None of the IEMs in your list qualify, to be honest I don't really have enough experience to nominate something that does. I tend to go for dark, warm-sounding phones with deep bass.

Out of the stuff I've owned the IEM I have that comes closest to what you are looking for is the Super.Fi 3 from Ultimate Ears. But I honestly think it's a little too harsh, not exactly sweet. I think though that your best bet is to go to the Ultimate Ears family. Ultimate Ears is a rock-oriented brand and their IEMs sound great with rock, similar to Grado's. While the sound sig is quite different, UEs tend to have a strong bright presentation. Some models lack warmth though, and it's not exactly Grado sound (lacks sweetness) but it's the best I can think of.

I am going to check out my friend's Triple.Fi 10s this weekend, but maybe you can ask around here about them, a lot of people here have heard the Triple.Fi's. They might be what you are looking for.

You know what, screw the Triple.Fi's. I'll recommend to you the IEMs I always recommend everyone: the Metro.Fi 170s or 220s. These are rather bright IEMs but they have the same warmth and sweetness that the Grado's have. They don't sound exactly like a Grado, but thanks to this thread I did an AB with my SR60 and the Metro.Fi 170 and they sound pretty close. The Metros are just a little heavier and don't quite have the same balance, but I think they do quite a good job of giving that bright presentation with a shot of sweetness and warmth.

They are also pretty cheap so I'd say you're not risking much by trying them out. I would also say that you should also check out the Monster Turbines. I think they have the kind of "crunch" Grado's have and in addition are a bit sweeter than the Metro.Fi's. Cost a lot more, too.

But I think if you don't mind spending about $40 on a low-end IEM that nobody but me seems to appreciate, go try out the Metro.Fi 170's (or spend a little extra for the 220's). I think you will be surprised how well they can hold up.

Well it may not sound like a Grado but I would always recommend the TF10 to anyone who is interested in a detailed, balanced sounding IEM, that offers clarity along with excellent treble and bass extension, impressive instrument separation and a spacious presentation. It's my favourite sounding earphone to date. However, the mids are slightly recessed - unlike a Grado! I guess you can't have everything.

Did some more listening, yeah the Metro's don't exactly replicate the Grado sound. I mean it has the bright sound and the warmth and sweetness, but the low end overpowers the midrange. If you like the Grado's forward presentation and the luscious midrange it's gonna hurt.

The TF10s from what I heard are also kind of mid-recessed as iponderous said, but should be closer to what you need. They're also a lot more expensive, but they are triple drivers after all. Hopefully more people can chime in, I don't have enough experience to really nail the perfect IEM for you.

Hopefully the OP does appreciate that a universal IEM can't sound like an open full-sized can. They're just different animals.

Yeah, IEMs have their benefits but you can't expect them to sound like a full-sized can. There as a time when I went gaga over IEMs but after a while I find myself coming back to full-size.