Help chosing a pair of IEMs for varied music tastes :S?!
Mar 6, 2011 at 3:51 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 11
Astridax

Astridax

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Ok, I know there is a million threads about things like this, but I really can't decide due to my music tests being so, well, varied. 
 
I am looking at some iems around £80 which due to the UK market getting screwed by taxes, you can assume to be $80.
At the moment I have a pair of Beyerdynamics DT770. Which are amazing! I have also listened quite extensively to a pair of Audio Technica ATH700's, which I found clearer in the high's but unfortunately no, I mean absolutely no low end bass, which since they were used for gaming, I regularly found disconcerting.
 
My music tastes have changed since then too.
 
My current music tastes used to be, rock, heavy metal and nothing but.
 
Now probably a small amount of rock and heavy metal.
 
However a great deal of chip tunes and game music. If any of you have played super meat boy I salute you.
Listen to these to get an idea of the sort of music I love at the moment:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eURdUjrhyAs&feature=related
 
And another brilliant track:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlAQ8fdqoFA&feature=related
 
In fact just this whole play list really:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD_9r0wadSs&playnext=1&list=PLA0E019ED37CAA159
 
Note the RETRO levels are purely chip tunes. Nothing else, whereas the others are over layered chip tunes.
 
I also really enjoy piano music, including the piano versions of these songs:
 
http://www.youtube.com/user/Shad0w0nTheSun
 
Check any of this music, especially the Super Meat Boy, World of Goo and Legend of Zelda piano arrangements, he really is a truly brilliant musician.
 
 
By the way if you want to hear true 8bit/16bit chip tunes this is a good example, from Sonic 2, how could It get any better!
With 8bit tunes, think Super Mario and your bang on.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHYzA17rv8w
 
Interestingly enough this is a brilliant song from Super Mario World, the Air Platform theme:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7UqfczyR-4&feature=related
 
 
I also am quite a big fan of funk, slap bass and Motown.
 
A brilliant example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HZtcW3MP1s
 
Here is a great example of funk too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIHrdLwa_y8&feature=related
 
Oh and as far as metal goes, Metallica and Iron maiden practically rule! 
I also enjoy other styles of synth music, anything from the Metroid Prime Trilogy is a true winner!
 
Anyway if you managed to listen to any of those (I didn't expect you to!) You will now understand how varied and sometimes bizarre my music tastes are. Some of you may not even call it music!
 
So I checked these threads:
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/450407/multiple-iem-shootout-v-3
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/478568/multi-iem-review-150-iems-compared-jvc-ha-fx700-fad-fi-ba-ss-1964-t-added-02-27
and 
http://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk/best-in-ear-headphones.html
 
So from the first two links the ones that seemed the best in my price range were the:
Head Direct RE0 and RE Zero, Sunrise SW-Xscape and the Fischer Audio Silver Bullet. These are in order of bass from low to high (left to right)
 
However Hifi headphones suggest the:
 

Phonak Audéo PFE Perfect Bass 012 and the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studio both of which aren't even mentioned in the head-fi threads.

So naturally I am confused as to which pair (if any of these) would give me the best sound for my music.
 
Please help! Cookies and milk for the most helpful answers (this will not be mailed to you from the UK, money may instead be a replacement :D)
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Mar 6, 2011 at 4:24 PM Post #3 of 11
Uh, no. I've never heard of the Meelec's. The lower end Soundmagic PL11's and PL30's are highly rated I believe. I solely based my list on what came the highest for the sound rating in my budget bracket on the second headfi link. In addition I felt like spending a bit more on these as long as they sounded better and lasted longer, hence why I have asked on here and haven't just gone and bought the PL11's which I think a friend of mine is looking at buying, interestingly he loves this sort of music as well. Continually listens to Always remixes from Robot Unicorn Attack XD!
 
Mar 8, 2011 at 12:02 PM Post #6 of 11
Bumptastic! Any opinions before I just go and buy some. I did happen to hear a friend's Sound Magic PL50s today. They were clear, but I found them lacking in bass. However this was a limited test since I don't think I had a good seal with his foam tips and it was only the music on the new Pokemon Black on his DS Lite. Do the Xscapes have significantly better bass extension, or about the same?
 
Mar 8, 2011 at 12:42 PM Post #7 of 11
I've got a pair of the Phonak Perfect Bass and I love them.  Absolutely love them except for one thing, they are tough to drive.  Phonak the company makes hearing aids so they are careful with ears (which seems contradictory to a business plan, you'd think they'd want to ruin hearing!) so the headphones are pretty quiet.  I literally have my Zune HD on 28 out of 30 when other headphones sit around 23-25 (like the Monster Turbines, NuForce 700x).  Obviously its fine, as long as I don't come across an old track that isn't as loud and I have trouble hearing it.  It would be fine if the headphones were just for home use, but I use them at the gym as well.
 
I'll probably end up keeping them, but I've got a pair of Turbines as well (too heavy for the gym) and a pair of Fischer Audio Eternas on the way (can't wait to give these a try).  So I too am looking for the perfect headphone w/ some significant bass.  I'm hearing good things about the brand new Shure SE215 as well...so I'm sure those are next on my list.  :)  Damn this hobby.
 
Mar 8, 2011 at 2:36 PM Post #8 of 11
Interesting to hear you have so many pairs, I assume you can only use one pair at a time, unless you are unfortunately mutated :), so what you do you do with the others?
By the way I may invest in building a portable cmoy amp.
 
Mar 8, 2011 at 2:43 PM Post #9 of 11
Quote:
astridax said:
Interesting to hear you have so many pairs, I assume you can only use one pair at a time, unless you are unfortunately mutated :), so what you do you do with the others?
By the way I may invest in building a portable cmoy amp.
Click to expand...


Ultimately the goal is to have two pairs.  One for gym use and one for home (Turbines win this one for comfort alone).  So I'm trying to find a bass-centric, over the ear style, IEM.  Nothing wrong with trying 3 or 4 out, especially with Amazon's great return policy.  :)
 
 
Mar 9, 2011 at 5:47 PM Post #11 of 11
It looks like the Phonaks have won. Before I buy a couple of pairs to compare can I confirm that the iems in the poll are suitable for my music tastes, if not which other pairs should I check.
 
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