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Looking For The Right Pair Of Shures Or Another Brand...

post #1 of 9
12/29/11 at 9:48pm
Thread Starter 

Hi all,

 

I'm looking for a new pair of in ear headphones. If you read my last post you'll see I was looking for a nice pair of iems that were high in bass. The brand and models I'm looking at will seem contradictory to bassy iems, but I am also looking for a second pair that way I can have the best of both worlds.

 

For my second pair of iems, I'm looking for something extremely comfortable to wear for hours at time. Things like flights to Hawaii (I live in Boston) and car rides to NYC and back. Only problem with some brands is the size of the iem. I'm a guy on the bigger side but I have tiny ear canals that are difficult to find a fit for. The only pair I have ever found a nice fit with was are the MTPGs that I currently own. I use the smallest tips from monster because they fit me the best, as the other tips are too big for my ears.

 

Price isn't too big a concern, however, I'm not into the custom market because I have started to lose weight and still have to keep going so my ears might change in size over time, or so I think...

 

Anyways, I currently own a pair of MTPGs and I also have a pair of Shure se315. The MTPGs are fabulous and work great and the bass response is amazing. The Shures, I cannot speak of because I haven't opened the sealed package yet. They are completely sealed and I was thinking of selling them and going for a higher end model instead of popping them open and trying them out. I know Shure isn't the best choice for thumping and punching bass, but I'm not looking for that. I would like more balance and detail in my music as well as a modest bass response that I can still feel, but not so that it becomes dangerous to listen to for long hours at a time. For example, the volume sweet spot on my iPod touch 4th gen is around 80% give or take a few or four or five volume button clicks from maximum. I don't really have any 256k+ tracks most are between 128-192k bit rate (just throwing this up here in case you guys think that volume level is extreme). So I'm trying to find a pair where I'll have the same loudness but at a lower volume or same volume, that doesn't matter.

 

I want "premium" sound and absolute comfort. I figured why not shoot for a Shure se535 since they get pretty good reviews unless you guys think there are better models with better SQ and clarity for the same price point. Also, is there a different cable I could buy to improve SQ for the iems I'm looking for? Again, my biggest concern is size and how they will fit me. I had UE tf10s for a week and couldn't use them well. They kept falling out of my ears and I was using the smallest tip available. Then I tried Sony MDR EX600 but they were also too big seeing as I used the SS tip and had problems with a fit so I figured it was a no go on the EX1000s. I'm wondering if Westone has what I'm looking for? Unfortunately, It seems I still can't post any pics to show you the tips of my MTPGs that fit me the best.

 

Thanks for your help


Edited by Hiya Buddy - 12/29/11 at 9:51pm
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post #2 of 9
12/29/11 at 10:32pm

Before you get better headphones why not try some 320kbps or FLAC tracks instead? AFAIK you've already spent enough on headphones and the MTPGs are good enough; right now you need to concentrate on improving the other parts of the experience, like the sound source and source file. Also, 80% volume on an iPod Touch is way too high. I usually listen below 30% with my IEMs. If you're turning up the volume because you're missing the clarity that you want from your music, you need to get higher quality tracks.


Edited by mbamg - 12/29/11 at 10:33pm
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post #3 of 9
12/30/11 at 10:28pm

Ive got SE535's with a DHC Symbiote black Cryo cable and IMO the cable made a night and day difference. Your in NY, depending on your budget, id get customs.

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post #4 of 9
12/31/11 at 10:32am
Thread Starter 

@cifani how does that cable work for you?

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post #5 of 9
12/31/11 at 11:14am
Thread Starter 

Thanks!

 

@cifani what does termination mean on the dhc web site? They say 1/4" or 1/8" is recommended. Taking an educated guess, termination to me means the end of the cable where it meets the jack because I figure the jack itself has a standard length/size but the cable end might be of a different size. I'm guessing the longer one will accommodate recessed jacks or an iPhone/iPod in a case or am I totally wrong about this?

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post #6 of 9
12/31/11 at 11:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hiya Buddy View Post

 

@cifani how does that cable work for you?


Im very pleased with it, i truthfully couldn't be happier. I like the bright sound that the cable brings to the Shure's.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hiya Buddy View Post

Thanks!

 

@cifani what does termination mean on the dhc web site? They say 1/4" or 1/8" is recommended. Taking an educated guess, termination to me means the end of the cable where it meets the jack because I figure the jack itself has a standard length/size but the cable end might be of a different size. I'm guessing the longer one will accommodate recessed jacks or an iPhone/iPod in a case or am I totally wrong about this?


Well if you've ever looked at a big amplifier or receiver you will he a headphone jack. Now if you wondered why they the hole is so big it is because higher end headphone have 1/4 connections on them. An iPod would accommodate a 1/8 jack.

 

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post #7 of 9
12/31/11 at 12:45pm
Thread Starter 

I know of the bigger jacks. My piano class in high school traded the beat up acoustics for electric standing pianos not keyboards. Anyway the jack was huge but anybody could use their headphones on the adapters that the teacher provided. So the 1/8" translates to 3.5mm, never thought of that lol

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post #8 of 9
1/7/12 at 10:08am
Thread Starter 

hey guys, its been a week since anyone posted anything lol

 

Anyways, I was looking at Westone 3 vs UM3X. I've read the posts in comparisons, but how does the fit compare from the True Fit 3s to the Universal Fit 3Xs? As I have mentioned before, I have rather small ear canal and trying to get the right fit.

 

I found a great price on amazon, fulfilled by Amazon.com so I can easily get my money back. They go for $320 for the 3Xs, the Westone 3s however are not fulfilled by amazon so I'm iffy about purchasing from them.

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post #9 of 9
1/7/12 at 12:11pm

Please don't post links or discuss file sharing on head-fi.  File sharing is stealing, the artist does not get paid for the hard work they put into an album. 
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by PomPWNius View Post



 Best place to get flac songs ^.^. Sharing is caring!



 

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