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Looking for a lively IEM with EXCELLENT separation,clarity.. and WIDE soundstage.

post #1 of 19
1/11/12 at 6:57am
Thread Starter 

 

 
Refer to title, budget : 100-300 USD?  ,i'll decide what's best once you guys have laid out the options. xD
 
I am coming from the GR07, which I find to be not having enough clarity/detail to my liking.
 
I recently demoed the UM1,UM2 and UM3X at Jaben and I really liked the sound of the UM1 and UM2,they were very clear, a ltitle forward and had pretty good separation (and soundstage? i cant really remember..)  though I'm not really sure why the UM3X didn't appeal to me.. might have to demo it again someday to be really sure.
 
So after reading a couple of threads on Head Fi 
These are what I'm considering.
 
UM1 (is there any difference between the UM1 ,Team edition and Team Corsa edition?)
 
UM2
 
SM2 
 
Maybe UM3X or SM3 V2? (expensive though.)
 
Please feel free to suggest other options thanks! :)
 
Source would be an ipod touch 4G

Edited by WaLaoEh - 1/11/12 at 10:30am
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post #2 of 19
1/11/12 at 8:39am
Thread Starter 

bump!

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post #3 of 19
1/11/12 at 9:41am
Thread Starter 

help please!

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post #4 of 19
1/11/12 at 9:56am

you really should set a budget because this will help guide users to giving you a reasonable suggestion, however...

 

top universals for overall clarity, definition and detail would probably be: shure se535, westone 4, sony mdr-ex1000, sennheiser IE80, etymotic er4-

 

i cant say ive heard the IE80 however i have heard the IE8 and upon purchasing the EX1000 it was clear the IE8 wasnt portraying nearly as much detail or clarity. IE80 is said to right the IE8's wrongs tho. in regards to all of the above it really is not a question of what gives better detail or clarity because they all boast excellent definition, it really comes down to what kind of signature you are after as most high end earphones sound excellent just different.

 

the shures will boast excellent details in the midrange with a full forceful bass and highs that sound lush yet maybe not extending as far still as one may want.

 

the westone's again will portray brilliant detail across the range if falling a little short of perfection in the midrange, a tad hollow. bass is heavy and overwhelming at times but its a taste preference thing.

 

the sony's are some of the nicest yet laid back phones ive heard, mids are smooth yet beautifully detailed, highs are at times very sharp yet detailing and clarity is at its best here, the bass for me is nigh on perfect, it manages to cater for the song playing, if the song has heavy bass these will deliver but when the song is not made with bass in mind its terrifically laid back and smooth.

 

the etymotics are the daddy of detail and clarity but being a single balanced armature of the not forgotten past it truely shows how limited armature frequency ranges can be, portraying very little bass impact, still epic in its clarity and accuracy. been around a long time and is certainly something to compare the rest of the market to in terms of accuracy and detail.

 

hope that helps.

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post #5 of 19
1/11/12 at 10:07am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jinx20001 View Post

you really should set a budget because this will help guide users to giving you a reasonable suggestion, however...

 

top universals for overall clarity, definition and detail would probably be: shure se535, westone 4, sony mdr-ex1000, sennheiser IE80, etymotic er4-

 

i cant say ive heard the IE80 however i have heard the IE8 and upon purchasing the EX1000 it was clear the IE8 wasnt portraying nearly as much detail or clarity. IE80 is said to right the IE8's wrongs tho. in regards to all of the above it really is not a question of what gives better detail or clarity because they all boast excellent definition, it really comes down to what kind of signature you are after as most high end earphones sound excellent just different.

 

the shures will boast excellent details in the midrange with a full forceful bass and highs that sound lush yet maybe not extending as far still as one may want.

 

the westone's again will portray brilliant detail across the range if falling a little short of perfection in the midrange, a tad hollow. bass is heavy and overwhelming at times but its a taste preference thing.

 

the sony's are some of the nicest yet laid back phones ive heard, mids are smooth yet beautifully detailed, highs are at times very sharp yet detailing and clarity is at its best here, the bass for me is nigh on perfect, it manages to cater for the song playing, if the song has heavy bass these will deliver but when the song is not made with bass in mind its terrifically laid back and smooth.

 

the etymotics are the daddy of detail and clarity but being a single balanced armature of the not forgotten past it truely shows how limited armature frequency ranges can be, portraying very little bass impact, still epic in its clarity and accuracy. been around a long time and is certainly something to compare the rest of the market to in terms of accuracy and detail.

 

hope that helps.


thanks for your detailed reply. :)

I was thinking of getting the Etymotic HF5,it sounded incredibly clear and detailed, but I like over ear designs..so I decided not to go for it.. 

So currently considering UM1/UM2/ or SM2.. I've heard the 535, I just didn't like it,didn't sound clear.

Westone 4 too doesn't sound clear or impressive to me at all either.. maybe it's my ears...

 

Ok,for budget I would say around USD 200?? Highest being USD 300. xD

 

How do the EX600s sound? I've heard they're pretty sibilant and uncomfortable.. 

 

Oh and how are the Westone 1 and Westone 2??? 

 

 


Edited by WaLaoEh - 1/11/12 at 10:09am
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post #6 of 19
1/11/12 at 10:18am

i cant comment on the ex600 however if sony's pricing is anything to go by they dont rate the ex600 as in the same league to be fair. but the signatures are bound to be similar in some respects. the ex1000 are not particularly sibilant to me but the highs can portray sibilance at times with certain music but this could be the music file containing sibilance and the ex1000 delivering what it is given. comfort is not an issue, sure the earphones stick out a little but comfort is top quality for me.

 

sounds to me you dont like bassy IEM's at all, dismissing the se535 and westone 4 tells me this straight away, in that case i would suggest you have a listen to the etymotic er4p, i know that you prefer the over ear fitting phones but hey theres a sacrifice with everything to get what you seriously want. the westone 1 and 2 are ok, but you will always be craving more, however going with a single balanced armature seems like the correct route to take as they will not bloat you with bass and will usually always give great detail and clarity.

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post #7 of 19
1/11/12 at 10:29am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jinx20001 View Post

i cant comment on the ex600 however if sony's pricing is anything to go by they dont rate the ex600 as in the same league to be fair. but the signatures are bound to be similar in some respects. the ex1000 are not particularly sibilant to me but the highs can portray sibilance at times with certain music but this could be the music file containing sibilance and the ex1000 delivering what it is given. comfort is not an issue, sure the earphones stick out a little but comfort is top quality for me.

 

sounds to me you dont like bassy IEM's at all, dismissing the se535 and westone 4 tells me this straight away, in that case i would suggest you have a listen to the etymotic er4p, i know that you prefer the over ear fitting phones but hey theres a sacrifice with everything to get what you seriously want. the westone 1 and 2 are ok, but you will always be craving more, however going with a single balanced armature seems like the correct route to take as they will not bloat you with bass and will usually always give great detail and clarity.



Wow your good! For me as long as I can feel the bass I'm satisfied, I like the bass on the GR07 for example,just about the right amount. :D

hmm..i might have to give the ex600 , w1 and w2 a try for myself i guess..hmmm... er4p.... I'll demo them at Jaben soon. (it's a headphone shop in Singapore which allows you to demo almost everything on sale. xD )

 

Have you tried the UM1 , UM2 or SM2 before??  if so could you giv me a comparison?? :)

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post #8 of 19
1/11/12 at 10:31am
I will recommend the IEMs like PFE232, GR10, Sony EX1000, SM3 V2, CK100Pro and JVC FX700 and they all offers wide soundstage, great details in mids, highs and good bass response.
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post #9 of 19
1/11/12 at 10:36am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZARIM View Post

I will recommend the IEMs like PFE232, GR10, Sony EX1000, SM3 V2, CK100Pro and JVC FX700 and they all offers wide soundstage, great details in mids, highs and good bass response.


 

just edited my budget, 100 USD to 300USD, sorry! xD

 

How much are the JVC FX700s??? Are there any others you would recommend within that price range?? 

How are the UM1 , UM2 and SM2?

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post #10 of 19
1/11/12 at 11:09am

+1 JVC FX700!

 

incredible bass and highs, music seperation is top notch, timbre is top in its class

 

you can snatch it for around 300 on the FS forums

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post #11 of 19
1/11/12 at 11:22am
Thread Starter 

any idea if the TF10 sounds like what i described??

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post #12 of 19
1/11/12 at 11:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by WaLaoEh View Post

any idea if the TF10 sounds like what i described??



Not really: soundstage is not bad but separation is nothing spectacular, especially for a triple BA.

 

For the others: UM3X has exceptional separation but soundstage is average.

 

FX700: better soundstage than UM3X, but separation is a bit lower, although still excellent. Bass and treble on these are unique (your V friend). Probably one of the best all-rounder if you like dynamic sound (coming from the GR07, you should).

 

EPH-100 (Yamaha): separation is exceptional (UM3X-like) and soundstage is good (similar to FX700, but with better spatialization/layering). Another good dynamic all-rounder., more mid-centered than FX700.

 

IE8/IE80: detail and separation are average at best, despite the huge soundstage.

 

 


Edited by tienbasse - 1/11/12 at 1:11pm
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post #13 of 19
1/11/12 at 12:03pm

yeh you should try everything you can if you are given that opportunity as only then you can be sure of what you like, i to would recommend trying the fx700, have not heard them myself yet but they are probably the most highly rated IEM around here right now taking value and quality into account. oh and happy to help thats what we all here for afterall.

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post #14 of 19
1/11/12 at 8:06pm

The FX700 is definitely better than the TF10, but the cost is higher as well.

 

If you have the cash and isolation is not an important factor, then I'd highly recommend them. Awesome treble and spacy, airy soundstage. Like a concert in your head.

 

The TF10s are wide, but the sound can seem like its coming a bit from behind rather than normally left and right. I find the height lacking as well.

 

Personally, I'd try to find the FX700s used because of the cost to import + the hassle of doing so.

 

These aren't your only options of course, simply the only ones I've personally tried of those listed above.

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post #15 of 19
1/11/12 at 9:31pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tienbasse View Post



Not really: soundstage is not bad but separation is nothing spectacular, especially for a triple BA.

 

For the others: UM3X has exceptional separation but soundstage is average.

 

FX700: better soundstage than UM3X, but separation is a bit lower, although still excellent. Bass and treble on these are unique (your V friend). Probably one of the best all-rounder if you like dynamic sound (coming from the GR07, you should).

 

EPH-100 (Yamaha): separation is exceptional (UM3X-like) and soundstage is good (similar to FX700, but with better spatialization/layering). Another good dynamic all-rounder., more mid-centered than FX700.

 

IE8/IE80: detail and separation are average at best, despite the huge soundstage.

 

 

Thanks for the suggestions! but the fx700 requires shipping and it is too expensive for me, eph 100 also requires shipping.

I can only buy IEMs which are available locally in Singapore as im only a student and have no debit card to make online purchases. xD

 

and I am looking for over ear designs,so straight down is a no-go, as i really detest microphonics. :P

Any suggestions? :)

Brands such as sony ,westone , earsonics , vsonic , shure , TDK , AKG, audio technica,etymotic, jays, klipsch ,sennheiser and ultimate ears are available here. xD
 

 


Edited by WaLaoEh - 1/11/12 at 9:35pm
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