Did you  say intimate vocals? Yamaha EPH-100. It has a bit upper bass bump, overall bass is not quite textured; a bit treble roll-off. Although my Senheiser IE8 and Monster Copper are better earphones, Yamaha EPH-100 has something special.

Have you considered Customs?

fizz said:

Have you considered Customs?

Click to expand...

If by considered you mean fantasized, then yes :etysmile: I dream of Merlins...

Hmm...looks like it's the MD or the Sony's...I wish I could try the SM3, but something tells me that my Phiatons have destroyed any chance of me being content with BA bass...

Quote:

gilly87 said:

Well from what I've read they are definitely less bassy than the SE215, and are rolled off on both ends, which fails to fix one of my biggest beefs with the 215s and creates a new problem. I'm sure I would enjoy them but I doubt I would really want to rock out with them. If everything else fails, my backup plan is the 535s + Z02.
 


 

Click to expand...

You might like the SM2/SM3s. Their treble is not as prominent as the rest of the spectrum though.
 
Otherwise, look at the MD Tributes.
 
Looking for a jack of all trades? GR07

I've been urged by a fellow trance lover with similar impressions of BA IEMs to try the Yamaha EPH 100. After reading some reviews, I think this is my next IEM. It's not the design I want, but if it delivers the sound, well, that's what matters
 
Those W3s sure were sexy looking though. I will definitely try the SM2/3 V2s if I ever come into a decent amount of money; I really like what I hear about them, and they look great. But after two very mixed experiences with BA IEMs, and what I've heard from the aforementioned fellow trance lover about the SM3, I think I am looking for a slightly safer purchase at the moment. I won't consider my head-fi experience over until I've tried them

Quote:

gilly87 said:

I've been urged by a fellow trance lover with similar impressions of BA IEMs to try the Yamaha EPH 100. After reading some reviews, I think this is my next IEM. It's not the design I want, but if it delivers the sound, well, that's what matters
 

Click to expand...

I'll have the EPH-100 this week, so I'll be able to advise you about it's performance on trance. I'll try to give you an accurate comparison to the GR07 too.

Brilliant! Many thanks in advance, eke.

i realize that you are questioning ba's however i believe you can still order the heir audio 3a's at the introductory price of 350.  you simply cannot beat that for a custom and the quality of the heirs are second to none.  i believe there is also a few reviews on them here. for a universal my vote would be for the gr07 lendmeurears has them for 157 u.s. and some change, i am thinking of picking up another pair
.

Quote:

eke2k6 said:

I'll have the EPH-100 this week, so I'll be able to advise you about it's performance on trance. I'll try to give you an accurate comparison to the GR07 too.

Click to expand...

looking forward to the comparison.

I don't plan on going custom until I can afford the UM Merlins, which likely won't be for a while. I really don't think I could tolerate anything but a dynamic to do bass. I've tried two of the best bass-oriented BA IEMS, Klipsch X10 and Westone 3, and neither impressed me in the low end in terms of relevance to my taste. The treble on the Westones was far beyond anything I've heard to date, in both quality and quantity, and the bass presentation was attractive in its own right, but it just falls short of my threshold for subbass bliss. I loved it for trance and rock, but psytrance and darkstep is my main diet, and the W3s just couldn't deliver what I wanted. The X10 were closer in subbass, but their impact was not what I wanted, and they just can't move air to really make it feel "live." The 3as sound great, but I really just think the bass on BAs is always going to fall short for me, because they just don't move air.
 
Quote:

poimandres said:

i realize that you are questioning ba's however i believe you can still order the heir audio 3a's at the introductory price of 350.  you simply cannot beat that for a custom and the quality of the heirs are second to none.  i believe there is also a few reviews on them here. for a universal my vote would be for the gr07 lendmeurears has them for 157 u.s. and some change, i am thinking of picking up another pair
.

Click to expand...

 

If you want forward and intimate vocals, your best bet would be the RE262s. Look them up under Joker's review if that is your preferred sound signature. The bass is decent, but maybe not as textured as you want it.
 
GR07 and RE262 are at a similar level of technicality, but the RE262 might offer a colored sound that is to your liking.