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Best isolation-with-comfort under $100 ?

post #1 of 10
6/17/12 at 3:14pm
Thread Starter 

Hi All,

 

    Pretty simple request - want canalphones I can wear in bed to blank out any surrounding noise at night, so it doesnt matter if the level of isolation would be dangerous in traffic. I havent found any of the IEMs I have owned thus far - PL50, RE0, RE262, FA Omega and a couple of Sonys - have been sufficiently comfortable as I sleep on my side. Sonics are a secondary consideration - just need to be able to listen at very low volume and not hear a dog barking, for example. 

 

Tks,

 

estreeter

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post #2 of 10
6/17/12 at 3:25pm

Shure SE215

 

Whilst I haven't owned the 215. I have owned the 315, 425 and currently own the 535 LE.  One of the best isolating IEMs I've ever worn (with the olive tips).  I do quite a bit of international long-haul travel, and the 535s are my go-to for isolation (on a 747), and I have no problems sleeping with them (YMMV).  They fit flush to my ears - so no issues there.

 

The only thing you'll need to get used to is fit.  The molded wire around the ear takes a little getting used to, and they have a shallower insertion from the Shures of old.  I just use the next sized olives up (am normally a medium - so I switched to large).

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post #3 of 10
6/17/12 at 4:03pm
I like my Etymotic MC5s

Under a 100, isolation is excellent, and with the right tips deeply inserted - very comfy.

Jim
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post #4 of 10
6/18/12 at 12:43am
Thread Starter 

Thanks guys - greatly appreciated. Now all I have to do is sit back and wait for Australia Post to get off their fat backsides. Picture 'Newman' from Seinfeld trying to haul a sack into a van, and that's pretty much our postal service .....   very_evil_smiley.gif

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post #5 of 10
6/18/12 at 4:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by estreeter View Post

Thanks guys - greatly appreciated. Now all I have to do is sit back and wait for Australia Post to get off their fat backsides. Picture 'Newman' from Seinfeld trying to haul a sack into a van, and that's pretty much our postal service .....   very_evil_smiley.gif

What did you end up ordering?

 

Thanks, Jim

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post #6 of 10
6/18/12 at 1:28pm
Thread Starter 

MC5 - I've wanted to try a pair of Etys for a long time, but couldnt deal with the 'no bass' rep after my time with the RE0. In this case, isolation is more important and the sound is a bonus, The Shure's have great reviews, but I like the deep insertion aspect of the Etys. 

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post #7 of 10
6/18/12 at 1:35pm
Burn em in good before you make your final judgement.

I have been playin with a set that I got about a week ago.

They have taken it all and made me deaf in the process.

Good stuff, Jim
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post #8 of 10
6/18/12 at 6:06pm
Thread Starter 

Yeah - the reviews I have read arent terribly positive when comparing the MC5 to the 'classic' Ety sound, but as I said its more about the isolation. I'm experimenting with a couple of cheapies while I wait for Aust Post to finish their endless morning tea/lunch/afternoon tea breaks. Still dont know how I can get goodies from China faster than I can from Perth, but that's showbiz. In the meantime, I get to fool around with EQ guilt-free for a week or so - cheapies are OK as long as you accept they all use the same mass-produced drivers and weren't made to last. Come to think of it, neither were my RE0s .....   frown.gif

 

Thanks again for the recommendation. 

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post #9 of 10
6/18/12 at 6:21pm
Oh no estreeter...

I meant that in a good way. They (the MC5s) have taken every musical stress test that I could think of, and are still sounding very good to me.

They are my goto set when I don't want to worry about my ER-4Ps.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy mine.

Cheers, Jim
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post #10 of 10
6/19/12 at 7:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by estreeter View Post

Yeah - the reviews I have read arent terribly positive when comparing the MC5 to the 'classic' Ety sound, but as I said its more about the isolation. I'm experimenting with a couple of cheapies while I wait for Aust Post to finish their endless morning tea/lunch/afternoon tea breaks. Still dont know how I can get goodies from China faster than I can from Perth, but that's showbiz. In the meantime, I get to fool around with EQ guilt-free for a week or so - cheapies are OK as long as you accept they all use the same mass-produced drivers and weren't made to last. Come to think of it, neither were my RE0s .....   frown.gif

 

Thanks again for the recommendation. 


If you A/B them against the HF5 you'll notice the softer, slightly rolled-off treble and slightly less tightly-controlled bass of the MC5. But on its own, the MC5 really sounds quite good, especially at the price. I'd be surprised if you were disappointed in any way.

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