What headphones/IEMs do you use to travel on trains/planes? - Page 2

HF5 hands down.  You can keep low listening levels, the others I have all lose their bass, and have to be cranked up to get decent sound.

Hi all
Newbie looking to upgrade IEMs for plane travel (6-15 hour flights)

My source is an iphone or ipad with apple lossless files. No Dac/amp as I want to keep it as portable as possible.

With that said, Is it going to be worth it (will there be a noticeable improvement) to spring for something like the Ety ER4pt or even the UE900 or Westone 4 vs something much less expensive like the HF5, Klipsch x10 or shure se215?

Obviously the noise floor/ isolation is key for appreciating better headphones and I'm guessing that the multi driver IEMs are a little harder to drive. So perhaps without a dac/amp and with better isolation the Etys would actually sound better...?

Separately as great as the Etys are with isolation, im a little worried about long term comfort or sleeping on the plane with them.

I'm willing to spend more if it gets me better listening on the plane, but it seems tough to find the trifecta of isolation, long term comfort and sound quality.

Separately, do customs tend to be better at isolation than universals? I can imagine many upsides to custom, but no idea about isolation.

Lastly, I need in line controls for convenience.

Sorry for the long post and thanks!

All of Ety iems need deep insertion, so it won't be good for long listening. The improvement that you get when switching from se215 to W4 will be noticeable. 

 

I'm using my Fitear TG334 while I'm traveling all the time (Plane or shinkansen). The sound quality is considered one of the best UIEM on the market. It's very comfort for long flight and also good isolation but it might be out of your budget with the 1400$ price tag. 

 

I also owned TF10 and W4R. Both iems are great within their price range. In term of comfort, TF10 is not that great for long listening but W4R is ok.

 

CIEMs usually have a good isolation because it cover all of your outer ear but that level of isolation can be achieved by tip selection for UIEMs as well.

The Isolation on the se215 is very good for me. When I fly with the se215 it blocks out almost all of the airplane noise.

Regular long-haul (10hr plus) flier.  My IEMs of choice are the SE535 LE.  Previously used SE425s.  They are very good with isolation - and best thing is that they are comfortable enough to sleep in as well.

 

Haven't tried the Etys - but can recommend anything from the SExx5 series for comfort and isolation.

I have a pair of Future Sonics M5, although I haven't been listening to music on trains or planes for a while

I use Shure SE530 IEMs with push-to-hear microphone for plane travel.  I brought those along with my new Beyer DT1350, portable supraaural cans with excellent isolation, on an international flight just this weekend.  It was no contest, however.  The SE530's were way more isolating and the bass was hearable whereas the DT1350's were hard to hear above the ambient rumble, even when cranked up and clamped with maximum force against my ears.  But, apart from air travel, the DT1350's are currently my headphones of choice.

 

Before the Shure's, I used Ety ER4 on planes, but they were less comfortable as they applied more pressure to the inside of my ear canals and I couldn't wear them for more than an hour or so without discomfort (probably because my ear canals, particularly the right ear, seem to have a sharp bend, and the Ety IEMs seat further in the ear than the Shure's).

Edited by tobor8man - 1/8/13 at 5:59pm

I used my relatively new Klipsch X10 on a 5+ hour flight from JFK to LAX today, and not only is the X10 really light and comfortable, it isolates very well, all but eliminating the engine and cabin noise with the 'L' double-flange. Its bass emphasis helps block out even more sound, and the ergonomics and sound signature make them so easy to sleep/relax with.

 

When travelling, my personal problems with the X10 such as the microphonics and the (I feel) artificial treble don't bother me - only the good parts of this IEM show. Microphonics don't bother me when I'm sitting down on a plane/train, and with the drone in the background, who's actively hunting for for microdetails and ultra-realistic cymbals anyway?

 

At $85, I'd happily recommend any traveller faced with several-hour-long commutes grab a set from Amazon. They're tiny and fragile, but come with a great case, so use that and you should be fine for long trips.

I use my pair of Westone 1s, they seal really well and block outside noise exceptionally well. Plus their compact shape helps me if I feel like leaning my head against something for a prolonged length of time.