Hi everyone!
 
I'm still recovering from the post-warranty loss of my Shure SE500s. I'm using the regular old Apple earbuds that came with my iPhone 5S. I am fed up with hearing subway noise instead of music. Ideally under 150, really don't want to spend more than 250 - I got the SE500s from overstock or something in 2006 or something for $250 - I can't afford the SE535s at their current price. I will be using these from an iPhone or iPad only to and from work (or in the office). I listen almost exclusively to rock and pop with female vocals - Taylor Swift, Lorde, Paramore, Tegan and Sara, She and Him, HAIM, etc. Some rock with male vocals, some rap, but my focus is on making the music with female vocals sound amazing. If everything were perfect, the ideal IEMs also have an Apple volume control and microphone.
 
I've seen the Etymotic HF3, but these seem to be kind of polarizing and people don't seem to like the sound of them and also say they are uncomfortable...
 
Thanks!

re-262 or re-400.
The re-262 are kind of inefficient and might require an amp. It's also discontinued. So i suggest the re-400 out of the two.
 
re400 vs shure
 
The re400 is flat until 2k, so tonally, it should be amazing for female vocals like the shures. Not to mention their frequency curves look really similar.

I definitely don't want anything that "might require an amp" - I'll be listening more or less exclusively from my iPhone or iPad on the train.
 
I really don't know what those graphs mean at all. What am I looking for? I will look into the RE400s.

RE 400s are amazing with female vocals. Also good isolation. Does benefit from amping but certainly not a must.

sattelight said:

RE 400s are amazing with female vocals. Also good isolation. Does benefit from amping but certainly not a must.

Click to expand...

 
great, i will check them out. thanks!

sodermalm said:

  I definitely don't want anything that "might require an amp" - I'll be listening more or less exclusively from my iPhone or iPad on the train.
 
I really don't know what those graphs mean at all. What am I looking for? I will look into the RE400s.

Click to expand...

 
The frequency response graph are on the top left in the graphs i linked. It just shows you the relative volume of each frequency that the headphone produces. The higher the left end is, the more bass. The right side is the treble, which starts at ~2k Hz.
 
The best phone ive heard for vocals is the audeze lcd2, which is also flat from the bass to 1k hz. The re400 is the same, so tone-wise, it should be awesome for vocals.

b0000 said:

   
The frequency response graph are on the top left in the graphs i linked. It just shows you the relative volume of each frequency that the headphone produces. The higher the left end is, the more bass. The right side is the treble, which starts at ~2k Hz.
 
The best phone ive heard for vocals is the audeze lcd2, which is also flat from the bass to 1k hz. The re400 is the same, so tone-wise, it should be awesome for vocals.

Click to expand...

 
very interesting. thank you again!

Did you call Shure?  They can fix the old one's or get you into 535s for an amount not too much more than what you are talking about (or at least they have in the past).