Best IEM for heavy metal under 500 dollars?
Nov 26, 2012 at 9:18 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 70

daniel521

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Im currently looking for an IEM primarily for rock and metal. I currently own the sennheiser IE60, but I've been having some problems with it. First, its isolation is really bad, and isolation is one of the main reasons Im getting an IEM. Second, I recently purchased the ultrasone signature pro which I loved, and when I listened to the IE60, it aounded TERRIBLE. Its obvious that an IEM at this price will sound a lot worse than the sig pro, even the JH16 does, but that wasn't the main problem. The main problem was that it sounded lifeless. It just sounded thin, hollow, and it lacked musicality and emotion. So yeah, im mainly getting a new IEM to upgrade the sound.

These are the things I want:

-good isolation, this is very important to me.

-I want to be able to put it on easily, shure IEMs are just so damn annoying to put on.

-I dont want it to be basslight, I want the bass to be at least neutral, and an impactful bass is always a plus

-I dont want the mids to sound distant or hollow. Im perfectly fine with mids being pulled back a bit as long as it doesn't sound distant/hollow and has a good resolution. If its pulled back but is clear sounding (rather than being blurred by the bass).

-Im a bit of a treblehead, I love it when snare drums and cymbals have a lot of impact, so I want a good amount of treble, and I want it to be impactful.

-I want it to have musicality/emotion, I dont want it to sound lifeless after listening to the sig pro.

I want it to be good for rock and heavy metal.


Im being very specific lol, but is there an IEM under $500 that fits my needs?
 
Nov 27, 2012 at 1:25 AM Post #2 of 70
Quote:
Im currently looking for an IEM primarily for rock and metal. I currently own the sennheiser IE60, but I've been having some problems with it. First, its isolation is really bad, and isolation is one of the main reasons Im getting an IEM. Second, I recently purchased the ultrasone signature pro which I loved, and when I listened to the IE60, it aounded TERRIBLE. Its obvious that an IEM at this price will sound a lot worse than the sig pro, even the JH16 does, but that wasn't the main problem. The main problem was that it sounded lifeless. It just sounded thin, hollow, and it lacked musicality and emotion. So yeah, im mainly getting a new IEM to upgrade the sound.
These are the things I want:
-good isolation, this is very important to me.
-I want to be able to put it on easily, shure IEMs are just so damn annoying to put on.
-I dont want it to be basslight, I want the bass to be at least neutral, and an impactful bass is always a plus
-I dont want the mids to sound distant or hollow. Im perfectly fine with mids being pulled back a bit as long as it doesn't sound distant/hollow and has a good resolution. If its pulled back but is clear sounding (rather than being blurred by the bass).
-Im a bit of a treblehead, I love it when snare drums and cymbals have a lot of impact, so I want a good amount of treble, and I want it to be impactful.
-I want it to have musicality/emotion, I dont want it to sound lifeless after listening to the sig pro.
I want it to be good for rock and heavy metal.
Im being very specific lol, but is there an IEM under $500 that fits my needs?

PFE232? Not bass light for sure, good impact. Mids are neutrally placed, against the stronger bass and treble (these have great sparkle and clarity). Transients do good for rock and metal. Very musical IEMs. From what you're describing from the sound, it seems the UE900 might be correlate based on what I read on them. Maybe worth looking into?
 
I love the W4 for metal, but probably not enough treble for you. 
 
Nov 27, 2012 at 2:21 AM Post #3 of 70
Why not go for a Custom? The 1964 Ears V3 fits your budget, or push it little and get the V6
 
Nov 27, 2012 at 3:14 AM Post #5 of 70
PFE232? Not bass light for sure, good impact. Mids are neutrally placed, against the stronger bass and treble (these have great sparkle and clarity). Transients do good for rock and metal. Very musical IEMs. From what you're describing from the sound, it seems the UE900 might be correlate based on what I read on them. Maybe worth looking into?

I love the W4 for metal, but probably not enough treble for you. 


Thanks, I'll look into that one and I'll probably ask in the UE900 thread.
 
Nov 27, 2012 at 3:18 AM Post #6 of 70
UE900 seems appropriate from what I've read too. Maybe Hier Audio 3/4.A?
 
Nov 27, 2012 at 4:31 AM Post #7 of 70
seems like the Heir 4.ai fits the bill perfectly based on what your looking for. I also use mine mainly for rock and metal and they sound great.
bass has a very nice texture and the drums have a very satisfying impact.
 
 
Nov 27, 2012 at 9:52 AM Post #8 of 70
seems like the Heir 4.ai fits the bill perfectly based on what your looking for. I also use mine mainly for rock and metal and they sound great.
bass has a very nice texture and the drums have a very satisfying impact.

 


How good is its isolation? I want it to block the engine noise when Im in a plane.
 
Nov 28, 2012 at 4:02 AM Post #9 of 70
They isolate noise pretty well. I can get a better seal with the heirs compared to my westone um3x. I also use mine mostly in public places, when the music starts playing 
you can hardly hear anything else. 
 
Nov 28, 2012 at 9:27 AM Post #10 of 70
They isolate noise pretty well. I can get a better seal with the heirs compared to my westone um3x. I also use mine mostly in public places, when the music starts playing 
you can hardly hear anything else. 


Are they hard to amp? All I have is a fiio e11, but to be honest I dont want something that wint sound that good because most of the time I will be using it unamped (but I might change my mind about that)
 
Nov 28, 2012 at 10:25 AM Post #11 of 70
The JVC FX700 are very good for these musio and they offers good detailed mids,extended highs and deep reverbng bass with fairly wide soundstage. Other IEMs like Grado GR10 which offers more details and overall crisp, clear with bass for these genres music. Audio Technica ATH-CK100Pro, Sony EX1000, PFE232(sound change with tips, huge advantage) also offers very detailed soundquality and good punchy bass. UE900, Heir Audio 4Ai, SM3, Denon C400 and Sennheiser IE80 are also great buy under this budget.
 
Nov 28, 2012 at 1:06 PM Post #12 of 70
I was actually almost buying the PFE232, but Im afraid its isolation wont be good enough for airplanes and such, is the JVC FX700's isolation better? Another problem is that I mostly plan on using these unamped (sometimes I'll use the fiio e11, but most if the time unamped), so I really want it to sound good unamped. If the JVC FX700 is not easy to amp and doesn't have a good isolation, which IEM will suit me better?
 
Nov 28, 2012 at 1:36 PM Post #13 of 70
I think the SM3 V2 would be the best but they might not have the type of treble you want as its a bit on the warm side yet you still get a ll the detail.  They have mids you'd love along with good bass and a great soundstage and isolation is also very good.  Other than the PFE 232 I can't think of a really good top-tier IEM that has bright treble, well the FX700 but the isolation isn't great because of the open back.  The Heir 3.Ai has everything your looking for except the mids are recessed so you might have to choose one that comes closest to what you want because they might not meet all criterias. 
 
Nov 28, 2012 at 1:45 PM Post #14 of 70
The PFE232 isolate more than FX700 because it sit deeper in the ear and FX700 made for to stay in outer like UE TF10Pro and both has bigger nozels and FX700 still isolate pretty good(more than average inearbuds). If you want more natural wood (slightly) warm tune to the music then FX700 are pretty good( they offers extended highs, deep reverbing bass and detailed mids) and if need to change the sound often and more on detailed side then PFE232 are superb sounding IEMs.
 
Nov 28, 2012 at 4:02 PM Post #15 of 70
Grado GR10. 
 
Good natural bass, beautiful clear mids with zero veil and finally magical treble extension with a lot of sparkle and air. They are very comfortable deep insert IEMs and they isolate OK.
 

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