[blackice89]

Hello. I recently joined because my Sennheiser 271s broke, and I need a new pair of IEMs. I don't plan on spending too much, and my utter maximum is 80 USD or 4000 Php. For my listening profile, I'm into mostly rock (Incubus, Tool, A Perfect Circle), ballads (A Perfect Circle's 3 Libras tops my list of favorite songs; Stairway to Heaven, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You by Led Zeppelin), and chill (Nujabes, Massive Attack) music, but as long as it can get 3 Libras to play nicely, I'll be happy. I listen using my iPod nano 6th gen while commuting, working, and jogging.
 
I'm not an audiophile, and my Sennheisers were great for me. They had a lot of microphonics, which was relieved mostly by threading the wire under my shirt. My main concern is durability though. I get stuck in rain, and it wasn't problematic for my 271s, but I have to fiddle with the base of the connector in order to get sound to come out of both ear pieces, thus necessitating a replacement. Another big thing would be isolation. I use this when commuting, and there are a lot of noisy buses here, so I'd prefer being able to drown them out, without killing my ears.
 
Here's a list of brands that are available to me:
Sennheiser
Jays (A and T)
Nakamichi
MEElectronics (No A161s, but I've come across M6s and M9s)
Audio-Technica
AKG
Aerial7
Brainwavz
H20 audio
TDK
Philipps
Kicker
 
I live in the Philippines, and so far these are the only brands I've been able to find. I actually have a pair of Klipsch S4s, but accidentally bought a fake pair. I'm not sure if I'm using the right term, but the bass is extremely overpowering, and the highs and mids are really weak, resulting in an extremely muddy sound; it's as if I'm listening through a wet blanket or a door. The original S4s are too expensive, so I'd prefer an alternative. They sell for 4500 Php, which is around 90 USD. I'd appreciate any and all suggestions, but would be more appreciative if you limited the brand to the list above. Thanks!

 

[blackice89]

Hi again. I'm kinda disappointed no one responded, but it's no big deal hehe. I got impatient and bought a pair of MEElectronics CC51s
. I really tried looking around for the A151s, but couldn't find it. I managed to find a pair of Brainwavz M1s, and I was stuck choosing between the two. The M1s were cheaper, but I couldn't test them out cause they were sealed with plastic, and the store that had them didn't have a demo unit. I'd just like to thank the community as a whole for helping me find what I hope to be a good pair of IEMs. Special thanks to |JOKER|, whose posts were very informative for me. Feel free to criticize my decision however you want. I'd prefer to know whether or not I made the right choice.

 

[mbamg]

How much did you get them for? You know that you could order direct from MEElec's website.
 
You may find the CC51's overall build to be disappointing, as you said that you were looking for durability. If your ears are small you may have some trouble inserting the CC51's into them.
 
The CC51s are said to have a V-shaped (balanced according to ClieOS) sound signature, which suits the rock genre. The M1 and A151 place more emphasis on the mids and low end.

 

[blackice89]

I go them for around 55.56 USD. I'd have ordered, but I didn't wanna wait, and don't have a credit card. They fit fine. I tried them out before buying them. The mid-sized tips do well isolating me. The large tips put a bit of pressure on my ear, but not in an uncomfortable way, so I think I'll end up using them the most, but right now, I'm using the double-flange tips.
 
The overall build feels sturdy enough; they feel solid and dense, rather than plasticky, and I have a one-year warranty. Your comment worries me that they break easily. If I'm not mistaken, Brainwavz sell rebranded ViSangs, which are Korean. I had a bad experience with Samsung, another Korean brand, in which they couldn't fix my laptop even after 6 months, so I'm a bit hesitant to buy expensive korean products. I don't mean any offense to the Koreans, but my experience with Samsung really pissed me off, so yeah...
 
So, do you think I chose correctly, or should I have gotten another pair? Perhaps the M1s?
 
[UPDATE]
I just read the post about the CC51s build quality, where the people complain about a whole number of problems. I guess I should've gone with the M1.

 

[mbamg]

Quote:

I go them for around 55.56 USD. I'd have ordered, but I didn't wanna wait, and don't have a credit card. They fit fine. I tried them out before buying them. The mid-sized tips do well isolating me. The large tips put a bit of pressure on my ear, but not in an uncomfortable way, so I think I'll end up using them the most, but right now, I'm using the double-flange tips.
 
The overall build feels sturdy enough; they feel solid and dense, rather than plasticky, and I have a one-year warranty. Your comment worries me that they break easily. If I'm not mistaken, Brainwavz sell rebranded ViSangs, which are Korean. I had a bad experience with Samsung, another Korean brand, in which they couldn't fix my laptop even after 6 months, so I'm a bit hesitant to buy expensive korean products. I don't mean any offense to the Koreans, but my experience with Samsung really pissed me off, so yeah...
 
So, do you think I chose correctly, or should I have gotten another pair? Perhaps the M1s?
 
[UPDATE]
I just read the post about the CC51s build quality, where the people complain about a whole number of problems. I guess I should've gone with the M1.

Hmm so you bought it for an acceptable price. I thought ViSang was Chinese. Don't assume that Koreans are "repairing" your laptop. These days multinational conglomerates often outsource labour to other nations/companies. In terms of sound both the CC51 and the A151 (which I have) would be better than the M1. You're better off keeping the CC51s, and if you do encounter problems with the cables, notify MEElec Customer Service, who will probably send you a replacement free of charge.
 

 

[blackice89]

Like I said, I've got nothing against Koreans, and I know for a fact that they aren't the ones repairing my laptop, rather, it's the technician at the local service centre. What really disturbs me was the utterly poor customer service I received from Samsung, and how easily my machine broke. That's what scares me about the M1s: that they'll fail, and I'll be stuck with nothing. Anyway, thank you for letting me know someone was paying attention, and thanks for reassuring me I made an okay choice. Cheers!