[nonns]

I'm well aware that you wont get exactly the same sound through an IEM as you would through a full size can. It would be nice to get better than the e3c's which as I say sound a bit dead

 

[nonns]

Thanks to those who took the time to respond. The input was much appreciated.

 

[Mochan]

Have you decided on an IEM yet nonns?

 

[semisight]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mochan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you decided on an IEM yet nonns?

Yeah, tell us what you've decided on, I'm curious to know whether it can reach your standards

.

If you're still trying to decide last minute, I would actually recommend against the RE0. As much as I love mine, you won't find the mids forward enough and they won't be sufficiently "fun" for you after hearing Grados.

 

[nonns]

Still not entirely sure but as no answers seem definitive I think I might have to bite the bullet and plonk some cash out and gamble. Right now the front runners seem to be the UE10's or the Grado GR8's (I read a couple of reviews saying they were quite forward and fun to listen to even if they don't sound like the Grado Full size cans. Let's face it all the IEM's at the GBP £200-£350 price point should be pretty good and pretty much of a muchness. It's likely that the sound differences will be more due to taste than quality anyway. Reviews suggest that the Sennheisers might be a bit too lush/warm for my liking. The westones seem to get patchy reviews. Either the reviews gush or people hate them. The Shure's get a very high average and seem the most popular but the rollofs worry me a bit and there are comments about them not being engaging enough - something the shure e3c's are also bad at. The Klipsch get good reviews but something holds me back. The JVC with wooden bits (can't remeber the model number) is reviewed as beign too warm and a bit muddled (in the reviews I've seen). The monster turbine pro's (gold) reviews seem very good but I've seen no reviews on the coppers and thus am not sure. I'm not a bass head so I thik the coppers might be more appropriate but I can't work out whether the people who like them have heard any of the other top end IEM's. There's enough negative comments to make me think twice.

Anyway the TF10's and the Grado GR8's seem to be the ones that would be most appropriate. I'm currently veerign towards the TF10's cos there's little comment on the GR8's and the triple drivers attract me (they're alos a bit cheaper). The only thing that really worries me about them is the earpiece size - people seem to suggest that its like trying to shove a full size can into your ear! I have struggled with the right size for the e3c's.

What say you on my decision. Dull I know

 

[iponderous]

The TF10 is a great sounding universal earphone in my opinion. However, its main drawback is fit. If you have petite ears, you may find it problematic. Again, it shares little in common with Grado's but I find it to be a very engaging phone for different reasons. I'm not sure which Sennheiser earphone you read up on but the IE8 is another engaging listen. It's very headphone-like in its presentation but its a relaxed rather than an up-front sounding phone. It has a remarkably large soundstage for an earphone. However, it is warm and its sound signature is bass dominant. This was very apparent to me when I listened to it last night for the first time in quite a while.

 

[nonns]

it was the ie8's and my reasons for deciding against it were precisely those you mention though I've inferred its audio qualities from reviews and comments rather than from 1st hand experience. Relaxing warm and bass dominant is not necessarily the same as bright with warm tinges forward and engaging with tight fast but not overwhelming base.

Like I say I'm not sure if I have small ears. I need to find out. I dare say that through judicious use of a large drill bit one might modify ones skull but that probably takes head fi to ridicuolous extremes. Any suggestions for apprpriate earpieces which might help small eared people with the TF10's?

 

[semisight]

You could get some small complys if your ears are too small, or you could just go custom.

 

[iponderous]

I don't find the bass of the IE8 to be overwhelming but it is dominant within its sound signature in my opinion. However, it also has qualities that I find attractive, such as its musicality, which is difficult to define. It has a natural presentation with excellent treble extension, and mids that aren't recessed, nor are they forward. It's a dynamic driver phone and it is detailed, but it presents them differently to its balanced armature counterparts. Where they separate, the IE8 blends but it is no less detailed than say the SE530 to my ears. It really is the most headphone-like earphone that I have heard.

The TF10 comes with tips in S, M and L sizes but it's a large earphone with a relatively large aperture. Even the smallest tips can be too big for some people's ears.

 

[nonns]

I wonder if I need to talk to whoever I buy from and see if they'll accept returns should it prove too big for my lugs

 

[ZARIM]

The budget is enough to buy any universal IEMs and i will recommend Klipsch Custom 3, it's bright, forward, warm and has tight, fast, rich low end. Another IEMs which will fit UM3x and W3 both are clear, bright, forward and very detailed.
BTW you can also buy Custom UM Mage which are very detailed, bright, forward and has tight lowend( please read the review here).

 

[iponderous]

^ I have to disagree with your description of the UM3X. I would not describe it as bright. I found it to have a "leaden" sound signature. Even though its treble extends a smidge further than the SE530's, I would describe the SE530 as having the brighter sound signature overall. I couldn't imagine the UM3X, which I found to be rather lifeless, appealing to a Grado fan. If the OP was seriously considering the UM3X, then I would recommend the SE530 over it, which to my ears is the more engaging phone.

This contradicts my first post but having spent some time with the SE530 the other night, I wouldn't rule it out. Like a Grado, it has liquid mids and tight bass. Sure the treble is ever so slightly rolled-off, but it does have treble energy. It just lacks some of the treble extension and detail that the TF10 and IE8 offer. Its overall presentation is more forward than either the TF10 or the IE8 as I hear it. Musically, the SE530 is a great all rounder and still holds its own against the newer offerings (I understand that Shure has a new version in the works). It also provides excellent noise attenuation, which makes it a great choice for commuting and I find it easy to drive from my ipod touch. Plus its price has come down significantly.