[naveen]

Hi I'm from India. I want to purchase an IEM, but the problem is there are no demo pieces in my city(HYDERABAD) to check which suits me the most. So please give me some suggestions in finding the right IEM. The maximum i can spend is $100.
 
Based on the following factors can u suggest me which one I can pick as I'm not familiar with Audio Stuff
1.Noise Isolation
2.good sound quality
3.durability
4.Bass should be there as needed, but not too much.
 
 I' have gone through some posts in Head-fi and found out some IEM's
 
Bose ie2
 
Klipsch s4i
 
SoundMagic E10
 
shure se215 
 
sony xba-3
 
Sony MDRXB90EX/BCIN
 
VSONIC VC02
 
I can't find following IEM's in any online site. If u know, please tell me.
 
Brainwavz M1 (can't find in any online site in India)
Xears TD-III v2 (can't find in any online site in India)
rha ma-350 (can't find in any online site in India)
head direct RE0 (can't find in any online site in India)
Sunrise SW-Xcape(can't find in any online site in India)

 

[getclikinagas]

Hey naveen
So, good bass, durable, isolation, max 100$
Sony XB90EX is on the bass heavy side, but it is a well rounded phone. The XBA-3 is slightly above your budget but is one of the best buys off your list. Availability is very low in India.
Also consider the new Sony XBA-H1. (Available on flipkart, ebay.in)
 
The brainwavz M1 is available in india via www.proaudiohome.com
Stay away from Xears. Can only be purchased from germany. Durability issues and a wacky warranty policy.(refer to the Xears thread for more info)
The RE-0 will be too bass shy for you.
 
What kind of music do you listen to? It will allow us to help you better.

 

[naveen]

Hi, thanks for the Information, it really helped me a lot. Just checked the Bose IE2, the sound quality is amazing, liked the bass(just the right amount what I want), noise isolation is not there for IE2's.
I'm not sure what to say about the BASS Factor. But I think it would be helpful to you if I say I need IEM's similar or better than BOSE IE2 with noise isolation. As I mentioned I don't have any of the above mentioned demo pieces in my city

, except BOSE.
 
Sony XBA-H1?? Is it better than Sony XBA-3?? 
 
Sony XBA-3 is available here at around 6500, but I'm not sure about their quality. Is it BEST BUY??? 

 
http://www.flipkart.com/sony-xba-3-in-the-ear-headphone/p/itmdfj8gq9zb39wh
 
How about Klipsch S4i?? I don't like too much bass. Hear they are good at producing BASS??
 
I've seen a lot of good reviews about SoundMagic E10, but not sure about the sound quality (weather they will match to Bose or Klipsch??).
 
As far as i know from the threads, Shure SE215 have durability Problems.
 
Coming to RE-0, I don't like too much bass. They will produce decent amount of bass right???????
 
I didin't have a chance to check the above mentioned IEM's Here 

, So please suggest me to find a good IEM for my ears.
 
If there are any other good options that suits my needs, Please tell me. I can't experiment, coz i got only single chance of getting a decent IEM's right now.
 
I listen pop, techno-house(like alesso, Calvin Harris et.c), rock and some regional music(TELUGU) most of the times.
 
Country, Hip-Hop sometimes.

 

[naveen]

  Hey naveen
So, good bass, durable, isolation, max 100$
Sony XB90EX is on the bass heavy side, but it is a well rounded phone. The XBA-3 is slightly above your budget but is one of the best buys off your list. Availability is very low in India.
Also consider the new Sony XBA-H1. (Available on flipkart, ebay.in)
 
The brainwavz M1 is available in india via www.proaudiohome.com
Stay away from Xears. Can only be purchased from germany. Durability issues and a wacky warranty policy.(refer to the Xears thread for more info)
The RE-0 will be too bass shy for you.
 
What kind of music do you listen to? It will allow us to help you better.

Hi, thanks for the Information, it really helped me a lot. Just checked the Bose IE2 

, the sound quality is amazing, liked the bass(just the right amount what I want), noise isolation is not there in IE2's.
I'm not sure what to say about the BASS Factor. But I think it would be helpful to you if I say I need IEM's similar or better than BOSE IE2 with noise isolation. As I mentioned I don't have any of the above mentioned demo pieces in my city

 except BOSE.
 
Sony XBA-H1?? Is it better than Sony XBA-3?? 
 
Sony XBA-3 is available here at around 6500, but I'm not sure about their quality. Is it BEST BUY??? 

 
http://www.flipkart.com/sony-xba-3-in-the-ear-headphone/p/itmdfj8gq9zb39wh
 
How about Klipsch S4i?? I don't like too much bass. Heard they are good at producing BASS?? 
 
I've seen a lot of good reviews about SoundMagic E10, but not sure about the sound quality (weather they will match to Bose or Klipsch??).
 
As far as i know from the threads, Shure SE215 have durability Problems.
 
Coming to RE-0, I don't like too much bass. They will produce decent amount of bass right???????
 
 
The IEM is for my Smart Phone (Xperia SP). So the Impedance and Sensitivity factors are also important I guess. 
 
I didin't have a chance to check the above mentioned IEM's Here

, So please suggest me to find a good IEM for my ears.
 
If there are any other good options that suits my needs, Please tell me. I can't experiment, coz i got only single chance of getting a decent IEM's right now.
 
I listen pop, techno-house(like alesso, Calvin Harris etc), rock and some regional music(TELUGU) most of the times.
Country, Hip-Hop sometimes.

 

[jolness]

Bose is very expensive for what you get.
Shures tend to have a warmer/thicker sound with rolled of treble.
the klipsch sound nice, 
i would get the XBA series, have heard great things about them lately....
etymotic er4 also is a good buy...

 

[naveen]

  Bose is very expensive for what you get.
Shures tend to have a warmer/thicker sound with rolled of treble.
the klipsch sound nice, 
i would get the XBA series, have heard great things about them lately....
etymotic er4 also is a good buy...

Hi thanks for the Information. I think Etymotic er4 are not available in my region.
 
I know BOSE is very expensive, but there are no other IEM's available for me to test which is best for my ears 

. 
 
I have to buy and try the IEM's which i can't do in my situation.
 
Klipsch sound nice, but I don't like too much bass. Other than that they are perfect.
I do like the XBA series. I have seen some reviews, lets hope some XBA users tells me how they sound like 

.
 
XBA-H1 are also there, need to see how they will perform if I decide to purchase XBA Series.
 
How about SoundMagic E10??? Are they match to Bose and Klipsch in terms of sound quality????

 

 

[jolness]

I have never even heard of the e10, much less actually listened to them.
You could order the etymotic through a member here, or on the for sale threads.
if the klipsch are too bassy, these will be perfect, stuningly accurate and clean crisp sound
cymbals ring, not crash, guitars crunch in that perfect way, and the bass (while not pushed forward) is so 
taught and accurate you can pick out exactly what they are playing.
the xb series is more punchy in the bass also...
even if you cant hear first, thats okay, very rarely, in this do we get to hear what we buy first, 
unless you are lucky enough to have hi fi friends, or a great shop near you (nobody does haha)
i know they retail for over 100, but used i bet you could find some in that range (as long as the owner takes care of them, 
and sends new tips, its not any weeirder than other transactions, and probably less so, 
as larger headphones sit on the head which sweats (unlike the ear)
just some things to think about man!
good luck!

 

[Law336]

how about the sennheisser  CX 300? there not too bad for their price and quality

 

[naveen]

  how about the sennheisser  CX 300? there not too bad for their price and quality

 
 

  I have never even heard of the e10, much less actually listened to them.
You could order the etymotic through a member here, or on the for sale threads.
if the klipsch are too bassy, these will be perfect, stuningly accurate and clean crisp sound
cymbals ring, not crash, guitars crunch in that perfect way, and the bass (while not pushed forward) is so 
taught and accurate you can pick out exactly what they are playing.
the xb series is more punchy in the bass also...
even if you cant hear first, thats okay, very rarely, in this do we get to hear what we buy first, 
unless you are lucky enough to have hi fi friends, or a great shop near you (nobody does haha)
i know they retail for over 100, but used i bet you could find some in that range (as long as the owner takes care of them, 
and sends new tips, its not any weeirder than other transactions, and probably less so, 
as larger headphones sit on the head which sweats (unlike the ear)
just some things to think about man!
good luck!

 Thanks mate for the advice, but I think they are out of my budget. If I have a chance I would love to buy those IEM's

 

[naveen]

  how about the sennheisser  CX 300? there not too bad for their price and quality

I have seen some good reviews about CX300. They are available in INDIA. Do they produce too much BASS???

 

[tquickbrownfox]

Forget Sennheiser CX300/Klipsch S3/4/Bose IE. They are all rip offs. You don't get what you pay for. They're not worth the price.
 
The XBA 3's are good, but they've got a peculiar sound that may not be too like-able. I found the bass texture to be lacking. There was a metallic sound in the treble. Still, very detailed and clear.
 
Go for the Soundmagic E10/E30.
 
Also, you can buy Brainwavz products from proaudiohome.com or pristinenote (both are operated by the same people). They are the official importers of brainwavz iems in India. Furthermore, they've developed India's first competitive IEM - Signature Acoustics C12. Apparently, they're nice and bassy with good texture. From what I hear, they're excellent for the price (~2800 Rs).
 
The Sennheisers/Klipsch/Bose aren't worth it. 
 
Hifinage offers VSonic products in India, they're great too.
 
You can take the leap and go for the XBA-H1, they haven't been reviewed extensively, but impressions are generally positive.
 
 
Personally, I think you should go for Soundmagic E10.
I think that before shelling out cash on IEMs, its important to realize what you like and what you don't like in sound. The E10 is a brilliant entry level IEM that'll give you a good understanding of what kind of sound you find suitable, and it does it at a very low price. You can spend more money on a more expensive IEM only to find out that you didn't like its sound. The E10's are a safe start, and they sound great.
 
If you want some national-pride, go for the Signature Acoustics C12. They're supposed to be nice and worth the money. Apparently, the driver tuning was inspired by the brainwavz IEMs, so thats safe.
Stay away from the CX300. Bloated bass. Bleeds into the rest of the frequency range. 
 
Oh, the Shure SE215's nice, but its too expensive in India, not worth the money.
 
Again, don't concentrate on how much money you're spending. Start out small, learn what you like in sound, and spend more accordingly.
 
Trust me. You can't go wrong with the Soundmagic E10.

 

[naveen]

  Forget Sennheiser CX300/Klipsch S3/4/Bose IE. They are all rip offs. You don't get what you pay for. They're not worth the price.
 
The XBA 3's are good, but they've got a peculiar sound that may not be too like-able. I found the bass texture to be lacking. There was a metallic sound in the treble. Still, very detailed and clear.
 
Go for the Soundmagic E10/E30.
 
Also, you can buy Brainwavz products from proaudiohome.com or pristinenote (both are operated by the same people). They are the official importers of brainwavz iems in India. Furthermore, they've developed India's first competitive IEM - Signature Acoustics C12. Apparently, they're nice and bassy with good texture. From what I hear, they're excellent for the price (~2800 Rs).
 
The Sennheisers/Klipsch/Bose aren't worth it. 
 
Hifinage offers VSonic products in India, they're great too.
 
You can take the leap and go for the XBA-H1, they haven't been reviewed extensively, but impressions are generally positive.
 
 
Personally, I think you should go for Soundmagic E10.
I think that before shelling out cash on IEMs, its important to realize what you like and what you don't like in sound. The E10 is a brilliant entry level IEM that'll give you a good understanding of what kind of sound you find suitable, and it does it at a very low price. You can spend more money on a more expensive IEM only to find out that you didn't like its sound. The E10's are a safe start, and they sound great.
 
If you want some national-pride, go for the Signature Acoustics C12. They're supposed to be nice and worth the money. Apparently, the driver tuning was inspired by the brainwavz IEMs, so thats safe.
Stay away from the CX300. Bloated bass. Bleeds into the rest of the frequency range. 
 
Oh, the Shure SE215's nice, but its too expensive in India, not worth the money.
 
Again, don't concentrate on how much money you're spending. Start out small, learn what you like in sound, and spend more accordingly.
 
Trust me. You can't go wrong with the Soundmagic E10.

Hi, Thanks for the advice

, I will take that. It really helped me a lot in narrowing down my options.
 
I don't want to waste my money on things I don't know.that much
 
Personally I don't like too much bass, just the right amount of BASS would be sufficient and as I travel a lot, I need good Isolation.
 
Can u tell me which is the best IEM that is suitable for me from the below options. I don't have an option to test these IEM's 

 
1. SoundMagic E10.
2. Head-Direct RE-0 (Don't know where I can Purchase these IEM's)..
3. VSonic VC02, GR06.
4. Brainwavz M1, M2. 

 

[abchead]

  Hi, Thanks for the advice

, I will take that. It really helped me a lot in narrowing down my options.
 
I don't want to waste my money on things I don't know.that much
 
Personally I don't like too much bass, just the right amount of BASS would be sufficient and as I travel a lot, I need good Isolation.
 
Can u tell me which is the best IEM that is suitable for me from the below options. I don't have an option to test these IEM's 

 
1. SoundMagic E10.
2. Head-Direct RE-0 (Don't know where I can Purchase these IEM's)..
3. VSonic VC02, GR06.
4. Brainwavz M1, M2. 

 
Have not heard of the other but RE-0 are very good.

 

[naveen]

   
Have not heard of the other but RE-0 are very good.

Yeah I heard RE-0 are good, focuse more on CLARITY than BASS. I don't know where I can get here, can't find in any website in India
 
RE-400's are available, but I think they are too costly in India.
 
If u know where I can get RE-0, Please tell me mate.

 

[naveen]

  Forget Sennheiser CX300/Klipsch S3/4/Bose IE. They are all rip offs. You don't get what you pay for. They're not worth the price.
 
The XBA 3's are good, but they've got a peculiar sound that may not be too like-able. I found the bass texture to be lacking. There was a metallic sound in the treble. Still, very detailed and clear.
 
Go for the Soundmagic E10/E30.
 
Also, you can buy Brainwavz products from proaudiohome.com or pristinenote (both are operated by the same people). They are the official importers of brainwavz iems in India. Furthermore, they've developed India's first competitive IEM - Signature Acoustics C12. Apparently, they're nice and bassy with good texture. From what I hear, they're excellent for the price (~2800 Rs).
 
The Sennheisers/Klipsch/Bose aren't worth it. 
 
Hifinage offers VSonic products in India, they're great too.
 
You can take the leap and go for the XBA-H1, they haven't been reviewed extensively, but impressions are generally positive.
 
 
Personally, I think you should go for Soundmagic E10.
I think that before shelling out cash on IEMs, its important to realize what you like and what you don't like in sound. The E10 is a brilliant entry level IEM that'll give you a good understanding of what kind of sound you find suitable, and it does it at a very low price. You can spend more money on a more expensive IEM only to find out that you didn't like its sound. The E10's are a safe start, and they sound great.
 
If you want some national-pride, go for the Signature Acoustics C12. They're supposed to be nice and worth the money. Apparently, the driver tuning was inspired by the brainwavz IEMs, so thats safe.
Stay away from the CX300. Bloated bass. Bleeds into the rest of the frequency range. 
 
Oh, the Shure SE215's nice, but its too expensive in India, not worth the money.
 
Again, don't concentrate on how much money you're spending. Start out small, learn what you like in sound, and spend more accordingly.
 
Trust me. You can't go wrong with the Soundmagic E10.

Hi, Thanks for the Information
 
I would like to buy XBA-3 IEM after seeing the reviews, but the problem is I'm going to use these with my Phone (Xperia SP).
 
Impedance of XBA-3 is 12 ohm.
 
I'm not sure weather they sound really good with my SP as I don't know the output impedance of my SP.
 
can u help me how to find the output impedance of my Xperia SP. (Stuck at this point).