[moppy89]

Hey, I'm looking to get some new earphones after my Klipsch Custom 2s gave out on me (after just one year!) and since I'm getting a full refund on them, I wanted to try something else that hopefully will last longer.  I've been looking around and found that the current one to get is the Image S4, but I've also heard some pretty ravey reviews about the PL-50.  My concern with the PL-50 is that it only comes with a one year warranty as opposed to Klipschs 2 year warranty and from my experience with earphones, the longer the better.  Does anyone have any experience with the durability of the PL-50s?  I do take decent care of my earphones so I like them to stick around for a while, especially when I'm paying around £60 for them.
 
Some other headphones I was considering were: Shure Se102, SE115, Philips SHE9850/00 (Again only one year warranty) and the Etymotic MC5, but I've heard about reliability issues with Etys so not too keen on them.
 
I listen to a wide assortment of stuff, mostly acoustic, jazz, some rock and ocassionaly dabble in hip hop.
 
Any suggestions you guys would like to add before I put some money down on some Image S4s?

 

[mark2410]

PL-50 are gorgeous sounding.
 
she9850 are not bad but really of all you mention that ive heard the PL-50 can give give them all a good bitch slapping with one hand tied behind its back.  avoid the S4 and MC5

 

[moppy89]

Quote:

PL-50 are gorgeous sounding.
 
she9850 are not bad but really of all you mention that ive heard the PL-50 can give give them all a good bitch slapping with one hand tied behind its back.  avoid the S4 and MC5

Thanks for the response, I really do want to go for the PL-50s but its just the one year warranty   From a chinese company too..I've heard so much good things about the S4 though, why do you advise against it?
 
Also, as a derailment of my own thread, what full size cans would you guys recommend for a budget of £25-£30?  I used to own a pair of HD201s which I adored, but they broke, was thinking about going for the HD202s this time around.  Can I do any better?

 

[mark2410]

Quote:

Quote:

PL-50 are gorgeous sounding.
 
she9850 are not bad but really of all you mention that ive heard the PL-50 can give give them all a good bitch slapping with one hand tied behind its back.  avoid the S4 and MC5

Thanks for the response, I really do want to go for the PL-50s but its just the one year warranty   From a chinese company too..I've heard so much good things about the S4 though, why do you advise against it?
 
Also, as a derailment of my own thread, what full size cans would you guys recommend for a budget of £25-£30?  I used to own a pair of HD201s which I adored, but they broke, was thinking about going for the HD202s this time around.  Can I do any better?

because ive heard it.  its all bass and some indelicate treble.  i wouldnt worry about the warrenty, its got a really nice cable on it, way better than the KC2.
 

 

[JJBug]

The S4 and PL50 are very different. I have both and sometimes I listen to one, some weeks the other. My S4s did get much better with some hours on them. My PL50s  were good out of the box - but very different sounding. Hard to compare as they are so very different. Do what I did and get both (along with the M9s, M6s, 300 IIs etc). Once you start .... Side note my new HD 428s are fantastic for mid price Sennheisers.
 
The PL30s might fit the bill for you - more bass than the PL50 buy not as much as the S4. Excellent soundstage for the price. I've had mine for a long time - they may be the oldest IEMs I have.

 

[moppy89]

Haha would that I could, I can't afford to get two IEMs when Im in need of IEMs and cans.  I guess I will get the PL 50 then...another option I was considering was the Shure SE115, comes with foam inserts, its Shure and has a 2 year warranty and apparently is a good pair of IEMs.  Thoughts?
 
Ooh I do like the look of those 428s, but my budget was more along Sennheiser 205 levels (around £25)

 

[lebomb]

moppy89, why dont you just go to Bestbuy, purchase and listen to the S4s.  If they arent to your liking, they have a great return policy.
 
One thing that about IEMs that many do not get............the sound is subjective period.  What one IEM a person thinks sounds amazing, sounds like crap to the next.  I would let my own ears judge personally.  Good luck.

 

[roychan11]

I'm reading on the klipsch as well, so how do you all describe the bass of the klipsch? 

 

[lebomb]

Quote:

I'm reading on the klipsch as well, so how do you all describe the bass of the klipsch? 

 
To me?  Powerful, but not overbearing.  But, as I said before, its subjective.  I listen to mainly R&B, Jazz and Hip-Hop...........neutral sounding IEMs will not work for me what so ever.  I need a more bass heavy, strong highs IEM.  That is why I like the S4s. 

 

[moppy89]

Quote:

moppy89, why dont you just go to Bestbuy, purchase and listen to the S4s.  If they arent to your liking, they have a great return policy.
 
One thing that about IEMs that many do not get............the sound is subjective period.  What one IEM a person thinks sounds amazing, sounds like crap to the next.  I would let my own ears judge personally.  Good luck.

Don't have Best Buys in the UK   Hell the only one of those earphones I could find in the shops is the Shure SE102, everything else I have to find online.
 
I think I'm gonna go with the PL-50s, warranty be damned.  I dont need that much bass, I dont listen to music with much bass in it anyway.

 

[mythless]

I had both, but I kept the PL-50 and returned the S4.  Even though I sold PL-50 to fund new toys, I prefered the smoother sound of the PL-50 over the harshness of the S4.

 

[lebomb]

 
Quote:

Quote:

moppy89, why dont you just go to Bestbuy, purchase and listen to the S4s.  If they arent to your liking, they have a great return policy.
 
One thing that about IEMs that many do not get............the sound is subjective period.  What one IEM a person thinks sounds amazing, sounds like crap to the next.  I would let my own ears judge personally.  Good luck.

Don't have Best Buys in the UK   Hell the only one of those earphones I could find in the shops is the Shure SE102, everything else I have to find online.
 
I think I'm gonna go with the PL-50s, warranty be damned.  I dont need that much bass, I dont listen to music with much bass in it anyway.

Oh, didnt realize where you were located.  Yeah, sounds like you are making a good choice. 

 

[Soundshot13]

both of this earphones sounded different, although quite similar, the PL-50 will give you more clear and detailed mids and high tones and good voice presentation, the only thing that this thing weakness was its mid-low tones as the snare drums and tom toms are quite tin in presentation, which the s4 has advantage but in terms in highs and mids the PL-50 has an advantage, for me, i'll choose the PL-50 because it is more bang for the buck,
 
regards to its durability it is well built my brother have his for 2 years now and it is still running good..

 

[drbluenewmexico]

PL 50s sound fantastic with Didgizoid Zo equalizer amplifier.  without amp they are so so.
with it, they are 3D coherent and reveal the music like much more expensive devices.
Then again, the ZO improves the sound of most headphones, even expensive ones.
 

 

[yipcanjo]

Having owned both, I would (personally) not touch either of them, though I prefer the PL-50 over the Klipsch S4.  The S4's were absolutely bass-bloated and sibilant -- pretty much getting it bad on both ends of the spectrum.  The PL-50's, while more well-rounded in general, had a high-mid bump (the 2k range) that drove me up a wall.  I eventually had to sell them off for that very reason.
 
I would point you toward the Brainwavz M2 (aka ViSang R03) to get a very well-rounded IEM that's also energetic and fun.  Similar price range too.