[jaihel]

Hi all,

Since a few years I've been interested in audio. Currently have myself a nice rotel amp paired with b&w speakers.

Last week I was lurking in an electronics store at the airport, looking for new in-ears. I decided to go with the Sennheiser Momentum in-ear's, as I read a gorgeous review on whathifi. However, as much I'm trying, I find it hard to prefer above the earbuds. Offcourse, my ears haven't had much training and so I am hoping someone can tell me where and how I can hear the difference between the two. Because at this point, I think I want to buy the Fidelio M1 MKII once I get back.

 

[cel4145]

If you want IEMs, this ranking list of IEMs might help: http://theheadphonelist.com/headphone-list/. Each make/model name links to a full review.

But since you mention the Fidelio M1, are you looking for on ear or over ear headphones? If so, what do you want to use them with? Your phone? Your Rotel amp?

 

[jaihel]

I'm looking for on-ear headphones, to use with my iPhone. Also afaik there are only on-ears fidelio m1 mkii.

 

[cel4145]

Also afaik there are only on-ears fidelio m1 mkii.

Not sure what you mean by that. Are you saying those are the only ones available to buy where you live?

 

[jaihel]

Miscommunication. I meant I want on-ears, definetely not over-ears.

Would you recommend the fidelio's? Or something else?

 

[cel4145]

I am not familiar with them.

Check out this list: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/innerfidelitys-wall-fame-ear-pad-sealed. Might help

 

[WraithApe]

I prefer both the Sennheiser HD25 Alu and Beyer DT1350 to the Fidelio personally. I don't find the M1s to be a comfortable fit on the ear and feel they sound a little harsh and thin in comparison with either the Senn or Beyer. I also note these 'phones are # 1 and 2 on IF's wall of the fame - for good reason IMO.

 

[cel4145]

I used to own the DT1350s. They are a great sounding set of headphones for the money. Focus Camera has them on special for $149 on Ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/291487386064. That's a great deal (probably will sell out soon).

 

[Kozic]

I used to own the DT1350s. They are a great sounding set of headphones for the money. Focus Camera has them on special for $149 on Ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/291487386064. That's a great deal (probably will sell out soon).

+1

 

[jaihel]

The Beyer is a bit out of my pricerange (the offer on ebay isn't but I'm on holiday so I can't order anything). Besides, I live in the Netherlands so I don't know howmuch it would cost me with shipping costs etc.

The Sennheiser's are available at 150 euro's. That's somehow do-able. Do they have the same sound as my Momentum In-Ears?

Thanks for the replies!

Edit: is the HD alu the same as the hd 25-1 II in terms of sound quality?

Edit 2: what about the sennheiser urbanites? It's on the IF WoF aswell and is a bit cheaper.

 

[WraithApe]

The Beyer is a bit out of my pricerange (the offer on ebay isn't but I'm on holiday so I can't order anything). Besides, I live in the Netherlands so I don't know howmuch it would cost me with shipping costs etc.

The Sennheiser's are available at 150 euro's. That's somehow do-able. Do they have the same sound as my Momentum In-Ears?

Thanks for the replies!

Edit: is the HD alu the same as the hd 25-1 II in terms of sound quality?

Edit 2: what about the sennheiser urbanites? It's on the IF WoF aswell and is a bit cheaper.

 
I've never heard the Momentum in-ears so couldn't comment on that - same with the Urbanites. My feeling is the descriptions of the respective phones are pretty accurate on the WoF - at least the ones I've tried. I owned the HD 25-1 II for many years before the Alu and IMO there are more similarities in sound signature than differences. They are both slightly forward sounding (though less aggressive than the Amperior) but well-balanced, with a bit of emphasis in the bass region - which makes them punchy. Again, I agree with Tyll's assessment that the metal cups of the Alu mean slightly less resonance than the plastic of the 1-II, giving a tighter bass response. They are also a little smoother and more refined overall to my ears. Some people prefer the original HD 25-1 II though - I still see a lot more around than the Alu; guess they're perceived to be better value for money.

 

[jaihel]

I've never heard the Momentum in-ears so couldn't comment on that - same with the Urbanites. My feeling is the descriptions of the respective phones are pretty accurate on the WoF - at least the ones I've tried. I owned the HD 25-1 II for many years before the Alu and IMO there are more similarities in sound signature than differences. They are both slightly forward sounding (though less aggressive than the Amperior) but well-balanced, with a bit of emphasis in the bass region - which makes them punchy. Again, I agree with Tyll's assessment that the metal cups of the Alu mean slightly less resonance than the plastic of the 1-II, giving a tighter bass response. They are also a little smoother and more refined overall to my ears. Some people prefer the original HD 25-1 II though - I still see a lot more around than the Alu; guess they're perceived to be better value for money.

Thanks alot. The thing with the HD 25-1 II is that I find them way less attracting than the Urbanites. I'm also not so keen on the 'double headband'. Offcourse, I will need to see both IRL and, if possible, give both a listen. I don't consider myself an audiophile, not even close to. But I do like music. So the Urbanites are probably good enough for me. But who knows?

I'll keep you all updated!

 

[Malfunkt]

Thanks alot. The thing with the HD 25-1 II is that I find them way less attracting than the Urbanites. I'm also not so keen on the 'double headband'. Offcourse, I will need to see both IRL and, if possible, give both a listen. I don't consider myself an audiophile, not even close to. But I do like music. So the Urbanites are probably good enough for me. But who knows?

I'll keep you all updated!

Hey Jaihel,
 
The HD-25-1 II is a solid consideration if you get it at a good price. They do have a bit of clamp at first, and they are designed to be pretty rugged. They are not flashy headphones by any means. What they do offer is a balanced sound that works well for a lot of genres. Though they lack a bit of refinement, they were designed for professional use. 
 
The Urbanites may be a better choice and will have more bass quantity and likely quality (though I haven't heard one myself, I'm just going by the graphs and reviews). They are also more rolled off on the high-end. This can be fine if you want a signature that has a bit more oomph to it, sub-bass and one you can turn up a bit without the treble becoming fatiguing. They may be more comfy than the HD-25s too.

Also, the newer Momentum On-Ears may be a consideration. 

What kind of music are you interested in listening to mostly? Will you be listening on the move or more at home? Will you be using the headphones for any other applications (gaming, movies, music production)?

 

[inthere]

The Momentum 1.0's never sounded good without an amp, and that's always killed them. With an amp they sound awesome. 
 
The Momentum 2.0 solves that problem and sounds great, but doesn't scale with amplification as well. 
 
The Urbanites sound great without amplification but not as good as the Momentum 2.0's-at least to me. Both the Momentum 2.0 and the Urbanite have a good amount of bass.
 
If you don't want a lot of bass, look into the Beoplay H2, very nice but a bit light on the bass. Also made for small heads. 

 

[jaihel]

Hey Jaihel,

The HD-25-1 II is a solid consideration if you get it at a good price. They do have a bit of clamp at first, and they are designed to be pretty rugged. They are not flashy headphones by any means. What they do offer is a balanced sound that works well for a lot of genres. Though they lack a bit of refinement, they were designed for professional use. 

The Urbanites may be a better choice and will have more bass quantity and likely quality (though I haven't heard one myself, I'm just going by the graphs and reviews). They are also more rolled off on the high-end. This can be fine if you want a signature that has a bit more oomph to it, sub-bass and one you can turn up a bit without the treble becoming fatiguing. They may be more comfy than the HD-25s too.


Also, the newer Momentum On-Ears may be a consideration. 


What kind of music are you interested in listening to mostly? Will you be listening on the move or more at home? Will you be using the headphones for any other applications (gaming, movies, music production)?

My music taste is quite diverse. I like Arctic Monkeys, Kendrick Lamar, Indiepop, Indierock, EDM. I will either use them at home sitting behind my PC, or outside when I walk my dog.

Going by the WoF on innerfidelity I should go with the Urbanites over the Momentums. Don't know if there's a new momentum that's considered better, though.