[sandaz93]

Hey Guys, time for new headphone / earbuds!.  Recommendations greatly appreciated.
 
Previous Favorite Headphone:  Sennheiser CX500, Sennheiser IE6 (my favorite so far, but lost them , and Koss Porta Pro. While I feel the porta pros don't sound as good as the Sennheisers, they are more comfortable.
 
Earbuds or Headphone: Preferably Earbuds, since these are for my portable rig
 
MP3 Player in Use: Sony A series 16gb.
 
Type of Music: Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Soundtracks (Instrumental),  Pop, Soft rock, Taylor Swift, Bollywood, Vocals.  Evenely divded
 
Price Range - $200ish and under.
 
Tried, but don't like so far: Logitech Ultimate Ears Triple fi 10 , Sony Extra Bass line, Sennheiser HD280.
 
Once again, thank you

 

[eke2k6]

Quote:

Hey Guys, time for new headphone / earbuds!.  Recommendations greatly appreciated.
 
Previous Favorite Headphone:  Sennheiser CX500, Sennheiser IE6 (my favorite so far, but lost them , and Koss Porta Pro. While I feel the porta pros don't sound as good as the Sennheisers, they are more comfortable.
 
Earbuds or Headphone: Preferably Earbuds, since these are for my portable rig
 
MP3 Player in Use: Sony A series 16gb.
 
Type of Music: Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Soundtracks (Instrumental),  Pop, Soft rock, Taylor Swift, Bollywood, Vocals.  Evenely divded
 
Price Range - $200ish and under.
 
Tried, but don't like so far: Logitech Ultimate Ears Triple fi 10 , Sony Extra Bass line, Sennheiser HD280.
 
Once again, thank you

 
Hans Zimmer sound pretty darn good on the Vsonic GR07. Also, vocals are a good bit more upfront vs the TF10. You can look into it more on the GR07 thread.

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

Great review! A pair of RE-262 is coming my way... 

 
Quote:

That was a good read joker and I'd agree whole-heartedly on both earphones.

 
Thanks 

 
Quote:

Great review of the RE262 & RE272, joker.. Even though I really like your longer, dedicated reviews (i.e. for your customs), you convey a lot of relevant info when you're working with a little less space, too.  I've often referred to the RE262 & RE272 as "kindred spirits."  They focus on the complimentary sides of the fq spectrum.. but what they also show is Fang/HiFiMan's ability to elegantly blend & artfully present a nuanced midrange in subtle, but different ways.. with breathtaking precision and detail.  A special achievement, IMO.

 
Thanks! On the point of article length - I am finding that 1500 words is the magic target for me for a full write-up. Anything beyond that gets tedious to read. Most of my write-ups run a little on the long side of that but I'm working on keeping the sound descriptions more concise and standardized, with less flowery descriptions. The exception would of course be customs, which benefit from separate A:B comparison sections. 

 

[Davidisawesome]

Should I get the Etymotic Research MC5 , the Beyerdynamic DTX 101 IE or the MEElectronics CC51

 

[fyleow]

Thanks a lot for posting this really comprehensive guide. I am shopping for a new pair of IEMs and I'm looking for some guidance. I currently own a pair of Jays q-Jays which have been fine but I'm having problems with the filters not lasting very long and requiring a lot of maintenance. I think it's due to the design with the filter being very close to the edge and the silicon tips not being very deep. I've seen others complain about it too so I'm not alone on this and certainly never had issues with the Ety ER 4s I used to own.
 
Budget: ~$200
 
Headphones I've liked/owned: Ety ER4s, Sennheiser HD 600, Stax SR-404
 
Sound: I prefer a more detailed, neutral balanced sound. I am a huge fan of the HD 600s having come back to them many times and owning my pair for over 10 years. Tactile bass is not a huge priority to me (I loved the Stax and it had no tactile bass at all). I liked the ER4s a lot thought it may be just slightly too clinical. I listen to a variety of music but mostly alternative and classical.
 
Comfort: From what I remember of the ER4s the triple flanges weren't very comfortable for me due to the deep insertion and I have smaller ears. I switched to the foam tips which worked better. They also stuck out quite a bit and were easier to wear straight down which was a bit uncomfortable. I wear the q-Jays straight down and they are fine due to them being smaller.
 
Accessories/Support/Availability: IEMs need a bit more maintenance than other headphones due to filter changes, tip changes etc. Jays discontinued the q-Jays and it's hard to even find replacement filters these days. 
 
Do any of the IEMs stand out based on my requirements? I've been tempted by the hf5 due to the low price and my positive experience with Etys (sound, isolation) but the negatives (comfort) keep me open to trying something new.

 

[Xinze]

Joker- I love this thread btw! I've recommended it to quite a few friends who were shopping for IEMS.
I just lost my MTPCs, and I wanted to ask, what are some iems that sound similar to the coppers? I mostly liked its sq, but it's highs were a bit to shrill and bright for my tastes. I've been looking at the triple-fi 10 and the Westone 3. Could you share your opinion on those two and give some more suggestions? Budget is $200-300.
 
Thanks and love you

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

Should I get the Etymotic Research MC5 , the Beyerdynamic DTX 101 IE or the MEElectronics CC51

 
That really depends on what you want - clear and well-balanced but potentially a little dull compared to most other dynamics, bass-heavy with a prominent midrange and average clarity, or clear and lively but with a mildly recessed midrange. 
 
Quote:

Thanks a lot for posting this really comprehensive guide. I am shopping for a new pair of IEMs and I'm looking for some guidance. I currently own a pair of Jays q-Jays which have been fine but I'm having problems with the filters not lasting very long and requiring a lot of maintenance. I think it's due to the design with the filter being very close to the edge and the silicon tips not being very deep. I've seen others complain about it too so I'm not alone on this and certainly never had issues with the Ety ER 4s I used to own.
 
Budget: ~$200
 
Headphones I've liked/owned: Ety ER4s, Sennheiser HD 600, Stax SR-404
 
Sound: I prefer a more detailed, neutral balanced sound. I am a huge fan of the HD 600s having come back to them many times and owning my pair for over 10 years. Tactile bass is not a huge priority to me (I loved the Stax and it had no tactile bass at all). I liked the ER4s a lot thought it may be just slightly too clinical. I listen to a variety of music but mostly alternative and classical.
 
Comfort: From what I remember of the ER4s the triple flanges weren't very comfortable for me due to the deep insertion and I have smaller ears. I switched to the foam tips which worked better. They also stuck out quite a bit and were easier to wear straight down which was a bit uncomfortable. I wear the q-Jays straight down and they are fine due to them being smaller.
 
Accessories/Support/Availability: IEMs need a bit more maintenance than other headphones due to filter changes, tip changes etc. Jays discontinued the q-Jays and it's hard to even find replacement filters these days. 
 
Do any of the IEMs stand out based on my requirements? I've been tempted by the hf5 due to the low price and my positive experience with Etys (sound, isolation) but the negatives (comfort) keep me open to trying something new.

 
Have you thought of getting custom tips for the HF5? It will still (almost) be within your budget. As far as other options go, I think you might like the HiFiMan RE262 (or used RE272) based on your HD600 experience, or the GR07 (slightly edgier than the HiFiMan stuff but not as 'clinical' as an Ety). You could also try a MEElec A161P (reviewed as the Fischer SBA-03 here) - it's got more bass and slightly more subdued highs than your average Ety but still performs similarly overall.
 
Quote:

Joker- I love this thread btw! I've recommended it to quite a few friends who were shopping for IEMS.
I just lost my MTPCs, and I wanted to ask, what are some iems that sound similar to the coppers? I mostly liked its sq, but it's highs were a bit to shrill and bright for my tastes. I've been looking at the triple-fi 10 and the Westone 3. Could you share your opinion on those two and give some more suggestions? Budget is $200-300.
 
Thanks and love you

 
If you found the Coppers treble overbearing I would give the W3 and maybe event the TF10 a pass. There's a number of smoother-sounding in-ears in that price range, including the new Miles Davis Trumpets and the cheaper Yamaha EPH-100.

 

[Hotheads]

Hi,  Im planning to get either the VSonic GR02 bass edition or VSonic GR99. I have read that the GR02 BE is slightly better than the GR99 but i also read that both of these earphones are very close in sound? So i wanted to know if it was worth spending $11 more for the GR02 BE (GR02:$46, GR99:$35)? and is the gr02 more durable than the gr99, like the earphone wire for example?
 
Great review btw. Loved it :]

 

[Kuray]

I planned to get Unique Melody Miracle. Only problem is it takes about $100 for shipping to send impressions to China.
 
Those who bought from overseas and send their impressions from US, which shipping company they used and how much they paid?
 
I don't have too much money to spend for shipping.
 
 
 
Also, if anyone know good audiologist in Manhattan, New York?
 
Thanks

 

[Davidisawesome]

Well I'm looking to buy an IEM. My preference would be bass then clarity but I don't want an excessive amount of bass. I also want a good mid range. I'm considering the beyerdynamic dtx 101, the MEelec CC51 or the Etymotic MC5. What do you think of the these phones.

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

Hi,  Im planning to get either the VSonic GR02 bass edition or VSonic GR99. I have read that the GR02 BE is slightly better than the GR99 but i also read that both of these earphones are very close in sound? So i wanted to know if it was worth spending $11 more for the GR02 BE (GR02:$46, GR99:$35)? and is the gr02 more durable than the gr99, like the earphone wire for example?
 
Great review btw. Loved it :]

 
I can't tell you whether upgrading to the GR02 is worth $11 to you. I think you can surmise from the scores on the front page of the thread that it is a slightly better earphone but both VSonics easily are worth the asking price. I do think the GR02 may be a little more durable as well as a bit more comfortable in smaller ears.
 
Quote:

I planned to get Unique Melody Miracle. Only problem is it takes about $100 for shipping to send impressions to China.
 
Those who bought from overseas and send their impressions from US, which shipping company they used and how much they paid?
 
I don't have too much money to spend for shipping.

 
I used USPS Priority w/tracking. Typically runs around $30. Express (EMS) is faster and usually $5 or so extra.
 
Quote:

Well I'm looking to buy an IEM. My preference would be bass then clarity but I don't want an excessive amount of bass. I also want a good mid range. I'm considering the beyerdynamic dtx 101, the MEelec CC51 or the Etymotic MC5. What do you think of the these phones.

 
If bass > clarity, go for the DTX101iE. It's bass-heavy but the mids are not really recessed. There are quite a few <$100 sets aside from the DTX101 that will do what you want  - the Brainwavz M2, Xears TDIII and TD4, as well as the Spider Realvoice and Monster Turbine. All of these have decent clarity with enhanced bass and strong mids. Just a matter of finding the one that fits your other requirements at a price you're willing to pay.

 

[Davidisawesome]

Thank you for the quick reply. You've really helped me a lot when it comes to buying a new pair of headphones. I might just get the Beyerdynamic

 

[SuperFuya]

 
I can't tell you whether upgrading to the GR02 is worth $11 to you. I think you can surmise from the scores on the front page of the thread that it is a slightly better earphone but both VSonics easily are worth the asking price. I do think the GR02 may be a little more durable as well as a bit more comfortable in smaller ears.
 
 
I used USPS

 
For classical music, which one is better? GR 02 standard edition or the bass edition or even GR 99?

 

[suman134]

go for meelec cc51 , if you want more bass go for ue 400/500 , and sony xb41ex . try the sony they are really nice for just $55 . mc5 from ety are really low on bass , the dt 101i are bass heavy too .
 

 

[suman134]

why dont you try with a she 3580/3570 , they are good ( cheap and nice ) , those you mentioned have bigger bass in them , and for classical music you should go for BAs , dynamics dont do classical much justice . etymotics mc5 for a starter in classical will serve you better , a bit pricier at $55 but worth it for classical . in BA start with meelec a151 which is some $50 and awesome .