youngsm10
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2010
- Posts
- 170
- Likes
- 15
Hello folks, I never thought I would write apost like this but I'm starting to get desperate. Let me explain. Over the last two years I have owned or tested so many IEMs you would not believe, only to find that none of them were right for me in one way or another. I am starting to think I will never find one that lives up to my needs. I have come close a couple of times, but certain annoyances always came to the front. This whole search for an IEM, has caused me much pain both mentally and in the wallet.
I will try to explain the sound sig I am looking for. I love clarity and detail. I think that is the most important.Highs need to sparkle and cymbals need to linger. Mids need to be smooth and forward and the bass needs to be there when required, but like an unwelcome visitor I don't want it there lerking. I hate any boomy mid bass. I like impactful bass that is quick and gives you a Punch round the face, when you here a kick drum etc. I don't like bass or mid bass that veils the sound like looking through frosted glass, it seems to get in the way of the clarity of the recording. So Really I am in no way a bass head but conversely I do not like a thin sound. I guess I like a more analytical sound rather that a warm sound. I seem to really love the clarity of Balanced armature drivers as apposed to dynamic. Does this seem to much to ask??
Please take a moment to have a look at my list, and you may start to see my madness.
Shure se 315
Shure se 420
Shure se 102
Now I Just can't seem to get along with the shure sound. I just didn't get it, the mids were great, and they all had great detail in the mids, but the highs were rolled of with no sparkle. The Bass was ok. To me they just didn't sound right. great build quality and loved the thick cable.
Klipsch image s4. Far too much Bass
Denon c700 Far too much bass almost comical
Sennheiser ie 6, and 7. Could never get a decent fit. Clarity not there. well made though, loved the cable
Sennheiser ie 8. These were rather bassy but not to the extent of what I read in the forums. The fit however was horrible I just could not get them to stay in my ears. Sound stage massive that in my eyes made the sound a little bit disjointed. I will admit that I didn't give them the magic 250+ hours burn in, but the fit was too much of an issue.
Ultimate ears 700. too sparkly at the top end even for me, mids were a bit lacking and they distorted at moderate listening levels. Had 2 pairs of these just in case the 1st were faulty but alas they were not.
Ultimate ears super fi 5pro. these were just to big ans had the horrible mid bass
Ultimate ears triple fi . Again they were just too big and uncomfortable and they didn't sound special enough for £200.
Klipsch image x5. small sound stage, sounded a bit tinny not much better than standard apple phones.
Klipsch image x 10. These were better than the 5's but again sound stage a separation was an issues as well as rolled of highs.
Klipsch custom 3. Not quite enough sparkle in highs and the Bass was too much again mid bass was an issue, too warm.
Phonac Audeo perfect fit. Now these were interesting. Likes the highs and the soundstage mids were pretty good as well. Bass was there when needed but they just sounded far too thin. This was all with Grey filters. The black filters stopped them sounding special, Ithink it made them loose the mids. so comfortable and great cord. If they didn't sound so thin I would of kept these.
Jays t jays 3, not good in any way.
Jays Q jays. Now these were almost perfect, just a bit too much midbass, loved the speed and impact of the bass, Highs were perfect, mids slightly lacking, and soundstage just a bit too small. very nearly there though. Having to change the filters is annoying and the cable was modular and too long. These are the phones that I use at the moment as they are close to being just right.
So What I ask you all,l is do you think I a perfect IEM exists? and if so could you recommend one to me that you think will be right for me. I really do not want to use an amp and my source is an Iphone with MP3 320.
I would really love a recommendation. £200 max. approx $300..
Thank you so much and sorry for the long post.
I will try to explain the sound sig I am looking for. I love clarity and detail. I think that is the most important.Highs need to sparkle and cymbals need to linger. Mids need to be smooth and forward and the bass needs to be there when required, but like an unwelcome visitor I don't want it there lerking. I hate any boomy mid bass. I like impactful bass that is quick and gives you a Punch round the face, when you here a kick drum etc. I don't like bass or mid bass that veils the sound like looking through frosted glass, it seems to get in the way of the clarity of the recording. So Really I am in no way a bass head but conversely I do not like a thin sound. I guess I like a more analytical sound rather that a warm sound. I seem to really love the clarity of Balanced armature drivers as apposed to dynamic. Does this seem to much to ask??
Please take a moment to have a look at my list, and you may start to see my madness.
Shure se 315
Shure se 420
Shure se 102
Now I Just can't seem to get along with the shure sound. I just didn't get it, the mids were great, and they all had great detail in the mids, but the highs were rolled of with no sparkle. The Bass was ok. To me they just didn't sound right. great build quality and loved the thick cable.
Klipsch image s4. Far too much Bass
Denon c700 Far too much bass almost comical
Sennheiser ie 6, and 7. Could never get a decent fit. Clarity not there. well made though, loved the cable
Sennheiser ie 8. These were rather bassy but not to the extent of what I read in the forums. The fit however was horrible I just could not get them to stay in my ears. Sound stage massive that in my eyes made the sound a little bit disjointed. I will admit that I didn't give them the magic 250+ hours burn in, but the fit was too much of an issue.
Ultimate ears 700. too sparkly at the top end even for me, mids were a bit lacking and they distorted at moderate listening levels. Had 2 pairs of these just in case the 1st were faulty but alas they were not.
Ultimate ears super fi 5pro. these were just to big ans had the horrible mid bass
Ultimate ears triple fi . Again they were just too big and uncomfortable and they didn't sound special enough for £200.
Klipsch image x5. small sound stage, sounded a bit tinny not much better than standard apple phones.
Klipsch image x 10. These were better than the 5's but again sound stage a separation was an issues as well as rolled of highs.
Klipsch custom 3. Not quite enough sparkle in highs and the Bass was too much again mid bass was an issue, too warm.
Phonac Audeo perfect fit. Now these were interesting. Likes the highs and the soundstage mids were pretty good as well. Bass was there when needed but they just sounded far too thin. This was all with Grey filters. The black filters stopped them sounding special, Ithink it made them loose the mids. so comfortable and great cord. If they didn't sound so thin I would of kept these.
Jays t jays 3, not good in any way.
Jays Q jays. Now these were almost perfect, just a bit too much midbass, loved the speed and impact of the bass, Highs were perfect, mids slightly lacking, and soundstage just a bit too small. very nearly there though. Having to change the filters is annoying and the cable was modular and too long. These are the phones that I use at the moment as they are close to being just right.
So What I ask you all,l is do you think I a perfect IEM exists? and if so could you recommend one to me that you think will be right for me. I really do not want to use an amp and my source is an Iphone with MP3 320.
I would really love a recommendation. £200 max. approx $300..
Thank you so much and sorry for the long post.