Is it possible to get very good sounding IEM's at the $10 price point?   I love my earbuds but I want some noise isolation for the road. 

LOL Lee will just screw you. Don't expect a refund. He'll just ignore you and hope the case goes away and you do nothing. 

I really wish it were possible to find budget IEM's around $10 or less.    High quality budget IEM's that is. Forum searches show threads for "budget" iem's closer to $30 at minimum for quality.    IEM's are far more versatile in my use since I need sound isolation when I travel.    At...

And yet, he loves them here.    I guess $3 doesn't get you what it used to. Like, 10 days ago, that is. 

You don't know what you're talking about. The SHE3800's are a fine set of earbuds.    The sound quality is very good, esp. considering the price ($3). When you factor in price, it's a stunning value. I would say the sound signature is v shaped: some noticeable bass punch and a bit of treble...

I neglected to mention: the espresso's do come with a nice carrying case. Unfortunately it doesn't color coordinate with the earbuds themselves. Neither do the foam covers. Whatever.

But without any extra calories. :-)

I found a nice niche for my espresso's: I use them as a "warm up" so that my other earbuds sound better, or after to reinforce how good my other earbuds sound. It gives me a strong sense of appreciation for the monk+ and she3800's.

Wow, I didn't even know there WAS a X5iii. Fiio releases more revisions than apple!

Only it's totally irrelevant in this case. The espresso's are vastly inferior to the monk+ when they should be just as good at worst. Lee totally avoided any responsibility for handling this problem even though I notified him right away. Filling out a profile won't change any of the facts. 

It would be dishonest to sell them when I know they are not of satisfactory quality.    It's interesting to hear people's absurd unethical suggestions and excuses however:     1. Lee is too busy and important for you.   2. Just sell them to an ignorant chump.    3. Your claims aren't...

  As I said before, they are functional but have clearly inferior sound quality. All reports are that candy/espresso's sound the same as monk+ with the added feature of af braided cable. Mine sound clearly worse.    You buy a lexus vs toyota, both with 230 hp V6. The lexus is a rebranded...

If you ordered from fast tech, their shipping timelines are overly optimistic to say the least. 

What kind of response is this? It is stupid. You are saying because Lee is a person he doesn't have to honor his own warranty. This is fraud. 

I'm reading very contradictory reviews for the 3800 and even the monk plus. The nature of earbuds is that they fit differently in different people's ears, so fit is not especially easy to replicate. Also, people are using different covers: thin foam, thick foam, rubber donuts, naked, etc.   ...

It really doesn't matter how many customer service requests he receives. That is no excuse whatsoever. All that matters is that he honor his warranty, which is a one week warranty.  Also, this is a matter between myself and Lee, there is no need to intercede.   Criticizing me for not...

I agree with vapman's assessment above. They have a modest treble emphasis. It's not objectionable but it's immediately noticeable. The treble is not what I'd characterize as being 'harsh.'   I like the monk plus better, since they are more neutral.    The 3800's are a fantastic value, and...

That's what I experienced also.   Lee does NOT like dealing with returns of any kind.   His two responses to me were:   1. "I don't have time to respond lol"   2. they need burn in lol     My impression of Lee is that he is infantile and irresponsible in dealing with customer service...

 I contacted him right off. 

  I contacted customer service but Lee basically told me to go screw myself. Lee is probably the least ethical merchant in the world of audio electronics. 

They do not need burn in and they are not warm. A modest but noticeable treble lift.   Where does this notion come from that earbud drivers benefit from burn in?

I had a completely different experience with the 3800's. I think they sound terrific with a bit of noticeable treble lift. I actually like the fact that they are a bit brighter than neutral. A nice alternative to the neutralish monk plus, which I think are a bit better (more accurate and better...

The only thing "fun" about the 23's is taking them off after you've listened them. These sound horrible. Awful. Do yourself a favor and skip these.   Having said that, at least the headband is long enough. 

I can't remember which thread where I read the recommendation, but a few people here recommended the philips she3800.   I'm happy I listened (no pun intended). :-) These are very nice at the price. They are noticeably less neutral (a bit brighter) than the monk plus, but these sound very good...

I suppose it depends on how you define "defective." If inferior sound quality is the criterion, then these espresso's are indeed defective.    If functionality in the strict sense is the criterion, they are not defective. Both drivers work and produce sound so there is no defect in that sense.