Check out my video review as well:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiFd4lLINAk&feature=youtu.be
 
The f111 is a beautiful IEM.  Even with it's "typical" fit, the kind of fit you would normally use with this type of earphone, they sound great.  They are warmer and less crisp than the etymotic er4s that is its cousin (they use the same driver).  However, with a very shallow fit, properly sealed, they take on an extremely similar frequency response to the er4s, while improving upon the imaging and soundstage.  The fit is absolutely critical though, and unfortunately, it isn't easy to consistently achieve.  I think most people will find these to be warmer earphones, because they never achieve the critical fit described.  You'll know when you get it if you are familiar with the er4s, because it will sound strikingly similar in response.
 
These are comfortable, well constructed and durable.  The cable is very nice and tangle resistant, however I can't speak for the longevity of the cable.  It isn't super touch, but it's not really fragile either.  The connecter is removable and seems very well made.  It has a sort of phone connector style to it, like a super mini rj45 connecter without a tab to press (it just pushes in firmly).  The ears are easily identifiable by colors and a bump on the right ear (i love this).  They are overall a very nice package.  The sound is most important to me, and in this regard they succeed highly with either fit.  However, with the critical fit mentioned they are very reference quality with er4s like frequency response and amazing instrument separation and clarity.  The instruments are very distinct and lively, while being more laid back at the same time than the er4s.
 
I would say the er4s and f111 are the two best earphones I've heard for reference flatness.  If you like the er4s you may not need to try these, especially if you don't want to deal with the fit issues.  I'm not sure if these were designed to achieve er4s response, in which they failed with the fit in my opinion, or if they are designed to be warmer, in which it's unfortunate they didn't aim for er4s response.  Either way, the er4s improve on fit consistency, isolation and durability (as far as it seems).  The f111 improves in comfort, driving sensitivity (easier to power loudly) and 3d-ness.
 
I highly recommend both.  I would absolutely own these if they weren't so pricey while also being difficult to fit perfectly for the best response.  They are also hard to find and might be going out of production according to the company that sells them now.  So, that's my word on the matter.  Hope it helps

I have searched high and low (literally from $10 to $600) in universal IEMs.  I have settled completely on the ER-4S.  I found very few IEMs that sounded anywhere near flat.  The best three I've found have been the ER-4S (1), the Phonak pfe 112 (2) and the Westone 4R (3).
 
The PFE 112 and ER-4S are EXTREMELY similar in sound and neutrality except for two slight differences.  The 112 has a bit more neutral bass.  I don't find the ER-4S lacking really, but the 112 is more right on that flat line for bass sound and measurement wise.  However, the 112 has a small spike in the treble somewhere around 10khz I think it was.  This gives things a slight raspy quality sometimes and makes the air of the soundstage sound a little softer.  It can also accentuate certain hiss that sits in that 10khz band.  This is fairly common in 1970's progressive rock.  Very slight difference though.  As a matter of fact, compared to every other IEM I've tried the differences between the 112 and ER-4S are the smallest of differences.  But they are there.
 
Fit wise the 112 wins as well in comfort and ease of use.  However, the final verdict for me is the incredible accuracy of the ER-4S.  The 112 is absolutely phenomenal, and thanks to ClieOS for recommending that off the bat.  I wouldn't be where I am now if it weren't for going down that trek.  Anyhow, the ER-4S is extremely accurate in bass, while only a tad lower in amplitude than the 112, however certain tips make them equal or more varied, depending on your preference.  However, the overall spectrum from sub bass to ultra treble is almost perfectly smooth and flat with the ER-4S.  Therefore, I hear no flaws with any spikes or dips at all with them.  No other set has achieved this.  This is incredible.
 
The Westone 4R are a slightly more distant 3rd.  They offer a fairly flat and neutral sound signature, but with some problems in the mid bass and treble.  The mid bass has a sort of thick hump that makes them lean towards warm sounding.  The problem I have with this is that it really masks that nice ultra detail that you get with the ER-4S.  You can EQ the mid bass (100-300hz roughly) down a few decibels and immediately hear the details open up on the 4R.  They are also a tad more uneven with a slight boost in certain treble frequencies.  But overall, I'd have to call them 3rd place so far with what I've heard.  But the mid bass masking really takes them down a lot for me.  But since it's such a simple eq adjustment to repair that, their other qualities make them a nice set.  They are comfortable, seem fairly durable and have nice accessories.
 
Anyway, back to the ER-4S.  They sound excellent straight out of an iDevice and have ample volume for the most part.  However, some of the quietest songs suffer a bit in that area.  I grabbed a JDS labs C5 portable amp and it really makes them a step up in quality.  It opens up the space between instruments and really brings out the crisp details of the set.  It is dead silent at any volume and really allows them sound their best, which is really freaking awesome.  And provides more volume than you'll ever need.
 
There may be a learning curve for fitting them.  For anyone interested, I've post some info on this here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/649046/hd600-in-the-form-of-an-iem-with-very-good-isolation/60#post_9305716
 
Once you have a good fit/seal, I find these are the closest approximation of my studio monitor speakers I've ever heard without the "feeling" of the bass, which is typical in IEM world.  But they just sound so darn good.  I've heard the sound of the ER-4P, and I find them very good, but they are essentially the same exact sound with lowered treble.  So they sound more warm and therefore the bass "sounds" louder, but it's really just that they lack the treble neutrality of the ER-4S.  It's a great option to buy the ER-4P and add the 4S adapter though.  Then you get both with the switch of a cord.  But personally, I'd never use the 4P with the accuracy of the 4S.
 
I'm not sure what people are referring too when they talk about small soundstage.  I've had a LOT of IEMs in the last six months to try out, and the only time I find the ER-4S to have a small soundstage is when they aren't fit perfectly.  When I have the tips deep and sealed well I have full stereo separation and depth.  Certain songs with distinct right left separation have instruments that are fully in one ear to the far right or left.  The depth and ability to hear "into" the soundstage is equally impressive.  I find that some IEMs make a false soundstage by permanently making everything sound a little further away or a little deeper than they should.  The ER-4S reproduces everything as I would expect.  Songs with depth and distance sound as such.  Songs with dryness and forwardness sound equally as such.
 
I think what they do very well, which might seem like a small soundstage, is that they have a very smooth panning across the stereo field.  So the main vocal is dead center, and as instruments are mixed across the sound field, they smoothly span the field as mixed.  You will only notice that things are very wide when the song is mixed that way.  For instance, in the song "Moonjogger" by Fourplay, the intro has some percussive instruments that are panned hard left and right.  They provide a nice wide clear presentation.  Also, through the song the cymbals and bongos in the left and right are very well placed.  In other songs you might notice the mix is mostly forward with slight panning.  So, I think this depends greatly on the music you're listening to, but I have found they are perfectly capable of a small or large soundstage when required by the material.
 
To sum everything up, I have never heard such a good IEM, and they have fully ended my search.  With my C5 amp and ER-4S I'm in auditory heaven.  I highly recommend them both and some time to get used to them and break in the tips.  They are not for bass heads, and even still I think a lot of people prefer bass elevated above neutral to compensate for the speaker feel.  While they may or may not sound neutral in the bass to some, they are the closest I've ever heard to neutral.  If there were one single area I think they impress the least, it would be sub-bass in the lowest register.  However, they still sound very accurate down very low and most IEMs fail in this area anyway in terms of accuracy.  Nonetheless, they have "good" sub bass and with the C5 bass boost the sub bass is phenomenal.  Even to the point that I find it to be too much.  I think those wanting more sub bass but neutrality would like a 3db boost at most.  At least that's the most I would apply.  However, I don't use the bass boost and it never bothers me.  I get engrossed in the music and find that they sound incredible all around.
 
The fact that I find them superior to $600 IEMs such as the PFE 232 says something incredible since they are a single driver.  The Westone 4R is FOUR drivers, but in my opinion not as accurate or high quality (but still very good).  I think that clearly shows that number of drivers isn't everything.  If they added one more driver to the ER-4S to gain that perfect sub bass that would be great, but it might be possible without another driver.  I'm not sure if it was a choice in tuning or a technical limitation.  Nonetheless, the 95+/-% accuracy is probably referring to everything but that 5% or so of sub bass rolloff.  So for one driver, that is insane.  But I digress...
 
I'll be posting a video review soon on my youtube channel:  www.youtube.com/user/dentreviews

I'll post more text review soon.  For now here is my new video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMSjdD_u28A

Comparing a bunch of universal IEMs, I'd rate the Shure se535 as one of the top tier choices.  There are a few issues, but how much these affect you will be dependent on each person's ears physically and audibly.
 
Basically, I find the shure 535 to be a very pleasant smooth sweet sounding IEM with the major points being bass and midrange.  The bass isn't basshead level or really that prominent per se, but it is very nice.  I find that it is relatively level with the mid range, with the mid range standing out a bit as being more "forward".  But the midrange doesn't really interfere with the bass.  It is almost as though you hear through the midrange to the bass.  The bass is relatively tight with a thick sort of "round" note hitting impact.  It doesn't sound incredibly fast or precise, but it also doesn't sound at all muddy and inaccurate.  Overall it is a pleasing, smooth bass that transitions nicely into the mids.
 
The mids, as many shure fans know, have a lusciousness to them that really pulls out information in music that many phones don't really render well.  They do this in a musical almost artistic way.  I say that meaning that they aren't strictly realistic sounding, but rather almost "colored" sounding, in a good way.  Like comparing a painting to a photograph.  The photo looks real, but the painting can still be very beautiful.  Overall, the midrange is really the high point of this IEM, and from the things go south.  Literally.
 
The treble takes a pretty big nose dive right as it starts to become "high" treble.  I sort of drops like a roller coaster.  It slowly starts to fall and then vwoooosh, it's gone down the chart. ha.  To me, this it the crutch of the 535.  It takes away all sense of real airy-ness and depth of soundstage leaving things sounding sort of soft, padded and lacking clarity and pinpoint details.  The 535 still outperform a lot of other IEMs, and surprisingly pull out a lot of details in music despite this setback.  However, for mer personally, the treble is the reason I wouldn't use the 535 as my own IEM.  I'll be honest though, I'm sure some people might not even have the best hearing over 10khz so this may not be a problem for a certain group of listeners, and the positives of the rest of the spectrum would definitely be pleasing for most.
 
However, that is not the case for those who can hear up to at least 16khz.  I think you'll find the rolloff to be noticeable.  Not to say that everyone will steer away because of this.  They are still a very nice sounding IEM, and for some the other areas may outweigh the treble deficiency.  For me, that just wasn't the case.
 
I would rate these are very high quality, very good at retrieving details and just plain fun to listen to.  They only suffer from a lack of true "realism" and a noticeable treble rolloff.
 
As for accessories, the case and tips are pretty nice.  The cables of the IEM seem very durable but add a little heft.  I didn't find this to be a problem.  However, the other major detractor for me is the size of the housings.  They are very very close, but simply don't fit my ears without putting pressure on my outer lobe that very quickly turns into pain.  Not just discomfort.  For that reason, I would recommend these only to those who don't have small ears, or simply try them first and make sure they fit without pain for at least 30 minutes or so.
 
For more details and a visual look at the IEM feel free to check out my youtube videos:
 
Overview and Accessories:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0tkKyz7aRI
 
Sound Review:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbTKgRyYDZQ
 
 

I've posted a video review on the UE700.  I will write more here soon as well:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvo-BurV0AM

Etymotic Research HF5 Review
 
The hf5 didn't fit well with my ears.  I believe this is due to the long armature shafts and ear tip combo.  Essentially, the sound port needed to be pointing at precisely the direct path of my ears to get a good sound, but this didn't happen with the normal fit position.  This seems to be rare for most, but just something to note.  However, in the "normal" position I would call these comfortable.  I had to push them deeper than normal and angle them awkwardly to get the full sound.  I could tell when they were "just right", and this review is based off of that position, which is most likely what most people hear in the normal fit position.
 
In terms of sound quality these excel at one major point for their price range... Mid and high accuracy.  I found these to be very smooth and relatively flat in the mid to high areas.  They presented a nice soundstage and good instrument details and separation.  They were not sibilant, they were not fatiguing. Everything sounded great.  The only areas I felt they lacked were the extreme high frequencies, which were rolled off and didn't extend to the highest ability, say 17k and up, and the bass extension as well wasn't as long as some.  Even more though was the bass "level" was pretty low.  This was even the case with a proper positioning to get the full sound as well as the comply foam tips.  This appears to be one of the commonly reviewed points of this set.
 
However, with that said, if you want a relatively flat response and don't mind a lower bass and lack of the true "airy-ness" in the treble, these present a very coherent and enjoyable sound.  I think the main difficulty is that they would really need another armature to cover the full frequency range better.  However, that would also bump up the price.  For $99 these are one of the more accurate and least "veiled" sets I've heard.
 
So bass-heads leave now.  Treble and mid lovers you can stay.  These excel at soft genres and classical where they show the depth and space of a song.  Overall a very good sound quality value.  I'd be interested to hear etymotics higher end phones after hearing these, but alas, I believe the fit would be the same for me.
 
The case is a good size, and while soft is fairly protective.  They come with a reasonable assortment of tips from tri-flange to mushroom shaped foam tips and cylindrical foam tips.  I found the mushroom to be the best overall, but the tri-flange provide the easiest/quickest use and longest life.  There is a shirt clip and a filter changing tool with replacement filters.
 
The thing I like about the case is that it provides enough space to wrap and store the cable without coiling it too tightly and risking cable damage.  The cable seems reasonably durable though, and feels nice in the hands.  The connector has a very nice 45 degree angle molding and feels great and connects easily to devices.
 
Overall, I find these to be a great value if you're looking to get into the higher quality sound of the "affordable" IEM world.  Take a trip over to my youtube channel for a video review:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4kgUx_KVJU
 
 

Audeo Phonak PFE232
 
Let's start with comfort.  I have an ear that doesn't work perfectly with the pfe232.  This may be rare, but I get a lot of forward treble that is almost sibilant, but more "in your face" with instruments like cymbals.  This is not normal, as I can tell it is too far unbalanced to be intended.  The cymbals are so far forward I can't listen to the song comfortably.  Any song with cymbals and like frequency instruments.
 
However, if I push them further into my ears this goes away completely.  100%.  Everything sounds "correct" and natural with great balance between everything.  Unfortunately, this takes away from the amazing comfort they normally have.  I know this also, because I have used the pfe112, which had no problem in the standard fit position for me, and they were amazing in terms of comfort.  I'm assuming it is the shape of my ear canal, but nonetheless the problem occurs for me.  I've also read half and half reports of too much sibilance and zero sibilance.  I wonder if the people experiencing the sibilance have the same fit/ear issue I have?
 
Anyhow, assuming most people won't experience this issue, when sitting in the ear in the intended position, these are the most comfortable earphone ever designed that I have tried so far.  They are very ergonomically molded and extremely light with all rounded edges.  This makes them fit smoothly and comfortably in the ear, and you forget they are even there.  Literally.  The ear guides are soft and flexible and the cables going over the ear don't interfere at all as well.  The cable is reasonably light as well.  All together excellent design.
 
The accessories are good as well.  Some filters to adjust the frequencies to you optimum ear interaction.  Basically, each successive filter lowers the mid range a bit.  These changes are noticeable but not extremely drastic.  They are also smooth in nature.  There are no harsh cuts or boosts between filters.
 
You get a standard array of S/M/L silicone tips and foam tips.  The case is mediocre.  I like that it has two pockets to store "all" of the accessories.  That is a nice touch.  However, I find that the case is too small to easily and comfortably fit the headphones.  Most headphone failures occur when a cable is damaged, usually at the connector or earpiece entry.  As such, I am cautious to wind a set of earphone very tightly to squeeze them in a case.  It also doesn't provide a lot of protection as it is fairly soft.  Luckily, they have included a spare cable.
 
The main cable has an iphone/ipod control, but the spare is a basic cable.  They easily disconnect at the armature casing.  The cable is very "normal" between the earpiece and split section.  However, where it splits it becomes very durable feeling and also has a nice level of rigidity and flexibility.  This allows the cable to "spring" out of tangles very nicely.  I would consider it very tangle-free for a cable.
 
As for the sound quality, when the fit is proper these things are pretty impressive.  They offer the best treble extension I've heard.  The treble sounds very natural and fairly smooth.  It is bright, but never fatiguing or sibilant when fit properly.  The bass is also very good for an IEM.  Probably close to the perfect "level" for me.  It has enough punch and sub extension and overall "bassiness" to really allow you to be involved in the music.  But it never sounds like it is veering to far from a neutral bass.  The bass never ever drowns out the rest of the music.  It is well controlled and sounds very precise.  The entire spectrum sound the most precise I've heard.  The instruments sound fast and realistic.
 
If there was one area I had to take points away, it would be the mids.  Let me explain.  The mids don't sound "recessed" in the fact that you can always hear everything reproduced.  However, they are a bit thinner in "body" than I would consider neutral.  But keep in mind that these are a slightly V-shaped signature.  With that said, the mids are excellent.  But if you want to hear sweet thick mids, these aren't probably the phones for you.  They respond very well to EQ, so you can sweeten the mids a bit and it sounds great, but don't expect it out of the box.
 
Overall, I would say the sound quality is excellent.  There are no noticeable flaws.  No missing frequencies in the spectrum (pretty rare).  It seems to cover everything from the lowest sub bass to the high highs.  It does this in a way that "accentuates" the low/high end creating the slight V shape.  However, it maintains a very natural sound and everything flows smoothly together with no apparent humps in the frequency range.
 
I would say these are pretty expensive, but if you want some of the best music listening you can get these are going to be hard to beat for a universal.  Definitely up there with the best of the best universal IEMs.
 
Check out my video reviews for a look at the pfe232:
Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg7p1fMf2X4
Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIgmf2avVfk

Sony XBA-3 Review
 
The accessories that come with the xba-3 are pretty standard.  A decent array of tips, reasonable case.  I wish it had the molded plastic winding tray that came with my last pair of sony earphones.  But it is decent enough.  There is a cord wrapper and a shirt clip.  But let's get right to the important stuff.  How do they sound?
 
Before I go into the main sound quality details, there is a known issue with the XBA-3 and how it interacts with impedance.  This can be seen in many reviews as well as a good graph over at en.goldenears.net that very accurately shows exactly what I've heard.
 
Basically, with a low impedance source such as an ipod or probably most headphone amps that strive to be "low" impedance (below 5 lets say) the xba will shine.  However, as the impedance from the source grows the xba will become excessively bright.  And I mean excessively.  With my ipod classic which is a bit higher than 5ohms things open up a bit, but nothing serious.  However, when connected to an apogee duet, which is a 32ohm headphone output, the sound jumps up in brightness to a horrid degree.  This causes the metallic properties to really stand out and the bass sound anemic and everything is just hash and bright.  So, if you're considering these, I would make sure you'll be using them with lower impedance sources.  Or make sure you don't mind an overall bright sound with less bass.
 
I'll focus this review on the low impedance sources as most people will have portable devices or headphone amps.
 
The xba does two things very well that stood out for me.  First, they have a great bass response for a balanced armature earphone.  It is very capable, extends reasonably low and can give a good deep punch.  Very impressive.  It also does a reasonable job at staying pretty well controlled and not overpowering other things too much.  The second thing is the level of depth.  While there is a slight metallic-ness to the treble, it still manages to give a great sense of depth.  It is very well extended into the high treble and really brings out crisp details.  The place the xba-3 lacks the most would be the mids.
 
This is definitely a V shape headphone.  The mids are good and the frequencies flow pretty smoothly together from one end to the other.  However, the mids are reasonably low in comparison to the low and high frequencies.  They still sound good and reproduce things well, but you won't get a thick meaty center to your music.  Most of what you hear in mids is going to be mid bass.  Above that you get a a dip and then it comes back into the clear treble range.
 
Relatively speaking though, this isn't too drastic.  But compared to others in the price range I would say these are pretty V-shaped rather than neutral and it sounds like it when listening.  But that isn't necessarily a bad thing.  Just one out of a few sound signatures to choose from.
 
As for fit, these seem pretty bulky when you hold them, but the fit pretty well and are fairly standard in that regard.  I actually like the design a lot personally.  I find that they look professional and well built.  They have a simple shape with nice accents.
 
Overall, I would say that if they worked well on every source they would be a great value.  However, not working well on higher impedance source might rule them out on some computer interface or studio equipment.  Therefore, I'd have to say the value is average.  If this isn't a concern, and you'll be sporting them with a portable device mostly, then you will probably have no problems and I would give them a good recommendation for a V-shape phone.  I've always though sony did a great job building things that work well and have pretty good value.  These are no exception.
 
For a hand on look check out my youtube review:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTDXgQRQac4

The BA200 is an exceptional value.  The basic sound signature is relatively flat and a slightly recessed high end.  The bass is very capable for a BA headphone.  While not 'loud' bass, it is fairly neutral and extends decently low.  The mids are very even and smooth in the frequency spectrum.  The highs are very accurate as well, albeit a little recessed in the highest regions.
 
Details and clarity are very good for the price.  Although they lack really good airy-ness, they still preset details very clearly and distinctly.  The stereo width and soundstage are very good for the price as well.  Instrument separation is great and everything is easy to hear in all styles of music.  For me personally, the lack of the highest treble can make certain music sound like it is missing its high "edge" or crispness, but compared to other sets this is fairly minimal.
 
Some people call them warm, but I would describe them as fairly well balanced with slightly recessed highs at the highest end.  For the price I'm not sure you can do much better.  These outperformed most sets in the fact that they have no major flaws like some others.  They have no large troughs or boughs in the frequency response, no sibilance and issues to really complain about.
 
Build quality is very good.  Flat cables still tangle a decent amount, but seem relatively durable.  Armatures are comfortable in the ear as well.  The cables seem a bit heavy with the extension and circuit in the middle, but once used to this it doesn't really pose any problems.
 
Check out my video review for a more visual look at them as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-UDH5ehFEU

After comparing a bunch of headphones, I "almost" fell in love with the Audeo Phonak PFE112.
 
The mid range of this set is very smooth and high quality.  The treble, while slightly laid back and soft, is very open and precise.  Although these aren't the airiest set, the treble extends well, albeit at a slightly relaxing tone.  The main downfall is the lack of bass.  There is good extension into the sub bass, but only at very low levels.  You won't be hearing a lot of meat down in the lower regions on these.
 
That isn't to say they don't have bass.  They have nice smooth clean bass that is very capable, however simply not loud enough in level to be flat or reference.  At times the sub bass hits nicely and gives good low presence, but mostly things sound a bit thin on the bottom.  Pianos and 'bigger' instruments lack the full body that make them sound as realistic as they could.
 
However, other instruments such as accompaniment guitars and cymbal type percussion sound excellent.  Instrument separation is great, details abound and overall they just draw you into the soundscape.  There is no sibilance and the overall frequency response curve doesn't have any noticeable dips or spikes that would otherwise detract from the experience.  I fell in love with the warm smooth high quality of the set, but couldn't live without the bass presence.  They wouldn't need that much more bass, but in the scope of the entire sound it really detracted from me getting the most out of them...
 
Check out my video review for some visuals and a quick overview.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AagZpXXpTJ4
 
I'm thinking with an amp that has a bass boost these might really shine better.  Otherwise, they would definitely do the best with songs that don't rely as much on a heavy bottom end.  Specifically the mid to low bass regions.
 
Comfort and fit are some of the best I've tried.  Very lightweight, very smooth fit.  Great seal and noise isolation.  Fairly durable, decent case and includes a filter set that allows you to adjust the tone a bit to lean more towards bass.  With the filters in place they have a little more bass but at the cost of some of the great mids they have with the normal filters.  With the bass filters they are more in line with other IEMs at the price range, but the standard filters really make the tone and details shine (minus the bass).