Yamaha EPH-M100 High-Performance Earphones

greadlier

New Head-Fier
Pros: very good sound, comfortable, production quality
Cons: lack of microphone
It is the most fun in ear I have ever had at this price. 

SandyMan

New Head-Fier
Pros: Great noise cancellation, wonderful bass
Cons: earbuds are not comfortable
I really like this earphone because it gives you wonderful sound quality at a reasonable cost. When I started listening to all the songs on my laptop with this earphone and also all of the smooth jazz, it was as if the whole world was cut off because of the noise cancellation. I use it on the airplane and I couldnt hear the tons of babies that were on the plane .
 
I tried it with three different devices ( mac book pro . galaxy tab and galaxy s3 phone ) and each had excellent results.
 
It comes with a really good earphone puch with idfferent size buds. The buds get a little uncomfortable after a while.
 
Definitely buy if this is your first pair of expensive earphones
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lumberjake

Head-Fier
Pros: Imaging, detail, responsive and dynamic or engaging sound.
Cons: Fit can be an issue. Perhaps for perfection a bit more sub bass and sparkle up top and a wider SS but that is perfection.
Read a ton of reviews before purchasing. However, I will be honest and say that I was a bit let down by the bass. Don't get me wrong, its very detailed and balanced and perhaps there lies my issue, I was under the impression that these were more bassy. I am a bit of a basshead, in that, I like to feel it. Obviously, to many these have plenty of bass and the upper bass is there but it diminishes as it gets deeper to my ears which surprised me, again due to reviews. For the vast majority of what I listen to the bass is fine but for electronic stuff there is near zero rumble where there should have been. This could be due to the fact that I cannot insert them but rather rest them inside using the largest tip for a seal which itself is very vague(fit), perhaps due to the thin silicon used. My theory based on other reviews and my findings is that there is simply too much air volume between the driver and my ear drum to get deep bass. Really this is the only thing I have an issue with.
UPDATE: I finally figured out what I needed to do fit wise. For some reason the smaller tip would not seal despite being a very tight fit and realized the L tip was required but still needed to be inserted which takes a bit of actual force. The comfort could be worse but could be better. But inserted with the large tip does deliver that elusive bass response. Sealed, it really hits hard. Matter of fact I just got the PannyHJE900 known for its Monster like bass and the Yams are very similar. It is just that the Panny just sits there and it seals.
 
Mids are very engaging. Not recessed at all, nor are they affected by bass bleed. They are not warm or particularly thin but really detailed. I hear things I never noticed before and they kill my old Klipsch X5 BA IEM. This is the earphones strength IMO.
UPDATE: Just got the Panasonic HJE900 and they are both really quite similar in that both are very quick, clear and both use a micro driver.Neither would I describe as thick or warm but not cold either. This gave me further insight to the Yamahas mids which decimate the Panasonic. Not that the 900s are bad, they are recessed and not even that badly. I guess what I am saying is that it is true, most of the music is in the mids. I am listening to psytrance and both deliver on the beat but all that cool sound effects flowing about in stereo is much more clear on the Yams. This only helps to draw me further into the soundscape. More immersive and enjoyable. The Pannys make that all sound a bit distant. This is really what sets the Yams apart because it is extremely common to have the V shape sound with the exception of flat, analytical but boring IEMs. The Yams have that dynamic fun sound while still able to deliver all that musical info often overwhelmed by other fun IEM.
 
Treble is also really good but not up to the mids level. I am hearing cymbals that I never heard before and they have there own realestate like all the instruments through these things which only helps with detail and complex metal music where everything is loud. To be nit picky they could have some more splash or just a bit more forward after hearing my Panasonic HJE900(which is too bright).
 
Finally, I am still surprised what a tiny dynamic can do. There is mucho detail but these are on the fun side rather than the analytical side without being too soft or warm. An IEM that makes you want to listen to every album again to see what you missed before. I came from Klipsch X5 and have the SoundMagic HP 100 and they don't approach the Yams for insight and resolution. However, the fit and weak sub bass makes listening to electronic stuff a bit conflicting because they really draw you into the sound with their detail then the sub bass comes and I am left hearing it buried by everything else with zero rumble. I must keep reminding myself that bass is perhaps the most conflicted aspect of sound as everyone has what they think is too much or not enough. That for some audiophiles, apparently being able to actually hear the bass drum is fine and forward bass. Also, many never listen to electronic music where sub bass is a must and therefore don't notice it as much.
UPDATE: The bass is no longer a real issue as I have finally figured out the correct fit. I still could use more deep sub bass but then that is hard to find on any IEM. I am accustomed to the Soundmagic HP100 which is blessed with incredible sub bass. It is literally as loud at 40Hz as it is at 100-150HZ.

Head-Head

Head-Fier
Pros: Build Quality / Sound Quality / Value
Cons: Thin Wiry Wire / Not The End All In Detail
Nothing is perfect & these earbuds are certainly a compromise. None the less, they are not too bright, not too boomy, not too recessed, & not too expensive.

The sound is overall rich & smooth; therefore far less fatiguing yet still enjoyable.

Soundstage is lacking, still separation is very good giving impressive imaging [for the device category & price].

Fit is way too personal too recommend for any head spks. Too each their own.


Enjoy!
kaotickelly
kaotickelly
I actually found them to be quite boomy. I would describe it as substantial bass that can sometimes over power the rest of the range. It's great for thump heavy tracks and genres, like dance, D&D, and the like.
 
The fit is quite particular, and can hurt if the metal ends touch your ear.
Head-Head
Head-Head
"Quite Boomy" compared too what?
The metal touching your ear, it's totally dependent on the position of the unit not being level & the shape of one's ear.
As well as being true for ALL metal and non-metal earbuds, not just this model.
As my comment on comfort in the review stated:
"Fit is way too personal too recommend for any head spks. Too each their own."

daerron

500+ Head-Fier
Pros: Excellent sound quality, bass, separation
Cons: Uncomfortable eartips, durability
This is my second pair of EPH-100s. I purchased my first pair in the beginning of 2012 some while after they became a FOTM here on Head-fi. Strangely enough I would have thought that they would have increased in price with the popularity these have, but I got the second pair for $15 less than the first pair I bought. The first pair survived a lot of hours of music at work, but the housings were starting to fall apart. The tips have also become very uncomfortable and I thought it was about overdue to get a second pair. 
 
Listening to the replacement set I was immediately smitten with these all over again. What a bargain for the sound quality on offer! I can't think of any headphone that I've listened to that offers even remotely close to the amount of bang for the buck that these do. In some ways I like them more than the Westone 4s I had previously. The W4s are obviously more detailed and neutral, but these have a certain fun factor and they sound great with modern music and anything electronic. The dynamic drivers also convey a lot of impact which contributes to the fun factor of bass heavy music.
 
Pros:
Excellent sound quality, great bass, very good separation and imaging in the mid range, smooth sounding, very good isolation. I was wearing these while sitting close to a couple of 5-axis CNC routers and these isolated the noise very well.
 
Cons:
The housings on my first pair fell apart after a year and half's usage. Difficult to get the tips off if you wish to swap them. the ear tips become uncomfortable with extended listening. They also seem to lose some of their flex as they become older. Treble is a bit non descript, but adequate.
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TWerk
TWerk
All IEM's are very tip dependent. Bass response is usually all about the seal you get. Provided you get a good seal, the EPH are very enjoyable and just fun.
byunjoe
byunjoe
On my third pair. Can't get enough of these. Despite the frustration of having one side completely die once, and one entire pari go out, I loved these enough to get a third.
TWerk
TWerk
You have good taste^ I have a few expensive pairs of headphones and these are just as enjoyable. Such a great signature.

jcksa

New Head-Fier
Pros: Excellent fidelity, great musical detail, classy design
Cons: Slight ear fatigue
The Yamaha EPH-100 surprised me with their excellent fidelity. I already owned a $300 set of Sure SE425s which are also wonderful but fall in the $300 price range and should be. I was so impressed with the performance of the EPH-100s that they are my primary headset. Their performance is at least equivalent to the SE425 and much easier to put on/in (if you're familiar with the twist and insert wire over the ear design from Sure. I do experience some slight ear fatigue but have not yet tried the smallest ear buds which will probably eliminate the fatigue.  I highly recommend the EPH-100s.

Lifted Andreas

Formerly known as geko95gek.
Pros: Amazing clarity, precision, separation and 3D'ness
Cons: Low bass is a little lacking, perhaps not as rumbly. Sub-bass is great!
Best ear-phones around $150 for EDM.
 
Can't go wrong with these. :D
 
---
 
EDIT (15/01/2015) (bought from Audio Affair UK for £60):
 
So, I got a second pair after selling my 1st a long time ago and plugged them into my X3 tonight again for a listen. All I have to say is WOW! I cannot believe I ever got rid of these, the IEM love of my life has returned. As I've been listening to Zero Audio Carbo Tenore for the past year and a bit the EPH100s are like a breath of fresh air for me (familiar air). Bass is again back in my ears, not to say that the Tenore bass is lacking, but the quantity and the quality is nowhere near the EPH100s standard. The way that the Yams involve you in the center stage is amazing, soundstage is way above average... 3D detailing is one of the best I've heard.
 
Just to mention one thing, Zero Audio Carbo Tenore come close with regards to low bass quantity when using the MEElec M6 dual-flanges.. however the quantity of sub-bass is still lacking. The control isn't quite on the same level as the EPH100 either.
 
I need to reunite myself a bit more with the sound before I can add any more to this review. However, its safe to say that once you got these beauties you should never get rid of them!!

regiapemid

New Head-Fier
Pros: Sound is clear and crisp, great sub-bass response
Cons: Cable is not the best
Bought these two months ago, and they are my favorite IEM to date. One thing to note is that I did indeed get the condensation problem. It has only happened a handful of times, and has completely cured up, but it is something to be aware of. I had to dock a half star from the Design rating because of this issue. They're still my favorite IEMs, though. I might have some funny ear canals too, as most people never got the problem.
 
For me, personally, these trump the GR07, SE215, and MC5/3/2. I always recommend that you do your own testing. For example, many people may find the GR07 to be on par or slightly better, whereas I found the EPH-100 to be much better. I'm chalking it up to my ear canals. More (rambling) thoughts here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/577712/yamaha-eph-100/3030.
 
EDIT:
From a review I also wrote on the Yamaha site:
Some excerpts from my rambling:
First, the comparison against the GR07:
 
The guitar in "Collide" sounds muffled or dampened on the GR07. Similar effect in "Under My Bed" by Meiko - the intro sounds much clearer on the Yams. The guitar intro in Michelle Branch's "Breathe" is markedly cleaner on the Yams. And when the vocal lines come in, they again sound sharper on the Yams. So on and so forth for other songs. After adding in my EP-630 into the testing, the GR07 is not as noticeably clearer than the EP-630 as the EPH is. Especially for The Duhk's "The Wagoner's Lad", which I have in .flac, the EPH is by far the sharpest, followed by the GR07, and then finally the EP-630.
 
Did another long A/Bing session today, and the Yams are the clear winner. Retested "Collide" and "Cosas Que Suenan A..." numerous times, which really showed how much better guitars sound on the Yams. I also A/Bed the Feed Me remix of Robyn's "Call Your Girlfriend." The Yams again sounded clearer, this time on both the snares and the electronic synth notes. I felt the sub-bass was better on the Yams as well - when the bass line comes in I get a much more visceral feeling when I'm wearing the Yams. I also A/Bed the instrumental version of Radiohead's "High & Dry", and the guitar is more clear and crisp on the Yams.
 
And another excerpt of some of my thoughts of the EPH-100 against a pretty hyped up product, the Sony MH1C:
 
The EPH-100s sound clearer than the MH1Cs. From the songs I've A/Bed so far, guitars and vocals sound slightly better on the Yams and there seems to be a sense of overall improved clarity on the Yams. When a slew of instruments enter the mix ("Por El Miedo A Equivocarnos", ~35 sec in and ~2:40 in; "Entertain The Pain", ~50 sec in) however, the difference becomes much more noticeable. The MH1Cs become congested while the Yams keep everything separated and clear. In addition, the Yams are less fatiguing, which I noticed after many, many repeats of sections of several songs, over and over. The MH1Cs sound harsher ("Por El Miedo A Equivocarnos" ~2:40 in, especially) and its inability to keep all the instruments from running over each other contributes a bit to this as well.
 
Only two cons. First, I got this condensation problem after extended periods of listening (maybe >5 hours or so), which would dampen one side of the earphones. This problem has only happened a handful of times, and has always resolved itself by simple drying. I'm listening to the EPH-100 right now, and loving it. This not a dealbreaker at all (especially since most people never get this problem, I think I have slightly wonky ear canals, but that's another story), and even considering this I put the Yams above the GR07, Shure SE215, and the Mtymotic MC2/3/5.
 
The second con is barely worth a mention, but it's that the cable is not amazing. The GR07 has undoubtedly a better cable. The MH1C, on the other hand, has a godawful cable. The Yams' cables have never bothered me - I never even thought of them as a con, until some other people pointed it out and I thought, "Hum, I guess the cable's not the best."
 
At the end of the day, these IEMs are absolutely phenomenal, and I'd buy them again in a heartbeat (I'm actually considering buying a 2nd pair of these for working out. I bought the GR07 for that purpose, but the sound was so much worse than the EPH-100's I had to return them. Probably something to do with my ear canals that don't play nice with the GR07. Alright sorry, I'm rambling off now.).

byunjoe

New Head-Fier
Pros: Detailed, thick bass; Clear mids; Circular soundstage; Instrument separation; Build quality; Isolation
Cons: Unusual treble; Unsure cable
 
 
 
I come from a long line of mid-range earphones including the Sennhiser CX300II, Klipsch Image S4, Monster Beats by dr dre Tour, and Monster Jamz. I was looking for an earphone that I can continue producing electronic music on and concluded, by the reviews, that the Yamahas were my best bet. They were not that expensive here in S. Korea, being approximately 124 dollars. I craved prominent bass (not basshead-ish nor Balanced Armanture like; just clear bass), good instrument separation, and good build quality.

First Impressions:
When I first put these in and listened to Below Us by Seven Lions, I was amazed at how clear the bass  rumbles and kick punches me. The mids really bring out the 'bodies' of the bass and warm instruments. The only thing that caught me a little off guard was the treble. The treble felt like it had a high speed lfo (low frequency oscillator) attached to it, giving it a fast, fluctuating, vibrato like tone, strange. These are not-suprisingly tuned a lot like at type of studio monitors that Yamaha makes: the HS80Ms. This is ideal as I can basically have a portable studio now; I no longer have to worry about mastering issues when I produce music!
 
After 3 days:
After a few days of use, I have now become accustomed to the strange treble and enjoy it. All my music seems to have become smooth. The bass massages me, the mids soothe me, and the rather unique treble gives everything and airy, jazzy feel. I have continued discovering new elements of my music. The soundstage and separation helps this a lot. I find percussion lines and unknown riffs flying here and there in small corners of the headphone. This is very satisfying as I need to be able to hear all the details in my music. The Klipsch Image S4 doesn't hold a stick to these Yamahas as the Klipsch have very low volume levels. The Klipsch would seem more geared towards listening to classic rock music or any other kind of smooth and quiet music. The Yamahas can reproduce anything well except for Classical. The treble seems to be a big factor in preventing the Yamahas ability to reproduce Classical properly. I am not a big fan of Classical and listen and produce mainly Progressive House and Trance, which was not a problem. I expect these to sound even better and have more controlled (stable) bass by the time I reach approximately 100 hours of use. I also expect to be using these for at least 2 years; though I prefer they last me a lifetime.
 
I would recommend these to anyone within the $100 to $150 range budget!
I would recommend you to buy these if you are an audiophile and if you find this for less than $120!
I would recommend these to anyone who listens to and/or produces EDM (Electronic Dance Music)
I would recommend these to anyone who listens to Jazz or Chillout music.
I wouldn't recommend these to bassheads; these have very clear bass and it goes down low, but in terms of quantity, the Monsters earphones have a little more by sacrificing the mids.
I wouldn't recommend these to treble lovers; they might have trouble adjusting to the strange treble.
I wouldn't recommend these to anyone who listens to Classical; try the Sennhiser IE8/IE80s then, they have a wider soundstage and more 'normal' treble.
 
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analogsurviver
analogsurviver
Great review. Thank you for this. It sums it up nicely, in a very concise fashion. I have been considering EPH 100 for some time now, but since I listen and record almost exclusively classical, that treble is perhaps really no go. Did you try any EQing the EPH-100s; it might work also for genres that without EQ leave too much to be desired.
extrabigmehdi
extrabigmehdi
@analogsurviver
Well the eph-100 has a nice soundstage and great separation, which can be enjoyable for classical too ... I think people perceive them as detailed because of their good instrument separation (i.e 3d sound).
SAM63
SAM63
these dont have great bass. its lacking in quantity. if you are a basshead go for the cks77 or the fxz200

extrabigmehdi

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: very airy sound, isolation, decent bass,portability, design, built quality
Cons: lack details, microphonics, minimal accessories
  
Sound quality:    
When I  tried the eph-100 for the first time ,  I  can't say there was a "wow factor" ; however they just sounded "fine".

From my cowon player s9, I  tried to play with the different jeteffects to "enhance" the sound, but none of the DSP really  made an interesting difference .Hence , if you don't have any good eq, or DSP  on your mp3 player, you won't miss this with the eph-100.

There's one thing that becomes slowly addicting while listening to the eph-100 :
it's their exceptional airy sound. They sound as open, as open headphones, if not more. At the same they offer great isolation , thing that open headphones can't offer.

To my ears, I can't say that the eph-100 are very detailed, and I would say that through the whole frequency range. To put things in perspective, I would add that the sen IE7  is the only other IEM I'm familiar with, and I'm more used to full sized headphones. I find  that the eph-100 are the opposite of an analytical headphone. They don't provide a feeling of "high resolution": sometimes it's boring, but it can suits well some musics  too. For instance, I  can't really say that I  missed my more detailed full sized headphone, while listening to the box of bruckner symphonies, conducted by maazel.
 
1595260758LL.jpg
 

The eph-100 have an excellent bass: it extends well, and offers impact. But my previous IEM , the sennheiser IE7, still had a better bass (more texture especially). Despite sounding overall neutral , you realize after some listening that there's a hole in the treble. One result, is that the treble is never fatiguing, and  perhaps too laid back. But I  can't say that the treble is completely smooth too. On my computer, boosting the highs with an eq  near 4khz helps to get a more engaging sound.
 
965dd944_eph100.jpg
 
 
I would think with their great bass, and non fatiguing highs that the eph-100 would have the main ingredients to seduce mainstream users. I don't find them very detailed, but their great "open" sound make them attractive.

Comfort:
I  love their isolation, much better than for my senn IE7.  Walking with them near roads can be dangerous, there's even a warning in their manual.
 
I didn't find the ear tips of eph-100 comfy.  If I wear the eph-100 for an extended period of time, this begin to hurt. Often  it's more painful for me to remove the eph-100 than to insert them on my ear.

The eph-100 have microphonics, you need to put the cable around the ears , if you want to move while wearing them.

Built quality & accessories:
The eph-100 are tiny, but their aluminum body looks quite solid. The cable is a bit stiff , but seems robust (it use some elastomer coating). If the cable was less stiff, there would be less microphonics, but the advantage is that it helps to prevent tangling.The accessories are quite minimal: five ear tips for different size, and a pouch.

Finally there's really not much fuss regarding the portability of the eph-100, they are not bulky, and since they are robust,  you can put them with their pouch on your pocket without problems.

Conclusion:
The eph-100 are not perfect, but a combination of factors make  them attractive. I  like , that I  can enjoy a very open sound , while getting isolation at same time. The bass is enough decent for bass heads. And the eph-100 offers great portability too.
 
pinoyman
pinoyman
i really like the sound of this...specially the perfect and not too much vocals (262,sm3).
the treble is nice, and i dont believe its a disaster...
sad to say, i sold mine to give way for the fxd80.. but the eph still is one of the best iem for me.
ZekeAdebayo
ZekeAdebayo
@pinoyman : I saw the Yamaha for $97.87 on ebay, ( I can get it for about 92.87) and the JVC for as low as $66.00, (both already include the shipping price). If you were to do a blind sound test with both side to side, are the Yamaha's noticeably better sounding? For me there is $26.00 difference between the two, would you say the Yamaha's justify the price difference then? 
ZekeAdebayo
ZekeAdebayo
@pinoyman I listen to rap, rock, J-rock, pop, and some songs with female vocals. I saw the Yamaha for $97.87 on ebay, ( I can get it for about 92.87) and the JVC HA-FXD80-Z  for as low as $66.00, (both already include the shipping price). If you were to do a blind sound test with both side to side, are the Yamaha's noticeably better sounding? For me there is $26.00 difference between the two,  would you say the Yamaha's justify the price difference then? 

soundstige

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Fantastic bass in every meaning of the word; mids are still forward and not killed by the bass; build quality is A++; fit for me was great
Cons: Treble is hollow and uninteresting; sound is similar to other contenders at lower prices
Incredible bass in quantity, quality, clarity, everything. Easily as good or better than all other contenders at this price range, I don't care who they are. Midrange still has great presence. Sadly, the treble is kind of crummy, and it made me sell them. The treble is worse quality on the EPH-100 than on the Vsonic GR06, while still having a similar sound signature, and the Vsonic GR06 is 1/3 the price. The EPH-100 perform better in all other aspects, including fit and build quality, but only a little; and the treble issue is too much for me to overlook. I guess I'm a bit of a treble-head.
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Duffman

New Head-Fier
Pros: Build quality, punchy bass, detail
Cons: Possibly long-term comfort
 
Hi
 
Basically these are the best £80 I've spent in ages. Coming from a pair of CX300 II's the difference really is night and day, where the Sennheiser's were all undefined mushy bass that drowned everything else, the bass in these Yamaha's is really tight, accurate and punchy. It's powerful but very controlled, so it doesn't cover the rest of the music.
 
It's a really enjoyable sound, the balance is exactly what I wanted: you get lots of detail and good separation, the treble isn't harsh and the mids are nice and smooth. 
 
They also seem really well built, the aluminium housings are nice and solid and they have a reassuring weight to them.
 
Would definitely recommend.
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damianmb

Head-Fier
Pros: Quality, Details, Tight Bass, Great Isolation, Good Package
Cons: No so confortable tips
Hello All,
 
First off all this is a very simple review of someone who enjoy listen to music :).
 
To give you a better idea of my subjectivity I own the following gear:

- Sennheiser HD598
- Cheap Panasonics InEar
- Etymotics MC5
- Panasonic HTX7
- Sennheiser PX-80
 
- Fiio E5 (I usually don't use it)
 
I don't listen to electronic, hip-hop, rap or anything similar.
 
This headphones are really amazing and the price is really good at the same level of SE 215.

The signature is a little warm. Treble is really detailed and the drums are truly enjoyable to listen to. Mids are ok, with acoustic songs this gear really shines. This pair is for enjoying music without losing the detail and also without a booomming bass.

One thing I noticed while listening to Pearl Jam is that I could truly detect the music syncopation, something that on MC5 I cannot notice that easily.

For me these are a superb pair and I really recommend this to everyone. If you have an MC5 and consider to upgrade (I don't like them) in these you will find a tight bass and a lot of details.

Isolation is really good but tips for me are a little uncomfortable maybe because of the Aluminium housing.

You have like 4 tip sizes to chose from (4 or 5), it comes with a carrying case, extension cord and an adapter.

Hope you enjoyed the review!
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