[stewtheking]

Am I crazy? I am seriously thinking of trading in my entire headphone collection for a complete overhaul. Let me explain.

So, I love the sound of my RS-1, but there are some things I am not all that happy with. The comfort has never ended up 100% fantastic, and I am forever piddling about with pads and getting them seated on my head and over my glasses. For this reason I find myself more and more reaching for my 580’s, which were meant to be just my companion can, but then the voices in my head start with the “you paid that much money for them to just sit there…”, etc etc etc, and I feel kind of silly leaving them there under-appreciated when I have a plethora of other audio experiences that I can’t afford.

So I sell the RS-1 (hypothetically). I don’t think that the hd580 would be enough for me, so I think I would end up selling them as well, and buying myself a 650, or a K701. ( more tricky decisions there).

So (working in GBP), if I assume that I can get £450 or at maximum £500 for my mint-condition 1-year-old Grados, and another £80 ish for my sennheisers, and I can pick up (for argument’s sake) the HD650 for £180. (There is a reputable-looking seller on English Fleabay that always has them for that price). That leaves me with £350-400 to spank away on some new portable ‘phones. I have been looking for these at the UE5c. Customs appeal to me, and we have an audiologist friend of the family that I believe I can convince to do me a good deal on a pair of moulds. With a little wait, and some transatlantic postage, and about £320 of my money from the sales, bob’s your uncle.

So essentially, the trade-in would be as follows.

RS-1 + HD580 -> HD650 + UE5c.

And there’s the nub of it. Am I crazy to be thinking like this, or is it a hearty thumbs-up from the board. What do you think?

Stew

 

[bahamaman]

My advice? I would encourage you to wait on the E500 and not do the UE-5c. So much less downside risk.

 

[bobbyk]

I was a professional motorcyclist for quite a number of years and wore bespoke moulded ear plugs (Costing around £130/pair) for hours at a time. After about 2 or 3 hours they became very uncomfortable.

This experience would be enough to put me off spending money on the Shures.

It's a lot of money to spend on equipment that 1: You can't test first and 2: You will never be able to sell on as a result of hating them or just wanting to upgrade.

I do have a pair of EC2's I use with my poratable and which I like very much, but I don't wear them for more than 30 minutes at a time.

Are you going to have to use them in a noisy environment? If yes, then maybe, just maybe I would think about it.

 

[stewtheking]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbyk I was a professional motorcyclist for quite a number of years and wore bespoke moulded ear plugs (Costing around £130/pair) for hours at a time. After about 2 or 3 hours they became very uncomfortable. This experience would be enough to put me off spending money on the Shures. It's a lot of money to spend on equipment that 1: You can't test first and 2: You will never be able to sell on as a result of hating them or just wanting to upgrade. I do have a pair of EC2's I use with my poratable and which I like very much, but I don't wear them for more than 30 minutes at a time. Are you going to have to use them in a noisy environment? If yes, then maybe, just maybe I would think about it.

I already have the e2c, and it's not too bad. I am certainly fine with having something inside my ear. The comfort is ok, but the sound is certainly not up to par with my home rig etc...

 

[stewtheking]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bahamaman My advice? I would encourage you to wait on the E500 and not do the UE-5c. So much less downside risk.

True, true, and my audiologist friend says that custom sleeves for a universal monitor may cost me only £30, all told. Therefore I am leaning back towards a universal IEM + sleeve route, maybe e5c if I am too impatient to wait for the E500.

 

[bahamaman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stewtheking The comfort is ok, but the sound is certainly not up to par with my home rig etc...

This is what keeps troubling me. At the risk of starting an all out flame war, I just don't find that the IEMs I've experienced (two Shures, one UE) have the capacity to provide the experience of a traditional headphone. They are intended as a convenience to musicians who wish to have a safe and effective way to monitor their music on stage. To ask more of them is, I think, asking way more than they're capable of.

All said imho.

 

[stewtheking]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bahamaman This is what keeps troubling me. At the risk of starting an all out flame war, I just don't find that the IEMs I've experienced (two Shures, one UE) have the capacity to provide the experience of a traditional headphone. They are intended as a convenience to musicians who wish to have a safe and effective way to monitor their music on stage. To ask more of them is, I think, asking way more than they're capable of. All said imho.

Point taken, but whether or not the experience is anywhere near that of a traditional headphone is frankly a moot point. I travel on public transport, and most of the time I value my isolation more than the quality of sound. It's nice to just be able to see the screaming kids and not hear them. I have no need to compare the two (full size/IEM) as I have different uses for the two.

 

[neilvg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bahamaman This is what keeps troubling me. At the risk of starting an all out flame war, I just don't find that the IEMs I've experienced (two Shures, one UE) have the capacity to provide the experience of a traditional headphone. They are intended as a convenience to musicians who wish to have a safe and effective way to monitor their music on stage. To ask more of them is, I think, asking way more than they're capable of. All said imho.

I agree. But I also dislike things in my ear.

Neil

 

[HiWire]

Small side note: don't wear headphones with glasses. Personally, I can't wear my glasses with any headphones, it's just too painful. I'm lucky enough to have contact lenses; I find it improves the experience immensely. Otherwise, just take your glasses off, close your eyes, and enjoy the music.

In my opinion, it would be a great pity to sell off the RS-1's if you like their sound. We often discuss these headphones as if they are commodity products, but each set is handmade and should be treated accordingly. You'll probably be regretting it if you sell them in haste... you may notice other members selling off their beloved cans (not just RS-1's) and then buying them back later.

I guess it benefits the buyers

 

[stewtheking]

The more I thought about it, the more it was a shame, but the more it made sense to me and my situation, so I have decided to make the change. *sigh*.

 

[DevilDog]

To answer your original question, yes, you're nuts.
Quote:

Originally Posted by stewtheking The more I thought about it, the more it was a shame, but the more it made sense to me and my situation, so I have decided to make the change. *sigh*.

Okay, since you're that nuts, sell the RS-1s to me really cheap, I'll give them a good home and I'll appreciate them.

 

[KenW]

JMO but I'd make the trade for the 650's but would also wait for the E500's. I just never could find that RS-1 sweet spot. They just didn't do it for me.