[r4tr4tr4t]

sell my $100 full cans and buy some $200 iems instead of keeping them and buying $100 iems ?? just wondering if the idea of using the same earphones for every purpose is crazy (would look like a freak with my ad700 in bus/college), or if the cans for home should stay untouchables ?
 
thoughts =P

 

[Shirukii]

ad700s are open backed aren't they? Open backed phones are horrible for commuting, sound invades and ruins SQ and on top of that they leak. I'd buy a pair of $100 iems to take on the go if I were you.

 

[Aizura]

Full size headphones generally sound better for the money. I dont think there are $ 200 iems that are a real upgrade to your AD700. I would just buy some $ 100 iems. That way you will also have 2 different sound flavours, which is always nice. And it's hard to beat AD700's wearing comfort.

 

[Eric_C]

The answer is "depends".
1. What headphones do you have now
2. What IEMs do you plan to spend $200 on
3. (Most important) What are you going to use the 'phones for? E.g.: 70% gaming, 20% music on the go, 10% movie at the desk.

 

[basementdweller]

If you really like them then keep them.  Nothing I have touched has made me willing to part with my first love...the ATH-M50.  Get the cheaper buds or wait and save up for some better ones, but I wouldn't part with something unless you simply don't like it.

 

[r4tr4tr4t]

thanks for the replies guys, i love their sound but im still a virgin in high end iem's so the possibility of liking one of them more than my full cans may be there (also they are kinda heavy so my neck sometimes bother when i use them many hours straight)

 
Quote:

The answer is "depends".
1. What headphones do you have now
2. What IEMs do you plan to spend $200 on
3. (Most important) What are you going to use the 'phones for? E.g.: 70% gaming, 20% music on the go, 10% movie at the desk.

ath-ad700 - mm maybe ie8 (refurbished) or dba-02, whichever suits better for hip hop/rnb/techno in that budget - 25%gaming(cod and qlive mostly), 25%music at desk,25% music at sansa clip+,25%movies/tv shows at desk

 

[Eric_C]

Quote:

ath-ad700 - mm maybe ie8 (refurbished) or dba-02, whichever suits better for hip hop/rnb/techno in that budget - 25%gaming(cod and qlive mostly), 25%music at desk,25% music at sansa clip+,25%movies/tv shows at desk

While I've never used my IE8 for gaming, they are mighty fine for everything else imo. They will sound very different from AD700 though (I had the AD300 for a while)--wide soundstage, but much bassier. A friend of mine recently tried my IE8 and found them "veiled"; this was after listening to brighter cans such as DT 235 and HD 25-1. 
 
I think that, if you find the fit comfy and the isolation sufficient, an IEM like the IE8 would make a fine replacement for the AD700. This is also based on the fact that you already find the AD700 heavy on the head.
 
I guess the last consideration is gaming. Will you need to play competitively? Or do you not really care so much? I haven't really heard people using IEMs for gaming that much.

 

[ZARIM]

DBA-02, CUSTOM 3, IE7, IMAGE X5, RADIUS DDM, HJE900 AND EX700..........

 

[swbf2cheater]

If you look at liljokers topic about portables, getting any of the top few cans that are closed back will suit you well
 
but yes, if you want superior clarity and portability, IEMS are the way to go
 
if you are into staging, get an open back
 
if you are into doing everything "just good" then closed back portables are for you