[rumbletraq]

I'm new to the forums and am trying to soak up as much info as I can. However, after reading through the first 3 pages (and some searches), I couldn't find anything that addressed my issue, so I thought I'd give a new post a try.

Some background
I love bass. I listen to a lot of electro and hip hop. My car rocks a 10" JL Audio sub powered by a JL Audio 500w mono amp. I like the "boom" longevity of a hard 808 bass drum in a hip hop song and tight/thumping bass in a electro/house song. My enjoyment of bass isn't to say that I don't place importance on mid's and high's, but rather, my next purchase absolutely has to fill that bass void.

I'm no stranger to IEMs. My first shot at a good IEM were the UE Super.Fi 5EB, which I was sold on primarily for it's bass capabilities. IMO, it didn't disappoint. When I got the fit right, it produced the kind of bass I like: heavy, clear, smooth, and without knocking out all the other ranges entirely.

I then went to Shure SE530s after some initial reviews I found on the web (not this web site). It did a much better job at the mid's and high's, but it lacked the bass that I'm looking for. Unfortunately, I misplaced these during a snowboarding trip and now I'm in the hunt for a replacement.

What I'm working with:
I have a 60GB 5.5G iPod and a 160GB iPod Classic. And an iPhone. I commute daily via train to work, so noise isolation is important.

I've set a budget of no more than $300, but I'd like to stay around the $250 and under range if possible.

I've already done my own scouting, but I want to leave that bit of information out to keep this as unbiased as possible. I'm open to suggestions and discussions. Thanks to everyone in advance!

 

[hairuko]

Amazon.com: Sennheiser IE 8 Premium Audiophile Noise Isolating Headphone: Electronics

 

[clarinetman]

Audio-Technica CKS70. Bassy, warm, laid-back. My friend owns them, and they're great for your taste in music.

I think most would agree the IE8, but I've never heard them so I won't comment.

 

[Scrivs]

have a look at the Jays S-Jays, I personally am very pleased with them.
They produce alot of bass and the other frequenties are very clear aswell.
These is one of the few IEMs I've came across within this budget that do produce alot of bass but doesnt have the other fequenties to be overpowered by it. Everything is just very clear.
The durability is perfect aswell and they also come with quite a few handy extras.
Plus, they have a very exclusive look, you wont see many other people with the same earphones.

You can also have a look at the Denon AH-C700s, havent heard these myself but I've read that these are pretty good aswell. They were just a bit too expensive for me when I was looking for IEMs.

Just saw that the S-Jays go for little less than 50 pounds on the official Jays website, the denons could be a bit more though.

 

[rumbletraq]

I got impatient, so I just bought the IE8s (from Amazon.com...decent price right now). Kind of makes all the noise I wrote above irrelevant. But thanks for the few comments nonetheless.

 

[ethan961]

Definitely the IE8, with a good seal you're sure to love them. You made the right choice.

 

[lordofbahamut]

I would not want to make a good seal with IE series though. It is the best way to enjoy Ie8 IMO since everyone know that IE series have warm signature sound. If you want more bass just turn the bass knob up but not a good seal give you better high and soundstage.

 

[ethan961]

If you get a good seal you get lots of mid-bass, which the OP loves in his car audio. Just a thought. usually without a good seal you get the best sound, but the OP may actually want a seal in this case.
EDIT: I do realize the IE8 is different, and that usually a seal is not wanted with it, but it's just my understanding that the OP will get a sound closer to their car system if they have a seal.

 

[rawrster]

the ie8 is a bit different ;p

 

[Scrivs]

You made a good choice.

So, what do you think of them?

 

[Mochan]

This is what I like about the IE8 and the Vmoda Vibe. They don't need a seal to sound great. And you get amazing soundstage in return.

 

[SactoMan101]

If you're a "basshead," it depends on how much you're willing to pay.

If your budget is US$100 or less, the main choice would be the Klipsch Image S4 or S4i, provided you switch to the Comply T-100 or Tx-100 ear tips. If you're willing to pay more, I'd recommend the Futuresonics Atrio M5/M8, which are well-liked for its strong, clear bass, and less expensive than the Sennheiser IE7 or IE8 models.

 

[Young Spade]

^ I agree. I wanna find a thread in which all 5 of those phones are directly compared; I'm thinking of picking up a new phone in the future...

 

[rumbletraq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrivs /img/forum/go_quote.gif You made a good choice. So, what do you think of them?

I just got these in about 4 hours ago. I thought about going through a proper burn-in, but was too antsy to test these babies out.

My first impressions: These blow my SE530's out of the water. Sound quality straight out of the box is everything I wanted those SE530's to be, but it obviously does the job waayyyy better. I like how I can customize the bass response (I've set it to the medium level for the time being). I'm sure when these have been properly burned in, the sound quality will get even better.

The cord's a lil flimsy. I need something thicker or else these puppies won't be lasting long. It also took a while to find an ear tip that provided the seal I needed.

Question: Does anyone out there run their IE8s off a headphone amp? Coming off my iPod Classic directly (with lossless files) sounds great already. I just want to know if stepping up to a dedicate headphone amp would make these things shine even more.

 

[ZARIM]

I think RSA Mustang P51 + ALO 18AWG CXS or 18AWG jumbo Cryo will bring out the details in mids and overall soundquality will increase further. It's been discussed here IE8 scale up much higher with Quality AMPs, Source and Cables help.