[msalivar]

Some of my treble filters are getting kind of loose, and my medium tips almost always come off in my ear so I'm stuck using some old Shure or UE tips that aren't nearly as comfortable, and don't sound as good. I could just by some more treble filters and tips, but, I don't know, I think I want some new IEMs. I really love the modular system, but I'm noticing some really weird artifacting with certain music, depending on my configuration. There must be some significant spikes and troughs to the response curve.

So, I need some suggestions, since I haven't been following the market for awhile. I don't really have a budget, but the higher the price, the longer I'll have to save. I'd love some customs, but I'd be saving a long time for all those $800+ options.

I settled on the = bass and the + treble, and that's fine for the most part. I guess I'd like bass that goes a little deeper, but I found the + bass on the SA6 to bump it too high up into the midrange, having a huge effect on some voices (Amos Lee was a really bad example). So, I'd love to have good strong bass, and very clear, extending treble, but not at the cost of a smooth response curve.

I've owned Ultimate Ears S.fi 5 Pro in the past, and liked the sound quality, but was less than impressed by build quality. I had the cord fail just outside warranty, and all around they felt kind of cheap. After that I got some Shure SE530, but felt the mids were too muddy for my tastes. The build quality was much better, though, and I think it's the Shure tips that were far more comfortable than the UE (IIRC, the Shure are the softer gray tips that don't fit my SA6, while the UE are the harder clear ones.)

Obligatory description of musical taste:
I listen to lots of acoustic music, I guess mostly guitar, but some horns, violin, piano, and other plucked strings like banjo and mandolin. I like accuracy in my bass because I listen to some small arrangements with upright bass, with quite a few solos. The drums range from rock drum kits to traditional African drums, and while not drums, some things like didgeridoos and irish horns. So, I need accuracy above depth, since I really listen to almost no deep synthetic bass.

I don't have too much problem with poor synthetic reproduction like you'd expect from something like a Klipschorn, for example. I listen to a little bit of electronic stuff, like Radiohead, Caribou, and Arctic, but very little. Electric guitar, on the other hand, that's crucial so the punk and grunge side of my tastes don't sound any worse than they should.

so... folk, punk, blues, jazz, african, generic rock, grunge, bluegrass, jam band....

Thoughts?

 

[jyle_t]

you can try out westone 3, but the mids aren't as good as SA6 IMO, and you might find the bass overwhelming too.

phonaks is another similarly mid-treble oriented IEM, its a different taste tho, the cold type (SA6 is warm). another similar one is CK100.

otherwise i think you're pretty much stuck with SA6.

 

[shigzeo]

i have the audeo pfe and they are good but if you are into build quality and great acoustic music like guitars, the audio technica (if you can find a good price) are juggernauts. build is great, looks are good and the stage is wide. amazing.

it is hard to recommend an audio technica since they are not exported out of japan so no threads about them other than a few reviews, but when i heard them at first, i threw all i knew about iems out the window. im sure the ck100 are even better.

 

[Calexico]

Are you talking about the CK10s?

 

[shigzeo]

i am. i think they are quite an amazing and understated phone. extremely accurate but with a large stage. however, their best feature is the amazing build. stem and body are the strongest design i have ever seen. encased in rubber with a metal outer shield and plastic back: bulletproof. good cable that will not crack and is good for touch noise.

however, not very strong bass unless you use high density foamies but great great sound. they are my favourite in ear phones for armatures.

 

[Calexico]

Okay I was just asking because you didn't mention it in your initial post lol. They look very pretty.

 

[shigzeo]

sorry, i spend so much time writing at my other jobs that when i get to headfi, i just let my mind go as i type. it is not fair for anyone trying to clean up after me. yeah, ck10 are amazing and are a big hit in japan but here and other countries, no one knows them and no one is brave enough to try as the price is nearly double what you get it for in japan and the same goes for the ck100, their little brother.

 

[msalivar]

I've always heard good things about Audio Technica's cans, but I'm not sure I even knew they made IEMs. I guess I knew, it just really didn't register with me.

Any chance of me finding a better price than at audiocubes.com? They're $350/$650 for the CK10/CK100, and you're right, that's a lot of money while basically buying them blind. Do you know anything about comfort? Will tips from any other brands fit them? I'm a big fan of softer silicon tips, like from Sleek and Shure (I think it was the Shure that were softer than the UE), and if they're harder silicon like from the UE (again, IIRC) then I'll need tips from elsewhere.

 

[msalivar]

Alright, $220 for the CK10 on ebay, that looks like the front runner for now, but maybe the CK100 for $475 if a better job comes along soon. I think I'll have to do some more hunting for impressions.

 

[Gliss]

^^^There's someone selling ck10's on ebay for $199.99.

 

[tstarn06]

You have the W3s? I owned the SA6s, and the W3 mids are up front and fantastic in my view, and the bass is smooth, clean and powerful. You must have never had the right fit/tips, because the W3s crush the SA6s in my view. Of course, the Westones also cost more.

As for the PFEs, you own them too? They are not cold phones, in fact, they can be quite warm with the right amp. Yes, they are detailed and mid/treble focused, but hooked up to a T4 or MiniboxE+, the two amps I have used with them, the bass is accurate and awesome.

Just didn't want to mislead the OP. Both the W3s and PFEs are better IEMs in my view than the SA6s, with cost being the main difference.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyle_t /img/forum/go_quote.gif you can try out westone 3, but the mids aren't as good as SA6 IMO, and you might find the bass overwhelming too. phonaks is another similarly mid-treble oriented IEM, its a different taste tho, the cold type (SA6 is warm). another similar one is CK100. otherwise i think you're pretty much stuck with SA6.

 

[shigzeo]

the ck10 will fit any sony, sennheiser, ue tip but the sound tube is not flanged so foamie tips without rubber inserts will slip off a bit like comply when using the pfe.

they will not fit the tiny ety/shure/westone stems unless you remove the rubber insert from the foamies - that is a match made in heaven. so too is the hybrid foamie from nuforce/zagg and victor. great great tips for the ck10.

but with ety tips, the already great stage gets massive - simply stunning.

 

[msalivar]

You mean the ety triple flange? I have small-medium canals, so I don't think I'd have much luck with triple flanges. Are they very soft?

Similarly, I've heard some people have had trouble with fit on the W3, just because the casing itself is so huge (shigzeo, you had this trouble, didn't you?) Without the opportunity to try first, I'd rather not take that risk. Especially with so many people suggesting the bass could be too much for some.

I really don't want anything warm, or cold and clinical for that matter. I just want honesty with a nice smooth and flat response curve that extends as far as possible in both directions.

 

[jyle_t]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif You have the W3s? I owned the SA6s, and the W3 mids are up front and fantastic in my view, and the bass is smooth, clean and powerful. You must have never had the right fit/tips, because the W3s crush the SA6s in my view. Of course, the Westones also cost more. As for the PFEs, you own them too? They are not cold phones, in fact, they can be quite warm with the right amp. Yes, they are detailed and mid/treble focused, but hooked up to a T4 or MiniboxE+, the two amps I have used with them, the bass is accurate and awesome. Just didn't want to mislead the OP. Both the W3s and PFEs are better IEMs in my view than the SA6s, with cost being the main difference.

i do not own PFE and westone 3, however in the place where i live, i have the privilege to audition them for quite some time without buying. and i do not think westone 3 beats SA6 in mids presentation. Each to his own i guess.

my view of PFE as cold sounding is in comparison with SA6, i didn't spend a lot of time with them tho, and i've done all my auditioning with my iphone 3G headphone out.

oh ya, i used shure olives for all the above, i can never get a good fit with triple flanges as the lowest tip is always too big, for SA6 i can only use the small double flange.

 

[dura]

I have troubles with the SA6 too, the cable broke after only 3 months, and the dealer is very slow in sending a replacement.
So I bought myself a pair of Senn IE8s, and couldn't be happier; the same detail as balanced armatures, but much better bass and good with all kinds of music. And, very good buildquality.