[yearsofwisdom]

what are the best <100$ IEM for classical music? i also listen to rnb and rock...

 

[11amaberry]

RE0 probably...

 

[stevenswall]

Etymotic Mc5 has better isolation, durability, and research to back its claims of accuracy. It is very clear, and likely not as bass light as the RE0 (owners comments, I have the Mc5, not the RE0, but isolation and durability are uncontested)

 

[dziendobry]

I love my ER6i and Meelec M9's for classical music.  Right now I am listening to Beethoven's 1st conducted by Furtwangler on a pair of IM616's which are rebadged Er6i's.  The Meelec's aren't as detailed but are more spacious as well as give the cello and double bass a little oomph.

 

[rawrster]

Quote:

Etymotic Mc5 has better isolation, durability, and research to back its claims of accuracy. It is very clear, and likely not as bass light as the RE0 (owners comments, I have the Mc5, not the RE0, but isolation and durability are uncontested)

I had the RE-Zero and the MC5 until a couple days ago and I've had the RE0 in the past. They all offer similar levels of bass impact.

 

[a_recording]

I think the MC5 might be the better option for classical music than the RE0's - they do instruments like violins a little better. The RE0's are a little smoother and nicer with female vocals, whereas the MC5s are drier and seem to do better with acoustic instruments. I get the impression that the MC5's have lower bass extension, though similar amounts of bass, at least when they are unamped. Isolation and build quality are big plusses for the MC5.

 

[yearsofwisdom]

yeah.... durability is a big issue for me since i am a high school student and i tend to busy things.... but i hear that the sound of the RE0s are absolutely amazing and comparable to those of models like 3 times as expensive like a Triple FI, is this true and is this true for the MC5 as well?

 

[stevenswall]

Price/performance ratio should always be taken with a grain of salt, as it can often distort the impression formed about the sound... Personally I have listened to the Shure SE535, and the Monster Turbine Pro Gold, both of which I strongly disliked compared to my Mc5, or the Hf5 ect. In this case, the Mc5 to me sounds better than others that cost 4 times as much. Sounds kind of ridiculous, but even $300 (heck, I've even heard terrible sounding $1000 headphones) can sound bad.
 
If you want realism and durability, get the Mc5, If you want some other flavor of sound, try the RE0... In the end it's up to you to return what you don't like, and try the next most promising product.

 

[yearsofwisdom]

yeah. now which is better the MC5, HF 5, or the REO and what are there sound signatures? im merely a noob so i get confused by tehse terms but i mainly listen to classical,pop/rnb/hip pop, and rock. i have the ksc35 i believe right now? and i love the sound or they are my first pair of "audiophile" headphones.

 

[a_recording]

I have KSC35's

" class="bbcode_smiley" height="" src="http://files.head-fi.org/images/smilies//smily_headphones1.gif" title="

" width="" /> BOth the MC5 and the RE0 will be leagues better, either of them will blow you away.
 
I wrote a comparison review between the MC5 and RE0 which is linked in my signature, but basically the MC5 sounds a bit drier and more transparent, whereas the RE0 is smoother. Both sound somewhat similar though. If this is going to be your first nice purchase, I would go for the MC5 since it should be more durable long term. Just be prepared for comfort issues though, since they are deep insertion and will take about a week to get used to.
 
Considering that you listen to hip hop though, you may find that you aren't going to get quite as much bass as you might like compared to the KSC35's. In that case, definitely have a look at this thread to see if there is anything you like:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/478568/multi-iem-review-108-iems-compared-earsquake-cro-fish-and-sha-added-09-17
 
EDIT: Yay, 500th Post! : D

 

[yearsofwisdom]

Wow even less bass than the ksc35s? i thought the bass was sorta lacking already... how much are we talking? and will the MC5s be good for classical and rock? i listen to those mainly and hip hop is like more on the side. like 40 percent classical, 40 percent rock, 20 percent hip hop.

 

[stevenswall]

Bass with be relatively light compared to your KSC75. I don't think my Mc5 works bad or good with any genre, it sounds very natural, which is equally good for most genres, but with hip hop you also have the users expectations of bass, which the Mc5 will not fulfill. It took me a few days to get used to the relatively light bass, but immediately you should notice the realism of the sound, which is great and gets better once you become accustomed to the clarity and detail.
 
A good EQ can make the Mc5 very bassy... in the future consider this when purchasing a DAP (digital audio player.) My Cowon S9 X-bass works wonders when listening to the Black Eyed Peas, If I didn't have a great equalizer on my player, I would enjoy hip-hop music much less.

 

[tacomn]

most people are going to say the reo, but check out the radius ddm- oem version can be had for about that price

 

[yearsofwisdom]

now how are the radius ddms compared to the RE0 and the MC5s?

 

[tacomn]

they are different beasts- raidus has more bass and such.... but the radius is considered top tier... alot of people favor them more than the elites- still though that doesnt mean they are a fit for you particular sound sig.