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Originally Posted by DARKHAVEN /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The CX500s are only really a contender because I can get them for a good price. I got them for my girlfriend and I find the fit solid, although comfort is a bit lacking for me. I also find the sound a notch or two below what I want, ideally. I find them to be a bit veiled, the treble was subdued. I worry about the pendulum swinging to far the other way with IEMs like the Etymotic ER-4Ps, which I've heard from others are quite bright (and perhaps harsh?). On the positive side, I feel the CX500s strength is in the midrange, which they handle competently and the bass is pleasantly clean and present (as opposed, once again, to what I hear about the Etymotics, which are supposedly bass lacking?). Admittedly, I'm being a little hard on the Senns, but I'm used to my Shure SE530s and they've ruined me... Having said that, the CX500s are also a quarter of the price, so keeping that in mind, they aren't bad. I'm just not sure they are the performance leader in the $100-150 category (I'm pretty sure they aren't...). Cheers.
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A bit of background first with regard to my experience with buds and IEM's, I am a long time listener of Sony ER888's (Sony's best earbud at one time), Ety ER4P/S and have also recently in the last year aquired CX-300's, and SE530's.
I also run, go to the gym for weights and for spinning and commute and race on bicycles.
Going through my choices, in order of preference:
Sony's MDR-E888's
I use for cycling and where I need to be able to get them in and out frequently and/or quickly. They have a high quality sound but pick up wind noise outdoors and are severly hampered by their nature, ie being buds - I don't consider these or any bud's to be serious hifi contenders, they just don't get the sound into your head well enough, unless you put your hands over your ears and press hard! But great for the bike whan you need to know what is going on around you and need to be able to pull them out at will. You couldn't run with them as they would fall out of your ears all the time.
Senn CX300 (CX500 etc very similar)
I bought these under the impression they were 'neutral', half-way isolating and tighter fitting so they wouldn't fall out all the time. The first is false the rest is right. They are not at all refined (nowhere near neutral), have a focus on the lower spectrums, bass heavy bordering on bloated. You couldn't consider them for any sort of critical listening or as your only pair. They ruin a lot of music for me but sound great with the likes of Queen and the gym where you are looking for a heavy beat and a solid groove. They are half-way IEMs that sit solidly enough in your ears - and you can tell when they are properly seated because the tips go 'pop' when you push on them gently to check. If I lost them, I'd buy another pair staight away, but just for Queen and the gym ('Killer Queen' on these is great
) I havn't tried them running, they may stay in but I suspect that they would move around and you would lose that all-important seal you need for IEM's.
Ety ER4P/S
The ER4S is a very refined IEM, with a unique SQ, detailed and clear with a nice sparkle - not bright. The ER4P a little less so but it has a more normal balance. You would find both too airy and bass lacking after the SE530's. What rules out the Ety's for running/jogging, or and kind of significant movemant though is that the cord is noticably microphonic and you will get a lot of superfluos sound just from that - it would spoil any music you were trying to listen to. Also the weight of the cable is unsupported (ie not over the ear) and again I suspect this would cause a frequent a loss of the seal that is important for IEM's. If you do get serious about the Ety's I would suggest the ER6's which are less affected by these problems.
Shure SE530
My current fav. I can't understand why you are looking at Ety's for running when you have these. They are a similar fitting IEM but have cable-over-ear which supports the weight of the cable better with less microphonics and should cause you less grief while running.
Knowing all the above, I wouldn't want to go running with any of them. My first choice perhaps would be the MDR-E888's with tape over my ears to hold them in
. Realistically, you are not able to appreciate the finer naunces of hifi while you are puffing and panting so I would be looking for something midrange that you think will not fall out.
To summarise, why not try running in your SE530's and see what is lacking there to determine what you really need.
Kind regards
g_a