Best earphones for under $250?
Mar 25, 2011 at 11:43 AM Post #16 of 51
Mar 25, 2011 at 1:33 PM Post #17 of 51
I have a pair of Shure 315's being delivered today.  They will be an upgrade from my Senn CX400's.
 
This thread is interesting to me because I was torn between ordering these or the UE TripleFi 10s.  What sent me over the edge was that I use these going to sleep and there is no way you can lie on your side with TripleFi's in your ears.
 
Earlier in the thead, somebody stated that the 315's are "neutral" sounding.  I am a big fan of the Grado sound signature (own 80i's and 225i's).  As a fan of the Grado sound, am I in store for a dissapointment?
 
Somebody mentioned that the TripleFi's emphasize the bass and treble.  I read elsewhere that the TripleFi's were neutral and very analytical.  After a while you don't know what/who to believe :).
 
I'll post my reaction to the 315's once I've had a chance to use them.  In the meantime I was curious how the Shure signature sound compares to the Grado signature sound.
 
Mar 25, 2011 at 1:36 PM Post #18 of 51
If you have a P-to-S adapter (75 Ohm adapter basically), use it in conjunction with the 315. You might be in for a surprise =)
 
Mar 25, 2011 at 10:24 PM Post #19 of 51
Got my Shure 315's and I am listening to them right now.  My initial impressions...
 
Build quality - awesome.  They fit great too, though it will take some time to figure out how to easily get them on.  Sound isolation is amazing.  The selection of tips provided are pretty amazing.  So far the factory installed tips work best for me.  The tiple flange ones are a little uncomfortable with no sound quality gain.  The yellow memory foam ones are the most comfortable while sitting up, but uncomfortable while resting my head on a pillow.  The cable is sturdy without being overwhelmingly thick.
 
As far as sound quality goes - the jury is still out.  My initial impression is that the bass is a bit lacking and there is no "sparkle" in the high end.  I'm not wow'ed at all so far.  The sound stage seems very narrow - there's no space to the music. 
 
The Grado SR-225i's aren't bass powerhouses, but there is a little somewhat subtle punch to the bass.  So far with the 315's, there is no punch to the bass at all.
 
My Grado SR-225's didn't wow me when I first got them, so I will use them for a while to break/burn them in a bit.  Perhaps the 315's will come alive with continued listening.
 
I'm wondering if the TripleFi 10's might not leave me underwhelmed...
 
 
 
 
 
Mar 25, 2011 at 11:19 PM Post #20 of 51
So many misconceptions about the TF10's.  They are a stellar value at their current prices.  Make no mistake, they are top tier. They are a balanced phone, meaning no one end of the sound range over powers the other:
Bass: Very fast, accurate and punchy with impact but does not bleed into midrange.
Mids: Liquid but just slightly recessed.
Treble: Simply excellent; effortless; airy; incredible extension and sparkle without sounding piercing or harsh.
Soundstage: Wide with very good instrument separation.  Places you about 15 rows back from stage.
Incredibly fun phone that is also technically good.  The cons are they look goofy.  I don't understand why some say they have a difficult fit.  They fit very shallowly, so it is an easy fit but due to strange shape, they can back out occasionally from your ears. Also removable cable is very stiff and annoying but ultimately replaceable.
 
Edit: You really do not appreciate these fully, until you compare them to the other phones out there.  Once you do, you gladly put up with its little idiosyncrasies.
 
 
Mar 30, 2011 at 9:42 AM Post #22 of 51
After about 24 hours of listening with these earphones, I am a very happy camper!!  I'm shocked at the sound quality difference after breaking these in through use over a 5 day period.  The bass is now nice with smooth mids and sparkly highs.  Jazz (specifically sax - think Coltrane!) is just amazing.  I'm really surprised that break in made such a big difference.  What's interesting is that the FAQ on Shure's website explicitly states that their earphones do not have a break in period.  Whether its the armature in the driver changing or the foam tips, I don't know, but there was a very definite and pronounced change in the SQ of these earphones. 
 
As a comparison, last night I popped my CX-400s in and played Muse's album Resistance.  While listening to the opening track, initially I thought "hmmm, more pronounced bass", but when the intro was through I thought "yeah, and the pronounced bass is covering up the rest of the music" - yuck!  Quite an upgrade!  :).  The CX-400s will now be relegated to workout/yardwork duty.
 
So I'm very happy to be keeping my Shure 315's!  They are such a pleasure to listen to music with while falling asleep.
 
Mar 30, 2011 at 9:53 AM Post #23 of 51


Quote:
userfriendly said:
...Now there's people telling me the SE 315's are good.
@Sari0n:
I'll listen to any/most types of music, but I usually listen to rock/rap.
Click to expand...


It's crazy, isn't it!?!?!?  You have to take all things into consideration.  I think the 315's are very good.  Are they the best?  Probably not.  Are the TF10's better?  Maybe, but in what way?  It may very well be that the sound quality of the TF10's is better.  If that is your #1 priority, then the TF10's are probably your best choice (from what I've read - note I've never listened to the TF10's).  I use IEMs to fall asleep with, so the TF10's just won't work for me - I don't care if they gave them away for free and replicated the sound of a concert hall to perfection!
 
I would say do your research, assess exactly how you will use them, and purchase from a retailer that will let you return them if they don't work out for you.  Also give them a chance and listen to them over a significant period of time to allow for breakin.
 
Enjoy the journey...
 
 
 
Mar 30, 2011 at 6:24 PM Post #26 of 51
I love my tf10s the most annoying thing is when you try lean against something and it feels like a scrwdriver is going into your head.
One way to solve it is to remould ,i also added 2 mid drivers in im still waiting on them to come back from china.
 
Mar 30, 2011 at 6:33 PM Post #27 of 51
Unless you have small ears, the TF10 is the better choice. I have heard enough about the se315 to know that they wouldn't really suit rap at all (the bass is a bit lacking, or so I've heard). I've owned the TF10. They are absolutely phenomenal. The bass is forward and punchy, but has a slight sub-bass drop off. The mids are slightly recessed. The highs are pretty great; they are very "sparkley" but never sibiliant. The soundstage is good, but not as good as other IEM's (I'm looking at you IE8). The only gripe that I had with the TF10's, and what ultimately made me trade them, was how uncomfortable they are. I could only have them in for half an hour before I started to feel severe pain. If you have small ears/small ear canals, I would say stay away unless you want to remold them. I can also add that I infinitely enjoy the IE8's more than the TF10's. Their soundstage, awesome bass, great mids and highs, and overall quality make me a very, very happy person
biggrin.gif
. You can get them for around $220-260 on the FS forums. Best of luck to you!

 
 
Mar 30, 2011 at 7:00 PM Post #29 of 51


Quote:
userfriendly said:
 


 
How do you remould it?
Click to expand...


Remolding services are offered by Unique Melody and Fisher Audio. It typically costs between $80 and $100.
 
 
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