[islubio]

u can also take a look at fischer audio dba-02 or vsonic gr07

 

[islubio]

i m currently using the gr07 isolation is not as great compared to my e3g but i think it's the tips that affected the isolation.
currently using the sony hybrid clone and changing to foam tips would give better isolation. They have very nice bass, 1 of the best bass from iem i have ever heard. Not the kind that bass head like. And it works well for almost all genre. 
u can check out the reviews here.

 

[kmhaynes]

Here you go:
1) Etymotic HF5 on Amazon.com --http://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-Portable-Earphones-Black/dp/B000XPG2QI -- $103 right now -- same driver as ER4, just not specially tuned.
2) For super comfort, use these tips on them: http://www.amazon.com/Shure-PA910S-Replacement-SE530PTH-Earphones/dp/B000NDMJVW -- this is small size, also available in medium and large.

 

[Lyuokdea]

what do you mean by specially tuned? Is this for left/right matching? or for frequency response? How big is the difference?
 
Does it still have the ridiculous isolation of etymotics?
 
Thanks!
 
~Lyuokdea
 
 

 

[Lyuokdea]

This is certainly a very difficult decision - can anybody explain what the differences between the etymotic hf5 and er-4p are? I'm a little confused what the previous poster means about tuning.
 
Thanks,

~Lyuokdea

 

[Lyuokdea]

So - I think the final decision is between the ER-4PT and the CK10 - the best prices I have come up with are $220 for the ER-4PT and $270 for the CK10 (I'm pretty locked into buying via ebay, cause I have gift cards).
 
A few final questions to help guide my decision:
 
1.) How much do I lose in sound quality and isolation if I buy the ER-4PT and find out I don't like the triple flanges, do they become inferior headphones if I'm not using deep insertion?
 
2.) I'm still somewhat worried about the microphonics on the ER-4PT. Two subquestions:
 
a.) Do these go away when deep insertion is not used (is it a property of the headphone, or a generic property of any deep insertion method)
 
b.) I know the cord on the ER-4PT is replacable, is there a custom cord I can buy that will eliminate the microphonics.
 
3.) I know the CK10 can be used with the triple flanges (from ER), two questions here:
 
a.) Will the isolation on the CK10 be as good as the ER if I use triple flanges?
 
b.) Will I start having microphonics in the CK10 with deep insertion?
 
So generically - are microphonics a property of the cord or insertion method? Is isolation a property of the headphone or the insertion method?
 
Thanks so much for all your help!
 
~Lyuokdea

 

[RADI0HEAD]

From my experience microphonics are mostly a property of the cord. I use the deep sealing triple flanges on my CK10 and the microphonics are extremely low, best of the iems in my signature and the quietest I have ever owned. Now with my q-Jays I use one of the included single flange silicone tips and the seal is not as deep but this cord is the noisiest of my iems.

Although I don't have any way of measuring I can tell you that when using triple flange tips on the CK10 the isolation is very high, close to the Ettmotics.

ER4 or CK10 I don't think you can go wrong with either, they are both highly regarded . I would like to try the er4 some day too.

 

[BrianMB]

Quote:

1.) How much do I lose in sound quality and isolation if I buy the ER-4PT and find out I don't like the triple flanges, do they become inferior headphones if I'm not using deep insertion?

~Lyuokdea

The way I've been wearing my hf3s, the only option you have is a deep insertion. Using either the large tri-flanges or even Shure Olives, I insert the phones equally deeply in my ear. And from my observations it provides very similar isolation. I would actually be tempted to say that the Olives might even provide a bit better isolation. So as to using a tri-flange, bi-flange, single or foam, it's still a deep insertion with the ER4s for my experience with the hf3.
 

 

[Lyuokdea]

Ended up going with the ATH-CK10....will take awhile to arrive - hopefully in time for a long flight early next month. 
 
Thanks for all your help!

~Lyuokdea

 

[RADI0HEAD]

Congrats, hope you enjoy them, I certainly do.

 

[Lyuokdea]

Hi All,
 
Thanks again for your help! Got the CK10's on Friday (~38 hour shipping from Hong Kong!)
 
The sound is terrific (though it's the first pair of headphones over $50 i've ever listened to, so it's hard to compare -- for anybody looking at this as a comparisons threads).
 
Originally the isolation (with the default buds) was quite bad, and I was worried about this, but on Saturday I received the Sony EP-EX10A's that I'd bought separately, popped those on, and the isolation is now fantastic (though again I can't really compare). Also tried the Shure Tri-Flanges, but didn't find them to work good (you have to do some cutting to get them to fit on the speaker. Also, I apparently have quite big ear canals, and so even with the first flange cut off, it wasn't really sealing well.
 
I do have a couple questions though for people:
 
1.) I have an OS X computer - I find that with the isolation on these things, the music is quite loud even on the bottom end of the sound volume for the computer. (Sound on lowest, and itunes sound at around 10%). Is there any way to decrease this sound spectrum even more (I realize this might be more of a question for mac forums).
 
2.) Dumb question - I have the soft/hard storage pack for the headphones, it has two netted regions. How are the speakers supposed to be placed into this storage? I've kind of just rolled them up and put them in (the cord is very flexible) - but I don't want to break them.
 
Thanks!

~Lyuokdea