[Pianist]

I recommend Ortofon e-Q7 as the best all arounder. It will be a sizeable step up from something like q-jays and the UE700, if you don't mind a warm sound with neutral bass, slightly forward mids and gently rolling off upper treble.

 

[ZimmerX]

I feel that the problem with the Ortofons is the shape and the fit... I think they're too big and awkward to fit appropriately in my ear. The silicon inserts look pretty poor, and although good things are always said about them, the con always comes back to the fit of them.

 

[Bennyboy71]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZimmerX /img/forum/go_quote.gif I feel that the problem with the Ortofons is the shape and the fit... I think they're too big and awkward to fit appropriately in my ear. The silicon inserts look pretty poor, and although good things are always said about them, the con always comes back to the fit of them.

Buy em, try em, swap em or sell em if you dont like em. I love my Ortos, so you can't have mine, but I reckon they're worth a shot, and you'll have 5p left to buy some sweets with.

 

[Aeneas]

Few are certain to fit well - the Klipsch X10 is one of those few.

 

[ZimmerX]

Haha, that's a bit of a lengthy process to decide whether they'll fit or not. In this, I'd rather not take the risk and go for an earphone that is renown for its decent fit.

 

[Pianist]

Fit with IEMs is a very personal thing becuase everybody's ears are different in size and shape as well as sensitivity. If an IEM is comfortable for many, that doesn't mean that it will be comfortable for you. Personally, I thought Shure SE530 is very uncomfortable, while UE Triple.fi is quite comfy. But most people will tell you otherwise.

 

[WhiteBear]

+1 for Westone 2. Best cable. Very good fit.

 

[ZimmerX]

I assume the Westone 3s are the same size as the 2s, but with 3 drivers? I'd be willing to push myself an extra £40 for much better sound quality if that is what it comes to.

 

[rsuffix]

Any extra £40? I can't find the Westone 3s for anything less than £100 more.

 

[ZimmerX]

WESTONE 3 SOUND/NOISE ISOLATING IN EAR EARBUD EARPHONES on eBay (end time 19-May-10 02:34:07 BST)

£226 Westone 3
£180 Westone 2

Approximately...

 

[rsuffix]

Ah-ha, eBay. If only I had Paypal.

 

[Marcus_C]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZimmerX /img/forum/go_quote.gif I assume the Westone 3s are the same size as the 2s, but with 3 drivers?

The W2 housing is smaller than the W3

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZimmerX /img/forum/go_quote.gif £226 Westone 3 £180 Westone 2 Approximately...

Don't forget you will probably be hit with import duty on top of that.

 

[iPhone4G]

+1 to westone 3.. westone 3 is best for my ear so far.. have test turbine cooper, se530, ortofon eq7, ie8..

 

[Possede]

I'd recommend the Sennheiser IE8s. £160 here. Excellent built quality, no faults after more than a year of daily use! Unlike any Shure earphones I've had (E2C, E3C, E5C, SE530), which break after a few months of use.

 

[ZimmerX]

It looks as if the W2s are really the best bet...
@ Posede - the main gripe with the IE8s is the isolation and fit... Everything I've read about them suggests they don't have the best fit and their isolation is poor for a high end IEM. I've always loved the build quality of Sennheiser and think they're fantastic, but I hear too many negatives about the IE8...