[Derod68]

Hello Awesome audio people,

I am looking for best sounding IEM's Under $100 for work with situational awareness and no noise canceling. I must be able to hear my coworkers or supervisor that sits right behind me, should they need me. I listen to Pandora and Google Music on work PC. My music preferences are dance, top 40, 70's and 80's, film scores and others so lots of variety. Bass is good but not a must. Looking for quality and great sound. Thanks in advance!

 

[Achmedisdead]

I think earbuds would be better suited than IEM, since you can't have a seal in your situation. Maybe try the Apple Earpods?

 

[Derod68]

I am actually using those currently (iPhone 5 version) but too 'trebly' (noobish term) and want to leave them at work since I use primarily to communicate and not for music. Good suggestion as maybe earbuds are the way to go?? I don't often hear of those too much. Just don't want high noise isolation.

 

[lwien]

Try some foam covers on those earpods.   They add bass while taming the treble. 

 

[Derod68]

Foam covers on iphone 5 earpods? Really? Guys, I appreciate the help but I am just looking for IEM's that don't totally block out sound from my immediate surroundings.
 

 

[lwien]

Quote:

Foam covers on iphone 5 earpods? Really?

Yup.....really.
 

 
I got mine at Radio Shack.    Turns them into a whole other earbud.    With the foamies, they actually sound pretty good.  

 

[nikp]

With IEMs, you won't be able to hear the person next to you with your music on even on lowest volume unless they're yelling of course which you don't really want. The Apple Earpods aren't bad at all, a huge step up from its predecessor (kudos to Apple).

 

[Derod68]

I'm shocked. I never expected that would be a suggestion in a forum such as this but I guess it's worth a try! Heck, that's a savings of 100.00 (minus the cost of the foamies...hehe). I own the klipsch s4i but need to use with bigger tips for good seal to get great sound but can't hear unless they yell at me, like u said. Again, I will try and thanks for the tips...literally

 

[dnullify]

They're are very few open IEMs. Only ones i know of are the fidelio s1.
By nature they isolate, and if you don't get a good seal you're not going to get any bass.

Maybe you should consider some on-ear portables like the porta pros, ksc75, px100 II

 

[lwien]

Quote:

I'm shocked. I never expected that would be a suggestion in a forum such as this but I guess it's worth a try! Heck, that's a savings of 100.00 (minus the cost of the foamies...hehe). I own the klipsch s4i but need to use with bigger tips for good seal to get great sound but can't hear unless they yell at me, like u said. Again, I will try and thanks for the tips...literally

 
Yup.   Those foamies turn those earpods into a different animal.   You'll be pleasantly surprised.   I know I was.

 

[tinyman392]

I would recommend something like the Phiaton Moderna, or other extremely shallow inserting IEM (can't really call them that) for your uses.  They are 87 over Amazon.  If they don't work for you, return them and get some earbuds.  Yuin...  Blox...  ApplePods... IDK how good the Marshall Minor FX is (I had the originals, they weren't good, but they got a new sound guy and their headphones are now really respectable in terms of sound quality).

 

[Exesteils]

Fidelio S1. Semi-open so isolation is pretty minimal. Won't be easy to hear every little thing, but it won't block everything out like most IEMs either.

 

[FieldingMellish]

I was going to recommend something like the $20.00 Koss KSC75, which is enjoying a reputation for delivering a large percentage of sound quality that belies it's price point, but for one thing. Yes, you can hear others, but nearby co-workers will hear your music as this constant low-level nattering; an annoyance that is hated more than listening to loud unwanted music. 
 
An afterthought is that a Koss KSC75 is really like a small speaker close to the ear, as are buds. IEM's are designed to utilize the inner ear canal for its sound quality and as such require the IEM to be "plugged in" or sealed. By the same token, some IEM's allow more external sound into the ear than others. Even those that do allow more sound in, you can sense kind of being disconnected from those around you. 

 

[Derod68]

These are some pretty darn good suggestions thus far and am weighing all options. The Koss, although I am sure sound great, are too big for what I am looking for. I agree that a seal would automatically provide a passive noise blocker but u guys have provided some viable solutions and I am looking forward to see what other suggestions u sound-geeks may have! Thanks all!!

 

[lwien]

Whatever decision you make, I strongly suggest that before you do, get those foamies and make your decision after you have listened to your earpods with those foamies installed.   You may find that you just saved yourself some money.