[Punky]

Hey folks,

So I've got a pair of Sony MDR-7506s and a pair of V-Moda Vibes. I love the sound on the MDR-7506s, the V-Moda Vibes not so much. They're just a bit muddy, especially in the bass department. Also, the most frustrating part of it all is the fact that they don't isolate worth a damn.

And since I'm always riding the NYC and NJ subways, this can be a real pain in the ass. It's pretty damn hard to hear anything over the rumble of the subway, the buzz of the crowd, and the roar of traffic.

Even the Sony MDR-7506s don't isolate that well, and they're brutally hot in the summer.

So can anyone suggest some good IEMs with great, clear bass, clean highs, and very, very good isolation? I've heard the Atrio M5s are really good for this. I'd like to avoid spending more than $200, preferably about $150.

J

 

[LaBreaHead]

"I've heard the Atrio M5s are really good for this."

Yeah -- at the very least, consider the M5's. Mud-free bass and good isolation well within your price range (from Road Dog via eBay). I recommend paying a little money periodically for foamies (Comply, black Shures -- the longest-lasting -- or Future Sonics).

You can get really, really impressive isolation from Etymotics ER6i's using bi-flanges or foamies, but if bass is a selling point, the M5s are strong performers.

 

[navmau]

Agree totally...Atrio's would be the best choice! The FS foamies are good if you want their small size ones, for larger size, other options are much better, such as Shure black foamies or Ety black foamies.

 

[Punky]

Yeah, I tried the Etys and they really didn't do anything for me. They were clear, shockingly so at points ("Holy crap, I didn't know I could hear the pick hitting the strings in that Dispatch song!") and I loved that, but the gutless bass ruined it for me.

 

[captian73]

(with gritted teeth) the best bass I've heard, were the super.fi 5eb's. unfortunately it doesn't make up for the rest of the short comings.

 

[Punky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by captian73 /img/forum/go_quote.gif (with gritted teeth) the best bass I've heard, were the super.fi 5eb's. unfortunately it doesn't make up for the rest of the short comings.

I hear highs are pretty rolled off...

 

[brugalete]

Isolation and great bass (mud-free)...that sounds like Westone UM-2 to me. I owned a pair of these jewels and they sound like magic. Good Bass and a perfect balanced sound. Too bad they are out your budget...you could save some money and apply for one the offers in ebay or in earphonesolutions.

Otherwise (if you want to stick to your budget), Atrio M5 seems like the way to go. I would also recomend UE super.fi 5 pro, but people claim they are not very comfortable so that is not a good point since you are gonna use it "on the go".

Cheers

 

[Punky]

That's not the first time I've heard the Westones compared to the Atrios. What IS the difference anyway?

 

[brugalete]

The UM-2 are armature dual driver and the Atrios are single dynamic driver. It may look like a hell of a difference. However, people seems to give them the same credit. They are both good sounding, they both have great bass (not muddy), they both provide a decent sound stage (for a pair of IEM´s) and they are both very comfortable to use it "on the go"...perhaps the UM2 deliver more clarity and refinement since they are balanced armatures.

Anyway whichever you choose, you are going to end up with one of the most musical and fun to use pair of IEMS.

good luck

 

[intoflatlines]

Any of the IEMs will isolate pretty well. Check out the SF5 EB.

 

[Caribou679]

Hello Sony user!

X2 for the Atrios, they isolate like crazy, are very comfy!!
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/fut...rio-m5-232312/

regards,

 

[navmau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Punky /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's not the first time I've heard the Westones compared to the Atrios. What IS the difference anyway?

I am not a fan of armatures. Granted a dual driver may equate to the similar sound sig as the atrio however, the high end of armatures for some reason "pinches" my ear, kinda hurts after a while. I like the smooth, yet present high end of future sonics IEMs.

I know I am not the only one to have this effect, I have read other head-fiers experiencing the same thing. I would be willing to give armatures another go, im not totally against them, but for now, im happy.

 

[michaelbe3]

Superfi eb and Headroom airhead amp are fantastic! Can't find much shortcomings to this scenario...just my humble opinion.

 

[chuck94022]

I've been using the Westone UM-2's for a couple of years. I was traveling a lot internationally by air, and liked the great isolation plus the ability to lay my head against them without them poking through my eardrum. The sound with the foamies was just great.

Because the isolation was so good with the UM-2's, I didn't use them for normal walk around listening. For that I used "stock" buds. When my dog ate the buds (literally), I decided to replace them with the iphone supporting version of the Vmoda vibes. They didn't seem as "involved" as the UM-2's, and they have a microphone.

When I put them on I was quite impressed with the sound. In fact, I was stunned at how strong the bass was - too strong, actually, but not so overpowering that I wanted to take them back. I just didn't realize IEMs could deliver such bass. So I listened for a while and got used to them. I "dialed in" to the sound, and enjoyed the easier insertion and less isolation for my "normal" listening mode.

After a day of listening to the Vibes, I inserted my UM-2's, just to compare. To my dismay, the UM-2's sounded awful! The midrange was way too present, the highs and lows both seemed totally rolled off and weak.

I felt I must have ruined my ears with the Vibes! But I'm sure I haven't because I slapped on my HD-650's just to convince myself that my ears still worked and they sounded just lovely.

Anyone else have this sort of experience when switching between IEM's? Did you have to readjust?

Bottom line for me is I do like the Vibes, but from everything I hear your mileage can vary from unit to unit, as they are tweaking them all the time (and the tweak may not be for the better). I also like the style of the Vibes.

For serious isolation, though, I will use the Westone UM-2. And I have always felt that they topped even my Sure e5c's (which I lost on a United 747 somewhere between the US and China) in both isolation and sound quality.

 

[spark008]

I think Super.fi 5

is ok for You

PPlease Check it