[djvkool]

Quote:

Hi,
I'm looking to buy an iem without the cushion. So it would be like the ipod cans. 

 
Say what? - you mean earbuds? IEM won't work without 'cushion' (which I assume you mean the tips?)
 
if so, have a look at HiSound Audio PAA-1, can be had cheaper than iBuds but sounds million times better

 

[Endcode]

Whats Up!
I'm looking for some IEMs under $200 with a similar tonal balance to Grado sr125i's, since i can't wear them around campus. It would be nice to have a presentation similar to the Grado's, but with a bigger soundstage.

If this will help with suggestions, there are 2 other headphones i have and enjoy listening to, the Kicker HP541's and some older Koss H/V Pros. The Grados are my current favorite, but the Kickers have a midrange that really stands out to me. The Koss are similar to the Grados but are more of a laid back sound. 

 

[vocalist]

Looking for a response on 2834.  Appreciate it!

 

[Xinze]

Looking for some CIEMS (Sorry if this isn't the right thread, I was unable to find one).
 
I listen to mostly electronic/techno music, mixed in with some classical, rock, and modern hip hop.
 
I will be upgrading from the W4. I would define it as neutral if not slightly mid centric. I love the sig., but I like the He-400's sig. also.
Looking for the sweet spot between the more neutral W4 and the heavily colored He-400.
 
If necessary, I'd prefer the sound to sound best for classical (It's the hardest to get right and sounds the worst if gotten wrong).
 
Budget of ~$850. I can extend to $1200 if absolutely necessary, though I'd rather not.
 
I've been looking at the (Used): JH16, JH13, or UM Miracle in mind. And brand new 1964Ears V6, UM Mage. 
 
The JH16 sells for ~$650 (+$130 Reshell) on here. JH13 for $100 less usually.
 
Can anyone give some advice on which would be the best option for a slightly bass enhanced, but otherwise neutral sound signature?
Open to other choices as well, new or used.
 
ALSO: How long does the drivers of a used CIEM usually last? I feel that newer than two years is good, but going beyond that is risky. 
 
EDIT: Also considering new UM Merlins. Is the bass more emphasized than the monster turbine line or not that far?

 

[Maedra]

Hey all, First post from a long time lurker!
 
I've been doing a lot of research, reading, and bargain hunting while looking for the best possible set of headphones for my requirements, but so far, I'm having a lot of trouble settling on a pair because of my strange set of requirements. So I'm really hoping the awesome experience contained within these forums can give me some help!
 
I guess I'll list out my requirements here, then go into more detail as to what I've looked at / am looking for.
 

• Portability
• Integrated mic
• 4-pin integrated jack
• Any of IEM, Circum-aural or supra-aural (circum-aural preferred, but hard to find portable)
• Low Cost / Good value
• Low leakage / Decent Isolation

 
So these headphones will be primarily for my Laptop and Cell-phone use as I study abroad over the next semester. My Galaxy S3 and Samsung Series 7 both have 4-pin integrated audio jacks, hence that being a major requirement. Portability is key, because I will be traveling all over the place and throwing these in a backpack, so decent durability and probably an included case would be really nice. As I will be using the train system in Germany to travel, Isolation would be great in helping me enjoy music. I am also an avid gamer (LoL, Minecraft, GW2, various FPS) and I will be Skype-ing with home often, hence the need for the microphone integrated. 
 
I know the first question that is usually asked is, "What genres of music do you listen to?" and there is easy answer to that, but I don't believe its all that useful for recommendations! DnB, Electro-House, Punk, Rock, A capella vocals, classical piano. So a large range of genres. I prefer a fun, dynamic tone, to a flat neutral tone, but respect clarity and definition. However, Top-quality isn't as important as Low-dollar as I am on a college student budget, and so would like to stay below $100 or even cheaper as possible unless it is a stupid crazy steal or giant killer.
 
From all of my research, the V-moda M-100s are perfect... Except they are 3x my budget 

 
So I was looking at possibly M-80s on Ebay which get almost down to $100? Or would I be better served by a good set of IEMs for isolation and portability? Are there any other portable Circumaural sets out there other than the M100s? My current desktop pair are Steelseries Siberia V2s, which I recognize are not the best when it comes to quality, but considering I got them at $35 dollars, were a STEAL at that price and great quality for the money. Anyways, I am satisfied with their sound, but was looking to upgrade to something better and with this newer, more portable set.
 
Thanks for reading my ridiculously long post and I am really looking forward to some help on this!
 
Edit: I accidentally a word.

 

[Cudabox]

Hi, I've been wanting to upgrade from ibuds to a pair of headphones for a while now and after a lot of reading and thinking I ended up getting some cheap bowers & wilkins P5 from ebay. I've been using them for a few days now and the clamping pressure is too much for me. I'm going to sell them and trade em in for something else. I tried the P3 and they are a bit too clampy as well. 
 
Here is what I'm looking for:
 
- A nice portable headphone for use at home, school, walking in the street, and everyday use such as on the bus.
My source of music is iPod and laptop (I will also use them for when I watch tv-series, movies etc.) so they have to sound good without an amp.
For music I enjoy jazz, jazzy hip hop like the roots, a tribe called quest, frank ocean, quiet rock like radiohead and the beatles, some electronica like Röyksopp, daft punk, some other pop like the tallest man on earth, james blake to name a few bands, ocassionaly I listen to classical music. 
 
 
- My criteria are portability and with that comes durability. They need to be comfortable for hours of use. Preferably not leak sound. Isolation is a bonus, but not a must. Lightweight would be nice too, and preferably small since I have a small head. The P5 looked a bit silly on me, but I think a round shaped can that's a bit bigger wont look bad, however smaller is better. On-ear has a tendency to be smaller, but if they are and look as good as ATH-ESW9 for example I can go for around ear cans.  Looks is also a criteria since I'll be wearing them in public - V-moda are butt ugly imo. My pricerange is 150-300$ and I'm willing to stretch if I can get that price used. And of course I want them to sound good!
 
- These are a few I'm considering

1. ATH-ESW9 - Current favorite. Despite being over ear and bigger I think they can look good. 
2. ATH-ES55 and S7
3. Phiaton PS 320
4. Sennheiser HD239
5. HD 25 - Not my favorite look, but they got a good reputation. 

 
Thank you for taking time to read and reply. 

 

[lu981]

Hello.
 
Would anyone, please, help me to decide which in-ear earphones to purchase?
 
My budged is +- 60 - 80$ most (I'd prefer not to hit/cross the upper borderline unless it would really make much difference from anything priced less). I listen mostly rock, some metal and classical music.
I connect them only to my mp3 player, so no special features are needed. A good isolation is a must. Durable (I mostly treat them the best I can, though, but sometimes I just recklessly throw them into bag along with keys and the likes; L cord is a must). Cables that "brings" the noise whenever it touches your clothes is rather not desirable. I wouldn't mind trying the flat cable design. - But foremost, the sound has the highest priority.
 
 
I thought of:
 

1. Creative EP 630 (which I'm rather sceptical about due to their price, regardless of some good reviews)
2. Sennheiser CX300-II (actually I've came across some opinions that they have too much bass, so I assumed they wouldn't be good)
3. JAYS a-JAYS One/Four/... (I've read they're not much comfy, the cables seem to be heavy and so forth)
4. Sony MH1C (my favorit I think)

 
 
I'd appreciate if someone would advice me if any of the listed are worth purchasing or have a suggestion of his own.
This is the first time I'm trying to pick the right good earphones, so I'm currently not much knowledgeable about what to get. I've read through many reviews (that differ a person to a person ^^; ) and they all have left me rather confused.
 
Thank you for taking your time.

 

[auralmania]

[size=9.5pt] Hi folks,[/size]
[size=11pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt] Have been doing a fair bit of research on getting a pair of IEMs that meets my needs. Have tried a few but am yet to find a suitable pair…[/size]
[size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt] 1. RE-0 : By far the best IEM that I've tried. Loved the punchy tight bass and the feeling of open-ness. Sounded pretty crap out of the box, but the difference after burn-in was quite noticeable and made it very enjoyable. Would've gotten this again (gf lost them) but I'd like to "move up a bit". Also, lack of iphone controls is another big negative.[/size]
[size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt] 2. Yamaha EPH-100SL: Nice signature, but extremely uncomfortable. Also very fatiguing to my ears for extended listening (get a dull headache).[/size]
[size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt] 3.  Audio Technica CK400i: Very comfortable and has iphone controls. SQ is meh! If this had good SQ, would've been perfect![/size]
[size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt] I have an ATH-M50 as my main "full-size" set. SQ is very good... BUT again, it is quite uncomfortable as the band tends to compress my ears, as a result, it doesn't see much use. [/size]
[size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt] I'd really appreciate it if you guys could guide me a bit with a few recommendations that I can further research based on the above impressions. [/size]
[size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt] I've already gone through the massive IEM thread several times but would like to get some feedback from members on the basis of my experiences. I'm yet to find something that meets all my needs which are:[/size]
[size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt]

• [size=9.5pt]SQ and signature very similar to my RE-0.[/size]

[/size] [size=9.5pt]

• [size=9.5pt]Comfortable (like my relatively inexpensive CK400i).[/size]

[/size] [size=9.5pt]

• [size=9.5pt]iPhone control supported (this is invaluable as I will be using this to control playback as well as make calls on the odd occassion).[/size]
• [size=9.5pt]Budget is $200-$300[/size]

[/size] [size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt] Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post. [/size]

 

[Exci]

Quote:

[size=9.5pt] Hi folks,[/size]
[size=11pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt] Have been doing a fair bit of research on getting a pair of IEMs that meets my needs. Have tried a few but am yet to find a suitable pair…[/size]
[size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt] 1. RE-0 : By far the best IEM that I've tried. Loved the punchy tight bass and the feeling of open-ness. Sounded pretty crap out of the box, but the difference after burn-in was quite noticeable and made it very enjoyable. Would've gotten this again (gf lost them) but I'd like to "move up a bit". Also, lack of iphone controls is another big negative.[/size]
[size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt] 2. Yamaha EPH-100SL: Nice signature, but extremely uncomfortable. Also very fatiguing to my ears for extended listening (get a dull headache).[/size]
[size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt] 3.  Audio Technica CK400i: Very comfortable and has iphone controls. SQ is meh! If this had good SQ, would've been perfect![/size]
[size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt] I have an ATH-M50 as my main "full-size" set. SQ is very good... BUT again, it is quite uncomfortable as the band tends to compress my ears, as a result, it doesn't see much use. [/size]
[size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt] I'd really appreciate it if you guys could guide me a bit with a few recommendations that I can further research based on the above impressions. [/size]
[size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt] I've already gone through the massive IEM thread several times but would like to get some feedback from members on the basis of my experiences. I'm yet to find something that meets all my needs which are:[/size]
[size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt]

• [size=9.5pt]SQ and signature very similar to my RE-0.[/size]

[/size] [size=9.5pt]

• [size=9.5pt]Comfortable (like my relatively inexpensive CK400i).[/size]

[/size] [size=9.5pt]

• [size=9.5pt]iPhone control supported (this is invaluable as I will be using this to control playback as well as make calls on the odd occassion).[/size]
• [size=9.5pt]Budget is $200-$300[/size]

[/size] [size=9.5pt]  [/size]
[size=9.5pt] Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post. [/size]

Not sure about the iPhone control, but there are many options in your price range if you can live without it. Try looking here for example:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/558211/mid-high-end-iem-upgrade-from-re0
 
Also, you may want to look into the RE-272 (only 1 left at amazon for 199 USD). The Ortofon e-Q5 (on sale for 199 USD at Musica Acoustics) gets quite a number of recommendations in the above listed thread, though I don't think they support the iPhone volume control. In any case, I have a pair coming my way and could do an a/b for you if you can wait a couple of days/weeks till they arrive (depending on how quick customs will release them). If so, let me know through PM. For what it's worth, I find the RE-0 lacking rather severely in soundstage (i.e. openness), so IMO you should be able to find a significant upgrade in your price range. Good luck!

 

[Bobtheflea]

Hello everyone! I haven't been on these forums in a very long time! Anyways I need some near in-ear headphones! I haven't done any research myself and don't know where to start with them! :/

Budget- ~$100
Listen to mainly electronic music such as dubstep, Drum and Bass. So it needs to be able to play smooth low bass and the glitchy highs and mids of electronic music.
I'm a college student and usually listen when walking around campus and at the gym.
Source- Droid RAZR Maxx
If you need any other details or if I left anything crucial out, I will gladly post them!
thank you guys!
-Bobtheflea

 

[mifero766]

Hi!
 
Just want to ask what bluetooth iem you can recommend.
 
Currently, I'm interested with Sony MW600 and Jaybird bluebuds x but this are pricey.
 
My budget is $100 but if its worth the price no prob,
 
Thanks!

 

[arlekin21]

Between the M31 and the soundmagic e10 which would be the better buy?
I just want some IEM's with some bass

 

[auralmania]

Quote:

Not sure about the iPhone control, but there are many options in your price range if you can live without it. Try looking here for example:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/558211/mid-high-end-iem-upgrade-from-re0
 
Also, you may want to look into the RE-272 (only 1 left at amazon for 199 USD). The Ortofon e-Q5 (on sale for 199 USD at Musica Acoustics) gets quite a number of recommendations in the above listed thread, though I don't think they support the iPhone volume control. In any case, I have a pair coming my way and could do an a/b for you if you can wait a couple of days/weeks till they arrive (depending on how quick customs will release them). If so, let me know through PM. For what it's worth, I find the RE-0 lacking rather severely in soundstage (i.e. openness), so IMO you should be able to find a significant upgrade in your price range. Good luck!

Sweet! Thanks a ton mate. 
 
The iphone controls are a must have as I will be using these while commuting. I'm more than happy spending some decent $$ for a pair that I'll truly like. Sadly, local retailers here price-gouge the crap out of you if you're into audio-gear (and most other things ).
 
I'll take a look at RE-272 and the e-Q5 (also eager to hear your impressions). My budget of $300 is a bit malleable if there is something pretty phenomenal for a tad more.
 
Thanks.

 

[djvkool]

Hi, I've been wanting to upgrade from ibuds to a pair of headphones for a while now and after a lot of reading and thinking I ended up getting some cheap bowers & wilkins P5 from ebay. I've been using them for a few days now and the clamping pressure is too much for me. I'm going to sell them and trade em in for something else. I tried the P3 and they are a bit too clampy as well. 


Here is what I'm looking for:


- A nice portable headphone for use at home, school, walking in the street, and everyday use such as on the bus.

My source of music is iPod and laptop (I will also use them for when I watch tv-series, movies etc.) so they have to sound good without an amp.

For music I enjoy jazz, jazzy hip hop like the roots, a tribe called quest, frank ocean, quiet rock like radiohead and the beatles, some electronica like Röyksopp, daft punk, some other pop like the tallest man on earth, james blake to name a few bands, ocassionaly I listen to classical music. 



- My criteria are portability and with that comes durability. They need to be comfortable for hours of use. Preferably not leak sound. Isolation is a bonus, but not a must. Lightweight would be nice too, and preferably small since I have a small head. The P5 looked a bit silly on me, but I think a round shaped can that's a bit bigger wont look bad, however smaller is better. On-ear has a tendency to be smaller, but if they are and look as good as ATH-ESW9 for example I can go for around ear cans.  Looks is also a criteria since I'll be wearing them in public - V-moda are butt ugly imo. My pricerange is 150-300$ and I'm willing to stretch if I can get that price used. And of course I want them to sound good!


- These are a few I'm considering

• ATH-ESW9 - Current favorite. Despite being over ear and bigger I think they can look good. 
• ATH-ES55 and S7
• Phiaton PS 320
• Sennheiser HD239
• HD 25 - Not my favorite look, but they got a good reputation. 

Thank you for taking time to read and reply. 

HD25 for sure, light, seals well, confortable, and sounds very good

 

[djvkool]

Hello.

Would anyone, please, help me to decide which in-ear earphones to purchase?

My budged is +- 60 - 80$ most (I'd prefer not to hit/cross the upper borderline unless it would really make much difference from anything priced less). I listen mostly rock, some metal and classical music.
I connect them only to my mp3 player, so no special features are needed. A good isolation is a must. Durable (I mostly treat them the best I can, though, but sometimes I just recklessly throw them into bag along with keys and the likes; L cord is a must). Cables that "brings" the noise whenever it touches your clothes is rather not desirable. I wouldn't mind trying the flat cable design. - But foremost, the sound has the highest priority.


I thought of:

• Creative EP 630 (which I'm rather sceptical about due to their price, regardless of some good reviews)
• Sennheiser CX300-II (actually I've came across some opinions that they have too much bass, so I assumed they wouldn't be good)
• JAYS a-JAYS One/Four/... (I've read they're not much comfy, the cables seem to be heavy and so forth)
• Sony MH1C (my favorit I think)

I'd appreciate if someone would advice me if any of the listed are worth purchasing or have a suggestion of his own.
This is the first time I'm trying to pick the right good earphones, so I'm currently not much knowledgeable about what to get. I've read through many reviews (that differ a person to a person ^^; ) and they all have left me rather confused.

Thank you for taking your time.

Increase your budget a little bit and get Klipsch X10, can be had for around $85 these days