[TwinQY]

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Hello,
 
I am looking for some IEM's to replace my much loved Yamaha EPH-100 that went through the washing machine.
 
I travel a lot so need something with excellent isolation for flying, I listen to mostly rock, country and even folkish music, but am quite eclectic and do listen to most genres.  I also watch movies and TV on planes and whilst away.  I like strong bass and hate sibilance.  Budget is up to $150.
 
Whilst the sound of the Yamaha wasn't quite perfect I did grow to love them, the only nice to have would be a microphone and audio controls although this isn't a deal breaker.
 
I have just ordered some Sony MH1C on a whim to see what the hype is about.  I also have some Vsonic GR02 bass edition which are great for the money but don't have the comfort, isolation or the 'spunk' of the Yamahas.  I am also eyeing off Brainwavz M4 which are on special at the moment.
 
Any suggestions?  Can the Sony's or M4 compare to the Yamahas? 

 
Short answer, no. PFE122/HF3 for microphone use would be good. Something sort of similar sounding to the Yamahas was the FXD90.
 
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Also hoping for some suggestions here - BIG thread and I've poked around a bit, done some searching and gotten lost more than once
 
For sound quality, I've really loved the Shure 500/535s that I've had - although I've sent them in for repair/replacement probably six times and they're a little tired of me by now. I've been waiting a couple of years for the Sleek Audio SA7s to come out, but that's (been) looking like vaporware for quite awhile now. Also thought about the Etymotic Research ER-4PT, but just don't know much about them other than what I've read (and don't know if I can run the cable over my ears)
 
My requirements:
1) The only place I really get to listen to good music is at the gym (very hectic schedule) and will often run on the treadmill for an hour or more - I prefer an over-ear cable (the 500c was great-535 not so much) - so it's got to be pretty rugged. I guess the Shures just couldn't handle it...
2) For music - usually good rock (Zeppelin, etc) as the gym is no place for classical.
3) Price range - $200-$400
 
-Fairly rugged/sturdy to stand up to my workout routine
-Over-ear cable
-Great sound
-good isolation
 
Anything I've missed?
Appreciate any and all help - you're great for helping a stranger out!

 
The Etys slip off sometimes when the ears get sweaty. Isolation is probably too much for the gym as well, you might need the extra awareness. For rock, try the GR10, magical mids. 

 

[wcstick]

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A700- Really, really good for vocals and pretty sounding mids in general. Comfort is a bit unsettling at the top of the head at first, and the fit is often loose for many, but you get used to them. Isolation is average.
 
M50 - Good for electronica, as the tonality suits it. Instrumental...well, it depends on which types. Very good performance at the $100 mark. Comfort and isolation are average.
 
6400 - The comfort is really fine, not much to complain about. Some of the mids are etched out, and the treble slopes down along with it. Extension isn't that bad, and as you mentioned, great detail for the price. 
 
SRH440 - I'd go for the SRH840 to be honest. Less dull of a treble, mids are more detailed, and the extension is better both ways. The signatures are still similar, just improved. 
 
If you're looking for fun, Uptowns and HP700s are the ticket. I'd personally lean towards the HP700 for electronica (immensely good bass at that price), and the Uptowns for everything else.

 

Hey TwinQY, it's me again.
 
I did some more digging and came across the Numark PHX Pro. They seem to be comparable to (or were compared to) the M50 and HP700 and for a fraction of the price. Do you have any experience with these?

 

[TwinQY]

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Hey TwinQY, it's me again.
 
I did some more digging and came across the Numark PHX Pro. They seem to be comparable to (or were compared to) the M50 and HP700 and for a fraction of the price. Do you have any experience with these?

Actually, yes. They were on the same rack as the M50 and HP700 at Tom Lee last month. It's a very fun sound, and the bass is certainly faster than the M50, though not as much as the HP700. One thing these have over the others are their upfront, forward sound. Great build for the price, but the cups don't completely cover my ears (and I have average sized ears), so isolation lacked a bit, but not too much, as the clamp was decent.

 

[Dissonant]

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Completely agree with the HD800/LCD-3 comments. I heard the HFI-780 as well, weirdest stage I've ever experience. People pay money for these things? From your experience with the 009, sounds like you need a dose of SR007 (MKIs).
 
If you can't get the GR07 (which is what I would have suggested first), try the PFE122 if you can find a good price on it. Balanced, slightly warm, with some of the smoothest treble I've heard. Think W4s, but less warm. Speaking of Westone, the W2 is a decent choice as well, but it's slightly more coloured, albeit musical and pleasant. Not ridiculously coloured by any means. HF5s are slightly warmer than the ER4, and the treble is smooth and sparkle, but it's just that there's a lot of it. 

I can get the Gr07s. Lendmeurears is based here, so I can audition it before buying. It's just that the price of the GR07s and Gr01s here are not as advantageous compared to the shipped price as the models from Gr06 and below. They are bundling the Gr07 mk2s with the GR04 Flagship for just below US$200 too, but I don't need an extra IEM. Anyway, I am not sure how much depth the Gr07s have. I am inclined to believe not so much from several impressions of it, but I will audition it to find out.
 
Phonaks are a little more difficult to find, but I believe they are carried here. The Etys are priced quite high here though. The HF5 goes for the same price as the GR07 mk2 with the bundled Gr04 Flagship, so I am guessing it is not that good a value. Meanwhile, Rockit R50s are bundled with the R10s (like, the entry-level Rock-it IEMs, not the giant woodied MDR-CD3000 made of what looks like coconut shells and diaphragms made of sugar) for ~US$120 here too, thus the consideration of them as an option. EPH-100s goes for the same as the street price in the US, so I am guessing it's a decent choice. It is the leader atm because of the build and how the sound seems to be for me, if I were to believe the hype thread. My only concern is the cable's build quality and how it seems unsuitable for over-ear wear.
 
Of course, it all boils down to what I hear, but I am looking for some suggestions (including those on the pre-loved market) to be thrown out for audition. BTW, Westones are just far too overpriced here. Thanks for the suggestion though. Also, I would prefer to buy local, unless suggestions for more esoteric stuff like budget CIEMs (such as the Cosmic Ears) come up.
 
Thanks again!
 
EDIT: SR007s? Please refer to the second last line of my signature. I am a poor student, whose budget for audio is pegged to the results I get at the end of the year. Which means I will probably have to get like 50 straight As to even get a chance of opening the Sr007 box.

 

[rockytt]

Awesome - thanks for the tips - can't wait to try these out!

 

[wcstick]

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Actually, yes. They were on the same rack as the M50 and HP700 at Tom Lee last month. It's a very fun sound, and the bass is certainly faster than the M50, though not as much as the HP700. One thing these have over the others are their upfront, forward sound. Great build for the price, but the cups don't completely cover my ears (and I have average sized ears), so isolation lacked a bit, but not too much, as the clamp was decent.

 

I see. I don't know how my ear size compares to the average, but since isolation is fairly important to me, I'll take a pass on these. Thanks!

 

[TwinQY]

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I can get the Gr07s. Lendmeurears is based here, so I can audition it before buying. It's just that the price of the GR07s and Gr01s here are not as advantageous compared to the shipped price as the models from Gr06 and below. They are bundling the Gr07 mk2s with the GR04 Flagship for just below US$200 too, but I don't need an extra IEM. Anyway, I am not sure how much depth the Gr07s have. I am inclined to believe not so much from several impressions of it, but I will audition it to find out.
 
Phonaks are a little more difficult to find, but I believe they are carried here. The Etys are priced quite high here though. The Hf5 goes for the same price as the GR07 mk2 with the bundled Gr04 Flagship. Meanwhile, Rockit R50s are bundled with the R10s for ~US$120 here too, thus the consideration of them as an option. EPH-100s goes for the same as the street price in the US, so I am guessing it's a decent choice. It is the leader atm because of the build and how the sound seems to be for me, if I were to believe the hype thread. Of course, it all boils down to what I hear, but I am looking for some suggestions to be thrown out for audition.
 
Thanks again!

 
Sorry, was aware of the price situation, but didn't word it properly. The GR07 have decent width and depth, but I'd give the edge to overall width and separation (these are marketed towards for studio/pro use). The impressions on the EPH-100s are generally accurate, but it can get a little overblown. Obviously they are a solid choice, though. They would crush everything else in terms of build, but I'm a little more partial to the VSonics/Audeos for sound. You've pretty much exhausted the options at this price though, so no doubt there will be something to your liking. 

 

[RickH9]

So, I've finally decided to sink my teeth into some high end universal in ear monitors. At first, I was dead set on buying the Westone 4R, an earphone that many adore. As I've continued to browse though the forums, my decision has wavered slightly. Now, I'm also considering the Shure SE 535 and the Ultimate Ears UE 900. I'd be driving them from my cell phone most of the time, a Samsung Galaxy Nexus. I may buy an iPod Video later on to pair with my Fiio E7. Which IEM should I go with? Any suggestions would be welcome.

 

[TwinQY]

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So, I've finally decided to sink my teeth into some high end universal in ear monitors. At first, I was dead set on buying the Westone 4R, an earphone that many adore. As I've continued to browse though the forums, my decision has wavered slightly. Now, I'm also considering the Shure SE 535 and the Ultimate Ears UE 900. I'd be driving them from my cell phone most of the time, a Samsung Galaxy Nexus. I may buy an iPod Video later on to pair with my Fiio E7. Which IEM should I go with? Any suggestions would be welcome.

First you should probably state your sound preferences and what you're looking for in terms of comfort, isolation, build and the likes. That being said, I personally find that the W4 are more refined than the 535s on most fronts. 

 

[RickH9]

Sorry, how could I have forgotten? I enjoy somewhat forward mids, probably the reason why I came back to consider the SE 535. However, I don't want the mids to drown out all of the other frequencies. I do very much like bass,but not an overwhelming amount. Truth be told, I'm not quite sure what my preferred sound is, I've really just started getting into high quality audio in general. I found my Westone UM2's to be extremely comfortable. I've tried my friend's Shure SE 215 and SE 315, and disliked the extremely think and cumbersome cable very much. After the trouble of putting on Shures however, they are pretty comfortable, but a good seal is sometimes harder to achieve. I do think that the Shure IEM's look a lot more durable than the Westone IEM's. Isolation is a factor for me, but not a very key factor considering that I won't be using them in excessively loud environments.

 

[TwinQY]

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Sorry, how could I have forgotten? I enjoy somewhat forward mids, probably the reason why I came back to consider the SE 535. However, I don't want the mids to drown out all of the other frequencies. I do very much like bass,but not an overwhelming amount. Truth be told, I'm not quite sure what my preferred sound is, I've really just started getting into high quality audio in general. I found my Westone UM2's to be extremely comfortable. I've tried my friend's Shure SE 215 and SE 315, and disliked the extremely think and cumbersome cable very much. After the trouble of putting on Shures however, they are pretty comfortable, but a good seal is sometimes harder to achieve. I do think that the Shure IEM's look a lot more durable than the Westone IEM's. Isolation is a factor for me, but not a very key factor considering that I won't be using them in excessively loud environments.

The Shures sorta, kinda, maybe do this a bit. Not that it's too excessive, just that everything else lacks in quantity/quality relative to the lush midrange. The W4s are a bit more balanced, while still being mid-forward. These don't get recommended that often any more, but you could also try the UM3X for a similar (I assume) fit with your UM2, as well as a mid-range centric sound. The Shures are built better, I'll give them that. Isolation-wise, the Shures would win too, but the W4 with Shure Olives are very decent at isolating as well (Sony Hybrids with small Olives on the inside of the silicone, even better) 

 

[MahthovenWang]

I'm thinking of getting a portable on ear (supra-aural), i prefer an open, natural sound with good detail and tight bass, budget around 400-500 USD, any suggestions?

 

[Doc-holliday]

I'm thinking of getting a portable on ear (supra-aural), i prefer an open, natural sound with good detail and tight bass, budget around 400-500 USD, any suggestions?

You mean open like grado's? I don't know how open works out on the go.

(Yes TwinQY you know this is another DT1350 plug )

I would suggest the DT1350 for natural sound and good detail. Bass extends very far but not overpowering. Cost in your price range. The only element missing is the "open" as they are closed headphones.

 

[MahthovenWang]

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You mean open like grado's? I don't know how open works out on the go.
(Yes TwinQY you know this is another DT1350 plug

)
I would suggest the DT1350 for natural sound and good detail. Bass extends very far but not overpowering. Cost in your price range. The only element missing is the "open" as they are closed headphones.

oh, sorry for the confusion there, i mean 'open' as in an open soundstage, doesn't necessarily means an open back design. btw thanks a lot for ur suggestions i would love to check it out

 

[TwinQY]

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You mean open like grado's? I don't know how open works out on the go.
(Yes TwinQY you know this is another DT1350 plug

)
I would suggest the DT1350 for natural sound and good detail. Bass extends very far but not overpowering. Cost in your price range. The only element missing is the "open" as they are closed headphones.

You and your DT1350s...

 And where's that review that we've been pestering you about? What a tease...
 
Lower-end Grados don't really have a large, open stage anyways.