[TheAdamUK]

Hi guys 

My pair of akg k240 mk2 broke today and after having a few problems with them from the start of there life iv decided to go back to iems
 
I currently have a pair of shure se102 but im looking to upgrade from them as i dont like the fit and they dont sound great
Best pair of iems iv had so far have been the shure scl4, they were brilliant
I listen music by the likes of built to spill, modest mouse, minus the bear and feeder
My current amp is the Fiio E10
I have a budget of £100 - £150 but could mayby push it up a little if its worth while
Cheers
Adam

 

[sensibus]

I just ordered the Ety HF3 w/ apple control/mic off of amazon, I'll use this to workout and use my iPhone as a source and also to talk on.  
 
I still want to get another pair of IEMs, what would you guys recommend as a contrast in sound signature but still fulfill my initial requirements (great isolation, comfortable to wear while sleeping, good sound for classical with emphasis on orchestral)?  Actually great isolation is no longer as important a requirement as I'll have the HF3s to start with, in fact mediocre isolation is OK now, emphasis on great sound.

 

[vaed]

Hey guys, looking for an fast, energetic, edgy headphone that works good for multi-layered, atmospheric electronica and fast guitar/drum-ridden genres. A decent soundstage and isolation would be nice as well. I know the instant recommendation would be the sennheiser HD-25 1-ii's (and they're on my list for auditioning), but I'm afraid that the reported congestion might make it feel too closed off and not work for extremely layered music. I guess I'm looking for something similar to a Grado sound signature, but is closed-back, fairly portable, and a decent soundstage and isolation; I love being surrounded by the music, and I love sound with an attitude. My price range is anywhere up to $200-250. 
 
Thank you! And sorry if I'm asking for too much at once.
 
 
 
 

 

[b0ng0]

After buying my ATH-M50's, I've decided that my Sennheiser CX300s just don't cut it anymore for listening to music at work. I'm looking for something for really no more than £100, as I do most of my "proper" listening at home on my M50s. For about the past 5 years I've been buying the CX series (200 then 300s) and I'm fed up with replacing them every year or so because one of the earbuds dies.
 
I listen to mostly electronica, DnB, dubstep but also occasionally classical. Although the bass on the CX300s was good compared to other low end IEMs, I found the mids and treble to be lacking a lot of definition. I guess something that has a similar sound profile to the M50s but a bit less recessed in the mids.
 
I know I won't get anything mind-blowing for my budget, but there has to be something that will improve on the CX300s. I was looking at the Shure E215 but read a few reviews saying that the wire soldered to the middle pin to where the detachable cable connects in these cans will snap if you twist them so that's kind of put me off them a bit.
 
Thanks!

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

Seems some of you guys really know what your talking about so I have come here to ask headphone advice.  Let me start start with the facts and my priorities.
 
I'm not an audiophile I can tell the difference between crap and good but not sure if I can really appreciate the difference between very good and excellent
Comfort is probably my highest priority, I travel extensively and spend a lot of time on planes trains and automobiles 12+ hour plane rides and 4-5 hour train rides are normal life
I will never use an amp they will always be plugged directly into laptop, phone, or iPod.  
I listen every kind of music accept country but I really want them to shine when I listen to hard rock and these will also be used for watching movies on the plane or from my laptop
 
Priorities:
Comfort
Noise Cancellation
Sound Quality
 
I've finally come to a place in my life where I can spend $300 - $400 on headphones, if I do spend that much I don't want to have to buy another pair for a long time.
I have tried the bose QC15s and they sound great to me and very comfortable, other than those I really haven't shopped around listening to others in the same price range nor do I really have the time to do so.
I have been doing some reading about the B&W P5s, Dr. Dre Beats, AT M50s and a few others however its highly unlikely I will actually have the opportunity to listen to them prior to purchasing.
 
Can any of the alternatives in the price range match the comfort and noise cancellation of the bose or does it really just come down to minute differences in sound quality?  Like I said when I listened to the bose I thought they sounded great but thats a far cry from being able to listen to the lot of them side by side.
 
Arigato
 
 
 

Well, as far as active noise cancellation goes for over-ears, I personally think that Bose does it the best. The Beats' ANC is pretty much just a marketing ploy, and the other two have pretty good passive isolation, but it's still not too great for long plane rides. 
 
That being said, a well-isolating pair of IEMs will give you better noise attenuation than any over-ear ANC models can, can sound better than Bose, and you won't have to pay the premium for the ANC circuit (which also messes with the sound). However, this will only work for you if you are comfortable with IEMs and sticking stuff in your ears (I know some people aren't). The benchmarks for isolation in terms of universal IEMs have always been Etymotics, which go in really deep. However, they tend to have a more analytical sound, which could be a problem if you're used to boosted bass. Another option for good isolation would be the Westone IEMs, which isolate a bit less, but tend to have a more consumer-friendly sound. And finally, if you're willing to go through the process of having impressions done, you could probably even get an entry-level pair of customs, which also isolate extremely well.
 
But if you want to stick with over-ears that's fine too, but your options are limited to Bose, Sony, and Audio-Technica. I've only ever heard the Bose cans, so I really help you here, but maybe someone else can chime in?
 

 
Quote:

Hi guys 

My pair of akg k240 mk2 broke today and after having a few problems with them from the start of there life iv decided to go back to iems
 
I currently have a pair of shure se102 but im looking to upgrade from them as i dont like the fit and they dont sound great
Best pair of iems iv had so far have been the shure scl4, they were brilliant
I listen music by the likes of built to spill, modest mouse, minus the bear and feeder
My current amp is the Fiio E10
I have a budget of £100 - £150 but could mayby push it up a little if its worth while
Cheers
Adam

JVC FXT90, GR07, HF5, etc. What kind of sound signature are you looking for? Analytical? Fun? Smooth? If you liked the Shures you could just get another pair, but it can't hurt to shop around.
 


Quote:

I just ordered the Ety HF3 w/ apple control/mic off of amazon, I'll use this to workout and use my iPhone as a source and also to talk on.  
 
I still want to get another pair of IEMs, what would you guys recommend as a contrast in sound signature but still fulfill my initial requirements (great isolation, comfortable to wear while sleeping, good sound for classical with emphasis on orchestral)?  Actually great isolation is no longer as important a requirement as I'll have the HF3s to start with, in fact mediocre isolation is OK now, emphasis on great sound.

A good complement might be the JVC FX700s, which will give you a nice v-curve with apparently amazing instrument timbre and good soundstaging, at the expense of pretty much no isolation. The FXT90 gives a similar sound, but you lose some sound quality (and MSRP) for isolation. 
 


Quote:

Hey guys, looking for an fast, energetic, edgy headphone that works good for multi-layered, atmospheric electronica and fast guitar/drum-ridden genres. A decent soundstage and isolation would be nice as well. I know the instant recommendation would be the sennheiser HD-25 1-ii's (and they're on my list for auditioning), but I'm afraid that the reported congestion might make it feel too closed off and not work for extremely layered music. I guess I'm looking for something similar to a Grado sound signature, but is closed-back, fairly portable, and a decent soundstage and isolation; I love being surrounded by the music, and I love sound with an attitude. My price range is anywhere up to $200-250. 
 
Thank you! And sorry if I'm asking for too much at once.
 
 
 
 

Some alternatives could be the V-Moda M80 or Beyerdynamic DT1350s, though I think the Senns are still a solid choice.
 

 
Quote:

After buying my ATH-M50's, I've decided that my Sennheiser CX300s just don't cut it anymore for listening to music at work. I'm looking for something for really no more than £100, as I do most of my "proper" listening at home on my M50s. For about the past 5 years I've been buying the CX series (200 then 300s) and I'm fed up with replacing them every year or so because one of the earbuds dies.
 
I listen to mostly electronica, DnB, dubstep but also occasionally classical. Although the bass on the CX300s was good compared to other low end IEMs, I found the mids and treble to be lacking a lot of definition. I guess something that has a similar sound profile to the M50s but a bit less recessed in the mids.
 
I know I won't get anything mind-blowing for my budget, but there has to be something that will improve on the CX300s. I was looking at the Shure E215 but read a few reviews saying that the wire soldered to the middle pin to where the detachable cable connects in these cans will snap if you twist them so that's kind of put me off them a bit.
 
Thanks!

Maybe the JVC FXT90? Not sure how much it runs across the pond, but you can get it for about $130 stateside. 
 

 

[vaed]

Yeah, I think that the Sennheisers have the most of what I'm looking for, I suppose you can't have them all. I think the DT 1350 might be too referency for my taste, not to mention quite more expensive. I tried the v-modas, and although they have decent soundstage, it's a bit too laid-back for my tastes. 
 
Thanks for your input, nevertheless.

 

[Loon907]

Quote:

Well, as far as active noise cancellation goes for over-ears, I personally think that Bose does it the best. The Beats' ANC is pretty much just a marketing ploy, and the other two have pretty good passive isolation, but it's still not too great for long plane rides. 
 
That being said, a well-isolating pair of IEMs will give you better noise attenuation than any over-ear ANC models can, can sound better than Bose, and you won't have to pay the premium for the ANC circuit (which also messes with the sound). However, this will only work for you if you are comfortable with IEMs and sticking stuff in your ears (I know some people aren't). The benchmarks for isolation in terms of universal IEMs have always been Etymotics, which go in really deep. However, they tend to have a more analytical sound, which could be a problem if you're used to boosted bass. Another option for good isolation would be the Westone IEMs, which isolate a bit less, but tend to have a more consumer-friendly sound. And finally, if you're willing to go through the process of having impressions done, you could probably even get an entry-level pair of customs, which also isolate extremely well.
 
But if you want to stick with over-ears that's fine too, but your options are limited to Bose, Sony, and Audio-Technica. I've only ever heard the Bose cans, so I really help you here, but maybe someone else can chime in?
 

 
Thanks for bringing up the IEMs, I have never had a comfortable pair of earbuds, I had a pair of senns that sounded fine but hurt my ears just like every other pair of IEMs I've tried.  I have no issues sticking them in my ears as long as the isolate as well as cans and i don't have to sacrifice sound quality.  I'm skeptical about comfort on a 12 hour plane ride but I've never tried ones the same style as the Etymotic maybe they're the answer.  If I was to pursue getting impressions done and having customs made, how does one go about that process?  where would I start?
 
Thanks for the response
 

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

 
Thanks for bringing up the IEMs, I have never had a comfortable pair of earbuds, I had a pair of senns that sounded fine but hurt my ears just like every other pair of IEMs I've tried.  I have no issues sticking them in my ears as long as the isolate as well as cans and i don't have to sacrifice sound quality.  I'm skeptical about comfort on a 12 hour plane ride but I've never tried ones the same style as the Etymotic maybe they're the answer.  If I was to pursue getting impressions done and having customs made, how does one go about that process?  where would I start?
 
Thanks for the response
 

TBH, the etymotics probably won't be too comfortable for extended wear, eps. if you don't like deep insertion. Sorry, forgot about that. However, something along the lines of the Westones should be quite comfortable and isolating, especially with foam tips. Regarding customs, I don't know the whole process, but you can either ask around in a customs thread or contact the manufacturer for more details on the process.
 

 

[dustdevil]

Planning to buy a new pair of IEM, I got a budget around $130, and got a few choices in my mind already.
 
Westone 1/UM1, Etymotic HF5, Vsonic GR07, JVC HA-FXT90
 
I listen to most genres, I prefer good isolation and comfort but its not necessary
 
Listen mostly on iPod Touch 2G, may consider buying a cheap amp.

 

[imboden]

You may also want to consider the Klipsch X10. No amp required.

 

[Sonicjet]

So when I get my Headphones back from monster I'm going to take a posters advice and sell them. What do you think, in the price range I can sell them in, is the best pair I can replace them with? I will be listening on a Dell Venue Pro (Windows phone 7, insane audio quality) with a Fiio E6. Also a 2011 Macbook Pro. I listen to everything from Deadmau5 esque to heavy rock (Ayreon) and Coldplay stuff.
Sounds I like: Crisp Audio, the sharp twang of a string is awesome. Bass you feel, like on the turbines. and basically just a clean balance.
How are the Shure se215s?

 

[dosley01]

Help me find the IEM equivalent of the ATH-ESW9.  I have become a big fan of these but I'm looking for something a little more discreet to wear at work.  I realize they are very colored headphones but they work so well with female vocals, unlike anything else I have heard. 
 
My mid to top tier IEM experience so far:
My daily drivers are the TF10vi, for commuting on the subway they do everything just right, great isolation, mic and remote for my iPhone and they sound great, with Complys they are probably as close to the ESW9 out of the IEMS I own or have owned.
My usual work IEM is the IE8 and with my silicone custom molds they are hands down my favorite but the customs have shrank after a year or two and I'm not sure I'm ready to plunk down another $150 for them to only last 12-18 months.
I just bought bought a pair of MDR-EX600 but unless a few more days of burn in kills the harshness and sibilance, they are going back.
Just sold a pair of Aurisonics ASG-1 last week, I was hoping they were they holy grail but they ended up way too mid-forward for me preferred sound signature, otherwise awesome and unique.
Had a pair of MTPC and they were fun but soundstage was too small and they just did not do anything for me.
 
I have somewhat ruled out the JVC HA-FXT90, Westone, Earsonics and Shure lines since they seem to be abit too mid-centric for what I'm looking for.  I have had Etys and I prefer much more bass.  Vsonic GR07 sounds like it's too flat.  The Atrio could be a good fit but I'm concerned by the closed soundstage.
 
What's left?  I have considered the Yamaha EPH-100 but right now it's a little FOTM.  Grado or Ortofon?  I would like to stay universal, not ready to go down the custom route and budget is $500 or less.
 
I will exclusively use these at my desk out of my FiioE10 so I don't really care about isolation, microphonics, even durability, I just want a ESW9 crammed into an IEM. 
 
Is there something out there that I have completely overlooked?  Or should I just be happy with the ESW9 and live with "headband head" and accept the "headphone geek" status.

 
 
 
 
 

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

Planning to buy a new pair of IEM, I got a budget around $130, and I got a few choices in my mind already.
 
Westone 1/UM1, Etymotic HF5, Vsonic GR07, JVC HA-FXT90(I can get the JVC for under $130)
 
I listen to probably all genres, above average isolation and comfort is good enough for me.
 
Listening mostly on iPod Touch 2G, may consider buying a cheap amp too if necessary.

Well, the GR07 is over your budget a bit, but I think that it'll be the best all-around option. It's fairly neutral, but doesn't skimp on the bass. The Etymotics will be more analytical and detail-oriented, but might feel bass-light, while the FXT90 will be more fun. Of course, your choice will depend on your preferred sound signature. 

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

So when I get my Headphones back from monster I'm going to take a posters advice and sell them. What do you think, in the price range I can sell them in, is the best pair I can replace them with? I will be listening on a Dell Venue Pro (Windows phone 7, insane audio quality) with a Fiio E6. Also a 2011 Macbook Pro. I listen to everything from Deadmau5 esque to heavy rock (Ayreon) and Coldplay stuff.
Sounds I like: Crisp Audio, the sharp twang of a string is awesome. Bass you feel, like on the turbines. and basically just a clean balance.
How are the Shure se215s?

Your description kind of reminds me of something akin to the MEElectronics CC51 or JVC FCT90. The FXT90 might run you a little more than you can sell the turbines for, but I think it'll be worth it. The Shures might be a little too mid-centric for your tastes.
 


Quote:

Help me find the IEM equivalent of the ATH-ESW9.  I have become a big fan of these but I'm looking for something a little more discreet to wear at work.  I realize they are very colored headphones but they work so well with female vocals, unlike anything else I have heard. 
 
My mid to top tier IEM experience so far:
My daily drivers are the TF10vi, for commuting on the subway they do everything just right, great isolation, mic and remote for my iPhone and they sound great, with Complys they are probably as close to the ESW9 out of the IEMS I own or have owned.
My usual work IEM is the IE8 and with my silicone custom molds they are hands down my favorite but the customs have shrank after a year or two and I'm not sure I'm ready to plunk down another $150 for them to only last 12-18 months.
I just bought bought a pair of MDR-EX600 but unless a few more days of burn in kills the harshness and sibilance, they are going back.
Just sold a pair of Aurisonics ASG-1 last week, I was hoping they were they holy grail but they ended up way too mid-forward for me preferred sound signature, otherwise awesome and unique.
Had a pair of MTPC and they were fun but soundstage was too small and they just did not do anything for me.
 
I have somewhat ruled out the JVC HA-FXT90, Westone, Earsonics and Shure lines since they seem to be abit too mid-centric for what I'm looking for.  I have had Etys and I prefer much more bass.  Vsonic GR07 sounds like it's too flat.  The Atrio could be a good fit but I'm concerned by the closed soundstage.
 
What's left?  I have considered the Yamaha EPH-100 but right now it's a little FOTM.  Grado or Ortofon?  I would like to stay universal, not ready to go down the custom route and budget is $500 or less.
 
I will exclusively use these at my desk out of my FiioE10 so I don't really care about isolation, microphonics, even durability, I just want a ESW9 crammed into an IEM. 
 
Is there something out there that I have completely overlooked?  Or should I just be happy with the ESW9 and live with "headband head" and accept the "headphone geek" status.

 

 
Honestly, having never heard the ESW9s, I don't think I can give you a definitive recommendation, but from your description, it sounds like the RE262 might have the sound you're looking for. To be more sure, however, you might want to ask ljokerl on one of his review threads, as he's heard the ESW9 and a ton of IEMs. BTW, I think the FXT90 is more v-shaped than mid-centric, as you suggested. I can't think of any other candidates, really, since most IEMs in this range and up tend to either focus on neutrality or a V-shaped signature.

 

[vaed]

So I'm looking now at the HD-25's and also a pair of JVC FXT90's... I know it's generally difficult to compare a headphone to an IEM, but maybe somebody can share their general experiences between the two? My main concern is that the SQ of a headphone like the HD-25 might outdo the SQ of a lower-priced IEM like the JVC.  Thanks!