[Failuyr]

This is my first post on Head-Fi. Just before I start, I want to say I've always loved music and have always tried getting the best possible sound, and this is the first step of my venture into being an audiophile. Soon I'm going to be purchasing a fairly hefty pair of cans (going to be asking for help in the suggestion thread over there, currently looking at Audio Technica ADH-M50's)

Price Range: I'm looking for IEM's in a range of $65-$100. I would really rather not have it go near the upper end of the budget, but if the difference between a say $70 pair of IEMs and a $100 pair is really worth the difference, I'd be willing to go for it.
Music I Listen To: I listen to pretty much only Metal and it's sub-genres. Mainly Metalcore, Post-Hardcore, and Deathcore. (two song examples which kind of sum these up are Life Cycles - The Word Alive, or, Abigail - Motionless In White) I also venture into other forms of Rock such as Punk, Emo, Alternative, and others. I also listen to a good amount of "techcore" (I See Stars) and dubstep. When listening to metal, I really enjoy having a good bass presence, but nothing overwhelming. I'm assuming I'd want more of a bass present IEM (which is what I've looked into, If I'm wrong, please correct me). I'd like it to perform well in preferable anything I throw at it though.
Sources: Pretty much the only source I'd use for these is either my iPod or my Smartphone (Droid 4 if it matters). So I'd want something that can be driven by those. I may occasionally plug them into an Astro Mixamp (which doesn't amp I believe).
Features I'd Like: Comfort, a flat/anti-tangle cable, stylish (if more of a visible IEM, if it kinda just hides in my ear then this doesnt matter).
IEM's I've Looked At: The Velodyne vPulse ($89.00). Klipshe Reference S4 ($67.42). I saw Monster Turbines listed earlier too ($79.96)
Retailer: Preferably Amazon, as that's where I'm planning on getting some of my other audio stuff, as well as other technology soon. 
 
Thanks for any help! ~Failuyr

 

[Davidisawesome]

I have had the TDK MCR-300's for quite a while now and they sound alright but they have started to deteriorate so I think I might as invest in a higher end IEM and i'm thinking around this $100 mark. I am also looking for nice build quality since i want these to last quite a while. A thicker cord would be nice. Well anyway i'v narrowed my decision down to 2 IEM's, the beyerdynamic DTX 101 IE or the Klipsch image s4. I am looking for more clarity and detail since i don't listen to that much bass but i really want a balanced sound if you can get that from $100 headphones.So can you tell which IEM is better based on your personal experiences or recommend a better IEM for the same price tag.
 
Thanks

 

[SonicScientist]

I'm looking for closed cans for portable use. I need sufficient isolation for listening to them on bus/train/car without killing my ears. Is there a clear winner between these 5: Sony MDR-V6, MDR-ZX700, Koss Pro DJ100, CAL!, Philips Downtown? I can grab these for 40-60e each. I've also considered Philips Uptown (70e) and KRK KNS6400 (100e) but I don't know if I want spend that much for abuse-prone portables (if they weren't considerably better, that is.)
 
E: I forgot some 'audio quality wise' phrases from the actual text. I take it they all should have sufficient enough isolation for my needs, save for maybe CAL's from what I've heard.

 

[Failuyr]

Not sure if bumping is against the rules here/frowned upon, but this is 3 pages back in the threadlist, and the last post is 32 hours old and this is a thread that's supposed to be used for recommendations. So I figured a friendly bump is worthy..

 

[jhelsas]

(Edited)
 
A silly question:
 
     Between the Vsonic GR07 and the Phonak Audéo PFE122, which one would be a better all-rounder for diferent music genders?
 
     I ask this because they have a similar price, even though they have very diferent drivers.
 

 

[stevenlongs]

A silly question:

     Between the Vsonic GR07 and the Phonak Audéo PFE122, which one would be a better all-rounder for diferent sound genders?

     I ask this because they have a similar price, even though they have very diferent drivers.

 

The GR07

 

[jhelsas]

Quote:

The GR07

Thank you.
 
I read on Amazon people complaining about build quaility, do you know anything about it or it was just bad luck for those people?

 

[willpayne]

Quote:

Thank you.
 
I read on Amazon people complaining about build quaility, do you know anything about it or it was just bad luck for those people?

I've heard some things about the cable turning a green-ish color, but nothing too much about the build quality. The new GR07 Mk2 is on eBay for $159 if you're interested! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vsonic-GR07-mk2-R07-/221064306368?pt=US_Headphones&hash=item3378759ec0&_uhb=1#ht_634wt_1189 Here is the link, btw.

 

[Aursqa]

Hi, I'm looking for new IEMs to replace my broken pair of d-jays.
 
Range price : 60-100$
Music I listen to : Kinda everything. Electro, classical, rock, metal, rap. 
Sources : Ipod nano, sansa clip+, laptop.
Retailer : In Europe (around france). Preferably on Amazon (co.uk, .fr, .de...).
 
What i would like :
- Neutral sound. It can be slightly thin or bassy, but i'd like the medium and highs untouched.
- Solid. I'm not really taking good care of it.
- Good isolation and cable noise free since I'll use it everywhere, especially on bus and in the streets, sometimes while running.
 
What i don't want :
- Over the ear only (I prefer straight down).
- Angled jack plug.
- Volume control/microphone.
 
Using the thread of ljokerl, i found some interesting IEMs.
Klipsch reference s4, Brainwavz M2, MEElectronics A151 & C551, Etymotic research MC5, HiSoundAudio Crystal, hifiman RE-ZERO, Sunrise SW-Xcape...
 
Thanks for any suggestions or advises provided. 

 

[jhelsas]

Quote:

Hi, I'm looking for new IEMs to replace my broken pair of d-jays.
 
Range price : 60-100$
Music I listen to : Kinda everything. Electro, classical, rock, metal, rap. 
Sources : Ipod nano, sansa clip+, laptop.
Retailer : In Europe (around france). Preferably on Amazon (co.uk, .fr, .de...).
 
What i would like :
- Neutral sound. It can be slightly thin or bassy, but i'd like the medium and highs untouched.
- Solid. I'm not really taking good care of it.
- Good isolation and cable noise free since I'll use it everywhere, especially on bus and in the streets, sometimes while running.
 
What i don't want :
- Over the ear only (I prefer straight down).
- Angled jack plug.
- Volume control/microphone.
 
Using the thread of ljokerl, i found some interesting IEMs.
Klipsch reference s4, Brainwavz M2, MEElectronics A151 & C551, Etymotic research MC5, HiSoundAudio Crystal, hifiman RE-ZERO, Sunrise SW-Xcape...
 
Thanks for any suggestions or advises provided. 

 
I don't think that the S4 is neutral, at least not in my opnion, I think it's a more bassy headphone.
 
If 94€ is still in your budget, amazon.fr have the Etymotic HF5 for that price. It's my most neutral headphone, astounding isolation, I can use it with the cable straight down and don't have control or microphone. It may be a bit bass-light for metal but I think it can be a good all-rounder for diferent genders, it's more an analytical iem, but I like it.
 
I can't comment on the others, since I don't know them.

 

[Paulos]

G'day Ive been trying to decide on a set of IEMs for a little while now and i come
across these under water swimming ear phones (i swim a little) claiming they are as good as some top brand noise canceling earphones. Just wondering if someone could have a look and give some advice? http://www.swimman.com.au/shop/product/swimman-headset-iii/

 

[Aursqa]

Quote:

 
I don't think that the S4 is neutral, at least not in my opnion, I think it's a more bassy headphone.
 
If 94€ is still in your budget, amazon.fr have the Etymotic HF5 for that price. It's my most neutral headphone, astounding isolation, I can use it with the cable straight down and don't have control or microphone. It may be a bit bass-light for metal but I think it can be a good all-rounder for diferent genders, it's more an analytical iem, but I like it.
 
I can't comment on the others, since I don't know them.

 
 
I had not considered Etymotic HF5 because i thought they were over my budget, but it seems I can actually find them for 83 euros, shipping included.
 
Though i'm concerned about the comfort, I read they were really uncomfortable to some people. My ears aren't delicate flowers, but I sometimes listen to music for 6 or 7 hours straight. So how do they feel ? Are they really uncomfortable ?
 
Still hesitating (particularly between hifiman re-zero/re0 and the etymotics), other opinions are welcome. 

 

[blackcoffeex1]

I found the HF5 to be comfortable. The deep insertion can take some getting used to, but they 're quite comfortable once you do. Some people had better results using the shure olives instead of the stock tips.

 

[fersman4]

I'm looking for an all-around performer which provides comfort, isolation, and immersion in public and on planes. Budget is $200. Music genre is instrumental/acoustic rock. Should I bother looking at active noise canceling? I am willing to do IEM or headphones. Also recommend whether you think an external amp is needed when driven by an iPhone 4. Thanks!

 

[rmd89]

Hey guys, 
 
First post here after doing a couple of hours of research. I've narrowed my selection to
1.GR99 ($28)
2. GR02 ($35)
3. Astrotec AM-90 ($41)
 
What I'm looking for is a sub $50 IEM that are good for alternative/folk/some rock music. Don't listen to much metal/rock, I'm more into softer music. I will also run with these, so them staying on is an important factor
 
The GR02 seem perfect except for the fact that they're called the heavy bass version. I read that it's actually not too powerful, but my ears are pretty sensitive and I don't like too much bass. Should I go for GR99 or Astrotec instead, or should the GR02 be fine?
 
Thanks!