[sdunlimited]

Quote:

 
Nothing wrong with the Monos, that's just the type of sound they have. Some like it, some don't. I for one find them refreshing, against a slew of warm, bass-heavy monsters. I'd look into the SE215, Turbines, or the Eternas as upgrades from the Senn's signature. The Shures do especially well for guitar. 

 
 
Thanks for the info.  Regarding the SE215's - is there a known issue with fakes on the market like with the CX500's?

 

[Doc-holliday]

I see that question a lot. My take is ANYTHING can be faked. I would just purchase items from reliable sources to be safe.

 

[TwinQY]

Quote:

 
 
Thanks for the info.  Regarding the SE215's - is there a known issue with fakes on the market like with the CX500's?

Not a lot of fakes around, if any. Even though it's Shure, the stuff might be a little too niche to fake profitably. If you're still worried, just buy from an authorized or reputable dealer. Hell, even Best Buy stocks these, and I'd doubt they'd stock fakes.

 

[miceblue]

Earphonesolutions.com and Headphones.com are having sales at the moment so I wanted to take the opportunity to search for earphones as Christmas gifts.
For two people, my budget is $100 USD each.
 
One person:
In order of musical preference

1. J-pop (especially female vocals)

1. Anime soundtrack (J-pop?)

1. piano/instrumental
2. some non-mainstream hip hop (Shing02 or Nujabes)
3. some J-rock (The Pillows)

 
Will be run with no dedicated amp, through an iPod Touch 2G and/or MacBook with some "meh" quality music files (< 320kbps).
 
This will be an "upgrade" from his iFrog Ear Pollution in-ear earphones.
 
A small size would also be nice since he stores them in a small, cylindrical plastic mints container.
 
I was eying the MEElectronics A161P, but neither of those stores carry it. Amazon has it on the other hand and it is within my ~$100/person budget.
I was also eying the Shure SE215, but there are a few varieties of them and I'm not sure which one would be better. The blue one looks really nice though.
 
 
 
Another person:
(In order of preference)
Microphone: yes, compatible with iPhone 4S (3-button controls, Mic-3? There's a specific term that's used for Apple-compatible microphone cables)
Cable: flat cable (or a cable that isn't easily tangled/not microphonic)
Comfort: comfortable (he uses the stock iBuds and they fall out)
Sound quality: "decent" (he listens to a lot of R&B/contemporary R&B, jazz/smooth jazz, male vocal songs in general, and some modern pop songs)
 
I was eying the Klipsch Image or Reference S4i, but I'm not sure what the difference is between the two.
 
 
 
In both cases I'm trying to avoid Etymotic's triple flange inserts, as well as purchasing separate Comply foam tips.
 
 
 
Thanks in advance for any help/advice you guys can provide!

 

[TwinQY]

Quote:

Earphonesolutions.com and Headphones.com are having sales at the moment so I wanted to take the opportunity to search for earphones as Christmas gifts.
For two people, my budget is $100 USD each. Where is this so-called sale? Is it another coupon? Boy have they been pumping those out.
 
One person:
In order of musical preference

1. J-pop (especially female vocals)

1. Anime soundtrack (J-pop?)

1. piano/instrumental
2. some non-mainstream hip hop (Shing02 or Nujabes)
3. some J-rock (The Pillows)

Sounds familiar 

Will be run with no dedicated amp, through an iPod Touch 2G and/or MacBook with some "meh" quality music files (< 320kbps).
 
This will be an "upgrade" from his iFrog Ear Pollution in-ear earphones.
 
A small size would also be nice since he stores them in a small, cylindrical plastic mints container.
 
I was eying the MEElectronics A161P, but neither of those stores carry it. Amazon has it on the other hand and it is within my ~$100/person budget.
I was also eying the Shure SE215, but there are a few varieties of them and I'm not sure which one would be better. The blue one looks really nice though.
If you're sticking to ES, yeah, the SE215 or the PFE012 would do well for Jap stuff. If not...I'd still stick with either one of the two. The GR06 slots really nicely under that budget, has smooth, forward mids perfect for J-Pop. The A161p would be the leanest sounding out of all the ones above. If they don't care for that excessive bass and thickness of body, that would be the best choice IMO.
 
 
Another person:
(In order of preference)
Microphone: yes, compatible with iPhone 4S (3-button controls, Mic-3? There's a specific term that's used for Apple-compatible microphone cables)
Cable: flat cable (or a cable that isn't easily tangled/not microphonic)
Comfort: comfortable (he uses the stock iBuds and they fall out)
Sound quality: "decent" (he listens to a lot of R&B/contemporary R&B, jazz/smooth jazz, male vocal songs in general, and some modern pop songs)
Probably the PFE022 for a more balanced sound, or the Turbines for a more fun and full-bodied sound. Either one present those genres well. Both have mics as well. 
I was eying the Klipsch Image or Reference S4i, but I'm not sure what the difference is between the two. Boom. I couldn't hear any difference between the two though, I think either I wasn't listening right or it's just cosmetic.
.
In both cases I'm trying to avoid Etymotic's triple flange inserts, as well as purchasing separate Comply foam tips.
 
Thanks in advance for any help/advice you guys can provide!

 

[miceblue]

Quote:

Quote:

Earphonesolutions.com and Headphones.com are having sales at the moment so I wanted to take the opportunity to search for earphones as Christmas gifts.
For two people, my budget is $100 USD each. Where is this so-called sale? Is it another coupon? Boy have they been pumping those out.
 
One person:
In order of musical preference

1. J-pop (especially female vocals)

1. Anime soundtrack (J-pop?)

1. piano/instrumental
2. some non-mainstream hip hop (Shing02 or Nujabes)
3. some J-rock (The Pillows)

Sounds familiar 

Will be run with no dedicated amp, through an iPod Touch 2G and/or MacBook with some "meh" quality music files (< 320kbps).
 
This will be an "upgrade" from his iFrog Ear Pollution in-ear earphones.
 
A small size would also be nice since he stores them in a small, cylindrical plastic mints container.
 
I was eying the MEElectronics A161P, but neither of those stores carry it. Amazon has it on the other hand and it is within my ~$100/person budget.
I was also eying the Shure SE215, but there are a few varieties of them and I'm not sure which one would be better. The blue one looks really nice though.
If you're sticking to ES, yeah, the SE215 or the PFE012 would do well for Jap stuff. If not...I'd still stick with either one of the two. The GR06 slots really nicely under that budget, has smooth, forward mids perfect for J-Pop. The A161p would be the leanest sounding out of all the ones above. If they don't care for that excessive bass and thickness of body, that would be the best choice IMO.
 
 
Another person:
(In order of preference)
Microphone: yes, compatible with iPhone 4S (3-button controls, Mic-3? There's a specific term that's used for Apple-compatible microphone cables)
Cable: flat cable (or a cable that isn't easily tangled/not microphonic)
Comfort: comfortable (he uses the stock iBuds and they fall out)
Sound quality: "decent" (he listens to a lot of R&B/contemporary R&B, jazz/smooth jazz, male vocal songs in general, and some modern pop songs)
Probably the PFE022 for a more balanced sound, or the Turbines for a more fun and full-bodied sound. Either one present those genres well. Both have mics as well. 
I was eying the Klipsch Image or Reference S4i, but I'm not sure what the difference is between the two. Boom. I couldn't hear any difference between the two though, I think either I wasn't listening right or it's just cosmetic.
.
In both cases I'm trying to avoid Etymotic's triple flange inserts, as well as purchasing separate Comply foam tips.
 
Thanks in advance for any help/advice you guys can provide!

Yes it does sound familiar. XD
I had to edit my price tag though. I'll hold off on the GR0 until another upgrade (next year?).
 
Earphone Solutions has the code "MERRY" for 20% off until December 5. That, plus an additional 10% off?

 
 
Headphones.com is still having their Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale (15% off select items). I PM-ed DavidMahler about it to confirm that it's legitimate.
 
 
For person 1, I think I'll get the SE215 or PFE 012. I'll have to do more research on the PFE 012.
For person 2, I think I'll stick with the S4i or the Turbines. The PFE 022's microphone is only a single-button microphone and I think he likes the volume/playback controls.
 
Thanks for the suggestions again!

 

[KopaneDePooj]

Quote:

Hi,
I bought the Philips SHE3580 a while ago, based on Joe Bloggs's review - thank you! - and I like them.
As much as I like them, I would like to upgrade. I want something similar in sound signature, but with more clarity on mids and better sound stage.
Soundstage is the main reason I want something better.
I listen mostly to rock, progressive, pop, electro, some metal.
I like warm sound with deep bass (not boomy), and not too harsh treble, but good detail, mids little recessed.
I'm not an audiophile (I guess), but maybe will become

Budget is around 80$, I use a Sansa Clip+ with no amp, and I buy in Europe.
These are some of the models I can buy, I also give the price for you to consider, because it is different here:
- Shure SE 215K - 127 US $
- Philips SHE9800 - 48 US $
- Sony XBA-1 - 68 US $
- Klipsch Image S4 - 100 US $
- Sennheiser CX 400-II - 57 US $
- Octone IEM Pro - 39 US $
Octone - never heard of them, looks very interesting for the price:
http://www.octone.eu/index.php?id=46&L=0
http://www.amazon.de/Octone-IEM-Pro-Monitoring-Profi-Frequenzgang/dp/B0055QAH7A
Some of the other brands I can buy here are:
AKG, Audio-Technica, Beyerdynamic, Denon, Jamo, Jays, NOCS, Pioneer.
What do you recommend?
Thanks a lot!

 
Quote:

Well, right off the bat, I can tell you that the SE215 are mid-forward. If you really want that V-shape at that price, stick with the Dunu. If you can go up to the SE215 price, try the JVC FXD80. Beautiful V-shape right there.
 

 
Thank you TwinQY,
I ordered the new Brainwavz R1 Dual Dynamic of mp4nation.net
because of the good price, good reviews and free shipping.
What do you think of them?

 

[TwinQY]

Quote:

 
 
Thank you TwinQY,
I ordered the new Brainwavz R1 Dual Dynamic of mp4nation.net
because of the good price, good reviews and free shipping.
What do you think of them?

Haven't heard them. Was going to buy them, but didn't like the sound of the reviews (apparently really thick, slow and bassy). Let me know how they sound when you get them in! They almost got me in with that free shipping. 

 

[Muessig]

Hey guys I'm new here but I've been lurking for a little bit. I'm looking for a new set of $100 (or about £50-70) IEMs. I'm completely new to IEM's; the last pair of headphones I had were Sennheiser OMX-181's which sounded average but never properly fitted. When I was using them on the move (walking around or travelling around town) they would keep moving about and aggravating my ears. On top of this I kept losing the sleeves so that didn't help the fit either.
 
I recently got a new phone which included some WH-208 very cheap earphones that sort of introduced me to the world of IEM's. They produce an OK sound but I find they have to be in just the right position to get the depth of sound they can produce. So I've been researching and looking around on these forums for a little bit and wanted your advice on a good set of earphones that would last me quite a while.
 
I'll be using them mainly while walking/commuting on busses etc around town and with some cycling too, so I want a pair that will fit properly, won't be uncomfortable when worn for hours at a time and offers fairly good isolation. I tend to listen to a fairly wide variety of music, so some piano pieces, rock, pop, easy listening, r+b and some folk but I'm more centred around rock. I like my music to have rich bass but not so that it smothers the rest of the trebels and mids. I'd like a set that would keep a good sense of the bass while giving me the detail in the mids and highs that I've not had in my previous earphones up to now... something that will give a good sense of balance all around and help me to hear every note.
 
As such I've been looking around and at first I was thinking about the S4i's or possibly the S4 (II)'s but after more research it seems they're not very highly regarded and fairly average. I'm considering the VSonic GR06's or the MEElectronics A161P's. Both seem to be within my price range although I can't find a good place to buy some new ones in the UK. Amazon don't have them, neither do Frogbeats currently have any in stock and I'm having a hard time finding any on Ebay that aren't already used. Do either of these headsets suffer from people selling fraudulent models at all like the S4's do?
 
So these are my requirements. With either of these IEM's are they proven to be reliable? Will the stock tips provided be comfortable or can anyone recommend other tips that will be more comfortable and provide the best sound? How long is the burn in with these IEM's? How big of an issue is it for the GR06 not to have a cable clinch? Are there some different IEM's in my price range that will fit my needs better that I've missed?
 
I'll be using whatever set with a Nokia Lumia 920 for music as well as a Creative Zen X-Fi MP3 player.
 
Sorry for the bombardment of questions but I suppose I'm venting all of my concerns in one post lol.
 
Any advice for me guys?

 

[TwinQY]

Quote:

Hey guys I'm new here but I've been lurking for a little bit. I'm looking for a new set of $100 (or about £50-70) IEMs. I'm completely new to IEM's; the last pair of headphones I had were Sennheiser OMX-181's which sounded average but never properly fitted. When I was using them on the move (walking around or travelling around town) they would keep moving about and aggravating my ears. On top of this I kept losing the sleeves so that didn't help the fit either.
 
I recently got a new phone which included some WH-208 very cheap earphones that sort of introduced me to the world of IEM's. They produce an OK sound but I find they have to be in just the right position to get the depth of sound they can produce. So I've been researching and looking around on these forums for a little bit and wanted your advice on a good set of earphones that would last me quite a while.
 
I'll be using them mainly while walking/commuting on busses etc around town and with some cycling too, so I want a pair that will fit properly, won't be uncomfortable when worn for hours at a time and offers fairly good isolation. I tend to listen to a fairly wide variety of music, so some piano pieces, rock, pop, easy listening, r+b and some folk but I'm more centred around rock. I like my music to have rich bass but not so that it smothers the rest of the trebels and mids. I'd like a set that would keep a good sense of the bass while giving me the detail in the mids and highs that I've not had in my previous earphones up to now... something that will give a good sense of balance all around and help me to hear every note.
 
As such I've been looking around and at first I was thinking about the S4i's or possibly the S4 (II)'s but after more research it seems they're not very highly regarded and fairly average. I'm considering the VSonic GR06's or the MEElectronics A161P's. Both seem to be within my price range although I can't find a good place to buy some new ones in the UK. Amazon don't have them, neither do Frogbeats currently have any in stock and I'm having a hard time finding any on Ebay that aren't already used. Do either of these headsets suffer from people selling fraudulent models at all like the S4's do?
 
So these are my requirements. With either of these IEM's are they proven to be reliable? Will the stock tips provided be comfortable or can anyone recommend other tips that will be more comfortable and provide the best sound? How long is the burn in with these IEM's? How big of an issue is it for the GR06 not to have a cable clinch? Are there some different IEM's in my price range that will fit my needs better that I've missed?
 
Sorry for the bombardment of questions but I suppose I'm venting all of my concerns in one post lol.
 
Any advice for me guys?

Hahahaha VSonic fakes. Yeah, no, you don't have to worry about that. Too niche to make any profit faking these. I think they OEM in-house as well. Just buy from an reputable dealer if you're too worried (especially if you're worried about condition of the stuff). I'd wait for Frogbeats to get them back in stock. 
 
Sound wise, if you want more balance, I'd stick with the A161P. The GR06 are pretty mid-forward. The lack of a cable cinch on the GR06 is a huge deterrent, the cable itself is one of those rubbery and unwieldy cables, smooth to the touch, but too much memory. You could make a cinch out of a twist tie, like I did with my Monos. I've already suggested these way too many times, but look at the SE215 and PFE012 as well. 

 

[Muessig]

Quote:

Hahahaha VSonic fakes. Yeah, no, you don't have to worry about that. Too niche to make any profit faking these. I think they OEM in-house as well. Just buy from an reputable dealer if you're too worried (especially if you're worried about condition of the stuff). I'd wait for Frogbeats to get them back in stock. 
 
Sound wise, if you want more balance, I'd stick with the A161P. The GR06 are pretty mid-forward. The lack of a cable cinch on the GR06 is a huge deterrent, the cable itself is one of those rubbery and unwieldy cables, smooth to the touch, but too much memory. You could make a cinch out of a twist tie, like I did with my Monos. I've already suggested these way too many times, but look at the SE215 and PFE012 as well. 

Just looking at it again it seems that if the GR06 has no cinch neither does the A161P according to the Multi-IEM Review thread. Oddly enough in the following picture I think the GR06 does have a cinch: http://bbs.erji.com/attachment/Mon_1110/23_33065_9496f98109927ec.jpg as does the A161P seem to here: http://anythingbutipod.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_4018.jpg unless I'm misunderstanding exactly what a cinch is?
 
From reading around the SE215's and the PFE012's the general consensus is that the PFE's are preferred due to a stronger midrange, is this correct? I'm not entirely which of the 4 (GR06, PFE012, SE215 or A161P will fit my preferences more, although granted from the earphones I'm coming from no doubt any one of them would blow me away. My main concern at the moment is clarity of sound and layering, as well as the physical comfort of the earphone itself. I see the GR06 is rated well for comfort as it the PFE012 with the SE215 losing ground there a little. I'm also concerned about the microphonics of the cables themselves. The A161P is said to have quite a noisy cable whereas I can't find any such complaint with the other three.
 
Any help in narrowing this down further?

 

[govari]

Hey guys, I got a new work, that requires a lot of time in travel, so I m about to buy a portable rig.
I m thinking of getting some CIEM (most likely JH16) in January or so, by then I want to get a good source and maybe and amp (if needed) and I would like to have your advice.
What I would like to decide now is what kind of source am I gonna use.
My budget for the source is about 300-400$, I have no idea what is better, if an ipod+lod+amp, or buy something like a Sony Z 1060 or a hifiman 602 or maybe something else? Is it fine if I use the Sony Z1060 without anything in between, or is and amp better?
I dont really care if its gonna be preowned.
Edit: I m gonna use the source only with those CIEMs, how do those players I mentioned compare to each other? Is and amp really needed, since I m gonna use it only with CIEM.
 
Thanks a lot.

 

[TwinQY]

Quote:

Just looking at it again it seems that if the GR06 has no cinch neither does the A161P according to the Multi-IEM Review thread. Oddly enough in the following picture I think the GR06 does have a cinch: http://bbs.erji.com/attachment/Mon_1110/23_33065_9496f98109927ec.jpg as does the A161P seem to here: http://anythingbutipod.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_4018.jpg unless I'm misunderstanding exactly what a cinch is?
 
From reading around the SE215's and the PFE012's the general consensus is that the PFE's are preferred due to a stronger midrange, is this correct? I'm not entirely which of the 4 (GR06, PFE012, SE215 or A161P will fit my preferences more, although granted from the earphones I'm coming from no doubt any one of them would blow me away. My main concern at the moment is clarity of sound and layering, as well as the physical comfort of the earphone itself. I see the GR06 is rated well for comfort as it the PFE012 with the SE215 losing ground there a little. I'm also concerned about the microphonics of the cables themselves. The A161P is said to have quite a noisy cable whereas I can't find any such complaint with the other three.
 
Any help in narrowing this down further?

 
Yeah, they show a cinch on both, but the problem with the GR06 cinch is that they slide down way too easily, since the cable is so smooth. Almost as if there isn't a cinch at all. 
 
The SE215 should have the stronger midrange, not the other way around. The square housings on the GR06 is a bit sharp and blocky, can't compare to the really minuscule Phonaks, or the straight barrel A161p, or the smooth housing of the Shures. Either the PFE012 or the A161P lean more towards the leaner, clearer-sounding side. Microphonics won't be noticable if you wear them from the back, with the cinch all the way up. 

 

[Agony]

Hello,

I'm a "beginner" audiophile looking for a new set of on-ear cans for everyday use and travel. That being said, so far I have only had experience with a limited number of headphones - most notably, the ATH-M50 and TF10. I have enjoyed both of those headphones, but sadly, I had to let the TF10 go to recuperate funds. Now, I am out of a portable headphone aside from my ATH-CKM500 that I'm not too big a fan of. I'm torn between these two sets: the Sennheiser HD25-1 II and the V-Moda M80. I usually listen to alternative rock with a side of orchestral/classical and music you'd typically hear from an anime soundtrack. Most important factors are a natural sounding treble, with mid and bass presence (maybe a boomy, intimate sound).

Which would you suggest for my needs? The Senns or the V-Moda? Or would there be anything else? I'm open to all suggestions.

Regards

In addition to this, how does the HD25-1 compare to the M50 in terms of the naturality of the sound, highs in particular? Lows?

 

[Doc-holliday]

In addition to this, how does the HD25-1 compare to the M50 in terms of the naturality of the sound, highs in particular? Lows?

Thats a tough question because the M80 is going to have more of the mids showcased and the HD25 has the bigger bass presence. Before you made the boomy bass comment in your self quote above I was easily going to say the M80 for the rock and classical type music but i think the HD25 is a good all rounder that can accommodate both and give you the bass you desire.