[shaun31]

Hello there Head Fi-ers! This is my very first post on this forum so please go easy on me. Weirdly enough though, I've been following this forum and specifically the IEM threads for about 1-2 months now, but only joined as a member recently. I am by no means an "audiophile" in every sense of the word, but I've enjoyed personal listening ever since I was a young boy and got my first pair of buds (they were the stock Apple earphones that came with my first gen 512mb iPod Shuffle) by the way. I'm currently using a pair of W4s which I love very much, but am considering making the switch to custom IEMs.
 
Which leads me to my question: Which custom IEM suits me best??
 
Some of my favorite artistes: The National, Deerhunter, Freelance Whales, Bon Iver, Jeff Buckley, Chromatics, Beach House....
 
Naturally, the ES5 is one custom that I'm looking at. However, I've heard good things about the JH13, UE18, and some UMs. I mostly listen to indie, soft rock and occasionally some classical music. I value transparency very highly in IEMs, and would appreciate a good amount of bass that is more detailed than overpowering. Also, a wide soundstage wouldn't hurt. I listen to music mostly on the go (on the commute, walking around town), so I don't use any amps. Price is something of a dealbreaker to me, so recommending top-of-the-line $2000+ buds, while appreciated, isn't really something I can afford right now. I would say my budget would be up to around $1, 200 max. I am looking at a few 2nd hand customs, however.
 
So far I've narrowed down my choices to the ES5 and the JH13, but considering that I'm relatively new to the world of high end monitors, I'm still open to suggestions outside of those two as well. Thanks in advance and have a great day!

 

[eke2k6]

Quote:

Hi guys, i'm looking for a pair of IEM's. My previous IEMs were the Aurisonics ASG 1.2 (sold them off due to comfort issues) and the Vsonic GR07s (my current ones, they sound great, are comfy and isolate well). What i'm looking for in them:
- Isolation
- Comfort
- SQ (better than my GR07s)
- Build quality
My music is either FLAC or mp3 (320kBs)
My source is the Sony Walkman Z-Series
I mainly listen to Asian pop/electronic music.

 
Most iems under $1,000 will sound like a side-grade if you like what the GR07 brings to the table.
 
I recommend holding off your purchase until the start of February, when the ASG-2, GR08, and a lot of other hybrid iems will be released.

 

[rt310]

Quote:

 
Most iems under $1,000 will sound like a side-grade if you like what the GR07 brings to the table.
 
I recommend holding off your purchase until the start of February, when the ASG-2, GR08, and a lot of other hybrid iems will be released.

Thanks, i guess i'll have to wait a little!

What is the estimated price of the ASG-2's? I think the price for the GR08's are ~$300, but i can't be sure.

 

[hush1235]

okay i made an account just to post this question: i was going to be Dre Beats (studio) or the Bose 15 because i "heard" that they were portable and great but from reading from posts by accounts by accident I've decided to change my mind because you all don't have to most positive reviews of those headphones so what can i get that will be good and cancel noise and if it cant do those things be very durable and Cheap??? price range 50$- 150$ i would entertain 250$ but you will have to explain and give me reason behind it. please and thank you 

 

[Michael172]

Help me find the IEM Im looking for. PLEASE!!!
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9e77IrHBsw&t=2m10s
 
Click the link. I want the guitar, at 2m10s, to be right in my mush. That is a perfect example of what Im craving. My RE262 broke, and that IEM provided me with what I wanted (I think), the guitar in that song was move pronounced than any other instrument and gave me that WOW feeling. Its a song I know well and use to compare IEM's.
 
Having broken I quickly upgraded to Westone UM2. The guitar in the same song seemed so far back to me, as though it was thrown to the back of the stage and was not important. Another upgrade to the UM3X today and its much improved, but still the guitar isn't on the front of the stage playing in my face. 
 
I dont know what to upgrade to next. I was also considering W4R but was interested in the intimate soundstage of the UM3X (I like it) rather than the better spaced stage of the W4R and so selected the UM3X.
 
I am also considering the SE535 as I read that the mids on that IEM are VERY forward.
 
Can anyone suggest what to go for next? I have 6 days to return the UM3X.

 

[chevy454]

Anyone have experiemce with the jbl j88 for rap and r&b?

 

[SactoMan101]

I'm right now looking for something that is the equivalent of the Klipsch Image One between US$140 and U$180 that has a built-in iPod compatible in-line controller and is efficient enough to be driven directly by the iPod's own headphone output. Any suggestions?

 

[takubi]

Quote:

IMHO the best IEM around $50, and the most versatile across all genre, would be Brainwavz M4 or M5, you should be able to find either of those for around $50 for the mic version.
 
If you can go a little higher, UE700 or Klipsch x10, though these don't come with mic/remote

Cool! Thank you. I will look at those for sure, I also saw that the Brainwavz R1 are $30 on amazon, what do you guys think?

 

[takubi]

Also how do the M5s compare to the M4s?

 

[DarthUnnamed]

Quote:

Good portable headphones for ~$300? I really do mean portable, though, as in foldable. I listen to EDM, Radiohead, Muse, Arcade Fire, etc. 
Already have an He-400, so a sound signature close to that would also be nice. IEM recommendations are welcome also.

 
Waiting on an answer, but so far i've looked at 3 headphones, the V-moda M100's, Akg k267 tiesto, and the sennheiser momentums

 

[xProvidence]

Gonna give this my best shot as i'm pretty new here. I've no experience with portables and limited with IEMs. 

My girlfriend is looking for a pair of portable headphones. She's coming from Monster Beats Studio. I tried asking her what she wants in a pair and received "I don't know, something good" numerous times. As if it weren't bad enough that my descriptive abilities are sub-par. Finally, after some arm twisting, I got something to work with:

Bass - Good extension, certainly not basshead quality but punchy with good presence and no bleeding into the rest of the FR
Mids - Lush and liquid vocals, she specifically asked for vocals not to be veiled or recessed
Highs - Crisp. Somewhat sparkly highs, nothing too bright but with still good detail. I've only heard her Studios a couple of times and the highs did not seem sparkly whatsoever so really bright highs might be too much.
 
No sibilance or sound leakage. She hated this about her Studios, she couldn't listen to music at her desired volume as they leaked a lot of sound. 
Average isolation as she will be using these to and from school and supreme isolation will be asking for trouble. 
Decent soundstage. When I asked her about soundstage and described it, she gave me a response that led me to believe the Studios did not have much of a soundstage. 
Great instrument separation and clarity. The first thing she told me she hated about the Studios was how sometimes the music sounded muddy, veiled and everything was blended together.
Comfortable for long term wear, on/around ear doesn't matter to her as long as they don't hurt like the Studios did. She wears a lot of ear piercings so perhaps around the ear would be more suitable for her. Must be a portable however. 
Price and looks will be decided by her. Preferably at least somewhat aesthetically pleasing and less than or around $250 CAN. 
She wants something that will do Pink Floyd justice. She listens to indie bands and Floyd mostly. 
Please none that requires an amp.
What do you say Head-fi? Will you help me prove to her that with the same or less money, she can get headphones that will outperform her Studios substantially?

 

[miceblue]

Quote:

Gonna give this my best shot as i'm pretty new here. I've no experience with portables and limited with IEMs. 

My girlfriend is looking for a pair of portable headphones. She's coming from Monster Beats Studio. I tried asking her what she wants in a pair and received "I don't know, something good" numerous times. As if it weren't bad enough that my descriptive abilities are sub-par. Finally, after some arm twisting, I got something to work with:

Bass - Good extension, certainly not basshead quality but punchy with good presence and no bleeding into the rest of the FR
Mids - Lush and liquid vocals, she specifically asked for vocals not to be veiled or recessed
Highs - Crisp. Somewhat sparkly highs, nothing too bright but with still good detail. I've only heard her Studios a couple of times and the highs did not seem sparkly whatsoever so really bright highs might be too much.
 
No sibilance or sound leakage. She hated this about her Studios, she couldn't listen to music at her desired volume as they leaked a lot of sound. 
Average isolation as she will be using these to and from school and supreme isolation will be asking for trouble. 
Decent soundstage. When I asked her about soundstage and described it, she gave me a response that led me to believe the Studios did not have much of a soundstage. 
Great instrument separation and clarity. The first thing she told me she hated about the Studios was how sometimes the music sounded muddy, veiled and everything was blended together.
Comfortable for long term wear, on/around ear doesn't matter to her as long as they don't hurt like the Studios did. She wears a lot of ear piercings so perhaps around the ear would be more suitable for her. Must be a portable however. 
Price and looks will be decided by her. Preferably at least somewhat aesthetically pleasing and around or the same price as the Studios. 
She wants something that will do Pink Floyd justice. She listens to indie bands and Floyd mostly. 
What do you say Head-fi? Will you help me prove to her that with the same or less money, she can get headphones that will outperform her Studios substantially?

Perhaps a Shure SRH840? It's not the most portable...but it does 'fold' in to a ball. Likewise for an AKG K 550, it's semi-portable since it folds flat, but you really need a good seal with the earpads to get good sound out of it.
I really would have recommended the V-MODA M-100 but it has a laid-back midrange and the fit really won't do her justice if she wears piercings.
 
Quote:

Quote:

Good portable headphones for ~$300? I really do mean portable, though, as in foldable. I listen to EDM, Radiohead, Muse, Arcade Fire, etc. 
Already have an He-400, so a sound signature close to that would also be nice. IEM recommendations are welcome also.

 
Waiting on an answer, but so far i've looked at 3 headphones, the V-moda M100's, Akg k267 tiesto, and the sennheiser momentums

I have heard the HE-400's briefly, but not well enough to remember their sound signature. If it's anything like the HE-500, the M-100 sounds kind of close, except for the laid-back midrange and lack of details in the treble. I think the M-100 sounds OK with that kind of rock, but the veiling of the lower-midrange is pretty evident to me (e.g. Radiohead's In Rainbow album). For EDM, the M-100's are really great.
 
Well the Momentums don't fold in any way, so that kind of takes away from the portability factor (at least it would for me). I've read that the midrange of the Momentums are better than that of the M-100's but the bass and comfort are a hit-and-miss most of the time.
I pretty much know nothing about the K 267's.

 

[xProvidence]

Quote:

Perhaps a Shure SRH840? It's not the most portable...but it does 'fold' in to a ball. Likewise for an AKG K 550, it's semi-portable since it folds flat, but you really need a good seal with the earpads to get good sound out of it.
I really would have recommended the V-MODA M-100 but it has a laid-back midrange and the fit really won't do her justice if she wears piercings.

Thanks for the quick response. 

 I'll look into those headphones right away. Anyone else recommend anything? 

 

[PanamaHat]

Looking for a portable on-ear or over-ear headphone. 2 caveats though, I would like them to have both a right angle plug and a mic. All I've seen that satisfies these requirements are the Ath-Ws55i. Is there anything else out there like this?
 
Edit: There's the TMA-1 and a few in The House of Marley line, but I'm not quite sold with the sound quality

 

[miceblue]

Does anyone have experience with the Logitech UE600 (the earphone, not the UE6000 headphone)? If so, how does it sound?