Buying portable or in-ear headphones? Seeking guidance? DON'T START A NEW THREAD. Ask for advice HERE!
Apr 2, 2013 at 4:21 PM Post #3,601 of 5,364
Quote:
I'm looking to replace my AT700 (closed version) unsure of the model number). I need to switch to IEM's looking to spend $300 but willng to go to $600 if the performance to value is good. They'll be running off a Xonar STX. Mainly for streaming video and playing CS:GO, I listen to almost all forms of rock. These phones may find themselves on the real system occasionally which only has a headphone out on the preamp. They also need to be available on amazon so I can use Amex points, unless they're custom fits. I was looking at UE, Orfoton, 1964, AT, Shure and I'm lost. Also I'm not a bass head and I will not buy a Sony or Monster product for reasons that are not appropriate here

Try
UE Tripli fi: V shaped good bass and highs
UE 900: Neutral with little bass emphasis
Heir Audio 4.A.i: Neutral good clarity and speed
Shure SE425/535: Both are mid-centric with 425 for more female vocals. 535 has bit more bass and better male vocal presence.
Ortofon eq5/7: I don't really know much except that one of them are mid centric
1964: Don't know
AT: Audio Technicas? I don't really know.
 
Quote:
Best all round IEM for £100 / $117 / $150.

I listen to everything from the radio to rock....the only things I don't listen to is rap.

So it needs to be a durable all round jack of all trades IEM, although I do like thongs a bit on the Bassy side, but I prefer better all round sound to just a bassy monster, I don't want to sacrifice MIDs and highs for the lows.

And although that is my Max budget I would prefer to spend around £65-85.

Try SE215, they are bit bassy with thick mids and decent amount of highs. Good all rounder.
 
Apr 2, 2013 at 6:16 PM Post #3,602 of 5,364
It doesn't look like the thread I posted is going to get any answers - hopefully someone in here will be able to help me. Here's what I posted:
 
Hi all,
 
The cable on my old Shure SE210s has just conked out, so I'm taking this as an opportunity to replace them with some more up to date earphones. I've been doing my research and it seems like the HiFiMan RE-400 and HiSoundAudio Crystal are well regarded, but I'm open to any other suggestions. My budget is £65 - almost exactly $100.
 
My listening includes bands like Radiohead, Foals, alt-J, Massive Attack, Morphine, Wild Beasts, James Blake and RHCP.
 
From what I've read, the RE-400 sounds noticeably better than the Crystal - but I have a few niggling issues that I need some advice on:
 
  • While the RE-400 looks to be well built, I am a little concerned about the robustness of the cable compared to the Crystal. It'd be lovely if these new IEMs lasted the 4.5 years that the SE210s have. What do you think?
  • I really enjoyed having good isolation on the SE210s, and I get the impression that the Crystal is as good. I can't find any comparison for the RE-400. Will there be a noticeable difference?
  • The SE210 was BA-driven, but both the RE-400 and Crystal are dynamic. How bad is the sound leakage with vented IEMs? I want to be able to listen to them in a library without worrying about the external volume.
 
One more thing - I live in the UK, but I have family visiting New York for a few days this week. If it's easy to pick something up more cheaply there, they're happy to do it for me. I've noticed a lot of stuff is cheaper in B&H than it is over here.
 
Many thanks for any help!
 
Edit 1: I have also looked at the Etymotic HF5, which seems similar to the RE-400 but not quite as well reviewed. It's outside my budget in the UK but inside it in the US.

 
Thanks for any help.
 
Apr 2, 2013 at 6:48 PM Post #3,603 of 5,364
Hello everyone,
 
I'm looking for a great set of CIEMs as an extravagant present to myself, and would appreciate some help in choosing.  These would be my first customs.  I am relatively new to high end audio.  (I have been a head-fi member for a number of years, but mostly read and rarely post.)  I have used the Etymotic ER4 P/S for years and really enjoy its detail and clarity, although I find it a bit thin sounding and would enjoy somewhat more bass.  I also have had two sets of TripleFi 10 pros, which I enjoyed greatly, although I found the midrange somewhat lacking and also would have liked a fuller bass.  I'm drawn towards a natural sound signature without undue emphasis on any part of the spectrum, although I don't think I want an overly analytic or clinical sound.  Natural timbre, clarity and detail are important to me, and I also value imaging and isolation. I enjoy a wide range of different types of music, including classical and jazz, as well as rock, blues, and world music.  I'm not a bass head although I do like a strong, clear low end.  My usual source is Apple lossless files on an iPod classic or RWA iMod running through a Meier Audio Corda 2Move (and an ALO audio line out dock), but I also want something that will sound good straight out of an iPod or iPhone, since I sometimes like the greater portability and convenience of listening without an amp.  I also would like to find something that sounds good at low volume since I sometimes listen for long periods of time and want to protect my ears.
 
After reading many of the reviews on this forum, I'm most drawn towards three options: the UM miracle, the FS MG6pro, and the Sensaphonics 3MAX.  I know these are very different IEMs in that the 3MAX and the MG6 are tuned as stage monitors, and the MG6 uses a single dynamic driver while the other two employ multiple balanced armatures.  I found one comparison of the 3MAX to the MG6 (in Kunlun's excellent review) but no comparisons of the UM Miracle to either of the other two.  I'm wondering if anyone has listened to both the Miracle and either the 3Max or th MG6 and could comment on the pros and cons in relation to my tastes and needs.  The Miracle sounds amazing from most of the reviews, but I'm a little concerned that the mid section might be too laid back.  The MG6 sounded great from Kunlun's review, but then I was somewhat put off by Shotgunshane's experience of echoes, harshness, and blurring as well as fit issues.
I also wonder if there are other CIEMs I should strongly consider that I might have missed in my efforts to pour over the reviews and comments on this forum.
 
Thanks so much for any help you can offer or advice about how to go about making a decision. The choice seems a hard one to make, since there's no easy way to try out the product before committing,
 
Apr 2, 2013 at 11:14 PM Post #3,604 of 5,364
Quote:
Hello everyone,
 
I'm looking for a great set of CIEMs as an extravagant present to myself, and would appreciate some help in choosing.  These would be my first customs.  I am relatively new to high end audio.  (I have been a head-fi member for a number of years, but mostly read and rarely post.)  I have used the Etymotic ER4 P/S for years and really enjoy its detail and clarity, although I find it a bit thin sounding and would enjoy somewhat more bass.  I also have had two sets of TripleFi 10 pros, which I enjoyed greatly, although I found the midrange somewhat lacking and also would have liked a fuller bass.  I'm drawn towards a natural sound signature without undue emphasis on any part of the spectrum, although I don't think I want an overly analytic or clinical sound.  Natural timbre, clarity and detail are important to me, and I also value imaging and isolation. I enjoy a wide range of different types of music, including classical and jazz, as well as rock, blues, and world music.  I'm not a bass head although I do like a strong, clear low end.  My usual source is Apple lossless files on an iPod classic or RWA iMod running through a Meier Audio Corda 2Move (and an ALO audio line out dock), but I also want something that will sound good straight out of an iPod or iPhone, since I sometimes like the greater portability and convenience of listening without an amp.  I also would like to find something that sounds good at low volume since I sometimes listen for long periods of time and want to protect my ears.
 
After reading many of the reviews on this forum, I'm most drawn towards three options: the UM miracle, the FS MG6pro, and the Sensaphonics 3MAX.  I know these are very different IEMs in that the 3MAX and the MG6 are tuned as stage monitors, and the MG6 uses a single dynamic driver while the other two employ multiple balanced armatures.  I found one comparison of the 3MAX to the MG6 (in Kunlun's excellent review) but no comparisons of the UM Miracle to either of the other two.  I'm wondering if anyone has listened to both the Miracle and either the 3Max or th MG6 and could comment on the pros and cons in relation to my tastes and needs.  The Miracle sounds amazing from most of the reviews, but I'm a little concerned that the mid section might be too laid back.  The MG6 sounded great from Kunlun's review, but then I was somewhat put off by Shotgunshane's experience of echoes, harshness, and blurring as well as fit issues.
I also wonder if there are other CIEMs I should strongly consider that I might have missed in my efforts to pour over the reviews and comments on this forum.
 
Thanks so much for any help you can offer or advice about how to go about making a decision. The choice seems a hard one to make, since there's no easy way to try out the product before committing,

The UM Miracles are great, they have awesome space and textured bass. But it is true that the mids are neither warm nor thick. They are more discreet sounding IMO. You can consider Heir Audio, but you have to like laid back relaxed sound in my opinion. You should also take a look at the top en universals, less risky for a first try as you can resell them easily: the 334 and 1Plus2 are both awesome and very different and I prefer the 1Plus2. For a lesser price I enjoy my 5.0 too.
 
Apr 2, 2013 at 11:16 PM Post #3,605 of 5,364
Quote:
Thanks for the response, but I decided to order The National and it should be here in a few days :). I did some more research and thought about it a lot and I'll probably get the DT 1350 soon. I'm just really wondering how the Momentum does with amping since it's impedance is so low.
 
Transferring money between my bank and PayPal takes about 7 days (Canada) and I didn't want to transfer the money back and wait again since I knew I'd buy The National soon anyway, so I just did things a bit backwards.

Rather liked the Momentums straight out of the DAP against a portable amp. The C421 (which is otherwise amazing), E11, and some other lower-end amp, made things even darker and muffled.
 
Quote:
 
I'm assuming tip-rolling is just trying other tips? To be fair, I have only tried the ones that were on from the start: Comply foam tips. There were some normal tips included, though. I'll try them and see if they help any. I think it might be the treble coming off as harsh, but I really wouldn't know.
 
I'm still appreciative either way. :D

Highly suggest using some silicone tips, even though the Complys weren't very harsh-sounding mids got a bit wonky and de-emphasized. Hybrids, Auvios, or some biflanges did the job for me but fit is really subjective from person to person.
 
Quote:
I'm planning to get a cheap IEM for running/jogging/gym and some general portable use. I'm don't care much about fine details as long as the sq is good enough for me to hear clearly the "eye of the tiger" riff and adequate bass. What I really after is that it doesn't fall off, and it is durable enough to withstand rigorous activity.
 
Is the M6 with comply tips a good choice?
 
budget 30-40$.
 
thanks.

Love the durability factor of the M6, have heard 1-2 reports of the shells splitting but don't think that'll be affected much with sweat and whatnot. Would recommend against Complys for jogging, they get rather gross rather quickly with all the body fluids running all over the place. But otherwise the M6 in terms of durability and ergonomics should be fine. Plenty of midbass and decent texture. Something like the M2 would be better overall for sound but just not as good for jogging/ergonomics.
 
Quote:
hi guys..
 
looking to upgrade to a new IEM from my atrios after using them for a few years.
 
bought the akg k550 and really like how the vocals sound on the headphone and hence would like to look for sthg in between if possible. (i.e. decent bass with nice vocals) I tried the xba-4 but hoping to find something that sounds more natural.
 
budget is ~US$300
primarily using my ipod classic and my s3 as sources (320kbps tho). no plans to get an amp (unless a gd deal for a fiio comes along in my country)

Something like the K550 tonality, under $300 - oh, just noticed I had already left a reply in the original thread. But since you've stretched the budget will put in a suggestion for the GR01 along with the PFE122 I had mentioned before.
 
Quote:
Thanks for the reply!
Can you please recommend on a set with earbuds like the mx 550's? not IEM, round buds...

Ah, earbuds. Not a lot of balanced buds around that price, most of the stuff is either warm and gooey like the Yuins, or bassy yet cold like the majority of Senn's bud offerings. Ever look at the Brainwavz Betas? Half earbud-IEM design so seal is VERY shallow, good balance overall. Otherwise not a lot to go from with that budget.
 
Quote:
So I've narrowed it down to:
1.) GR07
2.) UE TF-10
3.) R-50
4.) Dun 19 Tai Chi ??
I want to go for the TwinQy recommended GR07, but there's so much buzz over the TF-10s. I also wasn't sure which Gr07 you were talking about TwinQy. The MKII or Bass Edition? Are there any other suggestions? If not I'm gonna go for the Gr07s. Thanks everyone!

The MKII. Have not heard the Bass Edition, but it seems I was mislead into thinking they were only a bassier version - apparently there's more to the story. Would look at the impressions in that thread as I haven't the slightest clue. Personally find the TF10 to be rather underwhelming technicality-wise (detailing, timbre, natural clarity is a notch below the VSonics, only the leaner notes make for a slightly cleaner-perceived presentation). 
 
Quote:
Thank you TwinQY for your advice, are there any other iem that offers a similar soundstage?
To give you a little more information, I listen to nearly every music genre form classical to hip hop, and also have an Ultrasone DJ1 and CKS77, and would like an iem that offers something different to what I already have.

Something with a very similarly airy and large stage size would be the EX600/1000. Very airy, treble is not as smooth as the Q701 but mids are just as clean and effortless. Classical with those will most likely blow your brains out with their timbre accuracy. Would be quite a ways different from the ATs.
 
Quote:
I have start a new thread, but I would also like to get your recommendations here.

I usually listen to ost,jazz and classic, I will also listen to the pop like u2 as well, I would like the good treble and mid on the iem.

I tried the sm64,w4r,um3x and thunk the most I like is the sm64

Do you have any above or other recommendations on the iems (source will be unamped j3)

Nice treble, mids - have not heard the SM64 so no line of reference here. Any thoughts on what you liked/disliked on the other three (as I have heard/owned those at the very least)? Also a budget would be helpful.
 
Quote:
Thanks for the response.
I'll look around for some R-50, RE-400 and maybe the A161p.
 
I'm guessing the Brainwavz B2 will have a similar sound as the R-50.
How does the UE TF10 sound compared to these considering soundstage, and detail?

Soundstage is compressed and more about width than anything else, although deeper than the HF5 or something along the lines of that. Microdetailing is relatively poor but regular details are presented rather clearly due to the note presentation. Still lacking from the RE-400 or A161P detail-wise though. 
 
Quote:
Best all round IEM for £100 / $117 / $150.

I listen to everything from the radio to rock....the only things I don't listen to is rap.

So it needs to be a durable all round jack of all trades IEM, although I do like thongs a bit on the Bassy side, but I prefer better all round sound to just a bassy monster, I don't want to sacrifice MIDs and highs for the lows.

And although that is my Max budget I would prefer to spend around £65-85.

All-rounder, a bit of bass fun, $150 (but preferably less) - sounds like the BA200 or the IE800 might be your ticket. Warm, smooth, very clean technicalities and very detailed. More soundstage width on the former and slightly less warm, cleaner. Deeper stage and more treble on the latter. 
 
On the lower side of the budget something like the GR04 would do just fine.
 
Quote:
I'm looking to replace my AT700 (closed version) unsure of the model number). I need to switch to IEM's looking to spend $300 but willng to go to $600 if the performance to value is good. They'll be running off a Xonar STX. Mainly for streaming video and playing CS:GO, I listen to almost all forms of rock. These phones may find themselves on the real system occasionally which only has a headphone out on the preamp. They also need to be available on amazon so I can use Amex points, unless they're custom fits. I was looking at UE, Orfoton, 1964, AT, Shure and I'm lost. Also I'm not a bass head and I will not buy a Sony or Monster product for reasons that are not appropriate here

Genres are helpful, but sound/signature preference, preference in terms of comfort, build, isolation, etc would be helpful. Amazon restrictions and sources are fine and all but it's really difficult to find what one may like without stating the above preferences.
 
Quote:
Hello All,
 
I guess this question gets asked a lot. 
 
I'd like to spend $150 or less on a set of IEMs for work. I have ATH M-50s at home but they were too much for work where I need to be removing them all the time.
 
I've been looking at the Velodyne vPulse and the Yamaha EPH-100SL for starters. I guess I'm looking for a comfortable IEM that sound like the M50s.
 
The reason I haven't bought yet is the over bassy vPulse or the under treble EPH's
 
I do have a pair of Etymotic Research ER7-MC3's but again they are a bit tight to be removing and replacing many time throughout the day.
 
I guess I'd even buy another pair of M50's or Shure SRH440's if a suitable IME is not available at that price range.
 
Thank you,
--Shoki

The EHP100 are nowhere near the M50s signature. Very bassy and warm. Something with a similar tonality but less midrange at that price would be the FXD80. The (now discontinued) PFE012 might do if you want something smoother like the SRH440s.
 

It doesn't look like the thread I posted is going to get any answers - hopefully someone in here will be able to help me. Here's what I posted:
 
Hi all,
 
The cable on my old Shure SE210s has just conked out, so I'm taking this as an opportunity to replace them with some more up to date earphones. I've been doing my research and it seems like the HiFiMan RE-400 and HiSoundAudio Crystal are well regarded, but I'm open to any other suggestions. My budget is £65 - almost exactly $100.
 
My listening includes bands like Radiohead, Foals, alt-J, Massive Attack, Morphine, Wild Beasts, James Blake and RHCP.
 
From what I've read, the RE-400 sounds noticeably better than the Crystal - but I have a few niggling issues that I need some advice on:
 
  • While the RE-400 looks to be well built, I am a little concerned about the robustness of the cable compared to the Crystal. It'd be lovely if these new IEMs lasted the 4.5 years that the SE210s have. What do you think?
  • I really enjoyed having good isolation on the SE210s, and I get the impression that the Crystal is as good. I can't find any comparison for the RE-400. Will there be a noticeable difference?
  • The SE210 was BA-driven, but both the RE-400 and Crystal are dynamic. How bad is the sound leakage with vented IEMs? I want to be able to listen to them in a library without worrying about the external volume.
 
One more thing - I live in the UK, but I have family visiting New York for a few days this week. If it's easy to pick something up more cheaply there, they're happy to do it for me. I've noticed a lot of stuff is cheaper in B&H than it is over here.
 
Many thanks for any help!
 
Edit 1: I have also looked at the Etymotic HF5, which seems similar to the RE-400 but not quite as well reviewed. It's outside my budget in the UK but inside it in the US.

1) Have the RE-400s on hand and the cables certainly are thick enough, but could wish more on the strain relief front. Also the angled jack doesn't inspire much confidence when I have them snug against my legs in the pocket.
2) Isolation would be less than the Shures, they are relatively shallow-insertion, and without smaller tips sometimes I find that the nozzles can get a bit too aggravating with their width.
3) Leakage is not terrible against BA units but still there. Barely noticeable though. 
 
Genres are helpful, but stating sound/signature preferences would be more so.
 
Apr 2, 2013 at 11:34 PM Post #3,606 of 5,364
Hi Everyone,
I've just discovered about IEM and there is a ton of information here.
I have mostly listened to things on my Grado SR60s.
 
I was looking for something to use on a long (16 hour+) plane flight.  I thought I wanted noise cancellation, but realized that IEM would be much better with the isolation.
I am no stranger to earplugs which I wear going to rock concerts and wear musician plugs when I play tuba.
 
I am mostly looking for something around $100 and mostly listen to progressive rock, but may also listen to some podcasts or audiobooks, or movies.
 
So far the etymotic HF5s are very attractive based on what I have read.  What else should I be considering?
I've tried going through the lists and mostly learned that the grado and paradigm (companies I'm familiar with) ones aren't great, but it is a little overwhelming.
 
Are there any places where you can actually try this stuff?  I went to best buy but obviously not much there.  (I am in Philadelphia area).
Thanks for any help or advice.
 
 
Apr 3, 2013 at 12:06 AM Post #3,607 of 5,364
The UM Miracles are great, they have awesome space and textured bass. But it is true that the mids are neither warm nor thick. They are more discreet sounding IMO. You can consider Heir Audio, but you have to like laid back relaxed sound in my opinion. You should also take a look at the top en universals, less risky for a first try as you can resell them easily: the 334 and 1Plus2 are both awesome and very different and I prefer the 1Plus2. For a lesser price I enjoy my 5.0 too.
 
Apr 3, 2013 at 1:59 AM Post #3,609 of 5,364
Finished the other updates 
 

Quote:
Hi Everyone,
I've just discovered about IEM and there is a ton of information here.
I have mostly listened to things on my Grado SR60s.
 
I was looking for something to use on a long (16 hour+) plane flight.  I thought I wanted noise cancellation, but realized that IEM would be much better with the isolation.
I am no stranger to earplugs which I wear going to rock concerts and wear musician plugs when I play tuba.
 
I am mostly looking for something around $100 and mostly listen to progressive rock, but may also listen to some podcasts or audiobooks, or movies.
 
So far the etymotic HF5s are very attractive based on what I have read.  What else should I be considering?
I've tried going through the lists and mostly learned that the grado and paradigm (companies I'm familiar with) ones aren't great, but it is a little overwhelming.
 
Are there any places where you can actually try this stuff?  I went to best buy but obviously not much there.  (I am in Philadelphia area).
Thanks for any help or advice.

Best Buy is not too lenient on trying out IEMs but stuff like dedicated headphone shops and music shops like Guitar Centre are much more amiable. Meets as well. Make sure to bring some sanitary wipes.
 
HF5s are deep insertion, and while the isolation is utterly fantastic for plane rides, the pressure can build up over time and especially with deep-insertion IEMs, when they pop out it's terribly painful and damaging long-term. I mean these thing dig deep so it's all a matter of physics. Something in between ultra-deep insertion and shallow, no-isolation would be ideal for plane rides. Would try and find out if any units you'll be researching will have noisy driver flex, as that's also a problem on planes. The high-pressure environment would actually magnify the already-detrimental effects on the driver. 
 
Also, genres are helpful but stating sound preferences, signature preferences, would be even more so.
 
Apr 3, 2013 at 7:43 AM Post #3,612 of 5,364
Quote:
 
Genres are helpful, but sound/signature preference, preference in terms of comfort, build, isolation, etc would be helpful. Amazon restrictions and sources are fine and all but it's really difficult to find what one may like without stating the above preferences.
 
 

 
 
 
 
Quote:
Try
UE Tripli fi: V shaped good bass and highs
UE 900: Neutral with little bass emphasis
Heir Audio 4.A.i: Neutral good clarity and speed
Shure SE425/535: Both are mid-centric with 425 for more female vocals. 535 has bit more bass and better male vocal presence.
Ortofon eq5/7: I don't really know much except that one of them are mid centric
1964: Don't know
AT: Audio Technicas? I don't really know.
 
Try SE215, they are bit bassy with thick mids and decent amount of highs. Good all rounder.

 
 
I don't really have a specific genre, I listen to classic rock all the way to screaming death metal, isolation is of no concern, build has to be top notch the AT's I have now literally get thrown around daily. Comfort is not a high priority, I can make sacrifices. I like the tonal qualities of my rainmakers (Something to compare to), very neutral to neutral-brighter on the Highs, Mids neutral to neutral-warm, lows have a touch of warmth, fast response great with percussion, with CS:GO I need  good sound stage for the virtual surround.
 
Apr 3, 2013 at 8:29 AM Post #3,613 of 5,364
The most important thing to me when I listen to my music is a deep low end bass for my trance/ambient music, crisp and clear instruments for my metal/rock, and detail and seperation when it comes to score. The rest of my music will fall into place I guess.
 
I'll check out the Bass Edition and see which is better.
Does anybody know any reputable stores in NYC that allows you to try different iems and/or headphones?
 
Thanks again for the info. TwinQy. I'm learning a lot in these forums.
 
Apr 3, 2013 at 9:21 AM Post #3,614 of 5,364
Quote:
1) Have the RE-400s on hand and the cables certainly are thick enough, but could wish more on the strain relief front. Also the angled jack doesn't inspire much confidence when I have them snug against my legs in the pocket.
2) Isolation would be less than the Shures, they are relatively shallow-insertion, and without smaller tips sometimes I find that the nozzles can get a bit too aggravating with their width.
3) Leakage is not terrible against BA units but still there. Barely noticeable though. 
 
Genres are helpful, but stating sound/signature preferences would be more so.

 
It's so hard to choose! I'm trying to work out ways of sleeving the cable and reinforcing the strain reliefs if I do get them - if only there was someone like BTG-Audio in the UK.
 
I'm not completely sure what my sound signature preference would be. I found the SE210 to be a little bit bass-light, but I think I want something fairly neutral - as long as it feels like it has the capability to do justice to anything I put through it.
 

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