[Khemist]

Hi Folks-
First post, been reading for a few weeks now. Great site. I just got back from returning my Apple In-ear dual drivers. My experience has been with stock buds, the ubiquitous Sony ex-5? series, then Shure E3cs (which I loved but have been shorting out). I thought I would try out the new apple canal phones since I own a 2G Touch and thought the remote looked nice. Anyway, they just sound kind of dead to me. Also a touch sibilant on some tracks, like dream theater cymbal crashes. Smoother jazz stuff sounds pretty good, especially brushes on the cymbals. The mid range wasn't bad, but the lows were anemic and lacked presence. I listen to mostly jazz, some live grateful dead/ phish, trance/ electronica when working out, some hip hop. Since listening to any of the aforementioned phones is out, I'm kinda going blind here. I'm not into super analytical listening, I do like to get somewhat critical but I like some life in my music, even if a bit artificial. I like soundstage and a bit of fun factor if you know what I mean. My budget is 300ish bucks. Any advice? Need anymore info?

 

[steviebee]

Of your choices: IE8, TF10. Great soundstage on both. Both very enjoyable, 'fun' sig. TF10 has brighter treble and isolates better than IE8. When I make my IE8's seal better, for me SQ suffers too. Possibly W3 but I haven't had the chance to listen to mine yet as they only arrived but minutes ago...I only miss out SE530 as I personally don't like their warmth & fullfront mids & hidden treble (I like a cymbal to ring out like a cymbal). As I recall they weren't hot on soundstage either. But it's all personal choice. Someone else will no doubt be along who rates them much higher than I do

I would also add the JVC HFX500 -cheaper, and very good. Astounding bass presence that is clean & detailed. Very nice too, tho I prefer (so far) IE8 & TF10 mids...


Oh, manners! Welcome to Head Fi......Sorry about your...you know.

 

[decay]

How does isolation factor in your decision? It pretty much determine whether you should consider IE8 or not.
What about UM3X? Will you consider that one as well?

I don't think I'm entitled to advocate IE8, because what I'm hearing is very different from
what other people hears (due to the tip in my avatar that I'll keep wearing until I find a better combination),
but with regular tips (based on memory) and 48-hours of burn-in, bass had lots of quantity and goes pretty
deep, mids were smooth and laid back, highs were veiled somewhat but you'll never hear painful sibilance in
IE8 unless that track happens to be highly sibilant. It will not be an analytical experience, and that warmish
signature do breath some life in to some music (but might be too much for others), soundstage is topnotch
though (many will testify to this). As you keep burning-in IE8's bass will reduce in quantity but improves on
quality (depth, punch, speed, sound decay), mids will get less laid back slightly and highs come out its pajamas
and it's gorgeous.

With the tip I'm wearing though, it's an entirely different beast. Click on "Clicky" in my sig for some examples.

 

[mark2410]

since you dont need to be too critical how about the IE7. so long as you dont need lots of isolation they are very good and lots of fun too.

fx500 is supposed to be a bargain too and the RE-0 just had its price slashed and it gets great reviews but ive not heard either of those myself yet

 

[Khemist]

Isolation is not that critical, I don't commute on public transportation (I wish). Actually, I like to wear them at work and like to be able to still hear the PA system so I don't miss a page.

I'm an analytical chemist so I do work around a lot of somewhat noisy machines (fans, pumps, etc.), but nothing like a construction worker. Also, I have huge ear canals so a larger phone should not be a problem. I would be interested in amping them at a later date but for now, they need to be pretty easy to drive.

Does soundstage width come at the cost of instrument placement? I do like a nice 3D soundstage on my actual home hi-fi unit (McIntosh solid state stuff, old JBL Summit L300 speakers) and the Apple In Ears just seemed kinda one dimensional, where the E3Cs are wider, but kinda vague in terms of instrument placement.

Now that I have a two year old, I don't really get to listen to anything other than the portable (very small house) so I'd really like to make the most of it.

Also, I listen to a lot of modern blues, SRV, Buddy Guy, etc. About the only stuff I don't listen to is opera and pop country; if it's recorded well, I'm interested. I've heard the Triple Fi's are kind of a "one ring to bind them" sorta deal, a good all around performer for the single canal phone owner.

You guys just own one pair right?

 

[decay]

I only own the IE8, with my laptop's headphone out as my main source.
I'd say it's never picky on genres when it got a good burn-in (700hr+), and it gets more
transparent and less colored.

I can testify that IE8's instrument placement and separation improve as its soundstage
gets bigger. I'm currently hearing a valley-size soundstage with headstage's radius been
3-4 inches, I can't comment on height though, I'll go through Transformer again when I
have time.

If you are wearing IE8 you'll have no problem noticing someone who's calling you, and if
you listen at low volume you should be able to hear what he/she's saying somewhat. It
will not block all the noises from the machines, but they do get less on your nerves.

 

[gameboy115]

Speaking of 3 D soundstage, you can only think of IE8 and TF10pro.

Only owned IE8 so far, except instrument separation is little behind UM3X, its soundstage is wonderful. Heard TF10 pro did the same thing or even better

 

[steviebee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khemist /img/forum/go_quote.gif You guys just own one pair right?

Er, we generally only listen to one pair at a time....lol!

Spend bloody hours sifting thru the box - 'Now what shall we listen with, today?'. It's agony I tell ya!

No opera? Ah well, that'll come

 

[Khemist]

Argh!!! There is now an embarrassment of riches when it comes to canal phones. This may sound odd, but I also need to be able to remove them quickly, you know, in case the boss is walking around with VIPs.

For this reason alone, I rarely loop the Shures over my ears, instead I just let them hang down and loop the extra long cable around my neck, which seems to reduce the microphonics enough.

It looks like the IE8 can be used in a similar fashion and is the least visible compared to the triple-fi's, which look like they need to be inserted cable pointing upwards. You see, I have about 5 seconds between the time I spot visitors and the time it takes to make it inside my lab. I'd like to at least "look" like I'm a professional, dedicated to his craft.

Thanks for the replies! Any hesitation in buying used from the classifieds? Is the money saved worth it? Do you like Gladiator movies? I think I've been around my toddler a bit too much this weekend.

 

[hapyhar0ld]

Hello. I recently picked up a pair of Shure Se530s and so far am loving them. The mids are pronounced and the soundstage isn't awesome, but for an IEM they are above average. However, I've never owned (or listened) to the other three that are on your list, but I do like the Shures. They do have a warmth to them, but not too much so. It is true that vocals do sound a little recessed. The clarity and separation is absolutely to die for. They are well balanced which is nice since I can listen to all types of music with them.

If you don't want something with a lot of isolation I wouldn't recommend the Shures. They really do cut out 90% of things around me. I'm wearing them at work right now and if the fire alarm went off I doubt I'd notice (let along my VP walking by). I just got these a couple days ago so I haven't really figured out how to work them yet, but they are definitely not quick to put on or take off.

From what I've read the IE8 are a good way to go if you don't want the isolation. However, with the dynamic drivers I don't know if they're going to offer the sound you're looking for. They are going to be my next pair

Good luck with whatever choice you make.

 

[decay]

Oh, the IE8's going to offer the sound you expect and more

The braid-like tip you see in my avatar can be hid in 4 seconds: less than 1 sec to take
them out, the rest to stuff them inside your shirt or a pocket on/in your shirt.

 

[mark2410]

yeah if you want to be able to hear some things outside then id say go with an IE. for jazz id sooner go with the 7 over the 8 but both are very good and just more a matter of which sound signature you would prefer of the two

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khemist /img/forum/go_quote.gif You guys just own one pair right?

shut up, i dont know what your possibly taking about, lol