[ZeNmAc]

I'm looking for some IEM's that will beat the heck out of my old nasty Sony ex51lp's.

Budget ~$50

Mostly for rock/metal, some electronic genres and some soundtrack. Source is mostly my 5.5g Ipod video. I really just want something with a nice smooth neutral response and decent detail that I can listen to without an eq.

I just got some uhp336, but the mids are so prominent it is literally painful to turn them up to a point where I get some immersion. I have to listen insanely quiet. I'm about to send them back.

What do you guys think, so far I've read good things about the ne-7m as well as the RE-2. I was about to buy the ne-7m, but I wanted to get some opinions first. Will these be better, or should I just stick to eq-ing the uhp336? (an eq only does so much) Other options are welcome.

I appreciate your help, I know there have been a ton of threads like this. I'm just hesitant to trust reviews, especially after reading all the hype about the uhp336. Sure they have good detail, but the frequency response is ridiculous. Are the nuforce just hyped up too?

Any and all suggestions are welcome.

 

[koven]

ne-7m > uhp336 easily

 

[ljokerl]

NE-7M is easily better than the UHP336 (which btw I totally agree with you on. Returned mine after two weeks). The RE2 is a great phone but it is not for rock/metal. Another one you may want to look at for rock is the Maximo iMetal Im-590.

 

[Sennshead]

Have you tried the Apple dual drivers? I bought a pair a couple months ago and have been really happy with them especially with your type of music. I bought mine for $49 on ebay and have seen them for as little as $39.

 

[ZeNmAc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljokerl /img/forum/go_quote.gif NE-7M is easily better than the UHP336 (which btw I totally agree with you on. Returned mine after two weeks). The RE2 is a great phone but it is not for rock/metal. Another one you may want to look at for rock is the Maximo iMetal Im-590.

Great, so the RE2 are out. That makes my decision that much easier. I'll also look into the Im-590. I bet you can guess what my next question is

. I'll read through the reviews and see if anyone compared them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sennshead /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you tried the Apple dual drivers? I bought a pair a couple months ago and have been really happy with them especially with your type of music. I bought mine for $49 on ebay and have seen them for as little as $39.

I have seen a lot about them, but honestly, I'd rather not buy off ebay, and I also have a moral problem with owning anything made by apple

. Well, not really, but I am reluctant to buy anything from apple. Thanks for the suggestion, I will consider those

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeNmAc /img/forum/go_quote.gif Great, so the RE2 are out. That makes my decision that much easier. I'll also look into the Im-590. I bet you can guess what my next question is . I'll read through the reviews and see if anyone compared them.

ClieOS has reviewed both in the same comparo. Can't ask for a better comparison, really, short of doing one yourself

.

As for the ADDIEMs, I still have to get my own pair, but from the few listens I've given them, they seem closer to the RE2 in sound signature than my Maximos.

 

[ZeNmAc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljokerl /img/forum/go_quote.gif ClieOS has reviewed both in the same comparo. Can't ask for a better comparison, really, short of doing one yourself . As for the ADDIEMs, I still have to get my own pair, but from the few listens I've given them, they seem closer to the RE2 in sound signature than my Maximos.

Thanks a bunch for all the help. A few last questions. How is the bass on both? I read the im-590 have a balanced sound, but does that mean flat bass that can keep up with the mids and treble, or is that code for bass shy, and rolloff? And are the NE-7M too bassy?

I think I might go for the NE-7M unless the im-590 have decent bass. Since I'll be wearing them around I'd rather not have anything too harsh or bass light.

The uhp336 are on their way back, I'm committed now

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeNmAc /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks a bunch for all the help. A few last questions. How is the bass on both? I read the im-590 have a balanced sound, but does that mean flat bass that can keep up with the mids and treble, or is that code for bass shy, and rolloff? And are the NE-7M too bassy? I think I might go for the NE-7M unless the im-590 have decent bass. Since I'll be wearing them around I'd rather not have anything too harsh or bass light. The uhp336 are on their way back, I'm committed now

The 590s have decent bass. It is a good match for the rest of their sound. The NE-7M are bassier IMO. Not sure if thats a good thing.

 

[ZeNmAc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljokerl /img/forum/go_quote.gif The 590s have decent bass. It is a good match for the rest of their sound. The NE-7M are bassier IMO. Not sure if thats a good thing.

Ok, so are they too forward? Or are they well balanced/neutral? I'm not a basshead by any means, but I don't want another uhp336

. Would they be a nice complement to my M50's? I apologize, but I'm just really nervous about being disappointed again.

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeNmAc /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ok, so are they too forward? Or are they well balanced/neutral? I'm not a basshead by any means, but I don't want another uhp336 . Would they be a nice complement to my M50's? I apologize, but I'm just really nervous about being disappointed again.

I rather like the 590s, but then I don't own the NE-7M and have only limited experience with them. I don't think you'll be disappointed either way. Both are superior to the Lansings.

 

[Bilavideo]

Let me make your job easier. For $50, the best earphones you can get are single-driver balanced armatures, if you can get them at that price. Most of the stuff you'll encounter has a dynamic driver, which isn't bad if you buy high end, but at $50, the earbud/iem-sized drivers are crap. The single-driver BA will be vastly better. At the same time, however, there's no reason to get caught up in the puffery. You won't have a crossover. There really aren't a lot of bells and whistles. Whatever single-driver BA you can get, at the pricepoint, will be as good as it gets.