[conkerman]

Hi.

Looking for some thoughts.

I am looking at CIEMs at the moment to use at work and maybe sleep in. i also have slightly odd shaped ears so ofen find IEMs uncomfortableLooking for a well balanced sound that may be a touch, and I mean a touch warm. Will be listening to mostly rock on iPod video and galaxy S3.

Now here's the thing. I am not interested in lugging about extra equipment. I want to run untapped unamped most of the time (90%ish)

My question is considering the sources, how far is sensible?

I currently have GR06 and an old pair of E2C. I find the 06 to have too much mid bass and is a touch short on treble energy. At home I have some A700s that hardly see any use.

Been thinking of the Cosmic Ears, but it would be a real stretch to heir 3a.

Based in the UK and have a set of impressions.

Your thoughts welcome.

 

[Lourdes]

TripleFi 10 + http://www.inearz.com ?
Or custom tips from ACS (£105ish if you get them done via Boots and join their hearing club first).

 

[conkerman]

Thanks for the reply.

The TF10 is huge! Can't see them being any good for sleeping in.

I am pretty set on a ciem, I can then use as hearing protection on my motorbike.

 

[conkerman]

I have just re read this when not tired and realised it doesn't make much sense. Sorry i was tired.
 
Allow me to clarify.
 
90% of my listening will be unamped.
 
I am considering buying some CIEMS. (Cosmic ears looks to be the Favourites at present, although I could just scrape a Heir 3A.
 
Looking for a nice balanced sound, could cope with a very small mid bass bump as the one on the GR06 is a little too much for my liking.
 
I think what I am after is something that sounds like a GR07 (from the description) that is easy to drive, but can still deliver a chunk of extra WOW when amped.
 
So, given the requirements, at what point in the heirachy of CIEMS should I stop? Single BA, Double, Triple or Hybrid?
 
Not so  much after solid recommendations, but more a discussion on where the boundary lies between consumer (Can be driven to a notional >90% if their best by mobile devices) and audiophile (requiring amps to give >90% of their best)
 
Discuss, or not

 

[psygeist]

Quote:

I am pretty set on a ciem, I can then use as hearing protection on my motorbike.

Explain.

 

[conkerman]

Thank for the polite reply


I can take advantage of the enhanced isolation given by customs to replace the plugs I wear.

Due to odd shaped ears I struggle with iems in a helmet. (XR1000 and whisper kit).

That's my intended use.

 

[psygeist]

I understand the use of ear plugs in close proximity to loud machines. But demanding isolation while driving can be risky.
 
Heir 4A is more balanced. 3A is kind of like TF10 in signature.

 

[etys rule]

Ive always ridden with my UM2s blasting away. Never have they been the cause of any accident.  I actually advocate riding with them in.  Don't tell hiflight this though. Hehe

 

[JayMitch]

...3A is kind of like TF10 in signature.

Not sure how different the 3.A is from the universal 3.Ai, but I have the latter and used to have (for a short time) the TF10. The similarities between these, and to my ears, ends at the sibilance both inject (3.Ai much less so than then the TF10). I find there is much more pronounced and balanced midrange and less bloated, more detailed bass with the 3.Ai's compared to the TripleFi's. The treble, while still too sibilant for me ears, is also richer - I found my version of the TF10’s thin on top. There was more of a hard V-shape to the TF10`s. To the degree that different tips would tune any of that I don't know. Foam perhaps but I'm not a fan.

YMMV as all ears are different. Upside is that it would be relatively easy to test for yourself and sell before committing to the custom version.

 

[Xymordos]

Customs sometimes have less isolation than universals unfortunately

 

[conkerman]

True.

But I am only interested in closed designs

Moving on.

What in your opinion is the most expensive IEMS you would use with an unamped iPod?

 

[Idsynchrono_24]

I use the ES5s straight into the iphone 5 and it sounds fantastic.

 

[Xymordos]

Unamped sounds pretty good, especially on the move you probably won't notice the difference amped and unamped. However, when amped they make a big difference!

 

[czqdtc]

As an owner of 2 flagship custom IEMs, I would like to tell you that CIEMs will not be as good as some described here.

 

[kckc]

Quote:

As an owner of 2 flagship custom IEMs, I would like to tell you that CIEMs will not be as good as some described here.

 
As an owner of 4 pairs of customs, I beg to differ. All my universals have been collecting dust ever since I got my first pair, but of course, YMMV.