[novaks47]

 
First off, let me start with what I listen to. Metal. I like bands like Arch Enemy, Cradle of Filth, King Diamond, Illnath, Cthonic, Abyssos, Kreator, Amon Amarth(older), Decadence, etc. 
 
I have some Grado 225's, for home, that I LOVE, so the upper end is covered. I'm now looking for some IEM's for work. The source is a Zune HD, all mp3's ripped by me using EAC and the latest LAME codec at 320. I had some Sennheiser MX 560's which I really liked, but the left driver lost it's ability to produce midbass, then died out altogether. I took it apart, and nothing appeared wrong, so I guess it just wore out. I did use them daily after all, and they saw 6-7hours of use each day, so they saw some serious use. lol
 
I recently tried some Sennheiser MX 580's( after 20 hours of burn-in), thinking they'd be on par with the old 560's I had. WRONG. They are much clearer, but they lack midbass. The highs are a bit harsh at times, but plenty good enough for me. The midrange sounded a bit lacking, and little harsh as well, but still acceptable. The bass however, is nearly non-existant. I hate not being able to hear the drums, so these things are a no-go. Next, I tried some Yamaha EPH-50's. They have plenty of bass, and that's about it. They have a very narrow soundstage. The mids are lacking, and somewhat muffled by bass. Basically, the EPH-50's color everything. They add too much bass to the vocals, and go overboard with the bass coming from the bass guitar, and the bass drum hits are slightly muffled as well. The bass can end up being "boomy", depending on the track. They're just overall dirty sounding. They are very comfortable though, and I like the look of them.
 
So, I'm looking for some decent IEM's under $100, that have decent midbass, and the rest as clear as possible, given my price point. I know I can't get Grado sound for no-name prices, but I do want something a little more tolerable than the two buds I tried recently. Something like the MX 580's, only with some dang midbass! lol Oh, and isolation isn't important to me, so that's not a factor.  TIA!

 

[mvw2]

At the $100 price point I do like to suggest the Klipsch Custom 3.

 

[Rip N' Burn]

Sennheiser IE7. Prominent midbass, very wide soundatge, forward mids, and laid back highs. Try looking for a deal or getting them used here on head-fi. I don't think I've seen them for less than $100. There have been some very good deals for the IE6 for under $100 lately. The klipsch custom 3 is a good choice for $100 but I never liked the cable.

 

[bahnbrenner71]

You should probably try to cut down your listening time if you are using IEMs for 6-7 hours a day. I have a few friends who have really damaged their ears because of consistent and prolonged IEM usage.  

 

[novaks47]

Quote:

You should probably try to cut down your listening time if you are using IEMs for 6-7 hours a day. I have a few friends who have really damaged their ears because of consistent and prolonged IEM usage.  

Thanks for the advice. These were earbuds though, and I kept the volume really low. Plus, I listen to music a lot less at work now. And I already have huge hearing damage from two concerts.

  Still good advice though!

 

[novaks47]

Those Klipsch's look like they're over the ear only. Are they? Thanks for the suggestions thus far. Any more options that I should consider?

 

[Napilopez]

HJE900 is another option. Soundstage is slightly above average width, but with very nice depth. Bass overall is prominent, with it having a noticeable mid-bass hump, but bleeds minimally into the midrange. Midrange is slightly recessed, and improves with time. Highs are bright and sparkly, and might be harsh to some, though they were never an issue for me(and might not for you, seeing as you come from grados). However that is remedied with a very simple foam mod(which will also bring the mids more forward) or by using appropriate tips(think foam tips or narrow opening tips). Since the stock tips aren't optimal for most people, your Sennheiser or Yamaha tips might provide better fit and sound, if you still have them. They are also extremely durable and have replaceable cables.
 
I haven't heard them, but the Klipsch Custom 3 do seem like a great option as well, but yes they are over-the-ear.

 

[novaks47]

Quote:

HJE900 is another option. Soundstage is slightly above average width, but with very nice depth. Bass overall is prominent, with it having a noticeable mid-bass hump, but bleeds minimally into the midrange. Midrange is slightly recessed, and improves with time. Highs are bright and sparkly, and might be harsh to some, though they were never an issue for me(and might not for you, seeing as you come from grados). However that is remedied with a very simple foam mod(which will also bring the mids more forward) or by using appropriate tips(think foam tips or narrow opening tips). Since the stock tips aren't optimal for most people, your Sennheiser or Yamaha tips might provide better fit and sound, if you still have them. They are also extremely durable and have replaceable cables.
 
I haven't heard them, but the Klipsch Custom 3 do seem like a great option as well, but yes they are over-the-ear.

Wow, thank you! Looks like those Panasonics will be my best bet. I can tolerate highs pretty well, better than most, as long as they're not "tinny", like super cheap tweeters or earbuds. I forgot all about Panasonic until now. lol I had a set of their $50 cans years ago, and they sounded pretty good for budget cans. Can't for the life of me remember what the model number was, all I remember is how clean they sounded. 
 
I am curious about how the Klipsch's sound, but over the ear sadly isn't an option. I need to be able to pull them out quickly, like when someone walks up to me and starts talking. I don't want to be rude and take a while to pull them out. lol I should've put that in the main post, but forgot all about over the ear types.

 

[mark2410]

FX500