[GoingInIEM]

[deleted]

 

[bwanaaa]

I have two sons, age 19 and 25, and they both prefer headphones. As do most of their friends. And young people tend to enjoy the bass. In this vein I would go with the Sony MDRX950 (link). I actually talk to them about music a fair amount and their concern was not to get something expensive because they didnt want to worry if they trashed them or lost them. I wanted to get them the Oppo 3 or the Bose qc35 but they specifically said those were too expensive.. OTOH, if you want to get him something for listening to at a desk, The Senn hd650 with a schitt amp + dac (magni+modi) might be the ticket. the senns tho will not pair well with their smart phones for listening because they need a lot of power. If you are committed to IEMs , consider the etymotic hf3. They stay put and dont fall out plus they pair well with smartphones.

 

[smy1]

Beats. jk Empire Spartans were really good

 

[ezekiel77]

  Hello everyone,
 
I'd like to upgrade my son's IEM's as we had an unfortunate incident with his previous Westone W40. This is a surprise gift for his 21st birthday so I'd like to make it special 
 
I've been saving up for this for a while now and would like to know if the Shure SE 846 or Westone W50 would be worth the buy.
 
Also someone on Reddit's r/headphones suggested I take a look at Trinity Audio Phantom Hunter and DITA - The Answer (Truth Edition)
 
Kindly share me your suggestions. 

 
I'd say SE846 is a good choice. It has very good bass layering, lush mids and gentle treble that is easy to like. Also comes with three tuning options to further customise the sound. I had the SE846 before and really like the comfort and signature.
 
Haven't tried anything from Westone, just that the house sound is warm, smooth and slightly dark. Good for relaxed listening but not that exciting.
 
Phantom Hunter is still on preorder, with the earliest orders shipping November - don't take the risk on an unreleased product, as delays are common.
 
The Truth is another good choice. Light and airy presentation with a big soundstage, however the fit is not for everyone. Going from W40 I'd say SE846 is the natural upgrade path.

 

[GoingInIEM]

  I have two sons, age 19 and 25, and they both prefer headphones. As do most of their friends. And young people tend to enjoy the bass. In this vein I would go with the Sony MDRX950 (link). I actually talk to them about music a fair amount and their concern was not to get something expensive because they didnt want to worry if they trashed them or lost them. I wanted to get them the Oppo 3 or the Bose qc35 but they specifically said those were too expensive.. OTOH, if you want to get him something for listening to at a desk, The Senn hd650 with a schitt amp + dac (magni+modi) might be the ticket. the senns tho will not pair well with their smart phones for listening because they need a lot of power. If you are committed to IEMs , consider the etymotic hf3. They stay put and dont fall out plus they pair well with smartphones.

Thanks for that detailed response. My son's more of a IEM guy so I haven't been looking around for headphones. The etymotic hf3 is a great suggestion although he would preferably like a pair that's over the ear given his preference. 
 
We shifted recently and his W40 was nowhere to found so I'd like to make it up to him. He's currently adjusting with his lg earbuds. 
 
I don't want to get ahead of myself but speaking of headphones, I'd like to gift myself one by the end of next year. IF you happen to swear by anyone of the following (Oppo 3, Bose qc35 & Senn hd650) which one would it be. I'd would be connecting them to my Ipod. Cheers man!!! 

 

[GoingInIEM]

   
I'd say SE846 is a good choice. It has very good bass layering, lush mids and gentle treble that is easy to like. Also comes with three tuning options to further customise the sound. I had the SE846 before and really like the comfort and signature.
 
Haven't tried anything from Westone, just that the house sound is warm, smooth and slightly dark. Good for relaxed listening but not that exciting.
 
Phantom Hunter is still on preorder, with the earliest orders shipping November - don't take the risk on an unreleased product, as delays are common.
 
The Truth is another good choice. Light and airy presentation with a big soundstage, however the fit is not for everyone. Going from W40 I'd say SE846 is the natural upgrade path.

 
I had the SE215 a while ago and they were worth every penny. I was keen on Phantom Hunter because they've close to 8 to 10 tuning options which is something I'm sure my son would appreciate. I believe there's a $400 difference between the Phantom Hunter and the SE846 and some have to me that the Hunter would be of better value
 
Thanks for mentioning about The Truth's fit as my little chaps ears are quite smalls.
 
What would be your thoughts of the Phantom Master 6? Is there a significant difference between the Hunter and the Master 6.

 

[ezekiel77]

 
 
What would be your thoughts of the Phantom Master 6? Is there a significant difference between the Hunter and the Master 6.

 
Master 6 has exceptional value at preorder price, because Hunter is nearly double that. Bob from Trinity did say that the difference is Hunter is more detailed but they follow a similar tuning. Hunter is more expensive due to the materials. However, impressions are very limited because almost everyone in the thread hasn't heard them yet.
 
While I have no doubt Trinity makes excellent products, the fact remains they are on preorder and delivery of the actual product is an estimate. That's why I wouldn't preorder one if it has to be delivered with a timeframe that is your son's birthday. Perhaps you can pm Bob for more details.

 

[PL4Y3R 0N3]

I had the SE215 a while ago and they were worth every penny. I was keen on Phantom Hunter because they've close to 8 to 10 tuning options which is something I'm sure my son would appreciate. I believe there's a $400 difference between the Phantom Hunter and the SE846 and some have to me that the Hunter would be of better value

Thanks for mentioning about The Truth's fit as my little chaps ears are quite smalls.

What would be your thoughts of the Phantom Master 6? Is there a significant difference between the Hunter and the Master 6.

Bob actually just updated the tuning options and the hunter and the PM6 will both have 12 different filter options. Just figured I'd throw that in there. Also final tuning is "done", and shipping is expected to start in December.

 

[GoingInIEM]

I'll definitely go ahead and do that. Thanks for the suggestion.