[pufftissue]

So when you drop $400 on some IEMs, do most of you do it on faith?

Where would one go to demo these puppies?

I'm looking at the ultimate ears triple-fi IEMs :>

Thanks!

 

[krmathis]

Don't know what most of do.
But I don't have any options but to buy blind, as no dealers around here cary the IEM's I have/had my eyes on. Luckily it have turned out positive so far.

 

[Spyro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pufftissue /img/forum/go_quote.gif So when you drop $400 on some IEMs, do most of you do it on faith? Where would one go to demo these puppies? I'm looking at the ultimate ears triple-fi IEMs :> Thanks!

Not so much on faith but on an educated guess and return policy. I (like most) spend hours and hours researching opinions on an IEM I am intersted in. Even then you are never sure if it will sound to your liking. I have returned/exchanged things many times. Usually what happens is I'll keep it for a certain length of time, re-sell here to other Head-Fi'ers and upgrade from there. Yes, you take a little loss but it's part of the price to pay and there is great enjoyment going through the whole ritual of waiting for the Fed Ex/UPS guy and trying out the new goods. It never gets old.

Some say why mess around...just get UE11's and be done with it. But the journey is quite fun. It's a hobby.

 

[steviebee]

x2 w/ Spyro. I read like a hog before I buy anything. And trying stuff out, waiting etc...all part of the fun. I call it the Scenic Route: the journey & the landscape you pass through is worth every penny. And it informs your opinions for later choices & when helping out others.

Dive in!

 

[Elluzion]

i wish i could demo iem's, i have been through 4 lol. buy then sell buddy.

but you RESEARCH read every single thread and post and you learn a lot.

 

[user1029]

It is possible to demo the UE11s. You can just get the Triple.fi 10's (which are returnable) and if you love the UE sound signature but want some more bass/midrange, it is a no brainer to go for the UE11s

 

[geekchic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pufftissue /img/forum/go_quote.gif So when you drop $400 on some IEMs, do most of you do it on faith? Where would one go to demo these puppies? I'm looking at the ultimate ears triple-fi IEMs :> Thanks!

X2 with the guys above, there are lots of great reviews out here that can well make you picture how the IEMs will sound

I can't demo any earphones where I live. And I am pretty risk averse

When I first went out to drop USD 200 + for an IEM, I waited for a business trip to Singapore and went to Jaben. It was a headphone lovers paradise, I could try anything I wanted (and I did!) but as a first time purchaser, I wonder how much it helped. Looking back, I doubt if I got a proper fit and seal to be able to properly judge. It took me time and experimentation with tips to achieve the right fit and truly unlock the potential of the Triple Fi's.

So to sum up - I don't know if auditioning helped me beyond a point! I too think that the threads/ posts/ reviews are EXTREMELY useful in helping to take a decision.

 

[pseudohippy]

Yup, just dont spend all your money on your first shot. I started with EP-640 just to get a taste of better then stock. Now I spent $200 on SA6 and $8.50 on a fiio amp. Im moving up slowly so that my experience will just get better and better as I upgrade from one to another. Unfortunately this is a very expensive hobby as opposed to my other hobby of fishing and riding. It nice that they all go together well though. Just enjoy the whole experience and research well.

 

[Elluzion]

although reviews and people's opinions help, they aren't always accurate. It depends on everyones personal opinion. Everyone hears sound differently, some agree on audible faults and some don't. its subjective. Keep that in mind.

 

[Spyro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elluzion /img/forum/go_quote.gif although reviews and people's opinions help, they aren't always accurate. It depends on everyones personal opinion. Everyone hears sound differently, some agree on audible faults and some don't. its subjective. Keep that in mind.

True. But over time you'll find that maybe you agreed 100% with a certain poster's evaluation of a certain product so you find your self purposely seeking out or following that person's opinions about other products as well. It's a big help.

What Shure rolled off highs?

 

[Elluzion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif True. But over time you'll find that maybe you agreed 100% with a certain poster's evaluation of a certain product so you find your self purposely seeking out or following that person's opinions about other products as well. It's a big help. What Shure rolled off highs?

haha ^ i agree 100% , rolled off highs? pssh?!?!

 

[DrBenway]

My first experience with IEMs was exactly the sort of demo, in a store, that you are looking for. But it was (at least) ten years ago, and I haven't seen anything similar since.

When Shure began marketing IEMs as stage monitors for musicians (I dunno, 8-10 years ago? Longer ago?) I was spending a lot of time hanging out at Sam Ash and Manny's here in Manhattan, because I had been DJing (really, really badly) at a bar near my apartment. One afternoon, I came across a Shure in-store display that was designed to demo the IEM monitors that they had just started selling.

They were hard-wired to a source that was contained within the display, and what you heard was a combo of sales pitch ("A revolution in onstage sound for the performing musician...") and music samples. Sitting on top of the display was a bowl full of foamies that you could attach to the cans, ensuring that you didn't end up wearing someone else's ear wax.

I didn't buy at the time, even though I was mightily impressed with the sound. They were EXPENISIVE! But the in-store display was perfect for getting at least a vague idea of what they sounded like. I haven't seen anything like this kind of demo since. Too bad.

 

[DCBacon]

I had to go through JFK a few months ago and found a store that has been creeping into more and more major airports; Altitunes. They had the same setup with the foamies and some tester models of all the ones that they sold. While I didn't buy there, I was able to try the UE sf5 and the Shure SE530. The foamies give you a decent impression of what you are going to get with the full version and I was able to use my own source. If you have an airport near you, see if they have such a store or drop into one the next time you travel.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

The only IEMs I have ever demoed were some of the current Shure lineup and the UE triple.fi 10 Pro at the Head Fest International meet. Other than that, I've bought my IEMs blind (UE super.fi 5 Pro, Etymotic ER4P/S, Sleek Audio SA6), and sans the triple.fi 10 Pro, in the end I was never happy about them after hearing them firsthand (or firstear, in this case).

Basically, you just need to spend a LOT of time reading up on the IEM you're interested in, positive and negative comments both. Don't try to talk yourself into buying an IEM if you're really sitting on the fence about it. Search around for other similar IEMs, just so you can keep your options open.

 

[channum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif True. But over time you'll find that maybe you agreed 100% with a certain poster's evaluation of a certain product so you find your self purposely seeking out or following that person's opinions about other products as well. It's a big help.

That's been my strategy exactly. I see how someone's opinion of products I have heard match up with mine and use that to evaluate their opinion of products I haven't.