[stunt101]

Well, I've been searching for around 8 hours and I've finally narrowed my choices down to the popular ER-6i and sfi3. My goal was to get earphones of some sort with sound isolating and strong bass (or at least better or equal to my old bass ones which were Bose Tri-Port earphones (ya i know...

)).
However, I still have some questions...
1. Which one is more durable/lasts longer (im going to be putting them in my pocket or in the pouch and then into my pocket). In terms of the earphones part, the wire, etc.
2. Does the ER-6i really only have decent bass? That would be a let down.
3. Which one of these is the one that is best having the wire wrapped around your ear? (or am I thinking of another one)
4. Which one would you recommend?

I am currently using these sony noise-cancelling earphones without the eartips because I lost them, so quick responses and detailed explanations are greatly appreciated (no tip earphones = hurts -.-)

P.S. Durability is a huge factor for me between these earphones then my next concern is probably bass.
Thank you for the responses in advance

 

[stunt101]

bump...too many people start new threads >.<

 

[kpeezy]

Here's a good review comparing both of those.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=258284

And I doubt you're going to find an IEM with triport bass. I don't know why you would even WANT triport bass, but I have the er6i's and they are NOT bass oriented IEM's. Bass is definitely not the focus.

 

[filipelli]

1. going based off looks only, the superfi looks more durable...need more confirmation on that one.
2. the etys are kind of sparse in the bass area, but make up for it in detail
3. superfi
4. personally i would go for the superfi. the microphonics and lack of bass of the etys don't really float my boat. good luck!

 

[kpeezy]

Is microphonics the noise I hear from any touching / moving of the cable??

 

[stunt101]

Thanks kpeezy for the guide link. And read carefully next time...I didnt say I wanted tri-port...I had a triport earphone before...
Quote:

ER-6i's Highs are very present, I use the foamies that were included, and they produce more bass and less harshness that way. With the Tri-flanges, I can definitely hear a little bit of harshness, but not enough to drive me crazy, not fatiguing in my opinion, at all. Although the bass isn't as impactful as with the Super.fi 3's, it's clearer and it's precise, so in my opinion makes it much better. Since I use the Rock EQ, vocals aren't made so straightforward, that's probably some of the reason that it's not so harsh for me. These are actually enjoyable even on a Flat EQ, as the Super.fi 3's aren't, in my opinion. Mids and lows on the Ety's, in my opinion are better than the Super.fi 3's because of the better detail; this comes in handy when I listen to metal or screamo and like to hear low end detail. Overall I think the Ety's strong points are Metal/Screamo & Alternative Indie/Rock. Super.fi 3 Studio's My favorite thing about the Super.fi's are that they do a fantastic job at acoustic music such as Brand New's select songs and Bayside's Acoustic S/T CD. I don't need as much detail or bass for acoustic, so the Super.fi 3's are definitely my first choice for that type of music hands down. The highs are really good on the Super.fi's, but even though the Ety's are better, highs and bass is boosted when acoustic songs are made, which is where Ety's really can be harsh. Mids are good on the Super.fi 3's, but the low end seems to not be represented as well as the Ety's, to me. My overall choice on Sound Quality are the Etymotic ER-6i's.

Are there any other people who can comment on the sound of the bass? I mean apparently the sound on the ety are better for bass quality and the fi3 have bass boost?

 

[filipelli]

yeah, thats right. microphonics can be really annoying too, but you can resolve that by using a shirt clip to keep the cable from shifting around. the etys suffer a little more from this because the cable doesn't go over the ear like other IEMs. those that do have a little less microphonics due to the cable moving about.

 

[kpeezy]

Ah.. I see. Contact higher up on the cable cancels out the noises made by moving the lower part of the cable. Well, I still like the er6i's very much and the bass is good for me

 

[stunt101]

Moving the cable causes noise? I never had this happen with the earphones I had...
I am leaning towards the ety's, however, the durability is still an issue. How come the guide says the ety's are less durable? Is it because the wire is thinner than the fi3 or the parts aren't put together well?

 

[ClieOS]

You should ask pez for this question, he owns both.

 

[stunt101]

ah, well, im back at square one again. I think the reviews on the fi3 are made by people who don't know how to properly insert them because I normally wouldn't have known witohut reading on it first...

So I'll wait till pez responds about the durability.

 

[souladdikt]

The wires are thinner on the ER-6i's, but I've had a pair for quite some time now and the cables are holding up fine. Just don't yank them out of your ears by the cables and you should be ok. If you're looking for bass then look somewhere besides Ety's.

 

[stunt101]

Well, I've been reading the review from amzon on the fi3's and they said the bass isn't that great...kinda odd since arent the fi3's suppose to be good at proudcing strong bass?
Another question I got when I looked at pez's guide is does the over the ear hooking position for the fi3 feel uncomfortable?
Are any of these as powerful as the bose tri-port earphones for bass?

A shame I have no way of testing these out myself without having to spend money >.> *sigh*

 

[ranz_blacker]

since the discussion is already on, and my requirements are pretty identical, i have question that i hope more knowledgeable ppl would be able to reply..
a.) buck for buck, do IEM provide better music than headphones
b.) buck for buck, do IEM provide better music and sound isolation than headphones..
3.) best IEM under 100 buck .. (actually limit is 80, but im willing to stretch to 100 so far if i get a really good deal.)

plzz consider that im a newb, (hear all kinds of music, no specific genre) and wont buy an amp any time soon.. thx again..
ps. dnt wanna hijack the thread, but i think my doubts are pretty much the same as stunt101 and would be mutually beneficial...

 

[jewman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stunt101 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ah, well, im back at square one again. I think the reviews on the fi3 are made by people who don't know how to properly insert them because I normally wouldn't have known witohut reading on it first... So I'll wait till pez responds about the durability.

Well the UEs have a 2-year warranty vs. a 1-year for the Ety. Also, the UE cable is replaceable, meaning if you accidentally damage it, you can just pull it off, and buy a new one for $20. Also I have heard of people using a Westone cable instead (more detailed, less microphonics)

In terms of the bass. I can't compare it to the er6i, which I've never heard, but the SF3's bass is lean but quite detailed and accurate. The CmoyBB amp I just got off eBay a few weeks back seems to have made the bass even more detailed/accurate.

Getting a good seal is sort of difficult with the UE, although once you do it a few times, it gets easy. If you absolutely need to be inconspicuous, the ER6i are definitely more discreet than the SF3s.

I think it's just going to boil down to personal preference. Buy both off Amazon, which has a 30-day return policy, and just send the ones you don't like back.