[Milliarde]

Hey all,
 
I have recently begun looking for some new headphones and came across this site, which had lots of useful information about different headphones (ljokerl's comprehensive thread is a treasure trove...). I know there is lots of info on there about stuff but I figured someone might have been in a similar situation as me and already made a good decision.
 
Fyi, my current in-ear headphones are SkullCandy Smokin Buds I believe. Got them with a gift card at Best Buy a few years ago and they were my first earphones that weren't the free ones that come with whatever new device you get, so they sounded much better to me than previous ones I had but still not amazing, and definitely lacking in sound isolation.
 
My main goal is to find some good headphones that provide great sound isolation and still have good sound quality. My two close friends both have Etymotics mc2s I believe and have told me the mc2/mc3/mc5 would basically all do the same for me, provided I don't care about the buttons (I don't). I mainly listen to techno, trance, and typical "pop" music I would say, so some of the songs that are on the top 100 charts, etc. I don't want to be able to hear anything with my headphones in, mainly because my roommate likes to listen to TV really loud with the bass up pretty high too, and the walls are paper thin so whatever he hears I hear slightly muffled. I have some headphones I use as well when this happens, but they're not much better and I get annoyed with the feeling of them pressing up on my ears.
 
For sub $100 headphones, does anyone have a strong recommendation when it comes to the ones I have come across and list below, or any others? The isolation provided by the Etymotics seems to be amazing, both according to my friends and based on the 35-42 dB isolation figure given, so that's my only real comparison point so far.
 
~Etymotics mc5 (or mc2/mc3 but they're more $$)
~Shure SE215-K
~JVC HAFX1X (these seem to have good reviews but they seem too cheap to believe almost, plus hard to get an idea how much isolation they provide)
~Sony XBA-1 (not bad reviews for the most part, lacking sound isolation info)
~Klipsch reference series s4i (I saw them on slickdeals and noticed they seem close to what I'm shopping for)
 
I am not deadset on the Etymotics, however they're all I have heard of from friends, which is why I came here for some good outside opinions. My friends mentioned they have slightly sub-par bass response, so I don't know if that would have a huge impact on my trance/techno music habits.
 
Any input is welcome!

 

[soundstige]

Get an HF5 for under $100. Best isolation possible, nearly a clone of the infamous ER4. I just happen to have one for sale now at $75 in my signature, but that's not coloring my recommendations. The MC5 sounds lifeless with bad instrument separation, while the HF5 is the complete opposite with very good instrument separation and detail. I have another copy that I listen to on a daily basis. Also definitely don't get the Klipsch S4i Reference, it's just another rebrand of a poor-sounding $20 driver that needs to die already. Doesn't isolate too well either.

 

[Weekend Warrior]

Well I got to agree with soundstige, if you want a pair of ety's you got to look into the Hf5.  The price on the colbalt ones are found on amazon sub $100 shipped, you just might have to wait a bit.
 
That being said, if you really like bass, then maybe another choice might be in order.  Many people have said these phones lack bass, though in my personal opinion there is more than enough, course our music tastes probably differ.  I had a pair of grado sr60i which are also a bit bass light, but the hf5 is much better in my opinion.  Detail and clarity are really the strong points with this phone. 
 
With recordings from deadmau5, portishead, and some beatport top 100 thrown in there these phones sound great to me.  I've never really considered myself a basshead, but these do the trick nicely.  My main choice of music are bands like led zep, van morrison, pink floyd, the beatles, ect.  Just to give you a bit of range.
 
The insulation is probably the best you will find in this price range.  I hear nothing when my music in on walking down the street, while riding the bus is pretty much the same, with maybe a slight increase to volume to cancel out the motor, course this is sitting in the back of the bus right next to it. 
 
My advice, if you want insulation before bass get the mc5/hf5, otherwise maybe something else might be in order.

 

[supersleuth]

Having had a few days now to get to know my new HF5s, including listening to big choral works with orchestra and organ, I have to say that anybody who says they have too little bass must never have gotten a good seal, or else just wants unrealistic gobs of bass (that would make a muddy mess of classical music). When the bass is there on the recording, it comes through with very realistic power and impact. Having heard the same recordings on my Grado SR80s, there's no question in my mind that the HF5 has better bass extension than the Grados, which have a modest midbass hump with not much below it.

(And I have to admit that I've been surprised by how much better they are than the MC5.)

 

[tinyman392]

Both the HF5 and EtyKids can be found under 100.


Sent from an iPod touch with TapaTalk... Autocorrect may alter the meaning of this message

 

[291079]

id pick the shure se215s over the ety hf5
the ety sound better, but i think the shures have better isolation and will fit your tastes better.
 
personally i cant get used to the deep insertion thing, nor do i think that the mc series is that great sounding.