[lele0108]

I'm currently looking to pick up my first IEM. I'm very new to the hi-fi market, and this will be my first headphone/earphone that costs more than $30.
 
I'm currently looking at the following:
 
Ultimate Ears 900 ($400)
Sennheiser IE8/80 ($?)
Ultimate Ears Tri-Fi 10 (~$150 used)
 
Is the UE 900 really worth the $400 cost, or is a used Tri-Fi about the same, for about 70% off?
 
Also, how does the IE8/80 compare to the UEs? And what is the current price of the IE8/80 from a seller?
 
My budget max is about $400.
 
Thanks!

 

[macgig]

heard a lot of praises for the cheap sony hm1, maybe you can try one pair.

 

[hatefulsandwich]

I think macgig means the mhc1. They are very cheap and bang for the buck, but if you've got the money to spend you can do better. Perhaps if you gave us more of an idea what kinds of music you listen to, what kind of sound signature you tend to prefer, whether it needs to have removable cables, etc.

Some other IEMs to research:
Westone UM3X, W4
Earsonics SM3v2, SM64
Aurisonics ASG-1.2, ASG 2 release imminent
VSonic V7007 and MR07 also going to be released soon.
JVC FXZ200, recently released, getting rave reviews
TDK BA200 is highly regarded by many.

You could even look into a custom IEM if you're feeling up for it - some are within your budget.

 

[lele0108]

Ahh, thanks for the suggestions, I'm checking them out.
 
I looked at the Triple Fis and the UE 900s, and it's about a $200 difference. Is it worth it? 

 

[hatefulsandwich]

I don't have experience with either of those, so this is just me saying stuff I've read - apparently the 900s are an improvement on the Triple Fis. Whether that improvement is worth $200 depends on your requirements.

For example, I can't tolerate sibilance. If one IEM had sibilance and cost $200 less than an upgrade that didn't have sibilance, the upgrade would be my choice. To be perfectly honest, being who I am, I would probably just try looking for another IEM in the same price range that doesn't have sibilance. If I had the money, it would probably be less of an issue, but I like to get my money's worth either way. But MY money's worth isn't the same as yours .

I know it's tough to decide on these things, especially if you don't have opportunities to audition them. But guaranteed that if you buy higher-end earphones, you'll always find someone who'll buy it from you if the sound just doesn't work for you.