[jaysins]

First post so let me introduce myself. I'm Jason, that was simple enough

. Well I've been lurking here for a bit and have learned so much and after reading this site. I've been researching new phones to get since my shure se310's got stolen. I'm a college student so I like to be as frivolous as possible though my love for electronics tends to foul that plan up.

My main dap right now is my N95 (soon to be N97 hopefully) and I plan on getting, or possibly making, an amp as my N95 and presumably N97 are underpowered. Most of my music is 320kbs though I do have some lackluster 128kbs songs in there so keep that in mind. My number one genre is probably alternative rock though I do listen to classical, rap and hip hop, hard rock and techno as well. I'm looking for something better than my shures as I wasn't totally satisfied with them. After reading I think I'm leaning towards the Klipsh X10's for around $200. I love bass though I wouldn't consider myself a bass head. I was thinking of maybe splurging and getting the W3's as I love to live beyond my means and work overtime, but don't think I would benefit from them as I usually use my phone as my main dap and some of my music is at a lower bitrate, though I do cherish my FLAC tracks.

Comfort is important as I have somewhat sensitive ears. Speaking of which I have almost annoyingly good hearing am quite sensitive to high frequency. I sometimes use high frequency sine waves as ringtones that as of yet none of my friends can hear. Though it does bother my ear a bit so I need something with pleasing highs that aren't too harsh but can can go really up there in range. I don't want to spend too much more than $200 for phones though I'm pretty easily parted from my money as that old saying goes

. I plan on having these for many years (assuming they don't get stolen) and use them everywhere from gym to the library to my computer so if spending the extra money can be justified I will just save up and hold off on my purchase as I want something I can enjoy for many years and it is a worthy investment to me as I use my headphones at least four hours a day. So any help suggestions etc would be appreciated. And it's a pleasure to be on this site

 

[Crikey]

I'd suggest actually suggest getting a better source first before even considering headphones. I also have the N95's and I found that they generated a lot of hiss for low impedance phones which pretty much means most of the portable headphones/iems out there. So the N95 has been regulated for calling duties, and I use my D2 as my dap. You could get a sansa clip which wouldn't cost you too much and still get a decent sound headphone. IMHO that would greatly enhance your listening experience.

 

[jaysins]

Well I eliminated the his by getting an addon from radio shack. And I don't plan on having it too much longer as I'll be getting a new phone or ipod touch pretty soon and an amp to go with either or.

 

[boomy3555]

Personally I'm a Custom Head , I can't tell you how many times I wished my universals would stop hurting after a few hours. My Custom triple drivers (350.00 US )are so comfortable that I forget that they're there until someone tries to talk to me.

Customs are expensive up front but they are so comfortable that it's worth the initial investment.

The Livewires brand $250.00 US are dual driver and have good reviews here at Head-Fi. Hearyourself.com is were I got my C-3's and they are about the least expensive for all you get.

Check out the other custom threads.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f103/h...thread-368009/

 

[Crikey]

Well, I say go experiment with universals first and find what sound signature or type of sound you like. The problem with customs is that once you past the return period offered (if any) the resell value of your iem is gonna be 0. Otoh, you could always sell your universals to recuperate and minimise your loss. Once you've found you cup of tea (so to speak), than you can start considering customs (of similar sound signatures). IMHO this is a better strategy then just delving into customs, which your pretty much stuck with it after the return period (if any). Granted I'm still searching for the sound signature I like as well, but buying universal now gives you more flexibility (imo).

Edit: If you're looking for absolute comfort (depending on how high you value this), then customs in the long run are definitely going to be generally more comfortable than universals. However you may have to do remolds as the first mold might not fit correctly, this can prove to be a hassle that you might not want to put up with. However, keep in mind that universals can also be comfortable (depending on your ears). The westone series of iems are often touted to be extremely comfortable for example, as are the Shure SE530s.

 

[jaysins]

The shure black foam tips were comfortable to the point where I could leave them in for hours and be fine so I don't think customs is necessary. I was able to easily obtain a seal and such. After reading my three choices are FA M5, image X10 and maybe the W3's though more input is always nice before I take the plunge.