[Jessipoo]

so I don't know what to get for Christmas or ask, and I thought hm it'd be nice to have some cans, using mostly my music on the go, I opted for IEMs. I have the super fi 5 pros and am quite happy with it (though I'm sure there is a better one out there to suit my preferences) but a good pair of cans would be useful for when I'm designing in the studio at school, it's annoying to constantly pull out my IEMs when people talk to me.

I've been looking at the Es7's and they seem quite nice, slightly over my price range but that aside I have some questions

How do they compare (generally) to the super fi 5pros? Since they are superaural, how are they for comfort and sound isolation (I read they are medium..) Where can I get this in Canada?

I listen to everything, from alt rock to slow rock to house music (60% of my musical taste is in the rock section and all its subgenres)

So I want something that can deliver clean bass (but doesn't have to be overemphasized, just not weak, I'm hoping if I need more I can just EQ it, yes I like EQ)

I don't want sibilance obviously, but clear and present mids and highs.

If it helps, I find my super fi 5 pros don't deliver that well in the mids and highs like they are a bit muffled, not too crisp I suppose? And I don't want to use an amp. I'm hoping the s9 will be great so I'll probably get those, they have 16 ohm impedance

I'm hoping for some good suggestions, if you have suggestions for IEMs too I'm all for it!

Thanks.

 

[Jessipoo]

I see tons of people replying for headphone recommendations and I didn't get any replies.... here I'll put in what I want

-no amp
-closed
-over or covered headphones (as long as it isolates well enough and is comfortable)
-no sound leakage
-clarity (though not every detail)
-I like my bass but am not a basshead so I rather have an all around rather than a bass oriented phone
-mids and highs.. don't know what to say about that?
-small head (don't know if this makes a difference but I'm a girl so..)

basically sorta like the super fi 5 pros but less "warm" (clearer?) with a bit more detail but not too much, I want them on par with the super fi 5 pros so my listening experience won't jump too much and I'll start to prefer one over the other, etc.

Price preferablly under 100 (unrealistic?) but max 150

 

[paaj]

ES7 will do, really is a brilliant headphone for the money.
have not heard superfi5 though (or any IEM) so can't compare.
sound is a to the warm side, but fun and detailed.
has a full bass, but not really bloated, it sounds fast. nice mids and sparkling highs for detail. I feel the voices are a little recessed but nothing to really worry about. they don't really need an amp, are closed but don't isolate really much, just a little. almost no leaking. comfort might be an issue after an hour or so (bendingmod helps comfort and looks).
you should be able to find these for under $150, but beware of the really cheap ones, they're probably fake.
or search for d1001/es7 comparisons as d1001 would be a good alternative.

 

[Jessipoo]

ya I read about the isolation it was only medium, hm recessed voices could be fixed with EQ

okay thanks paaj, any more suggestions head-fiers?

 

[AlexinExile]

Get the ES7s you will be very happy. They have great mids, solid bass, and look great. The only downside is the isolation is medium (about the same as using ibuds IMO) and they are difficult to wear for over 2 hours. There is a pair on sale on the boards right now for $95...

 

[Jessipoo]

hm I am in studio listening to music for hours.. I'm at school sometimes for 10 hours so isolating and long wear is important.

What about
Denon 1001
Sennheiser 280 (I think it had wider frequency range)
or senns 595

 

[Jessipoo]

alexinexile, what would be medium isolation, I guess wearing it on the bus or metro is out of the question? are there even any (without active noise cancellation) that can isolate well?

 

[jaykay]

I have a pair of superfi 5 pro, es7, and d1000. To me, the es7 is a bit more warm than the sf5p, but has a similar sound signature. It is "punchier" though, which I find to be a good thing. I definitely agree with the comments above on comfort and isolation. I find that I have to take the es7 off for a few minutes every hour or so because they put a certain amount of pressure on my ears and the earpads get a bit warm on me after awhile. To decrease the pressure put on the ears, you could straighten the arms of the headband a bit (they have a slight curve when stock).

Isolation wise, They do a good job of not letting sound leak out, however sound does manage to come in. Though not nearly as much as the d1000. I find isolation both ways with the es7 to be quite adequate for most situations.

The d1000 fit around my ear as opposed to on my ear like the es7. comfort wise I prefer the d1000 over the es7 by a long shot. The earpads feel like pillows on my ears heheh. The d1000 do a good job of preventing sound to leak out of the headphones, but they let alot of sound leak in. To me, the d1000 sound almost like an open headphone, except they do not leak sound out. So these are great in an enviroment where you need to hear what goes on around you, but at the same time you don't want to bother those around you with sound leakage.

Now for the sound comparison between the es7 and d1000. I find the es7 to have a more lively, exciting sound than the d1000. The es7 sound has great highs and quick punchy bass, and solid midrange. The d1000's on the other hand sound more laid back and smooth to my ears. The highs aren't as prominent on the d1000 as they are on the es7. The bass and midrange seem much less energetic than the es7 but they are very smooth. This doesn't mean the d1000 are lacking in bass however, because they have quite a bit of it. Oh and looks wise to me its a tossup. I love the way both earphones look. Construction wise, I've had both headphones for over a year and they both are going strong. I'd say that the es7 feel a bit more study because the denon's are mostly of a plastic construction as compared to the metal of the es7. However to me the denons are much more comfortable and lighter than the es7. Hope this helps you a bit and hope you enjoy whichever you choose!

 

[AlexinExile]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jessipoo /img/forum/go_quote.gif alexinexile, what would be medium isolation, I guess wearing it on the bus or metro is out of the question? are there even any (without active noise cancellation) that can isolate well?

Bus/Metro would be manageable, but not great. I think it is sometimes good to hear your surroundings in these types of places. I have used my ES7s while I wood carve with a drill and while I can hear the drill I can still enjoy the music. I don't know of any closed portable headphones without noise cancellation that can isolate great. These headphones are great for most situations.

 

[Jessipoo]

hm okay thanks, but what do you mean by warmer than the super fi 5 pros (I'm not really good with the description of music.. you mean more muffled and unclear?) then and any other recommendations?

 

[yukihiro]

i can't really give you a recommendation, but i can say that you'd probably want circumaural headphones if you're going to be wearing them for 10 hours at a time since circumaural's are usually more comfortable. like others have said, i wouldn't recommend the es7's if you want isolation.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Have you considered the Sony MDR-V6? They run $50-$75 and might be what you're looking for. They've been in production over 20 years and are widely used for studio and professional applications. They're great for portable use - they fold up and come with a vinyl bag to put them in.

 

[jaykay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jessipoo /img/forum/go_quote.gif hm okay thanks, but what do you mean by warmer than the super fi 5 pros (I'm not really good with the description of music.. you mean more muffled and unclear?) then and any other recommendations?

By warmer I mean that the sound of the d1000 is fuller and kind of more laid back.

 

[jung]

Denon AH-D1001
Audio-Technica ANC7
Sennheiser HD25
Sennheiser PXC450

 

[Jessipoo]

ya I've looked at the Sony's, it's so hard to make a good decision without trying them on but I don't think I have any stores in Montreal where I can test em out so, I have to base it on reviews.