[Akui]

I've only heard the UM1 and UM2s so I can't really comment on the Etys. The UM1s are quite sturdy. The twisted cable and the over the ear design are excellent in removing microphonics.

I would definitely call the sound signature more "brown" and mellow. In some cases this is a good thing, in others it is not. As was mentioned earlier the highs are rolled off. This does make for some nice long session listening, but I'm worried that it will annoy listeners of classical that favor brass or percussion instruments.

 

[prosound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by odelay tomato /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is my decision going to be a coin toss?

No, I don't believe in that.

I've listened to the er6is for a week now. As I said in another thread, the sound is really natural, clear and smooth, but you really can't expect a lot of bass from them. Their signature is quite nice for most sub-genres of classical, and they might be nearly ideal for you if you enjoy chamber and vocal thanks to high levels of details, but in some orchestral works the bass drum lacks impact, despite it's presence and good quality. That being said, playback of tracks such as Bach's Cello Suites is quite amazing.

I'm not familiar with jazz, but when I listened to Kind of Blue earlier today, I felt it's that enjoyable like it's never been before. Everything you look for was there. I used tri-flanges after careful and patient insertation, and they went a little deeper in my ear canals. The bass wasn't what I get out of my JBL 220s (open-back and canal, weird, but sweet), but was good enough to make me smile.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I find the silicon tips provide slightly better sound quality, while the foamies give better isolation, that's why I travel to and from work with the foam tips, as they're essential on the noisy buses I've got to put up with. Imagine the evil thing in China that conversation on the bus is still clearly intelligible after like 30 dB isolation, from passengers and the onboard TV ads! I hope I had enough evidence to sue the government and the bus companies, unless it's purely due to my hyperacusis (often associated with tinnitus?)

Odelay, if I had your budget, I think I'd give the UE super.fi 5 pro a thought. They're almost good at every kind of music, from what I read?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

I bought the Super.fi 5 pro after the Denon, and the UE were less comfortable and difficult to fit right. Super.fi 5 pro might be a choice, but they are much more costly, and the ER6i with Penguin Caffeine bass boost amp for the same price is a much better deal and sound and fit, etc.

Meeting the price halfway, I'd go for the Denon AH-C700. Or cheaper still and between the ER6i cost and Denon cost, there is the Altec-Lansing IM716 I mentioned before.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Actually ER6i new for $67-74 shipped + PenguinAmp caffeine with bass boost new for $77 shipped is about $15 less than the Super.fi 5 pro after shipping?

The iPod velcros to the PenguinAmp easily, the ER6i can be used unamped when lightest portable setup is needed, and the Penguin can drive bigger headphones later for home use until you can get a good home amp. And, with the amp, you can get a $29 DAC cable shipped with the amp to save shipping costs, and have a great computer sound rig as well. (Penguin has the DAC cable on the headstage website, but a simple email can get the shipping combined)

 

[prosound]

Thanks for all the input. I now have a feeling that I'm not an IEM guy. I probably enjoy headphones better. I use IEMs primarily as earplug+cans on the bus, and not for serious listening (JBLs are an exception, I don't know how to explain) and perhaps that's the reason I don't get the touch with er6i.

The amp options sounds great, but I'm short of cash. Do Shure black foamies alone improve the sound (by mellowing the bright highs a bit, and bringing out an extra bit of bass)?

Otherwise I'll wait for a pair of Marshmallows and if they isolate nearly as well and are fun on the go, I'll consider selling the "elite" etys off for a little cash inflow. I guess one week and one month old used pair won't be that different in price?

Maybe this hobby ain't really for me?

 

[prosound]

Update:

The Marshmallows are fun to travel with. Unfortunately their noisy blocking performance is still inferior compared to the ety's, and is not enough for the devilish buses here (engine+on-board audio/video).

I think I should keep the ety's and begin to save for a PenguinAmp.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by prosound /img/forum/go_quote.gif Update: The Marshmallows are fun to travel with. Unfortunately their noisy blocking performance is still inferior compared to the ety's, and is not enough for the devilish buses here (engine+on-board audio/video). I think I should keep the ety's and begin to save for a PenguinAmp.

Don't forget to save for the Shure black foamies. PM me and I'll mail one pair of them to test. I have them on mine and that + the amp smoothed them out.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

I thought this part of a PM I sent to prosound might be helpful in the forums. I have taken a side-by-side photo of the Marshmallow tips, Shure Medium Black, and the Ety peach tips that came with my ER6i.

The hole on the marshmallow tip looks big because I just took them off the earpiece - but the hole may still be too big for the ety after it shrinks down from being stretched. The marshmallow tips are too hard for my comfort.

To get the Shure tips on, I had to stretch the centers to get them on the ER6i. They are maybe only 1/2mm smaller in the outside foam diameter, but half the length of the ety foams. Shure does make a small black foam tip, or there are Complys tips which have different diameter sizes and two lengths, long and short.

With these tips on the ER6i, I can push them in so far they disappear! Getting the medium foams past the boney part of the ear canal makes them not put so much pressure on my ear canals. So, I might get some small tips for myself, just to see how they feel when I don't push them in so far.

I might also just pay the earplugstore.com to make custom full shell molded tips for my ER6i, but that is $115 plus shipping. I already have professional impressions that I can use, but the cost is holding me back.

[/QUOTE]

 

[idunno]

I have the UE super.fi 3's for use on the subway. I agree that they can be uncomfortable, but I came across (and have since lost) a thread here on head-fi that described how to fit the shure black olive foamies on the ue's. You just stretch them on a pen tip or pair of needle-nose pliers for a few minutes prior to installing them. Haven't tried it yet, but I have some on the way.

The super.fi 3's are allright--nice mids and highs, little light in the bass department, but nothing that an eq tweak doesn't fix. Soundstage good be better. I much prefer my PK2's for sound and comfort, and use them whenever isolation is not required.