byrdwyngs
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2007
- Posts
- 12
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- 0
Hi all, I'm a longtime lurker and new member here and I need a little help to (finally) decide on some new IEMs/canalphones. I've done so many searches and read so many posts here that I've got 'analysis paralysis' and just can't make up my mind. Unfortunately it's going to take me a while to explain, and this is going to be a long first post so please bear with me.
I'm currently using some Sony EX51 canalphones and I've just about had it with their muddiness, lack of mids, and overemphasized bass. They are actually pretty decent when compared to most of the stock earbuds I've heard, and considering that I got them for free they have served me well. But their faults are starting to bug me and it's past time to step up a notch or two.
One of the big problems I'm having right now in making a decision is that I have almost no experience with most of the gear you guys (and gals) talk about all the time. Although there are a lot of general descriptions the majority of posts here tend to compare one set of 'phones with another and I haven't heard any of them. So without a valid frame of reference the comparisons are largely meaningless to me. I thought I would try and come at this from a different direction and see what you can come up with.
Things I like about the Sonys: They are, for me, very comfortable - I can wear them for hours (although I rarely do) and hardly notice I've got them in. Ease of use is great, with the medium tips I can just shove them in and get a good seal, and I happen to be one of the apparent minority that prefers the J cord (I mostly wear them at work and frequently have to pop at least one side out to answer the phone or talk to someone) and angled plug (one of my sources has the headphone jack on the side). With the right music they are actually pretty 'fun' phones to listen to, at least for a while. Isolation is just about right, they block out most external noise but let enough through to keep me aware of what's going on around me.
Things I don't like: Overall sound quality. If you've ever listened to the EX51 or EX71 then you know what I'm talking about. There's a little too much bass and the quality isn't very good, it's sloppy and muddy. The mids are recessed and muddy, especially at lower volumes. The highs while lacking detail can still be a bit fatiguing after a while, especially at higher volume levels. There is just a general lack of detail and balance top to bottom. Also the efficiency isn't very good and I do have to crank the volume control up pretty high most of the time so I'm pretty sure it's hurting the already too short battery life of my players.
For sources I'm currently using a Samsung YH-820 and occasionally a Tungsten T3 running Pocket Tunes (when I don't want to carry the DAP around in addition to my cell phone and PDA) but I have started to think about picking up a Cowon X5(L) while they are still available for the increase in storage and supposedly better quality 'phone out. No amp, I already have to carry too much crap around with me most of the time, hence my frequent use of a PDA as a DAP, and my interest in the X5. Most of my music is 160-256K MP3s and I generally listen to rock, pop, blues, jazz, R&B, and folk (pretty typical stuff for a Boomer I guess) - no heavy metal, hip-hop, electronica, or classical.
I've been sort of a closet audiophile for ages but never much of a headphone user. I've got a pair of ancient but well cared for Senn HD-430s that I listen to at home semi-regularly (and like the sound of) but much prefer to crank up the volume on my Vandersteens when time permits. The Vandersteen 2Ce are to my ears very nearly the perfect speakers. Full, rich, and natural mids with plenty of bass (although it could be a little tighter) and just enough sparkle in the highs. Given the right amplification they can be cranked up to insane volume levels without ever getting fatiguing. They have a huge soundstage and excellent imaging. They are simply the smoothest, most musical, most natural, and well balanced speakers I've ever owned. I can't really imagine replacing them with anything other than a newer model from higher up the line to get just a little more detail and a little better bass quality. I know I won't get the soundstage with 'phones, but I'm aiming for a similar signature.
Price is not a huge issue, I can afford most of the phones discussed here, but I am generally a 'most bang for the buck' kind of guy. Aside from my feeling that the prices charged for some of the high end phones is bordering on criminal, I think it would probably be a waste to spend too much on TOTL 'phones given my sources and the music I'm listening to. Plus the fact that they aren't going to see all that much use. So I'd like to keep it down to around $100 - $200 if possible.
I think I can safely rule out all the Ety's for both comfort and sound signature reasons. But I've been considering almost everything else from CX300s to E500s. They all have their good points and bad points and without being able to listen to them myself I just haven't been able to narrow it down. So please put me out of my misery and tell me what to buy if my priorities in order of importance are:
1. Sound quality with a preference for great mids, good bass quality and quantity - a fun, musical, non-fatiguing signature with reasonable balance, rather than absolute precision and ultimate detail.
2. Comfort and convenience.
3. Cost
4. Efficiency / sensitivity.
5. Isolation
I'm currently using some Sony EX51 canalphones and I've just about had it with their muddiness, lack of mids, and overemphasized bass. They are actually pretty decent when compared to most of the stock earbuds I've heard, and considering that I got them for free they have served me well. But their faults are starting to bug me and it's past time to step up a notch or two.
One of the big problems I'm having right now in making a decision is that I have almost no experience with most of the gear you guys (and gals) talk about all the time. Although there are a lot of general descriptions the majority of posts here tend to compare one set of 'phones with another and I haven't heard any of them. So without a valid frame of reference the comparisons are largely meaningless to me. I thought I would try and come at this from a different direction and see what you can come up with.
Things I like about the Sonys: They are, for me, very comfortable - I can wear them for hours (although I rarely do) and hardly notice I've got them in. Ease of use is great, with the medium tips I can just shove them in and get a good seal, and I happen to be one of the apparent minority that prefers the J cord (I mostly wear them at work and frequently have to pop at least one side out to answer the phone or talk to someone) and angled plug (one of my sources has the headphone jack on the side). With the right music they are actually pretty 'fun' phones to listen to, at least for a while. Isolation is just about right, they block out most external noise but let enough through to keep me aware of what's going on around me.
Things I don't like: Overall sound quality. If you've ever listened to the EX51 or EX71 then you know what I'm talking about. There's a little too much bass and the quality isn't very good, it's sloppy and muddy. The mids are recessed and muddy, especially at lower volumes. The highs while lacking detail can still be a bit fatiguing after a while, especially at higher volume levels. There is just a general lack of detail and balance top to bottom. Also the efficiency isn't very good and I do have to crank the volume control up pretty high most of the time so I'm pretty sure it's hurting the already too short battery life of my players.
For sources I'm currently using a Samsung YH-820 and occasionally a Tungsten T3 running Pocket Tunes (when I don't want to carry the DAP around in addition to my cell phone and PDA) but I have started to think about picking up a Cowon X5(L) while they are still available for the increase in storage and supposedly better quality 'phone out. No amp, I already have to carry too much crap around with me most of the time, hence my frequent use of a PDA as a DAP, and my interest in the X5. Most of my music is 160-256K MP3s and I generally listen to rock, pop, blues, jazz, R&B, and folk (pretty typical stuff for a Boomer I guess) - no heavy metal, hip-hop, electronica, or classical.
I've been sort of a closet audiophile for ages but never much of a headphone user. I've got a pair of ancient but well cared for Senn HD-430s that I listen to at home semi-regularly (and like the sound of) but much prefer to crank up the volume on my Vandersteens when time permits. The Vandersteen 2Ce are to my ears very nearly the perfect speakers. Full, rich, and natural mids with plenty of bass (although it could be a little tighter) and just enough sparkle in the highs. Given the right amplification they can be cranked up to insane volume levels without ever getting fatiguing. They have a huge soundstage and excellent imaging. They are simply the smoothest, most musical, most natural, and well balanced speakers I've ever owned. I can't really imagine replacing them with anything other than a newer model from higher up the line to get just a little more detail and a little better bass quality. I know I won't get the soundstage with 'phones, but I'm aiming for a similar signature.
Price is not a huge issue, I can afford most of the phones discussed here, but I am generally a 'most bang for the buck' kind of guy. Aside from my feeling that the prices charged for some of the high end phones is bordering on criminal, I think it would probably be a waste to spend too much on TOTL 'phones given my sources and the music I'm listening to. Plus the fact that they aren't going to see all that much use. So I'd like to keep it down to around $100 - $200 if possible.
I think I can safely rule out all the Ety's for both comfort and sound signature reasons. But I've been considering almost everything else from CX300s to E500s. They all have their good points and bad points and without being able to listen to them myself I just haven't been able to narrow it down. So please put me out of my misery and tell me what to buy if my priorities in order of importance are:
1. Sound quality with a preference for great mids, good bass quality and quantity - a fun, musical, non-fatiguing signature with reasonable balance, rather than absolute precision and ultimate detail.
2. Comfort and convenience.
3. Cost
4. Efficiency / sensitivity.
5. Isolation
