[buffalowings]

Quote:

I thought the HF5s had decent sub-bass...  And you get used to the "ear rape" after a week... 

if by decent, you mean barely audible, then yes, they had decent subbass.
 
i my opinion, they were definitely on the light side of the bass spectrum, with a bit of midbass emphasis but very little subbass
 
the fitment of the triple flanges are really a personal thing, to me, they were tolerable after a week but far from comfortable as i believe many can attest to

 

[tirreg]

In my humble opinion, if accuracy is your goal, in that price range the Ety ER-4S or B with a good amp is by far the highest accuracy available.  I almost gave up on them when I first purchased them, as the triple-flange rubber plugs just didn't seal well apparently, and colored the sound. Before returning them, I found some over-sized foamies that sealed completely and also installed past the first bend in the ear. At that point, I realized the incredible potential of these monitors.  The bass is extremely dependent upon complete isolation and sealing the canal.  Any leak and the bass thins out, likely giving them the reputation of being light on the bass.  
 
Installing them deeply and correctly is a trick, requiring you to reach around your head and pull back your ear to straighten out the curve in the canal while carefully inserting the plug.  There is some discomfort at first, until you get used to having something sealed deep in your ear for any length of time.  Noise isolation is so good with properly installed foam plugs, that you cannot hear someone 8 ft. away talking in a normal tone of voice, even at very low volume.  It is worth noting that this level of isolation makes them a no go for any situation where you need to be reachable, such as monitoring your sleeping kids.  I always warn my wife "I'm going away for a while!" if I'm going to do some listening.  The world literally goes away.  Total silence.  This level of isolation - a super-low noise floor, makes it possible to have very detailed sound at relatively low volume levels, and really shows off how accurate these monitors are.  Near perfect, outside of electrostatics.
 
 

 

[tinyman392]

Quote:

if by decent, you mean barely audible, then yes, they had decent subbass.
 
i my opinion, they were definitely on the light side of the bass spectrum, with a bit of midbass emphasis but very little subbass
 
the fitment of the triple flanges are really a personal thing, to me, they were tolerable after a week but far from comfortable as i believe many can attest to

No, it was definitely audible.  Yes, it's on the lighter side of bass, but your wording sounded like an overstatement to me.  It's definitely audible, and in good quantity (granted it is less than neutral).  My experiences with it (even testing them now) shows that the mid-bass and sub-bass are actually really close to the same level (slight emphasis on mid, but not much). 
 
I'm curious to how long you used the HF/ER series for...

 

[ianmedium]

I have both the triple.fi10's and the ER4S not P. I much prefer the Etymotic over the triple.fi10's. This did not used to be the case though. When I used them both with only a cheap amp connected to my iPod Classic the Ultimate ears were perfect simply because they did not highlight details or subtle nuances and were very accommodating to less than spectacular amplification. If you are simply going to listen from a cheap amp and source or just directly from the source then I recommend the triple.fi's over the Etymotic's, However...!

With a really good amp and with an excellent source and cables (such as my CLAS/iPod combo then the Etymotic's simply trounce in every way the Ultimate ears, In fact they come perilously close to the sound my LCD2's produce, just a little less of everything but not by much!

Now I know you said the 4p which does not require amping ( though I would as long as it is a quality amp) but still, you have to make sure the source is really really good and that you use FLAC or Lossless as the Ety's reveal all!

If matched right the mix is simply intoxicating! I have heard (through adaptors) the likes of JH16 and a couple of other customs and to be frank they to me are simply not worth the money in terms of extra sound quality. The Etymotic's don't get much mention here as they have been around for yonks and only have one driver but they certainly don't seem to need extra drivers to my hearing and have plenty of bass, just not Dr Dre bass, e.g. woolly and undefined but loud and deep!

The Etymotic's deliver all that is recorded, no more, no less!

Hope that helps, as to the others, I have no idea as I have not heard them. Also if you shop around you can frequently get the ETY's much cheaper. I got mine brand new from an Amazon authorized dealer two years ago fro under $200!

 

[tinyman392]

If you are using a cheap source, try using the HF models...  They can help with this a bit...  If you feel you still need bass, use the Ety-Kids (really great things for 50 bucks...).  This is speaking specifically about Etymotic.
 
If you still need more bass (body/presence), then get the Brainwavz B2s.  If you still demand Etymotic mids, get the ACS T15s, but you won't get the entire body the B2s give. 

 

[rroseperry]

Excellent point about the ER-4S, they really do need amplification.

 

[iRoux]

That is very subjective and personal. To me, the westone series (not just 3, but um3x and 4 as well) have amazing fits and ergonomic.
As for the sound signature, there are a lot of people preferring recessed mids to a more forward one (not myself though). To me, the dba02 is painfully sibilant, much more so than the tf10. (I found the w3 to be more sibilant than the tf10  as well, and its treble id anything but lacking).
 
Pricewise, the w3 goes for around 120 more than the dba02 (2nd hand pair). Is it worth it? That will depend on what sort of sound you're after. If you're looking for an exciting pair of iem with monsterous bass, I wouldn't pick the dba02 over the w3 even if it's for free.
 
Quote:

the tf10 had a very noticeable recessed mid and the treble was about the same level, but much more sibilant and "hot" (cymbals sounded painful), the tf10 did have slightly better soundstage (wider left to right, not forward) the fit was craptastic too, the thing stuck out like dumbo ears, never stayed in and the stiff cable did not help the fitment at all.
the westone 3 had poor fit for me as well, whenever i moved my jaw (yawning for example, the earpiece would be pushed out) the soundstage was very good though. you could hear the height of the instruments. best example of the vertical change in sound would be paparazzi by lady gaga (yes, lady gaga, but that song comes to mind whenever i think of the westone 3, you could hear the "beeps" rising up and down. anywho, the westone 3 didn't have enough treble for me (felt constantly muffled) and the sound bores were too short causing fit and seal issues. 
er4p: i have used the er4p as well as it's "lesser" sibiling, the hf5s. soundstage is next to nothing, fit is a pain in the ass, cables are extremely microphonic with no real relief to the problem (forget about over the ear, it doesn't work with the er4p) the sound is clinical, lifeless and there isn't any subbass. one of the least enjoyable phones i have owned. there is a reason why they are called ear rape 4's
 
if price is important: the tf10's can be found for $130 or so if you look hard due to the after effects of the christmas sale
the dba-02s are $160 or $130 for the brainwavz b2 clones 
westone 3's are $270
hf5's are about $110 or $300 for questionably better er4p's.

 

 

[tirreg]

Quote:

The Etymotic's deliver all that is recorded, no more, no less!
 

So true.  It is worth noting that the Etys are so revealing, that recordings I had previously decided were of good quality, I had to re-evaluate.  These guys are so good, they will absolutely make you a better listener.  There are a couple of binaural recodings that are my favorite, and since beginning to listen to them with the Etys, I can discern the tiniest sounds within the sound field.  One notable to me - during a particularly loud passage, a couple of the musicians adjust themselves in their seats - never before was it possible to hear it.  It is astounding how much is revealed by these.  With good binaural material and the right equipment, you are there!  (it is worth noting that some equalization is needed for the S I've had to "best guess" it with my pair, as they are rolled off a bit - the B is the way to go for untouched material of this sort).
 
Using terms that critics typically use to describe speakers such as "warm" or "great mids" etc. are useless with these.  They will let you hear the recording - the wave form - that comes from a given source, reproduced very close to flat and distortion-free.  Then it all comes down to the recording quality!

 

[Uber-Pea8675]

Man, you guys really gave me some great insights! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.
 
I think I'm leaning towards the VSonic GR07, anyone use these? Can you use them for hours on end? Have you tried sleeping in them? o.O

 

[Uber-Pea8675]

Oh also... does anyone know how many drivers the GR07 has per bud?

 

[sulkoudai]

Quote:

Oh also... does anyone know how many drivers the GR07 has per bud?

its got one dynamic driver

 

[Uber-Pea8675]

gahhhh or should i get the Sony MDR-EX600?!
 
Does that one just have one dynamic driver too?

 

[Uber-Pea8675]

I think it just has one dynamic driver also..

I mean the Logitech UE700 has 2 independent drivers per earbud for just about the same price. Anyone have a comparison of those vs the GR07 vs the MDR-EX600s?

 

[Carsonwen]

Quote:

So I've always preferred the accessibility of in-ear buds, I've just never treated myself to a high-end model. Most of you will laugh, but I've carried around the Creative EP-630s for years now. They still work great, but my love for music is begging me to move on.
 
First off, I'll say that my absolute maximum budget is $500. That being said, I am not sure if I am willing to spend the whole amount, unless you guys convince me it's worth it of course.

I've been reading millions of reviews and basically I've narrowed it down to this:

High-end range:
 
Weston 3s - $500

1. 3 individual drivers for low, medium, highs
2. Plenty of ear cushion sizes
3. 20Hz - 18 kHz

 
Logitech TripleFi 10 - $400

1. 3 individual drivers as well
2. 117 dB sensitivity
3. 10Hz - 17 kHz

 
Etymotic ER4P - $300

1. Rated some of the best noise isolation

 
 
 
Lower-end:

Logitech UE700 - $150

1. 2 drivers for highs and lows
2. 5 sizes, plus 2 extra foam
3. 113 dB sensitivity

 
Shure SE315 - $170

1. Single driver with a tuned bassport
2. 64 inch cable
3. 22Hz - 18.5 kHz

 
 
My question to you headfis is: Do you think I'm better off starting with something on the lower-end of the scale? Anything will be an upgrade for me at this point. Is the extra cash worth that extra boost? Of these headphones, what would be your recommended choice?
 
Any personal reviews of these headphones is greatly welcomed.
 
I really appreciate you guys' help and advice with this

Best,
 
Uber-Pea
 

Westone 3 for 270$ at earphonesolutions.com. I think they currently shipping them with a free Fiio E6 amp. Use the code "AMPD" to get it from 350 to 270$.

 

[alv4426]

thats sold out now, only the W2 or UM2RC come with the E6 (i know i just bought one

)
 
Quote:

Westone 3 for 270$ at earphonesolutions.com. I think they currently shipping them with a free Fiio E6 amp. Use the code "AMPD" to get it from 350 to 270$.

to OP there are a bunch of GR07 vs EX600 threads just look for one, but they are supposed to have a similar neutral sound. You can also get the EX600 for about $50 less if that matters to you.