[JAG87]

Hello everyone,

I am new member but a long time lurker. I love these forums. I have a couple of questions for you guys. Even though I know a lot about audio and hi-fi, nothing beats experience, because things do not always sound how they look on paper. And thats why I want to hear your opinions.


First question

I have a 60gb ipod video. All my MP3s are 256K CBR. I want to upgrade my Shure E3Cs, and I was looking at the SE530s. I know some of you are going to suggest other IEMs like Westone, Etymotic, or UE. Thats fine, but keep in mind I care about aesthetics. So my question is: is it really worth to fork all that cash for the SE530s to use on an ipod? Is the source worthy of these IEMs? Or would I make a wiser choice purchasing some E4Cs? (dont suggest the SE310s or the SE420s I HATE the way they look, my god the designer needs to be shot).

Second question

I am planning to purchase the Auzentech X-Fi Prelude card as soon as it becomes available to improve the quality of the analog output (right now I have an X-Fi XtremeMusic). I am using a good quality 3.5mm to RCA cable to connect the analog audio output from the soundcard to the CD input of my Stereo Technics receiver. Right now I am using a pair of HD280s connected to the headphone jack of the stereo receiver. I was thinking of getting some HD650s to replace my HD280s, and I was wondering if the Technics receiver would be able to properly drive these cans? Do you think that the HD650s are overkill for this type of source? The best signal coming out of my audio card that I can think of, would be a 2CH downmixed DD/DTS signal.


As you can see I am about to do some major upgrading, but I will have to dish out quite a bit. I would like reassurance from you that my money is being well invested.


Thanks for any input way in advance,
Julian

 

[Zarathustra19]

Well, unfortunately, since I've never had some 650's I can't answer the second question. The first, I'll take a stab at. I own the E3C's and have for a while. They have sound superior to any other IEM I've tried, but I haven't gotten up the nerve to exceed the 180 dollar price point. Unless you want to shell out the extra cash for the E4C's, I'd go with the E3C's and see how much you like them. I find them more than adequate for most listening, but if you have the funds, why not take a shot on the more expensive models?

 

[JAG87]

um thanks for your advice Zarathustra19, but perhaps I wasn't clear in my writing. I currently have E3Cs and they sound great, but I would like to upgrade.

My question is, will I get much better sound out of the ipod with the SE530s? Are the E3Cs pretty much reproducing what the ipod can give already? Im questioning whether the quality bottleneck will shift to the ipod. I need advice from people with previous owners before I jump the gun.

 

[SactoMan101]

JAG87,

A question and a comment:

What type of earpads are you using with your E3c's? Try using the foam earpads instead of the rubber earpads and often the sound quality improves quite a bit, thanks to a better seal between the headphone and ear canal. That's what I discovered when I swapped out the original three-flange earpads on my Etymotic ER-6i headphones for the medium-size foam earpads, which dramatically improved bass quality.

Also, don't forget to clean out the E3c's earphone nozzle maybe every 8-14 days to remove earwax, which does a lot to keep the sound quality high.

If you really want to insist on improving sound quality, you will likely need to go to an external headphone amplifier. They're not cheap (anywhere between US$100 to way over US$400), but external amplification could make your E3c's sound quite a bit better.

 

[JAG87]

SactoMan101, I use these:
http://cgi.ebay.ca/The-Best-Foam-Sle...QQcmdZViewItem

They are by far the best tips you can use. They are much softer than the yellow foams, and they are much more comfortable, and they dont wear out nearly as fast as the yellow foams. I would use the same tips on the SE530s.

Thanks for the amp suggestion, but I am not looking into getting one. I want to keep it as lightweight as it can be. Do you have any suggestions for my headphone question? Should I stick with my 280s or are the 650s going to give me a well worth improvement?