[canikickit1]

Hey guys, new to Head-Fi...
 
After reading all the reviews and hype, I decided to buy a pair of Image S4s as my first $20 < purchase of headphones. 
 
Being no audiophile, I was impressed with the SQ, but feel a bit underwhelmed, considering the amount of rave reviews on it, I was expecting mind-blowing quality, but thought 'these are nice, but seem a bit overrated'. I have about 20 hours of burn in time.. and read that you need at least 40 - 100 to see it's true potential.
 
I mainly listen to hip-hop, r & b, jazz, acoustic, alternative, progressive
 
If I decide to spend a bit more, around the (~$120-$150 range) what would be some better upgrades and how much of an upgrade would it be?
 
 

 

[illquid]

Depends on your preconceptions going into it. The biggest increments in quality is  down the cheaper spectrum of the scale, and therefore going to $150 will likely get you decent incremental improvements over the S4. I think it would be hard to say whether a pair of headphones in that price range will be mindblowing for you as expect. Certainly a $150 will not be 5x as good, its not a linear scale for SQ and Price.
 
Primarily, you need to make sure the quality of your music is good, and the eartips that you've used are the ones that offer the best seal. Also, listening somewhere quiet will give you a much better appraisal of your headphones. The S4's strengths are in their low end and fairly decent mid as well, if that isn't what you consider to be your  preferences, then another headphone might be better suited. But throwing more money down isn't guaranteed to give you whatever you're expecting from headphones.

 

[Gothamm]

Where did you get the S4's for under $20?
 
Or did you mean to say the S2s?

 

[LouisLoh]

Where did you get the S4's for under $20? Or did you mean to say the S2s?

Mathematically, $20< means more than twenty dollars.

 

[canikickit1]

lol i meant GREATER than $20.
 
I ended up buying a pair of HEADDIRECT RE0's to see the difference. Whichever wins, stays, and whichever loses, goes back to the store. Should i burn the RE0s in first then compare?
 
 
On a side note.. i've been burning in my s4s for ~25 hours.. and it seems like the quality has reduced?? Could be me I hope..
 

 

[soundhunter]

RE0 does benefit a lot from burn-in, i like the way bi-flange tips sound the best.