I have never used a full size headphone, what is the difference between an IEM?

[kevms89]

Ok so I imagine they have a bigger soundstage and probably more bass?
 
I am looking into these:
 
http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666597734#specifications
 
I will also be getting the HiFiman RE400 IEM, will the full size headphones be very different sound signature aside? If not then I might as well buy these for convenience purposes:
 
http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666594697#specifications
 
I guess in short what is the major difference between full size and iem?

 

[Sefelt103]

The main difference is the bass. IEMs can give comparable mid range and treble to full size headphones but bass tends to be inferior. No necessarily the amount of bass but its quality, texture and frequency extension are often not as good. Soundstage and detail can be as good as full size headphones. Headfier DavidMahler considers IEMs to sound less natural than normal headphones as the sound does not travel through the outer part of the ear. Unless you are talking about stereo L/R effects and micro details speakers>headpones and unless you are talking about portability and sound isolation headphones>IEMs.

 

[kevms89]

Cool thanks, I think I will get me those sonys, I want the bluetooth ones but would the quality not be as good because of them being wireless considering the other ones are wired?

 

[Sefelt103]

Sony describes those headphones as powerful bass headphones. So these will probably be less balanced and lower quality than the Hifiman RE400 IEMs. I was comparing IEMs with non portable hi-fi headphones that are usually over the ear rather than on-ear type portable headphones. Whether anyone makes hi-fi orientated on-ear portable headphones I don't know they mainly seem to be fashion orientated, bass orientated, closed headphones that are inherently lower quality.

 

[kevms89]

Sony describes those headphones as powerful bass headphones. So these will probably be less balanced and lower quality than the Hifiman RE400 IEMs. I was comparing IEMs with non portable hi-fi headphones that are usually over the ear rather than on-ear type portable headphones. Whether anyone makes hi-fi orientated on-ear portable headphones I don't know they mainly seem to be fashion orientated, bass orientated, closed headphones that are inherently lower quality.

 
You know what that might be a good thing (for me) I'm no basshead but once in a while with certain songs and genres a bit more boom than usual can feel great, perhaps the 400 and those Sonys maybe a great combination for me.
 
now I just dont know if I should go with the Bluetooth or wired, like I said the bluetooth would be great convenience wise but I dont want them to sound like crap either. 

 

[inthearmsofrain]

the fit of IEM bother some people, and with full cans you typically get a better soundstage and all around presentation. Personally, I prefer IEM for the mobility factor, but my best sounding headphones are full cans