[CarlVT]

Hey everyone, I have used this site for awhile researching for headphones.  I originally wanted a set of on ear headphones, and through researching on this site i came up with & bought the Denon AH-D1001.  Now my hobby is expanding and I really want/need a set of IEM's.

I mainly listen to classic rock, and some of everything else, through just my ipod (for now).
 
I mainly want the IEM's to be able to Isolate myself while I study (engineering student) and while i'm at the gym or on the bus, but I do not want to sacrifice the quality of sound.  
 
Through much research on the huge IEM article I have come up with the Meelec M11+.
 
They seem to be everything I want good sound, isolation, well built, and under $100.  
 
I was wondering if anyone has any other recommendations?

I was also looking at a pair of etymotic research's but I just think that replacing filters and all is unnecessary and expensive.
If anyone has a pair of those, is it really that bad of an extra cost to buy all of those filters, and if so is it worth it?
 
So to recap
Isolation
under $ 100
good overall sound ( I don't mind bass)
 
well built
 
Thank you all for your advice

 

[CarlVT]

And if it comes to it, I would get a pair of the etymotics

 

[scrane]

I have a pair of ER-4's and have never swapped the filters and don't know why you would need to any more than other IEMs. I don't remember anyone talking about actually swapping filters on this board either. The ER-4's will give you the highest isolation of any IEM when inserted properly. Some people complain about lack of bass and focus on higher frequencies. Some also have problems with comfort due to the deep insertion. Although I don't often listen to my ER-4's generally, I always bring them along when ambient noise will be a problem. 

 

[xXFallenAngelXx]

The ety shouldn't need to switch filters often..Some say they may be a bit bass light but they are well built and they are known for their isolation

 

[CarlVT]

I read somewhere every time you took off the tips the filters would break. and that the filters can go pretty easily. Clearly that was wrong. 

Are they very comfortable?


 

 

[MaxwellDemon]

The Ety's would at first feel like if it is worming itself into your ears (if you are wearing the triple-flange). But once you get used to it, it is nice, isolated bliss.
 
Or at least that was the case for me.

 

[Golden Monkey]

Ety's...well...ok, let's see...
No, you don't have to change the filters often.  Pretty much only if say a gob of earwax works its way into the tip, but if you keep your ears clean (something you'll end up doing compulsively if you start using IEMs a lot) it's not a problem.  I've had mine five years and changed them once, but only because I felt like I should, lol.  As for expense, it's not an issue if you buy them new as you get like 5 or 6 sets of them.
 
As for isolation, they are the most isolating I have ever seen.  You have to actually look at someone's lips when they talk to you to hear/understand them.  They block out an insane amount of outside noise.  If you're playing music (and even at low volume, which is what they are designed for) you won't hear a thing.
 
As for comfort...well, this is where they fall flat.  With the tri-flange tips, they dig deep into my ear canals, and I can oly wear them for about an hour at a time before I need a break.  The foam tips don't hold as well and don't isolate as much.  There are aftermarket tips like Comply that feel great though.  I also don't like their overall profile when they are in, no matter the tips used...they stick out pretty far, and you can't run the cables over your ears.
 
Another major issue with them is the cable itself...it's insanely microphonic...the slightest movement of the cable and you hear it amplified in your brain.  The clip helps somewhat, but it's a huge annoyance for me.
 
Still, they have great sound if you are looking for flat and neutral, and for critical listening.  They are very accurate and clean sounding...a little analytical, dry, bright, and sterile (they remind me of AKG K701's) and are a little bass-shy, but only in the bass impact...the SOUND of the bass is there, they just don't hit hard.
 
I love them, but all of the reasons I listed are why I ended up getting EarSonics SM3's to replace them...I found myself hardly ever using them, and when I did I could only use them for a short time.

 

[CarlVT]

See Golden Monkey what you said makes me not want to get them, I would be listening for hours at a time.  I don't have that kind of $$ to get the Earsonics.

Could you suggest any other IEM's? 

 

[calipilot227]

I've found the Etymotic tri-flange tips to be very comfortable once I got used to them (though they were painful for the first couple weeks). Moistening the tips makes them slide right in without any discomfort. In terms of isolation, Ety is the way to go 

 I've had my ER6i's for over a year and have yet to break a filter (though I had to buy new tips when the old ones started slipping off the nozzles after about 8 months of heavy use). I've used them on several flights and I do not miss my ANC headphones at all (Audio Technica ATH-ANC7 for the record).

 

[controlmajortom]

Get a pair of MC5s. 

 

[mythe]

In terms of isolation single flange and biflange < foam < triple flanges < custom molds in my personal experience.  You can always buy different eartips if you feel like you don't get enough isolation.
I would also definitely recommend the etymotics, either the hf5's or the mc5's.  The er4's are probably a bit above your budget now since they randomly decided to mark up the price in the past year.  Hf5's are incredible for the price in my opinion.  m11's are also very good, especially since you can probably find them for under $20 now with meelec's daily promotions, but I don't find them to be comparable to the Hf5's.  
I found the triple flanges to be reasonably comfortable after the first month, but they do make your ears a bit sore after 2 hours.  Comply foam tips isolate almost as much though, and it supposedly improves the soundstage too.  If you're concerned about the filters the comply foam tips have a sort of built in filter that will protect your etymotic filters.  Even before I used them I never really had any issues with the filters.  I do clean my ears a lot though.  Can I ask why you need so much isolation?  When I got my first pair of good iem's (the hf5) I was also sort of obsessed with isolation but now I realize that it actually wasn't all that necessary and sometimes is even a bit of a bother when I use my iem's in school and people need to talk to me.

 

[CarlVT]

I'm an engineering student at VT, and I study for literally all day and most of the night. The only way I can really focus is if I can shut out everything else but my music and work and I don't have anywhere that is quiet that I can work.
 
I mean they don't have to shut out trains. I would just like something on the upper end of isolation. I'm probably being way too OCD about it all, but if i'm going to buy something I'd like to get my moneys worth
 
Has anyone used maximo im 590 or kipsch s4?  
 
Thanks all for the input.

 

[Golden Monkey]

I would check Joker's excellent megathread reviewing over a hundred IEM's...he's much more of a source of good info than me, lol.  I'm speaking from experience with the Ety's, and as much as I love the sound, the fit just isn't right for me.  Or, the comfort, I should say.  They sound awesome, but only for short term listening...
 
Here's Joker's thread: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/478568/multi-iem-review-123-iems-compared-sunrise-xcape-brainwavz-m3-added-11-30 
 
This thread has an insane amount of info that you can cross-reference with Joker's reviews:
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/476315/top-tier-universal-iem-comparison-chart-frequency-response-charts-discussion 
 

 

[calipilot227]

Quote:

I'm an engineering student at VT, and I study for literally all day and most of the night. The only way I can really focus is if I can shut out everything else but my music and work and I don't have anywhere that is quiet that I can work.
 
I mean they don't have to shut out trains. I would just like something on the upper end of isolation. I'm probably being way too OCD about it all, but if i'm going to buy something I'd like to get my moneys worth
 
Has anyone used maximo im 590 or kipsch s4?  
 
Thanks all for the input.

While they might not "have" to shut out trains, they probably will. Etymotic claims a maximum isolation of -42 db...and I believe them 

. Klipsch is very comfortable, but the detail isn't quite as good as the Etys (though I've only used the S2). Isolation ranks about second place behind the Etys (which is saying a lot).

 

[Trysaeder]

Custom moulds claim 26 decibels of isolation while ety claims up to 42. With the ear rape tri-flanges, I think that's their 'up to' point.