[JonnyBoy]

Hey guys.

I'm an impoverished college student looking for some suggestions.

I have a set of Grados for home enjoyment, but I want some isolating IEMs for my everyday listening pleasure.

I have a set of JVC Marshmallows and they don't sound bad at all. A little bit bass bloated and the clarity isn't fantastic, but I do enjoy them. The real problem I'm running into is that I'm wearing out the foam tips too fast. Are there any replacement foams worth investing in?

I may consider getting a higher end set of in-ears (I got the JVCs because I was unsure if I would like IEMs at all). Now that I realize I do like them, I may try and see what I can get in the 100 dollar range.

Being in college the following things are important.

1. Isolation - It's hard to get any time alone being in art school. There's always people being loud or listening to music on their laptop when I'm trying to draw or something. The JVCs isolate pretty damn well, but I wonder how much better isolation actually does get.

2. Construction. They're going to get wrapped around my player and thrown in my bag. Replaceable wires a possibility?

3. COMFORT - The JVCs are comfy enough, but again, how much better does it get. This one is incredibly important to me.

I'm not a basshead (hell, I have grados). I listen to a lot of Rock, Shoegaze, Acoustic Folk, Electronic, and indie music through my iPod classic WITHOUT AN AMP. I need the phones to be efficient enough to sound good without any alteration of my iPod's signal. I don't need my phones to be particularly analytical or anything like that. Most of my rips are VBR MP3 and decent in quality.

Budget around 100.

I love you guys, and appreciate the help.

 

[JonnyBoy]

bump

 

[mwallace573]

All those demands with the exception of isolation can be easily accomplished within that budget. Nothing isolates quite like the Marshmallow for under $100. For pure SQ in that budget, I can recommend the MylarOne x3i and Audio Technica ATH-CK7. The former has slightly superior isolation while the latter just plain sounds better IME. Both of them don't isolate at the level of the Marshmallow. The CK7 is also a pretty rugged earphone. The isolation king at that price range is supposed to be the Etymotic ER-6i, but I haven't heard one myself so I couldn't recommend them honestly. They might be worth looking in to though.

If you want your Marshmallows to last you a bit longer, there's a mod that enables you to put some Shure tips on them, though I haven't tried it myself.

 

[JonnyBoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwallace573 /img/forum/go_quote.gif All those demands with the exception of isolation can be easily accomplished within that budget. Nothing isolates quite like the Marshmallow for under $100. For pure SQ in that budget, I can recommend the MylarOne x3i and Audio Technica ATH-CK7. The former has slightly superior isolation while the latter just plain sounds better IME. Both of them don't isolate at the level of the Marshmallow. The CK7 is also a pretty rugged earphone. The isolation king at that price range is supposed to be the Etymotic ER-6i, but I haven't heard one myself so I couldn't recommend them honestly. They might be worth looking in to though. If you want your Marshmallows to last you a bit longer, there's a mod that enables you to put some Shure tips on them, though I haven't tried it myself.

Really? They're that good at isolating? I assumed because they don't go that deep in your ear canal that they didn't isolate as well as they do. But like I said, these are the first IEMs I've ever tried.

 

[mwallace573]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonnyBoy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Really? They're that good at isolating? I assumed because they don't go that deep in your ear canal that they didn't isolate as well as they do. But like I said, these are the first IEMs I've ever tried.

It has more to do with the foam tips than the earphone itself. Foam is just really good at blocking out sound. I'd imagine the same earphones with Shure tips wouldn't isolate quite as well.

 

[JonnyBoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwallace573 /img/forum/go_quote.gif It has more to do with the foam tips than the earphone itself. Foam is just really good at blocking out sound. I'd imagine the same earphones with Shure tips wouldn't isolate quite as well.

I hear good things about er6i's in regards to isolation with the comply-style foam tips?

 

[Fungi]

If you want to stick with the Marshmallows, cut off the rubber grey tubing and get some Shure olive/black foam eartips and they will go on, with the help of an awl. I've yet to wear out these things and they isolate well.

 

[JonnyBoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fungi /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you want to stick with the Marshmallows, cut off the rubber grey tubing and get some Shure olive/black foam eartips and they will go on, with the help of an awl. I've yet to wear out these things and they isolate well.

I think the rubber tubing just pulls off with the assistance of a needlenose plier.

 

[JonnyBoy]

So, my main thing right now is...

I am going to drop my budget, mostly because there simply doesn't seem to be a performance increase worth worrying about in the upper range.

Right now what I'm considering is kramer modding my JVC FX-33s and then getting shure olive tips or comply tips. But is this getting into "polishing a turd" territory? Should I just invest in the Super.Fi 3's on sale at my local radio shack?

I'm befuddled.

 

[glac1er]

I don't know whether Shure olives fit the Marshmallows or not. But, if you need durability from your foamies, they are fantastic, certainly more durable than the Marshmallows'. Comply tips don't last long but are more comfortable.

Since, you are happy with your Marshmallows, keep them and mod them. You can always use those foamies for many IEMs when you upgrade. I would say hold off your upgrade for something $100 and above.

 

[JonnyBoy]

Yeah. Being an mp3 listener I'm trying to determine the point where spending that much on headphones is just silly, considering I'm not using an amp or anything like that.

 

[DKaz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonnyBoy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah. Being an mp3 listener I'm trying to determine the point where spending that much on headphones is just silly, considering I'm not using an amp or anything like that.

OH IT'S WORTH IT!!

The JVC's do isolate astonishingly, and they don''t sound horrible. The Etymotic ER6i also isolate well, but lack bass. It would be a world of change form the marshmallows. My suggestion would be to buy the Audio Technica ATH-CK7 and find foam tips that fit http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/ck7...m-tips-285599/. They are hugely discounted $68.09 shipped?:

ATH-CK7

Or keep a little more of your hard earned cash and buy the Ultimate Ears Metro.fi 2. They isolate decent enough. $54.99 shipped:

UE Metro.fi 2

 

[JonnyBoy]

Those look like a good alternative. They also look real durable. Any comment on the isolation with the foam tips?

 

[JonnyBoy]

Considering looking into the ER6i's too.