[Alez]

Hello all! I've been an avid reader of this amazing forums for quite some time now, but wanted to ask some question myself. First off, let me introduce myself. I am a 16 year old high-school student. I live in the Dominican Republic, the giant piece of land next to Haiti most of you probably didn't even know existed 

. I love different music genres, including hard rock (Led Zeppelin), jazz (Miles Davis), classical music (Vivaldi), death metal (Cannibal Corpse

), progressive rock (The Mars Volta), and progressive metal (Dream Theater).

 

Basically, I'm a weird type of metal head. And I want IEMs. Boy, do I want them. I've been reading for several months but can't seem to find ones that will satisfy all my needs. I want them to have good soundstage (not necessarily outstanding), clear and detailed highs and mids for the guitars, and fast, detailed bass for my down-tuned death metal albums. Comfort, as is obvious, is crucial to me. I am considering the Fischer Audio Eterna rev. 2 and the SBA-01, the Etymotic ER6i and MC5, the Klipsch S4, and the RE-0.

 

Also, have in mind that I don't make money by myself, so please keep suggestions under $100 so my parents won't kill me. I COULD consider extending my budget to up to $150, but that would only be for excellent IEMs in that price range. 

 

Thanks for any suggestions, and excuse me if I make any mistakes while writing... English is not my first language, so be patient

 

[a_recording]

Hi Alex

Welcome to the forum!
 
You might want to tell us if you are planning to use these IEM's mainly for portable use, inside the house, etc. If you are going to use them inside and maybe one day will consider getting an amp, the RE0's are amazing.
 
Otherwise, the MC5s I think are a good pic for outside use, as they do nice crunchy guitars and decent imaging. They can be a little 'hot' though. The ER6i I have heard is a bit warmer than the MC5 so that may be a great option too.
 
If you can stretch, I'd really consider the DBA-02's. 

 

[Alez]

WOW! That was incredibly fast!

 

Thanks for the response. I am going to use the IEMs mainly at my house, but isolation is also a factor because I am a swimmer and want to listen to music at my swim meets. They get really loud here, so they should be good at isolating. Oh, and don't worry, they won't go near the water

 

I've read that both the MC5 and the ER6i have rather weak bass... maybe it's just comments from bassheads? Anyways, I have looked at the DBA-02, but thought they were kind of expensive. Are they really as super-awesome as people say they are? If they're worth saving up for, I'll do it. I just don't want to waste my money on something I might regret... 

 

Thanks again for the amazingly fast response!

 

[darknessproz]

IMO, pick up a good IEM, and you would not feel the urge to upgrade for a LONG time. 

 

[Alez]

Yeah, but which? I don't have access to many IEMs in this country, so I have to base my purchase on what you guys have to say... So many options and opinions, just help me here!

 

[darknessproz]

IMO, from what you describe, i'd say pick up pair of DBA's. I haven't heard it personally, but going by the reviews from LFF, they should fit what you want.

 

[Alez]

Hmm... I'll wait and see, but yeah... I started searching and have been seeing great reviews. Maybe I could stretch my budget if I get some money for Christmas or something... I will have around $95 saved up by next month...

 

[Alez]

So, any other suggestions? Or should I get the DBA-02's? 

 

[DJGeorgeT]

Hi Alex, can you tells how what you prefer in terms of sound signature. Do you like treble, bass, mid, or neutral?

 
Quote:

So, any other suggestions? Or should I get the DBA-02's? 

 

[Alez]

I want them to be neutral. I need them to have good bass, mid, and treble, but don't want any of the frequencies to overpower the others. I'd like a decent amount of bass, but the quality is more important. Trebles and mids should also have good quality so I can appreciate the stringed instruments. Hope this helps, if any of this makes no sense let me know and I'll try to phrase it better.

 

I guess I should also include that I want the instruments to be well distinguished.

 

[DJGeorgeT]

Looks like the DBA-02 fits your requirements, I am waiting for my pair to arrive in the mail, so I have not heard them b4.

 

[Alez]

Yeah, it seems to be the best option... I just wanted to know if there were any other cheaper options I should consider. 

 

[proedros]

How about RE-ZERO ?
 
Got myself a pair couple of months ago and i am very happy.In fact i have no complaints whatsoever.
 
The price is OK (100 dollars) and really it's more than a good iem to start your journey
 
Neutral , analytical and i feel like they are improving sound-wise even now , almost 2 months after i bought them
 
Also kudos for being into miles and mars volta , 2 of my most favourite artists out there
 
DBA-02 is quite praised here , but with the same money i bought a pair of new RE-252 as a 2nd pair and they seem like  a better IEM for that kind of money
 
whatever it is you pick , have fun these things are really addictive.
 
 
Oh and check out this amazing album by Santana
 
Lotus.
 
Best thing he ever did , and even though it's a live 1973 album from japan , it really blows everything else he did out of the water
 
If you like Miles/MV , i would bet my right arm that this album will blow your mind

 

[Alez]

From what I have read, the RE-ZERO's are not as good as the RE-0... Maybe the RE-0 would be a safer bet? Anyways, I am now almost sure that the IEMs will have to be under $100... don't think my parents will consider letting me buy $150 earphones right now, they'll just consider it a waste... if only they knew the joy of listening to music through good earphones! Maybe as a second pair I could consider more expensive ones, but for the next year and a half (until I move out and make my own money), I'll just have to live with sub-$100 IEMs. I know there are many good ones out there, but I need help to find ones that adjust to my needs.

 

Thanks for the album suggestion, though! I will definitely listen to it, Santana is an awesome guitar player. If you don't mind, you could PM me some more albums you think I should check out. Thanks again!

 

[proedros]

1st bold : they are as good and maybe even better, and from what i have read  the re0 need an amp to fully shine...check out some threads here and see for yourself , but i think you will dig the zero sound more.
 
2nd bold : sure no problem , in fact i have a great vinyl rip for lotus that will blow your mind..i will pm you with this and some more goodies

 
Cheers
 
Quote:

From what I have read, the RE-ZERO's are not as good as the RE-0... Maybe the RE-0 would be a safer bet? Anyways, I am now almost sure that the IEMs will have to be under $100... don't think my parents will consider letting me buy $150 earphones right now, they'll just consider it a waste... if only they knew the joy of listening to music through good earphones! Maybe as a second pair I could consider more expensive ones, but for the next year and a half (until I move out and make my own money), I'll just have to live with sub-$100 IEMs. I know there are many good ones out there, but I need help to find ones that adjust to my needs.

 

Thanks for the album suggestion, though! I will definitely listen to it, Santana is an awesome guitar player. If you don't mind, you could PM me some more albums you think I should check out. Thanks again!