IEM vs On/Over Ears

[sharger1970]

Hi all

I currently have Phonak Audeo PFE 232 that I use with h iPhone 6s+. I'm thinking about having a change and am considering the Oppo PM3s.

Has anyone had both? How do they compare or opinions on how IEM vs over/on ear compare generally (only ever had IEMs).

I used to have the Oppo HA2 but sold for another project. Would probably buy another to pair with the PM3s and am guessing would make a good combo?

Lastly does anyone know what sort of price I could get for the 232s?

Manny thanks...

 

[sharger1970]

:happy_face1:

 

[buke9]

I have heard the Oppo's but not your earphones. I like the Pm-3's they are very good. I myself like headphones over earphones. I just find them more comfortable but again that it is me. As far as sound quality goes there are some great earphones out there that rival headphones but that is very subjective as with all things audio. I will go with headphones . As for earphones if I had the money I would have a pair of Empire Ears Zues's they were just awesome. I know that might not help much but I just like headphones more to just listen to music and find IEM's more of a convenient option.

 

[thatonenoob]

For me IEMs and headphones sound quite different.  IEMs have an immediacy and detail retrieval level that is harder to achieve with headphones, where as headphones have a visceral impact that many IEMs lack.  I've never heard the Phonaks, but for the me the PM3 sounded a little too congested for my liking.  It's definitely weighty, but lacks an airiness that would've otherwise made it quite good.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

I currently have Phonak Audeo PFE 232 that I use with h iPhone 6s+. I'm thinking about having a change and am considering the Oppo PM3s.

Has anyone had both? How do they compare or opinions on how IEM vs over/on ear compare generally (only ever had IEMs).

I used to have the Oppo HA2 but sold for another project. Would probably buy another to pair with the PM3s and am guessing would make a good combo?

Lastly does anyone know what sort of price I could get for the 232s?

 

In terms of sound it will come down to what each specific IEM or headphone sounds like. What you have to factor in besides that is the inherent difference - an IEM blocks out more noise, so you're dealing with a lower noise floor. With a headphone, even if it has a high sensitivity, the higher noise floor will mean you'll have to crank up the volume more, which means higher risk of getting distortion as well as hearing damage. At the same time playing louder to overcome the noise floor isn't always a guaranteed way of getting to hear the same sound - apart from the possibility of the phone producing distortion there's the problem of how as far as ears are concerned that noise isn't gone, and even if you cannot consciously hear it, it's still interfering with what you hear. First casualty thanks to both distortion and noise floor is the bass - bass headphones typically have thicker earpads and a lot of bass boost to compensate.