[mhtrv]

Hi,
 
Looking for some in-ear headphones with remote and mic to use with my Samsung Galaxy S2. Would appreciate any recommendations. The functionality I'm looking from the remote is at the very minimum, call answer and end facility. In addition, next track and volume controls would be appreciated although a lack of these would not be deal breakers.
 
My choice of music is quite eclectic, and of the sort one is likely to see on the charts, with a lean towards the softer/slower kind. Some of my preferred artists are Train, Cristophe Mae and A.R. Rahman. They are meant to be used on public transport on my way to work and back, and so good noise-isolation would be appreciated as would low noise leakage as I don't want my "crap" choice is music to be known to all my fellow journeyers .
 
I have done a bit of "research" and these are the names I have come up with:
1) Sony MH1C (£39.99)
2) Nocs NS200A
3) Nocs NS400A (£42)
4) Etymotic Research MC2 (74.99)
5) Meelectronics A161P (64.99)
6) Klipsch S4A (£67.43) / S4(2)A
 
Please do feel free to suggest others that are known to be compatible with Android and the SGS2 in particular. Also, based on those prices, my preference is for the NOCS NS400A, which is closest to the target price-point of £50. Please do advise if it is worth paying a premium on the others i.e. if what one gets is worth more than the price difference. Or if it is possible to purchase any of the above cheaper from reliable online or brick-and-mortar retailers. I am however a bit wary of purchasing from market-place traders on ebay, amazon etc, due to the possibility of fakes. This would also explain the high price quoted above for the Sony MH1C. If I can get it at an approx. £20-25 price-point from a reliable seller, it would be my preference based on what I've read on the other thread.
 
Thanks in advance for any suggestions/advice.

 

[Ezio]

Quote:

Hi,
 
Looking for some in-ear headphones with remote and mic to use with my Samsung Galaxy S2. Would appreciate any recommendations. The functionality I'm looking from the remote is at the very minimum, call answer and end facility. In addition, next track and volume controls would be appreciated although a lack of these would not be deal breakers.
 
My choice of music is quite eclectic, and of the sort one is likely to see on the charts, with a lean towards the softer/slower kind. Some of my preferred artists are Train, Cristophe Mae and A.R. Rahman. They are meant to be used on public transport on my way to work and back, and so good noise-isolation would be appreciated as would low noise leakage as I don't want my "crap" choice is music to be known to all my fellow journeyers .
 
I have done a bit of "research" and these are the names I have come up with:
1) Sony MH1C (£39.99)
2) Nocs NS200A
3) Nocs NS400A (£42)
4) Etymotic Research MC2 (74.99)
5) Meelectronics A161P (64.99)
6) Klipsch S4A (£67.43) / S4(2)A
 
Please do feel free to suggest others that are known to be compatible with Android and the SGS2 in particular. Also, based on those prices, my preference is for the NOCS NS400A, which is closest to the target price-point of £50. Please do advise if it is worth paying a premium on the others i.e. if what one gets is worth more than the price difference. Or if it is possible to purchase any of the above cheaper from reliable online or brick-and-mortar retailers. I am however a bit wary of purchasing from market-place traders on ebay, amazon etc, due to the possibility of fakes. This would also explain the high price quoted above for the Sony MH1C. If I can get it at an approx. £20-25 price-point from a reliable seller, it would be my preference based on what I've read on the other thread.
 
Thanks in advance for any suggestions/advice.

 
 
The Klipsch s4 is one of the best IEM's ive owned, but im not real skilled in IEM's.

 

[mhtrv]

Quote:

 
 
The Klipsch s4 is one of the best IEM's ive owned, but im not real skilled in IEM's.

Any possibility of a little more info about what it is that you like about them?

 

[Ezio]

Quote:

Any possibility of a little more info about what it is that you like about them?

 
Great bass, goes down real deep. Doesnt muddle up the Highs and the Mids. Not a U shape signature. But somtimes the mid frequencies are a little reccesed.

 

[mhtrv]

Thanks buddy, one final question, how is the noise leakage (as opposed to noise isolation?).
 
Anyone else got any other suggestion or opinions on the other headsets?

 

[kova4a]

Nah, I wouldn't go for the Klipsch S4. For me it's one of the most overrated iems. And that was few years ago when there wasn't really that much choice in the sub-$100 range. Recommending it today with all the new iems that wipe the floor with it is quite incomprehensible to me.
The MH1C can have issues with moisture, driver flex and has an awful cable and I would still recommend it more than the s4. But that price for the mh1c seems a bit steep coz it's main advantage to negate all its problems is the lowe price. I remember I got mine for like 12 pounds on amazon but I see that it's 20 now - still better than 40.
I personally prefer the meelec a 161p - it's easy to drive without hissing like the klipsch, it's got a bit forward mids, which is nice for calls and is got relatively smooth highs unlike the mess of a treble the S4 has and I won't even comment the superior detail and separation that a161p has.

 

[Ezio]

Quote:

Thanks buddy, one final question, how is the noise leakage (as opposed to noise isolation?).
 
Anyone else got any other suggestion or opinions on the other headsets?

 
Leakage is not a problem. Noise isolation is great.

 

[mhtrv]

Thanks guys, appreciate the information. By the way, any idea how the headphones would sound with the Samsung Galaxy S2 (SGS2)?
 
I've read some criticism of its sound quality and that some quality headphones can sound absolutely rubbish on it. For anyone familiar with the SGS2 issues, were they ever fixed, or can they be managed somehow, or is it something that is unfixable?
 
@ kova4a: Do you remember what seller you got the MH1C from? It would definitely be the one to buy for me if I can find a reliable seller for a decent price. I might even buy it as well as one of the others. I can find the MH1C on ebay for £17 and obviously on Amazon for £20, but am a bit cautious about buying from market-place sellers due to the risk of fakes. How long did it last you by the way?

 

[kova4a]

Well, I got mine from TheTechTree-UK but it seems that they don't have it anymore an they only have mh1 and at over 20 pounds. The issues with SGS2 aren't fixable with software - it has a very very high ~50 ohm output impedance, which makes it a bad match for iems and has bad EMI shielding. I have doubts that SGS2 will have enough power for it though as it's a but hard to drive. 

 

[mhtrv]

Quote:

Well, I got mine from TheTechTree-UK but it seems that they don't have it anymore an they only have mh1 and at over 20 pounds. The issues with SGS2 aren't fixable with software - it has a very very high ~50 ohm output impedance, which makes it a bad match for iems and has bad EMI shielding. I have doubts that SGS2 will have enough power for it though as it's a but hard to drive. 

I assume you mean the A161P would be hard to drive with the SGS2. That's a bit of a shame as I was leaning towards it. The MH1C should be OK? I was thinking of perhaps getting the MH1 with TRRS adapter if that works out cheaper than the MH1C.
 
So, when looking for an IEM to use with the SGS2, should I be looking for one with high impedance or low impedance (I really should know this!)? Also should I be looking for one with certain qualities, so that the lack of EMI shielding is less of an issue? Say bass heavy etc?

 

[kova4a]

Quote:

I assume you mean the A161P would be hard to drive with the SGS2. That's a bit of a shame as I was leaning towards it. The MH1C should be OK? I was thinking of perhaps getting the MH1 with TRRS adapter if that works out cheaper than the MH1C.
 
So, when looking for an IEM to use with the SGS2, should I be looking for one with high impedance or low impedance (I really should know this!)? Also should I be looking for one with certain qualities, so that the lack of EMI shielding is less of an issue? Say bass heavy etc?

Nah, I meant that the mh1c is hard to drive. The a161p is very easy to drive. AS far as the impedance - it should be higher but in the s2 it won't make much of a difference coz there aren't any iems with 400 ohm impedance and if there were the S2 wouldn't be able to drive them.

 

[mhtrv]

Ok great.. so basically the A161P should work fine. That's good to hear, as it seems to have some great reviews. Any thoughts on how it would sound. Is the fact that it is very detailed (right terminology?) going to be an issue (and if yes a significant one?) considering the lacking EMI shielding in the SGS2?

 

[kova4a]

Well, I don't know. I've never paired the two together. I can probably try it out next time I visit my brother as his roommate has an S2 but I don't know when this will be.

 

[mhtrv]

Quote:

Well, I don't know. I've never paired the two together. I can probably try it out next time I visit my brother as his roommate has an S2 but I don't know when this will be.

Yeh, would really appreciate if you could do that when you get the chance.

 

[mhtrv]

Quote:

Well, I don't know. I've never paired the two together. I can probably try it out next time I visit my brother as his roommate has an S2 but I don't know when this will be.

Hi buddy, thanks for your clarification regarding the MH1c in the other thread. So is the A161P significantly better than the MH1c in terms of sound? Also, still hoping you can give me some feedback on the SGS2 and A161P combo, whenever you are able to?