[Steve The Egg]

I need a pair of decent sounding IEM's to take with me on trips, walking to class, and taking to the library. I need good isolation, and I hate overwhelming bass in an IEM- mids and treble need to be the strong point. I just can't stand listening to $20 junk IEMs.

Thanks in advance

 

[3X0]

Etymotic ER-4P/ER-4S

 

[koven]

x2

or the RE0, which is only $99

 

[Steve The Egg]

Thanks guys!!!

 

[Steve The Egg]

Oh these are low impedance right? like being able to be driven by an iPod

 

[ajmiarka]

You can always try the new Westone 1 ...$139

Westone 1 True-Fit Earphones :: Westone

Will be released on September 4th. Looking to get some reviews here at head-fi.

 

[3X0]

P is easier to drive from the iPod but the S will have more sub-bass (the DC capacitors on iPods are generally undersized, and low-impedance headphones suffer from a low-bass roll-off; the P is low-impedance). Not sure how the RE0 will do as I do not own it, but from the looks of things you might want to use the price difference from the ER-4 towards some eartips that might offer superior noise isolation if you decide to go that route.

 

[ZARIM]

Klipsch image X5, Shure E4c, ETY HF5...........

 

[dnullify]

super.fi 5 pro.

I have them, and after about 150 hours or so, they become so much more then many out there. As far as IEM's go, i own Ety 6I's, above mentioned UE super.fi pro's, Shure e5c's, and the new apple buds.

As far as sound quality, i would suggest the super.fi. just because they've got a full and detailed sound which i find hard to describe more thoroughly.
the only issue i have with these, is fit. they're large and therefore make maintaining a seal an issue. my solution was to swap monitors- where i wear the left monitor in my right ear and vice versa. Only now, a year and a half later, have i gotten fed up enough to order some foam tips designed for it from complyfoam.com. That should solve the problem, as my equally bulky shures are super-compfy just because of the olive foamies.

The ety's are close contenders as far as SQ, but in general, are a real pain to use.

The Shures are more detailed, and i believed aimed for studio use. Naturally, they play music as accurately as i've ever heard, representing the highs, mids, and lows, in my mind, as they should be. however, i'm a teenager, and therefore a bass head (I apologize to those non bass-head teenagers out there. i have yet to meet one of you) find them particularly bright.

Also worth considering (don't jump at me!) the new apple in-ears. They are surprisingly cheap and good duel-armature headphones. at $80, the value is outstanding! after several hours burn-in, they are staggeringly good for the price range. one of the most underrated headphones i've tried.

so to sum it up, i suggest in this order:
UE Super.fi 5 pro (pro because of the replaceable cables, which are useful)
apple buds
etys 6i

EDIT: i just succeeded in putting a pair of shure olive foamies on my etys. whoa. improvement (also, it's amped, but improvement unamped too!)

 

[ljokerl]

It's gotta be between the RE0s and Er-4P. Both offer untouchable detail and clarity in the midrange and high end. The Etys isolate (significantly) more but the RE0s are more pleasant to use and by no means slouches in any area.

 

[firefly767]

phonak audeo pfe?

 

[3X0]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dnullify /img/forum/go_quote.gif The ety's are close contenders as far as SQ, but in general, are a real pain to use.

That may be true about the ER6i, but I'm confident the ER-4 plays in a different field. The ER-4P competes with the likes of the TF10pro, SE530, and IE 8 (and W3 and UM3X, but I still haven't heard these two Westones).

The choice between the RE0 and ER-4P might also depend on how distracted you want or don't want to be. You mentioned taking these to the library -- I find the ER-4P to be only bearable for studying and reading if I'm playing largely instrumental or classical music. With most tracks it's engrossing and forward to a fault, making it almost impossible to focus properly on anything other than the music. I'd wager the RE0 is not as forward.