[AmanGeorge]

Hey guys,

I was wondering if anybody had any experience buying IEMs for a child. My 11-year old cousin has a birthday coming up, and is getting an iPod as a present, I was thinking about the possibility of upgrading him from iBuds.

So I wanted to bounce a few ideas off you guys:

A) Is it possible to get actual in-ears or in-ear tips that will fit a child's small ears? If there was a way of getting him something with isolation, I would love to do that to protect his hearing. Does anybody have experience here?

B) If finding in-ears that will fit him is out of the question, what are the options for higher-quality small earphones that don't sit in the ear? The only ones I know of off the top of my head are the Yuin earbuds, which are an option, but I haven't been following the IEM forum for a while here and might be out of touch...

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[VoLTaG3]

Here and Here.

 

[Nosoupforyou]

I bought my thirteen-year-old brother V-Moda Vibes, and he loves them; plus they fit great. Now, obviously, everyone's ears are different, so I can't pass a judgement, but it's certainly worth a try buying him IEMs. Be sure you buy from a dealer who will accept returns on used IEMS -- Best Buy and B&H (NY) do this.

Yuin's would be a good choice. Try the PK3's, kids love bass and I think he'll love them. Introduce him to great sound, and then when he's older, introduce him to IEMs.

 

[AmanGeorge]

Just found these, they might be the ticket, although I would still love to hear any other thoughts!

 

[hurryup]

Go buy him a Westone 3.

 

[KONAKONA]

lol volume reducer, how mean.

Yuin PK3s, although something along the lines of KSC 75s seems more appropriate.

 

[AmanGeorge]

I like the Westone 3 suggestion. Seems reasonable for an 11 year old who runs a 60% chance of losing them....

So far it seems like between those Ultimate Ears or the UM1 (although the UM1 may be a little out of the price range given that I don't know how long they'll last him due to risk of losing them...)

Thanks guys!

 

[mrarroyo]

Unless this is a very mature and responsible child I would feel unconfortable giving him/her IEM's. Both from the insertion point of view and from hearing damage. There is also the issue of crossing streets and not hearing the cars.

Wouldn't a KSC35 or Yuin G2A fit the bill better? Just some food for thought.

 

[AmanGeorge]

Yeah, I know too-much isolation is potentially problematic as well, but I don't think he's going to be in many situations at this age where he'll be out walking around alone listening to music so I figure it won't be as big a deal, especially if he's given explicit instructions not to do that (he listens pretty well and is easily scared, so the idea of getting by a car should keep him straight).

I'm more worried about him destroying his hearing early in life with the amount that kids listen to music these days on iPods.

 

[deadguy99]

Jays

Q-jays .. smallest foam IEMS out there AND they have Low sensitivity and High Impedance which would naturally reduce the volume of his Ipod so even at max volume he couldnt damage his ears. Defeinetely a bit pricey for a kid tho

we need a company to make a 30-50 dollar IEM thats ultra small and made out of hard plastic with these same specs for kids, i have 3 of my own and i plan on spoiling them when it comes to music listening

 

[clownzee]

Is it safe to assume the child will not blow out his eardrums with the IEMs in the first place? lol..

that being said, why not the Soundmagics? Cheap and VERY worth their price. Easily replaceable anytime.

 

[ignorant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by deadguy99 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Jays Q-jays .. smallest foam IEMS out there AND they have Low sensitivity and High Impedance which would naturally reduce the volume of his Ipod so even at max volume he couldnt damage his ears. Defeinetely a bit pricey for a kid tho we need a company to make a 30-50 dollar IEM thats ultra small and made out of hard plastic with these same specs for kids, i have 3 of my own and i plan on spoiling them when it comes to music listening

I know if my dad was like you right now I would REALLY appreciate it. But yeah lucky kids... They would be even more grateful if they were posting on head-fi, on account of this site's tempting options of getting better headphones, making you climb the ladder to achieve ultimate SQ. Your wallet may not be able to afford that at this moment so maybe it's a good thing they haven't joined the community yet.

 

[dweaver]

I think VoLTaG3's suggestion of the Ultimate Ears Loud Enough Earphones for Kids (Blue) is a good idea

 

[nickdawg]

I'd say KSC 75 or Yuin buds would be the best in this case. Not sure how in ears would work for someone that young...

 

[average_joe]

A) True, if you have isolation you can listen at a lower volume, but you can also still crank the volume up. Do your Ety's fit with small tips, or would asking him to try be a dead giveaway for your son? If you knew that you would be able to really get it right the first time! The best IEM deal IMO is the used ADDIEM for $35 and IMO is well worth the $80 retail price. Also at a higher price point the Image X10s are very small and might be good. The NuForce NE-7 is good for the price and offers excellent customer service if needed.

B) x2 on PK3s. I don't think the KSC75 would be the fashion statement an 11 year old wants to make at school, even though I think they would be great for other reasons if Kramer modded.

Quote:

Originally Posted by VoLTaG3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here and Here.

I thought you were going to post a link to a se530 and your tip mod and then say something like get em started with the best IEMs ever