Luca B
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2011
- Posts
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I'm looking to purchase a pair of IEM's to replace my Klipsch S4's which recently broke. I've outlined some of the important information to consider when choosing an IEM.
Budget - Up to $100. I'm willing to spend a little bit more if it's absolutely necessary to find the right headphone for me, but this is what I was hoping to spend
Source - iPod Classic, iPhone 5S, Macbook Pro. My main source will be my iPod and iPhone. I don't own and amp or plan to.
Isolation - No real preference. I'll be using these in my office at work 95% of the time. Ideally, I'd be able to hear if someone came into my office and asked me a question, but generally I'll see them walk in and take off my headphones anyway. However, because I'll be using these in an office, I would like them to have as little sound leakage as possible. This is one of my top priorities. If my headphones leak sound at medium volume to the point where someone near me can hear what I'm listening to they'll be nearly useless to me.
Preferred Type of Headphone - IEM. I'm only interested in IEM type headphones. Since I'll be transporting these from home to work every day this is the style of headphone I like.
Past Headphones - Klispch S4, Shure 440
Preferred Tonal Balance - I wish I had a better answer for this question. I don't really know. I've only really owned the S4's and 440's. I'm happy with the sound of both. I wouldn't consider myself a basshead, but I would be disappointed in an IEM that was lacking bass. When I listen to cheaper headphones I tend to find the high end somewhat harsh and metallic, so I think that's something I'd like to avoid. My 440's are pretty neutral sounding and I like their sound overall. I've heard the S4's are on the bass heavy side and aren't well regarded, but I owned them for 5 years (they broke yesterday) and was happy with their sound. Although, I'd love to improve upon the S4's with my next pair.
Preferred Music - I listen to a wide range of music, but I guess the majority of my collection is classic rock and indie. The only genre I never really listen to is hip hop. If I need to elaborate on this point let me know and I will do so, but I'm attempting to keep this post somewhat brief.
Overall, I'm looking for an IEM I can wear everyday at work. It needs to be comfortable, durable, and have as little sound leakage as possible. These three attributes are what I value most. Of course I would like great sound, but I'd rather not sacrifice any of those three things in order to get it.
Presently I'm favoring the Shure SE215's, but have some reservations due to reports of malfunctioning units. The majority of the reviews I've read are dated, so I'm not sure if Shure has addressed this. If anyone has some information on the durability of recent SE215's I'd love to hear it. Other headphones on my short list are ATH-IM50 and RHA MA750 (above budget). I really like what I've read about the MA750's but can't decide if they're any better for me than the SE215's. If there's a reason I should choose one over the other let me know.
Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.
Budget - Up to $100. I'm willing to spend a little bit more if it's absolutely necessary to find the right headphone for me, but this is what I was hoping to spend
Source - iPod Classic, iPhone 5S, Macbook Pro. My main source will be my iPod and iPhone. I don't own and amp or plan to.
Isolation - No real preference. I'll be using these in my office at work 95% of the time. Ideally, I'd be able to hear if someone came into my office and asked me a question, but generally I'll see them walk in and take off my headphones anyway. However, because I'll be using these in an office, I would like them to have as little sound leakage as possible. This is one of my top priorities. If my headphones leak sound at medium volume to the point where someone near me can hear what I'm listening to they'll be nearly useless to me.
Preferred Type of Headphone - IEM. I'm only interested in IEM type headphones. Since I'll be transporting these from home to work every day this is the style of headphone I like.
Past Headphones - Klispch S4, Shure 440
Preferred Tonal Balance - I wish I had a better answer for this question. I don't really know. I've only really owned the S4's and 440's. I'm happy with the sound of both. I wouldn't consider myself a basshead, but I would be disappointed in an IEM that was lacking bass. When I listen to cheaper headphones I tend to find the high end somewhat harsh and metallic, so I think that's something I'd like to avoid. My 440's are pretty neutral sounding and I like their sound overall. I've heard the S4's are on the bass heavy side and aren't well regarded, but I owned them for 5 years (they broke yesterday) and was happy with their sound. Although, I'd love to improve upon the S4's with my next pair.
Preferred Music - I listen to a wide range of music, but I guess the majority of my collection is classic rock and indie. The only genre I never really listen to is hip hop. If I need to elaborate on this point let me know and I will do so, but I'm attempting to keep this post somewhat brief.
Overall, I'm looking for an IEM I can wear everyday at work. It needs to be comfortable, durable, and have as little sound leakage as possible. These three attributes are what I value most. Of course I would like great sound, but I'd rather not sacrifice any of those three things in order to get it.
Presently I'm favoring the Shure SE215's, but have some reservations due to reports of malfunctioning units. The majority of the reviews I've read are dated, so I'm not sure if Shure has addressed this. If anyone has some information on the durability of recent SE215's I'd love to hear it. Other headphones on my short list are ATH-IM50 and RHA MA750 (above budget). I really like what I've read about the MA750's but can't decide if they're any better for me than the SE215's. If there's a reason I should choose one over the other let me know.
Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.