[JessJackson]

My first post... I've been reading these forums for a while and appreciate reading the wealth of knowledge you all have.
 
Basically I am looking for a new in ear.... I work as a producer for a living and spend most my time in loud studio enviroments. I usually have my engineer at the front of the studio tracking artists and writers and I'll have a seperate setup at the back of the studio and be producing the track up further or working on the next song in headphones.
 
I work in 80ohm DT770's driven off a Presonus Central Station or straight out of the Apogee Duet. I like my 770's cos they sound flat and my mixes translate well onto other systems, Love em for tracking vocals coz the mids are so clear... If I want that hyped sound and really blast my ears off i've got a pair of Audio Technica ATH-M50s that still translate fairly well. only thing is when artists are listening on the augspurger's, I have to turn my headphones up to drown it out.
 
so... I need a new pair of in ears, I used to have the Shure Ec2's with foam tips when they first came out. I understand that single driver is crap compared to everything out there now, but I loved them for working on the plane and listening to music in the gym. They sounded flat and translated well with good midrange and nice bottom end, the tops werent sharp. Just seperation werent that great.
 
I havnt owned a pair of in ears since the Ec2's. I'm basically looking for an in ear that i can use in the studio to work on while other music is being blasted out of the mains in the same room. I also spend a lot of time on tours with my artists and a good pair of in ears would be useful for listening to the stage mix also the gym etc...
 
couple of things though, I HATE sharp top end or the overly hyped sound... I brought a pair of UE 220's at the airport for my girl, I listened to two songs on them n threw them away. I wouldnt give those for free, sorry they were crap so overly hyped and the top end was so sharp. yeh i get it, iphone listeners want that etc... anyway...Second thing, I want to mix in them when I'm on the tour bus / hotel rooms so flat response and good sound stage is important. I dont mind enhanced bottom end, I love bass and dont mind it when mixing as long as its controlled and tight... Third thing I'm open to moulded or generics. my budget doesnt matter but probably be happy spending top $500 on generics and $1000 on moulds. I'm in L.A
 
Ive been looking at the new Shure se535's as the generics and the UE capitols JH 13's and the Unique Melodys... basically all the IEMS everyones raving about on here..
 
Anyone got any good idea's with what I should go with? 
 
Really appreciate your input, cheers
 
J

 

[yello131]

how about SM3 or UM3X? 

 

[Confispect]

Or DBA, some people probably would't expect the Pana to work but it does.....everything sounds natural. Tried with the Phonaks drums don't have the realness/naturalness Pana or even DBA.  

 

[JessJackson]

cheers, think im gonna go with the capitols

 

[JackKontney]

Let me put in a strong recommendation for the Sensaphonics 2MAX (or 2X-S -- same components, same sound signature, different sensitivity). Sensaphonics is thoroughly dedicated to the music industry, so their presence on Head-fi is pretty low profile. Here are some reasons you should consider them:
 
--They are designed for reference standard neutral audio reproduction.
--They use soft-gel medical-grade silicone earpieces.
 
These solid silicone earpieces have several unique benefits that speak directly to the engineer-producer role:
 
1. Superior broadband isolation, documented at -37 dB. The greater the isolation, the lower the noise floor. Lower noise floor means higher signal-to-noise ratio. In audio production, that's pure gold.
2. Long-wearing comfort. Very important for long sessions. No fatigue from hard acrylic shells.
3. Maintaining seal. The silicone moves with your ear canal (which changes shape when you move your jaw). when you lose the seal, you lose significant bass response.
 
But the real reason is the sound quality. Nothing tricky: two drivers, one low, one high. But the superior earpiece design lets you really hear their precision voicing. Many live sound monitor engineers use Sensahonics as reference standards even when the artist on stage is using a different brand.
 
FYI, Sensaphonics also makes a triple driver, the 3MAX, but its voicing (while gorgeous to my ears) is a bit strong on the bass side. For accuracy, the 2MAX or 2X-S is the way to go.
 
Full disclosure: I'm an indy marketing and PR guy in the pro audio industry, and Sensaphonics is a client of mine. But there's no hype here; I work with them because they are the best. Feel free to contact me directly if you have questions.