If you were to pick just two earphones.... which would you choose and why?

[imackler]

Here's my quandary: I've yet to find a earphone that I find really satisfying for every genre/recording quality. I'll be impressed by some, but then I remember how a certain album sounded w/ a certain earphone and then I get dissatisfied.
 
Right now, I'm leaning to the ER4P for classical and maybe keeping the IE7 for jazz (including less quality recordings) and things that need a little more bass (alternative). That would see almost every genre covered for around $300 for what I paid (ER4P used).
 
Out of those that I've previously owned and if I were not on a a budget, it would be a really tough choice. A fairly uncolored earphone is hard to find, but that is what I prefer for classical. I find though I take a hit in the soundstage as soon as I go to uncolored. I'm not a mid fiend but it is surprisingly difficult to find quality mids that don't overwhelm. That was my problem with the UM3X. I liked the detail  and instrument separation, but the bass seemed flobby, the mids in your face and the soundstage too small. I loved the IE8's soundstage but the bass overwhelmed.
 
Anyways, from the ones I've heard, I'd probably choose the ER4P for classical and UM3X for jazz/rock... That's leaving me short on sound stage though. Maybe the IE7 and ER4P are as good as I can get.
 
Which two would you pick for which genres and why?

 

[jacobap100]

go for the Monster Turbine Coppers or Miles Davis Tributes
Get them on onecall.com

 

[ZV3]

Quote:

go for the Monster Turbine Coppers or Miles Davis Tributes
Get them on onecall.com

I agree with the Coppers, or Golds.

 

[imackler]

Thanks for the advice!
 
But I was looking to open up a discussion further: If you've tried several and would just keep two, which two would you keep to get all your favorite genres/recordings covered?

 

[rawrster]

I thought this was going to be one of those recommend me stuff threads
 
If keeping with universals i would pick the e-Q7 and CK10. I had those two only for a while and I thought I was done but I ended up venturing into customs. Neither has the bass of say the Coppers, Golds or even the IE7 but I was quite happy when I had those two.
 
They both had great clarity, sound stage and speed and the e-Q7 had an amazing bass texture to go with a fairly balanced sound.

 

[jtack]

My experience is very limited but I have been burning in my Monster MD for the last week or so. They have about 50 hours on the them so far and they sound AMAZING!

 

[albertnam]

I'd keep my JH16s as my everyday workhorse, and the Etymotics would be for high isolation.

 

[Mad Max]

MTPC for sure, but I'm not sure yet what the second choice should be.

 

[luvandp3ace]

So I've owned or have tested everything so far listed here and quite a bit more. except for the JH 16... 
 
can't afford that one..... T_T.... (yet)
 
 
if you want something that'll handle most everything I'd just recommend the earsonics sm3. I think you can ebay them for $359? worth it in my opinion.
 
I went through a lot of IEM, just not satisfied. At one point, I carried around a triple fi and a westone 3... this is after I left the Shures and miles davis... etc etc
 
 
SM3 isn't too well known in the states, but it really does blow away other "big dogs" who drop a lot on Marketing.
 
Look it up, read about it a little. ^^ I'm almost positive you won't regret it.

 

[Caldoran]

SM3+DBA-02
 
Two FOTM IEM's xD

 

[TheMiddleSky]

first is Ortofon e-q7 sure, I love its sweet vocal, smooth, and not too bright neither too warm for me. And they also good for my fav songs, like pop-rock (japan too) and acoustic.
 
second, I think JH13 is a "must have things" if you have that money lol.

 

[lucozade]

SM3 is my eny album sounds good work horse, very detailed and reveiling and sounds great when eq'ed 
 
westone 3 when i want a fun fun fun listening session , great bass and treble focused iem with the same level of details as sm3

 

[ZARIM]

SM3 or UM3x and JVC FX700.....

 

[kaneman]

I'm gonna concur with the SM3s. I have Ety4Ps (with custom earmolds), MTPC, MDTributes, Brainwavz M3, Shure SE530, and just got the SM3 today. The SM3 gets more right than anything else I've heard. The upper mids are a bit peaky (2-3kHzish?) and there's not that last bit of 'sparkle' at the top, but they are VERY detailed and do an awesome job of preserving the 'layers' of a recording and letting you hear what's there versus collapsing them into a mush.
 
On Sleepthief's "the chauffeur", for the first time the lyrics are perfectly clearly intelligible (E.G. "droning engine" vs "drowning engine" which made no sense). On The Haunted's "DOA" the drums, vocals, and guitars all stay properly defined and don't devolve into total mush as they do with lesser IEMs when pushed hard. Attack is not as fierce and you don't get the slam you do from say the MDTributes but it's about where the Copper is if maybe a BIT less? But bass is still substantive and substantial. Most importantly? They're not powerhogs and sound 'effortless', especially at low volumes. So I CAN crank the hell out of things? But don't have to. And they soundstage so much better than the MTPC and MDTributes that it's tough going back. But when I wanna get my head hammered? Tributes for sure.
 
Note: This is through a Linearossa W3. I haven't used 'em unamped but based upon the MDTributes with the same amp they're far more efficient.

 

[metabaron]

Panasonic hje900 and MTPC.