[kristy]

I would appreciate any suggestions.. my Sennheiser CX300 died and I need a replacement. I did like the sound of the CX300 (please, don't shoot me!) but I'm ready to switch to something with less "bass" and a bit more clarity. I listen to a wide range of music (except for heavy metal kinda stuff) but tend to spend most of my time on instrumental & classical music.
 
Do you think the GR99 would suffice? or is there a really noticeable difference of sound with the GR02? 
 
I've been researching like crazy but I'm now at the point where my head is swimming with model numbers but no clear answer. I've seen the Joker's Multi IEM review but as I'm no audiophile, I just don't know if I should spend the cash. At times, I'm tempted to just scratch everything and get the SoundMagic PL30 or.. even further downhill, the PL21.
 
Any assistance in helping me settle this matter once and for all would be greatly appreciated!!
 
P.S: The GR02 would already be over budget.. so I can't possibly venture into the wonderful worlds of Etymotics etc.

 

[H20Fidelity]

Well, the logical move from CX300 II would be SoundMAGIC E10, though you don't want the bass. Try to avoid PL21, I'm pretty confident you can do better than that. Recently there's been a lot of talk about JVC FX40. It was only reviewed a few days ago by ljokerl. It could be something to check out? Other than that GR02 would probably be a nice option.

Hopefully some others can chime in for you regarding your question.

 

[marald]

GR99 definitely have a funnier sound signature than PL30, with a good amount of bass and detailed mids. I had mine for 10 days now and considering the build quality and the accessories too you can't go wrong.
 
I don't now if they are the best choice for classical/instrumental, but (as you probably have read around here) they are a great value for the money, and at this price point it's very difficult to find something better.
 
I've never listen to GR02 but some users say the overall sound does not differ a lot between the two (GR02 are a bit more balanced and detailed, but nothing night and day.. if you aren't an audiophile you probably won't notice the difference).
 
I too am not an audiophile, but i did a lot of research before buying GR99, and i'm really impressed by the overall quality.

 

[kristy]

Thanks H20 and Marald.. I appreciate your help.. I'll be steering clear of the PL21 and PL30 as I don't want to regret the decision. Have checked out the Joker's updates and will research the JVC.
 
If anyone else out there has anything else to add, please feel free to do so!

 

[marald]

Oh, another thing: i would like to try the FX40 as well, but in Italy i can only find them on amazon for 30€ (38$ against 20$ on amazon.com) and obviously amazon.com doesn't ship overseas.. If you live in the US you should probably go for them because they seem pretty good and are even more affordable than Vsonic's.

 

[kristy]

Thanks guys.. at the price range, the FX40 is pretty tempting - especially with the joker having rated the sound quality the same as the GR99.
 
Now I guess its a decision between both of these instead

 

[Selenium]

Could always try the Monoprice 8320. Not much financial risk and it sounds great. Balanced and clear.

 

[AstroTurf]

For an accuracy score of 85%, and a price point of 50 bucks...

The Etymotic MC5 with the NRB Mod is tough to beat.

Good Luck with your search.

Jim

 

[kristy]

Thank you for all the replies! Unfortunately, the Etymotic MC5 is out of my price range at this time so I couldn't get them either.
 
I was pretty impressed with the reviews on the Monoprice but since most of the complaints were on the comfort / size, I decided to pass it up - I don't think I have large ears/canals, and I plan on listening to these for a few hours on end.
 
As for the FX40, I'm outside the US so S&H is pricey and thus I'd be better off spending more cash on the actual earphones instead of the postage.
 
In the end, I've gone ahead and taken the plunge to get the GR99 from LendMeUrEars (who are based in Singapore - thus making shipping cheaper/free) - as long as I resist listening to a pair of GR02s, I'm hoping I'll be blissfully ignorant of what I might be missing *grin*
 
Thanks again for all the help

 

[kristy]

My GR99s have arrived and I am pretty happy with them. The stock tips were uncomfortable (even after experimenting with the different sizes) so in the end I just used the ones from my CX300 - and they feel great. For this reason, I'm glad I didn't go with the Monoprice because it would most likely would've hurt. 
 
All in all, I am reasonably happy with the purchase - I wouldn't consider them a huge upgrade from the CX300 (though since I'm no audiophile, there's a good chance I have no idea what I'm talking about *grin*) but they're definitely better in terms of detail etc
 
Thank you for all the help and advice!

 

[AstroTurf]

Sounds like it has worked out good for you.

Congrats, Jim

My GR99s have arrived and I am pretty happy with them. The stock tips were uncomfortable (even after experimenting with the different sizes) so in the end I just used the ones from my CX300 - and they feel great. For this reason, I'm glad I didn't go with the Monoprice because it would most likely would've hurt. 

All in all, I am reasonably happy with the purchase - I wouldn't consider them a huge upgrade from the CX300 (though since I'm no audiophile, there's a good chance I have no idea what I'm talking about *grin*) but they're definitely better in terms of detail etc

Thank you for all the help and advice!