[brego]

Narrowing down IEM choices to the following:

1. Headsets designed specifically for the device with microphones for making/taking calls:

Ultimate Ears Super.fi 4vi
Etymotic HF2

or

2. Music only headset

Sleek Audio SA6

Would appreciate any opinions on these.

 

[ingwe]

Why not dedicated music-only headset plugged into a dedicated adapter?

 

[lewislink]

You seem to have a nack for choosing the best. Those two, at their price point, are among the best with iPhone set up. If you want to go a little better, UE will have a phone version of the new Super fi-5s out before long and there already is an iPhone version of the Triple fi-10s.

 

[Bonthouse]

Extra cable is stupid. It really is.
Why not a Shure SExxx IEM with the iPhone mic cable?

 

[brego]

The extra cable, although modular, just like a kludge to me. Would prefer all in one.

The Triple.fi 10s are twice the price of the ones I indicated I was looking at. Was hoping to keep this in the =< $200 range.

 

[pieeetr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brego /img/forum/go_quote.gif Narrowing down IEM choices to the following: 1. Headsets designed specifically for the device with microphones for making/taking calls: Ultimate Ears Super.fi 4vi Etymotic HF2 or 2. Music only headset Sleek Audio SA6 Would appreciate any opinions on these.

I'm in the same situation as you are. I have not read that much about the UE Super.fi 4vi. How do they sound compared to the Etymotic HF2?

 

[lewislink]

They each have their own quality of sound but the UE4s have a slightly warm sound with great soundstage, air and clarity. The bass is great with proper seal and the overall sound is a bit more dynamic than the HF2. There is very slight coloration in the mids and lower highs with the UE4s.

The HF2 are around 90 to 95% of the sound quality of the Etymotic ER4Ps. They have a much brighter treble and are a little grainy in said treble. The soundstage isn't quite as good as the UE4s but is great, nonetheless. They have an open, airy sound that gets a little too bright in the highs and the bass is a little weak but tightly controlled. With Klipsch bi-flange gels, the sound improves a little with a warmer, richer and fuller quality. The bass improves a little as well.

Of the two, I prefer the UE4s over the HF2s simply because of the greater soundstage and full bodied sound.

 

[Malux]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brego /img/forum/go_quote.gif Narrowing down IEM choices to the following: 1. Headsets designed specifically for the device with microphones for making/taking calls: Ultimate Ears Super.fi 4vi Etymotic HF2 or 2. Music only headset Sleek Audio SA6 Would appreciate any opinions on these.

I've been researching this for a while...a long while. I think this has become sort of an obsession for me. There are a couple of other options:

the super.fi 5 vi comes out on 10/1. That might be a good option for you.

However, I think your earphone choices are going to be limited if you try to find a device with a mic. The hf2 is nice, but I hate the big mic and I want more bass.

I haven't read much of anything good about the super.fi 4 vi (a lot of people are complaining about it being fragile).
.....

The second and best way to go is to pair the shure MPA (music phone adapter) with a good quailty set of headphones. The MPA also has a button to control the iPhone. This will open up your options.

The trick then becomes finding an IEM with a short enough cable. I tried the shure 210s and hated them. Don't waste your money.

The Denon 751 is a GEM. This is what I started using since friday and all i can say about them is WOW.

The Shure line uses short cables coupled with an extension (maybe the 310s are better or you can spring for the 530 if you have extra cash to burn). You can just replace the cable with the MPA.

Denon has short cables too.

Another mic you can use is the M-Jays. I haven't tried it, but I know it's out there.

Let me know what you think. I'd love to hear what you decide.

By the way, if you go the Denon route be aware that you'll probably want to change the eartips if you want better noise isolation. That's not a big deal though. Comply makes compatible eartips (you can also use skullcandy's eartips or the Sony series EX eartips).

 

[lewislink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malux /img/forum/go_quote.gif I haven't read much of anything good about the super.fi 4 vi (a lot of people are complaining about it being fragile).

I certainly don't find anything very fragile about these UE4s. The phones are made from metal and the cord is about the same as the the UE3, UE5 and UE10s except this has a mic and button pod. They seem to me to be much more durable than the Sennheisers, Etymotics and quite a few others above and below them in sound quality.

 

[hempcamp]

The hf2 is an excellent choice. As good as or better than you likely need for portable use, with a great built-in mic, above-average isolation, good feel/build quality to them, and unstated looks (so people don't realize just how much you spent for them!).

That said, they aren't ideal if you rely on being able to hear things going on around you (they could be dangerous -- I pop out one ear when crossing streets and such).

--Chris

 

[NuttyEars]

I use the shure MPA with shure 530s and am very happy

 

[geestring]

sorry to hijack... but what are you guys using for the proprietary 3.5mm output. Im assuming some of you are using 1st gen iphone....

 

[lewislink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by geestring /img/forum/go_quote.gif sorry to hijack... but what are you guys using for the proprietary 3.5mm output. Im assuming some of you are using 1st gen iphone....

I don't use my iPhone...1st gen...for anything other than phone service. I have a hard enough time keeping it charged just using it only for a phone.

 

[Malux]

Quote:

Originally Posted by geestring /img/forum/go_quote.gif sorry to hijack... but what are you guys using for the proprietary 3.5mm output. Im assuming some of you are using 1st gen iphone....

I'm using the 1st Gen iPhone and the shure mpa plug goes right into it.

The jack from the shure 210s I tried for a couple of days fit right into the 1st gen iPhone also.

 

[geestring]

i plan on using the iphone as my audio player...

maybe I can find a 3.5mm jack that fits into the 1st gen and make an interconnect.