[albau]

Hi, gang! Haven't been on this forum for quite a while, nice to see that it's alive and kicking

I'm sure what I'm gonna ask was beaten to death already. Search gave an unmanageable pile so I beg forgiveness but still have to ask:

What nice sounding and isolating buds capable of being driven by iPod Mini, all for under $150 max?

To give you an idea where I'm coming from, what I listen to and where: I've got recently a iPod Mini that I use mostly at the noisy gym and trains and while jogging. Needless to say that bundled buds didn't cut it, not in sound nor in isolation. But should admit, they look good

At home I use AKG-501 and SR-225 with the old but nice British head amp. I also have an old original AirHead. I used to have quite nice Senn MX5 buds but since I didn't use portables for quite some time misplaced them. On the go I mostly listen to classic hard and progressive rock and to some blues with occasional world music (e.g. Fado) when it's not too noisy around.

For iPod I want buds (not something like Koss PortaPros which I have) that are suitable for gym and trains and that sound reasonably clear, detailed and balanced without a need for a portable amp. I'm not a bass junkie but given music type would welcome good response but not at the expense of severely recessed mids or elevated screechy highs. I can spend up to $150 total but would really prefer less.

So I narrowed down to these cans (in no particular order): Etys ER6i and Shure E2c or E3c. Maybe something else?

I never had Etys or Shure or any in-canal phone for the matter and don't know which ones are more suitable for my needs that I outlined above. I looked thru Headroom, CNet and iPodLounge reviews but still can't make up my mind. So I would appreciate your suggestions people.

Thanks a lot!

 

[TeaQue]

I have the E3Cs and I love them.

They're comfortable and well-built.

When I'm wearing these things and playing some music I can't anything else.

The highs are pretty good but not over bearing and it has decent bass and mids but I'm no audiophile

I got them for $124 shipped from www.compuplus.com

 

[Blitzula]

You most likely won't want to jog with canalphones, the sound of your feet stomping will be quite loud.

 

[joelongwood]

Hi Alec.......Nice to see you're still around. And you're now in the Big Apple!
I have the E2c, E3, and the ER6i..............out of an iPod Mini, I prefer the E3 for two reasons. First, with the ultra soft flex tips, the comfort is exceptional. They can seal at the entrance to the ear canal, thus avoiding any intrusive feelings that I get with the tri-flange tips of the ER-6i.
Secondly, for the music I have on my iPod Mini, which is mostly pop/rock/folk from the 50s and 60s, the E3 provides the most pleasurable listening experience. The sound is not as detailed as the ER-6i, but the bass is definitely better, mids are a bit richer, and the top end is very smooth.
I walk 3-5 miles a day with these, and the microphonics are not a problem at all. I don't know about jogging, though.......walking is about as strenuous as I care to get.
The E2c is similar sounding to the E3, with even more top-end roll off. They are a bit bulkier, though, for in-ear canal phones. The bass is bit murkier, to my ears.
BTW.....I still have your HD-545s, which I much preferred to the HD-600 (the only headphone I've ever parted with).

 

[wackos]

I'll also throw in a rec for the e3c's. I have not tried the ety's, but I've had both the e2c and the e3c. I completely agree with everything joelongwood said, and might also add that the e3c's are so incredibly small - very nice to fall asleep to. Also, with regard to microphonics - there are none when I wear them over the ear, no matter how much I twist and turn - it's awesome. Putting them straight in, there's a good deal of microphonics, but it's easy to do the over the ear thing.

 

[ZackT]

I'll also throw in a rec for the e3c's.QUOTE]

I second the E3's, I have the ER6's too but use the E3's 90% of the time - especially day-to-day, the gym, walkin', work etc.

The ER6's need quiet and dim lighting to shine IMHO.

ZT

 

[albau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by joelongwood Hi Alec.......Nice to see you're still around. And you're now in the Big Apple!

I thought nobody out of oldtimers can be found here or on a Headwize. Actually after some browsing I was surprised to discover that not much changed in those years in a world of headphones (amps are a different story). Same familiar brands and models, same familiar arguments (Grados vs Senns, SR125 vs SR225, does K-501 have any lows, and so on

). My gadget life almost always alternates between two obsessions (expensive ones!) - headphones and photography. For past years I was in a latter http://www.pbase.com/klopus. Joe, what you're up to these days and what's your current rig?

Back to cans. You guys (ZacT, wackos, Joe, Blitzula, TeaQue) set me up straight with E3c (I knew it, it's always most expensive ones

). Thanks a lot for all your replies!

Few more questions though:

1. What botheres me about E3c it that they are something around 30 ohm as opposed to 16 ohm for E2c and ER6i. Does iPod Mini has enough juice not only to drive them sufficiently loud but to also to open sound without an amp?

2. Is there any audible differnce between E3 and E3c or it's just cosmetics?

3. How do you break canal phones? Something special or as usual just let'em play for few days straight or one also has to break ear openings?

Quote:

Originally Posted by joelongwood BTW.....I still have your HD-545s, which I much preferred to the HD-600 (the only headphone I've ever parted with).

Beleive or not I still miss these cans - man needs something between K-501 and SR225

.

Thanks again!

 

[wackos]

1. My 3g ipod drives the e3c's really easily. if I am in a quiet environment, I keep it at 1-2 clicks from zero, and if I'm in a really quiet environment, I break out an in-line volume control. In medium-loud environments, I might push the volume up to 1/3. I think I might listen at lower volumes than most, but you shouldn't worry about volume with the e3c's. IIRC, the e3c's even sounded louder than the e2c's at the same volume (maybe this is just percieved volume because of the mids boost?).

2. The only difference is that the e3 is gray and usually harder to find/more expensive

3. I've read that there is no "break in" with the balanced armature drivers in the e3c's. The e2c's break in because they use dynamic drivers, but the e3c and e5c don't.

 

[Blitzula]

Microphonics are only one part of the sound equation. You'll hear your feet stomping with canalphones (occlusion), that can't be helped. It might be ok if you're just walking and not fast walking/jogging, or it might not.

Personally, I always found it odd that many will pay significant dollars for a minor sound improvement and discount the effect that pounding has on that same sound.

 

[albau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blitzula Personally, I always found it odd that many will pay significant dollars for a minor sound improvement and discount the effect that pounding has on that same sound.

Hopefully sounds of me stomping still would be better than obnoxious gym music (mostly rap of worst popish kind). As for jogging that I'm doing on a relatively quiet residential streets if canals won't do then I'll try something like Senn MX500 buds that I used to have. They're just $15. They don't block much noise but sound quite nice for the price and are easy to drive.

 

[TeaQue]

$124 shipped from www.compuplus.com isn't that bad at all considering retail is like $180.


btw, I jog with these all the time, you DO hear your feet stomping but its not bad if you turn up the volume a bit

just not too much or you'll go deaf

 

[joelongwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeaQue $124 shipped from www.compuplus.com isn't that bad at all considering retail is like $180.

Same price from iDealSound, a Head-Fi sponsor..........2 day air shipping included. Very smooth and pleasurable transaction.
http://www.discountheadphones.com/e3.html
Oh, and these are the gray ones, the E3. I think the white is being a tad overdone these days. Just my opinion of course.