[antonyfirst]

Hello to all. I've found myself keen on V-moda Vibes (or at least on their reviews), so that I'd like to buy a pair of them. The problem is that I use my mp3 player mainly when I walk in the center of Milano, or on train, on bus and so on... so, quite noisy environments.

I need a pair of IEMs/Canalphones with a sensitivity below 100 db to avoid hearing the Kenwood Hd20ga7 player's white noise.
Vmoda vibes are rated at 92 db and could be perfect, but being "open iems" they couldn't be good for me. What is your experience with middle volume-level music and the Vibes on a train?

And which other iems could I pick up for my player? My main concerns are:
-around 100 db (or less) sensitivity
-good quality (Vibes quality should be fine, but even better wouldn't be a problem

)
-good isolation 'cause of the environment whereI listen to my music
-(not a strict requirement) I would prefer them having a J shaped cable

I hope you can help

Thanks,
Tony

 

[schneller]

I am in the same boat. I want the Vibes but need better isolation.

Replies would be helpful.

 

[AnGeLiCbOrIs]

The Audio Technica ATH-CK7 sounds great and isolates well thanks to the titanium housing but the sensitivity is 104db. If you don't care for boomy bass and like accurate highs these are fantastic. At about $75 shipped to the US, they are cheaper too.

 

[schneller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnGeLiCbOrIs /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Audio Technica ATH-CK7 sounds great and isolates well thanks to the titanium housing but the sensitivity is 104db. If you don't care for boomy bass and like accurate highs these are fantastic. At about $75 shipped to the US, they are cheaper too.

When I look at these canal phones:

Audio Technica Quietpoint Ath-ck7

Sennheiser CX300

Creative EP-630

Sony Ericsson HPM-70

They just all look the same to me (referring to the earpiece). Same small, round design. And since I have the HPM-70s now, I cannot fathom how they sound so much worse than these other, more expensive models when they look the same from the outside.

 

[dwchin]

You'd be surprised -- the Sony EX 51 looks the same, but sounds boomy, muddy, and generally unimpressive when compared to some other 'canalphones.' Don't go by just looks alone

 

[antonyfirst]

Personally, I would like something with less than 104 db, and that will be an improvement against my actual Sennheiser cx300, speaking sound quality-wise.

 

[M0T0XGUY]

I suggest getting something like the ER6i by Etymotic and then, if you can really hear the white noise, look into buying an attenuator. I could hear the noise from my iPod in quiet situations, but I did not find it annoying in any way.

 

[antonyfirst]

I have another issue: iems productors report their sensitivity in different ways,
For exemple:

V-Moda
Sensitivity: 92 dB (at 1kHz 1mW)

Shure E4c
Sensitivity (at 1kHz): 109 dB SPL/mW

ER-4S
90 dB SPL for 0.1 V
100 dB SPL @ 1mW

ER-6i
105 dB @ 0.1 V
107 dB @1mW

Super.Fi 5 pro
119dB/mW

My Sennheiser have a way to report it:

Sennheiser CX300
112 dB (1kHz/1Vrms)

Now I would like to know how does that dB @ 1KHz/1Vrms compare with 1KHz for 0.1 V, and also (expecially) with 1KHz for 1mW.

From what I can imagine, Ety ER-4s should be fine.. they are a bit to pricy but I could buy them in a near future. Now I just would like to know how to compare my Sennheiser with all the others in a common scale.

 

[AnGeLiCbOrIs]

You may want to buy the ER4P with a P>S adapter. This way you'll have two options.