[mironathetin]

Quote:

Can IEMs compete with full-size headphones in the same price range? If yes, I am definitely tempted to try some.

 
I don't think they can, although I have only limited experience. The highest end in-ears I own or owned are the Sennheiser ie7, ie8, ue triple fi and super fi 5 pro. All of them in the price range between 150 and 250 Euros (where I live). They all do sound good.
Compared to an RS-1 out of an iPod or my Sennheiser HD 650 out of an Earmax amplifier there is only one conclusion: sound wise, those in-ears have not the slightest chance against a real headphone. The RS-1 and the HD 650 cost between 2 and 3 times as much as the mentioned in-ears.
 
I cannot say how a 200 $/Euro headphone would compare to an ie8 or triple-fi though. But high-end in-ear vs. high-end full size headphone is a homerun for the headphones.
 
Despite of that, when I am in the underground train or a bus or walking, I prefer in-ears. They help damping ambient noise and allow to listen at reduced volumes. If you don't want tinnitus or become deaf some day, I recommend in-ears for all situations except at home. On the go all the quality a full size headphone can deliver does not help anyway.

 

[Syndromez]

I went to 32 OHM Audio in Portland and decided to take a completely different path. I got a decent amplifier that I'll (at home) ujse with my Phiaton MS 400s and instead of buying other headphones in a similar headphones I'm gonna wait a little bit and then get a fairly expensive set of cans. Right now, I'm really tempted to buy the Beyerdynamic T5Ps, however, I'll do more testing with these and other headphones such as the Sennheiser HD800 before I make any decision. Thanks for all the advice guys!