[Earbones]

Have been on the full-size side of things lately, but work now dictates an IEM.

Recently picked up the Sennheiser IE 500 Pro, the bass is wonderful, but it’s a little thin and recessed in the mids for me, so it’s most likely going back.

Was going to just pick up another SE846 (owned a pair a few years back), but thought before I did that, I’d post a thread and get some opinions.

-I tend to like a warmer, non-fatiguing sound.

-I want excellent bass, sub-bass extension is definitely important to me, but I’m not exactly a bass head. That said, I do want something with bass that is at least comparable in amount and quality to the SE846 and IE 500 Pro (the IE 500 bass is basically the IE 800 bass, if you’re unfamiliar). So not an overwhelming bass presence, but definitely all there when the track calls for it.

-Mids should be nice and meaty, slightly forward, but without congestion.

-I like my treble detailed, but sweet and rounded rather than crystalline.

-I have a variety of decent sources- Chord Mojo, Sony PHA-2A, iFi Nano iDSD.

Any and all opinions appreciated with much gratitude. Thanks!

 

[megabigeye]

Westone UM Pro 50 fit your description almost to a tee.

Completely non-fatiguing. In fact, all of my other 'phones sound a bit glaring by comparison.
Have really great bass that goes low and is a bit emphasized, but I don't think I'd call it basshead level. It's actually perfect for going out into a noisy environment, like commuting (or, you know, probably a stage), where bass can sometimes get overwhelmed by ambient noise.

Mids are beautiful. Upper mids are maybe slightly recessed which can give vocals a slightly... I dunno how to describe it... Vaguely distant feel? Not distant as in in the next room or veiled, but distant as in not singing directly into your ears. Pulled back just enough to not be in your face. This is the non-fatiguing part of their sound. I actually used them for most of an eleven hour flight and my ears never got tired.

Treble is a bit lower in volume, but it's so well extended and detailed that it never really feels dark to me. I don't really know what "sweet and rounded" means, but I don't know that those are really words of use to describe the treble.

As far as I'm concerned, they're pretty dang good at all the genres I listen to. They've got plenty of bass for hip hop, enough treble that electronic has that exciting bass-and-treble sound, they're warm enough that jazz doesn't sound thin, guitars and vocals have enough grit to convey emotion for rock.

I think the one caveat might be that they were pretty difficult for me to find the right tips. I found that the wrong ones could make them sound pretty dark with really unengaging mids and bass that rolls off too soon. The right tips (Mandarines Symbios for me) really fixed all of those problems, though. I also think I had a harder time than most in finding the right tips.

 

[surfgeorge]

I recently got a pair of used AK T8iE MKII and I think they would fit your requirements as well.
You can get them around $550
They sound darker and warmer than my other IEMs and I need a little time to adjust when I switch. Once adjusted they sound balanced to me.
They do remind me of the AudioQuest NightOwls but with much more texture and detail throughout. Soundstage is really good, as is comfort.

Maybe use Crinacle's Graph comparison tool.
Unfortunately he only has the T8iE MK1 in his list, the MK2 has a couple dB less bass.

 

[megabigeye]

Oh yeah, the second caveat to the UM Pro 50 is that they sound a bit more cohesive at somewhat louder volumes.

And maybe the best term to describe the mids would be "laid back," not "distant." I'd had a drink last night and couldn't quite think straight.
At low volumes the mids can be a little too laid back and sit a little below the bass. Turn it up a bit and it all starts to make more sense.

 

[BananaOoyoo]

If used isn't an issue, I'd also consider taking a look at the Custom Art Harmony 8.2 and Lime Ears Aether/Model X. (A new Model X might fall within your budget as well, depending on the currency exchange rate.)
Personally, I think the Harmony 8.2 fits your description perfectly.

 

[serman005]

You might also peruse the Campfire line. There may be one there you might find a fit as well.

 

[1TrickPony]

dude. Oriolus v2. With good seal, you can hear a torpedo sink a submarine underwater. The power of this thing... can also hold back.

Meaty mids, and sweet vocals.
Toned down in the high frequency, though you can rightly hear the extension (especially live gigs).
There's one on the f/s section btw (other h'fer)

 

[eargasam]

Yeah I second the campfire line in particular for the kind of bass you are looking for would be the vegas or the atlas for sure.

 

[eargasam]

I think you can get the vegas new for 1099 now.

 

[BananaOoyoo]

I don’t think OP is going to like any of Campfire’s offerings. Neither the Atlas nor the Vega have forward mids, and the BA models don’t tend to have a sub-bass focus.

Seconding the Oriolus suggestion. Another warm, non-fatiguing IEM, and I think it just barely fits within your budget?

 

[Earbones]

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys.

I had a more in-depth convo with a very knowledgeable and friendly guy named Carol (hope I’m spelling that right) at Audio46, and I decided to up the budget and go with the Campfire Andromeda.

Re-reading my original post, I probably should have clarified my bass needs. My perfect headphone for bassiness is the Focal Clear. So more of a mid-centric sound than bass-centric, but when the song calls for it, the bass is all there. Muse’s Algorithm from their Simulation Theory album is a good example. The song starts with a simple bass kick/snare, the bass kick not going very deep at all. Then the synth comes in, building, and then the snare drops out, and the bass kick hits low, three times. I want those bass kicks to be as low and full and extended as they are intended to be.

Anyway. Thanks again, and here’s hoping the Andromeda does the job...

 

[Patzig]

Hmm, I ran se846 and Um Pro 50's for a long time both. The bass didn't come anywhere near the se846 in quantity or quality. Also, Vega and Atlas beat them both by a mile.

 

[theveterans]

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys.

I had a more in-depth convo with a very knowledgeable and friendly guy named Carol (hope I’m spelling that right) at Audio46, and I decided to up the budget and go with the Campfire Andromeda.

Re-reading my original post, I probably should have clarified my bass needs. My perfect headphone for bassiness is the Focal Clear. So more of a mid-centric sound than bass-centric, but when the song calls for it, the bass is all there. Muse’s Algorithm from their Simulation Theory album is a good example. The song starts with a simple bass kick/snare, the bass kick not going very deep at all. Then the synth comes in, building, and then the snare drops out, and the bass kick hits low, three times. I want those bass kicks to be as low and full and extended as they are intended to be.

Anyway. Thanks again, and here’s hoping the Andromeda does the job...

Andromeda has a slight recessed mids compared to flat frequency which makes the treble sparkle with clarity. You'll love Andromeda's quick bass response which is perfect for drums but just don't expect really deep bass. Muse's albums sound really good with Andro.

 

[1TrickPony]

I made a detailed post on the Oriolus playing Muse's Haarp Live album. The open stadium atmosphere is pretty much there (as best represented by an iem of this price range), the electric bass sounds big (nowhere near anemic) and Matt's voice and guitar are properly weighted (yes, very meaty - and I'm a guitar player).
The mids on this iem is quite forward and hefty, and the bass provides a solid foundation for the music itself. Its got that perfect weight for electric bass sub presence (but doesn't interfere with other frequencies), and the highs are so smooth that you want to crack everything up if you do want it so. Anyhow, just keep these impressions in mind.

 

[Earbones]

So the Andro is not for me, I’ll be returning it. That was quick, lol.

Things I liked:

-The upper treble is excellent, certainly extended, but never harsh.
-the lower mids detail

Things I didn’t like:

-the upper mids are super forward, shouty and very fatiguing
-the lower treble was a little sibilant, and mirrored the upper mids as far as being forward, shouty, and fatiguing.
-there is no bass to speak off. Even on the Mojo, which is supposed to be a bad match because it apparently makes the Andro too bassy, there was nothing. It’s an SE535, if that.

With the combo of the upper mids and lower treble, I actually experienced a first... Let’s call it “shout bloat”. This area on the spectrum was so forward and shouty that I found detail was actually being lost. Great example is on Touch from Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories album. Around the 3:06 mark there is a missed strike on the high hat, resulting in a “tink” instead of an “sss”. It’s pretty glaring on most forward upper mid and treble cans. But the Andro’s mid-upper registers are so bloated and overwrought that the error nearly blended. It’s still present, but way less than with anything else I’ve listened to. It’s kind of a trip to hear a $99 SE215, veiled and dark as it is, easily distinguish this detail while the $1100 Andromeda, lauded as a detail king, basically glazes over it. Ah, well.

Anyway, on to what’s next.

I’m mulling over the Campfire Dorado. Apparently it features what I like about the Andro, but not what I dislike. Thoughts? Again, any and all input gratefully appreciated.