[tuffguyblake]

Suggestions for quality IEM's/earbuds?
Lately i've been doing a lot of research on some new earbuds. needless to say, theres too many decisions! i currently have the sony MDR-EX71SLA earphones, but they're falling apart.

Im looking for a new set that will sound just as good if not better than my current ones. im definitely not an audiophile, but i do appreciate good SQ. I really like the sound of my sony's, but after doin some research, there are apparently better 'phones out there in the 30-60$ price range.

just to give u an idea of what im lookin for: i listen to abt 90% rock, and i need that crisp sound of cymbls with decent bass and an all-around balanced sound. i want the crashes to be in-my-face if u no what i mean.

ive tried the v-moda vibes from a friend and i was very disapointed. the bass was way overpowering and it had a muddy sound...did not like. not rock headphones at all. i also tried some skullcandies...yeah they blew. same idea: too much bass, muddy all-around.

i really want to get the best SQ for my money. i've been lookin at the creative ep-630's and senn cx-300(is there a diffference?) and also maybe the next model up in sony, the mdr 90's.

i was told that if i needed a legit answer, this was the place to go! any suggestions from u guys would be awesome. thanks!

 

[luckybaer]

AudioCubes.com - Audio-Technica ATH-CK7 Inner Ear Earphones - ATH-CK7
If you can stretch a bit ($10 more), these will be nice. They feel like those Sony phones that you have, but the sound is better, IMHO.

 

[infamous16]

at newegg.com and some other website I can't remember you can buy altec lansing im716's for very cheap.

like 45-55 dollars.

used to be 130.

 

[DKaz]

I am a bit confused. You said you wanted balanced sound, but you want the crashes to be in your face. It seems you want a brighter phone, not a balanced one.

I would pick the crossroads Mylar One X3. They X3i are the newer model which has more bass (the X3 is light on the bass), but the highs are a littly more recessed. I think a pair of burned in X3 would be great for you.

 

[intoflatlines]

super.fi 3 Studio would definitely be my suggestion. They have a decent somewhat balanced sound with nice clear treble. I used to own E3c and I liked them, but felt that they could improve in the bass and treble areas. SF3 has better bass and treble, and also does it for a cheaper price.

My girlfriend has SF3 and she really enjoys them a lot. I have to say that they don't compare to my SF5 Pro or SR225, but they are definitely a great value and they do sound very good with rock.

 

[tuffguyblake]

thanks for the advice guys.

i guess what i meant when i said i wanted the crashes "in my face" is that i want to hear the sound of crisp cymbals while at the same time solid bass. i want to hear the snap of the snare, while at the same time feel the bass (but not overpowering like vmoda vibes and skullcandies). so yeah, a more balanced sound then. idk...like i said, im not really into this audio stuff. i just want the best headphones in this price range.

That being said, im leaning more towards the Mylar One X3, Audio-Technica ATH-CK7 Inner Ear, and the creative ep-630. the price for the ATH-CK7's may be pushing it, and im a little skeptical on the mylar's. also, im surprised nobody suggested the creatives. from what i hear, they are very good for the money and are comparable to the senn cx-300's. what do u guys think?

as for regular headphones, i have the senn hd 202's. i dont no if this will help u guys determine the sound i want, but i really like the sound of those too. i think its really balanced and kinda the sound im leaning toward.

 

[burningskulls]

Quote:

Originally Posted by intoflatlines /img/forum/go_quote.gif super.fi 3 Studio would definitely be my suggestion. They have a decent somewhat balanced sound with nice clear treble. I used to own E3c and I liked them, but felt that they could improve in the bass and treble areas. SF3 has better bass and treble, and also does it for a cheaper price. My girlfriend has SF3 and she really enjoys them a lot. I have to say that they don't compare to my SF5 Pro or SR225, but they are definitely a great value and they do sound very good with rock.

seconded...black ones are on sale at amazon as well

 

[filipelli]

ep630s are BOOOMY!!

Super.fi 3s have my vote!

 

[Zephyron]

Performance wise, either the CK7 or the iM716, both IMO are leagues ahead of the SF3.

The CK7s seems to have the sound that you're looking for in my opinion, but I cannot say for certain as with canalphones, different ears have a likely chance of hearing different things out of them.

 

[BetaLyr]

The iM716 is a bit lacking in bass.

I agree with DKaz--burned in MylarOne X3. At ~400 hours, the bass is just really amazing, it's not boomy but tight, and doesn't overpower the highs and mids (it has great highs and mids).

The bass on the X3i is good too, better than the X3. Straight out of the box, it sounded somewhat boomy and muddy, but after 10-20 hours it cleared up a bit. The highs and mids sound almost the same as on the X3.

 

[LittleSwallow]

Hi guys, I recently got the Super fi.3 live from Radio Shack, but I'm having a hard time getting into them. Like the OP, I also like my music crisp and clear, and punchy without too much bass.

My current headphones are the Panasonic HJE300's and 250's. I love the sounds they give me, which require just minor tweakings of the equalizers of my Creative Zen, Sansa e280, Zen Micro Photo, and Insignia players.

With the Super fi.3's however, the preset equalizers sound awful (sounds all over the place, unfocused and "echo"-y). For the custom equalizer on my Insignia player, I had to turn the 1K slot almost all the way down to get to any sort of "clear" sound. At the current equalizer setting(60 to 14K: +1, +2, -10, +8, +2), they sound close to my HJE300s, but still don't sound as fun or focused/clear.

However, so many reviews have said that the 'phones sound good, detailed and clear right out of the box, that I'm wondering if it's my source that's making the Super fi's sound bad to me. I'm having a hard time getting them to sound clear on my Creative players as well, so it's probably not the players' problem. Is it the quality of my files? Most of them are 128kbps, no lower.

I love the Panasonics, but they don't last long enough. I wanted a pair of IEMs that had a long warranty yet sound at least on par (hopefully better) with the Panasonics with about the same amount of equalizer tweaking involved. I know I'm putting the super fi's in correctly too. Any ideas/suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Zephyron]

You have a near V-graph shaped equalization there.

Equalizer 'preset', an IEM that I would have recommended would be the Panasonic RP-HJE70.

That said, have you experimented with all the different tips that suit the size of your ear canal?

If you've tried out all the different tips available, it may just be the the SF3S are not for you.

 

[LittleSwallow]

Yeah, for the SF3 the equalizer is V-shaped, but my other headphones have a much straighter equalizer setting. That's why I wanted to ask for second opinions because it just seemed too extreme and I was wondering what the problem was.

To answer your other question, yeah I tried out all the tips. The mediums had the best seal, and they're the ones I'm using now. Are there other higher-end IEMs that sound like the super fi 3's that I should avoid? I keep wanting to see if there are better phones "out there" that fit my tastes besides the HJE300's but I didn't want to spend too much money in case something like this happens where the phones' "sound" just doesn't fit my expectations. I depend on reviews a lot but for sound, it's really rather relative, isn't it?

 

[Zephyron]

Correct, reviews for sound is relative.

I think its easier to differenciate aural preferences when it comes to the sound reproductions of headphones and earbuds, but IEMs are very, very subjective.

Irregardless of what frequency graphs may reflect of a canalphone's sound signature, it be safer to actually try out a canalphone first before purchasing if possible.

Different people have differently shaped ear canals, and I tend to think that canalphones are the ones most affected by this because they form an enclosed chamber in the ear, and depending on how the ear canal of an individual is shaped, the sound signals that eventually gets sent from the eardrums to the brain my differ drastically from one person to another. Canalphone tips also play a part in this (e.g people may get more bass out of a Shure Black Olive Foam, but other get more out of the clear silicones, or people like me not being able to use long Comply Tips since they'll block the music coming out of the IEM bore, but others feeling comfortable and getting the best results using that tip.)

That said however, in comparing the SF3 and the HJE70, since they have a similar sleeve and almost similar ear depth penetration, I have a feeling that the HJE70s will actually suit you better.

IMO, the HJE70 (which performs in an almost similar, if ot the same) league to the Audio Technica ATH-CK7, Goldring GX200 and perhaps the Sony MDR-EX90, outperform the SuperFi 3 altogether when it comes down to performance.

Comparing the 2, I find that the SF3 is relatively balanced (IMO), but lacks the extension in the deeper lows and higher highs. However, what you hear out of the SF3 is what I'd describe as a nasal or perhaps boxy sound, whereby the midtones are the dominant sonic frequency, hence leading you to do what you did with the EQ. I find that the HJE70 by default, has that 'fun' V-graph shape, with better extension on both ends of the SuperFi3, being more airy in feel and at the same time having a better sense of depth, height and width altogether.

Since tips from different canalphones vary, I cannot say on how you'd actually hear the Shures and Etys, but I'd recommend you to skip the SF5Pro if you plan to upgrade. Their fit is similar to the SF3, and they carry a similar sonic signature (though the 5 is better in extension and details).

 

[tuffguyblake]

back to the original topic:

i hate to be so picky, but i would also prefer IEMs or canalphones that are black (to go with my Creative Zen V Plus), that have the Y cord (with zip up kinda thing on separator), that are durable, and have the SQ im looking for.

I would prob go with the super fi 3's or Audio-Technica ATH-CK7, but they both have that around the ear way of wearing them...not for me. when im on the go i dont want to have to put them around my ear in an odd way. or when im at the gym or snowboarding, i would have to wear them like that just wont really work. the fit is just not for me i guess.

i'll probably just go with the crossroad mylarone X3 or X3i. the only downside to the X3's so far is the durability, or so i've heard. but customer service from crossroads is supposed to be awesome (free replacements, etc.) and it seems to match the SQ and specs im looking for.

anyway, thanks for all the advice guys. i'll be sure come back here for any other audio related topics.