[silvanost]

Hi
 
My IEMs just died. Well ok just one side died. They were Sony MDR XB20EX with single driver. The culprit, carelessness and cup of freshly made coffee. Loved them for the cost/performance ratio and surprisingly good sound, compared to anything I had heard before. Con was their stupid cord kept trying to curl up Like ribbon does with scissors. Good thing I am a bit OCD in how I cared for them, well... well until the coffee cup incident.
 
I am looking to move up a bit and I have read a lot of reviews and info, but honestly once I think I have found the ONE, I read something that turns me off, like bad bass, uncomfortable, tinny highs.
 
Prefer to keep cost at or under $300 USD
 
Here is what I value:
Quality build
Quality sound (for what I am playing)
Comfort
I like base
I prefer highs not to be tinny
 
 
The shure 435 looked nice, but then I read a review that their base is flat. The shure 535 our out of my range for now... but I sure wish they weren't based on reviews.
 
Klipish X7i has what seem to be good but the universal fit make me concerned.
 
Staying in the Sony line the XBA4 looks good, but I pictures make me think build quality isn't there.
 
I would welcome advice as I don't want to over-spend on IEMs when the best audio files I will listed to will often be 256kbs MP3s.
 
Thanks

 

[zamorin]

Check out the T-Peos H-200. It's a three way hybrid iem with 2 BA drivers and 1 dynamic driver. It's the 2nd 'Golden ears' ( S.Korean audiophile community) certified IEMs.