[susanggongjja]

 
Hi I am looking for the best headphones for under (or a little bit over) 30 dollars (Mee M6 for $18, Brainwavs M4 for $28, and Soundmagic E30 for $33 all at Amazon.)
 
How would you describe each of these sound signatures? Which one of these is the best for that price in terms of sound quality AND build quality?
 
I mainly listen to metal and rock.

 

[phantompersona]

Though i don't have the M4. I'll have to say the M4 by far because of their heavily discounted price of 28 on amazon/

 

[Kapitan23]

if you want heavy bass, go for the M4's. If you are looking for a more detailed sound, E30 is the right choice

 

[Burgerri]

I own a pair of M6 and they are quite bassy with weak highs. For rock I would think the M4 would be ideal.

 

[the88thpianoman]

Disclaimer: I am no expert, and out of these three IEM's, have only heard the M4, and only recently at that.
 
That out of the way, my primary listening is classic rock, classical/instrumental (think pirates of the caribbean soundtrack), and piano-heavy rock, like Ben Folds. The M4 seems to be very well suited to rock. Most describe the sound as being in between a flat analytical sound and a V shaped signature with boosted treble and bass. They are a very good buy at the current $28 sale price on amazon. Guitars come through very nicely, and the bass is sufficiently punchy, though by my personal preference, I EQ more a V shape to it. There are at least a couple pretty extensive reviews on it, so to not parrot back everything those have said, I will just say that I highly recommend them for some incredible bang for the buck.

 

[tinyman392]

I have only heard the M4 and M6.  M4 all the way with this comparison.  Much better highs and lows.  I don't remember what the M6 mids sounded like, but the M4s are still great quality here.  While the M6 could seem bloated and over-done, the M4s are controlled, but still powerful.  The M6 could have harsh highs at times that would smear and the M4s do no such thing (except they may have a hint of a metallic sibilance at times).

 

[susanggongjja]

Alright great! But how is the M4 durability wise? There is a one star review on Amazon stating that the durability is poor..
 
Also how bassy is the M4? I am currently using JVC marshmellows..

 

[tinyman392]

Quote:

Alright great! But how is the M4 durability wise? There is a one star review on Amazon stating that the durability is poor..
 
Also how bassy is the M4? I am currently using JVC marshmellows..

The M4s are actually bassy, but without a huge body (but do have a good body to them).  In comparison to the M6, the M6 is definitely more bassy, but can also be overdone.  The M4s really were rarely ever overdone to my ears.  Durability-wise, the non-mic version is really strong cable-wise.  The mic'd version has a weaker cable which I'm not too fond of.  It won't fall apart in your hands though.