[Andrewnd]

Hi everyone !
 
I have been in the market for a new pair of IEM's as my Skullcandy Titan's that I've been rocking for over a year now have broken, I am looking to upgrade from the Skullcandy range and into higher quality IEM's. My price range is about $80 to $120 CAD
 
They must be pretty durable headphones as I want them to last longer then my last pair of IEM's, I'd prefer more bass from them as I do listen to a lot of rap music but I still would like to have a smooth midrange and clear high's so I can easily listen other genre's such as alternative rock, and not be overwhelmed by bass instead of the lyrics or instruments. Also a built in mic/play/pause button would be useful so I can use them with my BlackBerry to make answering calls while I am biking much easier. A mic is not necessary but I would prefer it.
 
Right now I am looking at the Monster iBeats and the Klipsch Image S4i's. I am open to any other suggestions of brands to look at, Any advice would be greatly appreciated !

 

[soundstige]

None of the above. Both the iBeats and Lil Jamz have very poor sound quality for the money. Monster's warranty service is also shaky in case something breaks. And I can't personally recommend the Klipsch S4 because, while on paper a very good earphone, there is such harsh sibilance as to make many tracks unlistenable with them for me. This would also clash with a lot of beats used in the rap genre.
 
If you want well-built earphones that shine in vocals and bass (for rap), but also perform respectively in remaining categories such as treble response, soundstage, comfort, etc, there's only two earphones I can think of that I would recommend.
 
NuForce NE-700X: http://www.amazon.com/NuForce-NE-700X-Audiophile-Grade-Earphones-Silver/dp/B004GFNDDG
 
Brainwavz M2: http://www.amazon.com/Brainwavz-BWAVZ-M2-M2-In-Ear-Headphones/dp/B004IK1VBA
 
I have only personally tried the NuForce but have read plenty of reviews on both. They both seem to be very good overall performers with a focus on bass impact. I agree with the performance of the NuForces that many others describe. They have a great soundstage and heavy bass with a rolled-off but still present high-mid and treble range. They don't sound muddy, they just sound quite bassy. From reviews, I hear the Brainwavz are a bit less bassy and more balanced. And both earphones are exceptionally well-made from machined aluminum with good build quality standards. I can't really recommend any Monster, Skullcandy, or Bose product at full MSRP because you simply don't get what you pay for.

 

[LegendaryLvl1]

Definitely the 

Monster iBeats

With their superior sound and build quality, the Monster iBeats are a worthy contender in the 80 - 120CAD market. Though some say that their SQ is not as great as that of skull candy, the pristine levels of bass found in these IEMs create a soundstage much like that of a symphony orchestra. You will find that these IEMs are often what are recommended to those with low post counts (aka newcomers) as they are the default standard in the head-fi community.
 

 

[-y0-]

Quote:

Definitely the 

Monster iBeats

With their superior sound and build quality, the Monster iBeats are a worthy contender in the 80 - 120CAD market. Though some say that their SQ is not as great as that of skull candy, the pristine levels of bass found in these IEMs create a soundstage much like that of a symphony orchestra. You will find that these IEMs are often what are recommended to those with low post counts (aka newcomers) as they are the default standard in the head-fi community.
 

 
That's mean. 

 
 

 

[Parall3l]

Quote:

Definitely the 

Monster iBeats

With their superior sound and build quality, the Monster iBeats are a worthy contender in the 80 - 120CAD market. Though some say that their SQ is not as great as that of skull candy, the pristine levels of bass found in these IEMs create a soundstage much like that of a symphony orchestra. You will find that these IEMs are often what are recommended to those with low post counts (aka newcomers) as they are the default standard in the head-fi community.
 

Is that sarcasm or are you serious about the ibeats being good? Rarely do you see a head fi'er saying that a monster product is good. (apart from the turbine line)
 

 

[soundstige]

>Though some say that their SQ is not as great as that of skull candy
 
Quote:

 
Is that sarcasm or are you serious about the ibeats being good? Rarely do you see a head fi'er saying that a monster product is good. (apart from the turbine line)
 

 

 

[Parall3l]

Quote:

>Though some say that their SQ is not as great as that of skull candy
 


 

I see, but at least skullcandy is trying to enter the audiophile market, got to give them credit for trying 

 

[Costia]

I have the monster turbines pro
sound great, lots of bass
but the build quality sucks. you will need to glue them together and solder a new jack when it fails (when, not if)

 

[lebomb]

I love my S4's for R&B/ Hip-Hop.....................  *SHRUGS*

 

[dbdynsty25]

I agree with the NuForce 700x...and they make a model with the mic for calls:
 
http://www.amazon.com/Nuforce-NE-700M-Audiophile-Grade-Earphone-microphone/dp/B004I8MUOO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1312567914&sr=8-2
 

 

[Andrewnd]

I waited and ended up with the Beats Tour, Say what you want about them I like them and they work for me !