[swistak]

hi!
I am in the market for new IEMs and been wondering which ones would be most gradoish in sound. I'm looking for something like grado-ish yet airy and somewhat balanced, that is what I found MS2i and SR80 to be, so I guess no E500. Currently I have super.fi 5 and they have this "w" shaped signature with a slight bump around upper mids and I seem to quite like them and find them most MS2i like IEM i have ever had, however I would like to step up and try something better - now that I have MS2i, I don't really enjoy them as much. I am torn between triple.fi and W3, leaning towards the former, hoping that it would be more refined version of what I already have and like, however having heard a lot of good things about W3, i have some second thoughts.

So to sum up, which IEM would be most similar to the cans I own and enjoy that much - MS2i

 

[Calexico]

The RE2s have been recommended as Grado-ish IEMs, although they have fallen out of favor due to the rise of the bassier Nuforce NE-7Ms. I don't know what Grados sound like, but I really enjoyed my RE2s. They're slightly bass light, but the mids are smooth and the treble is neither recessed nor overpowering.

 

[ZephyrSapphire]

Westone 3's. Hands down.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

The triple.fi 10 Pro is what you're looking for, although the sound is "rough." "Unrefined" is probably another word that could be used for it, but I'm sure you can get a picture of what I mean. I'm sure those words have greatly exaggerated your thought on the sound now, but you should definitely try them out yourself.

The Yuin PK2 some people say so, but I strongly disagree with that. It is airy like an AKG, and the drums are light and plastic-like.

As for the Westone 3, I was originally ready to say that I disagree, but on some albums, like Springsteen's early work, they REALLY (and I mean REALLY) shine. If the sound is bright to begin with, and it's decently mastered in the first place, and you can acheive the right tips for your ear canal, then by all means try out the Westone 3 as well.

 

[raelamb]

Westone 3's no doubt.

 

[forsberg]

Another vote for W3.