[OttoRobba]

Hi Joker, great thread!!
 
I was looking at getting a budget iem and you seem to be the best person to ask this, I have pretty much only used my samsung galaxy S2 headphone, as far as iems go.
 
I tend to listen to rock, folk, acoustic, orchestral soundtracks and a bit of electronic and pop music, for hours on end, mostly while I draw, so I guess that something smoother, less fatiguing would be better - I do love clarity though.
 
I'd say it is comfort = sound quality > durability > isolation > microphonics > anything else
 
The UE 500 are available for U$28 on Amazon. Should I go for them or spring a bit more and go for something else, like the gr02 or the Brainwavz M5?

 

[MariusHLG]

Philips SHE3680/82

Thanks for the advice, but they are overbudget at 25 $ one pair.
From my suggestions, which is better?

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

I'd like to ask if the sound ratings are scaled the same for your IEMs and headphone threads? So if a headphone and an IEM both get 9/10, do you prefer them equally?

 
I wasn't trying to scale them the same but they seem to correspond within 0.25 of a point or so. 
 
Quote:

Awesome thread with a huge list of IEMs reviewed with detailed description and comparisons!

Thank you for your effort and time to continually update this thread with more reviews and answering everyone's questions, which helps to cut down on Thread spam so that threads like these can continue to shine, cheers!

Now I just have to decide between the FitEar To Go! 334 and Unique Melody Miracle, for long-term use and music enjoyment, mostly because I may lose a bit of weight, and thus risk losing the seal and comfort of the UM Miracle. Also, the FitEar To Go! 334 is such a challenging IEM to get your hands on, as it is constantly Out Of Stock, LOL!
 

 
Thanks 

 
From what I understand you need to lose a good amount of weight for your ears to be affected - I've heard anything from 20 to 50 lbs. If you lose seal you'd either have to get a re-fit or sell the unit and go for something else.
 
Quote:

Having both underhand now, they are nothing alike in terms of signature. The 334 have slow bass decay and thick mids whereas the Miracles have tight bass and thinner mids, and huge, airy soundstage...so it really depends on what you are looking for. 

 
+1
 
Quote:

Hi guys,just signed in for this awesome thread, great job ljoker!
Second, I am looking for some advices.
I wanna buy some cheap and good in ear headphones for me and my gf to use on the daily commute.
I want to be able to isolate some of the subway noise and to be able to hear all the music, a mix of good bass and good mids/highs, but without having to listen to max volume, lets say around 70-80% volume.
My searches led up to 2 models, Philips SHE3590 and the Sony MDR EX10.
What to you guys advice to buy? Or propose another model in the 8-15$ range better than my suggestions.
Thanks in advance.

 
Can't comment on the EX10 but I can definitely recommend the SHE3580/3590. It's a great earphone on the cheap and isolation is very reasonable. The other earphones I like in that price range (e.g. Monoprice 8320) don't isolate as much.
 
 
Quote:

Hi Joker, great thread!!
 
I was looking at getting a budget iem and you seem to be the best person to ask this, I have pretty much only used my samsung galaxy S2 headphone, as far as iems go.
 
I tend to listen to rock, folk, acoustic, orchestral soundtracks and a bit of electronic and pop music, for hours on end, mostly while I draw, so I guess that something smoother, less fatiguing would be better - I do love clarity though.
 
I'd say it is comfort = sound quality > durability > isolation > microphonics > anything else
 
The UE 500 are available for U$28 on Amazon. Should I go for them or spring a bit more and go for something else, like the gr02 or the Brainwavz M5?

 
 
That's a very good deal if you're looking for a mild v-shape as your signature. The UE500 is pretty smooth - certainly more so than the GR02BE. Clarity is about on-par. The M5 is smoother but the tradeoff is less treble in general and also a touch less clarity.

 

[cyrusxd]

can anyone suggest a good replacement for my soon to retire vsonic gr07, its getting worn out already. A close sounding iem to vsonic gr07 would be great. I listen to various genres and i dont stick to one. I dont have an amp but i think i can drive some iems fairly. A price range not exceeding 150$ can stretch to 175$ but thats it. hope to get some feedback

 

[Zelda]

Quote:

Thanks for the advice, but they are overbudget at 25 $ one pair.
From my suggestions, which is better?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Philips-SHE3682-In-Ear-Headphones-Blue-Colour-/130864874254?pt=UK_AudioVisualElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Headphones&hash=item1e7827830e

 

[kmd107]

Quote:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Philips-SHE3682-In-Ear-Headphones-Blue-Colour-/130864874254?pt=UK_AudioVisualElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Headphones&hash=item1e7827830e

Or even better price, depending on your location
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-White-Philips-SHE3581-In-Ear-Headphones-/200912848980?pt=US_Headphones&hash=item2ec756c854

 

[EPICFAILXD]

Joker, have you by any chance heard about the Philips Fidelio S1 and S2? I'm intrigued by the design and the few impressions that have been written about them.

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

can anyone suggest a good replacement for my soon to retire vsonic gr07, its getting worn out already. A close sounding iem to vsonic gr07 would be great. I listen to various genres and i dont stick to one. I dont have an amp but i think i can drive some iems fairly. A price range not exceeding 150$ can stretch to 175$ but thats it. hope to get some feedback

 
What are you looking to change compared to the GR07? I've been enjoying the newer GR07BE lately. If you don't want another VSonic set I don't think you'll find anything with quite the same signature in that price range. Some alternatives with different signatures may be the JVC FXT90, Yamaha EPH-100, or HiFiMan RE-400.
 
Quote:

Joker, have you by any chance heard about the Philips Fidelio S1 and S2? I'm intrigued by the design and the few impressions that have been written about them.

I have both. Currently working on a review. So far they sound very good (and very similar to each other). I think the cheaper $100 one (forgot which number goes with which) is at least as good a value as the RE-400 from HiFiMan.
 
Two small nitpicks so far: I am not a big fan of the stock silicone tips and the housings are a little on the large side (13.5mm drivers and all that). Once sealed properly they definitely deliver, though. 

 

[Zelda]

Quote:

Or even better price, depending on your location
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-White-Philips-SHE3581-In-Ear-Headphones-/200912848980?pt=US_Headphones&hash=item2ec756c854

well i linked the 3680/2, while that´s the 3580. they´re a bit different, and the 36 look much cooler

 

[danikus]

Hi Joker!
Do you think she3580 is better than sm e30 in terms of sound quality? Thanks! 

 

[insidedrive]

Joker, this thread is perhaps the one I go to the most on any website thanks for your work! 
Anyways I have a quick question regarding the GR07 Bass Editions. I am interested in them and am wondering if they are an absolute upgrade from my GR07 MK1s. I am in love with every part of the MK1's except for the sibilance issue, are they corrected in the Bass Editions? Also which one of them do you prefer? Thanks a lot!

 

[waynes world]

Quote:

Joker, this thread is perhaps the one I go to the most on any website thanks for your work! 
Anyways I have a quick question regarding the GR07 Bass Editions. I am interested in them and am wondering if they are an absolute upgrade from my GR07 MK1s. I am in love with every part of the MK1's except for the sibilance issue, are they corrected in the Bass Editions? Also which one of them do you prefer? Thanks a lot!

 
Another place to consider asking is in this gr07be thread... quite a few people there have had the various GR07's.
 
Btw, this is a link to the GR07BE FR graph at Innerfidelity, and this is the GR07.

 

[Alias Gu]

Quote:

I would try the MDR-EX600 or EX1000. Beyond that, i don't know.

Do you think Miracles and SE 3ways can be one of them?

 

[ljokerl]

Quote:

Hi Joker!
Do you think she3580 is better than sm e30 in terms of sound quality? Thanks! 

 
Yes, I like it better. Better deep bass and more crisp-sounding overall. 
 
Quote:

Joker, this thread is perhaps the one I go to the most on any website thanks for your work! 
Anyways I have a quick question regarding the GR07 Bass Editions. I am interested in them and am wondering if they are an absolute upgrade from my GR07 MK1s. I am in love with every part of the MK1's except for the sibilance issue, are they corrected in the Bass Editions? Also which one of them do you prefer? Thanks a lot!

 
I wouldn't call the GR07BE an upgrade to the GR07mkI but it's certainly on-par. The BE is a little less sibilant but "corrected" is too strong a word for the amount of improvement. If I remember correctly the GR07BE is based on the GR07 mkII, which some reported to be less sibilant than the mkI. 
 
Other than the treble, I think the BE has a touch more bass but poorer bass-midrange balance as a result, causing the mids of my mkI to appear more prominent in comparison. If I had to put them together, I would take the bass and midrange of my mkI with the treble of the BE.
 
Quote:

Do you think Miracles and SE 3ways can be one of them?

Not if you want an IEM that sounds like a headphone. Most of the higher-end in-ear sets have a more 3D/enveloping soundstage that's not as out-of-the-head as that if most headphones. The EX600/EX1000 are some of the few exceptions.

 

[MDFMK]

New poster here!  I've been following this thread for a while - thank you Joker, it's an amazing resource.
 
I'm in the market for a new IEM in the $100 range or so, but I'm a bit of a newbie in the audio realm so I've been stumped.  I primarily listen to EDM with some metal as well, so I would like to find something that suits both.  Angled nozzle would also be a huge plus, I strongly prefer that sort of fit.  For a while I was eying the CKM99, but I'm a bit wary of the hot treble - as well, the only buying options I see for it on Amazon are Japanese sellers, and I've no idea which might be authorized and which might be more dubious.