[Grazel]

So my cx-300 II Sennheisers just clonked out on me yesterday and I'm leaving to go on a roadtrip on this Friday. Ugh..haha. So now I've been desperately searching for new IEMs and have come to some serious confusion over which pair to go for. For a bit of BG info, I have a pair of Sennheiser HD 595's which I use regularly and love but  I'm not looking for some IEM replacement to those. I'm more or less looking for a comfortable, better-sounding(than the cx-300), and preferably decent noise isolating set. Now my initial price-range was under $100 but after reading many reviews, the majority consensus was that it was worth it to go for a bit more then that so I've bumped it up to under $200. So, with that said, here are some of the options that I've found:
 
http://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-IMAGE-S4-Noise-Isolating-Headphones/dp/B001V9LPT4/ref=sr_1_1?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1317140301&sr=1-1
-Most popular on Amazon, pretty favorable reviews.
http://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-Portable-Earphones-Black/dp/B000XPG2QI/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1317061827&sr=1-5
-Best noise isolation and nice clarity to mids-highs, though apparently lacking in the comfort, durability, and bass departments.
http://www.amazon.com/Shure-SE315-K-Isolating-Earphone-Hi-Definition/dp/B00426DND4/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
-Seems to be comparable to the Etys but with better durability and base?
http://www.amazon.com/Aud%C3%A9o-Perfect-Fit-Earphones-Black/dp/B004991ROQ
-Kind of seems like a dark horse, unsure of the noise isolation, sound quality, etc.
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Ears-TripleFi-Isolating-Earphones/dp/B0019RBJOE/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
-A bit over my price-range but I couldn't help notice the massive savings on it, concerned over the comfort though(lying on pillow, etc.)
 
 
So to all you audio experts out there, which of these would give me the "best" sound, good isolation, durability, and comfort for the $$$. Also, the music I listen to is pretty varied from the Glitch Mob to Ludovico Einaudi. Though bass is great, I think it'd be fine to trade-off strong bass for clarity on the mids and highs. Thank you very much for the help

 

[NA Blur]

$60-$70
Brainwavz M2
http://www.amazon.com/Brainwavz-BWAVZ-M2-M2-In-Ear-Headphones/dp/B004IK1VBA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317141887&sr=8-1
 
$150
Etymotic HF5
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/etymotic-hf5.php
 
$150
Ultimate Ears UE700
http://www.headphone.com/rightbetweenyourears/?p=2211
 
If it were me I would get the UE700's as they use a dual driver system.  They have a woofer and tweeter driver in them so the sound out of them is simply amazing.  They are really low profile too so they are not a bother for your ears.
 

 

[Grazel]

Thanks for the response but I'm still confused as to which $150 option would be the best for the money. Are there any noticeable differences/distinguishing features between the Ety hf5, Shure 315k, UE700, and Adeo PFE? Which would you say is the best sounding out of those 4? I just want to make sure I get the best out of this since $150 is kind of a lot for me but worth it.

 

[dbdynsty25]

Of those four....the Phonak PFE is my pick.  Those are fantastic earphones for the price.

 

[Grazel]

Thank you for the reply  I'm curious though, how good is the noise isolation on the PFEs and are there major sound differences between them and the Ety hf5s?

 

[kmhaynes]

Based on user reviews of durability, the UE products don't seem to hold up compared to their price -- check Amazon.com reviews for the UE700. 
 
I've had the HF5 before and really liked it.  It has a flatter sound than the options you listed in the OP (it has a single BA driver), but it can be EQ'd up some for a fuller sound.  And, it is built extremely securely and will last for years if you take care of it.

 

[Grazel]

Well, I decided to go with the Phonak PFEs. Thank you all for the help, I really appreciate it