[MicFiend]

Hello everyone!

First of all, I am proud to say that I am new in head-fi community, and I hope I will blend well.

Now, I am going to get to the topic - In Ear Canalphones(IEMs).
I recently bought an iPod Shuffle - which is great, btw, and the stock iPod earbuds really bite. I am not an audiophile by any means, but I do need to replace them with a good quality pair.
Now, I've been interested in In-Earphones, and I want to buy a pair for my shuffle. I need it to be pretty isolating, so I won't have to crank up the volume and damage my hearing(although this type of earphones do damage your hearing more than on-the-head type), and almost all of my songs are Hip Hop & Rap, so I need thumpin' bass(but well balanced on other notes too). I don't need the earphones to be super sound quality like Shure's & Westone's high-end models, but I need it to be pretty good.. on the 50$ range.

So as you can see my budget is UP to 50$(The cheaper the marrier!). I hope you can help me find a pair that will fit me well, well actually I have no doubt you will be successful.

Sorry for the long paragraph lol, and thanks to everyone who comments and helps!

Have a good day!
MicFiend

 

[tstarn06]

No IEMs for under $50 of much value. Better off replacing the iBuds with something like Yuin PK3s, which are also buds and cost $50. Major jump in SQ. Another option for about $50 (from third party sellers on Amazon.com) is the Altec-Lansing iM616, which does deliver very good SQ in that price range. I have owned the 616s, and they are very good.

Really, under $50 is tough. There are several brands of canalphones that are under that price (Creative EP-630, for example) and you can get a pair of Sennheiser CX300s for under that amount. But I don't think much of either, though they are popular (we have both in our household, belonging to my daughter, the 630s, and my wife, the CX300s), so I have heard them both.

Welcome to Head-Fi.

 

[NeObliviscaris]

Welcome to Head-Fi, sorry about your wallet!

I did have the Ultimate Super Fi 3, which you can sometimes find for $40-$55. They are nice entry level IEMs, a bit weird on the fit, but they sound great for the price you pay.

 

[MicFiend]

Thanks for the great tips tstarn06 and FeedMeTrance

tstarn06- I'm afraid that I'm terribly uncomfortable with regular earbuds, so the Yuin isn't much of an option for me. The prices on the Altec's on Amazon in 80$. Though, how is the sound quality & noise isolation in the Sennheiser's CX300 and Creative EP630?

FeedMeTrace- I actually thought about the Super.fi 3s. Can you attest about the sound isolation of those? And what do you mean by "weird in the fit"? They aren't comfortable to wear? Please elaborate

Another option I've come across online- The JBL Reference 220. Seems pretty good, cloth covered cord seems like a brilliant idea, but I have no idea about the sound isolation, or the overall sound. What do you say?

 

[intoflatlines]

The SF3 sounds good. It is larger than most other IEMs, so some find it uncomfortable or awkward. For the price it definitely is a good deal.

 

[LaBreaHead]

My first couple of attempts at improving on "hanging" earbuds were canal phones with the soft silicone ear tips ... such as the Creative and Sennheiser you mention. For fit, comfort and some bass, the Creatives are a good value. If your limit is absolutely $50, you'll get a fair step up from ear buds with the Creatives. Just plan on upgrading down the line, sooner or later -- so start saving!


__________________________
Phones (in order of purchase):
Sony MDR71, Sony MDR51, Etymotic ER6, Panasonic RP-HJ50, Shure E3C, Koss PortaPro 2, Creative EP630, Etymotic ER6i, Sennheiser PX-100, Sennheiser HD555, Future Sonics Atrio M5

 

[tstarn06]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicFiend /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the great tips tstarn06 and FeedMeTrance tstarn06- I'm afraid that I'm terribly uncomfortable with regular earbuds, so the Yuin isn't much of an option for me. The prices on the Altec's on Amazon in 80$. Though, how is the sound quality & noise isolation in the Sennheiser's CX300 and Creative EP630? FeedMeTrace- I actually thought about the Super.fi 3s. Can you attest about the sound isolation of those? And what do you mean by "weird in the fit"? They aren't comfortable to wear? Please elaborate Another option I've come across online- The JBL Reference 220. Seems pretty good, cloth covered cord seems like a brilliant idea, but I have no idea about the sound isolation, or the overall sound. What do you say?

I just bought a pair of 616s for $45 shipped via Amazon (for a friend). You have to click on the "New and used" link, and you'll find several third party sellers selling them new for $39.99 plus $5 S&H. Just pick the one with the lowest price/best rating. That's what I did.

Otherwise, I'd look for a good deal on the Senn CX300s, which I think sound better than the EP630s. I can't speak for UE or Shure, as I have never owned those brands. The JBLs do get some good reviews, and I think there may be some mods for them, too. To improve the sound out of the box. Try searching Head-Fi for them.

 

[FreeZ5]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the Crossroads MylarOne X3i (just a bit over $50 but shipping included) or the JVC Marshmallows ($20US).

I am very happy with my Marshmallows (without the suggested mods, but with UE tips) but I have no experience with 'better' canalphones.

Steve

 

[MicFiend]

Thanks for the great tips everyone.
Yesterday I've found out that one of my friends has a Super. fi 3 Studio, so he let me try it, and it sounds great, but personally I do not like the over the ear design and the fit.

I would still like to have some personal opinions about the following: JBL Reference 220 and Creative EP630(Senn CX300 disqualified because of J Cable).
Speaking of Creative EP630- I wanted to know if the cable is Y or J shaped, many reviews tell different stories.

Oh and about the Crossroads MylarOne X3i- I really did think about them, but I understood that you can get them only from Jaben.net and not through regular stores, which is a major disadvantage for me... If I am wrong please let me know.

 

[jgonino]

That is true, you can only get them from jaben.net. However, he ships quickly and has excellent customer service.

Occasionally someone sells a pair used in the For Sale forum.

 

[MicFiend]

Too bad

I guess I forgot to say that I need a pair of earphones that can be found at stores.

 

[jgonino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicFiend /img/forum/go_quote.gif Too bad I guess I forgot to say that I need a pair of earphones that can be found at stores.

No offense, but any reason why? People on here will take paypal, and are generally very kind to deal with.

 

[dr dougie]

Real Creative EP630s have a Y cable. Cheap counterfeits can have a J cable. I got mine for free and they're pretty good - they fit me well and sound is ok and definitely an upgrade from any stock ones. I wouldn't pay $50 for them but dell.com sells them for $25 now. You can get them cheaper other places but they're maybe the most counterfeited earphones so stay away from ebay.

 

[MicFiend]

Thanks for the great help everyone, after some thinking I'm buying the JBL Reference 220, they fit my requirements the best.