[hezagenius]

Hello, everyone. First post here.

Last week, my ER6i's crapped the bed. The sound went out in the left ear. They lasted about a year and half so I guess I can't complain. I used them 6-8 hours a day during the week at a relatively quiet work environment plus at the gym so I probably got my money's worth from them. Still, they felt a little frail. I am now looking for some replacements.

My primary concern after SQ is that I do not want cords over my ears. They just really bother me. Seems like a lot of IEM's these days are designed for that. I listen to pretty much all types of music (classical, ambient, metal, rock, rap) so I would like an all-around good sounding set of IEM's. They will be used almost exclusively on a Zune80 with no EQ. I do not plan to use the new pair at the gym (I will just use the buds that came with the Zune since they seem fairly durable and I won't mind beating them up). I would rather sacrifice some bass to get clarity in the mids and highs. The IEM's also need to be compatible with foam tips. The tri-flanges that came with the ER6i's didn't seem to fit as well and really made my ears itch! I would like to stay under $150.

After reading through some of the sticky review thread, it seems like the ER6i's performed well for what I am looking for. Are there any other options I should consider? Something more durable perhaps? Also, it would be nice to have the option to replace the wire if it goes bad. I think that is what happened to my ER6i's.

 

[ClieOS]

Head-Direct RE2.

It sounds better than ER6i, but less isolation. The plus side is the included big bi-flanges are quite comfortable and you can use Comply T400 on it. The other option I can think of is Atrio M5.

I don't recall seeing any sub-150 IEM has user replaceable cable except Super.fi 3.

 

[hezagenius]

Thanks, I will look into those.

I'm not opposed to spending more than $150 but I would like a decent jump in quality. The Sleek SA6's look nice but are they worth the step up in price over the ER6i or the RE2?

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hezagenius /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Sleek SA6's look nice but are they worth the step up in price over the ER6i or the RE2?

Definitely, IMO.

 

[GreatDane]

ER4P of course.

 

[tonyfiore75]

The Ultimate Ears Super.Fi 5 Pros get my vote. I used them before I went custom and really felt like they had a lot to offer. You don't HAVE to wear them around your ears. They can just hang down if you wish. Their sound is punchy and bright and would compliment your musical tastes quite nicely.

 

[hezagenius]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonyfiore75 /img/forum/go_quote.gif You don't HAVE to wear them around your ears. They can just hang down if you wish.

Aren't they angled to fit better with the cord over the ear? They sure look like it. I would think they would feel awkward wearing them with the cord down.

 

[tonyfiore75]

Nah- you can just turn them around and wear them that way (meaning that you spin them 90 degrees so that the cord is facing downwards instead of upwards). Some people feel the way you do about wrapping cords around their ears and wear them that way. I do believe you can check the UE Web site to check on different ways of inserting them. Here is a direct link to the user guide on their site:

Super.fi 5 Pro Userguide - Products - Ultimate Ears Earphones Headphones Personal Monitors

 

[wrecked_porsche]

OP, you should also consider the Altec iM716 and the Harman Kardon EP730. Great bang for the buck.