[Alexis13]

Dears,
I'm looking for new IEMs, since my RE0 are broken.
Will be using it for the moment with Ipod Touch/Iphone 6+ with Minibox ES Amp.
Budget is under 300USD.
I'd like something with detachable cable (or at least with a good braided cable).
 
I like a lot the sound of RE0 and would probably go with RE400, but I don't like a quality at all (even if I understand that can buy 3 pairs of RE400 for 300USD).
For the moment I'm looking at:
 
Westone 3 (Non detachable cable and I'm not sure if their sound will be ok for me after RE0, any suggestions?)
Philips Fidelio S2 (Like the price, bit again non-detachable cable and don't know about build quality)
Custom art music one (Really like design and build quality, but don't know if 1-driver armature will be ok for me after RE0)
Fidue A83 (Like design, price and cable, but seems it is not neutral/detailed enough for me)
Ultimate Ears UE900 (Like design, price and cable, but seems it is not neutral/detailed enough for me)
Earsonics sm2 ifi (not available at the moment and don't know if there is a sense to wait)
Heir audio 2.Ai (I like design, but not sure about sound qty)
 
I understand that maybe there is no a lot of logic to pay a lot of attention to cable/design instead of sound quality at this low price range, but I'd like to try to find some IEMs that will sound well and will have a good build quality.
 
Thanks in advance for your help

 

[milford30]

I suggest a look at RHA T20 or Aurisonics Rockets, both great materials and quality, with great sound. You can probably take Westone 3 off the list, um3x is a better choice given your tastes, but I wouldn't recommend that either. Custom Art with 1 BA driver is probably not a good idea, not to say 12 drivers is a good idea, I feel 3 BA driver, 1 for each frequency range is the minimum for a balanced sound, otherwise getting a dymanic driver will be a better idea.

 

[Alexis13]

Thanks for your suggestions.
Just now I decided to increase my budget to 400USD.
Any other suggestions?
considering also to purchase Nuforce Primo 8, but have a doubt about build quality.
Another option is Noble 4 - but a little bit too much for me (450 USD).. Any other options maybe under 400?

 

[datranz]

Dunu d2000.

 

[milford30]

  Thanks for your suggestions.
Just now I decided to increase my budget to 400USD.
Any other suggestions?
considering also to purchase Nuforce Primo 8, but have a doubt about build quality.
Another option is Noble 4 - but a little bit too much for me (450 USD).. Any other options maybe under 400?

 
The law of diminishing returns kicks in at around 300, don't worry too much about price and rank iem's accordingly and look for what you can afford. From what I have demoed myself, I would jump from T20 or W30 (I feel sounds better than Primo 8) to something like Noble Savant to something top end. Primo is a warmer IEM then the W30 and would probably not fit the RE0 profile.
 
I'd say definitely w30 if you can get it cheap, depends on how long you are willing to search/wait e.g black friday is at the end of november, earphonesolutions sometimes send out discount codes to subscribers. Otherwise T20 would be my choice, playing with filters should last you a while, both offer something special over the usual warm sounding IEMs.
 
Whatever the build quality IEMs or headphones in general tend to fail at just above the 3.5mm jack, nearly all my daily use IEMs have done that, it either goes through warranty, getting another cable then it was upgrade time for me. So don't worry too much about build quality.
 
NOTE: I have not heard the Noble 4, W30 is very different from w3 and buying from a big company like westone (from an authorized dealer) means they'll pretty much give you a new pair under warranty or at least a much reduced price if anything goes wrong.

 

[JKT48]

westone W20 maybe

 

[Alexis13]

Yeap, I've read about it, and relly would proceed with these, but don't like design at all. Unfortunately I'm like this - if they don't look like i want, even if the sound quality is great I'll not purchase it.

 

[Alexis13]

Thanks, I need to read about it, but i agree with milford30, that maybe it is better to proceed with W30 (3 driver BA should be better balanced).

 

[Alexis13]

Thank you, I'm seriously thinking to try W30.
But still have a doubt about Primo 8 that I can get for 250USD only, instead W30 will cost me at least 370USD. But according to last comments here on Head-fi about Primo 8 - the build quality is not so good(
So for the moment my favorite is - Westone W30.
Just need to source for another options.

 

[JKT48]

  Thanks, I need to read about it, but i agree with milford30, that maybe it is better to proceed with W30 (3 driver BA should be better balanced).

IMO. W30 sound bassier than W20. and in terms of sound, W30 have V shaped soundsig

 

[Voyageur]

 
IMO. W30 sound bassier than W20. and in terms of sound, W30 have V shaped soundsig

 
+1. The W30 are far from being neutral at all, they have a nice mid bass hump and bright highs along with slightly recessed mids, a bit like the TripleFi 10 or the HD25.
 
The sound carries rather a lot of detail, though.

 

[ChrisP3]

Maybe the Etymotic ER4. Not detachable but pretty neutral from what I heard.

 

[NoobAThome]

Sony EX1000 or 7550?

 

[Alexis13]

 
IMO. W30 sound bassier than W20. and in terms of sound, W30 have V shaped soundsig

In this case I have to remove W30 from my list. Thanks for this notification. V-shape is not properly that I'm looking for.

 

[Alexis13]

   
+1. The W30 are far from being neutral at all, they have a nice mid bass hump and bright highs along with slightly recessed mids, a bit like the TripleFi 10 or the HD25.
 
The sound carries rather a lot of detail, though.

Thank you, I'm not considering anymore W30, any other options as RE-0/RE-400 replacement?