New IEM for a cable breaker.

[askgar]

I have a major problem with any headphones (or in fact any cables) that travel with me, the cables seem to break constantly, I'm lucky if I can get 12 months out of a pair before they develop some sort of fault. Because of this I tend to buy cheap, so that I don't mind throwing them away.
 
I've always lurked on Head-Fi to read other recomendations/the buyers guide, and during the last 10 years I've owned the Shure SE210, Klipsch Custom 1 (I loved these, however they got discontinued at some point and so I couldn't rebuy), 2 x Klipsch Image X1, 2 x Klipsch Image S3 (with Comply foam tips according to my amazon purchase history), MEElectronics M6 and my current pair, the Xiaomi Hybrid, plus the Headphones that came with my iPhone 4,5,6 and 7 (mostly out of convenience than any sign of quality). The major purchasing decision behind the M6 and Hybrids was a cheap and reasonable IEM. I can't really remember what I liked/didn't like about the headphones I've owned in the past, I just remember all of them (except 1 pair of S3s which I lost), died because the cable broke.
 
My current listening devices are an iPhone 7, and my MacBook Pro. I listen to music via Spotify/Apple Music, and Podcasts on my phone (using either the Hybrids, when i can find the adapter, or the bundled EarPods), and my MacBook Pro uses my DT770s, with Spotify/Apple Music and Brain fm for when I'm trying to get work done.
 
I absolutely love my DT770s (the comfort and sound is ideal for me), and I've started to look at potentially spending a bit more on an IEM for when I'm not at work. I'm currently trying to decide if I should
 
1) Just keep buying cheap IEMs like the Hybrid, and accept I'll be replacing every 6-12 months.
2) Spend around £100 to buy a nicer set of IEMs, hopefully with a replaceable cable, that should last longer than that.
3) Save up a bit more (maybe around £300-400) and get a set of CIEMs from somewhere like ACS Custom or Minerva Hearing, again hopefully with a replaceable cable.
 
Comfort really is important to me, which is why I included 3 as an option, even though it will delay my new IEM acquisition by a few months I can currently keep using the EarPods and Hybrids for now, although I'm not sure how much longer the hybrids have in them.
 
In the future I plan on getting something like that Astell&Kern AK XB10 so that I'll be able to use my DT770s wirelessly with my phone/laptop, but for now I'll likely be using the lightning to 3.5mm convertor for my IEMs, unless there is something amazing and wireless in my budget.
 
Thanks in advance for any advice people can give, I appreciate 1-3 are a bit of a personal choice, but hopefully someone can shed some light on the best IEMs for cable breakers, and possibly options I've not seen before.

 

[Mr Makarov]

Hi there! In my opinion - the best will probably be Shure SE line...I would strongly recommend SE535 - I have used them for years, and I am talking about really heavy usage, 6+ hours daily (8-9+ hrs weekend), commuting, biking, rollerblading (skating) and all that at average 35-42°C temperature...had to replace cable after two years and that just because it turned out all green (oxidation). Sound is awesome (smooth, clear and delightfully natural) and really worth the money (in my opinion again), comfort is awesome too (felt asleep several times listening to music), and a good thing - no wind noise problem, no microphonics (big big big plus). By the way, I also have M6 PRO and they´re not as nearly well built as Shure´s and sound...well, not as good to say the least.
Also I would consider Mee Pinnacle P1 (very sturdy, detachable cables, 200$). Have not heard them but will buy them soon as I am very interested in how they perform (and durability).
 
Side note: Dunu Titan 1 are some of the best cheap IEMs ever (100-150$) - they sound better than Sony XBA-3 and as confirmed by some users - better than Westone W40. From my personal experience they are better than Shure SE425 in overall SQ (soundstage is way better/wider on Titan 1) but not as good as SE535..but close. However, they isolate poorly, cables are not detachable, and need some serious tip-rolling to achieve proper seal (otherwise they sound bass-shy and extremely treble-heavy).

 

[askgar]

Thanks for the reply, unfortunately the only Shure SE IEMs in my (current) price range are the 215s. The M6s I owned were only really purchased because they were cheap and rated good value, same with the Xiaomi Hybrids, I wouldn't say either gave me particularly great sound.
 
I'll take a look at the Dunu Titan 1, they seem to fit inside budget, the cable does worry me about them though, I don't really want to be having to replace them within 12 months due to breakage.
 
The Mee Pinnacle is definitely interesting, they do look good and appear to come with 2 cables (with/without headset) which is a definite plus for me, a little out of budget but probably possible in a month or 2.

 

[PL4Y3R 0N3]

Look at the RHA ma750. They should be within your budget and have great SQ. The cable is super thick and sturdy, and the rest of it is made with steel so you should have no problem getting them to last.
And even if you do have a problem, all RHA products come with a 3 year warranty.

 

[daulagiri]

If comfort uber important for you, go with CIEM. Then get linum cable. If you order from ACS, get the studio line-up. They come with linum cable as well. My ACS encores are my most comfortable customs, they melt into my ears in mere minutes.

Careful though, it's hard moving back to universals once you go customs. Same with linum cable. The comfort... dayummmm ...

For 300-400 GBP, check out Custom Art lineup. In my opinion, it's almost impossible to beat them in this price range. Order silicone one, super comfortable, you can thank me later . jk..

 

[askgar]

Look at the RHA ma750. They should be within your budget and have great SQ. The cable is super thick and sturdy, and the rest of it is made with steel so you should have no problem getting them to last.
And even if you do have a problem, all RHA products come with a 3 year warranty.

That looks ideal for a now pair of IEMs, just under budget and they look very sturdy.

If comfort uber important for you, go with CIEM. Then get linum cable. If you order from ACS, get the studio line-up. They come with linum cable as well. My ACS encores are my most comfortable customs, they melt into my ears in mere minutes.

Careful though, it's hard moving back to universals once you go customs. Same with linum cable. The comfort... dayummmm ...

For 300-400 GBP, check out Custom Art lineup. In my opinion, it's almost impossible to beat them in this price range. Order silicone one, super comfortable, you can thank me later . jk..

Comfort really does matter to me, quite often I'll end up taking out the cheap pairs I'm using at the moment after 30 minutes as they're not very comfortable.

I'd been looking at the ACS Evokes, based on my budget, good to hear they're comfortable and come with a good cable.

I checked out the Custom Art site and am now eyeing up a pair from them or ACS. I definitely think I'm going to be working towards some CIEMs in the next 6 months, just have to see how much money I can scrape together to get the best I can!