[RokYa]

 
Hi guys, 
 
I'm looking to buy new earphones/IEM's to use with my Cowon J3. I currently have a pair of Klipsch S4, and would like someting of a similar style (i.e. in-ear, not over-ear), with a budget of £150 ($230).
 
I was originally considering the Ultimate Ears 700, Etymotic ER4P, Klipsch X10 and Q-Jays, however I've come across the Fischer Audio Tandem and read good reviews about them so I've included them in my consideration as well.
 
Any advice to help my decision with these phones would be great!
 
Thanks

 

[RokYa]

Bump

 

[Plusbits]

Not that I'm trying to muddy the waters any further, but if you're after something that's fairly well balanced I'd say UE-700s or even Vsonic R07s. If you want something more 'fun' sounding, probably the qJay's. If you're after a lot of bass, try Atrio M5s or Denon AH-C710s. It all depends on what kind of sound you're after From that list though, the UE's are probably your best bet.

 

[jaqueh]

what kind of music do u listen to? because that is usually the most important aspect to consider when recommending headphones

 

[RokYa]

Thanks for replying Plusbits and Jaqueh,
 
I mainly listen to Hip-Hop and R'n'B but I'm not a bass-head. I'd rather have tight bass then one which is over-powering.
What I'm really looking for is a pair of earphones that produce detailed and accurate sound I can use while travelling/commuting. I suppose 'fun' sounding phones would be the way to go but I'd probably prefer something neutral that can 'respond' better to the EQ on my Cowon.
 
I've read good things about the R07's, especially on Joker's Multi-IEM Review thread, but there phones are over-the-ear types right? I'd much prefer straight in-ear types. Unfortunately the M5's are really difficult to find in the UK so I'm going to have to rule them out. I'll need to read up on the Denon's as I don't know much about them but they will be easy to get a hold of as many retailer's sell them over here. The UE700 were my top choice so it's good to hear you recommend them!
 
Thanks.

 

[jaqueh]

i think you should go with the UE700

 

[RokYa]

Thanks Jaqueh, 
 
The votes seem to favour the Klipsch X10 but I think I'm going to go with the UE700, unless some other members suggest other phones?

 

[ZARIM]

The JVC FXT90 are fun sounding IEMs with great bass response and canbe wear straight down. The other IEMs like UE TF10Pro, MTP Gold, MTP Copper,  Sennheiser IE8 and used FX700 are also recommended.

 

[navmau]

I listen to trance/progressive/chillout and I love my bass but it can't be bloated or bleed into the mid-range. When I got the S4, I actually went back to my old Atrio's and considered them a huge upgrade over the S4's! Recently, I got the newer Atrio with MG7 drivers and I just absolutely can't get enough of them. I would say they should be perfect for your genre of choice as the bass is big but so beautifully textured plus NO other universal IEM can match the sub-bass of the Atrio's, this is fact!
 
The mids and high end are just awesome and not at all harsh! Any piano, string instrument, guitars all sound magical...as in really realistic and natural.

 

[RokYa]

Thanks Zarim and Navmau,
 
I've tried both the Turbine Gold's and Copper's and to be honest I didn't really like them, particularly the Golds! And plus they seem was to expensive. I will check out the FXT90 and MG7 but the other are out of my budget. Out of the two (FXT90 vs MG7) which one would have a 'tighter' bass response as opposed to a 'bloated' one?
 
Thanks guys.

 

[pufftissue]

I never liked the S4 for anything other than the low price.
They sound muddy to me, always have.  And big bass, but all bloated. Not tight or focused at all, and overpowering.

 

[DGarces89]

If you like the S4s, I'd go with the x10s. The fit is quite similar, so you'll know if you can achieve a proper seal and not have to worry about bulkier drivers/tips. Going from the S4, I found the low end to be much more refined. It has the punch of the S4s, without all the boom and bleed. I've found the midrange to be brought more forward, rather than recessed with the S4, and the treble to be improved, not detecting a hint of sibilance unlike the S4. My only gripe is that it's meant to be worn with the cables going down, rather than up and over the ear, so microphonics are a bit of a problem, but remedied with a clip.
 
Quote:

Thanks for replying Plusbits and Jaqueh,
 
I mainly listen to Hip-Hop and R'n'B but I'm not a bass-head. I'd rather have tight bass then one which is over-powering.
What I'm really looking for is a pair of earphones that produce detailed and accurate sound I can use while travelling/commuting. I suppose 'fun' sounding phones would be the way to go but I'd probably prefer something neutral that can 'respond' better to the EQ on my Cowon.
 
I've read good things about the R07's, especially on Joker's Multi-IEM Review thread, but there phones are over-the-ear types right? I'd much prefer straight in-ear types. Unfortunately the M5's are really difficult to find in the UK so I'm going to have to rule them out. I'll need to read up on the Denon's as I don't know much about them but they will be easy to get a hold of as many retailer's sell them over here. The UE700 were my top choice so it's good to hear you recommend them!
 
Thanks.

 
 

 

[navmau]

Quote:

Thanks Zarim and Navmau,
 
I've tried both the Turbine Gold's and Copper's and to be honest I didn't really like them, particularly the Golds! And plus they seem was to expensive. I will check out the FXT90 and MG7 but the other are out of my budget. Out of the two (FXT90 vs MG7) which one would have a 'tighter' bass response as opposed to a 'bloated' one?
 
Thanks guys.

The Atrio MG7 have the most amazing bass. I just posted my review on these IEMs. The bass goes very low, well into the sub-bass region and are extremely well textured and have no mid-bass bloat at all.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/586322/review-future-sonics-atrio-mg7
 

 

[RokYa]

Thanks for all the advice guys,
 
I think I'm going to give the UE700 a try and if I don't like them I will get the X10, which I'm sure I'll like as I already like the S4.

 

[RokYa]

Hi guys,
 
Just wanted to provide an update. I received the UE700 and have been testing them over the Christmas weekend. Unfortunately I didn't like them and will be sending them back. I had done hours of A-to-B testing against the Klipsch S4 and this is what I concluded:
 

1. In terms of Bass I found the UE700 quite weak. I had read many reviews and comments about this on head-fi and I thought I could live with it but it was too poor for me. It just doesn't extend as low as I would like it, the 'impact' was missing. The quality of the bass was okay but the quantity was lacking.
2. The mid-range was superior compared to the S4, although I found it to be just a tiny bit 'forward' but not too much. Certainly I preferred the mids of the UE700 over the S4 without question. It was clear, detailed and realistic, just the was I would want it to be.
3. The treble on the UE700 reaches higher than the S4. It was simply brilliant. The highs are highly articulated and very detailed which was delightful, at first. However later I felt that it falls victim to sibilance. Most of the treble I was hearing was harsh and gritty. Simply too aggressive for my ears, causing a lot of fatigue. I would have much preferred it to be more smooth and crisp with the highs.
4. Pretty much the only thing that I can't criticize is the sound stage. I thought it was amazing. The S4 felt very narrow compared to the UE700. It just felt the music was surrounding me, almost 3D-like. 

 
So basically I did find that the UE700 provided more detail and a wider sound stage than the S4, but putting all these separate components into harmony I have to say that I found the S4 to be better. I know the mids and sound stage is not as good but the treble is much more enjoyable and the bass is far better with the S4. And I just think that the UE700 just doesn't justify it's price tag, particularly considering I got the S4's for almost half the price. So I'm back on the hunt for a pair of IEM's, possibly considering the Q-jays (which is supposedly better with bass), the Atrio MG7 (much better with bass but might be lacking in the mids and treble) or the X10 (maybe too similar to the S4's I already own?). I need you advice guys!!!
 
Thanks.