[BurningRadio]

So I've been researching for the past few months on what pair of In-Ear headphones I should purchase and I've narrowed my selection down to a few that I've seen recommended here on Head-Fi. My last purchase I made was a set of Sennheiser HD428's and I couldn't be happier with my purchase...but I miss having my in-ear headphones for on-the-go....so I've turned back to here to look.  
 
The only in-ear headphones I've owned are some Koss KE29 IEMs and When I got them a year ago for 15 bucks, I was so obsessed with them, however after listening to my music on my HD428's, I've realized how crappy they really are. I enjoy the soundstage of my HD428's and the balanced sound as well as the present, but not overpowering, bass....which the cheap Koss lack in all areas.

 I love the "analytical' sound that the HD428 has as well. 
 
SO...I'd really appreciate opinions on which set of headphones I should get. Not looking to spend a ton since these will be used on-the-go.
 
ECCI PR100 or PR200 
Visang R02 or R03 (Brainwavez M2)
 
....and anything else sub $50 that you may recommend I research further. 
 
ALSO, Is there any sort of warranty on the ECCI headphones or Visang headphones? I've definitely used the Lifetime warranty for the Koss. They're so cheap and plastic that they seem to only last several months...hence why I'm here trying to find something better and different. 
 
Thank you for your opinions! 
 
 
 
 

 

[ljokerl]

Brainwavz M1 are currently on sale (preorder) at mp4nation. At $29.50 they're a steal. They are closely related to the ViSang R02/R03 but more balanced. The ECCI PR100/PR200/PR300 are balanced as well but I wouldn't call them analytical - they have a thick and creamy note that makes them rather musical and mellow.
 
I believe all ECCI and ViSang models come with a 1-year warranty (at least according to the warranty card in the box) but it would have to be mitigated through the eBay seller. Mp4nation provides a 1-year warranty on the Brainwavz earphones as well. If you're concerned about warranty perhaps the Maximo iM-590 is worth a look as well.

 

[BurningRadio]

Thanks for that!
 
I actually had the iM-590 on my list but for some reason ruled it out because I've heard some say that it's more treble than they prefer. I prefer balanced, but I also appreciate bass, so I was worried I'd be disappointed with too much treble. So I assume I'm wrong about the thinking of them as not balanced?
I would also like to have a set of IEMs that are mainly a metal housing because of the durability so the iM-590 does fit that requirement and I must say that the Accessories and 2 year warranty are enticing!...something that has me a bit put off by the M1 and Visang R02's lack of. 
 
As for the Brainwavz M1, That is a very nice deal! 
 
Ooh the choices... 

 

[ljokerl]

There's really no such thing as 'too much treble' just as there's no such thing as 'too much bass' - it's all personal preference. I find both the M1 and the iM-590 nicely balanced but give the edge overall to the M1. Bass quantity is comparable between the two but the M1 has slightly more forward mids and marginally more laid-back treble. 

 

[BurningRadio]

In terms of clarity, which of the bunch would you recommend?  I honestly wouldn't mind a bit of a punchy (almost boomy) bass with my IEM's considering I listen to a lot of Dance music...I'm just not a bass fiend. 
 
So basically, I would like a mostly balanced sound with a small emphasis on bass, good overall clarity, and a nice soundstage. What would you recommend to satisfy those needs?  I don't mind if it's a bit warm either. 
 
 
I trust your opinions because I've seen your thorough reviews of every one of these IEM's I've looked at.

And Once again, thank you for your help. 

 

[ljokerl]

Well, you want all that for under $50 which is definitely limiting. It really depends on what your first priority is. The M1 and iM-590 both have excellent clarity but are neither warm nor boomy. If you want to go back to warm and slightly more bassy that would be the ViSang R02/R03 but you'd lose out on the balance of the M1/iM-590. The soundstage on the ViSang/Brainwavz earphones (they're all related and quite similar in presentation) is not particularly wide but it is very enveloping and gives the illusion of listening to something much larger than an IEM. The iM-590 sounds wider but doesn't quite have the immersion factor.

 

[BurningRadio]

Wow, Thank you for that! I'm basically narrowing in on the M1 or R02/R03 now. It's basically down to balanced or more bass.