[Doc-holliday]

Recently was looking for the best IEM under $100 USD. I turned to joker's 250+ IEM review as he is one of the few qualified people who have had experience with a large majority of IEMs.

You heard him ladies and gentlemen.... I guess we r all unqulified to voice our personal experiences with headphones/IEMs so we better get off here. I guess this thread better end here.

Yes, and much respect to joker, that thread is very informative and all shld read it IMO if u r choosing iems, but dont hesitate to voice your own experiences on this forum.....

 

[FieldingMellish]

Quote:

You heard him ladies and gentlemen.... I guess we r all unqulified to voice our personal experiences with headphones/IEMs so we better get off here. I guess this thread better end here.
Yes, and much respect to joker, that thread is very informative and all shld read it IMO if u r choosing iems, but dont hesitate to voice your own experiences on this forum.....

 
 
Total LOL. Yes, a faux pas for a first post. My response would have been, please go back to lurking.

 

[rickdohc]

Quote:

Long time lurker. Recently was looking for the best IEM under $100 USD. I turned to joker's 250+ IEM review as he is one of the few qualified people who have had experience with a large majority of IEMs on the market and provides the most "unbiased" review (data he has collected is a testament to not only his experience but legitimacy). This to me is preferred over many in this forum who state their current purchase of IEMs has the best value/highest SQ/etc when their own scope is limited to say a handful of IEMs. 
 
His chart scoring IEMs against each other helps to sort the best from the worst: http://cdn.head-fi.org/a/a8/a86568db_IEMchartljokerl.png
 
Depending on how you want to break down the price ranges dictates whats the best value:
 
At <$100 the Etymotic HF5 for $99 on amazon. Scoring an 8.6 overall per his review.
 
At <$70 the VSonic gr06 scores an 8.25   
 
At <$40 the Vsonic gr02 bass edition scores a 7.80
 
At <$30 the Vsonic gr99 scores a 7.20
 
I understand prices fluctuate and not all IEMs are listed but ideally this is the closest you'll get to actually auditioning all these IEMs yourself.

 
 
Jokers thread is very informative, but i dont think that you can simply use those numbers for everyone and every situation.  There are all kind of iems,  V shapped, neutral, treble heavy, etc.

So, if you are looking for a iem that will sastisfy you choice of sound, you will fail if you just use the highest score.  For example, if you like to listen to hiphop or bass heavy music then good luck with those monoprices 8320 (better sound score than the Gr99), because even if they got bass its not that prominent and you can buy a iem with the bass you want and need for that kind of music even if its scores below the 8320.
 
Thats why there are hundreds of choices on the market.

 

[fzman]

The O.P. asks an interesting question, which is, apparently, harder to answer than it is to ask, and even harder to answer properly.  I'd like context to be part of this thread, along with the O.P.'s initial request to specify the more expensive Goliath that the recommended Davids are competing against.  But, I would also find it useful, and i think others would as well, if people could give basic details on the best rig they've ever heard, not just 2 minutes at a meet, etc....  If you don't know what's possible, you cannot really say how close to it you are getting....   And, i think we all fall into the trap of sliding all too quickly from "it doesn't suck as much as it should for the price"  to 'it's a bang-for-the-buck leader' just as much as we do to the 'it's really expensive, so it must be better than it sounds to me'.
 
 
Groucho Marx:  "outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.  Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read"

 

[fzman]

P.S. Not sure if I can name specific products as a MOT, so I'll not mention any for the moment.

 

[Doc-holliday]

Total LOL. Yes, a faux pas for a first post. My response would have been, please go back to lurking.

And just had to say that made me laugh.....

The O.P. asks an interesting question, which is, apparently, harder to answer than it is to ask, and even harder to answer properly.  I'd like context to be part of this thread, along with the O.P.'s initial request to specify the more expensive Goliath that the recommended Davids are competing against. But, I would also find it useful, and i think others would as well, if people could give basic details on the best rig they've ever heard, not just 2 minutes at a meet, etc....But, I would also find it useful, and i think others would as well, if people could give basic details on the best rig they've ever heard, not just 2 minutes at a meet, etc....

Now thats a really really good point. For instance i absolutely love my Dt990s and am dumbfounded when i hear someone criticizing them, but what if that person is running 250 ohm dt990s direct from an ipod?- they r gunna sound like hell. He's right your source, amp, etc should be mentioned more often. Sometimes ive found with my headohones they really only excel with that "perfect storm" of settings and equipment.

 

[Doc-holliday]

I have been waiting for one more pair of IEMs to come in the mail to make this last post, but it has been a week and I live in the same city as the seller and still not here so here it goes.

I started this thread with the hopes that I would be able to collect enough info for people on a budget to find good sound and to give some props to different products that don't get recognized because they don't cost a lot. I hope it has been helpful to at least SOMEONE out there. I have purchased or borrowed a bunch of different budget earphones or headphones in the process and lets face it, there are a lot out there that just sound plain bad. And with that, here is my final list of my TOP OVER-PERFORMERS.

#1 -- JVC HA-S500 (import from Japan only -- see amazon)
#2 -- JVC HA-FX40
#2 -- Sennheiser CX200 (using foam tips)
#3 -- Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 (using silicon tips -- NOT FOAM)
#4 -- (was hoping FX 40 would make this list in time but no)

JVC HA S500: I have been listening to these using Sennheiser HD-25 pleather pads to replace the stock ones. As a result I get a V shaped headphone with controlled bass, smoother highs and somehow the mids are not sacrificed. These make the ATH-M50 sound thin and point out their recessed mids when going head to head. They are almost half the price of the ATH-M50 and sound better. Easily as-good-as the HD-25-1 II which cost three times the price. (got mine from a seller called "Made in Japan Online" on Amazon. They ship using Int'l express mail.) $70

EDIT: JVC HA-FX40: Finally got these in and without the well known "200 hours of burn in" that many on here say they require before they smooth out, they still are a FIRM number 2 on my list. I paid 19 dollars for them and they are better than my previous favorite budget IEM (Sennheisers below). I might as well put the entire carbon nanotube line on here but I can only describe what I have tried so far and they own number one and two on my list with the HA S500 a FIRM number one. They are bassy also and I would suggest the FXD70 if you arent into that because I hear they are much more neutral. Cant decide if I like them better with foam or stock tips yet. Im pretty confident you WILL NOT find a better sounding IEM for 20 dollars than these. If I find one I will update it on here.

CX-200: I don't know why these sound so good to me. I have the comply tips on them which tame the bass a bit and take the "edge" off the highs. That combination to me is very plesant to listen to and are perfect for the gym due to an unbelievable fit. Compared back to back with the Shure 210, I frankly will never listen to the low end Shure's again. That's 20 bucks compared with almost 100 and that's why these make my list. They are not just as-good-as, to my ears they blow them away. I purchased several other candidates to compete in that $20 dollar price bracket and there just isn't anyone else I could find that did not have some huge flaw compared to the CX200. If you consider these, be aware they are colored in the bass department.

UE TripleFi 10: These, like I said earlier, are constantly compared with IEMs in the several hundred dollar range. IMO they sound muffled with the comply tips so I much prefer the sound of these with the silicon tips they come with. Due to the 150 dollar price tag on these and that they hold their ground against the big boys, these have to be on my personal list.

I wish I personally had time to try or buy more but these are products that came up repeatedly in posts in this thread that I think make the grade of Overperformer base on information provided only:

JVC HA-S400. Reportedly eventhough they have a 30mm driver compared to the S500 40mm driver, the carbon nanotube technology in these babies deliver. I have seen people post that they are even superior in SQ. JVC just announced they will be released next month in the USA and will retail for 40 dollars. I would count on finding them on line for as low as 35 bucks. Same exact headband as the s500. Inferior padding and slightly smaller cups. Coming in white and black.

Grado SR80i: For 100 bucks these sound like they are worth the investment compared to other 100 dollar cans.

Koss Portapro: Brought up again and again and they are only 40 bucks. Kinda retro looking but sound good.

Koss KSC75: Just search em. If you like playing around with mods, for 15 bucks these supposedly can knock your socks off for the price. One guys says all you need is a headband and the "quarter mod" (cutting a quarter sized hole in the foam pad).

GR99: These are regarded pretty high for their low 20+ dollar price range.

JVC FX40: (Edit: this has now been moved to my personal list above, they finally arrived). At 20 dollars pretty much everywhere, these are the first JVC model in the US with their new "carbon nanotubes" technology. Just search 'em. People are emphatic that they need a couple hundred hours of "burn in" but many are rave about these. My apologies I did not get a chance to try them myself before I wrote this closing post. Blame it on USPS.

Etymotic MC5: Well no one says it better than "Jim" -- "With it's 2 year warranty, great sound reproduction, tunable bass, and 50 dollar price point.It blows away the problematic Yamaha EPH 100. Period.IMHO, Jim"

Anyway, above is a handful lower priced products that perform at higher prices so to speak. Hope this is helpful to someone out there.

-- Doc

EDIT: To add MC5.
EDIT: To add JVC FX 40 to my personal list.

 

[AstroTurf]

Why no Etymotic Products?
 
Jim

 

[stozzer123]

dont know why anyone would take the grado sr80 at 100 when the allesandro ms1 are the same price!

 

[Doc-holliday]

Not but a couple hours after my "final post" on this thread, people revive it. I kinda thought it was dying because posts were getting off topic.

Look, disagree with my list, PLEASE. Or agree with it but all I ask is just follow the basic "rules" that I laid out near the begining of this thread:

Thanks for all the suggestions. Those ETYs I have been meaning to get my hands on BTW.
I think this thread could be useful to those coming to headfi on a budget. I ask that you add one bit of info to the formatting of your posts to make it clear on WHY you think a headphone or iem is such an overperformer.
List out AT LEAST one other higher priced, "higher teir" headphone that you feel the one you are suggesting solidly competes with (or blows out of the water as the case may be).
For example in my list the TF10 ($100 to 150) I feel (and many others agree) is in the same class as the se535s and ie8 (~$450). The Senn cx200 ($20) on my list IMO solidly competes with the se215 ($100)
Thanx.

This was never intended to be "my" thread, but rather always intended to hopefully run away on it'd own to point up more under-priced, over-performers than I haven't the ability or money to buy and try myself...

So yes, Mr. Ety lover.... post about ety's all u wan't just put what competative model they sound like for a fraction of the cost or sound better than for a fraction of the cost.

 

[xoundmonster]

I have got to say its the beyer dynamic dt231 and their xp iem series..

 

[AstroTurf]

Quote:

So yes, Mr. Ety lover.... post about ety's all u wan't just put what competative model they sound like for a fraction of the cost or sound better than for a fraction of the cost.

I did... See post 55.
 
Great thread by the way!
 
Jim

 

[EPICFAILXD]

HF5's. sounds better than more high end stuff like the SE425 and XBA-4 IMO

 

[Doc-holliday]

I did... See post 55.

Great thread by the way!

Jim

I think ya need to re-read the last part of post number 82.... (tks jim)

 

[AstroTurf]

Quote:

I think ya need to re-read the last part of post number 82....

(tks jim)

Sorry Doc...
 
I overlooked that one.
 
Jim