overkill IEM for X5L?

[cribeiro]

Hello everyone,

I have spent a couple of hours trying to gather information in this valuable forum before making a decision... Nevertheless, it is not easy to make a purchase based on a couple of threads, and I have no possibility to audition the gear I am interested in. So I think it is fair that I ask you now about it...

I have an Iaudio X5L 30Gb, and I have already tested its possibilities as a source using my Cambridge Audio Azur 640A as headphone amp and my Sennheiser HD 650 (I have compared my amp with a Corda Aria, and although it is not as good, it does deliver a good sound that makes me really doubt it pays to buy a dedicated headphone amplifier.... But if I buy one, I guess it will be the Graham Slee Solo..., but that's another story).

Now, if I compress in ogg vorbis at quality 5, I can barely distinguish the cd (played in my Cambridge Audio Azur 640C) from the Iaudio X5L... if at all. This makes me think that I really need an IEM in the league of the Sennheiser 650 (no, I won't wear them outdoors, sorry). I want IEM for several reasons:
Noise cancellation
Comfort
easy to drive (I do not intend to buy a portable amp... at the moment)

I first thought about the Sennheiser cx300, which I will probably buy in any case once they go back to 40 euro... But then I started reading here... and you know how the story goes on...

I have three candidates (ordered by preference according to my findings here), and I am open to more suggestions:
UE super.fi 5 pro
Etymotic er4p (I fear it might be too bassy, but the er4s is not as easy to drive)
Shure e4/e4c (what is the difference between both?)

We are talking about a serious amount of money here, so I do not want to overkill... That is, why worry buying top of the line, if I won't exploit all its potential? I have the Sennheiser 650 for home use, I only want the IEM to use with my X5L.

Oh, an additional questions: do these stick out of the ear? If they do, how much? I also like to listen to music when I go to bed...

To give you some idea about my tastes, I have Castle Richmond 3i loudspeakers, which sound very natural, and I also like very much the sound of the Senn 650 (not quite the same as that of my loudspeakers, more laid back and a tad darker). Although I would like a more live, vivid sound (I loved the Triangle loudspeakers), I cannot bear an excess of brightness. Plus, many of my cd's are not perfect, and a relaxed, forgiving loudspeaker/headphone helps a lot.

Sorry for the long thread, I hope you have some answers (and that you share them with me...). Regards,

Alberto

 

[feh1325]

the shure 4 and 4c are the same and i've read that they are the king of the three you listed

srry i can't answer any more of your questions

 

[jagorev]

Quote:

Originally Posted by feh1325 the shure 4 and 4c are the same and i've read that they are the king of the three you listed srry i can't answer any more of your questions

I disagree. All three are top of the line IEMs, and may be considered the "king", and cannot be easily ranked.

OP's tastes would probably lead him to like the super.fi 5pro.

BTW, I don't think an Etymotic can ever be described as being "too bassy".

 

[wustzjj]

I don't think er4's are bassy. they provide natural and deeply and clear bass than another two IEM you've list.

 

[cribeiro]

Hello again,

thanks for the answers so far.
Jagorev, what does it mean "OP" in "OP's tastes"? I am glad you also think the UE would best suit me... That means my research was worth it!

I just wanted to remark that I expect the er4p (i.e., the portable ones) to be bassy because of the frequency response displayed in their web site, and also because they explicitely say so. The er4s, on the other hand, show a more even frequency response, but they are very demanding amp-wise, and I don't want to use one (at least for a good while...). I have to add that I also find the Sennheiser 650 quite bassy, while many here find they are lacking some...

Any comment on the possible "overkill" with the X5L and no headphone amp? If it is the case, I might as well consider the next models down from these three companies...
Any other headphone I should be considering??

 

[solvexyz]

Hi, er4s is not bassy at all.

I would say the most bassy of the three is the UE Super.fi 5 Pro. It consists of dual drivers, one is dedicated for the bass.

The shure e4c is the most balance of the three.

Er4s is known for its detail, and it is known for its extended high frequency.

Shure e4c pairs quite well with iAudio, and you can do a search on that. UE super.fi 5 pro, you may need to do some EQ to bring out the treble that Er4s or shure e4c can produce.

 

[jagorev]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cribeiro Hello again, thanks for the answers so far. Jagorev, what does it mean "OP" in "OP's tastes"? I am glad you also think the UE would best suit me... That means my research was worth it! I just wanted to remark that I expect the er4p (i.e., the portable ones) to be bassy because of the frequency response displayed in their web site, and also because they explicitely say so. The er4s, on the other hand, show a more even frequency response, but they are very demanding amp-wise, and I don't want to use one (at least for a good while...). I have to add that I also find the Sennheiser 650 quite bassy, while many here find they are lacking some... Any comment on the possible "overkill" with the X5L and no headphone amp? If it is the case, I might as well consider the next models down from these three companies... Any other headphone I should be considering??

OP means original poster.

I think the X5 is a really good DAP, and it's unlikely that any of these IEMs are overkill.

The ER-4P is bassier than the ER-4S, but it really isn't too bassy. Etymotics have tight, punchy bass, but never anything that would appeal to a basshead. The ety has less bass than the super.fi series or Westone UM2, for instance.

IEM bass is tricky - it'll rarely be fully satisfying, and I doubt if it will ever match the impact of your HD650. But the super.fi 5pro, by all accounts, is a well-rounded, warm, and comfortable IEM with high resolution.

 

[K2Grey]

The ER-4P is more bassy than the ER-4S, but that does not make it bassy in general. It has less bass than the E4c and the Super.fi 5pro. Whether it is bass deficient or neutral is not a matter of opinion, but since a uniform consensus on this issue is hard to get, you can treat it as a matter of taste.

The Super.fi 5pro has significantly more bass than the ER-4P and E4c. The E4c has more bass than the ER-4S, but the difference is not considered as great as the difference between the 5pro and the E4c. In general choosing between these 3 IEMs, along with the Westone UM2 and Shure E5c, is a matter of taste. Arguments about which one is the most neutral are futile, but if it comes up I can always butt in and post the E5c frequency response graph which is somewhat disturbing.

The HD650 is generally thought to be better than the non-custom IEMs, E500 maybe excepting. But the HD650 is thought by many to be better than the custom IEMs as well and some people think it's the best dynamic headphone in general. So it may be hard to match the HD650 with IEMs. Having said this there is a rate of decreasing return so it may well be that you will be satisfied with IEM sound quality.

If you need an amp you can buy a PINT for about $50. It's a very new amp, very small, built in battery recharger, probably around Hornet in terms of quality.

You're using the HD650 for home purposes? And the IEMs for portable use? In that case, remember that you may want more bass from the IEM than you would want if you were using them at home. This is because IEMs isolate from low frequencies more poorly than others. Even if you cannot hear the outside noise while music is playing, it will still attenuate your music volume somewhat, and it will attenuate the bass the most. So you will probably want some extra bass.

 

[cribeiro]

Hello everyone,

my wallet was hoping you would answer that the er6 or similarly priced EIM would be enough for the X5L..., but my ears are happy to enjoy better quality!

Thight and punchy bass sounds good (about the etys), but I agree that the bass will be more attenuated, so my call is UE. I don't think it will be a blurred, boomby or bloated bass anyway, but simply more present.

Any comment on how much they stick out of the ear? It would be a plus if I could lie on my side comfortably when I go to sleep (although not a requirement).

Thank you very much for your help. Next is to find a good deal on them... I am located at Germany, and that sometimes can be a disadvantage when looking for best prices...

Regards,

Alberto

 

[smeerkaas]

the superfi's stick out quite a bit, I wouldn't lie on my side with them in my ears

 

[jagorev]

The best IEMs for lying on your side are the Ety er-6i. They're very discreet and go right in your ear. Almost all the others, as far as I know, stick out quite a bit.

 

[-Paolo-]

or Even the UM1's.

 

[cribeiro]

Thank you for the answer guys, I guess I will have to live with it... Anyway, they will be more comfy than my wireless Sennheiser rs40... I have experimented with all kind of tricks to comfortably listen to music through cans while in bed since I was about 12 (with the help of pillows and cushions ), so I guess it is not a major problem, and I can sacrifice that for a better sound.

I am already looking for a fair price in internet (talking about super.fi 5 pro here EDIT: in black, of course... since I have an X5L), and I cannot find them in Germany for less than about 250 euro, but Amazon.com (not Amazon.de!) has them for 180 dollars, that is about 150 euro!! What price should I be expecting to pay? Can I safely buy from amazon.com and get it delivered in Germany? I see it is not always the case... Will I be charged lots of taxes? Oh, man... I just find it unfair, 150 euro in US and 250 in Europe!

I hope you can help here too... I promise I will post my impressions as a compensation.
Regards,

Alberto

EDIT: sorry, I quoted the Amazon price of the super.fi 5 EB, not the pro... Anyway, they are much cheaper...

 

[jagorev]

You can order them from www.headphone.com for $199.99 - they will ship international, but you have to call them to find out how much it costs.

 

[Ploop]

i have the X5 and E4's (check my sig). The X5 can massively crank up the bass..but the E4's sound really crisp and great using the X5.

I'd go with the E4's. but thats me.