[Kun]

First post..yay~

anyways, been lurking in here for quite a while...(6months?) yeah 6 months..to decide which one should i get to get my own audio delight and enlightement.

4 months and i still have not yet decided on which IEM..

there's so many mixed reviews.

I own a PortaPro, Im happily content with the sound, until i heard my friend's UE TF10 more than a year ago..i can still remember the feeling that i get from those

Not much of a bass head,I love female vocals, Vanessa Carlton, Stacey Kent, Zee Avi, Yuna ( not sure if anyone know her)..and Jazz, all kind of jazz,from old jazz to Nu Jazz, from Frank Sinatra up to Jamiroquai, indie, acoustics, and lately i've been bitten by the Classical Music bug again after listening to Shostakovich symphonies...

listening from my friend's UE TF10..Vanessa singing in her song Twilight it feels to be so intimate to me..as if she's whispering to me ( im a freak).The soundstage, the ability to locate instruments in their specific location is just..uuumph~ I fell in love...i can feel the energy and emotions in every songs I play..

Now, been lurking in here for a while, i know that certain IEM are better for certain genres with their specific sonic signature. Spent hours and hours reading ive narrowed my choice to the 3 mentioned above..

PFEs, e-Q7 or ie8?

Almost bought the ie8, but having most users saying its too bassy and needing it to be EQd..turns me down abit, due to the fact that my source is an Ipod Nano 3g with Fiio E1.

But still in the list due to its soundstage and some people say..the dynamics of it. Would love to be immersed in that intense energy in Shostakovich piece.

then went onto e-Q7, expensive!, but it'll take me 2more weeks till my scholarship allowance to come.

but the fit issues worries me alot, im a small guy, just 5'6"..im afraid it might not fit me small ears.

i dont wanna end up in selling them due to poor fit.

PFE's seems the most sensible choice, but having heard mixed reviews..im still 50-50 on making the dive, but due to it being more cheaper of the two, i could use the extra dosh to get a better source ( Fuze or Clip+ maybe) or maybe an portable amp to accompany it? Being £70 to £90 cheaper i can go for the dive now!! ( im to desperate to get that 'eargasm' again after been waiting for so looong)

Or should I wait since there's going to be a lot more IEMs coming out like the X-jays and UM2 with the new modular cables.

Im open to other suggestions anyways.

p/s : sorry for the long post.

 

[EddieE]

With a good seal the PFEs have great bass, well balanced with the rest of the sound.

That said, if you're used to the portapros, which have exagerrated bass, you may prefer the IE8.

I only had a short audition of the IE8 but found them very impressive. Maybe they lacked a tiny bit of that crispness and shine to the treble the PFE 112 have, but they had plenty more bass (and fantastic quality to the bass too) and equally good mids. I'm not dissing the highs of the IE8 either; they were just fine. But the PFE won the crown for me in that area.

I prefer the PFE, but then I'm used to them and heard the IE8 having owned them for over a year. With fresh ears the IE8 might have won.

I know nothing about the eQ7 I'm afraid, but I hope that helps between the IE8 and PFE 112 - I think you'll have a great pair of IEMs whichever you chose.

Another note - it is known that phonak are producing new IEMs and Jays have a whole raft of new ones coming out too. If you aren't desperate to upgrade right now, waiting a month or two might bring you more options.

 

[Kun]

Yes, i've found that portapros have exaggerated bass, and it tend to 'engulf' ( sorry still new in the Audiophile world) the lush and smooth female vocals that im after, but somehow they're well enough to satisfy my needs.

And as you've mentioned, companies are bringing out new IEMs, maybe worth the wait, patience is a virtue I guess..( we'll see...haha )

 

[koonhua90]

I don't own any of the PFE and e-Q7, but I have an IE8. There are too much fakes out there, if you decide on this one better be careful, as I bought a fake one before.

IE8 is smooth, laid back, but there is a mid bass hump (you can read the top tier IEM chart and see IE8's freq response). You might want to consider Miles Davis too...

 

[lucozade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kun /img/forum/go_quote.gif First post..yay~ anyways, been lurking in here for quite a while...(6months?) yeah 6 months..to decide which one should i get to get my own audio delight and enlightement. 4 months and i still have not yet decided on which IEM.. there's so many mixed reviews. I own a PortaPro, Im happily content with the sound, until i heard my friend's UE TF10 more than a year ago..i can still remember the feeling that i get from those Not much of a bass head,I love female vocals, Vanessa Carlton, Stacey Kent, Zee Avi, Yuna ( not sure if anyone know her)..and Jazz, all kind of jazz,from old jazz to Nu Jazz, from Frank Sinatra up to Jamiroquai, indie, acoustics, and lately i've been bitten by the Classical Music bug again after listening to Shostakovich symphonies... listening from my friend's UE TF10..Vanessa singing in her song Twilight it feels to be so intimate to me..as if she's whispering to me ( im a freak).The soundstage, the ability to locate instruments in their specific location is just..uuumph~ I fell in love...i can feel the energy and emotions in every songs I play.. Now, been lurking in here for a while, i know that certain IEM are better for certain genres with their specific sonic signature. Spent hours and hours reading ive narrowed my choice to the 3 mentioned above.. PFEs, e-Q7 or ie8? Almost bought the ie8, but having most users saying its too bassy and needing it to be EQd..turns me down abit, due to the fact that my source is an Ipod Nano 3g with Fiio E1. But still in the list due to its soundstage and some people say..the dynamics of it. Would love to be immersed in that intense energy in Shostakovich piece. then went onto e-Q7, expensive!, but it'll take me 2more weeks till my scholarship allowance to come. but the fit issues worries me alot, im a small guy, just 5'6"..im afraid it might not fit me small ears. i dont wanna end up in selling them due to poor fit. PFE's seems the most sensible choice, but having heard mixed reviews..im still 50-50 on making the dive, but due to it being more cheaper of the two, i could use the extra dosh to get a better source ( Fuze or Clip+ maybe) or maybe an portable amp to accompany it? Being £70 to £90 cheaper i can go for the dive now!! ( im to desperate to get that 'eargasm' again after been waiting for so looong) Or should I wait since there's going to be a lot more IEMs coming out like the X-jays and UM2 with the new modular cables. Im open to other suggestions anyways. p/s : sorry for the long post.

@kun, i have the ie8,ortos and tf10, id say forget about the ie8, it has a fantasic soundstage, largest of all my iems ,but nothing else much to offer that the other two don't do much better.

The otos are very nice, portraying a very detailed and transparent window into the music.The have a very powerfull but lean tight bass, they are slightly midranged focused,great for vocals, and have a soft polite sparkly treble,to me they reproduce the sound of cymbals perfectly.They also have great instrement seperation.

Tf10 has a great hard hitting bass focused in the mid and upper bass range, very tight and crisp reproduction off bass and drums ,very eargasmic

,midrange is not as full and dose not cary as much weight as the ortos but still is very injoyable,instrement seperation is indeed very good as you have already said.
treble on the tf10 is brighter and has more enegy than the ortos and has a great sparkle ,this can boader on being sibilant but if you use monster triple flange tips these elimenate the sibilance ,so it is not an issue.

I would say the ortos are more analytical while the tf10 is more fun , both are well balanced and have a neutral sound signiture, the ie8 has a very warm ,thick smooth sound signiture ,and if you eq out the mid bass hump which colours the vocals and should not be there, they really dont have a lot of bass left to be honest, if you want good bass there much better iems out there

 

[syn_fx]

I have the IE8s and had the PFEs for a year. The PFEs are fantastic value at the price they are sold at, and if that's your limiting budget, don't hesitate to purchase them. However, for the style of music you listen to, it makes sense to pay slightly more.

I wouldn't recommend the IE8s too much, the are very warm, and if that's not your thing, you will very much regret it. I'm not saying it isn't good for those who like that kind of signature, but it is a risk when you buy them without having heard them.

Maybe have a look at the Westone W2, I hear that they are excellent value for £180, and offer a more balanced presentation.

 

[helljudgement]

You cannot ignore the Ortofons when it comes to jazz and vocals and they they also one of the top all rounders you can find today. If you've got the cash, get them if you don't there are other alternatives out there such as the 530s, Grado in ear and also the CK10 all of which are a good match for the type of music you listen to only different presentation.

 

[Kun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by syn_fx /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have the IE8s and had the PFEs for a year. The PFEs are fantastic value at the price they are sold at, and if that's your limiting budget, don't hesitate to purchase them. However, for the style of music you listen to, it makes sense to pay slightly more. I wouldn't reccomend the IE8s too much, the are very warm, and if that's not your thing, you will very much regret it. I'm not saying it isn't good for those who like that kind of signature, but it is a risk when you buy them without having heard them. Maybe have a look at the Westone W2, I hear that they are excellent value for £180, and offer a more balanced presentation.

Yeah, i've read about those um2 aswell, but what's the difference between um2 and the westone 2? im guessing they have the same sound signature but just in a different packaging and design?


Quote:

Originally Posted by helljudgement /img/forum/go_quote.gif You cannot ignore the Ortofons when it comes to jazz and vocals and they they also one of the top all rounders you can find today. If you've got the cash, get them if you don't there are other alternatives out there such as the 530s, Grado in ear and also the CK10 all of which are a good match for the type of music you listen to only different presentation.

Yeah, i've read from the reviews in here that e-Q7s are well suited for jazz and vocal lovers..but im just too worried bout the fit....i dont wanna make the plunge then end up being disappointed and selling them out to someone else. I'm in the search of finding a 'perfect wife' who can sing to me very well anytime anyday...not a mistress who i can just put aside when i get bored of her...

 

[rawrster]

The e-Q7 is a nicely balanced all rounder. It has been able to handle everything I have thrown at it so far and does many things very good.

Regarding W2 and UM2 I won't comment on sound since I've never heard them but they are marketed for different uses. The UM2 is meant for stage use and W2 for personal use.

 

[helljudgement]

Fit issues varies from each user so there is no way to be sure if they are for you unless you can try them out. Though I do not have any experience with the Westone 2 but I do spend a lot of time with the UM2. From what I've read about the Westone 2, they seem to have good highs which is the complete opposite of the UM2.

The UM2s have a very warm sound signature and yes they do quite well with vocals but they are far too warm for listening to jazz not to mention their roll-off treble which can kill the experience for me. But they are cheaper than the Ortofons and they have some of the best fit you can find on an IEM. I strongly recommend the Grado in ear since they do have a lot in common with the Ortofons only slightly less treble and a more friendly fit.

 

[Kun]

Hmm..apparently I've just found out that Orotfons are actually cheaper than UM2s here in the UK. e-Q7s are just £199, while the UM2s goes for £219...hmmm so tempting.. >.<

 

[rawrster]

gl getting the GR8 outside of the US

 

[syn_fx]

UM2s are much older than the Westone 2s (which are relatively new), and most reviewers who have heard both say that the Westone 2s are better in practically every department (Quite frankly there are many better things than a UM2 for a lower price - I auditioned a friends last summer). You should check out the Westone 2 impressions thread for infromation, it's very good and not too long.

The UM2s are overpriced, the Westone 2s are £180 in the UK. Most reviewers describe the Westone 2s as balanced, slightly on the warm side, with excellent detail, isolation and build quality. The vast majority seem to get excellent fit too, as they are small and do not protrude much.

 

[mark2410]

if you love female vocals, the e-q7 or se530 should be on your list but of the two i feel the 530 still has the best mids out there

 

[lucozade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark2410 /img/forum/go_quote.gif if you love female vocals, the e-q7 or se530 should be on your list but of the two i feel the 530 still has the best mids out there

i agree,

the mids on the 530 are possibly the best ive heard on a iem although personaly i prefure the ortos over the 530 in over all sound signiture .