[joose]

I've read the reviews of all of these units seperately and a few being compared but the decision i'm trying to make has a few complexities..

This would be 90% for listening to music on the following:
iphone 3g
[pc] m-audio 2496 -> bose companion 3 (phone out)
[notebook] dell mini headphone out
nano 3g + nano 4g

Music genres consist mostly of electronic/urban/indie.. I currently use the TF10's quite a bit but find the sound more well rounded with the SF5's.. sacrifice some top end clarity on the TF10 for a better balance of mid and bass on SF5.. I also have a pair of monster beats by dre for the noise canceling over ear which comes in handy in some situations..

Currently own:
TF10 Pro (M-Audio IS40) - stock
SuperFi 5 Pro - stock
Considering ordering:
IE8 - 300~
SE530 - 225~
Customs:
Westone SE1 or SE2 - 350/650~
One of the above custom remolded. - 80-100~ + unit above

If you had to pick 2 options from above to cover a majority of your listening activity.

I really want to have custom IEMs.. the TF10 and 5 both fit lousy at times.. kind of oversized for laying down or leaning against a window on the plane.

basically I would either buy a pair of ie8 or se530 and keep them stock or remold one of the ie8/tf10/tf5/se530.. keeping one stock.
or
remold the tf10/tf5 and order a pair of custom se1 or se2..

i guess what it comes down to is it worth picking up a pair of se530 or ie8's (which of the 2) if i have a pair of TF10 and TF5..

for extra points.. what cables would you use for these if you were going through the hassle of customizing them. (i'll look this up in older threads, but if you're here posting and have an opinion i would love to hear it)
This is all confusing and probably not the best way to word everything so i appologize if it sounds ridiculous.

 

[intoflatlines]

If I had to pick two, I would first get a remold of the TF10. Having owned and used the SF5 Pro for a couple years, I can safely say that I much prefer the extended bass of the TF10 at the cost of some mids, plus it is a triple driver (although 2-way) IEM and I do feel that it makes a difference. It would be best to remold the TF10 because I do have fit issues with it, while I don't think I would with the IE8 or SE530. For my second pick, I would choose the IE8 because I think it would be nice to have a good dynamic driver IEM to supplement the BAs of the TF10, plus I'm not sure how I would feel about the recessed treble of the SE530.

I picked a black Westone ES cable for my TF10 remold, as I like the braided look/feel of the UE custom and Westone ES cables. It was easier to order with Westone because you don't have to call in to make the order. I chose black because I have a "clear" UE custom cable and it is very green after only about half a year. The Westone ES memory plastic thing is shorter than the UE custom one (on my sets, anyway).

 

[Hentai11]

TF10/IE8. The SE530s are good phones, but similar to the 10s. No variety gained there.

 

[xtr3me]

If you're keeping the TF10's I'd go with the SE530. You already have a bass-prominent pair so I think the IE8 would be little "more of the same". However, if It were my choice, I think I'd let the TF10s go and pair the IE8 with the SE530 while keeping the SF5.

If you're keeping the TF10s anyway, I think you should get them remolded. There is lots of good feedback regarding both great SQ and better sealing.

Choices, choices

 

[mark2410]

IE8 and SE530

 

[joose]

intoflatlines.. great response!

i do not plan to get rid of my tf10's if i do not get them remolded. it doesn't sound like many people think the SE1 or SE2 would be worth going for if one of the others were going to be custom'd..

You all bring up some excellent points.

Due to the comfort issues on the TF10's.. if it was a toss-up in end product between getting a TF10/SE530/I8 remolded then I would probably rather have the TF10's modded and keep a pair of IE8 or SE530 stock with my SF5pros as a backup. However if one of the SE530 or IE8 pairs would surpass the quality of the TF10 once custom'd then it would be worth buying one of those and leaving all of the UE stock.

All of that goes out the door if i were to go with a westone though.. of all of the options above.. where would you put the ES1 and ES2 customs in regards to sound quality and comfort/value..

 

[intoflatlines]

I wouldn't go with the ES1 or ES2 for the custom because what's the point of getting a single or dual armature custom when you can get the triple armature TF10 or SE530 custom shelled for cheaper?

Not sure about the IE8 being made custom, I hear it's hard to reshell dynamic IEMs because they rely on the air space in the housing to get their sound.

Between the stock forms of the IE8/SE530/TF10 everyone will tell you something different. They all have different pros and cons and people prefer different types of sound signatures.

 

[joose]

One thing the audiologist did mention was available, custom tips that fit onto a stock IEM in place of the typical foam or flange pieces. At first it seemed like that would probably change the sound signature quite a bit. but it also might have some other benefits.

Has anyone had success or found value in something like that?

I think i was considering the ES1 and ES2 because i'd heard great things about their quality and wondered if it was worth having a true custom vs a modified custom.

IE8 custom is out..

so..

Buy IE8 - Custom the TF10 - Keep the SF5Pro
Buy SE530 - Custom the TF10 - Keep the SF5Pro
Buy SE540 + Custom - Keep the TF10 - Keep the SF5Pro

 

[intoflatlines]

Well, how does the TF10 fit in your ears? If it fits fine then just keep it, but if it's uncomfortable or you don't like how huge they look then I would reshell them. So you're going to keep the SF5 Pro no matter what as a backup, that's a good choice. I wish I didn't have to sell my SF5 Pro in order to fund my reshell. I say go with option 1.

I haven't had any experience with custom tips for IEMs, but all of the pics I've seen on here make them look ridiculous. It looks very awkward, and it makes the IEM stick out much much more from your head, especially with larger IEMs like the TF10. I would never get custom tips done, ever. But that's just me.

 

[dj nellie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hentai11 /img/forum/go_quote.gif TF10/IE8. The SE530s are good phones, but similar to the 10s. No variety gained there.

I've owned the 530s and now the TF10s, and to me the two are much more different than they are similar. SE530 has neutral bass and recessed treble, with the most forward and rich midrange of any universal IEM I've heard. TF10 has more treble extension, much more bass impact, and slightly recessed mids.

I'd say the OP should get 2 IEMs that offer very different sound signatures, e.g. TF10 + 530/UM3x. I can't speak about how the IE8 compares to these, but it would seem (based on descriptions) to be a different animal than all of them because of its airy presentation and large soundstage.

Regarding custom tips, I think they're a great investment. They vastly improved my SE530s and my Westone 3s. Custom tips that will fit the 530s will also fit the W3s, UM3x, and Klipsh S4 (and probably others that I'm not aware of).

 

[LingLing1337]

SE530 and RE0

 

[mvw2]

How do you want the sound signature to change from the Triple.Fi 10?

 

[joose]

Ordered a pair of IE8 on Thursday and arrived home today to find them waiting for me.. after 30 minutes i have to say i reaaaaaally like these. So comfortable and light compared to the TF10's.. the bass is a really rich full sound. The mids feel a tad off, but still fantastic. Just took them for a quick spin with my iphone and they are outperforming my expectations. I really need to try them out with a source that will give me a little bit more control over the eq..

My plan right now is to send off the TF10's to Fisher to get re-shelled and keep the SF5's as an additional backup for harsher conditions. I still have not tried the SE530's but i'm finding it hard to believe there is a better complimentary pair to the TF10s than this.

I plan to package up the TF10s and molds next week and send them out.

A couple of quick tracks I used to judge the bass quality:

La Roux - Bulletproof (Zed Bias Dubstep Mix)
Kanye West - Love Lockdown

can't stand kanye most of the time but that really low bass kick has proved difficult on a few systems..

 

[croakz]

i'm also considering the ES1, if they can make them in the silicon stuff that my UM56 tips are made out of. i gotta imagine it'd be more comfortable than my reshelled TF10s.

 

[Rip N' Burn]

Get them remolded by Unique Melody and get them to add additional drivers! I have the 4 and 6 driver custom TF10 and both of them sound much better than the stock TF10. The 6 driver custom TF10 is very impressive....