[youngsm10]

Hello folks, I never thought I would write apost like this but I'm starting to get desperate. Let me explain. Over the last two years I have owned or tested so many IEMs you would not believe, only to find that none of them were right for me in one way or another. I am starting to think I will never find one that lives up to my needs.  I have come close a couple of times, but certain annoyances always came to the front. This whole search for an IEM, has caused me much pain both mentally and in the wallet.
 
I will try to explain the sound sig I am looking for.  I love clarity and detail. I think that is the most important.Highs need to sparkle and cymbals need to linger. Mids need to be smooth and forward and the bass needs to be there when required, but like an unwelcome visitor I don't want it there lerking. I hate any boomy mid bass. I like impactful bass that is quick and gives you a Punch round the face, when you here a kick drum etc. I don't like bass or mid bass that veils the sound like looking through frosted glass, it seems to get in the way of the clarity of the recording. So Really I am in no way a bass head but conversely I do not like a thin sound. I guess I like a more analytical sound rather that a warm sound. I seem to really love the clarity of Balanced armature drivers as apposed to dynamic. Does this seem to much to ask??
 
 
 
Please take a moment to have a look at my list, and you may start to see my madness.
 
Shure se 315
Shure se 420
Shure se 102
Now I Just can't seem to get along with the shure sound. I just didn't get it, the mids were great, and they all had great detail in the mids, but the highs were rolled of with no sparkle. The Bass was ok. To me they just didn't sound right. great build quality and loved the thick cable.
 
Klipsch image s4. Far too much Bass
 
Denon c700 Far too much bass almost comical
 
Sennheiser ie 6, and 7.  Could never get a decent fit. Clarity not there. well made though, loved the cable
 
Sennheiser ie 8. These were rather bassy but not to the extent of what I read in the forums. The fit however was horrible I just could not get them to stay in my ears. Sound stage massive that in my eyes made the sound a little bit disjointed. I will admit that I didn't give them the magic 250+ hours burn in, but the fit was too much of an issue.
 
Ultimate ears 700. too sparkly at the top end even for me, mids were a bit lacking and they distorted at moderate listening levels. Had 2 pairs of these just in case the 1st were faulty but alas they were not.
 
Ultimate ears super fi 5pro. these were just to big ans had the horrible mid bass
 
Ultimate ears triple fi . Again they were just too big and uncomfortable and they didn't sound special enough for £200.
 
Klipsch image x5. small sound stage, sounded a bit tinny not much better than standard apple phones.
 
Klipsch image x 10. These were better than the 5's  but again sound stage a separation was an issues as well as rolled of highs.
 
Klipsch custom 3. Not quite enough sparkle in highs and the Bass was too much again mid bass was an issue, too warm.
 
Phonac Audeo perfect fit. Now these were interesting. Likes the highs and the soundstage mids were pretty good as well. Bass was there when needed but they just sounded far too thin. This was all with Grey filters. The black filters stopped them sounding special, Ithink it made them loose the mids. so comfortable and great cord. If they didn't sound so thin I would of kept these.
 
Jays t jays 3, not good in any way.
 
Jays Q jays. Now these  were almost perfect, just a bit too much midbass, loved the speed and impact of the bass, Highs were perfect, mids slightly lacking, and soundstage just a bit too small. very nearly there though. Having to change the filters is annoying and the cable was modular and too long. These are the phones that I use at the moment as they are close to being just right.
 
 
So What I ask you all,l is do you think I a perfect IEM exists? and if so could you recommend one to me that you think will be right for me.  I really do not want to use an amp and my source is an Iphone with MP3 320.
 
I would really love a recommendation. £200 max. approx $300..
 
Thank you so much and sorry for the long post.

 

[proedros]

wow dude even me being a noobie i can see you are blind
 
knowing what you want and going in the opposite direction
 
all these vbass-heavy IEM'S it;s logical you can not find your 'sound'
 
just 2-3 off my head
 
RE-252
CK-10
SM3 (?)
 
people like wmv2/joker/mark2410 know this stuff way way waaaaaay better than me but reading your post these came to my mind in an instant

 

[yello131]

Ortofon e-Q7 or e-Q5
Final Audio Design A1 and SB
Radius DDM
HA-FX700 (JVC)
SM3 Earsonics
 
There are great options out there it all depends how much you want to invest

 

[a_recording]

I'm curious. Did you actually *buy* all the IEM's you listed, or did you just try them? (I'm just thinking you must have quite substantial experience as a result heh.)
 
Regardless, I think your best options are things like the CK-10 or the DBA-02. If you want a bit more bass and a bit less of an edge on the sound, try the CK90Pro.
 
Given your experience with the IE8, I don't know if something like the DDM would be appropriate. The Final Audio Design models might also be a bit coloured, though overall I think they are tastefully balanced. 

 

[beeman458]

First things first, although you joined months ago, welcome to Head-fi.
 

 
I love clarity and detail. I think that is the most important.Highs need to sparkle and cymbals need to linger. Mids need to be smooth and forward and the bass needs to be there when required, but like an unwelcome visitor I don't want it there lerking.
 
Backing up a bit.
 
What is your portable DAC/Amp/DAP?  Have you checked out portable gear?  You can run the gamut from a Sansa Clip to a HiFi Man HM-801, to portable separates and a thousand choices in between.  And what are your files ripped to?  I prefer full figure rips; 1.41Mbps, WAV files.  And there's a dozen valid choices in the mix to choose from with no one choice being better than the other.  FWIW, as I'm sure you know, the best in the world can't shine if laying in dried mud.
 
It sounds like from your OP that you're trying to make it all about IEM's and it's not all about IEM's as rips and portable gear choices make a huge difference in giving you what you want out of the deal.  Think "Big" rips coupled to quality portable gear to hook your IEM's to and you'll be cooking with gas.
 
As I write, I'm currently exploring this issue, so I'm writing of my experiences as I, at the same time, explore this issue.
 
The combined DAC/Amp I'm currently exploring is a FiiO E-7.  DAC/Amp, I'm currently Jonesing over is a S:Flo2.  Here's a portable DAC/Amp that gets good reviews, is the newest upgrade over the past model and one that I don't mind coveting.  Price, quality and feature wise, the top, all-in-one portable, my opinion, is the HiFi Man HM-801, but you're getting what you pay for.  None of what I'm sharing in my above is to be construed as a recommendation, but are simply examples of what's available to help aid you in your IEM quest.  There's, quite literally, a thousand, if not more, variations of the above theme in one way, shape, manner or form.  You can spend fifty bucks and be disappointed or you can spend a few hundred bucks and be impressed.  Hopefully, somewhere in the middle is where you'll find your answer.
 
Hope the above helps.
 

 

[youngsm10]

"I'm curious. Did you actually *buy* all the IEM's you listed, or did you just try them? (I'm just thinking you must have quite substantial experience as a result heh.)
 
Regardless, I think your best options are things like the CK-10 or the DBA-02. If you want a bit more bass and a bit less of an edge on the sound, try the CK90Pro.
 
Given your experience with the IE8, I don't know if something like the DDM would be appropriate. The Final Audio Design models might also be a bit coloured, though overall I think they are tastefully balanced."


 
 
 
 
 
 
Hey, thanks for the reply, Yes I have owned all of these IEMs over the last 18months,all be it most of them only 1-2 weeks and then they were sent back. I feel that was enough time to evaluate them. Some would argue that the dynamic drivers in the sennheiser ie series need 250+hours burn in. I disliked the sound sig and was not confident of a great change.
 
I really like the look of your recommendations. The CK-10 from what I can gather are pretty precise and they cost £200 + in the UK. The CK90pro are even more expensive. 
 
I really like the look of the DBA-02. They sound right up my street. The sad thing is however I can't seem to find them in the UK? Do you know were I can get them?
 
anyway thanks again.

 

[youngsm10]

 
"wow dude even me being a noobie i can see you are blind
 
knowing what you want and going in the opposite direction
 
all these vbass-heavy IEM'S it;s logical you can not find your 'sound'
 
just 2-3 off my head
 
RE-252
CK-10
SM3 (?)
 
people like wmv2/joker/mark2410 know this stuff way way waaaaaay better than me but reading your post these came to my mind in an instant"


 
 
 
 
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I really am going slowly mad trying to find perfection.
 
Yes it does seem that I have been heading down the wrong path. Although the Phonacs and the Q Jays were good. I think it is something bang in between the 2 would be just about perfect. I have had a look at the CK10 it is a tad too expensive in the UK £200 plus.  I cant find the SM3, but from google I believe they are triple driver so they too would be out of my price range. The RE-252
 I think are dynamic drivers and from experience to me they do not offer the same precision as BA Drivers. So it would seen I am still a bit stuck. Thanks again for the suggestions though.

 

[beeman458]

I'm not sure if you were addressing my post as nothing I was writing about had to do with IEM's other than you need a proper DAP, DAC/Amp combo or Amp to get the correct sound out of your earphones.  If you don't have proper portable gear, you're not going get the best sound from the IEM's.
 
What DAP, DAC/Amp or Amp are you using to power your IEM choices that you wrote of?
 
???

 

[youngsm10]

Quote:

I'm not sure if you were addressing my post as nothing I was writing about had to do with IEM's other than you need a proper DAP, DAC/Amp combo or Amp to get the correct sound out of your earphones.  If you don't have proper portable gear, you're not going get the best sound from the IEM's.
 
What DAP, DAC/Amp or Amp are you using to power your IEM choices that you wrote of?
 
???

Hello thanks for the replys. I was not replying to your reply but I did find it useful. To answer your question. I am using an Iphone 3gs, unamped. I do not really want to use an amp. i like to travel as light as possible. Thats why I have a phone and music player  in one.
 

 

[beeman458]

I do not really want to use an amp. i like to travel as light as possible. Thats why I have a phone and music player  in one.
 
I feel you but if you don't have a decent amp, your IEM's will sound like kr@p, no matter how good they are.  And the more items you try to stuff into a box like an iPhone, the more your sound quality is going suffer.  The point, if you're going depend solely on your iPhone, expect to be disappointed.  Also, as I wrote, the quality of your rips make a big difference also.  What quality level are you ripping at.
 
I will try to explain the sound sig I am looking for.  I love clarity and detail. I think that is the most important.Highs need to sparkle and cymbals need to linger. Mids need to be smooth and forward and the bass needs to be there when required, but like an unwelcome visitor I don't want it there lerking. I hate any boomy mid bass. I like impactful bass that is quick and gives you a Punch round the face, when you here a kick drum etc. I don't like bass or mid bass that veils the sound like looking through frosted glass, it seems to get in the way of the clarity of the recording.
 
In you OP, you posted the above.  If you're serious about your above, you'll give up on trying to have it all in one little iPhone box cause what you ask for in your above, ain't gonna happen.  That's why I asked about amp and rip quality.
 
From the above two comments quoted forward, I see you as having to make a choice; convenience and hamstrung sound quality or sound quality described in your OP, but at an inconvenience.

 

[anadin]

Sony MDR-EX700LP.

 

[youngsm10]

Quote:

Sony MDR-EX700LP.

Hello, I Have already tried these, I forgot to put them in my initial post. They were pretty good, but they just didn't have the clarity of the QJays or Phonacs, it is something inbetween these 2 that I am after.
 
Thanks for the post though.

 

[Pianist]

For me, Shure SE530 is a perfect sounding IEM, but absolutely requires that you get the right fit with it. If you don't get it to fit just right - it will sound off in one way or another or even downright horrible. This was the most depressing purchase I've ever made - depressing because I only got the right fit maybe 5 times out of 200, but when I did the sound was so amazing that I was extremely frustrated and disappointed when it turned out that that kind of sound was next to impossible for me to replicate with the stock tips. You may try SE530 and some custom tips if you can afford it. I was thinking a lot of going that route, but then you also need to make sure that the custom tips are done right and if your ear canals are the wrong shape, this may not even be possible. Mine are really oddly shaped, so I am hesitating, as this may turn out to be just a waste of money for me. I also owned Westone ES3X and even though they are customs they still didn't fit my ears right unfortunately. Perhaps, you should just stick with the best IEM you've heard and stop seeking perfection. I think q-jays are really great and they are also one of my favorite IEMs. Unlike SE530 and most other IEMs, they fit really well in most people's ears because they are so small and well designed, and so may sound closer to their full potential for many people than. say, the SE530 which is downright awful when it comes to fit (IMO of course).

 

[straden]

westone um3x or ck10 is only universal im interested to hear now... (im happy with se530 but I want to find better one sometime)
I think ck10 is about 250usd in some sites. should give a try and let us know how you think about it!

 

[james444]

Quote:

Phonac Audeo perfect fit. Now these were interesting. Likes the highs and the soundstage mids were pretty good as well. Bass was there when needed but they just sounded far too thin. This was all with Grey filters. The black filters stopped them sounding special, Ithink it made them loose the mids. so comfortable and great cord. If they didn't sound so thin I would of kept these.

Read this and the subsequent reply. I was using the PFE with grey filters.
 
The Final Audio Design FI-BA-SB (heaven s) are another option, very similar to the e-Q7 with a tad more bass and more forward highs, but also more prone to sibilance. Both are extremely clear, detailed, transparent.