[tstarn06]

No, I didn't mean to imply the 7s are a better phone than the Custom 3s, cause they are not. I just no longer NEED the Custom 3s in my collection, with the W3s now taking over as the main over the ear style phone in my collection. I am more interested in keeping a nice balance of phones, and those four I mentioned do the trick.

But if you seek a good pair of gym/walking phones, the 7s are a great choice, mainly if have/you use an iPhone or Touch.

 

[Duffy1207]

If only I'd seen this a couple of weeks ago before I pressed "buyt it now" for those C751's.

Ohh well, sorry wallet.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just did some minor listening (30 mins) with the NE-7Ms (just arrived) and Larry, you are on the money again. Very, very nice sound, and at $49, no phone even close at that price to the SQ out of these phones. I am going to keep my X10s and of course, my new W3s (as soon as I can "reopen" them on Xmas), but the Custom 3s are going on the sales block. I am content with the 7s, the 3s, the X10s and the modded 716s as my four IEMs. Since I have an iPod Touch 2G, these are really great. I switched over to Comply T400s, since I don't care much for silicone, and they work very well. Probably get more highs out of a silicone sleeve, but comfort is more important. Not going to do any lengthy review (feeling down from a cold/flu), but I can add to Larry's initial belief that these phones are a tremendous bargain, and outperform many higher-priced phones. Example, I would choose these over the UE TF5 v2s I returned. I also won't repeat Larry's initial comments. Just wanted to say anyone looking for a low cost, hi-fi alternative, these phones hit the mark.

I feel vindicated now! Thanks for backing me up on this.

In my case, with 2 out of 3 of my custom molded IEM sounding fantastic, and having the Westone 3 and NE-7M now, I decided to sell the X10 because I don't need so many good sounding IEM. So the X10 are on a plane headed for Taiwan right now, having sold them within 24 hours of receiving the Westone 3. I would have liked to have kept the X10, but there were too many IEM for me to chose from.

Pretty much for universal fit IEM I will either grab the W3 when I want to be overwhelmed by the music and be in my own little world, or the NE-7M when I want to able to concentrate on driving and walking and shopping with my iPhone while enjoying the music and still hearing a car honking at me due to a few db less isolation. I'm not sure when my depodded IM716 will get used now, and my daughter has my Denon C700 for now (lost her IEM) but I might sell them too someday.

 

[tstarn06]

Funny how we have so many uses for phones. I chose the X10s over the Cutom 3s mainly because my wife uses phone sparingly, when she travels, and the teeny gels are perfect for her, and she prefers the out of the ear vs. the over the ear design. Simple as that.

I also don't know how much play my 716s will get, but I hate to give them up cause they only cost me $40 (complete) when newegg had that insance $20 sale, and a nice Head-Fi'er modded them for $20. Just can't sell for sentimental reasons (and they still sound great with the Minibox).

 

[LeonWho]

Just wondering, how would these Nuforce earphones compare to the Altec Lansing iM716 or the Head-Direct RE2?

 

[tstarn06]

Well, the bass on the 7s outperforms the 716s, even modded. It's not flabby, either, like most cheap phones. Also, it's more comfy, mainly because it's a canal phone,. and doesn't go as deep as the 716s (I use the olives on the latter, and they aren't too bad. The RE2s are a nice phone, but I always thought they needed an amp, even the E3, to sound their best. Good detail, but sounded thin without an amp. Maybe I just could not get a good seal. My daughter uses them with her Touch.

But value-wise, the $49 is tough to beat, for pure listening enjoyment. The 716s and the RE2s both hunger for an amp, but not the 7s. The 7s sounded full out of the box, very musical and warm, but not with rolled off highs or anything that drastic, and I haven't even done any burn-in with them. I have to re-read HPAddict's review and see if they require burn in, in fact.

Major amendment:

I want to be honest about something here. I didn't even try the stock tips, cause I hate those cookie cutter silicone flanges that come with most canalphones, they just do not work for me. I immediately put on a pair of Compy T400 foamies. So that's how I made my judgment of these phones. On a whim, I tried all the stock tips, and I could not even come close to the full, bassy sound I got with the Complys. Not even close.

So my comments on this phone should all be tempered with the fact that I needed to use the Comply tips to get the max sound quality from them. Otherwise, I would not have rated them so highly. YMMV. I am not saying Larry's assesment is wrong, I am just saying I needed foamies to reach the same conclusion.

 

[LeonWho]

Hmm. So if I offered you:

NuForce NE-7 for $49
Head-Direct RE2 for $69
Head-Direct RE1 for $99

They will each be amped by the Fiio E5.

Which would you pick for 70% Alternative Rock, 20% Pop, 10% Jazz?

Thanks a lot!

 

[tstarn06]

E1s for $99, amped. I'd get those, even though I have never heard them (but others have spoken highly of them). Oh, see my amended comment above too, the tips made all the difference for me. If it's any help, I also used the Comply T400s with the RE2s as well. I just prefer foamies with canal phones. Period.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeonWho /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmm. So if I offered you: NuForce NE-7 for $49 Head-Direct RE2 for $69 Head-Direct RE1 for $99 They will each be amped by the Fiio E5. Which would you pick for 70% Alternative Rock, 20% Pop, 10% Jazz? Thanks a lot!

I would pick the NE-7M and a better amp and crush the Fiio...

 

[LeonWho]

Haha, even though the FiiO is probably the best portable amp I can afford?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeonWho /img/forum/go_quote.gif Haha, even though the FiiO is probably the best portable amp I can afford?

But what if you saved $50 on the cost of the IEM? See? The NE-7M are $49 earphones that sound like $150 earphones. You could use the left over money for a Biosciencegeek cmoy or penguinamp, or might not even need an amp if your DAP is good enough. The NE-7M sound good without an amp.

 

[Shadowghost6]

I really don't think the NE-7m compares well with $150 phones. For $150ish, you can get Etymotic ER4s/HF2, Future Sonics Atrios, UE Super.fi 5 pros, etc, all of which I'd pick over the NE-7m. They're a good value at $50, but I wouldn't want them if they were $100.

 

[PouncePony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadowghost6 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I really don't think the NE-7m compares well with $150 phones. For $150ish, you can get Etymotic ER4s/HF2, Future Sonics Atrios, UE Super.fi 5 pros, etc, all of which I'd pick over the NE-7m. They're a good value at $50, but I wouldn't want them if they were $100.

Blasphemy!! Dude, that is Yoda spinning vinyl who said so!!

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadowghost6 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I really don't think the NE-7m compares well with $150 phones. For $150ish, you can get Etymotic ER4s/HF2, Future Sonics Atrios, UE Super.fi 5 pros, etc, all of which I'd pick over the NE-7m. They're a good value at $50, but I wouldn't want them if they were $100.

I don't know about ER4S or Atrios, but the Super.fi cannot compete with their sucked out mids and harsh highs that make them sound artificial. I would prefer the NE-7M over my old ER6i, SE310, e4c, Denon C700, Super.fi and possibly even my old q-JAYS or the SA-6 I once borrowed. They are close to my depodded IM716 but with more bass (unless 716 are amped), so I can see where an ER4 could be better. I assume people might look at my profile for what I've owned and sold before.

 

[tstarn06]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadowghost6 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I really don't think the NE-7m compares well with $150 phones. For $150ish, you can get Etymotic ER4s/HF2, Future Sonics Atrios, UE Super.fi 5 pros, etc, all of which I'd pick over the NE-7m. They're a good value at $50, but I wouldn't want them if they were $100.

I agree somewhat with your view. I sent back the US SF 5s, and I would have been happier with them if they sounded more like the 7Ms. And they cost $169. But as I said, I only got the really good sound out of the 7Ms with Comply tips, which can add considerably to the cost of using them. Not sure what HPAddict used, but I can never, ever get a good seal/best sound from a basic silicone sleeve (the type you get with all canal phones), and I tried all the sizes. I also would not rate the 7Ms over the Atrios or the ER4Ps. And I can't say I would trade my X10s for them. But for $49, with Comply tips, I like them as a basic phone, and they are not far from some of the higher priced phones.