[catscratch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by josimcy Aren't there dangers canalphones? I've heard about people's eardrums being damaged or ruptured with canalphones. It makes me a bit reluctant. Plus, I am not really wanting total isolation. I need to hear the phone, people trying to get my attention, etc. Isn't there any compromise in a portable headphone/earphone that provides detail and clarity but not total isolation???

Check my previous post. Or don't, and miss out on a great system. Up to you.

 

[Max Minimum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kin0kin why man! why...im so close to buying em....now that I imagined how they would cut my ears when lying down....i've really lost the feel of getting them

You should definitely take into consideration what I wrote after that. I don't have problems with it now. Just don't go trying to push them in deeper all the time to improve bass and they'll still sound good and be pretty comfortable.

They are definitely quite a lot better than the Senn MX line. I've never heard anyone but Holeinmywallet say otherwise, so maybe he got ahold of a bad pair or it's a fit issue... I don't know. They are soundly beaten by the ER-4 as far as audio quality is concerned, though. The main advantage for the CM7 model is that it can be used in environments where you need to hear what's around you, like at work, for instance. That, and they don't look like you're wearing a portable MRI machine the way some full-sized cans would. I'd say they own the world of cubicle audio.

 

[sbulack]

For clarity, detail and a full sound using an iRiver MP3 player as the main source, I'm very comfortable and confident saying (from my own prolonged listening experience) that you won't be disappointed by the Grado SR225 (especially if, for pads, you get a pair of the Sennheiser 414 pads and do the vwap mod to them - a search will tell you exactly what that means).

 

[josimcy]

Quote:

I'm very comfortable and confident saying (from my own prolonged listening experience) that you won't be disappointed by the Grado SR225

I appreciate it, and when I am looking to buy home headphones, that will be on my list, but I think they are just a bit too big to be portable.

Right now, looks like the list has been narrowed down to the CM7, since I don't want isolation and need them to be portable....

 

[billdvorak]

josimcy,
I have been also looking at the cm7ti for the same reasons as you. The price has put me off for now and also what about the return policy at audiocubes? I am now looking at the Future Sonics em3 for $99. Their return policy is 15% restocking fee (30 days). I am thinking that I could listen to them like an earbud type earphone when I need to be able to hear outside sounds and insert them when I can to get the best quality. I will post the results if I get them. The price is right.

 

[johnnysize]

I was an owner of audio technica ec7's and shure 3c's. I think the ec7 are going to be as good as earphones can get but they don't have as good sound quality as the similarly priced shures. On The Other Hand, I couldn't stand using canalphones, they are uncomfortable for me, the sound isolation seemed to pose problems when used portably, and they just weren't all that convenient (I'd actually avoid seeing friends when walking to class so i wouldn't have to go to the trouble of taking them out and putting them in again). Ive gotten rid of my portable setup, but I would definetly go for another earbud solution.

 

[commando]

(didn't read the whole thread)

Portable use: Ety ER6i, or ER4, depending on your budget.
At home/work: A900

To my ears, Shure E3s sucked horribly, so I returned them. Others disagree, but that's what I thought.

 

[Natsuiro]

I would recommend either the Cm7ti or er4s. I like both alot and I think they'll fit the description of what you are looking for.

 

[TonyTripleA]

Just my two cents worth, but if you are after a real upgrade, the Etymotic er4P/S will do it nicely. Believe me this is a super-upgrade and the one set of phones I will never part with.

I don't think they are inferior in detail to anything I have ever heard. For portable use bass thinness is an issue for me, but for listening in a quite room it is not... the bass is there and beautifully presented when ambient noise is not present. I believe the ambient low frequencies pass around the canalphones to mask the etys bass when walking around the city. But heck, can you really experience audiophile listening at a bus stop?

You mentioned comfort and I have to say the etys are ultracomfortable for me. With foamies I wear them for six hours at a time most days... certainly more than four hours on any day. The fantastic benefit if the etys is that you get all the detail even at low volume. A very useful characteristic. At ultralow volume these exceed the sound from anything else I've heard (but I have not heard the Sensaphonics or Ultimate Ears).

Having spent some enjoyable time with my wife's sony 888s I would say that they will be hard to beat in an earbud... I believe the improvement would only be marginal. But the improvement if going to etys would be "stellar" as I already mentioned.

I guess you can see which way I am leaning. Have fun choosing.

TonyAAA

 

[josimcy]

But my main problem is, I need for them to NOT be isolating. If that's possible.

 

[josimcy]

It seems as if a real upgrade from the E888s (other than possibly the CM7s) does not exist for earbuds...

I am so close to buying the CM7s, I just hope that the difference between them and the E888s is noticible.

 

[Jazper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by josimcy It seems as if a real upgrade from the E888s (other than possibly the CM7s) does not exist for earbuds... I am so close to buying the CM7s, I just hope that the difference between them and the E888s is noticible.

The E888's are a pretty damn good ear bud is what it comes down to.

 

[josimcy]

^ I agree, but the build quality is starting to get to me and while the vocals are dead on and I find the bass more than adequate, something about the way percussion comes through on these earphones sounds muffled. Just looking for a bit more detail than what the E888s are giving me in something portable and nonisolating.