[Poetic]

I've narrowed my search down to these 3. I am leaning towards the IE80's because they sound similar to the Gr07's in which i find the best IEM's ive ever listened to. But i am afraid the IE80's will be just downright Bass God with a veiled sound.  I listen to RnBHip Hop, Jazz, and alternative rock. Mostly jazz though, like paul hardcastle. All of my music will be sourced from my IBasso dx100
 
I did read jokers review on the Mdr ex1000 and westone w4., but i could not find a review on the IE80's only the IE8's and the westone w4's not the 4r

 

[Zalithian]

I haven't heard the IE80's (just the IE8 and W4), but supposedly the IE8's have less mid bass than the IE8's, and can have reasonable clarity, especially with the tape mod. The W4 is good with everything, they are slightly warm but not very. Don't know much about the EX1000's.
 
The W4 and IE80 should both be non fatiguing, with the W4 having more analytical sound but not cold, IE80 more relaxing sounding. Veiled is pretty subjective, some people think anything less than the ER4 sounds veiled. Some people say the W4 is veiled - I don't find it that way at all. It's pretty lazy at low volumes though.
 
W4 - better all arounder
IE80 should be more fun and enjoyable, but as always it depends on your preference.
Of course as mentioned above, my IE80 comments are based on reading here and my personal experience with the 8.

 

[Poetic]

Quote:

I haven't heard the IE80's (just the IE8 and W4), but supposedly the IE8's have less mid bass than the IE8's, and can have reasonable clarity, especially with the tape mod. The W4 is good with everything, they are slightly warm but not very. Don't know much about the EX1000's.
 
The W4 and IE80 should both be non fatiguing, with the W4 having more analytical sound but not cold, IE80 more relaxing sounding. Veiled is pretty subjective, some people think anything less than the ER4 sounds veiled. Some people say the W4 is veiled - I don't find it that way at all. It's pretty lazy at low volumes though.
 
W4 - better all arounder
IE80 should be more fun and enjoyable, but as always it depends on your preference.
Of course as mentioned above, my IE80 comments are based on reading here and my personal experience with the 8.

what's the difference between the Westone 4r and W4

 

[Zalithian]

The only differences are the W4R is certified for +/- 2dB between earpieces (acoustic symmetry) the cable is removable, and the price of course.

 

[barid]

I would put a vote in for the W4's first then the IE80's second. 
 
I have been impressed with the Westone products I've owned(um3x and w3), and from everything I've read the W4 is more balanced and neutral that either of those.  I have not heard it myself and am not claiming any personal experience with it (though it is next on my list to buy).
 
My IE8's are a personal favorite when I'm traveling, simply for how comfortable they are and the fun sound.  Shallow insertion and elevated bass is a nice mix when you are in a busy airport.  I feel they do lack some of the clarity you get in the Westones, but the soundstage is very nice.
 
No amount of amazing sound could make the form of the EX1000's worth it for me though.  I've had the EX600 and while I understand the EX1000 is a significant step up in sound, the design is the same.  That design is just simply too uncomfortable and too unwieldy to wear.  I suppose if you only plan to use them while sitting at a desk it may not be as big an issue.  It would be a niche product for me that could only be used a very small amount of the time.

 

[Poetic]

Got the IE80's today and they have such a heavy bass slam to it.  Definately had to turn the midbass with my Ibasso and cowon. I am very happy with them, but they only sound fantastic when the bass is lowered IMO. The mids and highs aren't drowned by a BOOM. and i am very sure they will improve further within burn in.

 

[ZARIM]

Gald to hear you like these and they will improve further in clarity with burn in and if ever you want more bass from IEMs and same crisp clear soundquality or more then try Denon C300, they are amazing bassy IEMs and maintain great clarity in other frequencies response.

 

[StyleElements]

I'm a little late to the party but I think the IE80s are a great choice. I'm glad you like them. I went with the IE80 because I wanted warmth and a relaxing sound signature (the large soundstage is a bonus), and I was not disappointed. I prefer inoffensive highs, and for me the bass dial on 2/5 is perfect. 
 
From what I've read (I must someday hear these) on head-fi, the EX1000 has an amazingly detailed sound with great mids and almost perfectly balanced bass. However, they don't offer the best isolation and wind noise against the earpieces make them less suited for portable use, kind of a home/indoors IEM which is an unusual target market.
 
The W4R is also a worthy contender, and is a very capable IEM with a neutral sound, and superior isolation to the IE80s. I heard them at Jaben and was impressed by their accuracy. For the type of music I listen to, however (EDM and jazz primarily), it's not really fun enough for me.
 
Edit: Error corrected, I said they don't offer any isolation but they do, at least well enough for a couple reviewers to successfully use them on the subway!

 

[AUDIOBREEDER]

Quote:

However, they don't offer any isolation and wind noise against the earpieces mean they're not for portable use, kind of a home/indoors IEM which is a very odd target market indeed.

I find that truly wrong. People who dont get the fit will complain of their lack of isolation. For me with all Sony IEMs the medium eartip (marked green) always provided a great form of isolation. The seal is the key with Sony IEMs. As for wind noise, I dont find that an issue unless you are using it with high wind conditions in the middle of a typhoon. The cable is strong & wind noise is not an issue with these.
 
As for the 4R, they are the best of the lot. The shape of it along the contour of your ears, makes it a well fitting IEM. Clarity is amazing with these.
 
I have never owned the IE8/IE800, to me they seem overpriced for what they look. I dont even like the shape of the earpiece. Which is a good thing for me since I wont have to think about it & spend more.
 
It all comes down to how they look & how they fit.

 

[StyleElements]

Thanks for your experience audio, I must go try them then! Most impressions of the E1k mentioned some level of difficulty with portable use because they stick out a little, but it's good to know it can be done. Again, if I had experience with them I'd have better advice but I was just going off the impressions that time.

I agree about the w4's ergonomics, as they sit really snugly in the ear, and of course a good fit is the most important thing with IEMs. A lot of people also don't find the ie80 housing to fit well, and to make matters worse, the stock tips are not so great. As for the price, well, I find mine to suit my needs and I managed to get a good price. I do believe the ie800 you mentioned is totally different in shape. The 800 is the new flagship senn IEM, which is more conventionally designed and is $800. Try that for overpriced :0

 

[AUDIOBREEDER]

Well, if the Sony EX1000 sticking out is going to be an issue, then I wont recommend it. If there is something you dont like, it might bug you later after your purchase. Mind you, they are discontinued now & they are being sold at full retail or even higher. If you find them for a good price new ($250-$300 US), it would be a steal.
 
The 4R can be had for this price or less depending upon the coupon from Earphone Solutions. I dont know how much extra it will cost to ship to your place.
 
Considering price & value, these are pretty expensive IEMs, so I recommend them to be handled with care after purchase.

 

[RampantAndroid]

I've just got the W4s in the last few days and can say they are REALLY balanced. My UM3Xs that are currently out of commission though had more focus on vocals though, so I miss that in the W4s. Regardless, the W4s sound great.

 

[DMinor]

I own both IE80 and EX1000. You can read my posts here and here on my take on these two.

 

[Ivabign]

If the IE80's are anything like the IE8's - you are in for a treat after 150-200 hours of use - the boom fades away and is replaced by slam - and the highs and mids open up - I love my IE8's, even though I know they are far from neutral - they just make listening to music a joy.

 

[Poetic]

The IE80's remind me of the Vsonic Gr07's. i was thinking of trying out the MDR ex1000. IMO after consecutive listening between the GR07's and the IE80's i think i prefer the Vsonic's more.
Everything is so much more clear while still maintaining a non fatigue signature. I cant exactly say the Vsonic Gr07's are better, but umm lets just say the IE80's aren't the baddest around. for 400Dollars are the IE80's worth it? I don't think so, i think They belong in the 250 Dollar range of IEM's. They are great sounding and fun with the bass and the soundstage is very impressive. But it's something about the Vsonic Gr07's that sounds better. I'll give them some more time to burn in.