[jferreir]

For years, I always told myself that SQ should be the determining factor when buying IEMs. Comfort and convenience are important, but SQ is always paramount. Now, I'm beginning to see the error of my ways...
 
I presently own 3 IEMs, all of which are somewhat antiquated by today's standards: Westone UM1, Ortofon e-Q5, and Shure SE535.
 
I prefer the Ortofon e-Q5 above the others hands down. Don't get me wrong, I love the forward, mid-centric presentation of the SE535, but the cable is damn thick/unwieldy, and the over-the-ear part constantly jostles with my eyeglasses. The Westone has an awesome cable with no micro-phonics and performs great for what it is, but the sound can be a bit flat, lacking dynamics compared to the other two.
 
The result? I find myself reaching for the Ortofons much more frequently than the other two. The SQ on these IEMs is great, but it's the overall package of build quality, comfort/convenience, and price that really set it apart. I doubt I can find IEMs anywhere near this price that I would enjoy equally as much. Heck, the Shure SE535 costs a fair bit more, and yet I still prefer the Ortofon's.
 
And so I've concluded that SQ alone should not be the determining factor when buying IEMs. You can have great sound quality, but if the IEMs are uncomfortable, tangle, have high micro-phonics, etc., then that great SQ will be meaningless because you'll be using them less often.
 
Sounds like common sense, but it just ain't common enough (at least in my case).

 

[bubsdaddy]

You are spot on. I don't know why most manufacturers pay so little attention to the comfort (and, to some degree, style) when clearly that is very important. I have many "better" headphones, but I reach for any of my Bose sets almost every time. 

 

[Replicant187]

i use IEMs when i'm out on the streets so comfort is more important than SQ fo me.