[smarky98]

Hey guys, i have been scouring the interwebs for about a week now, trying to decide upon a few different kinds of in-ear headphones.

I like the UE triple.fi 10.. And for 170$ they're a STEAL

With that said... My budget is under 300$, So there is an obvious room for improvement.

I was thinking about buying an external amplifier, but don't know if it will do much to my audio quality.

I have a Cowon J3.. BTW

Just hoping one of you guys can shine some light on this one, and point me in the right direction.

Thanks!

 

[Pelotonjon]

They were $95 on Black Friday, so you should be able to find a pair for a lot lower than $170 on here or eBay.  

 

[smarky98]

Jesus! That's cheap.. My question though being, Can i do better for under 300$?

 

[Jeremypsp]

There's almost nothing better than the triple.fi 10s at that price. You can find lower than $170, but you won't get the warranty that Amazon provides. Also, you can get about $137+ at Amazon marketplace, so it might be cheaper than eBay. 

 

[Jeremypsp]

Quote:

Jesus! That's cheap.. My question though being, Can i do better for under 300$?

You can find the Monster Turbine Pro Gold and Sennheiser IE8 at below $300. But to me, they are not better than the Triple.Fi 10.
 

 

[smarky98]

What about shure se425 or shure se315..
From what i've read.. They're better than the UE's...
suggestions welcome.
By the way.. I listen to indie rock, some classic rock.. And sometimes (though not very related) Dubstep/ Bass heavy music.

 

[Jeremypsp]

Quote:

What about shure se425 or shure se315..
From what i've read.. They're better than the UE's...
suggestions welcome.

315s are no match for the UEs. 425s, not to my ears, maybe only the midrange. The TF10 has better highs and lows than the other two, soundstage is good too. So it really depends on your musical preferences. To me, the 425s lack a little clarity. 

 

[smarky98]

You've been a ot of help.. I'm going to go with the UE's..
Any objections?
 

 

[Jeremypsp]

Quote:

In what way do you mean that they are no match?

Ok, for starters, the Shures SE315s and 425s are mid-end models, while the Triple.fi 10 is a high-end. The difference between the Shure SE535 and 425 is too big for me, the 535s being a lot better. I find the Triple.fi 10s to have better separation, soundstage, highs and lows. Only get the Shures if you're afraid that the TF10s don't fit you, since many people have fit issues regarding them. So the Shures wins ergonomics wise. But sound quality wise, the TF10s are even better than the Westone 3s and some say the UM3x, both which are a lot more expensive. 

 

[KimChee]

Another vote for TF10, top tier IEM and cheap best under $300 

 

[Jeremypsp]

Quote:

Another vote for TF10, top tier IEM and cheap best under $300 

100% agree

 

[smarky98]

Sorry i keep editing my posts..
And is the fit that big of a problem? 
i (being 13 years old) Have a relatively small ear canal.

 

[Jeremypsp]

Quote:

Sorry i keep editing my posts..
And is the fit that big of a problem? 
i (being 13 years old) Have a relatively small ear canal.

My ears are not very big either but no issues for me. (I'm 15). I believe they could be solved by using different tips, the fit is certainly not as bad as people make them out to be.

 

[smarky98]

Many thanks.. I will buy them from amazon for the warranty, Maybe get some tips with them.. Merry Christmas!

 

[applebook]

I far prefer the TF10 to the SE5XX, ER-4, Turbine Copper, etc.
 
The only thing under $300 I would consider over the TF10 would perhaps be a triple-driver from Westone.