[HRA]

Wolfen,

IEM's can be an incredible experience when listening to music, but they are NOT the end all experience in my opinion. In fact every professional I know hardly use their IEM's off the stage or out of the studio, unless they need portability as in exercising and traveling. I do not want to brag here as its not my style but on my main audio system at home my speakers run into 6 figures per pair....at that price level the performance characteristics are very different than isolating the sound in your head with IEM's.

As far as IEM's are concerned there are a few truly good companies that make them. After visiting the UE lab in Vegas, which is growing very fast I might add, I have to tell you that their product line has become the industry leader.

 

[toaster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfen68 ...however the cost is too high and the lack of resale ability kicked me down to the "lowly" E5.

<sigh> remember the good old days when we were all so blissfully ignorant?

 

[gorman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by toaster22 <sigh> remember the good old days when we were all so blissfully ignorant?

Well... I think E5 are probably on top of pretty much anything else in bang for buck situation, don't you agree?

 

[HRA]

Regarding costs and differences between the Shure E5 and UE-5c they are two differents animals. For those of you that don't know it, Jerry Harvey of UE designed the Shure E5 for the Shure company several years ago. These are cookie cutter IEM's. In my opinion they are totally overpriced for the technology and production methods. There is nothing custom about them and the internal components do not justify the price. With that said, you can order a custom, handmade IEM from a company such as UE or others in the $550.00 range with better internal components, engineering and high quality performance that will fit your ears like a glove.

Without divulging any further information you are "likely" to see prices drop on the custom IEM's, at least at the consumer level, as demand and production increase. Whereas now you may see the Shure E5 selling on the internet for around $375.00 delivered, you may be able to get a pair of customs in that same price range. Which would you rather have???

 

[lindrone]

If that does indeed happen, the non-custom IEM's will surely drop in price as well. As market dictates, non-custom IEM's should always be cheaper than the custom versions anyway.

I'd love to see a custom IEM around E5's price range... I'd get my girlfriend something

 

[plainsong]

HRA, LOL - I mean no offense here, but from what I've read, you do love to brag. I'll say no more than that, I hold nothing against you. You have lots of valuable advice to give on IEM's. But you've started an entire thread to brag and then logged in under another name to defend yourself before so don't pretend to be shy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HRA Regarding costs and differences between the Shure E5 and UE-5c they are two differents animals. For those of you that don't know it, Jerry Harvey of UE designed the Shure E5 for the Shure company several years ago. These are cookie cutter IEM's. In my opinion they are totally overpriced for the technology and production methods. There is nothing custom about them and the internal components do not justify the price. With that said, you can order a custom, handmade IEM from a company such as UE or others in the $550.00 range with better internal components, engineering and high quality performance that will fit your ears like a glove. Without divulging any further information you are "likely" to see prices drop on the custom IEM's, at least at the consumer level, as demand and production increase. Whereas now you may see the Shure E5 selling on the internet for around $375.00 delivered, you may be able to get a pair of customs in that same price range. Which would you rather have???

 

[HRA]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindrone If that does indeed happen, the non-custom IEM's will surely drop in price as well. As market dictates, non-custom IEM's should always be cheaper than the custom versions anyway. I'd love to see a custom IEM around E5's price range... I'd get my girlfriend something

Lind....youWILL see this happen in the not too distant future....custom IEM's used to be reserved for the professional market only. With the advent of portable music and the desire for a high performance listening experience there is is a whole new niche market for the producers of custom IEM's which will in turn bring pricing down. It's not that the components are costly but the labor that's involved in putting each pair together. Most of these manufacturers are mom and pop operations. If they can get an assembly line type operation going, which they will, the costs will come down. Shure will either drop their prices or get out of the market altogether.

 

[HRA]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong HRA, LOL - I mean no offense here, but from what I've read, you do love to brag. I'll say no more than that, I hold nothing against you. You have lots of valuable advice to give on IEM's. But you've started an entire thread to brag and then logged in under another name to defend yourself before so don't pretend to be shy.

Why don't you enlighten me as what I'm bragging about and the other name you said I logged in under? Obviously you are an envious and jeolous type of person. Any references I've made to other pieces of equipment I own were merely made for reference and not snob appeal.

In short you are either dumb or 10 years old....I would quess the former as opposed to the latter.

 

[Oddball]

HRA, I think you're being a bit harsh here. I believe plainsong is referring to this thread:

http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showt...7&page=1&pp=15

Quote:

Well, it's not surprising that HRA is so supportive of richmond because, well, HRA is richmond.

Just an observation.

 

[plainsong]

Well you had said you don't like to brag, here it is from Jude's own words. You want to call Jude dumb too?

http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showt...re+funny+story

 

[Jester]

Wow, great review! Over the last two weeks I have been on a quest for finding the best possible portable sound. I spend 3-4 days a week on an airplane with each trip lasting in excess of 1 1/2 hours minimum. Currently I have both the Ety 4P/S and the Shure 5C, which plug into a Headroom Total Airhead amp and an 30GB Ipod. Each have their stong and weak points as lindrone and Welly Wu have pointed out. After reading both reviews from you and Welly, it appears that I might take the plunge. Just ordered a Ray Samuels SR-71 amp from Todd the Vinyl Junkie, but it won't be in for over a month.

With all that said, looks like I will be clearing out gear for the new rigs! Thanks again to you, Welly Wu, and lindrone for providing me with a ton of information.

Jester

 

[HRA]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong Well you had said you don't like to brag, here it is from Jude's own words. You want to call Jude dumb too? http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showt...re+funny+story

I just read this Jude person's reply from the other thread. I am not Richmond but I now have an idea who is and he is currently living in my home in Dallas as a friend of my teenage son. I will get to the bottom of this for sure. If I owe you an apology I will certainly extend it. You see I came to this site for fun and hopefully to contribute something of value, not to have my credibility impuned. Maybe this Jude person could contact me with more information. Thanks for the link to the other thread as I never read the ending.

 

[ampgalore]

That's the problem with the internet, you never know who the other party is. Can be a man pretending to be a woman, a woman pretending to be a man, can be a grown up pretending to be a child, a child pretending to be a grown up, etc.

Enjoy the drama while it lasts.

 

[Earwax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HRA I just read this Jude person's reply from the other thread. I am not Richmond but I now have an idea who is and he is currently living in my home in Dallas as a friend of my teenage son. I will get to the bottom of this for sure. If I owe you an apology I will certainly extend it. You see I came to this site for fun and hopefully to contribute something of value, not to have my credibility impuned. Maybe this Jude person could contact me with more information. Thanks for the link to the other thread as I never read the ending.

FYI, "this Jude person" owns and runs Head-fi.

Glad to hear there's an explanation. I didn't think Richmond's writing style was anything like yours.

 

[haycheng]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampgalore That's the problem with the internet, you never know who the other party is. Can be a man pretending to be a woman, a woman pretending to be a man, can be a grown up pretending to be a child, a child pretending to be a grown up, etc. Enjoy the drama while it lasts.

It should not be too bad in this group. Some of our identity have been conform by vision conformation. There is meeting picture for most of us, it is hard to pretend in head-fi. There is also little reason to pretent in head-fi.