[LDMES]

I am interested in finding out which IEM Headphones would be the best ones for me. As I am kind of new to this (ie I've been using $20 cheapies for as long as I can remember,) and could use some advise. I am hoping that the investment in a quality pair of IEMs will allow me to listen to my music at a level that is a little lower than FULL Volume, which will save my hearing, and still allow me to enjoy my music without the outside noise compromising the experience. I guess I basically blare my music to drown everything else out.
That being said I may at some point invest in an iPod but for now I want a pair of IEMs to work with my Treo and pTunes. I also want to be able to use them with my laptop when on a plane, so I'm not looking for the smaller Treo plug, just a standard plug. I can use my Treo stereo adapter with that device.
I have read a number of reviews, but most people are listing jazz, classical, and lighter music that they test their IEMs with. I'm looking for input from people who listen to Hard Rock, and Metal and can tell me what their impressions are. I listen to a wide variety of music, not all loud and aggressive. While traveling I usually prefer more mellow music, but at the gym I need the adrenaline rush.
Some of the music I have on my Treo includes:
Lamb of God
Pantera
Metallica
Slayer
Voivod
Godsmack
Shadows Fall
Mastadon
Black Label Society
Staind
Dave Matthews Band
The Tragically Hip
and more
I have been considering the following Headphones:
Westone UM2
UE Super.fi 5 Pro
Shure E5c
As well as great sounding, I also want comfort taken into consideration. I know the E5cs get high marks for comfort, but a lot of reviews have them listed as the third best. I read on UE site that Metallica use their product but I have heard they aren't as comfortable as the Shures, can anyone expand? And I don't want to be using foam ear pieces, so if I buy the UM2s, I'll either have to get custom tips, or can I use some of the Shure tips with them?
Well all the help you can provide would be greatly appreciated I am looking to purchase them in the next couple of weeks.

BTW Has anyone bought any of these on eBay. I have seen a number of sellers selling them and they run cheaper than what most stores have them for.

Thanks

Michael

 

[4metta]

I would go for Superfi 5 pros for metal. The warmth makes the hard stuff sound more powerful. PLUS, they are greatly discounted right now so they'll be dirt cheap. Just make sure you buy the ones with the new redesigned cases/cables.


PS---They are also PERFECT for iPods unamped. So you can keep them when you get one.

 

[Blitzula]

I've personally found that there aren't enough true metal heads on the forum to rely on for advise.

 

[3lusiv3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blitzula I've personally found that there aren't enough true metal heads on the forum to rely on for advise.

Really?
http://www.last.fm/group/Head-Fi
http://www.last.fm/user/Iron_Dreamer/

 

[Blitzula]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3lusiv3 Really? http://www.last.fm/group/Head-Fi http://www.last.fm/user/Iron_Dreamer/

Yes...and I don't think posting one metal fan's track list and an artrist/track list dominated by hard rock bands with one or two metal bands (Opeth, Rage) really disproves the point.

I've opened quite a few threads about metal and related equipment and not found a strong list of responses from people who are deeply into metal. I think most people here are more classical/(hard and other) rock/jazz fans. Audiophilia in general doesn't appear to attract many metal heads.

But hey, the original poster can see how many responses and the type of music the responders listen to and decide for himself. I've been here long enough to know how it is for my tastes...

 

[LDMES]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blitzula But hey, the original poster can see how many responses and the type of music the responders listen to and decide for himself. I've been here long enough to know how it is for my tastes...

OK I appreciate your honesty on who you believe are on the forum. Still I want to buy the IEMs sooner than later so any advice I can get helps. So have you tried any of the IEMs and if so which would you recommend?

Do you know anywhere, where I might try the different ones out before buying? Online is kind of hard, but I am in NYC a lot. I spend most of my time in Columbus, Ohio.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[xcodeguy]

I have experience with the Ue 5 Pro's, Shure E3c, E500's.

Shure will give you razor sharp highs and details in your music. For me I find that's too sharp for the kind of music I listen too like metal, rock, etc. That much detail and highs might be excellent for classical and jazz. The E3c's were off the hook too harsh for me. The E500's had a warmer presentation and much more bass - almost comperable to the Ue 5's. They were a lot warmer and a way better product than the E3c's - more $$$ too - but mine leaked sound (the 'good seal' discussion is on another thread, thanks).

The Shure products are definitely lower profile. The Super.fi's stick out of your ears considerably. The UE 5 Pro's are matched up pretty good with the iPod though. They sound great with a wide variety of genre like metal, rock, hip hop. At the moment the UE 5 Pro's are my favorite. With good bass, good soundstage and warm presence, they really fit the way I like to hear music.

Recently I added a total bithead to my iPod setup and cannot believe how much better the Super.fi's sound. I thought they were excellent before... But now...wow!

 

[LDMES]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xcodeguy Recently I added a total bithead to my iPod setup and cannot believe how much better the Super.fi's sound. I thought they were excellent before... But now...wow!

Thanks for the info on the UE 5 pros.

As a newbie to this High End audio stuff...what is a "bithead" and is it only useable with the iPods???

BTW Do you find the UE 5 Pros comfortable for extended listening sessions?

Thanks

 

[rms]

I have been very happy with my UM2's. I listen to a wide variety of music and everything sounds incredible. Very good balance with fantastic bass, mids, treble, the whole deal. I admit I am not a true metalhead, but these sound amazing on Symphony X - I have listened to V, The Odyssey, and Live on the Edge of Forever over and over and it just gets better every time. With Planet X, Dream Theater, Explorers Club, Cynic, Skid Row, Zeppelin, Sabbath -all sound better than ever. I haven't had a chance to sit and compare them with the others but I read the forums extensively before my purchase and feel that I got the right IEM's. As for comfort the foamies are actually very comfortable, though a little more work to put in and take out. Due to constant interruptions from wife and kids I took the triple flanges and carefully cut them down to biflanges and they work really well. Great seal, comfort, and easy to put in/out. I have read that the custom (UM56) molds are comfortable but some people have had trouble with the canal portion of the IEM breaking after repeated manipulations into the earpiece - might be better to go with the ES2 if you want custom earpieces. The other thing I considered when choosing an IEM is that Westone is based in Colorado Springs, make their products in the US, have been making IEM's for musicians for many years, and have great customer service.

 

[4metta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LDMES Thanks for the info on the UE 5 pros. As a newbie to this High End audio stuff...what is a "bithead" and is it only useable with the iPods??? BTW Do you find the UE 5 Pros comfortable for extended listening sessions? Thanks

A bithead is a type of amp. If ya want to save money, for now just get the Superfis 5 pros. They sound great unamped with an iPod. Eventually you will waste the money you save but I'm only trying to make the saving last a bit longer.

PS--If you are a newbie to iems I would not go e500s. They are very expensive right now and the Superfis are dirt cheap right now. And personally I think the harder stuff sounded better (read thicker and more powerful) on my Superfi 5 pros than my e500s. Also, Dave Mathews sounds great on them. They are nice warm earphones. But in the end you will notice everything comes down to personal taste. So while you experiment do it as cheaply as possible. New items tend to be exorbitantly overpriced. I think the e500s are great but if my Superfis had not broken I would have waited for the price to come down before buying them.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

I've owned the E5, and listened quite a bit to the other two. They're all good, just different flavors. If you like a lot of bass, the UE is what you want. The UM2 is not quite as bassy (still more bass than neutral, though), but has more bite to the high end, so if you like a U-shaped frequency response, you might like them (although I found they make the vocalist and guitars a bit too recessed for my taste). The Shure is the most balanced sounding of the three, and has the best midrange IMO, but can be a bit rough with bad recordings.

Also consider comfort, the UE sticks a bit further out of the ear, so it's not comfortable to lie down while wearing them. However, they don't go as deep in the ear, so some people find them more comfortable in that regard. The Shure has rather thick cables that can be somewhat irritating to manage, compared to the thinner cables of the other two.

-Your local neighborhood false metalhead

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Just noticed the thread title more specifically, if you're willing to spend as much as $500, get the Shure E500's; they are a step up in sound and comfort from all three of the previously discussed earphones. You can get them from a forum sponsor like Headroom for around $400 if I am not mistaken. They sound much closer to what full-sized headphones can do than any other IEM I have heard, and that is quite a few.

 

[Blitzula]

The E500 is decent for metal (it's really at least decent for everything, particularly for an IEM). The bass is reasonably deep, although it wasn't big on the impact. The highs could use more sparkle. It's a reasonably balanced sound. It didn't blow me away, but it wasn't bad.

You could check that or other IEMs out with a popular vendor here named Todd the Vinyl Junkie (he has a web site). He has a return policy without a restocking fee. You could audition/buy IEMs through him. His prices are reasonable (when I dealt with him, he would match lower prices if you found them) and he's a great guy.

Good luck with your search.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer -Your local neighborhood false metalhead

I never said that. I in fact said the opposite, that you were a true metal fan. It's kind of silly to get into "real" and "false" metal heads, but I didn't want you to be offended.

My point wasn't that there aren't any hard core metal fans, just that there aren't enough of them-or if there are, I don't see it in the thread responses.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blitzula I never said that. I in fact said the opposite, that you were a true metal fan. It's kind of silly to get into "real" and "false" metal heads, but I didn't want you to be offended.

I was just jerking your chain, there are so many of those "tr00" metalhead types on metal-related forums, I thought it would be a laugh to bust out in that form here (since as you outlined, there are few, if any of those types here).

 

[LDMES]

Thanks to all. I decided to go with the E500s. All the advise and comments were very helpfull. I decided in the end that I wanted the great sound and also comfort and from what I read Quote:

Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer the UE sticks a bit further out of the ear, so it's not comfortable to lie down while wearing them.

. Also after talking to some of the Audio Techs I work with(I'm a Lighting Designer) I came to the conclusion that the Triple Driver would be the best for me. Can't wait for them to arrive. Also I think the PTH technology will be usefull while travelling and commuting. Thanks.
BTW I'll post what I think about them after I break them in for a few weeks.

Michael