Upgrading from Sharp MD33s

[godchuanz]

Hi, this is my first post here, and any replies will be appreciated!

Thanks to Head-fi, I have gotten myself a pair of Sharp MD33s a few weeks ago. I have to say that I am very happy with them, and it's definitely great value-for-money.
It is only barely a month since I first had them, but the forums are already making my ears itch for the better stuff.

Things I liked about the Sharp (Positives):
1) Good detail - almost everything is clear, and sound doesn't suffer from distortion, not that I can hear.
2) Good isolation - doesn't block out all sounds, but I can actually hear myself breathe when I put them on in a quiet place. They are great on trains and buses. (Actually, all canalphones isolate, so... I can't be totally sure of this point.)
3) Overall nice sound - sounded a little weird to me when I first listened to them, but I think either the phones or my ears burned in.
4) Bass is not too soft, not over-powering - to me it's just nice. But of course, it might be because I have gotten used to the phones.
5) Mids are clear and well-defined. It's the strongest point of these phones, in my opinion.
6) Comfort - I can actually sleep with them in my ears and not know it.
7) Easy to insert/remove - Heard cases of some canalphone's tips getting stuck in ears, and some cases where more than a minute is required to insert phones properly. Don't know how it is really possible. For me, I just put them in and that's it. Less than 10 seconds.

Things I disliked (Negatives):
1) Very bad microphonics - I didn't even know microphonics existed until I heard these phones. It's not a problem when I'm sitting down, but when I walk around listening to them, mysterious noises are quite "audible".
2) Somehow, I felt that the treble of these phones are not that good. Can't pinpoint what exactly, but something's definitely missing.
3) Clarity - I'm not saying these phones are unclear, but after listening to my colleague's headphones I'm not sure that the Sharps are THAT clear after all.


Now, I am thinking of upgrading to a better pair of phones. Portability is a priority and I'll most probably want a pair of canalphones. Have seen good reports on the Ety and Shure phones, but not too sure how they really sound and whether I'll like them.
Price is not going to be much of an issue as long as I'm not required to pay ridiculous prices. Anything that is value-for-money and better than what the Sharps can offer will be ideal.
Also, I'm NOT gonna want an amp or a new player (currently have the Creative Zen Xtra).

Anyone who has heard these Sharps but have better phones, please advise! Any other opinions are also welcomed.
Thanks so much!

 

[guppi]

A tip regarding the microphonics: I find it helps a lot to wear the cable under my sweater/shirt (to connect between ears and Ipod in pant pocket).

 

[BowerR64]

Im gona get a pair of these real soon.

 

[godchuanz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by guppi A tip regarding the microphonics: I find it helps a lot to wear the cable under my sweater/shirt (to connect between ears and Ipod in pant pocket).

Won't you feel funny having the wires tickling your body?
Will definitely try it though, hope it helps.

 

[sunnysal]

all canal phones will suffer from microphonics, ALL. under your clothes is one way to reduce (though not a possiblity for me) another is to clip the cord to your clothes at mid chest height.

the Sharp MD33s is amazingly good for the price, the ety and shure phones are better transducers but they cost a LOT more and you still will find they have a similar sound. I think the sharp sounds most like the shure E5c (I may get flamed for that but that is MHO) at $450 less.

I also think that the small gains from sharp to high end ear canal phones is offset by
1. the big price difference,
2. the comfort/convenience gap. these sharp (and the sony ex71) both are semi-ear canal phones, they do not insert as deeply as the etys and shures. I, for one, cannot stand the deep canal phones as more than a novelty, I try them at friends houses and then go back to easier to use phones (like the sharp or sony both of which I own).

you need to take into account usage and source, what is your source and where/how will you use them. let us know.

you also need to fix a budget number and stick to it, that is the single greatest determinant of which phones you will by.

let me throw in a few more options, Senn PX100 (non isolating) or 200 (semi-isolating) if you can wear headband phones, they sound really great for the money. people here tout the sony eggos (only availble overseas) as great phones for the money.

IMHO unless you plan to spend a few hundred dollars and have tried and can live with real in-the-ear canal phones I would stick with the sharps, they really do not get much better than that in portable phones.

regards, tony

 

[godchuanz]

I understand that all canalphones are susceptible to microphonics, and will definitely try the hide-wires-under-the-shirt method.

It is a pity that there aren't many better phones than what I currently have. I haven't heard any of the Shures or Etys, but I was really hoping there's something that can give me even better sound.

I wouldn't mind over-the-head phones, as long as they are portable, can work well without amps, and provide some form of isolation (for travelling on trains). With such considerations, I think canalphones would make better choices.

As mentioned, I am carrying a Creative Zen Xtra player. Playing MP3s with qualities ranging 192-256. Price really isn't going to be much of a problem, so long as it's not ridiculously high (like the case of the custom earmolds).

 

[BigD]

Why don't you wait for k26p and ath-es5 showdown? These are the latest offerings from akg and audio technica to compete with senn px100/200. Just hold your horses...

 

[doni]

i also have a pair of MD33s and EX51s, but am also victim of Head-Fi Fever -- got the upgrade itch! i need canaphones that have drivers resting flat to my ears, so i can wear a hat in the winter. so Etys are out, but I really wanted to try the different Shure models. so... I just went out and ordered ALL THREE Shure models: E2c, E3c, E5c. they should be arriving this week and I can't wait to compare them all! I expect to keep my favorite and return/eBay the others, assuming I prefer one of them to my current phones. I'll also prob post a comparison of the 5.

I hate you Head-Fi, you're making me poor.

 

[DigDub]

i have the sharp md33, the ety er6 and shure e2c. the sharps beats the ety and shure because they produce excellent sound at the price. e2c is muddy. er6 sounds detailed, but loses out to the sharp in the price-to-performance category.

 

[godchuanz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by doni I really wanted to try the different Shure models. so... I just went out and ordered ALL THREE Shure models: E2c, E3c, E5c. they should be arriving this week and I can't wait to compare them all! I expect to keep my favorite and return/eBay the others, assuming I prefer one of them to my current phones. I'll also prob post a comparison of the 5.

Wow... that's some serious purchase. Will be waiting for your comparisions!
Anyway, I let a few colleagues listen to the Sharps, and they were all awed by the sound. A few of them have the Sony EX51/71, and are thinking of "upgrading" to the Sharps.
And also, seeing the responses on this thread, it seriously made me wonder if they would be improvements to sound upgrading to Etys and Shures phones. Surely, they can't be bad phones since so many people are raving on about them...
I'll really be interested in how they compare to the Sharps, and whether it is worthy of an upgrade.

 

[guppi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by godchuanz Won't you feel funny having the wires tickling your body? Will definitely try it though, hope it helps.

I usually wear it between T-Shirt and sweater. And I clamp the adapter thingy under my belt to prevent it from dangling around.

 

[godchuanz]

Thanks for the tips!
I tried the method, and it works! I hid it under the T-shirt, with the adapter. It's much better than before.

 

[DigDub]

Quote:

Originally Posted by godchuanz Wow... that's some serious purchase. Will be waiting for your comparisions! Anyway, I let a few colleagues listen to the Sharps, and they were all awed by the sound. A few of them have the Sony EX51/71, and are thinking of "upgrading" to the Sharps. And also, seeing the responses on this thread, it seriously made me wonder if they would be improvements to sound upgrading to Etys and Shures phones. Surely, they can't be bad phones since so many people are raving on about them... I'll really be interested in how they compare to the Sharps, and whether it is worthy of an upgrade.

to really get an 'upgrade', you'd have to get the top ends of etys and shures, such as the er4 or the e5c. imo, the er6 and the e2c are not worthy of an 'upgrade' over the md33. i prefer the md33 over the er6 and e2c.

 

[h-man]

Hi, I know I will get flamed for saying this, but I far prefer the md33 to my er4p's. I have had both for quite a while now and the md33 certainly gets the most ear time whilst I am out and about. The er4p's certainly reveal more detail but I do find them somewhat fatiguing for prolonged listening.

My advice is don't splash the cash on the expensive er4p's until you have had a good listen to them first.

 

[guppi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigDub to really get an 'upgrade', you'd have to get the top ends of etys and shures, such as the er4 or the e5c. imo, the er6 and the e2c are not worthy of an 'upgrade' over the md33. i prefer the md33 over the er6 and e2c.

Thanks DigiDub and sunnysal for your opinions and for curing my upgraditis. I really like my MD33 but was contemplating the er6i as a potential future upgrade. But it sounds like it probably wouldnt be worth it for me. So no more upgrades for me for a while (just bought the A900 as an upgrade to my Grado SR80 and am super happy with that. I think thats the end of the upgrade line for me).