[timhead]

After weeks of daily inquiry on this forum in search of some good first IEMs I want to purchase, these are the ones I've narrowed it down to. For other 'newlingers' in search of IEM's in my price range (around 50-65 euro's which is $70-90) I've added links to some reviews. On my Ipod nano I listen mostly to rock, lot of guitars, Springsteen, Stones, britpop, occasionally some dance and jazz.

Nuforce NE-7M: Couldn't have missed it: HeadphoneAddict's review and exciting comments by others
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f103/r...n-c700-383617/

Hear they have very good bass and clarity. Con is the mic which I won't be using. The 7m's will cost me about $70 (in the Netherlands or with shipping from US). You guys think they're still great value for that price?

Head Direct RE2: Good review and comments by Jinp6301 and ClieOS: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f103/h...review-315045/

Head Direct will include an FiiO E3 amp for $79. Because of my new 'head-fi' interest, the amp would be very nice to check out, but I'm aiming for a phone that sound good straight out of my nano while I'm on my way.

Third, the Denon C551's. Here's a nice review: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/3555773-post636.html

I think they're just good phones, maybe a safe but not very exciting bet. But for the sake of choice. Expensive though: $89

Before making a definitive choice I want to ask you to vote for the one's you'd go or. I'm especially interested in the Ne-7m / RE2 outcome.

Thanks a lot (also for lots of hours of lurking, new hobby)!

 

[LeonWho]

Head-Direct RE2 if you want a more detailed, but still fun sound.

 

[timhead]

Thanks LeonWho, see you've got them. Do you also listen to them un-amped?

Looks like the RE2's are going to win.

 

[chinesekiwi]

Knowing that I own both the C551's and RE2's and reading up on the NE-7M, I voted the NE-7M's.

Why?

The RE2's sound is just way too thin for my liking + the NE-7M = better value.

C551's = plenty of bass but lacks high-end detail.

 

[neoufo51]

I have not heard the RE2, but I've avoided it before due to people saying it sounded "boring" I've had the C551's and they are bass-rich but high-deficient. The NE-7M are the most balanced of the 3.

 

[oarnura]

I can't vote because I haven't heard the RE2 or C551. I own the NE-7m and would say that while they are a good deal at $50, I don't think they are worth buying at $70. Especially since you won't be using the mic or iPhone functions. Oh and to make them better you have to invest in Comply T400 tips, the stock tips are pretty bad. So add that to the cost.

 

[Calexico]

I don't find the RE2s to be boring at all. The mids are excellent, the treble is present and lively. The overall signature is actually quite fun, the only part that people may find boring is the slight lack in bass. The free Fiio E3 included with an order fixes that up, at the expense of some additional hiss.

 

[Tony987]

I was in the same postion as you and for 2 weeks trawling through endless reviews. In the end I bought the NE-7's with Comply 400 foam tips, and am just amazed!! I had the Er6i's for 1.5 years which were great but these take my listening pleasure to a new level I don't wanna take them out of my ears. Go for these!!

 

[timhead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oarnura /img/forum/go_quote.gif I can't vote because I haven't heard the RE2 or C551. I own the NE-7m and would say that while they are a good deal at $50, I don't think they are worth buying at $70. Especially since you won't be using the mic or iPhone functions. Oh and to make them better you have to invest in Comply T400 tips, the stock tips are pretty bad. So add that to the cost.

That's the exact reason why I still hesitate (or maybe waver is the right english word

) to buy one.

On the other hand, if they just sound better than the RE2's -and some of the voters think so convincingly - it shouldn't be an argument, since they cost about as much...

 

[Calexico]

The NE-7M is bassy, the RE2 is "midsy/trebly" Have you decided which style you want yet? Not to say they are bad in other areas, but that's what they sort of focus on.

 

[oarnura]

Quote:

Originally Posted by timhead /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's the exact reason why I still hesitate (or maybe waver is the right english word ) to buy one. On the other hand, if they just sound better than the RE2's -and some of the voters think so convincingly - it shouldn't be an argument, since they cost about as much...

The NE-7m are not bad, far from it. They work very well for hip-hop and electronic music with a lot of synthesized bass. For Jazz, classical and other genres where precise imaging and high-frequency and midrange matters a lot they don't do that well. I am comparing them to more expensive iems but not by much.

If you listen to a lot of hip-hop and electronic music the NE-7M might be good for you.

 

[LeftyGorilla]

Having lost or misplaced my RE2s, I just pulled the trigger on the NE-7Ms as a replacement. Hoping they live up to expectations just as much as I am hoping to recollect my RE2s...

 

[LeonWho]

As Calexico already stated, the NuForce focuses on the bass while the Head-Direct focuses on the mids and the highs.

Also know that the RE2's are likely to be more detailed than the NE-7M's.
The mids of the RE2's are liquidy fluid and its highs are sparkly and its bass is tight but lean. It's slightly thin, but nothing too bad.

Thinness can be fixed with some foam tips or the Fiio E3. I have both.

 

[timhead]

Well, bass is pretty important to me because that's what I miss most now. I'm using stock 'phones now so I'm probably better off by a lot at the bass department either way.

I'm using my Ipod a lot while walking, on my work, in the train etc, and I need to be able to stuff it in my pocket and go. That's why I would prefer not to take an extra amp with me (except for long distances by train). So it seems like with the RE2 I'll have to order some Comply tips too, because I do wanna have good bass.

To be honest, I'm not to keen about using foam tips anyway because I'll be taking my phones in and out a lot (for instance while i'm at work) and I don't want to be squeezing foam all day... But in the end, good sound is more important.

I kind of lean towards the Ne-7m right now, because somehow I think it's an overall satisfactory IEM to begin with. It seems to do well on the whole spectrum, maybe not perfect, but it'll be quite an upgrade from my current ones. I'm afraid that I'd be a bit disappointed if I miss bass in the RE2. But because my musical interest is quite broad, good mids and highs are crucial too. Well, just can't have it all...

.

Think I'll break my head over it a bit longer and at some point stop reading more pro's and cons about it just go for one. I'll probably won't regret it anyway.

 

[kelton49]

If you go for the ne-7m order some UE or shure replacement silicon tips, the stock tips that come with them are garbage (maybe you'll get lucky, I doubt it). I stuff the phones in my pocket and don't want to be bothered with foam either.

and yes, going from stock buds to ne-7m =