[GravY]

Ive owned the e3c and now have the e500s, the e3c isolated more, their design lets them sit farther in the ear canal and with a pair of custom tips they blocked out a hell of alot of sound.. the e500s because of their size cant be inserted as far, im still messing around with tip size to get the best isolation possible, they do well just not as good as the e3s..

 

[3X0]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nfsu /img/forum/go_quote.gif OK, but if Shure E4cs are out of budget (170$ at ebay.com) Etymotics are out of budget either (they are even more expensive then E4cs)

Actually you can get Etymotics for $150-165.. which is cheaper. They were sub-$150 on Amazon a while ago.

 

[nfsu]

Ouch, sorry, I didn't know...
So, I think that for this price ER4 are best choice.

 

[3X0]

I think it's really hard to recommend the Etys with their microphonics, though..

TBH I think anything with foamies should be fine.

 

[bellsprout]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JibJab /img/forum/go_quote.gif The ER6i has some really bad customer reports on earphonesolutions.com almost all saying that the build quality is poor, cables are cheap, had to have their set replaced etc.

that's not true. the cables are thin, and look cheap, but are deceptively strong. ive put mine through rigorous test of torture and they came out unscathed.

 

[LaBreaHead]

If you don't mind a different sound signature from the HD555's, the Etymotics ER6i's do isolate very well and have a bright, clean sound, and can use a variety of tips. It's just my preference that I use short Comply foams -- if you don't want to replace foams periodically, either learn to like the tri-flanges (takes some getting used to) or see if you can get Ety bi-flanges ... the flanges will last a long time (you can also search for instructions on how to cut down the tri-flanges to make your own custom bi-flanges).

The Etys are sturdier than you might think. Also, if you have a player that doesn't EQ well (like an iPod), I'd caution against the overpriced Shure E3 series.

 

[GravY]

but.. if you do have a player that has an EQ you can get alot out of the E3..

 

[Bigburger]

Can you guys recommend websites to buy IEM's from which have low prices AND ship internationally? Does Amazon ship IEM's outside the USA? (international customers please voice your experiences)

At the moment the only website I know of is www.earphonesolutions.com They are currently out of stock of all Etymotic phones and apparently cannot ship Shure phones outside North America. So at the moment, this basically only leaves Ultimate Ears and Westone as viable choices.

UE phones:

-Is the super.fi 5 EB worth buying as the cheapest dual driver IEM or should I save some cash and go with the super.fi 3?

-Why does the 5pro cost more than the 5EB, and is it worth the difference in price?

-Or would the Westone UM1 simply be a better choice all round, especially compared to the super.fi 3?

 

[Bigburger]

Anybody??? Pretty keen on super.fi's becasue is it just me or do they look really nice? (Those new triple.fi's look awesome as does the cherry red 5pro) They also appear sturdy like they could stand everyday usage...including maybe getting slept on. Not having to replace tips is a bonus for me as well.

Am I right in crossing off the 5 EB as the bass is reportedly overwhelming, excessive etc? That leaves the 5 pro and the 3 studio. I'd like to know if the 5 pro is worth over twice as much money as the 3 studio. Is the difference in price justifiable by the difference in SQ (I'm assuming isolation would be the same?) or should i save myself a bunch of cash and go with the 3 studio?

Would be grateful for any responses. Thanks

 

[cindyk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigburger /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anybody??? Pretty keen on super.fi's becasue is it just me or do they look really nice? (Those new triple.fi's look awesome as does the cherry red 5pro) They also appear sturdy like they could stand everyday usage...including maybe getting slept on. Not having to replace tips is a bonus for me as well. Am I right in crossing off the 5 EB as the bass is reportedly overwhelming, excessive etc? That leaves the 5 pro and the 3 studio. I'd like to know if the 5 pro is worth over twice as much money as the 3 studio. Is the difference in price justifiable by the difference in SQ (I'm assuming isolation would be the same?) or should i save myself a bunch of cash and go with the 3 studio? Would be grateful for any responses. Thanks

If you're a real audiophile, then Super.fi 5 is the way to go. However, many people can't really tell the difference between Super.fi 3 and 5 from my experience.

 

[Bigburger]

How is the 5 pro sonically better than the 3 studio and about what cindyk said: is the difference in sound between the two obvious? Bottom line: Is the 5 pro $100 better than the $70 3 studio?

 

[Bigburger]

*bump* I know lots of people have super.fi 5 pro's. Just compare to super.fi 3 if you have heard both and say if you think the 5's are worth the extra $100.

any opinions appreciated...

 

[LaBreaHead]

The super.fi's stick out more than other in-ears ... they don't look like they're suited for wearing while sleeping. I admit that I like they way they look, but I haven't tried them. People praise their sound (some praise it a lot), but check threads for reports of cracking -- I don't know whether that's very isolated or common.

(And yes, I liked my Shure E3's when used with an easily EQ'd Rio Karma or Rio Carbon ... don't like the way they sound with iPods, though.)

 

[Bigburger]

Yeah they sure look like they stick out a lot from all the pics of people wearing them, but I'm not specifically looking for a sleeper if its the best sound I can get for the price.

My question remains unanswered:

Should I go with $70 super.fi 3's or save up (a lot) and pay an extra $100 for the super.fi 5's. Is it worth the price difference and is there a great difference in sound quality between the 3's and 5's?

 

[cindyk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigburger /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah they sure look like they stick out a lot from all the pics of people wearing them, but I'm not specifically looking for a sleeper if its the best sound I can get for the price. My question remains unanswered: Should I go with $70 super.fi 3's or save up (a lot) and pay an extra $100 for the super.fi 5's. Is it worth the price difference and is there a great difference in sound quality between the 3's and 5's?

Super.fi 3 lacks details and bass compared to Super.fi 5 pro. I got my Super.fi 3 custom molded though so it has much better bass now

. For me, $100 difference is not worth it but many people may disagree.