Which one of these should I get?

[fales]

I've been trying to find some good IEM headphones for quite some time now and I got down to a couple of models. I'm looking somewhere around the $150-200 range. My requirements are good sound quality ofc, noise cancelling since I will be using them in buses, subways etc. And I want them to look at least a bit decent.

I stumbled upon these:
Sennheiser CX 95
Sennheiser CX 550
Denon AH-C551
Koss i150
Koss KDX 300

Which one of these do you guys think are the best? Or can you recommend any other ones that fit in my price range and requirements?

 

[tstarn06]

None of those. Get the Klipsch S4 for $79, or the Head-Direct RE0 for $99, or the Denon C710 for $100. By noise canceling, I take it you mean in-ear phones that block sound. The three I listed above will do that.

Of those three, I have only heard the S4s and the 710s. I prefer the S4s (sold the 710s), which require 60+ hours to hit their stride.

I can't speak for the RE0, but I have the RE3 (Head-Fi's latest RE phones, which are coming out with a different number. I have a pre-production model), and have owned the RE2s. RE0 has many fans.

My guess, just a guess, is the Klipsch has a deeper, more extended bass response than the RE0, but the RE0 is more mid and treble/detail focused.

 

[fales]

Thanks for the advice. Yes by noise canceling I mean just passive like earplugs, not the active ones with some noise cancelling frequencies.

I forgot to mention that I mostly listen to Rock music- Muse, Coldplay, Dire Straits etc.

Does that change anything? Otherwise I would probably go with the Head-Direct RE0.

 

[tstarn06]

Not for the S4s, which are a very good value in sound/price ratio. The RE0s used to cost $200, and as you can see from the threads, people love them. One member rates them higher than the Westone UM3X, which cost $335, but he's in the minority (some others disagree). So hard to go wrong with the RE0s. I just always felt the RE line is a little bass shy, but again, I have never heard the RE0. The RE2s defniitely needed help on the bottom end, as so the RE3s I own.

 

[sebhuber]

The question you have to ask yourself, is if your source is enough. 320kbps and a high quality mp3 player will pair with the RE0 nicely. Also in my opinion, the RE0 bass does go low, but it just feels very natural.
Badly recorded music is unpleasant to listen to on the RE0, but otherwise it is a pleasure, especially with the Dire Straits, but also with Steely Dan and Lou Reed

 

[fales]

I will be using the headphones with my iPhone 3G, I know not really a good source but I'm looking for something portable, comfortable and easy to use. In my PC I have most of my music files in FLAC and in my iPhone in 320KBps MP3, if I get some good headphones I'll consider converting to some sort of Apple Lossless...



tstarn06:
I really don't mind if the headphones are bass shy. I've been using the Koss Porta Pro's for about a year, which are know to be bass heavy, and I really don't like it. That's basically what got me started on looking for new headphones

 

[sebhuber]

Yes, I think the RE0 will fit the bill then. Really transparent and easy listening to without fatigue. Classic Rock and live recordings like Eric Clapton's Unplugged will sound really great out of them

 

[fales]

Just one more thing, if I raised the budget to aprox. $250, would you recommend any different headphones, that are really worth the price? I wouldn't want to pay a $100 more just to get headhphones that are really only $50 better, if you know what I mean...

 

[milford302009]

RE0 seems to be a good start, then you can save customs

 

[jyle_t]

nuforce NE7m? never tried them before (oh spare me), but seems like lots of ppl are saying it as bang of the buck IEMs. And it has microphone as well, works with iPhone.

 

[tstarn06]

The OP is looking at $150-$250, why would he consider the NE-7M?

@Fales, I didn't mean the RE lineup is bad by saying bass shy, but the two pair (RE2 and RE3) I have owned both needed an amp or EQ boost. Just relaying my experience, but again, I have not heard the RE0, so can't comment. I do have the latest RE phone, the RE3, which I figure is an improvement over the RE0 (and is about to be released under a different moniker than RE3), and it sounds wonderful when it comes to mids/treble/detail, but again, for me it needs some EQ boost on the bottom end.

 

[fales]

Ok, thanks. I get it.

 

[Hentai11]

If you pay $150-200 for a pair of Senn 550s, you're being robbed. $75, tops. Ditto for the Denons.

I recall the Denon C551 as being bassy, and the Senn CX 500 as being VERY bassy, but neither one as being inferior.

And I agree with the comments of the bass-shy RE line. My current walkaround phones are RE2s, and they're unjust to my hip-hop.and DnB. Just no bottom, there.

 

[fales]

Hmmm, I was pretty much set with the RE0, but after reading several reviews and post on this forum I'm having second thoughts

I know I could boost the bass in the built in iPhone equalizer but I'm afraid that's just going to ruin the sound quality. Is it really that bad, can anyone recommend any other headphone?

Hentai11: I guess you recommend the Denon C551? Anyone else have some experience with these Denon's?

 

[HONEYBOY]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fales /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmmm, I was pretty much set with the RE0, but after reading several reviews and post on this forum I'm having second thoughts I know I could boost the bass in the built in iPhone equalizer but I'm afraid that's just going to ruin the sound quality. Is it really that bad, can anyone recommend any other headphone? Hentai11: I guess you recommend the Denon C551? Anyone else have some experience with these Denon's?

Hi fales haha! If you make a move to the denons you would have to like bass in your music. In your price range, I'd recommend the Denon C710 over the C551. There's even quite a few of us who prefer the denon C710 to the venerable C700/C751. Might be a good idea to check out the C710 thread and that of the JVC FX500. I haven't heard the sennheiser IE7 but have heard great things about them haha.