Yet another IEM thread

[gs274]

I've been looking through iem threads for the info i'm asking for here...Using an iPod Classic for source, no amplification...love the sound of the dt880's on the home system and am pretty much narrowed down to...shure, ultimate ear or far down on the top 3 list, etymotics. Price cap is $200 but would prefer closer or sub $100.

 

[HeadKase]

OMG!! I'm in audio Nirvana right now with nothing more than an iPod classic and $79 Vibe earphones I just purchased at Costco about an hour ago. No burn in - nothing.

I bought the Bose IEM's which I thought were decent, but they just got to flat and rolled off sounding. These Vibes bring out so much detail, depth, tonality, dynamics - they absolutely smash the bose as if the cost was 3X as much instead of significantly less. It's really an impressive sounding outfit. My home audio system is all Cary Audio including speakers which set me back over $20K (just to say I'm used to good sound). With no burn in these already sound excellent, though I expect the bass to fill in a bit with 30 or so hours on them.

If you can have a Costco nearby don't hesitate. Lots of sound for the money, they sound great with the classic, and best of all, you have 3 months to figure out if you like em or not.

 

[1012007]

What vibes are they.

The V Moda's?

 

[tstarn06]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1012007 /img/forum/go_quote.gif What vibes are they. The V Moda's?

Don't buy the Vibes, with all due respect to the poster above. If your budget is $200, consider the Atrio M5s (IEMs) or the Denon C700s (canal phones), the former can be had for $139 on ebay (make an offer of $130 at Roaddogonline) and the latter on Amazon for $132. Just read the threads on Head-Fi about both the Atrios and the Denons. I am not saying not to buy Shure, UE or Ety, just consider those two options as well. I have the M5s and love them, and also just ordered a pair of Denons (could not resist based on a recent thread about them). If you decide to spend less, consider the Yuin PK2s ($69), which are ear buds, but sound fantastic for the price.

 

[1012007]

I only want IEM's. Yet dont want to spend $130 on the Atrios which look amazing along with the reviews.

Thinking of the Mylarone's

 

[tstarn06]

Mylarones are technically canal phones, not IEMs. There is a difference. IEMs are more isolating. I owned the X3s and while they do seal off sound to some degree, they are not comparable to IEMs on that front. If you want IEMs, then ER6is are more in your price range, and offer better isolation. I had a pair of those too, and you have to factor in the cost of filters, which can get clogged (I had problems along those lines). Again, can't speak for UE or Shure.

 

[jinx20001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadKase /img/forum/go_quote.gif OMG!! I'm in audio Nirvana right now with nothing more than an iPod classic and $79 Vibe earphones I just purchased at Costco about an hour ago. No burn in - nothing. I bought the Bose IEM's which I thought were decent, but they just got to flat and rolled off sounding. These Vibes bring out so much detail, depth, tonality, dynamics - they absolutely smash the bose as if the cost was 3X as much instead of significantly less. It's really an impressive sounding outfit. My home audio system is all Cary Audio including speakers which set me back over $20K (just to say I'm used to good sound). With no burn in these already sound excellent, though I expect the bass to fill in a bit with 30 or so hours on them. If you can have a Costco nearby don't hesitate. Lots of sound for the money, they sound great with the classic, and best of all, you have 3 months to figure out if you like em or not.

you have 20k sound system and yet you have settled for ''vibes'' as earphones which you explain as ''audio nirvana''

woteva!

thats an ultra poor sound system if it compares to the vibes well

 

[ziplock]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinx20001 /img/forum/go_quote.gif you have 20k sound system and yet you have settled for ''vibes'' as earphones which you explain as ''audio nirvana'' woteva! thats an ultra poor sound system if it compares to the vibes well

Great advice to the OP. This really helps him out in the decision making process...

Anyway, I would like to suggest the UE Super.fi 3. They are an amazing bang for your buck IEM. The sound produced is very clear and detailed. They isolate very well; even small volumes can drown out moderate ambient noises.

Something to consider is the bass response with these guys. The quality is there, just not the quantity that you may be used to. However, they do respond reasonably well to EQ and even better with amping.

Other minor nuisances may include difficulty with fitting & proper sealing. These IEMs require a good deal of tweaking to get right. It can be frustrating at first, but once you find the sweet spot the results are worth it.

You may hear suggestions for the Super.fi 5 EB/Pro over these, especially the EB. However, I have noticed some people complaining about overbearing bass and/or loss of clarity in comparison to the 3s. Since your 880s are already lean on the bass to begin with, this may not be much of an issue for you.

Hope this was useful. Good luck in your search!

~Zip

 

[TheAnomaly]

this reminds of my recent thread :O

anyway, tstarn06 convinced me to consider the Atrio M5s...if Road Dog responds with $130 being a-ok, consider it sold!

 

[gs274]

I'm actually beginning to lean towards the super.fi 5 pro...the 3's look good but i'm wanting a well rounded sound and the 5's sound like they pick up the bass and fill it in while sounding like the 3's... can get the 3's for $80 (clear) and the 5's for $170 (black). I'm going to sleep on it I think...friend of mine has a set of ue's and i'll listen to them on my ipod tomorrow.

 

[only500made]

if you want a warm sound sig, atrios it is.

but anything else, SFP5s is a step above it, no doubt. i had both and decided to sell the atrios. the dark-warm sound was unbearable, music was becomming boring. the UEs imo are far more superior than the atrios in every aspect.

it depends on your preference really.

 

[HeadKase]

Whats the problem with the Vibes? I'm getting unbelievable detail with them and find them very musical. For acoustic, chamber music, etc they're fantastic.

The only downside is that for larger scale stuff the sound can be a bit thin, but I'd expect that before a proper burn in. I just got them yesterday.

If you have a Costco nearby, check em out - they have the best return policy on the planet.

 

[gs274]

my costco has zero headphones...it seems to be a costco thing...the one next door can have a pile of different items.

 

[tstarn06]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadKase /img/forum/go_quote.gif Whats the problem with the Vibes? I'm getting unbelievable detail with them and find them very musical. For acoustic, chamber music, etc they're fantastic. The only downside is that for larger scale stuff the sound can be a bit thin, but I'd expect that before a proper burn in. I just got them yesterday. If you have a Costco nearby, check em out - they have the best return policy on the planet.

Already owned them, sold them. For me, they were veiled, fuzzy and the detail was missing on a major level. I just think for $79 you can do a lot better (PK2s, PK3s, X3s, ER6i, etc.). Hey, each to his own. I just would not recommend them at this point.

 

[SactoMan101]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gs274 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm actually beginning to lean towards the super.fi 5 pro...the 3's look good but i'm wanting a well rounded sound and the 5's sound like they pick up the bass and fill it in while sounding like the 3's... can get the 3's for $80 (clear) and the 5's for $170 (black). I'm going to sleep on it I think...friend of mine has a set of ue's and i'll listen to them on my ipod tomorrow.

Since you are willing to pay for them I do recommend the UE super.fi 5 pro. Don't get the EB model though--the emphasized bass could overwhelm the treble, which some listeners don't like. However, if you're willing to pay a little more go get the Shure SE310--I've heard those and they are excellent IEM's with a nice, balanced sound all-around.