[sdaigle240]

Full Version cliffnotes below if you must
---Hello, the names Steve, new to the forum but not to forums in general. So....I'm very familiar with the search function and google of which i have spent a few hours here and there using(also read a few stickies). Im here to chat with the experts because I'm sick and tired of $30 apple earbuds that dont last and sound like crap. BUT before you read any further I must say a large majority of my listening is off of pandora, which ive never played through good anything, so perhaps this isnt even deserving of a $100 set??????? most of my mp3 collection is years old and garbage, pretty much all 192, id assume that would sound better with cheap sets, but i really dont listen to this collection much anymore.

---So if you haven't stopped reading yet to post "dont bother" i have two concerns. IEMs in the office. with buds i can just lower the volume when someone wants to talk to me. the spin off with that is at the gym they dont stay in to well and worse i find myself really cranking them to overpower the horrid gym music and equipment noise. sounds like many people use/like IEMs at the gym and don't ruin them. im hoping that with foam tips i could still carry a convo at work with the track on pause.
---Like everyone, im looking for best SQ for the dollar, something accurate and not overly colorful at any frequencies. I'm no audiophile but I am an engineer who has taken several advanced level acoustics classes in college, i dont really think that says much, besides i have a respect for sound reproduction.
---My breakdown of listening is roughly 5hr/day at work, And then another 2hrs a day at the gym. ALL through an iphone. So comfort is going to be huge, ive never tried and IEM but im ok with ear plugs. even earbuds can get discomforting after a while so im sure it just takes getting used to.
---My listening interests are everything but country and classical, with concentration on rock/alternative genre's With vocalists ranging from very hi pitched to pretty heavy/hardcore.

Research Results: no particular order
UE SuperFi 3 : replaceable wires, awesome for exercising with the occasional tug on equipment. sit less far into canal, 2yr warranty often compared as at least equal to e2c.
Westone UM1: need to hear some serious claims to justify going over my budget not to mention being about 30-40$ more then comparable competition.
Sure E2c now SCL2: 2yr warranty, excellent customer service, lots of good claims. wax guard What?
Ety ER6i: seems most everyone compares these to sure and they fall a hair short. im ruling these out due to the product being "delicate"


im not sure why but i really havent seen many earbuds that interested me, probably a subconscious "their not gonna stay in place at the gym" feeling

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Cliff notes
Me: Steve, not new to forums, well acquainted with search function, stickies, and google.
Looking for: earbuds or IEMs for $100 or less that will stand up to gym use and provide the most accurate SQ per $.
Listening type: Everything but country and classical, more rock then rap. *mostly through pandora, so im not sure if quality buds/IEMs are worth it*
Listening use: 8+hr/day: 5hr/day at work- not background music, i want to be engaged, yet need to talk to people at times. + 2hr/day at gym, hence the active use requirement. High volume at gym.

Research Results:
UE SuperFi 3 : replaceable wires, awesome for exercising with the occasional tug on equipment. sit less far into canal., 2yr warrenty often compared as at least equal to e2c.
Westone UM1: need to hear some serious claims to justify going over my budget not to mention being about 30-40$ more then comparable competition.
Sure E2c now SCL2: 2yr warranty, excellent customer service, lots of good claims. wax guard What?
Ety ER6i: seems most everyone compares these to sure and they fall a hair short. im ruling these out due to the product being "delicate"

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Not asking for a spoon feeding, i can certainly continue my research with a few suggestions/recommendations/first hand opinions. Any and all advice and constructive criticism is welcomed and appreciated!!!

Thanks,
Steve

EDIT: Jesus i just read some kbps claims on pandora, sheesh.

 

[semisight]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdaigle240 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Cliff notes Me: Steve, not new to forums, well acquainted with search function, stickies, and google. Looking for: earbuds or IEMs for $100 or less that will stand up to gym use and provide the most accurate SQ per $. Listening type: Everything but country and classical, more rock then rap. *mostly through pandora, so im not sure if quality buds/IEMs are worth it* Listening use: 8+hr/day: 5hr/day at work- not background music, i want to be engaged, yet need to talk to people at times. + 2hr/day at gym, hence the active use requirement. High volume at gym.

For the gym I'd get a pair of cheapo portables (like a pair or two of KSC75). You won't care if they get sweaty and you can easily replace them when they break. Microphonics from IEMs drive me crazy when I'm moving, no matter how I wear them.

Pandora streams high quality music; IIRC there's an option for it. Most accurate SQ per $ is the RE0 no doubt, but I would never take mine to the gym because I don't want to break them. Maybe a pair of quality Yuin earbuds would be best for you.

 

[d3adeyes]

I got a pair ofAUVIO™ In-Ear Headphones - RadioShack.comthese and found them to have good sound and fit and @ $20 it the get broken at the gym it won't be the end of the world

 

[ZARIM]

Philips SHE9850, Cresyn C750, RE0, Image S4 and CX95..........

 

[NumLock]

I currently use the NuForce NE-7M for the gym. From my research I am going with the RE0. I would suggest you also take a look at them.

 

[sdaigle240]

wow feedback already! thanks for the suggestions everyone. im going to hold off on researching the cheapies for right now.

ZARIM, question, are you suggesting these as a "also research these" or a "forget those check out these" my research is making me feel the later, because to be honest im not even considering any of the original mentioned anymore, thank you.

Philips SHE9850 to my surprise really interested me. mainly for countless claims of comfort and secure fit. a little concerned by claims of "sound leak" , microphonics, durability, and overall SQ. Im really having trouble finding good comparison reviews on these, they seem to be alot of "common folk" reviews.

Cresyn C750E sound like a definite contender, my only concern being finding the right tips, i know i would be spending another $20+ on alternatives. being a complete rookie it would be nice to have a large array of tip sizes and types as with some of the other brands. I wish there were more reviews on this product, although there was a killer review right here on the forums.

RE0 WOW, these seem VERY promising. concerns, microphonics and unamped ipod use. i also see some mentions of concern for mid range and rock listeners. i'll pass on the filter mod. i wouldn't say i listen to standard rock, lately real heavy into screamo-ish-metal maybe hardcore i guess, wild riffs and solos, with a HUGE variety in vocals, from practically girlish harmonizing to burly screams. only mainstream i can think of is bullet for my valentine.

45 seconds of this and you get the idea on the guitar and vocals (vocals start at :30)

+ YouTube Video​

ERROR: If you can see this, then YouTube is down or you don't have Flash installed.

Image S4 cool that they make a "i" version for the iphone, but jeeze i see a lot of varying reviews, im going to assume this is due to there exaggerated or bright tendencies down low/semi mid, and harsh to some, hi's. they do seem to be up there in bang for the buck with the RE0s but that seems to be comparing apples to oranges. these seem fun but perhaps better for someone looking to own several pairs or IEMs.


cx95 these guys do killer reviews: Sennheiser CX 95 Headphones Review - In-Ear - Reviews of Headphones and Headphone Ratings - HeadphoneInfo.com anyway these seem good but not up to par with some of the others and the whole cord length with and with out the extension isnt going to fly.


if anybody actaully read all of that, i greatly appreciate it, ive really enjoyed researching all these products. im the type of person who will probably put 20-50hrs of research into this before making a decision. well about 10hrs down tons to go!

EDIT: i forgot to mention its seeming more and more like a no brainer on the RE0s!!!!!

 

[semisight]

RE0 is really great with vocals and rock. On some tracks, I feel like I'm actually there with vocals (with Rise Against especially). It also handles heavily layered music well. I'd say they're your best choice.

 

[playingwithfire]

RE0: The concern for most people is the bass, which it just doesn't provide much in quantity. Though I really don't see how that's going to affect you as much as others since you seems to listen to a lot of vocal and guitar music. On the clip above for example, the vocal and guitar will be fine, there won't be much of a punch when it comes to the drum...which brings me to the other headphone here that I have owned.

Klipsch S4-which is definitely more fun sounding, actually has bass volume. But highs for whatever reason can sometimes gets piercing. My one big gripe with it is that for close to 100 dollars the build quality is not very good when comparing to the newest version of RE0, which has a really sturdy feeling. The cable might be worse than the 20 dollars JVC Marshmallow(purely from memory as I last owned the marshmallow 3-4 years ago.

 

[sdaigle240]

thanks for the replies, and reading/skimming my lengthy posts!

i realize this is a good bit different in style then the RE0s but some of the fischer products sound really fun. to bad their made of unobtanium.

im still REAL nervous about throwing 10-12hours of gym use (about 5-6 of cardio) at an $80 pair of IEMs every week, not to mention the shorter warranty offered by head direct. i may start researching the 20-30$ market purely for gym use as suggested. may just keep using the apple gear at the gym, as its easy to pop off when my gym partner is talking to me.

with all these companies you can pretty much trial and return if their not what you are looking for correct?

 

[litigator]

I'd recommend the Cyclone Pr1 Pro if you can find them. The cord setup is J-chain style which I think is great for the gym. They are slightly vented so you can hear people talk when you pause your music player. Further, they are comfortable, light, and also sound very good.

 

[semisight]

Quote:

Originally Posted by litigator /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'd recommend the Cyclone Pr1 Pro if you can find them. The cord setup is J-chain style which I think is great for the gym. They are slightly vented so you can hear people talk when you pause your music player. Further, they are comfortable, light, and also sound very good.

They're very hard to find, unfortunately. But yeah, I wouldn't use the RE0 for gym. If you're set on IEMs, you might use the Me-electronics Ai Me9, which is over the ear so low microphonics and apparently they're pretty good.

 

[sdaigle240]

they seem very similar in signature to the RE0's but really it seems their different leagues.

semisight, i appreciate your participation in this thread, overall its been a warm welcome in comparison to other national/international forums i frequent (nissan 240sx).

i actually have been reading up on the MEElectronics M9, is that the same as the "ai me9"? they seem like a pretty good cheap gym set (also looking at pl-30 in that price range, but really just getting into he cheap market research)

if HEAD DIRECT has a 30 day return policy i think i may do what any responsible adult would do and buy two differing sets; RE0 and S4, and find out what i like, as i really don't know. my suspicions are the less wowing but more accurate RE0's as i really do listen to tons of genres. Also considering that every review ive read was when they were $200 they just seem like such a steal at $80.

can you say WHY you wouldn't use them at the gym, is this a RE0 specific thing or just a wallet conscience decision? im seeing many claims of years of use with similarly priced IEMs at teh gym. im kind of against dealing with sub par sound as a whole at this point, gym office or home. i almost feel like the gym is where i really need it, music helps me push my self A LOT!

 

[NumLock]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdaigle240 /img/forum/go_quote.gif i almost feel like the gym is where i really need it, music helps me push my self A LOT!

Then don't listen to the guys that suggest spending $20. I am the same way. Music dictates the level of intensity in my work outs. When I forget my gym rig I am sluggish and uninspired at the gym.

Tons of guys take random supplements that they swear help them get pumped during a work out. Example, NoXplode. All I take is protein, creatine, multi-vit, and instead of NoXplode I rely on my Sansa clip and Ne7M for that "pump".

I have never broken an iem at the gym. Broke some at my desk but never during a work out.

I can't wait to work out with the RE0.

 

[kunalraiker]

I would recommend RE0, without reading your lengthy post

they are supposed to be the best under $100.00

 

[restevezes]

People recommending without reading original post.... yeah

RE0 is great but don't buy it for gym use. Not the most durable IEM