Model (bold = newly added)
|
Estimated Price
|
SQ (#/5)
|
Value (#/5)
|
$250
|
4.95
|
4.75
| |
$400
|
4.9
|
4.8
| |
$185
|
4.85
|
4.85
| |
$150
|
4.85
|
4.9
| |
Ultimate Ears’ Triple.fi 10 Pro
|
$200
|
4.8
|
4.75
|
$150
|
4.8
|
4.9
| |
Fischer Audio Eterna *see note 1
|
N/A
|
4.75
|
--
|
$290
|
4.75
|
4.6
| |
$210
|
4.7
|
4.7
| |
$320
|
4.7
|
4.65
| |
$199
|
4.7
|
4.7
| |
$250
|
4.7
|
4.65
| |
Shure SE530*
|
$450
|
4.7
|
4
|
$300
|
4.65
|
4.55
| |
$300
|
4.65
|
4.5
| |
$170
|
4.63
|
5
| |
$199
|
4.63
|
4.8
| |
$160
|
4.63
|
4.9
| |
$80
|
4.63
|
4.85
| |
$159
|
4.6
|
5
| |
$150
|
4.6
|
4.8
| |
$175
|
4.6
|
4.85
| |
$70
|
4.6
|
4.85
| |
$99
|
4.6
|
4.9
| |
Head-Direct RE0
|
$79
|
4.6
|
4.95
|
$80
|
4.6
|
5
| |
$160
|
4.6
|
4.75
| |
$300
|
4.6
|
4.5
| |
Westone UM2
|
$250
|
4.6
|
4.0
|
$99
|
4.5
|
4.85
| |
$120
|
4.5
|
4.75
| |
$120
|
4.5
|
4.8
| |
$99
|
4.5
|
4.8
| |
$59
|
4.5
|
4.8
| |
$64
|
4.5
|
4.7
| |
Head-Direct’s RE1* (amp’ed)
|
$79
|
4.5
|
4.5
|
$64
|
4.4
|
4.85
| |
$80
|
4.35
|
4.65
| |
Sleek Audio SA6
|
$150
|
4.35
|
4.3
|
$60
|
4.3
|
4.8
| |
$57
|
4.3
|
4.65
| |
$58
|
4.25
|
4.8
| |
$80
|
4.25
|
4.75
| |
$115
|
4.2
|
4.5
| |
| Brainwavz M4 |
$70
|
4.2
|
4.75
|
Sony MDR-EX700SL
|
$185
|
4.2
|
4.3
|
Future Sonics Atrio M5 rev.2
|
$180
|
4.1
|
4.4
|
$95
|
4.1
|
4.8
| |
$95
|
4.1
|
4.8
| |
$75
|
4.1
|
4.85
| |
$55
|
4.1
|
4.8
| |
$80
|
4.05
|
4.8
| |
$75
|
4.05
|
4.65
| |
$90
|
4.05
|
4.8
| |
JAYS q-JAYS
|
$170
|
4
|
4.3
|
$57
|
4
|
4.8
| |
$55
|
4
|
4.75
| |
$65
|
4
|
4.75
| |
$75
|
4
|
4.85
| |
$79
|
4
|
4.7
| |
$90
|
4
|
4.75
| |
$80
|
4
|
4.80
| |
$50
|
4
|
4.7
| |
$57
|
4
|
4.75
| |
$50
|
3.95
|
4.75
| |
$79
|
3.95
|
4.6
| |
$60
|
3.8
|
4.7
| |
$40
|
3.75
|
4.85
| |
$95
|
3.7
|
3.8
| |
$95
|
3.7
|
3.8
| |
$60
|
3.7
|
4.75
| |
$97
|
3.7
|
4.65
| |
$41
|
3.7
|
4.7
| |
$82
|
3.7
|
4.2
| |
$79
|
3.7
|
4.7
| |
$64
|
3.7
|
4.4
| |
$78
|
3.7
|
4.2
| |
$35
|
3.7
|
4.9
| |
$85
|
3.6
|
3.9
| |
Altec Lansing iM716*
|
N/A
|
3.5
|
--
|
$45
|
3.45
|
4.7
| |
$57
|
3.45
|
4.4
| |
$75
|
3.4
|
4.7
| |
$60
|
3.4
|
4.75
| |
$55
|
3.4
|
4.7
| |
$49
|
3.4
|
4.65
| |
$35
|
3.4
|
4.75
| |
$40
|
3.4
|
4.75
| |
$50
|
3.4
|
4.7
| |
$50
|
3.4
|
4.75
| |
$80
|
3.4
|
4
| |
$45
|
3.35
|
4.75
| |
$26
|
3.35
|
4.85
| |
$25
|
3.35
|
4.85
| |
$40
|
3.35
|
4.85
| |
$39
|
3.35
|
4.8
| |
$79
|
3.3
|
3.9
| |
$50
|
3.3
|
4.35
| |
N/A
|
3.3
|
--
| |
NuForce NE-7M
|
$50
|
3.3
|
4.35
|
$40
|
3.25
|
4.2
| |
$80
|
3.25
|
3.8
| |
$50
|
3.25
|
4.55
| |
Apple In-Ear Headphones with Remote and Mic
|
$25~79
|
3.2
|
4.7 ~ 3.7
|
Head-Direct’s RE2
|
$40
|
3.2
|
4.6
|
$30
|
3.2
|
4.6
| |
$35
|
3.2
|
4.7
| |
$90
|
3.2
|
4.1
| |
N/A
|
3.2
|
--
| |
| $34 |
3.2
|
4.6
| |
$88
|
3.15
|
3.75
| |
$45
|
3.15
|
4.6
| |
$100
|
3.15
|
3.7
| |
$20
|
3.1
|
4.85
| |
$25
|
3
|
4.6
| |
Shure E3c
|
$100
|
3
|
3.5
|
Etymotic ER6i
|
$70
|
3
|
3.8
|
$31
|
2.8
|
4.5
| |
$16
|
2.75
|
4.5
| |
N/A
|
2.75
|
--
| |
$34
|
2.75
|
4.4
| |
$40
|
2.75
|
4.4
| |
$22
|
2.7
|
4.6
| |
$21
|
2.7
|
4.7
| |
$12
|
2.7
|
4.6
| |
N/A
|
2.7
|
--
| |
$30
|
2.65
|
4
| |
$60
|
2.65
|
4.3
| |
$29
|
2.6
|
4.4
| |
CrossRoads MylarOne X3
|
N/A
|
2.6
|
--
|
$40
|
2.5
|
4.5
| |
| ECCI PG100 |
$18
|
2.5
|
4.5
|
$21
|
2.5
|
4
| |
Hippo Boom
|
$35
|
2.5
|
4
|
CrossRoads MylarOne Bijou 3
|
$57
|
2.5
|
2.9
|
SoundMAGIC PL-30
|
$25
|
2.5
|
4.1
|
Kanon MD-52
|
$10
|
2.5
|
3.2
|
$30
|
2.45
|
4.2
| |
$48
|
2.45
|
3.3
| |
$19
|
2.45
|
4
| |
Astello Radiance+
|
$30~42
|
2.45
|
4.2 ~ 4.0
|
SoundMAGIC PL-11
|
$15
|
2.4
|
4.3
|
$20
|
2.4
|
3.2
| |
$15
|
2.4
|
4
| |
$50
|
2.4
|
4.2
| |
$21
|
2.4
|
3.5
| |
SoundMAGIC PL-20
|
$15
|
2.4
|
4.3
|
$16.50
|
2.4
|
4
| |
$27
|
2.3
|
3
| |
Sennheiser CX300
|
$20~30
|
2.2
|
3
|
Sony MDR-EX85SL
|
$40
|
2.2
|
2.9
|
$8
|
2.1
|
3.3
| |
Creative EP-630
|
$40
|
2
|
2.5
|
$16
|
1.4
|
2.2
| |
$6
|
1.3
|
3
|
This list is based upon personal assessment and opinion, and may change or update without any notice. All of these IEM has been reviewed by me one way or another, so check in this blog or Head-fi.org to find out more detailed review. Alternatively, read the Multi-IEM Shootout for a concise comparison.
Bewared, simple numeric ranking is fundamentally flawed as all detail are ignored. As the reader you must understand that sound signature is as important as the sound quality. You will be better off with an IEM of lesser sound quality but fits your taste than an IEM of higher quality but you don't enjoy. Remember, music is for enjoyment and headphone is no more than a instrument to fulfill that goal. An cheap instrument that does what you ask worth a lot more than an expensive instrument that sits on the shelf. Never takes this ranking as it is, there are reasons why these IEM are ranked in such order and you might not agree with the reasoning. So please do your own research as well as read into my past reviews to determine which IEM suits you best.
* Value ranking of 4.85 and over is designated the Sonic Diamond Award™ for outstanding price / performance ratio after considering all aspects of the IEM, including SQ, design, fit, customer service, availability, etc.
Last Update: 24th, April, 2012.
Note 1: Due to the reintroduction of the Eterna v1, the original rating is temporally grayed out until I have a chance to confirm that the new v1 will be the same as the original v1.
Bewared, simple numeric ranking is fundamentally flawed as all detail are ignored. As the reader you must understand that sound signature is as important as the sound quality. You will be better off with an IEM of lesser sound quality but fits your taste than an IEM of higher quality but you don't enjoy. Remember, music is for enjoyment and headphone is no more than a instrument to fulfill that goal. An cheap instrument that does what you ask worth a lot more than an expensive instrument that sits on the shelf. Never takes this ranking as it is, there are reasons why these IEM are ranked in such order and you might not agree with the reasoning. So please do your own research as well as read into my past reviews to determine which IEM suits you best.
* Value ranking of 4.85 and over is designated the Sonic Diamond Award™ for outstanding price / performance ratio after considering all aspects of the IEM, including SQ, design, fit, customer service, availability, etc.
Last Update: 24th, April, 2012.
Note 1: Due to the reintroduction of the Eterna v1, the original rating is temporally grayed out until I have a chance to confirm that the new v1 will be the same as the original v1.
Posts
117 comments:
WHEN are you planning to conduct a review of the Shure-535 ?
There isn't any plan to review the SE535 at the moment. Unfortunately thee are too many good IEM in the market that I like to review but simply can't afford to do so.
Well, maybe I could send you my first impressions since I have been listening them for over three weeks now, and have already found some good aspects and some shortcommings or disadvantages too.
My impressions have been confirmed by making a simultaneous hearing together with a couple of other IEMs by using a "Y" headphone adapter and the volume control of the Shure 535's to properly level the volume by attenuating the most efficient one, and by feeding a Monaural signal to both models at the same time, one placed on the left ear and the other in the right ear. Regards.
I invite you to post your impression at Head-f.org. We already have a big discussion thread over there.
Hello ClieOS, I asked joker on head-fi forum why he would put the Sunrise Impressive edition a tad below the V1 compared to the fisher audio dba 02 and I would like to know your opinion too. Why do you think the IE are on par with the FA 02 in SQ (joker gave the FA 1 point more). thank you
Every reviewer follows his/her own review standard. X-IE has improved somethings over the V1 but also taken away some other things. My opinion is that the pros are bigger than the cons and thus a positive rating. Some one else might think the cons are more important to him/her and would see it as a decrease in overall performance. It is not about who is more correct, but what factor really is more important to the reviewer. Some will weight an reduction in treble more important than an reduction in bass. Some will prefer more bass than more treble. It is all about how individual reviewer's own bias affect his/her ranking, and I am of no exception. I personally like to give an 'overall ranking' without weighting too much into either the technical* or the musical* side without special reason. It is my own hope that my ranking can achieve a balance in between the two, as unlikely as it may seem.
*Technical = the ability to reproduce the record.
*Musical = the ability to reproduce the music.
To be more specific to the question, X-IE has better texture, more bass and mid (in quality and quantity) and more musical. DBA-02 has speed, transparency, treble detail and better in technicality. I find neither out performance the other in a significant way and thus rank them in the same level.
Hello,
I totally understand and agree on what you're saying that's why I'm asking to understand to which reviewers my ears can related the most. Thank you for the explanation, but I don't understand what you mean by saying that the FA are "better in technicality". I'd like to know which of those two can reproduce the best life-like audio(or studio sound if you prefer) while giving a warm and surrounding sound
Better in technicality - things like speed, resolution,, position, sparkle and instruments separation.
If you did listen to live performance, then you will realize there is no such thing as a truly life-like reproduction of music. What is accurate (a flat FR curve) to the recording often are referred to as clinical and life-less by many. Coloration on a certain degree is more likely to be referred as being musical, that is, actually sounds like music and not mechanical. I can only tell you that DBA-02 is technically more accurate while X-IE is more musical. Which ever flavors you fancy is really up to you.
thank you for your help
ClieOS, thanks for all your reviews. I think I found my audio nirvana with the RE262s as I am extremely pleased with them. Keep up the amazing work!
Hello,
Sorry for saying, but:
The average of the list value is 4,3/5,0.
And, 56% of the monitors have a same or higher value than 4,5/5,0.
This seems more selling than making reviews.
Haha, I have always wonder how long will it take for someone to said something like this.
The reason is pretty simple - I don't want to review bad IEM - that's with intention! Yes, I do/did have bad IEM in my collection, noticeable Skullcandy Smokin bud and iFeelU IF-DMV-501. Reviewing IEM like those is basically a waste of my time because they are so bad, they just ain't worth the effort. There are hundreds, if not thousand of IEM coming out every year. If I were to review everything, includes the bad one, I won't have a life at all.
Go to Head-fi.org and check out what people are discussing there. You will find many of what I have reviewed are well received there too. Experienced audiophiles won't buy Skullcandy Smokin bud and spend time bashing it. We just like to avoid it totally. In fact, that IEM is so bad that I tossed away mine right after I bought it (and before you asked, I was hoping it won't be so bad and actually wanted to give it a try).
I can't imagine trying to review it.
Why would I want to review really bad IEM when there are plenty of the good one around?
Alright,
Thank you for the answer!
I know that you are in the process of reviewing the Shure SE215. If you don't mind I have some questions about it.
Recently I broke my IEM (strain relief just got cut, and no sound on right side), so is the SE215's build quality as good as what reviews say?
Also, there are a few other IEMs which are recommended in the RM3XX range. Based on my music preference on pop/electronic music, which IEM would u recommend apart from SE215.
Thanks for your time and I am looking forward for the SE215 review.
Well, the overall build quality is good but there is hidden issue on the cable connector. I'll go more in depth on my upcoming SE215 review. For the sound however, SE215 is quite good for the price and versatile on all genre.
I couldn't find VSONIC R02 Pro II for $29. Its above $60 all over the places.
R02 Pro II can be found on eBay for around $30+ with shipping included.
What's the difference between VSONIC R02 Pro II and VSONIC R02 Pro II Silver Cord?
They are the same thing. All R02 Pro II in the market should have silver cord.
Can you give me a breakdown on comparison of VSONIC R02 Pro II and MeElectronics M9 in terms of SQ wise. Also, is sibilance in M9 is that much annoying and can it go/fade atleast after burn-in?
R02 Pro II is fuller, warmer, and more balanced. M9 is more v-shaped sounding with a sharp treble. The difference isn't night and day, but enough to show R02 Pro II to be the better IEM of the two.
Sibilance on M9 won't go away with burn-in, But if you are willing to stuff a little foam into the nozzle, you might be able to tame it a little bit.
Okay. Thanks for the helping hand.
Do the loudness of any IEM is indicated by its sensitivity?
Loudness is determined by both sensitivity and impedance. If the impedance is the same between two headphones, the higher the sensitivity the higher the volume in a fixed amount of power. If the sensitivity is the same, the lower the impedance the less amount of power is needed to achieve the same volume. Ideally speaking, a typical easy to drive IEM should be 16~50ohm in impedance and over 98dB in sensitivity. Too low or too high in impedance, or too low in sensitivity (or the combined effect of both) might need amping.
You're not familiar with Meelec M9 v2 but as you've reviewed Meelec M9 v1, I want to ask were they loud enough? I prefer loud IEM though SQ too matters to me. Are M9 louder than Eterna v1 (I've heard 'em)., I want to ask were they loud enough? I prefer loud IEM though SQ too matters to me. Are M9 louder than Eterna v1 (I've heard 'em).
Eterna is louder than M9 on the same volume setting on a DAP. I don't consider both to be difficult to drive as any decent DAP should be able to pump a lot of volume out of both.
I wonder why Soundmagic E30 has higher soundquality rating than Soundmagic PL50. It's kind of strange, if PL50 is higher class model from the same manufacturer.
The reason is simple - E30 is the current flagship from SoundMAGIC. As good as it is, the two years old PL50 is just outdated.
Which is the most quality basshead IEM?
If it is basshead IEM you want, try Future Sonics Atrio M5 (MG7).
Hi,
I don't think you have reviewed it yet (i could not find it in this site) but where will you place re-272 in this list?
I have yet to review RE272, but it does belong to the top-tier group if that is what you are interested in.
Hello, luckily for me it seems you've had experience with the exact two IEMs i'm considering purchasing :)
I was wondering if you could give me your impressions on the GR07 versus the fischer audio DBA-02? How do the two stack up against each other in terms of isolation, microphonics and overall SQ? It's clear from the table that you think the GR07 has the edge in SQ but in what aspects is this? This is quite a big purchase for me - actually my first foray into top-tier 'phones - so any help would be great, thanks.
Oh and by the way I'm only looking for a pair to enjoy my music with, not to act as a stage monitor or anything like that.
Apart from Future Sonics Atrio M5, what are the other options for straight down wearing ?
I think CC51 has nice mid bass + subbass.
What do you think ?
Most in the list can be wore straight down actually. CC51 has really decent bass response, but it is not a bass monster per se if that's what you are looking for. If you want an IEM wiht really good sub-bass, you can try Atrio X, which is basically the same as M5 rev.2.
I am not sure if I will like a bass monster because I prefer RE-0's sound signature and clarity. But for some tracks I give in to the craving of slightly more bass wow factor, where CC51 works wonder.
Will be getting Brainwavz M2 and Hippo VB. Are these comparable to Atrios ?
Where can I get the Atrio X, Couldn't find the link in Futuresonics website. Atrio M5 V2 is placed lower despite of higher price compared to Atrio M5 MG7 ?
VB - yes, M2 - lesser than VB. If you like RE0 but want just a little more bass, Phonak PFE would be a great choice.
M5 V2 has been discontinued, and that's the old price two years ago. MG7 is the current price (more or less). Atrio X is basically just M5 V2 will a much lower price, often at $75 or less. You can find it on atrio.me, buy.com or eBay.
Hi Clieos!I am keen on purchasing the J-phonics K2 SP.
How would you compare it towards RE 262 and TF10?I listen to various genres,so TF10 might not really fit in the bill with its V-shaped frequency. I'd like the mids to be more prominent as well lol.thanks in advance! :D
ah....I do have a TF10 btw, just to avoid misunderstanding :D
RE262 is warm and musical, good for vocal and relaxing music in general. TF10 is more dynamic, fun, and good for instruments, classical and anything that requires a big soundstage. K2 SP is monitor style that has very little fault in its sound. It is technically strong and can do almost any kind of music genre well. It is not a wow type of IEM but it is one of the most proficient IEM I know.
If it is mid you are looking, I am more incline to recommend RE262. But if it multi-genre you are looking for K2 SP will be my pick.
Hmm...I think I'll go with K2 SP.thanks a lot for your insight! :D
...when I think about it,the ones that truly suit my tastes aren't the ones participating in the so-called transducer wars lol
Well,In my case I'm looking for an all around monitor;I'd love to enjoy all genres on the go :D.
One last question:so now I know that K2 SP is a neutral IEM.is it Natural?thanks! :D
It is more natural than neutral.
is the list having a problem in grading? i can see it in the comparison between the Sunrise Xcape IE and the Phonak PFE, there might be others unnoticed yet.
First, Please read the footnote of The List.
Some prefer a bass heavy sound, some prefer an analytical sound. The List however is rated as a mix of technicality and presentation to indicate an 'average' score as assessed by me. It is aimed to help people narrowing their choice, but not an absolute fact. AS I have mentioned, simple numeric ranking is fundamentally flawed and thus should not be taken blindly.
Awww... no Visang R02 love?
Unfortunately there are simply too many IEM worth reviewing but too little time to see them all.
Hi there thanks for your efforts!
Thought that it might be useful though if you put some numbers on the left of the list as its getting lengthy and keeping track is starting to get a little difficult.
If you rather not put a numbers, perhaps using letters to label them might be a possibility too?
I'll see what will be the best way to put some numbering in there, probably on the next update.
Hi Tai, I was wondering if you have any suggestions for any short cable IEM's ?
@PradeepVizz
What you should look for are IEM with two pieces cable design. If you are looking for a really good one, I'll suggest TDK BA200. It is still under review, but you can find more info about it on Head-fi.org. Another brand to look for is JAYS.
@Dan
I have looked into all possible way to add number into the list but unfortunately there is no simple way out since Blogger isn't like to mix numbering and table together. So for now, there is nothing I could do. Sorry about that.
Thank you so much for the very fast response :) Yes i am looking for a very good one,I never knew there was two piece cables - this is exactly what i want; i assume i can use it as both normal and short cable IEM. I guess i will go for the TDK you suggested. Will keep you updated, thanks again.
Hello Tai,very nice and helpful review here :)
I'm looking for a decent under $100 IEM, from what I've read here, RE-0, RE-ZERO, brainwavz M2, Sunrise Xcited, Sunrise X-IE seem to be excellent choices.
I love a kind of warm sound signature, a good presence of bass, without losing it's detail and clarity. and if possibly, lush mid which can bring intimacy in vocal centric songs. I usually avoid thin sounded sound signature that can cause fatigue to my ears.
I listen to several genres, such as Rock, J-Rock, Blues-Rock, Bossanova, Jazz, Pop, rarely hip hop, and orchestra.
I use hippo pearl for mobile use (pretty beat up, need new IEM to replace this) and ATH-M50 for home use. so, what do you think the most suitable IEM that could fulfill my needs? I hope my description above doesn't make you confused.
Thank you :)
Warm sound, good bass, detail and clarity with a lush mid - Seems like you are describing the X-IE and that will be what I'll recommend.
Curious why you haven't included many higher end Sony or JVC IEMs. Range and relative popularity alone would make such reviews worthwhile, no?
I have listened to Sony EX1000 and it is a pretty good sounding IEM, just not good enough for me to pay top dollars for it. EX600 however will be reviewed, and quite possibly some from the new XBA line. The best of JVC locally is the FXT90, which will be reviewed. As for their top-of-the-line FX700, it is not available locally and private importers are charging a premier for it. I am just not going to pay those price.
I don't always get free samples from manufacturer so I have to work with my own budget to get the IEM I like to review. Paying extra on one IEM might mean I have to skip 2~3 other IEM I like to get. For me, I will rather review that 2~3 other IEM instead of one really expensive one. This blog is a money pit for me and there is only that much I can spend before bankrupting myself :p
Hi Tai,
Didn't realise you were johorean too! I've dabbled in IEM/headphones here and there, but purely as a passing interest, but not as I might be commuting alot more by public transport, I might soon have to invest in a better pair of IEMs with decent isolation and think that buying the TFpro 10 off Amazon might be a good buy since the price difference is quite significant from local prices even after factoring shipping and so on. Would Amazon be your recommendation? or..
Music Genres that I listen to are easy-listening vocals (Micheal Buble, Frank Sinatra, etc), Jazz, Rock, pop and some classical. have moved away from the heavy stuff like metal and dance, and I wouldn't consider myself a basshead. So would this balanced signature IEMs be something to look at given my cross-genre listening profile?
Would love to get your feedback!
Cheers!
Buying from Amazon could save you some money, but Amazon doesn't ship everywhere and you need to watch out for importing tax. Balanced sound signature is generally less technical and for people who are into soundstage. It would work well as long as you don't need strong vocal performance. You could also consider something slightly more analytical, like Phonak PFE 112 or Westone 2 as well.
Hello Tai,
Is FA Eterna good for the price range <$50. Which version is better, V1 ? I already have RE-0, e-Q5, RE272, FXT90, XE200PRO, Hisound GC and Hisound Popo.
I found Dunu Hephaes not upto the mark with bass overshadowing midrange.
or should I just get the Silver Bullet ?
I prefer the original Eterna over V2 myself, but I don't know if V1 sound exactly the same as the original. I am not really sure what you are looking for, but Silver Bullet and Consonance are both good IEM to try.
I didn't see any Phonak Audeo PFE 132 on the list. My friends said that it's like the PFE 112, but with slightly improved bass. If it's true, can you make a blind guess, will it be better than GR07?
According to Phonak, PFE132 is PFE112/PFE121 with an iPhone compatible cable. So SQ wise, I don't expect them to be different from each other. That being said, GR07 should be better.
Thanks. I shall pass the PFE 132 and keep my GR07 then. :)
Hi ClieOS,
do you see a real progress in IEMs for -let´s say- the last 2 years?
In other words, would you give the same rating to (i.e.) a Phonak PFE 121 or Head Direct REO today?
thx & thumbs up for your work ;)
If progress means big jump of SQ, then I have to say no. There are slow improvement here and there, but mostly on the lower end of the market where we have seen a lot of really good sub$100 and sub$200 IEM that are rivaling the more expensive option. However, the top-end of the market moves really slow. For example, while Westone 4 does sound really good, it is not a whole lot better then UM3X. I think what we have seen mostly of the last few years is that good sound becomes much more affordable, not expensive sound getter better and better. So in many ways, it is not about giving old IEM the same rating or not, but finding more slot in between for the new comer. In any case, the rating do need some adjustment - and it will be done in short future. But the relative position of the IEM will remain as it is.
I have about a dozen sub$100 IEMs and always consider buying a "real" good (expensive) one,
but then I read reviews like yours and wonder if I really hear the $100 difference ;)
reg. your list - no Idea how you keep an overview,
I would have give up for long XD
[what about linking the iem´s of the list to your reviews?]
Yes, that's on my to-do list.
I just wanted to take minute to thank you, ClieOS, for your investment of time, effort and money in providing these reviews for all of us. I had wasted a fair amount of money in my search for decent sound, in locally available (Bestbuy)head/earphones.
I had tried several sub $50 pairs not worth mentioning. My first more expensive pair was the Apple In-Ears. While I thought the sound was decent, felt it was missing the entire low end, and body in the mids. Next I tried the Image S4s. They sounded very veiled to me, like I was listening to a stereo from behind a thin wall. Then the Monster iBeats. Terrible doesn't begin to describe how they sounded to me. My last attempt, before discovering Head-fi, and your blog, was the Bose QC15s. The noise cancellation was good, but the sound was still not right.
Then I found Head-fi, and your blog. I enjoyed reading your reviews a lot. After a week or so of lurking forums and your blog, I decided to dip my toes in the waters of the audiophile. I chose the RE-262s based largely on your review, and those of some others. I sent my order in early last week, and also ordered the Fiio E11 amp from Head Direct. They both arrived Friday.
I didn't bother with burn in, before plugging them directly into my iPhone. I figured it wouldn't matter as my ear was untrained, and I really had no decent sound to reference against. I was right. The sound was amazing. I didn't think I could be moved or wowed by a pair of headphones. I was. I would refer anyone interested to your review, as I think it was spot on. I then connected to the E11 from an LOD. The 262s got even better, and surged with life. I find it hard to listen to them without it now, even though I still think they sound amazing.
So again, I just wanted to say thanks. There is no telling how much more money I would have wasted in my search, had I not found your blog and Head-fi. I am not sure how much deeper I will travel into the world of the audiophile. I may not have to. With your help, I think I have found the sound I was looking for. Keep up the good work my friend.
Frank
Atlanta, GA
Cheer, Frank. Glad I could be of help :)
Hi ClieOS,
I have been following your advice on buying IEM's from past 2 years,My first buy from your "LIST" was PL30 :-).from there i've slowly climbed up and now i have the UE200,PL21,PL50,GR06,E30 and SennMX580 buds.E30 n Mx580 are my favs.but occasionally i just wanna revisit my music collection with PL50(mostly rock),PL30 (for soundtage).All these are what u recommended whenever i felt like getting advice on upgrading.Thanks a million to you.I have developed a liking towards a balanced,non fatigue sounding IEMs but not too analytical,a little of bass n soundstage is welcome.Now i've felt the need to upgrade to something within the top25 in the "LIST" with a $100 budget.So among less than $100 iem's Sunrise Xcited,re-0,re-zero which do you think will satisfy my taste.(i'm saving for GR07 but cant wait till then)PLease do advice.
Xcited is most fitting to what you are looking for, followed by RE-Zero. Re-0 might be too analytical for you. Though out of the top 25, Fischer Audio Consonance is also worth a look into if you can't find the others.
what about nocs ever thought of reviewing them?
Thanks for the reply, do you know where I can order fisher consonance in US.actually none of these are available in India.but I can ask a friend in US to buy it for me.or anyplace in Asia.
@Josh, no plan for the NOCS for now.
@hzant6681, If you want to order it in U.S., you probably have to order it online by searching around. However, if you can buy it from Singapore, both Stereo Electronics and Jaben.net carry consonance.
Tai, just your 2 cents please ;)
I can´t decide between used Brainwavz B2 [€85]
and new Phonak PFE 112 [€83]
(unfortunately I can´t test any of them)
hi ClieOS,
Thanks again for advising me, well I gave it a thought and decided to spend another $70 for the GR07 itself or UE T-fi10 for the simple reason that my current buy should stop me here for sometime :-)(Its becoming a costly habit). I found in Amazon.us the price of UE triple fi-10 has dropped,almost same to GR07. Kindly help me with this dilemma.GR07 or UE triple fi10?
Was going through one of the threads in Head-fi where, long back u have backed a fellow member's impression that UE t-fi10 is sibilant and that Pk1 is better? issue with fit too then.Well today among the three which do u think is better in terms of SQ & build quality.Fit may not become a problem to me i think, for ex I use the Blue sony clone silicon piece on GR06&PL50 which is a size bigger than M.Do you think my ears will fit for T-fi10?How's your T-fi10 endured till now? The UE ti-fi 10 are tempting with 3BA's & replaceable cable.Kindly advise please, as i need to tell my friend ASAP as he is coming back to India by mid april.
@DoubleDozer: For all around performance, I am more incline to choose PFE112. B2 is more suitable if you are an analytical listener.
@hzant6681: Tf10 can be slightly sibilant if used with the wrong eartips. I prefer foam tips as they tame down the sibilant. GR07 can be slightly sibilant as well if turned up too loud. The is no bad choice between the two and I think personal preference should be considered first. Personall, I think I'll go with GR07 myself because it is technically a more balanced sounding IEM than TF10.
You should be fine with TF10's fit.
Hi
I search for iem under 100 $ which iem must i chose?
I like hear music from Coldplay and hip hop
As a general recommendation, I'll suggest Shure SE215. Do read the review of it first.
Is this more good than hifiman re0?
In that list re0 has more good SQ and more cheaper
Better for what? You need to know what you are looking for, especially when it comes to sound signature on different IEM. As I have written at the end of 'The List' - "As the reader you must understand that sound signature is as important as the sound quality. You will be better off with an IEM of lesser sound quality but fits your taste than an IEM of higher quality but you don't enjoy." So, please don't take the number and ranking in the List as it is. You need to read review of IEM from different source to see if it has an sound you will like.
I recommend SE215 because without knowing what you are looking, SE215 makes a safer choice. To really make the choice your's, please read this: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/541204/
Is ultimate ears 700 good? what is pros and cons?
UE700 is not bad for the price, but you should able to find it around US$125, which makes it a much better deal than the original price. It has a warm and sweet sound and doesn't quite have enough treble detail to my liking, but overall it is still very good sounding for a dual drivers, but not as good as TF10. The only real con I'll say is the placement of the filter and the nozzle design which makes it susceptible to earwax and dust, so care must to taken to keep the IEM clean.
Is there more good than UE 700 in the same price?
ClieOS thanks a lot for your advice,i couldnt buy the GR07 sigh!coz of price & finding Sunrise Xcited was difficult for my friend,So settled for RE-ZERO :-).the 1st track i listened happened to be K.D Langs-Constant craving,Oh god! my eyes moistened listening to this track,the clarity in voice,the guitars & other instruments so clear & so.....REAL.I owe this to you :-).
I really wish there was a tiny little more bass,not that i'm complaining.But is there any mod(like ur RE0 mod)to slightly increse SQ (bass n soundstage)?will amping improve RE-zero
RE0 mod will only worsen the sound of RE-ZERO, I won't recommend it.
Ok! as u say my GURU!(in India it means Master)
:-)Thank you.
hi
the PL-50 housing finally split after a year (as you mentioned). so there's no more warranty.
any suggestion?
thank you
Easy fix. A tiny bit of superglue along the edge of the housing should seal it back like new.
^ thank you
i did that and it's ok now. hope it holds for at least another year
hi tai
coming from the SoundMagic PL-50 and Meelec A151, would the FA SBA-03 be an upgrade?
i liked the PL50 smoothness but it lacked on both ends, it was too mid-centric and female vocals were that good. the A151 didnt impressed me too.
also, which is easier to drive, the SBA-03 or DBA-02 (i.e. which need more volume to sound good/best) ?
thank you
*werent that good
PL-50 and A151 are both inherently limited by the Knowles Siren BA driver used in them. That's why you never see any IEM with Siren driver being described as top-end anywhere (and they are all mid centric). However, they are popular due to cost, ease of use and good price/performance ratio. But there is only that much you can expect from Siren driver.
SBA-03 and DBA-02 are both fairly easy to drive and you don't need extra amping for either. Though SBA-03 will give you better low and mid while DBA-02 will give you better high. I'll say they are both fairly significant upgrade over PL50 and A151.
hi clieos
have you listened to TWO-MIX's songs? if so, what earphone can you suggest to make them sound really good?
I don't listen to J-pop, but as a rule of thumb, Audio Technica tends to be better with J-pop. As for which model is the best - that depends on your budget.
i'd rather keep under $100.
BUT i could afford up to the ATH-CK10. but i read many reviews saying they are 99.99% like the DBA-02
well, i did searched a little, but i cant find something decent from audio techinca. their 'good' models are way too expensive and overpriced
hi TAI
i read your recommendations on innerfidelity
the FXT90 caught my attention, but i'm not too fond of the design and (probably) the isolation wont be enough for me.
can you suggest something else with a similar sound ?
the GR07, seem to be a bit boring without the "WOW" factor , as you mentioned there
THANKS
nice day
FXT90 is kind of unique sounding because of its dual dynamic driver setup. Can't say I have something that shares that kind of sound signature very closely. However, I still think you should consider GR07 as it is still a wonderfully sounding IEM in its own right. You can also look into TDK BA200 as well.
^ i see. thank you
the problem with the BA200 is the availability.
Yes, a bit strange that TDK is still selling most of the new line-up in Asia but not in the West.
i'll re-consider the GR07 then.
what worries me about them, is the isolation, and (probably) sibilance
Sibilance shouldn't be an issue as long as volume isn't particularly high on GR07. Isolation wise, well, it is not its specialty. It is however still quite decent. If you really want a lot of isolation, you will have to stick to Westone, Shure, or Etymotic.
if so, i'd try the GR06/04, first, to get an idea of the fit and isolation. i think it's a safer bet
i guess the Westone 2 cant compete with the BA200, as you already mentioned it's close the UM3X , right?
Well, Westone 2 is more of an analytical sounding IEM with decent bass. I actually quite like it and find it overall a better IEM than Westone 3. So, it is quite different to the warm sounding UM3X and BA200.
tai, how's isolation with the Q-jays? i heard different opinions , so i wanted to know yours
Isolation wise, q-JAYS is below average when used with stock silicone eartips and slightly above average with JAYS' foam tips. It is definitely not the most isolating IEM out there. Oh, average is around -20dB or so, good for normal street noise but not enough in very noisy environment.
Hi Tai,
My birthday is coming soon and I hope to upgrade from the IEMs I currently own. I have a budget of ~SGD 200 and below and I'm looking to replace my Nakamichi NEP S800s.
I can't find reviews on this, but here's a site showing its details.
http://treoo.com/store/index.php/main/nakamichi-nep-s800-in-ear-earphone.html
If you look at the third picture, the box shows the FR curve of these IEMs. It looks like a warm and sweet sounding IEM judging from your thread on Head-fi. I quite enjoy this sound signature and I think I'm looking for an improvement in microphonics, detail/clarity. I've tried monitor headphones in a recording studio before so if that's what analytical sounds like, I prefer warm + sweet more.
The IEMs will be my primary audio device for music but should expect general purpose duty (music, games, movies) as well. They will also be worn for commutes. I do not intend to purchase an amp and my music sources are my laptop, pc (just onboard audio) and iphone/ android smartphone. Most of my music is in MP3 format (320kbps), and I also have FLAC files that I'll listen to when hooked up to the PC.
I listen to R&B, rock, mandopop and eurobeat. I hardly listen to classical pieces so I do not need an IEM dedicated to that purpose.
Based on your reviews, what IEMs would you recommend? I auditioned both the GR07 and GR06 briefly and while I could tell they were better than my NEP S800, I couldn't quite tell them both apart in that environment so I was pretty surprised given the expectations I had from the rave reviews of the GR07.
Lastly, thank you for reading this long post and for your work in helping us unearth sonic diamonds.
Given what you are looking for, I'll say GR07 makes for a better choice. As I have said on the GR07 review, it isn't an IEM that will wow people in first listen. You do need to give it sometime to realize how good it is.
Ok. Thanks for the response Tai! It took me a while to warm up to my Nakamichi's too as I couldn't really tell it apart from my brother's Creative Ep 630 and Sonicgear Earpump. After settling in, the characteristics of each iem as well as what each IEM sounds like becomes more apparent.
On another note, I looked through your reviews as well those on headfi that gush praise for the sunrise xcape IE as well. Do these have a similar sound signature as the GR07? Given the price difference of ~SGD100 between the 2, is there anything technical in terms of sound quality separating the 2 or is it very subtle and subjective in this price range?
Would you say that it's akin to purchasing a guitar? I.e. a $200 guitar is sounds better than a $100 one, but there is diminishing marginal utility as you compare a $400 guitar to a $300 one and by the time you hit the 1000s, all that separates them is preference?
X-IE is a good all around IEM, but it lacks a bit of technical ability when compared to GR07. Diminishing return is always an issue for IEM, but at least between X-IE and GR07, I'll say the money is well spent as you do get much better build quality and well as overall improvement in SQ.
Thanks a lot for your recommendation and keep up the great work!
if you get that level of isolation with the q-jays, seems like we get a similiar fit with iems. then i guess the same thing goes for the UE700 and HSA Crystal.
and a pretty good fit and isolation with the ergo-fit like Westone and Shure
it's good to know for future reference
Hello, May i know what is an upgrade for the gr07?, also how is the review of ba200 coming along? really looking forward to it (:. Take ur time though.
j-Phonic K2 SP would have been a great upgrade over GR07, but unfortunately it is no longer available outside of Japan. Slightly away from a direct upgrade path, I think Westone 4 will serve as a good upgrade over GR07 as well. I am currently writing the BA200 review, and it should be here in the next few days.
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