Which IEM for me????

[lukeyp03]

Hi,
I am making a simple request about good in-ear phones.
I've looked at dfkt's list of IEM's and having purchased shure se 215's (they are not on the list... however), i am unhappy with the sound, and also the awkwardness of over ear headphones.
I listen to music on a Cowon J3, and simply wanted some good phones to be comparable to the music quality u get from this player.
Sadly, having spent £100 on those shure's, I am back to my fairly basic Sony IEM's... they're not bad.... BUT am looking for a good suggestion like..... YOU should try these..... (such and such).... you'll be very happy with them....... Anyway...... would appreciate any advice...... want 'just' in ear unit (not over the ear), use them for snowboarding and just general use...... not overly in for techy stuff..... ..... am going around the bend really ...... can spend hours looking at ppl's reviews, some say good/bad... yada yada...... and also have sml - med canals.... so something that would suit this.......
Thanks very much if you can help........
Luke

[CrowdAds]

[Aardvark]

Hiya fella

Just a coupla questions before we all pile in to help you

1 Are the Sony IEMs true IEMs in that they have a silicon or a foam sleave that fits into you ear and forms a tight seal or they buds with a rubber or foam cover that just sit in the outside part of your ear?

What sort of music do you listen to?

What particularly do you not like about the sound of the Shures? what is missing? what more are you looking to hear?

What are your impressions of full sized headphones used at home, have you hear anything hifi wise that you would say that you want to get close to?

[lukeyp03]

Aardvark,
Thanks for your reply.....
No, the Sony headphones ARE NOT the IEM's you describe.....
and the Shure item I purchased (SE215's), I just find annoying (over the ear) and also, left ear insertion sounds 'in & out so to speak.... is strange, I had them sent back for inspection, but came back with 'no problem'...
So, my music is fairly wide, however mainly Rock I guess.... but like lots of other types which are in my collection.....
I must confess, it takes some getting used to.... the IEM seal in one's ear..... maybe this is what I need get used to.....
However, am not using the Shure's and am back at square 1, looking for an alternative.....
Thanks for any advice..

[skip252]

You may want to try different tips sizes for each ear. Quite a few people have one ear canal that is different from the other. I've read where some of them have solved their problem by experimenting with different tips until they found the right combination.

[mbamg]

Originally Posted by skip252

You may want to try different tips sizes for each ear. Quite a few people have one ear canal that is different from the other. I've read where some of them have solved their problem by experimenting with different tips until they found the right combination.

Here's one of them. It only takes a few seconds to know whether you have the perfect seal.

[skip252]

There can be a difference between obtaining a seal and having a good fit. That's one of the reasons that people with different size canals have sometimes have difficulty identifying why they have comfort problems. I can get a good seal with tips that are a size too small with deeper insertion. The seal breaks if I move my jaw too much but the sound is good while it's sealed.

[mbamg]

Originally Posted by skip252

There can be a difference between obtaining a seal and having a good fit. That's one of the reasons that people with different size canals have sometimes have difficulty identifying why they have comfort problems. I can get a good seal with tips that are a size too small with deeper insertion. The seal breaks if I move my jaw too much but the sound is good while it's sealed.

So you mean comfort as opposed to simply having a good sound chamber? Yeah, the only IEMs which I've managed to get the perfect seal with is the Proalpha with the stock tips. I remember using my friend's Shure once. It had nearly perfect isolation, but it definitely wasn't the most comfortable IEM to wear. As for moving my jaw... that happened for every IEM I've ever used (except the Shures).

[lukeyp03]

Thanks guys for these responses....
I have tried the differing size tips, but ultimately find the 'over the ear' fit awkward. I am looking at a different option now, something similar to my basic Sony ones, BUT with better sound quality....
Any brands worth looking at???
Panasonic RP HJE900 ..... UE 700 ......
Someone I'm sure has a great solution.....
Thanks

[lukeyp03]

HI ALL.....
Anyone out there be straight up with me..........
Looking for IEM under £100...
Despite what some may think (regarding over the ear units ) I WANT simple down from ear option....
Also, music varies but mainly Rock, Guitar oriented music, General... etc....
Not a Techy person but want something quality......
Please ANYONE, I am going stir crazy looking at reviews, websites etc.......
Luke

[IDvsEGO]

the thing about it is you will not every get a consensus. every set has people that love them and people that don't. Most people that are experienced with multiple sets will have more than one they can recommend. What I would say to you is start lower in the price ranges until you understand what it is you like and dislike about a set. also, these days you get a lot more for a lot less than you used to be able to.

I have a set of Soundmagic E10s that I would recommend to anyone. traditional design, not too large, good sound and they respond well to EQ if you want to tweak them some. I had a set of Audio Technica ckm99 that were great but I dont know if I could say they were worth the exta money in sound. they were built like tanks though. felt really solid to me. The panasonic set you mentioned is popular but overpriced due to lack of supply since being discontinued. I have liked just about everything I have had from Meelectronics. I dont think you can go wrong with them if you get off of amazon. Just find one that has a description that sounds like what you would like and go for it. The a151 and cc51 are killer deals from what I have been told. The lower sets are great values too. I'll be honest, I really liked the JVC air cushion and MicroHD as well and they are really cheap. my favorite set when I had the J3 was the Fischer Audio Eterna but it is over the ear so it wouldnt work well for you. The Fischer Consonance is on my short list to try though. the red and black are out of stock but the white is available.

[lukeyp03]

Thanks IDvsEGO, I appreciate your note...
Think I will try either the E10's or Meelectronics and see how I enjoy them, before, like you say, spend money that you can't necessarily appreciate immediately.
And also this way, my expectations aren't so huge to avoid disappointment.
Cheers

[BigSigh]

I have the MEElectronic CC51 which I prefer to the JVC Air cushion, they're both the straight down design you requested. Was happy with the Air Cushion till I got the CC51's be warned though. The more you upgrade the more you seem to be looking for the next step up. Which usually means more money!!