Quick Comparison of 63 IEMs (Spreadsheet)

[SirDigger]

I got the sennheiser cx 300, but I'll buy a cowon s9 soon and then i will get new headphones too. I dont wanna spend more than... let's say 180 bucks for them. What's really important to me is of course good sound x D and a good build quality. the isolation should be good but i don't really need too much of it. Which headphones would you recommend?

[CrowdAds]

[dfkt]

Added the Beta Brainwavz to the list - and here's our review of them: http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archi...pro-review.php

[jjrosaria]

almost bought the super fi V last saturday but if I buy it I'll loose my privilege to get the s9.. Is the super fi's worth their price?? I found them cheaper than the phonaks

[dfkt]

The SF5v2 sure are more or less in the league of the Phonaks and q-Jays, with a similar sound signature as well. Of those three the SF5v2 are the most comfortable ones with the best soundstage. Build quality is very good as well - better than the Phonaks, and maybe on par with the q-Jays. They maybe don't have exactly the very same level of detail and clarity as the Phonaks, but they're still top notch.

[jjrosaria]

Originally Posted by dfkt

The SF5v2 sure are more or less in the league of the Phonaks and q-Jays, with a similar sound signature as well. Of those three the SF5v2 are the most comfortable ones with the best soundstage. Build quality is very good as well - better than the Phonaks, and maybe on par with the q-Jays. They maybe don't have exactly the very same level of detail and clarity as the Phonaks, but they're still top notch.

thanks but if you are to choose over an earphone or a player what would you choose?? cuz I already have a great sounding player I really just want another great sounding player wit a touch screen

[dfkt]

I really can't help you there.

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by jjrosaria

thanks but if you are to choose over an earphone or a player what would you choose?? cuz I already have a great sounding player I really just want another great sounding player wit a touch screen

Well, if you get an S9, you could use FLAC instead of WAV for lossless....assuming you put lossless on your players, which I don't. If you have to choose player or earphones, I'd choose player. It's a lot easier to save up for earphones after you get the player, than to save up for the player (unless you want UE11's)

[Mogget]

Speaking of earphone recommendations, I WAS all set to buy the Phonak PFE's. But now I see that the Head-Direct RE-0's are on for $100, which is more or less the same price range. Any input as to which one is "better"?

I still like the idea of the PFE, but it seemed in his review that the only thing DFKT didn't care for in the RE-0's was the semi-cheap build quality (which is as important to me as anything else). On the other hand, the PFE got an Editor's Choice... what a quandary!

[tehort]

what u guys think about pfe + fiio e5 for metal?
if anyone could check a few songs off youtube and give some feedback on how it sounds... i'do be very grateful
creeping death
master of puppets
and justice for all

[daniel1703]

what's your source?

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by tehort

what u guys think about pfe + fiio e5 for metal?
if anyone could check a few songs off youtube and give some feedback on how it sounds... i'do be very grateful
creeping death
master of puppets
and justice for all

Sound quality of stuff on Youtube varies wildly.....hard to really say what your getting that way.

[tehort]

Originally Posted by daniel1703

what's your source?

i'll be getting sansa clip in the next few days
but right i'm using my cellphone(moto zn5, top audio, for cells =p)

Originally Posted by Marvin the Martian

Sound quality of stuff on Youtube varies wildly.....hard to really say what your getting that way.

hehe, well, yt is not so bad(once in a while) but i don't wanna tell people who don't have the songs start downloading in illegal ways :x

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by tehort

i'll be getting sansa clip in the next few days
but right i'm using my cellphone(moto zn5, top audio, for cells =p)



hehe, well, yt is not so bad(once in a while) but i don't wanna tell people who don't have the songs start downloading in illegal ways :x

Good point! I've used the E5 and the Clip for those Metallica songs, but I don't have the Phonaks

[dfkt]

Originally Posted by Mogget

Speaking of earphone recommendations, I WAS all set to buy the Phonak PFE's. But now I see that the Head-Direct RE-0's are on for $100, which is more or less the same price range. Any input as to which one is "better"?

I still like the idea of the PFE, but it seemed in his review that the only thing DFKT didn't care for in the RE-0's was the semi-cheap build quality (which is as important to me as anything else). On the other hand, the PFE got an Editor's Choice... what a quandary!

The new low price makes the RE0 a lot more valid choice, in my opinion. Their initial price of over $200 was a joke, the $169 price when I reviewed them was still too high in my opinion. Considering they're just some Chinese OEM things with Chinese OEM cables, clone/ripoff housing, crappy filters, weird tips, etc. Even if they sound really good, those are things I can't overlook. They're just part of the experience.

Aaaanyways, for less than $100 they can really be recommended now. Choosing between the RE0 and PFE has gotten harder because of that price...

The PFE have a flatter frequency response, no matter what filters used, more precision/clarity and attack "speed" (but sound "thinner" than the RE0), a deeper extending bass (but less quantity than the RE0), and extremely low cable noise/microphonics.

The RE0 have a more "lush, grand, musical" midrange (a la SE530), more bass quantity (but doesn't extend as flat and deep as the PFE), unfortunately a bit more sibilant treble, and probably better wearing comfort than the PFE for most people's ears.

[Mogget]

Darn it dfkt, you're supposed to make it easier to decide, not harder! Meh, I'll probably go with the Phonaks because... I want them. Nobody said this was supposed to be logical, right? Besides, no matter what I get I'll probably be blown away by the quality compared to my ancient $10 Sony's...

[Kuuloke]

What about a review of Soundwise T4? Since it's a copy of - so popular - CX300, but much cheaper, and, according to some forums/reviews, these are good.

http://whichpair.com/2009/01/07/soundwise-t4-review/

[Tronied]

dfkt, it would be great if you would try the Creative EP-830's and add it to your list with what you think. Everyone turns their nose up when they hear "Creative", but the sound quality you get for the price IMO is fantastic. I bought a £100 pair of Bose headphones recently, and while they are good I just don't think they quite match up to the level of immersion, range and quality which you get with the in ear headphones, and the EP-830's in particular. The great thing is that if my pair of EP-830's ever break, I can pick up another pair for a tenner from Amazon *

Cowon S9 + EP-830's + EQ BBE Headphone 3 = Amazing

* Sorry if they have already been mentioned as I didn't read all 10 pages of this thread. I also understand that you can't go around trying / buying every pair of headphones everyone recommends

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by Tronied

. I bought a £100 pair of Bose headphones recently

I'm sorry to hear that.

[Kikhu]

what u guys think of Klipsch s4?

[h1a8]

To dfkt

According to the iem chart it seems that the phonak and se530 have about the same quantity of bass.

I don't know if this has been asked but which one of the two edges out the other (even if it is very slightly) in bass quantity and bass depth with relevant phonak filters?

Thanks!