Budget IEM recomendations?

dB Cooper · « **on:** 3 Dec 2011, 03:17 pm »

Looking for a set of reasonably priced IEM/ear canal type 'phones primarily for portable use. My problem hasn't been finding a pair- it has been finding a pair that are comfortable. Although I am a big guy I apparently have small ear canals. Most of these that I have tried out (Sennheiser, V-moda) have fit only if I force them into my ears (very uncomfortable). However, I took a return of a pair of Ultimate Ears 200's recently at work. Before packing them up, I tried them with the small gels and voila! Good fit and comfort. So right now the UE500vi's are the leading contender, but thought I'd check here.

Although sound matters, I am not looking for an all-out assault on the state of the art. These will mainly be used for portable player/iphone use and for when my housemate turns up the TV a bit too much. The 500vi's are around $70 at Amazon and maybe I'd go as high as $90-100. Any other models I should be looking at?

coke · « **Reply #1 on:** 3 Dec 2011, 04:16 pm »

Have you looked at getting different tips? http://www.complyfoam.com/

Look up Etymotic. I owned a pair of ER-4P and was very happy with them. I also have small ear canals and these worked very well for me. These used to be well under $200 a pair, but i just checked and for some reason the price seems to have gone way up.

My dad has a pair of Etymotic ER-6i which are within your budget. He's has no complaints. I'm not familiar with their newer models, but from my experience with this brand, you can't go wrong for the money. He also uses them almost daily around the house, while mowing and working outside, etc.... 2 years of what i'd consider abuse and they are still going strong.

I had a pair of Shures. I HATE their sound and will never own another pair.

I'm currently using a set of Ortofon e-Q7. These seem to be overkill for an ipod even when using Lossless. In this price range, it seems to me that the ipod becomes the limiting factor in sound quality. Ortofon makes a cheaper version, the e-q5. Might be able to find a used pair close to your budget.

These are just the IEMs that have personal experience with. Can't comment on other brands.

eclein · « **Reply #2 on:** 3 Dec 2011, 04:38 pm »

I have UE700's among a bunch of others but they most definitely are comfy. Try the comply foam tips and you'll get a nice seal which will give you the added low end thats just right. I would say go with them...the 500's, I love my 700's and a bunch of times they can be found cheaper but for your budget your picking perfectly. Enjoy!!!!Get a Fiio E5 Amp for like $15 and then the fun begins. The sound is so much better....amazing what $15ish will do for headphones.

Russell Dawkins · « **Reply #3 on:** 3 Dec 2011, 05:22 pm »

I have had 16 years of use from two pairs of Etymotic ER4S, and the second pair looks as new still. I have yet to hear anything else at a reasonable price that I believe sounds as true to life, except an old pair of 600 ohm AKG K240df's which I believe actually sounded slightly less distorted and had an apparently identical tonality. I didn't think this was possible!

My point is that Etymotic has the longest track record and was the first serious IEM, and I think this must count for something. They were making serious IEMs before the acronym was coined, and when Shure was still hammering in nails with their SM57s. They also are a major behind-the-scenes hearing research organization whose work benefits hearing aid design.
Their current models cover the range of price you mentioned. http://tinyurl.com/dy36l9r

eclein · « **Reply #4 on:** 3 Dec 2011, 05:50 pm »

I also have Etymotic and they do sound stellar but I though the OP mentioned he didn't like jamming anything down his ear canal. They do sound excellent, and I got mine on B-Stock at Headroom.com for cheap and they are brand new. The UE's he mentioned as do mine sit nicely in your ear and are very comfy. Comfy is King for the OP I think...

dB Cooper · « **Reply #5 on:** 3 Dec 2011, 10:29 pm »

Yep. they have to be comfortable. I have tried IEMS where I literally had to jam them in. Still have a pair that I never use for just that reason. The Ultimate Ears are a more or less known commodity fit-wise so they are the "front-runner" at this point, I guess.

eclein · « **Reply #6 on:** 3 Dec 2011, 11:30 pm »

db you should check out used stuff on Amazon too, I just got some really nice Sony earbuds that went "discontinued" but always got great reviews and I paid $25 for earbuds originally selling for 3 times that amount. The guys at head-fi are always burning through the latest and greatest and then unloading them at a considerable discount.
I have never been burnt and the headfiers also take great care of their gear so its usually pristine.
Just a thought!!

dB Cooper · « **Reply #7 on:** 4 Dec 2011, 03:36 am »

I'm usually not averse to "pre-owned" anything, but using another person's IEMs is sorta like using their toothbrush. At retail, returned ones (if opened) can't be re-sold for health reasons.