Recommend Me Some Earphones

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DanB7290

Original Poster:

5,535 posts

189 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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Something that's been bugging me today, I'd gone back last night and read some reviews of the V-Moda earphones that I have not long bought, and a few of them recommend swapping out the bundled silicon tips for some Comply Foam tips. I've also seen these Comply tips mentioned in reviews of other IEMs, and they claim to increase the sound quality; is this true? If so I may try getting some to use with the V-Modas before making the switch to Sennheiser, just to see the difference, and if they're good I'll put some on the Sennheisers I will eventually get. Still going to get new ones, as the OH is complaining her headphones no longer work, so she's going to inherit a pair of mine, probably the V-Modas. She is the complete opposite of an audiophile, and isn't able to tell too much difference between my Bose ones (when they worked), which I would describe as the best IEM I have ever owned until they broke, and my old JVC Gumy IEMs, which were bought in the pound shop and sound more tinny than banging two bean cans together.

Funk

26,254 posts

208 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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I may be wrong but I can't see how a piece of foam can improve the sound. It might improve the isolation and therefore possibly some improvement in the bass, but other than that the overall sound coming from the earphones will be exactly the same.

Give it a try and see what you think.

Finlandia

7,803 posts

230 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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Silicone sleeves generally allow for a more bright sound, foam sleeves for a darker sound. Foam isolates better than silicone and is generally more comfortable to use. Foam sleeves do not last nearly as long as silicone sleeves in use.

Johnny

9,652 posts

283 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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I know these my be pushing your budget a bit, but have you looked at ACS? Their T15 IEMs are supposedly very good. There is always the option to upgrade to their custom sleeves at a later date...

I'm sat at work listening to a load of new music on my T1s and they blow me away every single time I listen to them.

Fantastic products and a great company to deal with.

ACS

Funk

26,254 posts

208 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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Holy crap... For £650 I'd want them to make tea as well!

DanB7290

Original Poster:

5,535 posts

189 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
quotequote all
Fair do, shan't waste £15 on some bits of foam, was just curious as many reviews seem to recommend getting them.

Those ACS IEMs are very nice, may be tempted to save up. There's just one thing that bugs me. Under "Endorsees" on their website, it has One Direction. Seeing as I used the free 1D poster in today's Sun as air rifle target practice, it's no surprise that this puts me off slightly. However, also under Endorsees are Black Sabbath, pretty much makes up for it biggrin

In all seriousness, they are pretty nice looking, and the T15s seem quite reasonable for £150, however are they that much better than say, the Bowers & Wilkins C5s, which retail for the same amount? I'm beginning to think it's worth me saving up extra money for some really good IEMs, although even I think that £200 for Atomic Floyd Darts from the Apple Store is overkill. I'm sure that they can be found for less than what Apple charge, and if they are THAT amazing I'll consider them.

Also, in the higher priced (£120+) sector are Harman Kardon AE in ears, I'm intrigued by them, anyone got a pair?
There's also the Bose MIE2i, and given that I had the original Bose IE and really liked the sound quality, the new ones can only be an improvement surely? At the very least, I'd hope the build quality is improved, although friends who've had the different Bose IEMs have all had issues with build quality.
My current favourites if money was no object are the B&W C5s, unless anyone can recommend something better?

audi321

5,156 posts

212 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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Can anyone recommend any that don't go right down the ear canal? i.e. like the iphone earphones, but better?

CooperS

4,500 posts

218 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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I'm picky and have sens 300 for the gym on the road bike and a pair of sens IE6 for work and my commuting by plane twice a week which are around the £100 mark and both a nice without lean to hard way one way or another.

I had Bose and they were so muddy and didn't sit nicely (very personal). I have tried Beats IE and tbh they for my taste were awful compared to their cans which are pretty good (only tried out my colleuges pair c. £250)


SWoll

18,206 posts

257 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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If you are considering the Sennheiser CX300II be very wary as there are a lot of cheap Chinese copies around.

I had a genuine set a couple of years ago and whilst a decent pair of phones I had to have them replaced 3 times in 18 months due to losing sound in one earbud. They also have quite a bright/bassy sound quality than can be wearing after extended use and aren't particularly comfortable.

For <£100 you cant do better than the Shure SE215 IMHO. Great sound with all types of music, well built, great customer service from Shure if you do have any issues, and very comfortable.

Zigster

1,636 posts

143 months

Monday 1st October 2012
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If you're using them for the train/tube, I've always found in ear phones quite fragile - and I think I'm reasonably careful with them. Every year one side starts buzzing and I have to replace them.

I've had low-end Shure before (e2c SE215, etc) and thought they were great - Shure replaced at least two pairs under warranty with no quibbles so good customer service.

I've currently got Klipsch S4i and am pretty happy with them. Main reason for buying is that my old ear phones started playing up so I just popped out at lunchtime to the Richer Sounds near my office, and the Klipsch seemed the best bet.

I do keep thinking about splashing out on some very nice ones - I spend 90-100 mins a day on the train so would definitely get good use out of them - I think I would just be a little pained if they got broken.

DanB7290

Original Poster:

5,535 posts

189 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
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Right, quick update. The V Modas I had have broken, the left earbud keeps cutting out, so it was the excuse I needed to actually buy a new set. Decided first off to get the sports model I was looking at, due to massively increasing my gym time (gone from virtually fk all time spent in the gym to 2 hours a night every night), and shelled out £28 for some Sennheiser MX680i IEMs.
So far very impressed, I wasn't expecting much sound quality wise from a sports model, but it's much better than the V Modas I had, the bass is there but doesn't overpower everything, mids and highs much clearer as well, and for £15 less!

I'm in two minds about what to do next. I still want a much better quality regular IEM (not designed for sports), as the JVC OEMs I have, while great, are a little on the larger side.
Many people were recommending the Sennheiser CX-300s, and I was ready to splash out on a pair. Only thing is there isn't a remote/mic on them, however looking at a pair of CX300s next to the MM30i pair I saw in the shop the other day, they appear to be almost aesthetically identical (save for the Apple Remote on the MM30i), am I right in thinking that the two are the same on the insides as well? i.e. the MM30i is just the CX300 with an iRemote?

luke111s

847 posts

187 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
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SWoll said:
If you are considering the Sennheiser CX300II be very wary as there are a lot of cheap Chinese copies around.
+1

I used the 'more buying options' link and picked Amazon rather than the cheapest, as a load of reviewers on Amazon had cheap copies from other sellers

mattley

3,024 posts

221 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
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ElReg was impressed by these.

http://www.reghardware.com/2012/10/05/hands_on_rev...

And generally I trust their kit reviews.

TameRacingDriver

18,048 posts

271 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
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If you've got 100 to spend just skip to something like the sennheiser ie6 that I've got some myself and having came from along line of CX series headphones, the ie6s are so much better and so far haven't broken after a few months.

TotalControl

8,016 posts

197 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
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Although I'm a fan of the CX 300, have they not been replaced by the CX 495? If so, they're bloody hard to get hold of as I haven't found a pair anywhere near me.

M@verick

976 posts

210 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
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Another +1 for Shures. I use SE535's every day, they are excellent to listen to with pretty much anything i throw at them. I auditioned the SE215s a while back and if those are on the menu, they would be my choice.

R.

Civpilot

6,235 posts

239 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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M@verick said:
Another +1 for Shures. I use SE535's every day, they are excellent to listen to with pretty much anything i throw at them. I auditioned the SE215s a while back and if those are on the menu, they would be my choice.

R.
Another vote for Shures. Currently using SE315's and I honestly wouldn't change them for anything (other than maybe some 535's). Lovely sound, very well made, and the most comfortable set of earphones I've owned.

DanB7290

Original Poster:

5,535 posts

189 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
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OK chaps, been doing some thinking, and I'm not 100% sure that I need another non sports IEM. For the gym, running and cycling, the Sennheiser/Adidas MX680i I bought is more than good enough, but now I'm thinking of some on ear headphones, and to up the budget slightly. Again, an iPhone remote is a must. The main use these will get is walking around the University campus, working in the library (so no open backs), more relaxed commuting (i.e. walking in, or on the bus rather than cycling), and probably some light use at home.

Currently my favourites are the Bowers & Wilkins P3s. As much as I like the P5s (tested both models at the Apple Store), I just can't justify £250 for a pair of headphones; £180 is just about the limit, and that's with a lot of saving up. I've narrowed my choice down to the B&W P3, the Bose OE2i, and Harman Kardon Classic On Ear. The Bose ones are slightly cheaper, at £149 compared to the other 2 at £169, however after my old Bose IEs decided to break reasonably quickly, I'm not so sure about Bose in general, plus reading through different web articles it's not recommended to buy Bose.
I've tried the B&W P3 in the Apple Store, and was very impressed, they're just about perfect for what I want. And if the cable was to break, it is very easily swapped.
The Harman Kardons are an unknown to me, if anyone is able to advise on them I'd be grateful.

Or are there any more I should be looking at for this kind of money (sub £180)?