Hi-end IEM's

[recstar24]

What options are currently out there for hi end iem's? I do not want to bother going through the HF thread. Please chime in if you have any thoughts or experiences to share. All I am aware of are the UE customs.

[oogabooga]

I'd like to consider my UE triple.fi 10s as hi-end... triple balanced armatures one for trebles, two for everything else. Often compared to the Westone 3 (three armature, 3-way) and Shure 530 (three armature, 2-way) on HF. I've only heard the TF10s so I won't comment on the others - I find TF10s very clear, good treble extension and solid throughout the entire frequency spectrum. Great isolation and bass when used with Shure "olive" black foam tips.

Downsides: Fit can be finicky, and SQ is VERY dependant on tips. The wrong tips will "pinch" over the sound tube and annihilate the treble. I spent a week exploring tip options before finally being happy with my purchase.

I did compare them to the "mid-end" super.fi 5 in the store, and I felt the TF10s removed a veil present in the super.fi, especially in the high-end.

[Fungi]

The Sleek Audio SA9 is supposed to be coming out in a few months. Could be a contender.

[catscratch]

Depends on what you mean by "high end..." In the universal-fit realm I don't think anything is high-end. The W3 is not bad when properly fitted but that's about it... not bad.

Custom is the way to go, but you're not going to find too many people who have experience with many different models. Shoot a PM to Digihead on that other forum since he's heard just about everything there is to hear in the custom IEM world. Otherwise, you're going to have to piece things together and gamble.

Personally I only have the ES2, and I like it quite a bit. It does have a very liquid midrange, lots of dynamic range, and pretty good detail, but it definitely could use more treble extension and better instrument separation.

Read up on the UE11, UE10, ES2, the new ES3X that Westone announced not too long ago, the ACS T2, and maybe Sensaphonics, though I have heard very mixed opinions on newer Sensaphonics since they changed their drivers. And by "mixed" I mean mostly negative...

[peanutbutterjam]

What options are currently out there for hi end iem's? I do not want to bother going through the HF thread. Please chime in if you have any thoughts or experiences to share. All I am aware of are the UE customs.

Please do not have the idea that more expensive = better or more drivers = better.

So far in the universal fit realm, the ER-4 has really impressed me. With ONE driver. I have never tried customs, mostly because my ER-4 with the custom sleeves from westone (coming in a few days) has served me really well and I don't see any need to get any upgrade.

Besides I have better ideas on how to spend my cash currently

[John E Woven]

Triple.Fi10: The sound is extremely dependent on the fit. Once you get a good fit, the sound is amazing. Of course, it's also huge, uncomfortable, and the cable sucks.

Etymotic ER4p: It's very analytical, and the best iem for classical. It manages to be accurate while being fun. Isolation is great, comfort is decent, but the cable is extremely microphonic. No way to wear it over the ear, either.

Shure SE530: It's my new favorite. Not the most accurate, but it's very musical, and fun. I put them on (in?) and the world around me just disappears. I don't have a care in the world. It's also extremely comfortable.

I now only have the SE530.

[ZephyrSapphire]

Westone 3 - Basshead

Shure SE530 - Laid-back fun

UE Triple.fi 10 - Forward fun

Etymotic ER4S/P - Analytical

Sleek SA6 - Never tried

Sleek SA9 - Coming soon

Audio-Technica ATH-CK10 - Never tried

Audio-Technica ATH-CK100 - Never tried

Klipsch Custom 3 - Never tried

Klipsch X10 - Never tried

[peanutbutterjam]

Etymotic ER4p: It's very analytical, and the best iem for classical. It manages to be accurate while being fun. Isolation is great, comfort is decent, but the cable is extremely microphonic. No way to wear it over the ear, either.

Oh yes you can wear it over the ear. I do that all the time. Though i wouldn't say that the ER-4 was made to wear over the ear.

I'll take some pics if i can find my camera.

[Tony]

Etymotics can use two different looking cables. In one one, after the cable splits in two, it becomes braided for each side, and flexible. The other one has flat wires, stiffer. The former can be easily looped over the ear, making you look a bit weird, but removing any kind of microphonics from the cable. The latter makes the two wires much harder to use over (actually "around") the ear. If you are not worried about the looks (since looping the wires around the ear is not too cool to go around... but music can let you forget about it), look at pics when an Ety comes FS and get yourself a pair with braided wires. If looks are a concern, an Apuresound recable might be the way to go.

[GPH]

Westone 3 - Basshead

Shure SE530 - Laid-back fun

UE Triple.fi 10 - Forward fun

Etymotic ER4S/P - Analytical

Sleek SA6 - Never tried

Sleek SA9 - Coming soon

Audio-Technica ATH-CK10 - Never tried

Audio-Technica ATH-CK100 - Never tried

Klipsch Custom 3 - Never tried

Klipsch X10 - Never tried

Dude, this is not Head-fi here. Try to put more substance in your posts when you describe headphones or you'll get bashed like in your thread about japanese music.

[peanutbutterjam]

Etymotics can use two different looking cables. In one one, after the cable splits in two, it becomes braided for each side, and flexible. The other one has flat wires, stiffer.

Ah yes I forgot to mention this. Indeed you'll need the braided ones to loop properly. But as far as i know, usually the ER-4P comes with the braided ones while the ER-4S comes with the straight ones. Correct me if i'm wrong.

If looks are a concern, an Apuresound recable might be the way to go.

Hey tony, i'm really curious, how much does the Apuresound recable change the sound? Is the difference between the recable and stock similar to the ammount of difference between the P and S?

[Tony]

Ah yes I forgot to mention this. Indeed you'll need the braided ones to loop properly. But as far as i know, usually the ER-4P comes with the braided ones while the ER-4S comes with the straight ones. Correct me if i'm wrong.

ER4P's usually come with braided wires, but I have seen some with the straight ones. ER4S I have seen only with straight wires, but I am not sure it's the only existing variation.

Hey tony, i'm really curious, how much does the Apuresound recable change the sound? Is the difference between the recable and stock similar to the ammount of difference between the P and S?

That's a nice way to put it. I think the recabled ER4P gives a lesser sensation of clarity and "special effects" compared to the usual P, as well as less sibilance. Due to the tamed treble, bass is perceived with more presence. It's possible that the Apuresound cable also gives a bump to the midbass, since there is more fullness to the sound, but it's still tight and defined, solid-sounding.

[morphsci]

Dude, this is not Head-fi here. Try to put more substance in your posts when you describe headphones or you'll get bashed like in your thread about japanese music.

He's too busy being introspective to hear you

[swt61]

ER4P's usually come with braided wires, but I have seen some with the straight ones. ER4S I have seen only with straight wires, but I am not sure it's the only existing variation.

That's a nice way to put it. I think the recabled ER4P gives a lesser sensation of clarity and "special effects" compared to the usual P, as well as less sibilance. Due to the tamed treble, bass is perceived with more presence. It's possible that the Apuresound cable also gives a bump to the midbass, since there is more fullness to the sound, but it's still tight and defined, solid-sounding.

I've owned stock ER4Ps and I had the P-S converter cable as well. I've also spent a little time with Tony's APS recabled ER4P. I agree with the midbass bump, but it's not overexagerated. It does lend a bit fuller sound, and I happen to like that.

I'm also getting acquainted with the Klipsch Image X-10. It's a completely different flavor than the Etty, but very nice so far. It's tilted a bit toward a more uephoric sound. It's an IEM I think Senn. 650 fans might like.

Edited January 18, 2009 by swt61

[Torpedo]

I'm not a 650 fan, but quite one of the HD600. The X10 have the same type of timbral presentation, but a bit more bassy and darker on top. I find them very enjoyable for listening on the go. I like them better than any other IEM I've tried, but I don't think they qualify as High end. In fact IMHO high end and IEMs is an oxymoron.

[Tony]

That's true. I don't think there is a single high end IEM among universals. Customs should be another story anyway, but being in Europe doesn't help for Westone/UE custom IEMs.

Regarding the Westone 3, I am not a fan of EQ, especially portably, but I have been playing with the iAudio 7 a lot lately, and its eq is pretty good, doesn't distort noticeably, and doesn't add grain. I have found a nice setting that depletes most of the unwanted upper bass and lower midrange (-3dB at 220Hz and large filter, -3dB at 780Hz and large filter, again). That takes care of the unwanted fullness and the sound is more neutral, but still effortless. I think they'd still need more top end extention, which is noticeably lacking when comparing them to the CD3000 and Apuresound Etys (which have different problems, anyway, summarized by "sibilance", in bad recordings like most Neil Young's works and Jimi Hendrix' Electric Ladyland).

[recstar24]

I am definitely in the custom camp (unless you think there is a universal that can match them in fit, comfort, and sound). I am leaning towards UE 10's. I think I would prefer their more linear sound signature than the 11's, and they are cheaper.

How is the UE sound compared to the shure sound? I have owned e5's, listened to e500's, and both while nice were somewhat bassy and dark sounding, not enough clarity in the mids and highs. The e4's were a bit crisper but lacked enough body and bass for me.

[n_maher]

Yikes Ryan, unless you spend A LOT of time listening to IEMs I'd be hard pressed to see the UE10s as a good choice. I'd have to be flying weekly or commuting via public transport to even think about a purchase like that. Before you did that I'd try one of the new customs that popped last year, anyone buy Livewires that is.

[ZephyrSapphire]

Dude, this is not Head-fi here. Try to put more substance in your posts when you describe headphones or you'll get bashed like in your thread about japanese music.

Twas 11.30pm when I posted. Was about to go to bed at that moment.

Just listed the hi-end ones currently available.

Oh nuts.

Forgot Sennheiser's IE-8.

[jp11801]

Ryan, I have/had the Shure 420s and ety 4s and to me they were both more satisfying than the shire 530. The 530 bass has a tendency to mask the mids at least in my time listening to them.

If you want great sound really nice mids and want to without the hassle of an amp then I would go shure 420. The etys are great and I loved them but to sound their best I needed to use an amp particularly to get better low end response. At the end of the day when I travel or am on the go the last thing I want it to drag around a DAP, ridiculous LOD and amp when I can just get away with the DAP if the iems I choose are sensative enough.

Anyway try the 420s I think you'll be suprised. Isn't shure not too far from you, you could alway buy one of the guys a pint and ask to try the 420s:dan:

[recstar24]

Yikes Ryan, unless you spend A LOT of time listening to IEMs I'd be hard pressed to see the UE10s as a good choice. I'd have to be flying weekly or commuting via public transport to even think about a purchase like that. Before you did that I'd try one of the new customs that popped last year, anyone buy Livewires that is.

What other customs options are there? I know Westone has a couple. By all accounts the UE10's seem they would fit my bill. Though I should say I have never had comfort issues with the universals though my experience with them is limited. Customs are just so pimp though:palm:

[Salt Peanuts]

For other customs, there are LiveWires, as Nate mentioned, and the FreQ. Though checking it now, the FreQ appears to be temporarily closed at the moment. IIRC, Zach/Grand Enigma has/had a pair of FreQ's.

[ZephyrSapphire]

There are also these customs which aren't that well-known on the other site

[url=http://www.hearingprotection.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=124&Itemid=223]Advanced Communication Solutions - ACS T1 Custom Triple Driver Monitors - SRP

[swt61]

I'm not a 650 fan, but quite one of the HD600. The X10 have the same type of timbral presentation, but a bit more bassy and darker on top. I find them very enjoyable for listening on the go. I like them better than any other IEM I've tried, but I don't think they qualify as High end. In fact IMHO high end and IEMs is an oxymoron.

Yes, I agree. I'm a big fan of my HD580, and with the foam mod it's less dark too. I need to spend a little time with a 650 again though. The Beta22 should really improve what I heard the last time I had one.

I think the cost of the X-10 is about as high as I could justify, with as little time as I spend with a portable rig. I can't even consider adding a portable amp into the mix. Happily the X-10 doesn't seem to really need one.

[Tony]

I am wondering if recabling a IEM like the Images (which don't have removable cables) could be useful or even possible. They might benefit of a silver plated copper wire over the stock cable (I think it's copper). They are so far from being sibilant that added brightness wouldn't be a problem, and increase treble presence.