Audio Top Tier IEM WAR , Do Participate

anubhav2345

anubhav2345

Adept
Hi everyone , my next upgrade from RE252 is up in line .

I was doing my R&D and wanted to share my thoughts with experts and users on the forum .

Actually if we talk of top-tier IEM's , price category simply goes above 300$

Now at this price point what i narrowed down to was .

1. Sennheiser IE7

2. Sennheiser IE8

3. Shure SE530

4. Moster Pro Gold

5. UE triple fi 10

Out of these , the senny's are easily available in INDIA with bill and warranty .

Other two need to be sourced from amazon or via KMD .

I was mostly finalized on buying IE8 , but then my R&D habits found me this link:-

A detailed comparison between these four :-

IE8 vs. MTPG vs. IE7 vs. se530 comparison review - Headphone User Reviews - abi>>forums

Sennheiser IE7 VS IE8 Discussion Thread - Head-Fi.org Community

The above links , plus many more links on the web state , that even IE7 is no less in comparison to IE8 .

In one of the comparisons the reviewer said this in the end :-

1. Ie7=A+ (jack of all trades and could do everything very well)

2. Ie8=A (can do more things better than the Gold)

3. Gold=A- (can do 1 better than the ie8)

3. se530=B (not enough sub-bass while mid range is either equal or slightly better than the golds)

So , would like to have opinion from experts and actual users of these IEM's to point out whether IE7 is really that much worthy ?? Or IE8 is simple a different league ??

Lets have a detailed debate over this now .

Basically whats the best IEM under 300$ - 500$ category .
 
haraakiri said:
At that price range, I think it's more about the sound signature you prefer than sound quality. You would be a better judge of that.
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+1 . You need to be more specific about what sort of sound signature you are looking for exactly.

Personally I wouldn't spend anything more than 10-15k on a top tier IEM . Anything more , would rather save and get a triple or quad driver UM custom molds for 23-28k :D .
 
+1 harakiri . all the IEMs mentioned are great. only the good ones are able to mentain the toptier price they retail at. its just a matter of sound sig preference.

TO add to that list :

DBA -02 , available at a grea price in india

RE-252/262,

DDM,

CK10/100,

etc. ( there are too many toptier IEms out there)

NOte: dont get fooled by the price of these DBA,RE2x2, DDM,, these are right there on top with the higher valued IEMs.

if you want the best on paper, the Earsonics SM3 has great soundstage, awesome bass, great mids, great treble , are very quick . really i am yet to read any major ( concrete ) flaws with them. all i read against them, is " i really was dissappointed is them, cause of the hype" or " I did not like them " ...but no one is able to pin point the problem.
 
+1 again. None of them would really be much of an upgrade. From the list you put out - I've owned the IE7 and TF10. Auditioned the IE8 and the 530.

IE7 - nothing spectacular, would never buy it at full retail

IE8 - overall a bit better than the IE7, too much bass for me - unless you need bass I don't think its worth the price difference

TF10 - big on bass, above average sound-stage, disappointing mids

SE530 - great mids, less bass than the TF10 - personally would pick this above the other 3

Haven't heard the Monster but if I didn't have my current IEM I would be tempted to buy the Miles Davis one. Saw it here in the store and it took a lot of effort to hold back. :p
 
haraakiri said:
At that price range, I think it's more about the sound signature you prefer than sound quality. You would be a better judge of that.
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Yup you are absolutely right , sound signature is more than important at these level of IEM's , well i would prefer the most neutral sounding IEM with the best combination of low frequencies minus (-) the sub bass frequencies .

Now advice which one out of these ??

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intacto said:
Can u also mention how much do they cost in Indian rupees??(approx.)
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1. IE7 - Rs11.5k With bill and 2yrs warranty

2. IE8 - Rs16.5k With bill and 2yrs warranty

3. Monster Pro Gold - INR value unavailble yet - $300 ( approx )

4. Shure SE530 - Rs 30k ( approx ) with warranty
 
^ I dunno what to say now :rofl: You are already in possession of one of the most neutral top-tier IEM which sounds exactly like what you just described. :p You need to be a little more descriptive maybe.. tell us what more are you expecting from the RE-252.
 
FaH33m said:
+1 . You need to be more specific about what sort of sound signature you are looking for exactly.

Personally I wouldn't spend anything more than 10-15k on a top tier IEM . Anything more , would rather save and get a triple or quad driver UM custom molds for 23-28k :D .
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Even i think the same anything above 15k is not worth for an IEM . Knowing the fact we are still young kids , not businessmen earning a big moolah everyday :D :D

And yeah , for sure if anyone got plans to spend above 20k , nothing will beat UM custom's . +1 for this that AMARBIR has now arranged them to his lynx-stores .

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strategy said:
+1 harakiri . all the IEMs mentioned are great. only the good ones are able to mentain the toptier price they retail at. its just a matter of sound sig preference.

TO add to that list :

DBA -02 , available at a grea price in india

RE-252/262,

DDM,

CK10/100,

etc. ( there are too many toptier IEms out there)

NOte: dont get fooled by the price of these DBA,RE2x2, DDM,, these are right there on top with the higher valued IEMs.

if you want the best on paper, the Earsonics SM3 has great soundstage, awesome bass, great mids, great treble , are very quick . really i am yet to read any major ( concrete ) flaws with them. all i read against them, is " i really was dissappointed is them, cause of the hype" or " I did not like them " ...but no one is able to pin point the problem.
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Yup i agree with you completely , I already own the RE252 . Just a lil lack of bass ( considering i am more inclined to enjoy low frequencies ) is asking me to go go go for an upgrade . Rest sound-stage i BET is remarkable on the 252's .

Agreeing to ur advice Earsonics SM3 , are a great pair of IEM's , as far as i know there orientation is from france and they have absolutely a hell lot of threads for there praises and praises and praises .

Issue is with there availability , if i could arrange a brand new pair @ around 20k , i would have surely got these .

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Ritvik said:
+1 again. None of them would really be much of an upgrade. From the list you put out - I've owned the IE7 and TF10. Auditioned the IE8 and the 530.

IE7 - nothing spectacular, would never buy it at full retail

IE8 - overall a bit better than the IE7, too much bass for me - unless you need bass I don't think its worth the price difference

TF10 - big on bass, above average sound-stage, disappointing mids

SE530 - great mids, less bass than the TF10 - personally would pick this above the other 3

Haven't heard the Monster but if I didn't have my current IEM I would be tempted to buy the Miles Davis one. Saw it here in the store and it took a lot of effort to hold back. :p
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Ritvik , MAN u are simply GOD OF IEM's . Have almost tried all the top-tiers , Biggest advantage is you are putting up @ singapore i guess ( as ur location says )

In india , u know its hard to get an audition before buying actually , untill and unless anybody known owns them .

So according to you , IE7 is not a great buy at MRP ?? but if somehow it is sourced from US , and in INR costs around Rs 9k ?? Then will it be a sensible buy over RE252's ??

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FaH33m said:
^ I dunno what to say now :rofl: You are already in possession of one of the most neutral top-tier IEM which sounds exactly like what you just described. :p You need to be a little more descriptive maybe.. tell us what more are you expecting from the RE-252.
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Faheem broo , just missing that low bass frequencies .... Rest everything is ossom . And in no mood to add a tube amplifier . Portability will be an issue .
 
Not so neutral, excellent mid bass, good soundstage perhaps better than 252, good highs is what TF10 is. If you could manage with recesses mids perhaps TF10 is a good option for you.
 
haraakiri said:
Not so neutral, excellent mid bass, good soundstage perhaps better than 252, good highs is what TF10 is. If you could manage with recesses mids perhaps TF10 is a good option for you.
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hmmm ... great piece of advice .

Let the RE252's sell out , then either TF10 or IE7 or IE8 .

But still the discussion continues .
 
As I told you, I don't think there's an 'upgrade' if you want RE-252 + bass. The rest of them are all different or colored.

DBA-02: Considering how you found the treble out of RE-252, you'll soon get a headache with these.

DDM: It's not exactly neutral either. Bass is a tad more than what I perceive as natural. It wins in texture, presentation and sound stage.

Based on what I read...

RE-262: The new king of mids? With good bass and decent treble? Not certainly neutral.

SM3: Too pricey for me because the French pay more tax? whatever. But for that kind of a price, you get a Y-split which could be too close for comfort to your chin, not so great build quality, no detachable cable and needs a slight bit more with tips, mod-ding etc.,

TF10, IE8 have already been discussed. SE-530 was the king of mids, SE-535 is better in build quality and some say even the signature. SE-530 had far too many build quality issues for me to consider.
 
Even I feel you will like the TF10. Its got better bass , soundstage than RE-252. Treble is almost on par. Midrange is inferior to RE-252 but still top notch .
 
I did contact earsonics a day before i ordered Miracle.

here is what they said.
> 1. Can i order through you directly or will i have to contact a distributor of yours ( i doubt many of them will be willing to ship abroad)?

1- You can order through us of course..

> 2. Whats the price of SM3 ( in indian rupees or in American dollers)( also vat will be deducted?)?

2-Theprice in dollars is 348 $

> 3. How do you ship the product? IS shipping free, if not how much do you charge for shipping ?

3- We ship with UPS express ( the cost is 38 euros)

> 4. Is it currently available or will i have to wait for it to be stocked?

4-The SM3 is currently available, you just have to order it...

> 5. Is there a discount you are offering?

5- Actually, there is a discount for SM3 at 348$ instead of 402$

> 6. Sorry if i offend you, but my country customs charge 30-35 % for audio products could you mark undervalue the price on the outer packing? (like $100)

6-you just have to put in the observation part when you make the order to undervalue the package at 100$ or put it a sample or gift..
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SO to sum it up $348 = 15,474 , and shipping price = 38 euros = 2,354 , toral = 17,828 ...shipped to your door step.

PS: should i delete the last question ?
 
So far whichever IEM i've tried, the Ck10,Um3x,IE7,IE8,Ortofon EQ-7,etc.....nothing can beat the bass of the TF10's with a custom cable. The sheer speed, bass slam and punch is amazing and keeping the balance throughout the spectrum. Sound is very subjective, to be honest I do not find the mids of the TF10, maybe its cuz of the genre i listen to doesn't contain much vocals(EDM).
The IE8 is a bassheads iem. Even at the lowest setting for bass they are very bassy. Kinda dominates over the rest of the spectrum.
The only iem i found had better bass than a TF10 was a JH10x3 which I had tried at Jaben. He had a universal kind of mould with silicon tips that fit my ear and gave a perfect seal.
The JH10x3 have an amazing sound, a bit darker than the TF10, kinda tube sound.

Why i'm recommending the Tf10's is because you can always get them custom remolded from Unique melody for a not so expensive price.
 
unique melody remolds all BA universals , right? or Just westone and UE universals?

I had the impression that they will do any remould as long as its BA?

And yeah i have always considered the TF10's bass to be perfect, without flaws, speed , texture, control, thump, etc.in all, really good at bass.

sold mine because i found the sound stage lacking somewhat ( width wise narrow), the instrument separation is topnotch.
 
esanthosh said:
As I told you, I don't think there's an 'upgrade' if you want RE-252 + bass. The rest of them are all different or colored.

DBA-02: Considering how you found the treble out of RE-252, you'll soon get a headache with these.

DDM: It's not exactly neutral either. Bass is a tad more than what I perceive as natural. It wins in texture, presentation and sound stage.

Based on what I read...

RE-262: The new king of mids? With good bass and decent treble? Not certainly neutral.

SM3: Too pricey for me because the French pay more tax? whatever. But for that kind of a price, you get a Y-split which could be too close for comfort to your chin, not so great build quality, no detachable cable and needs a slight bit more with tips, mod-ding etc.,

TF10, IE8 have already been discussed. SE-530 was the king of mids, SE-535 is better in build quality and some say even the signature. SE-530 had far too many build quality issues for me to consider.
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Right santosh , there actually is no upgrade to RE252 , if only addition in requirements is Bass .
Rather i think adding a nice tube amplifier would add that missing punch .

DBA-02 - are simply out of the list . Excess of anything be it treble or bass puts me off .

DDM - hmm actually not a upgarde to RE252 , otherwise is good in its own .

RE-262 - Let it actually come in hands of GURU's like you .

SM3 - This one seeems to be the best bet , but then mod-din for cable will be definitely required .

So , in last i am left with practical options like TF10 , or IE or IE8 , Shure 530 / 535 will cost me somewhere around Rs 30k . ( thats makes it a deal breaker )

Are we missing any other capable IEM in this category ??

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strategy said:
I did contact earsonics a day before i ordered Miracle.
here is what they said.
SO to sum it up $348 = 15,474 , and shipping price = 38 euros = 2,354 , toral = 17,828 ...shipped to your door step.

PS: should i delete the last question ?
Click to expand...
This is amazing . If these figures are real , then SM3 can be taken seriously too .
Apart from cable issue , rest everything about SM3 is worth praising .

I'll do my R&D on availability of SM3 . Whatever i will be able to find , Will update about the same here .

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bennysachdev said:
So far whichever IEM i've tried, the Ck10,Um3x,IE7,IE8,Ortofon EQ-7,etc.....nothing can beat the bass of the TF10's with a custom cable. The sheer speed, bass slam and punch is amazing and keeping the balance throughout the spectrum. Sound is very subjective, to be honest I do not find the mids of the TF10, maybe its cuz of the genre i listen to doesn't contain much vocals(EDM).
The IE8 is a bassheads iem. Even at the lowest setting for bass they are very bassy. Kinda dominates over the rest of the spectrum.
The only iem i found had better bass than a TF10 was a JH10x3 which I had tried at Jaben. He had a universal kind of mould with silicon tips that fit my ear and gave a perfect seal.
The JH10x3 have an amazing sound, a bit darker than the TF10, kinda tube sound.

Why i'm recommending the Tf10's is because you can always get them custom remolded from Unique melody for a not so expensive price.
Click to expand...

benny , firtly its a fact that on TE , its you , faheem , ritvik , esantosh and strategy who have tried your hand on almost all high end iem's , so ur impressions about them cant be wrong .
I do know IE8 has bass settings , but if u saying that even at the lowest setting they sound very bassy , then i dont think they will match my taste .

Whereas , TF10 is considered , i think they seem to be a sensible buy as of now .
+1 to the fact that later they can be modded from UM . And nothing beats a Custom Fit Iem .

Let my RE252 sell off , i will see if i can get an audition of TF10 , IE7 or IE8 .
I have a guy located in chennai , who has almost 10 pieces of IE7 imported from US . I think he can offer me a good price for the same .

OT - Can see ur signature , SR80i , M50 can's , any plans to sell of any one of them ??
 
^ When you get to the level of RE-252, you are actually looking at side-grades for your music preferences.

That way, DDM with it's polite treble, big bass, textured mids, wide sound stage and a blended presentation could be a choice.

IMHO, RE-262 could also suit you in a similar manner. It seems to be colored for liking it out of the box. Read mvw2's post on this. Though he gets a little too technical in analyzing at times, his longer posts are interesting to read (for me).

TF10 is a good option because of the detachable cable and the ability to custom mold later. Personally, I didn't like HJE900's recessed mids that much, so I've once again put it on the back burner in my wish list.

I've explored many options for getting SM3. Your best bet is to buy them during the coming season sale and ask somebody to bring from the US/EU. You can order directly from Earsonics, but there's always the potential problem with customs since they ship through UPS. Even if they did under-value, customs are at liberty to charge the duty on their own nominal value. Even at $100 and a duty of 25-30%, you'd need to add another Rs. 1000 - 1500 to the price. Frankly, at close to 18-20K, you are looking at UM Mage levels nearly (without the custom fit, detachable cable). SM3 is not value for money considering the options available, but it's unlikely to disappoint on the SQ front. But when you see threads like this - http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/517579/earsonics-sm3-fall-apart - you'd need to think thrice before spending that much :)
 
^^yes,SM3s are great,but waaaay too expensive.I am extremely fortunate to have one.BTW the IE7 is not that bad either.I have the IE8 and got hold of a friend`s IE7 couple of weeks back.IE8s are definitely better BUT 7s are not far behind,in fact I am a little biased towards the 7s(I am no expert,just plain lucky to have a couple of good iems)
 
red dragon said:
^^yes,SM3s are great,but waaaay too expensive.I am extremely fortunate to have one.BTW the IE7 is not that bad either.I have the IE8 and got hold of a friend`s IE7 couple of weeks back.IE8s are definitely better BUT 7s are not far behind,in fact I am a little biased towards the 7s(I am no expert,just plain lucky to have a couple of good iems)
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You are surely lucky to have the best one's in ur basket :p

Well would like to have your brief comparison between IE7 and IE8 . Apart from bass (which is said to be higher on IE8 ) , hows the overall soundtage , comfort , fit , highs , mids ??

BTW , .Any plans to sell SM3 or IE7 oe IE8 ??
 
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