5-10k IEMs for Cowon iAudio 7 & related queries.

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Alright, so got my first salary cheque and want to spend it on some audio gear. Until yesterday I was bent on getting a Norge combo, but seems like I’d rather buy some head gear till I get my own accomodation here in B’lore. Ok so I have the following queries:

  1. I have a Cowon iAudio 7, so hopefully I’ll get suggestions accordingly. Also (don’t bash me for this), is it worth spending this amount of money for it ?

  2. I have Senheisser CX 180 & they are a pain. Not just the audio quality, but the way it fits, it gets irritating very soon. So, ease of fitting does get priority.

  3. Budget is 5-6k, can be extended to 10k. If there are suggestions for amp pairing, please bear in mind the budget & also, portability of the amp.

  4. I do have a preference for local availablity, but if people have had succes with int’l shipping, I have got no issues.

Thanks.

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Since there are no recommendations, may be you should setup Norge :wink:

Are you looking for a balanced, neutral IEM? May be get RE-0 + FiiO E5 (+ use some EQ in iA7) / RE-ZERO unamped / Phonak PFE (difficult to get) - that will go well with Tool and PT :slight_smile:

If you can set aside the sibilance issue with some tracks, Hippo VB would bring out lot of LF details in Tool’s recordings (even with 320kbps MP3, have not tried them with my FLAC rips yet). But, I don’t know if it will fit you as the only IEM.

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If you want a one time investment do have a look at the Ultimate Ears TF10. Its the best IEM Ive ever tried till date and I am sure if you get one you will be set for a very very long time.Doesnt need any amping or anything , just plug it in and indulge in audio nirvana. Only issue I could think of is getting a proper fit and seal due to its big size but once you get that its amazingly accurate and detailed. Surely does put my RE-0 and RE-252 to shame , though both of them do outclass TF10 in neutrality and transperency.
Other options I could suggest is the new RE-Zero ,RE 1 + amp ,CK10 etc but it all depends on what kind of sound signature you are looking for .Do share some more info about the same as it will be much more easier to provide suggestions . ;).

1 Like
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Thanks esanthosh & FaH33m.

esanthosh, to be honest I am thinking of letting go of Norge. Staying at my sister’s place won’t really allow me to have fun with the setup. So, IEMs it is. I have also been suggested the Nuforce NE-6, and I had pretty much made my mind about it.

FaH33m, I listen to a lot of genres without specific preferences. I wish I was still on last.fm to give a good idea but there’s no way I could sum up the sound signature I’d be looking for. As esanthosh said (or rather asked), I am looking for neutral sounding IEMs, but that clearly doesn’t imply I’ll be listening to piano whole day. Balanced bass and treble, clear mids, something that doesn’t mess up the original too much.

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When you have got such a budget, I think going for NE6 just doesn’t make sense to me. In no way it compared to RE0, Phonak Audeo 122, Triple.Fi, RE252 or the like. It’s just got bass and that’s about it. And that too good for it’s price range, nowhere near Triple.Fi.

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^In that case NE6 isn’t the one .Also you really need to fix a budget first. NE6 is like 2.5k , the ones I recommended earlier was 5-10k range :face_with_tongue:

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Errm, budget as mentioned is 5-10k.

NE-6 is one of the choices because well, people suggested it, and reviews were good. Just cuz they are cheaper, I can’t dismiss them !

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Yeah I know NE6 is like really good for the price , I myself reviewed it :wink: .The reason I recommended other options and not NE6 is because of this description. NE6 isnt balanced in anyway , it has a more bassy presentation of sound .If you want to get balanced yet musical sound without spending much , then Brainwavz M2 is the way to go .If you want something completely neutral and the most detailed IEM , RE-0 /RE-Zero it is .

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NE-6 is good for the budget. You could instead look at M2 - though both, I suppose are concentrated on the mids and bass.

But, since you are not looking for a stereo setup and would listen through this IEM for all sorts of music, I’d say at least go for RE-0. I see no point in stretching the budget and settling for something less. You would, IMO, need a sort of an all rounder.

TripleFi.10 is above your budget. This was one of the IEMs I was interested in ever since the early days, but never got to it because of the price as well as the fear of fit.

RE-0 would go with most music, not electronica / trance - I suppose. But try it once (after a burn-in of 30-50 hrs) and you will love the level of detail this one brings. It is hard to drive, has more of a mid-bass hump, has microphonics. But even with this “faults”, within $100, it is one of the better IEMs out there.

Phonak PFE is not commonly recommended (may be because not many have it?). When I think of PFE (I have 111 v0, not the latest version), I think “balanced”. It’s neither too forward, nor recessed - just there - enough for my liking. There are no microphonics at all. Again another analytical IEM like RE-0. It does not need an amp most of the time. Though it’s bass is lesser they say, with a good seal at times, I feel it has enough bass and quality one at that. But, with my ears, getting a good seal all the time is not possible.

I’d say you can look at RE-252 instead of RE-ZERO. RE-ZERO for $20 more than RE-0 makes it easier to drive, but I wonder how much of RE-0’s famed highs was sacrificed. If it’s not too much, then it’s a decent choice to consider with it’s bit more bass and may be slightly better build quality. It’s balanced plug and the need to use an adapter to connect is a slight turn-off for me. May be HiFiMan XYZ player would come out with Balanced outs if they end up “upgrading” RE-252 the same way :wink:

RE-252, as far as I’ve read, seems to have a bit of everything and is at the upper end of your stretched budget - $199 + $10 shipping from Head-Direct.

Another choice would be Hippo Pearl ($43 + free shipping from Jaben). Though for me it does not trounce PFE or RE-0, it still plays balanced with good amount of bass. Since I’ve not listened to it so much, I am still not able to put my finger on why I don’t think of it in the same league as PFE/RE0. Audio memory is illusive, but with that - it may be in the highs and a bit less resolution. But they have been used like 10 hrs, so will hold my thought on that. It may suit your purpose.

None of the IEMs I have listed have a wide sound stage, more like normal (except for RE-252? Because I’ve not tried it)

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^ Very good suggestions there. That pretty much sums up everything. Just to clear it , M2 is not as bassy or bass oriented as the NE6 but more of like smooth and lush midrange , very well controlled punchy bass and a nice sparky treble. :wink:

Yeah a brand new TF10 will be way out of his budget but there are loads of really good mind condition TF10 deals on ebay.com for ~180-190$ shipped via USPS Priority mail .

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^ Faheem,

You mean these or some other?

ULTIMATE EARS TRIPLE FI 10 TRIPLEFI EARPHONES HEADPHONE - eBay (item 230491970524 end time Jul-24-10 23:46:23 PDT)
ULTIMATE EARS TRIPLE FI 10VI TRIPLEFI 10 VI EARPHONES - eBay (item 230493929294 end time Jul-30-10 06:56:09 PDT)

That would be $190 (approx) and $205 respectively. But, both are sold by celidog, who has sold “65 pairs without issues”. Did he get 65 used pairs? He is like a second hand dealer or something? And he does not seem to list Paypal as one of the payment options. If he accepts credit cards, does he automatically accept them through PayPal?

I saw these before, but since I was unclear despite his high 97.4% rating, I stopped short of posting links.

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^ Yeah those . Since he has sold about 20 of them of on ebay , I assumed he might be a a good dealer. Incase there’s no paypal protection I wouldn’t even think of risking it .Thanks for pointing out .

Most probably he looks like one of those guys who got lucky with 99$ deal and making good bucks out of it .Never know :confused: .

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And then you say you can’t write reviews ! Thanks for clarifying the whole picture.

So, to me it seems either Re0 + amp (not necessary now, but maybe later) OR Re 252, right ? Oh and regarding soundstage, I am not sure if normal implies limited, but since these will be my first mid-fi (?) IEMs, hopefully I’ll not be able to notice the limitation.

In that case, any idea regarding shipping concerns with Head Direct that I should be aware of ? Is the customer service good ?

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I hate the tips that head-direct gives. I use my own tri flanges.. Shure one’s IIRC.

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^ Since this is your first mid-fi IEM, I suppose you won’t notice. When I said normal, I just meant not as wide as say, Hippo VB (that’s the only reference I got). But, it’s not narrow or cramped. And all the IEMs do offer good separation, so drummer won’t be slamming the guitarist :wink:

I’ve not dealt with Head-Direct. But, shipping could take sometime. Generally, 2 weeks, I suppose. And customs are a bit unpredictable though I’ve been reasonably lucky of late with my eBay purchases.

And… if you are walking down the RE-252 road, be sure to read this review. Would describe about the issues with the fit and comfort : Head Direct RE-252 Review - Head-Fi.org Community

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I did check out another review on Head fi of the RE 252, and its conclusion emphasized the importance of quality source for these , which I am not sure if the iAudio 7 will live up to. So, basically now I am trying to procure the Re 0, and maybe later some amp like Mini 3 (which is quite fascinating and I have no clue if I’ll be able to get it made by one of the folks mentioned on the official website).

Oh and btw, I’ll soon bug you for a session with the Audires, if that’s ok with you. I am yet to check out iaudio’s review of those at HFV. :wink:

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^ That’s better.

As for Audires, I’d say wait for a month more. There are a few things wrong with the setup now. Once I fix 'em, you are always welcome :slight_smile:

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RE0 really requires a good amp to shine , so get it only if you don’t mind investing another 100-200$ on an amp .I think a Fiio E7 would be bare minimum though its amp section doesn’t look all that great.

Between the RE0 and RE-252 , RE-0 is more neutral like ruler flat neutral sound ,more transparent and at times gives the perception of being more detailed as well due to the unmatched transparency. (All this is with a good amp in picture). The RE-252 has a much wider soundstage ,is very much neutral as well but much more lively than RE0 due to a slightly (very slight) forward midrange . It has better speed and decay than the RE0 which can be easily noticed in fast transitions or while listening to electronica music of 150-190 BPM.It’s slightly more detailed than RE0 but the detailing is not as easy to pick as in the RE-0. With RE-252 its like when you are doing a proper critical listening it sounds extremely detailed , while listening casually it just makes you feel good about the music with the smooth sound.

Both the RE-0 and RE252 have a extremely detailed and slightly sharp treble which might result in fatigue or headache if you are not used to such sound.

About the 252s fit, when I first got them it didnt fit me at all .It would keep slipping out of my ear every 5 mins and the sound was horrible due to the improper fit .I had almost given up on them but after ~2 weeks usage there was a minor change it the 252s housing since its made of a flexible gummy material .Now with the medium bi-flange it would be perfectly .Infact the seal and fit was so good , I felt as if I was using a custom in-ears ! The seal and fit has been an issue with almost everyone who’s got an RE252 so you need to keep that in mind and not give up on them easily.

Also both the IEMs do not show any mercy at bad recording or low quality files and reveal the flaws so using 320 kbps /FLACs is suggested. Dont worry about your player ,the Cowon should do just fine .:slight_smile:

Both the RE-0 and RE-252 are truly amazing IEMs and without any doubt the contenders for the best universal IEMs . RE-0 is lot more VFM at 80$ but with an amp in consideration it almost comes to the same price point .

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Why not an RE1 if the Op is ready to invest in an amp ??

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^ Because RE-1 isn’t as good as RE-0 or RE-252 especially for someone who’s looking for a neutral sound .Had he asked for a laidback IEMs then I would’ve suggested RE1 ;).