GR07 vs HIFIMAN RE-400 vs Shure SE215 vs Astrotec AX35 vs Brainwavz R3 vs GR06

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dhiren9600gt

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Hi,
My sony XBA-3 just gave up on me with audio getting disconnected on the right side and then slowly on the left hand side too. So I am back to IEMs research business after having xba-3 for almost 2 years and PL30 before that.
I am so glad to see there are now sites bringing world renowned IEMs to India.
I am stuck between:
1. GR07 classic edition (at $109 from mp4nation with free fedex delivery),
2. astrotec ax35 ( at $70 from mp4nation but without fedex free delivery),
3. brainwavz R3( currently on discounted price of $89 from mp4nation),
4. vsonic gr06 ( from hifinage at Rs.4300),
5. shure se215 ( at 6k from snapdeal) or se215 special edition ( at 7k from decibel pro systems).
6. Hifiman RE-400 waterline ( at 6.6k from hifinage)

Now, the dilemma is that gr06 and se215 are available in India itself. So I guess any warranty claims would be easier than sending the earphones to mp4nation. ( please tell me if it is the same )

I have formed a kind of childish fondness towards se215 because of the looks as well as the fact that it comes with detachable cables. I travel in mumbai locals and buses and frequently put my earphones in the pocket and get it out more often. I have heard that se215 have solid build quality and I can use them for longer with replacable cables.

But I also have come to the conclusion from reading reviews all over the net about se215 that I would have to sacrifice sound quality and clarity and more importantly the highs. I do listen to hip-hop and sometimes I do love to have strong bass but not at the cost of losing sound quality and the crispness of the treble.

So is it worth to sacrifice on SQ front for the sake of detachable cables and long running IEMs ?

Now, from what I have read, RE-400 is kind of the benchmark earphone in this range and I am leaning towards it but I can see they are $79 at amazon and on hifinage, they are at 2k more.

GR07 is a legend and I can buy it from mp4nation. But what about the durabilty of these and the warranty process.

So guys, anybody owning any of these above earphones or having any suggestions, pls help me out in choosing the right ones

Anybody who has bought IEMs from mp4nation can help me out with their experience?

Thanks in advance :)
 
I've owned the Gro6 and RE-400. GRo6 build quality is very solid and sound good too ( mid-centric,warm, spacious) sold them coz the sound signature was just not what I prefer.the customer service from hifinage is very responsive and good.
The Re-400 is better sounding but build quality &durability is questionable. These died within a year. For rough use and commuting I wouldn't recommend them unless you treat them like your babies.
 
The SE215 is a pretty poor sounding iem if you ask me, especially given its high price. Save some cash and get the VSD3 perhaps....detachable cables, decent sound for under 3000 inr.
 
dhiren9600gt said:
Hi,
My sony XBA-3 just gave up on me with audio getting disconnected on the right side and then slowly on the left hand side too. So I am back to IEMs research business after having xba-3 for almost 2 years and PL30 before that.
I am so glad to see there are now sites bringing world renowned IEMs to India.
I am stuck between:
1. GR07 classic edition (at $109 from mp4nation with free fedex delivery),
2. astrotec ax35 ( at $70 from mp4nation but without fedex free delivery),
3. brainwavz R3( currently on discounted price of $89 from mp4nation),
4. vsonic gr06 ( from hifinage at Rs.4300),
5. shure se215 ( at 6k from snapdeal) or se215 special edition ( at 7k from decibel pro systems).
6. Hifiman RE-400 waterline ( at 6.6k from hifinage)
Now, the dilemma is that gr06 and se215 are available in India itself. So I guess any warranty claims would be easier than sending the earphones to mp4nation. ( please tell me if it is the same )
I have formed a kind of childish fondness towards se215 because of the looks as well as the fact that it comes with detachable cables. I travel in mumbai locals and buses and frequently put my earphones in the pocket and get it out more often. I have heard that se215 have solid build quality and I can use them for longer with replacable cables.
But I also have come to the conclusion from reading reviews all over the net about se215 that I would have to sacrifice sound quality and clarity and more importantly the highs. I do listen to hip-hop and sometimes I do love to have strong bass but not at the cost of losing sound quality and the crispness of the treble.
So is it worth to sacrifice on SQ front for the sake of detachable cables and long running IEMs ?
Now, from what I have read, RE-400 is kind of the benchmark earphone in this range and I am leaning towards it but I can see they are $79 at amazon and on hifinage, they are at 2k more.
GR07 is a legend and I can buy it from mp4nation. But what about the durabilty of these and the warranty process.
So guys, anybody owning any of these above earphones or having any suggestions, pls help me out in choosing the right ones
Anybody who has bought IEMs from mp4nation can help me out with their experience?
Thanks in advance :)
Click to expand...

On the RE400:
I love my RE400 and it is an absolute gem for the price (even more so at the revised price ~80$). However, coming from the XBA-3 the laid back treble on the RE400 will be a stark change from what you are used to. Also, I do not particularly enjoy the RE400 for hip hop and rap (only due to the low sub bass presence).
You will be better off selecting an IEM that is more coloured than the RE400.
Regarding durability: I've done my time on the mumbai locals, and would not dare to carry my RE400 with me. It is a listener's IEM, not a commuter's. They aren't meant to be roughed or even rolled into a ball.
The RE400 is a stellar IEM, but considering your requirements, it may not be the right choice for you. If you have to go for fairly neutral, the GR07CE with it's treble presence and build would be a better choice between the two.

On the VSD3:
Detachable cables at 50$? That's pretty sweet. Swap out the cables if it should fail. Unfortunately, Vsonic didn't get the connector quite right resulting in a sea of returns. So much, that they nearly discontinued it and replaced it with a fixed cable version. The universal merits of detachable cables still hold true but make sure you read through impression threads to gauge reliability.

On MP4NATION
Three transactions. Absolutely splendid service on all three. Items were shipped within a day or two. Queries responded to within a day. Packaging is good.
I have used free FedEX on one order. Was not charged as value was under Rs. 2000.
Ordinary registered post took 14 days to reach me.
Their RMA process is excellent. Support tickets are addressed within a day(more often in hours). My replacement IEMs were shipped within a day of return receipt,
Keep an eye out for their frequent sales.

For now:
Let us know what you liked and disliked about your XBA 3, PL30. That will help us narrow it down.
The OSTRY KC06 could be a good choice for you, based on your post. But, the less than average isolation may be a problem during noisy commutes.
In the meanwhile, look up the Fidue A71(available at HiFinage), HiFiMAN RE300h/a/i (soon to be available at hifinage), fixed cable VSD3, TTPOD T1E , ATH IM70(flipkart).
Please note that I do not own these IEMs. This was a part of my shortlist(before I bought the OSTRY) for commuter IEMs that could handle hip hop,.

Hope this helped.
 
MP4 Nation has decent service. The customer service (Indian people only lol) reply quickly and don't seem to screw up. They have a one time instant replacement policy - i.e. if your earphones gives trouble, they ask you to chop it up, send pics of it and they'll send you a replacement immediately. However if the earphones die a second time, they ask you to send it to Singapore which can be expensive and time consuming as sending it one way takes 20 days and like 1k-ish. Then the replacement they will send back will take another 20 days to come.

Ordering from them is smooth and they really help out by marking almost all of their packages as samples or undervaluing them to 20$ so they can get through our customs for free. It doesn't always work. So sometimes the item does get stuck in customs and then you'd have to pay up. Express shipping is free but takes 20-30days but it has a very low chance of getting stuck in customs which is nice, while fedex shipping takes around a week to reach your doorstep. But fedex packages have a higher chance of getting stopped at customs, especially in metros like Bangalore.
 
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Hey guys, thanks for such insightful replies.
@kenpachiroks I listen to a mix of genres, nothing specific. Yes, I was skeptical about se215 since I heard they are too bassy. I am maybe looking for something which is flat kind of but fun too, wider soundstage and good separation . I just got to know 2 days before that vsd5 are coming out. Am tempted to pre order them on lendmeurears but waiting for proper reviews, or else I may go ahead with vsd3s or gr07 classic
 
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