bmasseur

I am definitely not a bass freak. The full-range response, good dynamics, clarity, and balance are what I'm looking for. It's just that some of the headphones offering that were said to be lacking in bass (Phonak Audeo PFE, Etymotic ER-4S/P). A warm, rich bass is all I like, but clarity and precision are equally important. A lot of the reviews I read also placed the Ety ER-4 series about the ER-6 series. Could anyone who has actually tried both of these briefly explain the difference in the quality of sound that they provide? After more research I am currently considering the following models (in this order): Earsonics SM3 ($360) Westone UM3X ($320) Etymotics HF5 ($120) Etymotics ER-4/6 (pending advice from you guys) Phonak Audeo PFE ($160) On the high end I was recommneded the Westone UM3X as having "Good clarity; warm, rich bass; lots of details; very comfortable and from what others have said, if you use the triple flange tips they're very good at isolation" which is exactly what I'm looking for. After-which someone posted "I'd recommend the EarSonics SM3... From what I've heard, they are similar to the UM3X, but crisper and more balanced." and the SM3s also rated best on head-fi's Top Tier IEM charts. I'm seriously considering what episiarch said about making a lower investment and shopping around, getting good custom tips, etc. so I'm still considering the Etys. The HF5s looking pretty good, I'm just wondering if they fit the above description of good detail and clarity with warm, rich bass; if not, I'm open to another Ety model that could offer this? If not, I don't see any reason not to get the Phonak Audeo PFEs, do you guys? Thanks again for the advice so far.

Edit: Sorry I can't edit I think. I took a look at the Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10s and they seem like a good buy for ($180). Any complaints?

I'm going to be doing a lot more recording vocals, guitar, acoustic drums, etc. I may or may not sell the electric kit, I'm just using it to practice until my basement is finished and I can get the acoustic kit. I did some research on the ER-4 and I was initially put off by lack of bass reverb reported by head-fi on their Top-Tier Universal IEM Comparison Chart, but this wasn't the only place I was recommended them and for their price ($225 or so) they definitely seem worth consideration. I've read other reviews that say they offer deep bass response. They also offer (allegedly) more isolation than a lot of other IEMs (35-42Db; would all of you guys who recommended Etymotics ER-4 say this is accurate from your personal experience?). Thanks for the sound advice. I hadn't read that anywhere, I saw the Turbine Pro golds at the head-fi chart and it said they were pretty balanced. Other reviews I had read said similar things, including that they were a much better buy than the Beats by Dre phones, but those never appealed to me in the first place (Beats by Dre). Considering I found a pair of Turbine golds for $250 (free shipping) they also seemed worth consideration. Overwhelming bass is definitely the last thing I want, I just don't want my bass to be lacking. Is this actually true? After some research on models like the JH5s and the UE4s they seem a little out of my price range. They both start at $400+ (I think this would be a more worthwhile investment for a second pair of monitors with custom fit heads, when I have the money) and thats the top end of my range. If I was to go for a lower end IEM to adjust my ears to the fidelity, would the Phonak Audeo PFE not be a good buy? They are around $120, and I haven't read any bad reviews about them other than the bass might be lacking a bit. I found them on the anythingbuyipod IEM chart. I also found the SM3s on the head-fi chart, and haven't been able to find a single complaint about them. They are a little near the top end of my price range ($360+shipping) but I think they might be worth the investment. Overall I'm considering the following models and would really appreciate further advice: (In order from most-likely to least-likely to purchase) Etymotics ER-4p ($225)/Earsonics SM3 ($360) Phonak Audeo PFE ($140) Monster Turbine Gold Pro ($250) - I'm going to read some more reviews on the bass impact of this model Overall I want a good balance of sounds, with a nice warm and rich bass, but nothing overpowering, and not at the expense of dynamics or clarity. Thanks so far.

What's wrong with the Turbine Golds? They got pretty solid all around reviews, better than anything else for $250 that I could see. They also have good isolation, clarity and no hiss. If you guys have a better recommendation I'm all ears, but for my needs they were the best fit I could find.

Thanks, I wasn't expecting to find such a helpful response amongst all the spamming. I did a little research on some IEM charts and whatnot and it looks like the Phonak Audeo PFE's look pretty good for what I'm looking for. I'm just concerned about the bass when listening to something like Tool. I thought the Monster Turbine Pro Gold's might solve this issue but I wonder if I'd be giving up the clarity? Does anyone has any input or experience with these models?

From what I can tell there are two main competing companies when it comes to in-ear monitors: Sennheiser and Shure. I'm looking to drop between $200 and $400 on some nice in-ear monitors and wanted to make sure I get the best bang for my buck. I've checked out a few local music stores for information on in-ear monitors but none of their audio experts have too much experience with them and referred me to some online sources. My main use for the monitors at the moment would be for listening to music; however I do have an electric drum kit and plan to do some recording (with the kit and other instruments) in the near future. I was talking to a friend of mine who is a drummer about headphones and he recommended going for monitors just the same. Maybe someone here can let me know if this is actually a good idea? The sound isolation is a big deal for me, and I understand in-ear monitors are designed to replace stage monitors for live performance, so when I'm about to drop a much as $400 on a new pair of headphones I want to make sure I'll be getting the best sound quality for the type of music I listen to. I don't care for a lot of electronic music with big bassy sounds, I listen to music made mostly with real instruments and prefer a good balance and clarity to what I'm listening to, rather than being overblown with bass. I was able to find a little information from Shure's website with regards to their SE series of monitors. Ranging from the SE X15, X25 and X35 the number before the 5 represents the number of audio drivers in each monitor (the 2 being a woofer and tweeter, the 3 being a tweeter and 2 woofers). What I can't seem to get a feel for is if any of the in-ear monitors offered by Sennheiser are more than a single driver. In this case, is it possible for them to sound better than the Shure's with multiple drivers? I know Sennheiser is a much higher quality name in audio, but in this particular case I'm unsure as to where to buy the best sounding monitors? If anyone can offer some advice or point me in the direction of further research I'd be very happy for your help.