I am hoping to see more votes for either UM Miracle or JH13 (I personally prefer the latter). Does anybody know how much the Miracle went for in the last drop?
UE are not "high-end IEMs"...and build quality has been questionable to say the least since Logitech bought the company and took over manufacturing.<br /><br />IMO they shouldn't even be an option for this category. They should/could go in mid to high-end earbuds for your iPod.
I see the UE TF10 leading the pack. But weren't those discontinued? I know the TripleFi 10vi has been, and I thought they stopped production on the mic-free version at the same time.
This is my understanding as well. I hope we can shift some of the votes for the TF10 to something else. That being said, I have had TF10s and I enjoyed them a lot, though the fit may not be for everyone.
I agree with Shrimant, the ER4's are not the authority in bass. It is by no means a bad thing. It is the most accurate IEM I have ever heard. Incidentally, its not a plug and play "casual plug-in-yer-phone" IEM. I think it would be safe to argue that any expensive IEM with a low impedance that has a crossover and multiple drivers is going to be "weird" without an extra amp.
I like the Shure "dark" sound and detail, but I'd jump on the ER4 if it came to it, so thats how I'll vote.
@Shrimant Well they're not Skullcrushers™, that's for sure, but the bass is all there:
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The goal is to sound accurate across the full range when seated correctly in the ear canal. If the listener wants "bassier" bass, they'll need to adjust the tone control on their player accordingly. And anyone who feels compelled to swap in the marshmallow foam earbuds because pushing the default triple flange tips into their ear canal makes them squeamish, they won't hear much bass either.
http://www.etymotic.com/technology/earinsert.html
Personally I enjoy Bill Laswell's dub projects and Robert Rutman Steel Cello ensemble, and the Etymotics are currently my go-to for such listening. I'm confident I'm not missing any bass.
I've heard the ety doesn't have a whole lot in the bass department. If if could try them out I'd be able to have a more informed opinion but from what I've heard they are rather bass anemic
I'm a big fan of the Etymotics, which were originally developed for diagnostic testing and auditory research. These are deep-seated earplugs with excellent isolation. Custom earmolds are available.
http://www.etymotic.com/customfit/index.html
Downside: the ER4s are fairly inefficient, and for most listening will require an amplifier. (However, the isolation level is high enough that they can be used for very quiet listening.)
I've been using Etymotic HF5's for a few years now and have coveted the ER4s, but never felt okay with spending that extra $150.
