Headphones. Any music nuts like me out there?

[Jim B]

i just got a new pait of headphones today and i thought id share what i have found with any other music nuts on the board( I know ME! will like this). I like my tunes, i have to have them with me all the time. I had been seaching for a set of headphones that really do proper justice to the music i listen to when im not in my truck or at home. I think that search is finally over. I ended up spending more money then i ever thought i would spend on a set of earbud headphones but so far its een worth every penny. I bought a set of Etymotic Research E6i isolator earphones they cost $150. They are the earbud style phones and they just blow me away. They are very clean and very accurate. These little earbuds have better sound then any other headphone i have tried, including some expensive ones and ones made by the company i work for( Bose). Better then my Sennheiser hd590's, better then my Bose Triports. They also isolate outside noise mush better them my Bose Quiet Comfort 2's. so far im totally impressed with these little earbuds, its really hard to believe something that small sounds to good. Im curious to see how they sound after i burn them in for a bit. They also make ones that are a lot more expensive but i cant see the sound being that much better to offset the cost.



so anyone else out there take thier music serious like it do?



here is a pic of the phones

http://www.etymotic.com/

 

[Staci Matheis]

150 Buxs for a set of ear plugs!

Oh WOW!!



I like my Beethoven but..... Actually, if I used a headset more often, Jim, I'd probably run out and get a set! But the last time I did was when I was in the hospital 2 years ago. I brought my CD Walkman along and just listened to music for 1 week solid! Sure beats watching Oprah! :lol: Other than that, about the only time I listen is at home or in the car - both all by myself so I don't have to worry about distrubing others.



I am amzed that you can get sound out of ear buds that would satisfy someone with your ears! Neat!



me!

 

[Mini]

Very nice....



I was wondering about the Shure ear buds with noise cancelling. Have you tried them yet?



I will be looking for a new set for work (yes work....lol) soon. Want to sell any of your other sets?



Mini

 

[Craig Roberts]

Mini... WORK???



Craig

 

[Jim B]

Staci, i agree that $150 is steep no doubt but worth is so far. I cant put these things down, they are that good. The sound is so clean, and accurate. Im totally impressed. What io really need to do is try some classical on these. My classical collection is like nill so i need to work on that. There really isnt anything that can show what a speaker can do like classical.

 

[Staci Matheis]

Jim -



If there is anything you'd like to hear, I can burn a copy on CD for you from my collection. I have one of the early Telarc's titled "Orchestral Spectaculars" that has "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" on it with lots of bells and chimes! Another for testing what your earphones are made of is "Fanfare for the Common Man" - cymbals and trumpets!



If there is anything you want to try - e-mail me your address and a list of your favorite pieces at [email protected] or call me during the day at 800-325-9053.



me!



P.S.

That offer goes for anyone on the board! There is not much that I enjoy more than sharing "my music" with others!

 

[Jim B]

Mini, I did look at the Shure e3c as well. Fro some reason they are very hard to find out here in Mass. Shure has like 50 dealers listed but none actually carry them . What i did though was i read a lot of reviews on both and also looked at the frequency response graphs for both. Just about every review i read raved about the Shure e3c but also mentioned that the Etymotic Research E6i isolator has a better sound for a little less money. I also looked at the frequency response graphs and talked to a few engineers here at Bose and they came to the same conclusion that i did. On paper the Etymotic Research E6i isolators i bought are the better sounding of the two. How that translates to the real world im not sure since i didnt have a chance to actually listen to the Shure e3c. All indications are that they are an excellent product. The thing i like about the ones i bought the most is you dont need to play them loud to get good bass like most headphones.



As far as the noise cancelling goes both Shure and Etymotic Research use the same technology( if you can call it that). They both use a passive noise isolation. Basically they are fancy ear plugs that also happen to make sound. They work just like ear plugs in that by plugging the ear they reduce the outside sound, the data i got on both was about a 20db reduction on both. Them by adding music on top of that they pretty much eliminate outside noise. The trick to both of them is you have to get them to seal completly in your ear or else you let noice in and the bass response suffers too. If you dont feel comfortable with ear plugs then you wont like either pair. The other was to do noice cancelling is active like what the Bose QC2 uses. What they do is play white noise over the speakers to offset outside noise, there is a little microphone that listenes and adjusts the level of white noise depending on the amount of outside noise. The Bose QC2 is really designed to tune out the frequency of a jet airplane engine and they work extremely well on planes. Because of that the QC2 dosent work quite as well for everyday noise, in that regard i think the E6i isolators i bought work a little better. Im curious to see how they work on a plane compared to the Bose QC2, my bet is the QC2 will work better.



As far as my other headphones i think they are spoken for. My triports are a lost cause, my Mother fell in love with them when she tried them out. I havent seem them since, and it dosent bother me a bit. My Sister has pretty much aqquired my QC2's as well. She has been travelling 2 weeks a month on planes. I havent seen those in over 5 months, but she is putting them to good use. The Sennhiesers arent goign anywhere, i really like those phones too. They are the best over the ear ones i have listened too but they are big and bulky. I use them alot when playing video games on my computer. They kick butt for that, they have a great sound for music too but i still think these earbuds are better.

 

[Mini]

Thank you for the response.



I didnt know that about the Bose QC2's. I did look at them when I was commuting between Detroit and Houston. I uess I will have to get my own.



The Shure's are nice, but I will look into the ER's based on your recommendation. I had an OLD pari of Sennhiesers around, but I think my nephew scammed them from me for video games.



I am still on the fence about over the ear or bud style. It is an office setting so I could go either way. I will have to try a few on for size.



Thanks again.



Mini

 

[Staci Matheis]

Jim -



An even better CD..... "The Great Fantasy Adventure Album" by Telarc! Themes from "Hook", "The Rockteer", "Wizzards and Warriors", "Robin Hood", "The Hunt for Red October".....



Like I said, send me an address and I'll burn you a copy!



me!

 

[Andrew Zuber]

"office setting"???

surely you must be referring to a boat as your 'office'!!!



az

 

[Mini]

Nope a real 9 to 5'er



Mini

 

[Bill McElroy]

Mini,...you need a job with a major oil company, so you can hook the Brutha up!!



We're on for Friday...I'll callya!!

Mac