getting a pair of iem for my dad...

[rayshaw23 0]

hi, abit of intro, i bought my first headphones/cans when i was in taiwan, it was from audio technica ATH-SJ3... it was white and look kinda cool, so i bought it. cost me around 50 sing. after plugging it into my PSP while playing dynasty warriors 2 (sorry, i like those hack and hack and hack games, HAHA), it sounds GREAT!!! never have i hear such good sound from psp... i've used one of those song ex71 ear buds before and it cannot be compared at all... the headphones just blows me away... after which i was interested in headphones and earphones.

 

okay, thats a long intro since this is my virgin post in this forum.

 

i've read through quite a number of thread regarding earphones. is my sony ex71 regarded as a iem (in ear monitor) ? i mean it i do wear it deep within my ear? if not, then what is the difference? (i've never tried wearing a iem before).

 

and also, i'm plannin to buy a good pair of iem for my dad. he's 60 and listens mostly to country, oldies, jazz and those opera type. he is kinda a audio freak... buys those records instead of those CDs... he says that analog sounds better than digital CDs... oh well... back to the birthday present... my budget is around 200... plus minus... i would think that he will use this pair of iem when he goes travelling (he does that alot)... i've heard people recommending the shure e2c and the westone um1... or e3c... so which is better for my case? or is there any other i should be looking at? i think i'll be going shopping at aldephi sometime soon... maybe someone can recommend some iem for my dad? oh ya, i'm not very sensitive to sounds... thats why i'm totally blown away by my headphones... and thus, even if i try a number of iem, i probably wont notice the difference from one to another... thanks... any input will be great!

 

oh ya... when i read the specs... i understand sensitivity, and frequency response... but impedence... whats what? from my class, i only know impedence is ohm... something that takes away energy... what effect does it have for iem or headphones? thanks again!

[radioactive28 0]

i've read through quite a number of thread regarding earphones. is my sony ex71 regarded as a iem (in ear monitor) ? i mean it i do wear it deep within my ear? if not, then what is the difference? (i've never tried wearing a iem before).

 

When you think IEMs, think about violating your ears. Seriously. The Sony canalphones merely sit at the opening of the ears.

 

and also, i'm plannin to buy a good pair of iem for my dad. he's 60 and listens mostly to country, oldies, jazz and those opera type. he is kinda a audio freak... buys those records instead of those CDs... he says that analog sounds better than digital CDs... oh well... back to the birthday present... my budget is around 200... plus minus... i would think that he will use this pair of iem when he goes travelling (he does that alot)... i've heard people recommending the shure e2c and the westone um1... or e3c... so which is better for my case? or is there any other i should be looking at? i think i'll be going shopping at aldephi sometime soon... maybe someone can recommend some iem for my dad? oh ya, i'm not very sensitive to sounds... thats why i'm totally blown away by my headphones... and thus, even if i try a number of iem, i probably wont notice the difference from one to another... thanks... any input will be great!

 

You should probably find out what your father thinks of sticking something deep in the ear, he might not be too comfortable with the idea at all. In which case, you'll be looking for closed headphones that are warm and detailed. Or whatever it is that might suit his preference.

What does your father use for portable listening anyway? You said he listens to mostly records?

 

The Shure e3c is known for it's mid-range, should be good for the types of music he listens to. The e2c has a problem with muddy bass.

 

oh ya... when i read the specs... i understand sensitivity, and frequency response... but impedence... whats what? from my class, i only know impedence is ohm... something that takes away energy... what effect does it have for iem or headphones? thanks again!

 

For portable earphones, you basically want low impedance, so portable devices can drive them easily, without sapping too much energy from what precious little battery life they have.

[bluetin.com 0]

i personally finds it hard to tolerate any iem = in-ear = inner earphone, ie. any of those models that stick right into your ear canal. the blocked ear feeling is quite uncomfortable. if u have a flu, its almost unbearable.

 

i also dont like clip-ons, it feels like 2 mini speakers hanging on precariously for dear life.

 

for me, the only thing that will do is one that totally covers my ear, like your SJ3. my first and still only headphone is the f55. very comfortable to wear, and to me, gives the best audio space. the a900s big cans are too awkward to go out with, so, the sj3, f55 range is such nice.