Do you prefer traditional headphones or in-ear monitors?

**Jay_S** · 04-26-2010, 07:15 AM

I got used to IEMs (Etymotic ER-4P) because of a long commute. Now I use them at home with a dedicated headphone amp.

What do you prefer?

**amirm** · 04-26-2010, 10:06 AM

Good question. When travelling on airplanes, I want maximum sound isolation and minimum bulk/weight. So in-ear rules there. At home, I do want to hear my wife shouting at me

. So I like some kind of open-air design that allows some level of outside noise in. Finally, I like an amp in front of it with a volume control. All of this means I use the Stax at home and in-ear (Shure) monitors on the run.

**JackD201** · 04-28-2010, 08:08 AM

Stax 404 Sigs and an ancient entry level stax SS amp at home that came with Lambdas looooooong ago by my bedside. Technics 1200 dynamics for DJing. Basic Etymotics picked up at the Mac store for on the road or in the air.

**John72953** · 05-16-2010, 02:42 PM

I can't afford STAX cans, and I'm only an occasional headphone user (nighttime, early morning and PC duties), but I prefer the over-the-ear closed-style of headphones. Just bought a pair of Shure SRH840's and they suit my needs most adequately. I cannot handle in-ear phones as they just never seem to fit properly and I'm always fiddling with them when in use.

John

**amirm** · 05-16-2010, 03:18 PM

John, have you tried the Shure with multiple replaceable ear pieces? I had the same problem as you until I got that unit. It comes with multiple sizes of two different kind of material and I finally found a pair that fits and stays in my ear.

**John72953** · 05-16-2010, 04:03 PM

I have a pair of Sennheiser's with those, but they didn't work either. Never have tried the Shure in-ear ones though. I should try them really, as I feel like an idot wearing these big Shure cans out in public! LOL!

**marty** · 06-04-2010, 08:45 PM

For years I used the incredible Ultimate Ears UE5c (now the UE5 pro). They were stupendous. Frankly I thought the Etymotic and Shure headphones were broken by comparison. However, last week I lost my UEs. They cost me $550 many years ago. Thus, I cried for two days. Since I was headed down to Mexico on vacation this past week, I was desperate and bought a pair of Bose in ear headphones for $100. The unit itself seems to be adequate sonically but I can't get a good fit with any of the 3 interchangble ear pieces they provide. If anybody wants these cheap, make me an offer. Now that I'm back I have to replace my UEs. What most people may not know is that UE was started by Jerry Harvey in Las Vegas many years ago. It was, and is, the most commonly used pro in ear monitor for the music industry; recording artists, Broadway performers, etc. However, Jerry sold UE to a large company, Logitech a few years ago and then surprisingly, started his own company again recently. Its called simply, JHAudio.

Jerry has duplicated and according to many, exceeded the sound and the quality that made him famous with UE, but the good news is that he now has comparable models to UE at an average of 20-30% savings per model. For example, the UE5 Pro, the definitive iPod in ear monitors, are $600. Jerry assures users that his JH5 Pros will provide every bit the performance of the UE5Pro (after all, he created both), for $400. Not too bad.

http://www.jhaudio.com/store/index.p...&products_id=6

Believe me, my home audio big rig costs mega bucks and sounds wonderful. But I always said that if I can voice my home system like the UE5C's, I'd be a very happy guy. The UEs are that good. I'm sure the JH line is equally good to UE but is probably a better value. My main problem now is- do I get the humble JH5 Pros or do I aim for something more ambitious in the JH line?

http://www.jhaudio.com/store/index.p...=index&cPath=1

Decisions, decisions......

**LesAuber** · 06-23-2010, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by amirm

Good question. When travelling on airplanes, I want maximum sound isolation and minimum bulk/weight. So in-ear rules there. At home, I do want to hear my wife shouting at me

. So I like some kind of open-air design that allows some level of outside noise in. Finally, I like an amp in front of it with a volume control. All of this means I use the Stax at home and in-ear (Shure) monitors on the run.

Interesting. Much the same choices when I bother with cans. Shure for the office and ancient Stax Lambda Pros at home. Don't do much at home listening this way though.

**The Smokester** · 06-24-2010, 05:58 PM

If you wear an inexpensive pair of noise-cancelling headphones on top of a good pair of IEMs when on an airplane it gets scarey (perhaps even dangerously) quiet and the music is superbly reproduced. The IEMs take out the highs and the nch's take out the lows.

**Monkeyboy** · 06-25-2010, 11:02 PM

For me it just depends on where I am. Etymotic for biking and Stax Lambda Pro III at home. The Etymotics don't sound as good as the Stax, but then I never expected them too. Now I just need to get new caps for my Stax amp and I can listen at night again. It's starting to act up on me after 18 years of good service.