the sony EX81s or the etymotic 6i?

[flying toaster]

right ok so here is my dilema i can either get the sony EX81s or the etymotic 6i.
if i get the ex 81s then i can also get a case, a remoteremote2 an ipodonut and a set of wire.
or i could get a etymotic 6i.
is the sound improved enough to give up all this stuff?
if you think i can get better head phones for ??100 then tell me.
i don't mind what kind of headphones i get but i just want comfort and sound quality.
thanks in advance, lewis.

[Doug Gilmour]

It really depends what you are looking for in your music. If you like accurate highs and mids the Etymotic's would be leaps ahead of the Sonys, however in terms of bass Sony is quite a bit ahead of Etymotic... If you aren't too concerned with the mids and highs go with the Sony's, I have the Sony MDR-EX51LP's and they are a good pair. Basically if you like bass go with the Sony's and the extras, if not get the Etymotic's alone.

If you are concerned that the Sony's won't have enough clarity in the highs and mids you may want to check out some Shure'. The budget level pair, the E2c's will provide plenty of bass and average highs and mids. They can be found here (http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=90132508&loc=111&sp=1) for only $65, which is $35 less than the MSRP. If you want a step up you could go for the Shure E3c's, which can be found for around $130 if you hunt around for them, which is $50 less than the MSRP. They provide incredible highs and mids from what I've heard and the bass is decent, but not as powerful as the E2c's. Personally I am ordering the E3c's as I have an amp that can boost the bass, so it's no problem for me.

If you really want both the earphones and accessories I'd go with the Shure E2c's otherwise I'd suggest the E3c's.

Hope that helps,

-Dan

[flying toaster]

thanks.
another problem is that a lot of these things can't be found in england and they get import duty put on them.
i'll check out shures headphones now, thanks.

[Doug Gilmour]

Originally posted by flying toaster
thanks.
another problem is that a lot of these things can't be found in england and they get import duty put on them.
i'll check out shures headphones now, thanks.

Yes, things are quite pricey when shipped to the UK, and in the UK itself.. The cheapest I've ever found for the Shure E2c's was 60 Pounds on Froogle UK. Unless you want to go to eBay that is..

-Dan

[flying toaster]

my sister is off to america soon so i'll get her to buy me what i want

[kauffee]

Well if you decide to go with the Etys, it'll be nearly impossible to find them in stores. I remember reading a while back that either idealsound on eBay or microphonesolutions.com will take the phones out of the packaging and ship you the contents, which I guess saves you on the duty. I can't remember which one, but you could call them and find out.

[Doug Gilmour]

Originally posted by kauffee
Well if you decide to go with the Etys, it'll be nearly impossible to find them in stores. I remember reading a while back that either idealsound on eBay or microphonesolutions.com will take the phones out of the packaging and ship you the contents, which I guess saves you on the duty. I can't remember which one, but you could call them and find out.

I knew Etymotics couldn't be found in store, but I have never seen Shures either.. Have you ever seen them before kauffee? Actually I have never seen any in-ears in store...

-Dan

[jwc110869]

The Apple Store stocks Shures and Sonys, but at list price.

And some local audiologists in my area stock Westones, so it might be standard practice elsewhere too.

[kauffee]

No Doug I've never seen Etys in stores. Besides the Apple Stores, I know that Guitar Centers and Sam Ash music stores carry the Shure lines. It's almost always a better deal to get them online, though.

[oink1]

Ety's hands down - they have plenty of bass as long as you insert them correctly/get a good seal.And if you amp them....WOW! :D

[maduca]

earphonesolutions.com will send it as a gift. you just need to ask on the comments field to send it as a gift.

[flying toaster]

i've decided that i'm going to get the EX81s because i listen to a lot of music with very heavy bass and the other stuff is stuff that i need like a case and i like sharing music so i want the wires etc.
i'll most likely get some more expensive head phones later in the year after i get the other stuff i want (i'm saving up for an i book and a camera fuji fine pix s20 pro)
thanks for your help guys

[Helicon Twist]

To make a long story (see my response to the ER-6i review) short, I found the Ety's to be painful, with regard to both comfort and bass response. No amount of experimentation or help from Etymotic could offer any improvement.

My EX81s are on their way to me. I can't wait :)

At which point my ER-6i's are for sale, including the extra eartips I bought. If you decide you still want the 6i's, let me know, I'll give you a deal!