Etymotic ER-6i Black

[Wetundies]

just go with jay and say they are not 20x better so we can all get a free keg dinner.

[nature boy]

[jeSteR]

Maybe this will help.

Any mode of transport is only as good as it's weakest point. Your point is very valid, compressed digital audio is inferior to a true analog source. But really, who uses IEM's when they are in a controlled environment with a perfect source? No one. Can I tell the difference between a Nano and my Elite SACD player? yes I can. Especially when I had my Quad Tube amp with my celestian monitors. But here's my news for you, the source format is not the weakest point in an everyday scenario. The standard headphones that most people use is by far the weakest point in the whole get up. It doesn't matter how good the source is if the delivery device is crap. If I had to illustrate an analogy, it'd look like this.

Ideal:
Linn turntable -> Parasound preamp -> McIntosh Vacuum Tube Power amp -> Martin Logan Electrostatics

Real work:
Denon SACD player-> Denon Integrated Amp -> B+W

Typical ipod -> apple earphone setup equivalent:
Sony CD player-> Sony Integrated Amp -> Speakers you sold out of a white van by the side of the road

You can change your sources and amps all day long but the fact that you're still using a crappy set of speakers off the back of a white van won't improve your listening experience any.

The step down from an uncompressed CD to a legitimate itunes purchased digital AAC is nowhere near the step down from my future set of IEM's vs the stock white apple ones.

Hope that clears it up for you. Again, try them, you'd be pleasantly surprised.

BTW, I thought that I clearly stated that I am NOT buying a $1000+ set of earphones.

[jeSteR]

Also, Headphones vs IEM are a world of difference too though right. But you knew that. We can't talk about those in the same breath, quality-wise, unless we start going into the $2000+ pricetag.

[jeSteR]

[joel]

Grats on your new earphones JT.
Good luck with your new earphone shopping Jai, hope you find what you are looking for.

[nature boy]

Lol I just realised that I said mps when I meant kbs. Could you imagine? Those files would be huge.

Anyway, I'm not saying that headphones don't make a difference, I'm saying they do, but they can only do so much when the source sucks (I.e., a low bite rate mp3 off a mediocre player). Sorry for any confusion, I'm not putting down your headphone choice, but I would if you spent a grand on headphones and plugged it into the 3rd gen nano that you were looking for lol. That's all I'm saying.

[jeSteR]

No I get it. But I find that a 192kbps AAC (which is 99% of my music) is better than a 256kbps mp3. Still not lossless or AIFF but good enough to justify my new earphone choice, especially with the Dragonfly DAC.

[geForce]

I find sound quality is really degraded a lot by the roaring of the airplane engines. I know earphones have noise cancelling capabilities, but in an airplane, some noise still creeps in.

[Wetundies]

Would a deaf person notice the difference?

[Duncan]

[jeSteR]

I found everything including all the attachments and packaging. Cum and get them Ghey-T

[nature boy]

[nature boy]

[nature boy]