IEMs Recommendations

[HerbDetective]

What IEMs do you use? What would you recommend, for what budget?

Personally I use a DUNU 1000, and I like it very much for its bass and slightly v-shape sound. Would recommend.

I'm looking for something a step up. I know that at this price, the law of diminishing returns takes over, but one can only hope that there's something awesome that I haven't heard yet for just a bit more money.

My order of priorities:
1) sound stage
2) clarity (highs)
3) bass

 

[esm]

Two threads that are probably worth looking at, both from the same person:

• Measurements
• Subjective rankings

 

[HerbDetective]

Two threads that are probably worth looking at, both from the same person:

• Measurements
• Subjective rankings

Wow thank you for these threads! I wasn't aware of them.

 

[FunkeXMix]

My order of priority is the same and my upgrade path until I reached audio bliss Sony n3ap -> ALWUP UPC630 (cheap ass but better then my Sony, that's quite an exception) -> My Final destination are FLC8n (grey, gunmetal, red filters). FLC8n is audio bliss, so good I don't feel I have to look for better anymore.
For FLC8n i strongly recommend these tips if medium sized ones have worked for you in the past:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/5-P...pm=a2g0s.13010208.99999999.267.50883c00Xy6pfm

If FLC8n is too expensive. Get my second choice on aliexpress, no brainer for that price.
https://audiobudget.com/product/TIMMKOO/C630

As always a large collection of IEM tips to test with is necessary to have to reach that audio bliss. Even $1000 dollar IEMs will sound shit without a good tip fit for your ears.

 

[Tircuit]

I've been blown away my my Final Audio E4000s. I haven't found a flaw with them.

The E5000s are claimed to be even better somehow (head-fi). Wirecutter just rated the E4000 best IEMs for those wanting better bass than the Campfires they also recommend.

 

[jtwrace]

I use these for airplane travel.

https://alclair.com/monitorshop/studio4/

 

[Malfunkt]

Hmm soundstage, clarity and bass? MDR-EX800st (aka mdr-7550) an older studio professional IEM that was produced for a number of years. One of the best single dynamic driver iems out there. This models has a shelved (lowered but not rolled off) treble region with the rest being extremely linear and neutral. Bass is impactful and puts many full-sizedxoed backs to shame. A cheaper way to get the MDR-EX1000 experience, with a darker yet natural presentation. The EX1000 is brighter but otherwise very similar.

For Balanced armature I’ve been enjoying Etymotic HF5 (have an ER4SR on the way), especially for binaural recordings where they sound practical likelike. Great for music as well, but will lack bass for some tastes / moods.

For hybrid, really enjoyed my Sony XBA-A3. Highly stylized Sony presentation, but balanced in its own way. Heavy bass that encroached on bleeding the mids. Was impressive hearing the dynamic driver for bass not interfere (much) with the BAs.

BGVP DM6 - apparently cangove the EX1000 a run for its money. New Asian model, lower cost but constructed and tuned well. 5-Ba per side.

 

[urfaust]

I have the BGVP DM6, very linear to my ears, tight bass, good def, i think it isn't doing anything extraordinary but solid overall and for the price a bargain, it would compete favorably with some of the much higher priced IEM that i have tried (Empire's fe)

I also have the iSine20, i think it's an odd one, with the cipher cable (dac/amp/dsp) i would say it's very good, amazing bass and sub bass, if you like bass it will deliver for you, maybe it's even too much (i toned it down with Audeze app on), i don't think it has that much definition although relative to really high end IEM's, also good soundstage but i think it has been overemphasized how good it is, i believe it has more to do with simply how it's a an open type of design that you don't expect from something that small, you get more airy type of sound than instrument placement is that mind blowing.
Now without the cipher cable, you need a good dac/amp and some EQ, mostly around the 1k region, needs at least 2 to 4db attenuation there for me. I really enjoy watching movies, or listening to pop/EDM with it.

 

[Jave]

I really like the HifiMan RE400 which produce a very clean sound, though require some gentle EQing:
https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/HiFiMANIE400.pdf
http://rinchoi.blogspot.com/2013/03/hifiman-re-400-evolution-or-devolution.html
https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/hp/hifiman-re-400.php

AND you can get them for cheap (less than 50$).
There's also the RE600 which has a little bit nicer FR, but I don't think worth the extra 50$. (can get for ~100$. I own both)

 

[UWinWithWin]

Two threads that are probably worth looking at, both from the same person:

• Measurements
• Subjective rankings

I was looking through some of the measurements and started wondering. If two headphones measured exactly the same would they sound the same?

Also, is there a place where someone explains exactly what to look for in measurements? Why do all curves start looking like a roller coaster in higher curvature on the higher readings?

 

[andreasmaaan]

Also, is there a place where someone explains exactly what to look for in measurements? Why do all curves start looking like a roller coaster in higher curvature on the higher readings?

How headphones/IEMs should measure - or even how they should be measured - is one of the least settled questions in audio.

Notwithstanding that, there is a decent discussion of probably the leading approach (Harman’s) here.

One thing that is generally agreed upon is that measurements become increasingly inaccurate as frequency increases, mostly due to the geometry of dummy pinnae used in measurement rigs and the very short wavelengths involved. That’s probably the main reason the responses tend to become chaotic in this region, although conversely it’s hard to rule out internal problems in the IEMs themselves.

 

[UWinWithWin]

How headphones/IEMs should measure - or even how they should be measured - is one of the least settled questions in audio.

Notwithstanding that, there is a decent discussion of probably the leading approach (Harman’s) here.

One thing that is generally agreed upon is that measurements become increasingly inaccurate as frequency increases, mostly due to the geometry of dummy pinnae used in measurement rigs and the very short wavelengths involved. That’s probably the main reason the responses tend to become chaotic in this region, although conversely it’s hard to rule out internal problems in the IEMs themselves.

Really interesting read. Is the Harman curve what people would describe as V shaped?

 

[andreasmaaan]

Really interesting read. Is the Harman curve what people would describe as V shaped?

I haven't heard that term used before in this context. The Harman curve is calculated to emulate the in-room frequency response of a neutral loudspeaker (flat on-axis with increasing directivity as frequency increases) placed in a well-constructed and well-treated listening room with its bass response calibrated to mitigate room modes.

In other words, the Harman curve is supposed to give a tonal balance similar to a typical flat-measuring speaker in a good listening room.

"V-shaped" is normally used to describe a frequency response with elevated bass and treble. Harman's engineers argue that the boosted bass in their target curve reflects the behaviour of a flat-measuring speaker in a room, while the boost around 3.5KHz is present to compensate for the effects of the ear's geometry on the frequency response of a sound source placed very close to it (ie a headphone) to bring it into line with the frequency response of a flat-measuring source placed further away from it (ie a speaker in a room).

In other words, the intention with the Harman curve is to create a tonal balance that is perceived as neutral/accurate, not one that is perceived as having elevated bass and treble.

 

[UWinWithWin]

In other words, the intention with the Harman curve is to create a tonal balance that is perceived as neutral/accurate, not one that is perceived as having elevated bass and treble.

Interesting information. From my understanding the etymotic er4xr and sr are considered neutral headphones by many people on forums (from my reading). But their curve isn’t quite matching the Harman curve. However, now that I look more closely there does seem to be elevated base compared to the middle frequencies. But I’m also new to reading these representations. The curves look relatively flat with a boot in the treble region. Am I interpreting this correctly?

 

[andreasmaaan]

Interesting information. From my understanding the etymotic er4xr and sr are considered neutral headphones by many people on forums (from my reading). But their curve isn’t quite matching the Harman curve. However, now that I look more closely there does seem to be elevated base compared to the middle frequencies. But I’m also new to reading these representations. The curves look relatively flat with a boot in the treble region. Am I interpreting this correctly?

Do you have a link to the curve that you're looking at?

Many headphone measurement sites apply a compensation curve much like the inverse of the Harman curve to their measuements, so you might be looking at a compensated curve rather than the raw measurement.

Looking at Innerfidelity's raw measurement (grey trace), we see that the measured frequency response is in fact fairly similar to the Harman curve:

 

[UWinWithWin]

Do you have a link to the curve that you're looking at?

Many headphone measurement sites apply a compensation curve much like the inverse of the Harman curve to their measuements, so you might be looking at a compensated curve rather than the raw measurement.

Looking at Innerfidelity's raw measurement (grey trace), we see that the measured frequency response is in fact fairly similar to the Harman curve:

View attachment 25178

This is what I was looking at.

https://imgur.com/JF58Dlv

I dunno how to attach images sorry!

 

[andreasmaaan]

This is what I was looking at.

https://imgur.com/JF58Dlv

I dunno how to attach images sorry!

Ok that looks like a raw response to me! Very similar to Innerfidelity's measurement, which is reassuring. Comparing that to the Harman target response, I'd say it comes very close in the midrange and highs, but with a little less bass than Harman's curve would suggest, but nevertheless pretty close.

 

[Soniclife]

From my understanding the etymotic er4xr and sr are considered neutral headphones by many people on forums

https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/etymotic/er4xr#comparison_2030
I think this is Harman corrected, if so bass light, mid forward.

 

[hetzer]

I strongly recommend earphones from Samsung
Samsung Galaxy buds

Samsung U flex

Samsung smartphone bundle eo-ig955

df compensated

I am using EO-ig955 and it is really good with a little bit of EQ on bass and Comply foam tips that reduce the harshness(peak in 8k~9k region) of treble.