Mine is being delivered today.Lately I bought Moondrop Quarks DSP, tremendous value for money.
You won't be disappointed. Small cute looking, because of smallish size the comfort is very good (I always had problems with 'regular' sized iems).Mine is being delivered today.
Yep, Get a used LG V50 or 60 and u won't even need a DAC Depending on the IEMsSo far:
Final E2000 - super light and comfortable, very pleasant sounding, but a little soft and lacking clarity/detail.
Mee Audio MX4 PRO - I liked the sound of these, but I could never get them to fit well and after a while the left earphone started playing up and had intermittent sound. A new cable didn't fix the issue.
Moondrop x Crinacle Blessing 2 Dusk - Fantastic sound and fit like they were made for me.
Thieaudio Monarch mk2 - Stunning sound, a little bulky and not as comfortable as the Moondrops, but not too bad.
Dunu Titan S - Similar to the Mee Audio, not as rich or bass heavy as the Moondrop and Thieadio, but very good with great clarity, comfortable too.
Some IEMs are fantastic value at the moment and I imagine there is pretty much something for everyone at all price points. A cheap smart phone (with an SD card slot), a ~$100.00 dongle DAC and a ~$200.00 set of IEMs will offer a level of sound quality and fidelity that would have blown us away a decade ago, let alone 4 decades ago when I was wandering around with a cassette walkman and whatever garbage earphones it came with.
When I was a teenager in the 2000s I was obsessed with music and the way I listened was with my iPod and what we called ear buds. At that time I was broke so $20 was a decent chunk of change. I didn't shop online much so I don't remember what the online marketplaces were like, either way I didn't even considered purchasing ear buds online. There were the classic apple ear buds that came with the iPod but they were uncomfortable and had no isolation. Most of my ear buds only lasted a few months anyway, so I had to find new ones often. Walmart, BestBuy, Target, these were the places I would usually look and for under $20 the options were abysmal. JVC Gumys, random Sonys, and obnoxious Skull Candy buds were what I usually ended up with and I'm sure they sounded pretty bad.
In my early 20's I started my career and my HiFi journey. Naturally I started with personal audio since that is what I was accustomed to and I could listen at my desk at work. I found HeadFi and Zeos and got into over-ear headphones. I enjoyed them and owned several mid-grade pairs and even STAX but none of those really sounded neutral to me. When I found ASR and started learning about objectivism I realized all of my headphones were very flawed and since I found them uncomfortable anyway I sold most of them. This is when I learned about IEMs and tried several of those, never spending too much though. For years now all I had for IEMs were the Shure SE215 I used while flying, riding the train, or mowing the lawn, the Tin P1 I used at work, and the Etymotic ER4SR I use to track for recordings or in my motorcycle helmet. None of these sound similar and I wouldn't call any of them neutral. They certainly don't sound as good as my speaker systems so they are relegated to situations which precluded speakers. I listen to the ER4SR with bass boost to make it more enjoyable but that is about the extent of my corrective EQ endeavors when it comes to IEMs.
Then the Moondrop Chu was released, a $20 set that was supposed to have great tuning. I enjoyed them and they certainly sounded close to neutral but their highs were slightly harsh. Then came the 7Hz and Truthear Zeros which I also now own. I am so blown away by the quality now available for $15 - $25, both in terms of build and tuning neutrality. There's the Truthear Hola and few other similarly priced and tuned sets that compete with the 7Hz Zero with detachable cables. I would have been in hog heaven back in my iPod days! The Truthear Zero is what really impressed me though. Deep and clean sounding bass from a dedicated subwoofer supporting a detailed and neutral, if not slightly shouty midrange with smooth treble. Besides the sound, I find it really amazing that these things are 3D printed. It makes sense for the application now but just a few years ago it would have been too expensive for a $50 product like this right?
On Saturday I received my pair of QKZ x HBB Khan. These things use the same DD sizing and crossover style as the Truthear Zero and are also 3D printed. The main difference between them is the tuning, with Khan having more sub bass and less upper midrange. Maybe it is because I used the Zeros with foam tips and the Khan with silicone tips but I don't notice the sub bass boost very much. Both sets sound boosted in that region to me and it is a guilty pleasure. What really stands out is that reduction in upper mids which removes the shouty aspect of the Zeros that could become annoying on certain material during a long listening session. I was afraid this would cause vocals to be recessed but that is not the case at all. So far I am very happy with these and while I would like to hear high end IEMs, It's hard to imagine things could be much better. With the rate of change in the IEM hobby right now I don't feel motivated to spend even more knowing something better and cheaper may be right around the corner.
Both your stories resonate 100% with my experience as well! Look at my signature, I have from cheap up to expensive systems, but the IEMs value is out of this world, especially these last 2 golden years. I also wished I had these when I was a child! Many times I even question my main system now.I have spend 5 figures on my stereo system and yet often if I really want to enjoy music, I grab a pair of 350$ IEMs. It's truely remarkable what was achieved in the last couple of years. Bang for the buck is exceptional with IEMs.
I actually have an LG V20, although I don't use it as my main phone, which has both an SD card slot and a replaceable battery - everything with a battery should have one that is readily replaceable - including cars.Yep, Get a used LG V50 or 60 and u won't even need a DAC Depending on the IEMs
...And I got it. Absolutely the best bass canon in my collection.Ordered: QKZ x HBB, waiting more subbase...
Also own the V20 as my only phone. Have a battery charger, with the replacement batery always at the ready. Can't imagine "being down" b/c the phone is charging. Only thing is I just found the usb c slot will not send audio signal to my Moondrop Quarks DSP. I'll probably use a tablet with the Quarks, and use the CRZ;s with the V20.I actually have an LG V20, although I don't use it as my main phone, which has both an SD card slot and a replaceable battery - everything with a battery should have one that is readily replaceable - including cars.
That’s quite the arsenal.Currently on a journey of discovery in the IEM world. Use one set or another every night. Clearly have fallen into the rabbit hole. Never would have imagined that I would buy this many IEMs and just ordered a new set last night. Strange affliction akin to a form of addiction. I think a Coke habit would be cheaper. Mostly fun and exciting experience with a few turds along the way.
- RBH EP-3 IEM
- Klipsch R6i II IEM
- Klipsch Reference X6i IEM
- MOONDROP STARDUST IEM (Crap no lows)
- BLON BL-03 IEM (Best for cost, a major sleeper with great Bass)
- MASSDROP X MEE AUDIO PLANAMIC IEM (Distortion Generator)
- Apple AirPods Pro (For use Watching Tv when Wife is sleeping, excellent sound and noise cancellation)
- TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero IEM (Great sound but ear nozzle is large and uncomfortable)
- MOONDROP KXXX IEM (Current reigning champion)
- Linsoul 7HZ Timeless Planar IEM (Big but sound amazing)
- FiiO x Crinacle FHE:Eclipse IEM (When you just want Bass)
- Linsoul 7Hz Salnotes Zero (2nd favorite and 1st place Value with very tunable sound)
- Moondrop Blessing 2 IEM (Just got them 4 days ago, still assessing, also large ear hole stem)
- FiiO FH5s Pro IEM (Ordered)
Thank you I think. If nothing else it demonstrates how addictive this hobby can be. A warning for those yet to enter the IEM game.That’s quite the arsenal.