Single Driver vs Multiple Drivers... My thoughts on the trend.

In recent years we have seen a big shift to the use of multiple drivers in IEMs. We can venture to say that at this point multi driver IEMs are begining to become more popular (at least here at Head-Fi) than their single drive counterparts. A lot of this comes down to the great performance of these multi driver phones but also their decreasing price point in recent years. We can now buy not just multi driver universal monitors for under $200, but multi driver custom monitors for between $200 and $300. What a change from just five years ago where even a single armature custom IEM cost a small fortune.

Perhaps this trend is best exemplified by Apple's recent announcement to release a canalphone with two balanced armatures at the $80 price point. While we have yet to see the performance of this device the fact that they are able to bring it to market at this price is pretty astounding.

This brings me to a question that struck me last night and the core of this post.

Is the single driver IEM really on its way out?

Now, before we jump into it, I want to point out any interesting argument that was raised by Etymotic many years ago when the dual driver IEM first appeared. They said that this was entirely unnecessary for accurate frequency response.

Unfortunately I can't find the quote I was looking for, but if I remember correctly the founder said that a well designed single armature is in fact better than using multiple drivers. As I recall this statement rather quickly divided us into camps that either thought he was crazy, or that he was dead on.

I know from my own limited experience that there are many issues that come with introducing multiple drivers. You need to determine how you will transition from one driver to the other. [in other words: how your crossover is going to function] There are phase issues, cost issues, size issues (Triple.Fi anyone? )

Originally I was very much so in camp that thought that the multi driver approach was the way to go.

Now I'm beginning to rethink that.
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Much like Etymotic did, Sleek Audio seems to be making the argument that going the multi-driver route is not the ultimate solution it was originally billed to be.

With the trend I spoke of earlier in mind it is interesting that they choose to go against the tide of multi driver designs. But, I guess innovation is perhaps one of the best ways to make it as a new company.

I've also taken note that the new UE Super.Fi 5 is based on a single armature design.

Now, the results of this are even more interesting. I've read that the new Super.Fi produces a more pleasing sound than its dual driver predecessor.

Similarly, the Sleek SA6 has readily been favorably compared with the Triple.Fi 10 Pro, Shure SE530 and others.

So, was Etymotic right all along? Is the single armature poised to make a comeback even in high end monitors?

Any thoughts?
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There's definitely some truth on both sides. When I owned the Westone UM1 previously, one of my main issues was that bass volume would decrease if there was anything else going on in the song at the same time. The bass by itself would be strong but the second other elements of the song come in, the bass level would noticeably decrease.

I don't know if the more respectable single armature iems such as the SA6 or er4p exhibit the same behavior or not as I haven't heard them but I imagine it has more to do with the nature of balanced armatures.

I'm sure going multi armature rectifies this problem but at the same time introduces other problems such as cost, size, cross over issues, etc.

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With most any type of driver you are going to see increased distortion and as a result a loss of detail in such situations. It is simply a fact of audio reproduction.

Really, I don't know that I have ever heard any audio system that totally accurately reproduces some very complex and dense recordings. Then again, I am limited to equipment that I can afford to purchase.
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I'm not so sure it rectifies it as much as it just makes it somewhat easier to to avoid.

Ultimately a one driver design is probably the best because it is always phase coherent, if you could make a driver that was "fast" enough yet still retaining a decent frequency response, but that has proved to be a though nut to crack.

On the other side more drivers gives the manufactures the opportunity to combine more valuable attributes in one design. The problem is making a crossover that works along with getting enough room for the drivers.

Sound quality wise I think the Head-Direct RE1s where a major step in the right direction, still not perfect sound wise but it definitely pulls the sound quality one can expect from a IEM closer to that of big headphones.

The future of in-ears? hmm, I think it depends largely on what area that attracts the most attention of the designers, if the earphone designers solve the problems with the crossover and size, multi driver IEMs will probably win. If they on the other hand figure out how to make superb drivers new single driver IEMs is very likely. One could also follow the trend that the Head-Direct started, by going back to the basics and just making dynamic drivers with good IEM attributes.

I definitely think we are going to see a lot of interesting designs over the next couple of years since the earphone market is expanding rapidly. I do not have a magic 8-ball so I will not make any prophecies.

With all due respect to Etymotic (and I've purchased three pairs of IEM's from them) they are being left in the dust in today's IEM world.

Let us not forget that while many of us here on Head-Fi love ER4P for music enjoyment, Etys are still studio monitors and still have the thinnest/flattest sound of any IEM on the market. They can talk all they want about "closest thing to live music" but as I said in another post earlier today, I have NEVER heard live music sound anything like an Ety. Perhaps they mean "studio" live, but still....drums and percussion would never sound so thin in a studio. Besides, 99.99 % of the public buys IEM's for musical enjoyment anyway, not studio monitoring.

I'd bet a weeKs pay on my muddy, dark, rolled off high UM2's or SE530's in a blind test with 100 people that 95% would still prefer them to ER4.

Now I have NOT heard the SA6 or the new Super Fi 5 but to me the problem with single driver IEM's is that they sound like....IEM's whereas the multi-drivers sound more like a headphone with a much fuller dynamic sound. More importantly, single driver IEM's struggle to keep up with fast and busy music with lots going on. After having TFPro's, Se530's and UM2's I can hardly listen to Etys more than 10 minutes at a time. They are still good at $165 but there is such a bigger jump in SQ once you go to $300 IMHO.

My bigger question is why all the hype and buzz over armatures? Musically they pale in comparison to quality dynamic and electrostatics. Music has been generally created with speakers in mind which are mirrored better with dynamic and electrostatic drivers.

What is the problem with making crossovers that work? Isn't is being done now? When does one work and other not work?

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I actually totally agree with this. They appear to increase detail at the expense of realism, bass impact and range, which IMO is a terrible trade-off.

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I currently own the Etymotic 4p and the Triple Fis. Agree with the OP that my old Etys cost hundreds when I bought them years ago. Now they can behad for way less.

I've also in the very recent past owned the Klipsch Image X10 and the Sleeks. Sold them in favor of the Triples.

So here's the point: I've owned and sold higher-end IEMs andhave settled on my old Etys and the Triples. Sometimes I hear no difference between them. But they both, to me, sound better than the Sleek or the Klipsch.

Fnally, all listening is done thru 5.5gImod and Hornet or Portaphile amp so these may factor into the equation as well. I really don't think you can judge headphones properly without considering what else is in the "sound chain"

IEMs with multiple dynamic drivers confuse me. The point of multiple drivers in speakers is that the smaller membrane of the tweeter can have increased stiffness and tension which makes it closer to ideal for high frequencies, and then you add a large woofer so it has the area to displace more air to make your mids/lows not suck. In an IEM...it's all tiny, and very close. So what's to gain by going multi-driver? It could be interesting to use, say, dynamic + BA. There, you could play to the strengths of each (or screw it up and bring out the worst of both...). But multiples of the same technology? Won't the potential difference from optimization be almost trivial?

dynamic plus armature? it's already exist, try Super.fi 5 EB. if not mistaken, SF 5 Pro also the same.

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SF5pro has dual BA transducers.

I agree that the best possible high end combination currently should be a dual drives, BA + Dynamic IEM. In fact, I will go as far to say that a RE1 + ER4S IEM will probably able to trash TF10 or SE530.

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the pro has 2 armatures no dynamic speaker

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I don't think you'd be reaching very far there. The RE1 already eliminates many of the issues on the TF10 and does a good job of challenging it. If it was given the treble BA seems to provide? "Trashing" the TF10 at that point wouldn't be too far-fetched to ask for. If it continues to be cheaper too, it could be a major hit.

Maybe we'll see an RE0 up for review in time?