Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Headphones, Earphones and In-Ear Monitors › Can IEMs sound as good as full-size headphones?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Can IEMs sound as good as full-size headphones?

post #1 of 3
12/29/11 at 8:41pm
Thread Starter 

Is it possible for IEMs to sound as good as full-size headphones?


Edited by MintChip - 12/29/11 at 8:57pm
Reply
post #2 of 3
12/29/11 at 9:23pm

Yes when comparing things under $1000. The reason I say that is because I feel that balanced armature drivers used in some high end earphones outperform many headphones, especially since many of them can be put into a headphone for a 2-way or 3-way system in your ears. Noise isolation is also greater, so if there is background noise, an in ear 'phone (IEM) will be easier to hear detail in.

 

After $1000, you get to electrostatic headphones, which seem to be to be capable of more speed and clarity than any balanced armature earphone I've heard. Most people who I meet who can't understand that an IEM can sound as good have not tried much over $30, much less an in ear with BA drivers instead of dynamic ones.

Reply
post #3 of 3
12/30/11 at 3:22am
Thread Starter 

Steven, thanks for the excellent reply. smily_headphones1.gif

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Headphones, Earphones and In-Ear Monitors › Can IEMs sound as good as full-size headphones?