The most overrated IEMs - Page 2

Over-priced - Originally priced Monster Turbine Copper/Pro/MD/Trumpets, Senn. IE8, UE Triplefi10, Klipsch X10, Klipsch Custom 3, Grado GR8/10, Sony EX1000...pretty much all IEM that has a retail price of $150 or more. Any earbud costing more than $25.

Over-rated - Most FOTM, Shure SE535, pretty much any triple or more BA count IEM.

Over-hyped - Most FOTM, ASG-1x, pretty much any triple or more BA count IEM.

If only someone would undercut the market and charge a “fair” price for a good sounding well balanced 3 or 4 driver BA earphone (or just a better sounding earphone for cheap). I wouldn't hesitate to buy it (after audition). As it stands, I won't be holding my breath waiting cuz I don't think it's out there now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by takoyaki7 

Actually from a relative standpoint sony xba-4 is quite reasonably priced for a 4 BA iem (in the $200 range) especially when you consider a single BA like shure se315 is about the same price! While some dont like the xba series sound, i think sony attempted to make a reasonable value here.
I woukd be VERY curious to see just how cheap a small company with low costs could sell a 3/4 BA iem though...

Sony attempted to make a reasonable value after XBA-4 wasn't doing bang up business selling for it's original MSRP of $450.00.

What would you say a fair price would be? Good-sounding drivers are about $25-40 a piece even in large quantities. That's $200-320 before you even talk about manufacturing, design, case materials, production costs, marketing, etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by truckdriver 

If only someone would undercut the market and charge a “fair” price for a good sounding well balanced 3 or 4 driver BA earphone (or just a better sounding earphone for cheap). I wouldn't hesitate to buy it (after audition). As it stands, I won't be holding my breath waiting cuz I don't think it's out there now.

Great question! For me (and especially based on what you can get now for a much cheaper price but better sound quality):

TF10

DDM

SE535

SM3

XBA-4 (I like them but the only IEM I feel I spent way over what they are worth in sound quality. $200-$250 would have been a good price).

EX1000 (at it's original over $400 price).

That's about it for me. Oh, The Monster Copper and first MD.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tegR 

ASG-1/1.1 

Really? I've been wanting to try them..

Quote:

Originally Posted by tegR 

ASG-1/1.1 

+1.2

I have to agree with the Se535 votes. I've dealt with a plethora of Se530's which should be comparable. I found nothing special about them.

A friend of mine paid over $300 for his Sony XBA-4. I've auditioned them. I didn't want buy a pair (which is all I'll say after one listen).

I was being facetious about price (per the post before mine). I'd actually be willing to pay much more than $400 (even a $1000) for something that sounded better and isolated as well as the S3535. The catch is—I'll have to hear them (audition) them first. I'm not likely to buy on hope & faith.

Sennheiser ie8

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericp10 

Great question! For me (and especially based on what you can get now for a much cheaper price but better sound quality):

TF10

DDM

SE535

SM3

XBA-4 (I like them but the only IEM I feel I spent way over what they are worth in sound quality. $200-$250 would have been a good price).

EX1000 (at it's original over $400 price).

 

That's about it for me. Oh, The Monster Copper and first MD.

I own every one on this list and find them all to be very competent in their own unique way.  Fortunately, I paid less than retail for most of them - anywhere from $95 for the TF10 to $300 for the EX1000. At those kinds of prices, most are a good value. With the right source (and maybe amp) and music genre, each of this is quite enjoyable.

My own addition to the list - Klipsch X10 at retail price. At the $95 price I paid, it's a nice IEM.

I would have added the Aurisonics ASG-1 until I got the version 1.2 upgrade. Now it's worth every penny. 

IE8.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRCMRGN 

I own every one on this list and find them all to be very competent in their own unique way.  Fortunately, I paid less than retail for most of them - anywhere from $95 for the TF10 to $300 for the EX1000. At those kinds of prices, most are a good value. With the right source (and maybe amp) and music genre, each of this is quite enjoyable.

 

My own addition to the list - Klipsch X10 at retail price. At the $95 price I paid, it's a nice IEM.

 

I would have added the Aurisonics ASG-1 until I got the version 1.2 upgrade. Now it's worth every penny. 

I understand, but I'm pretty much judging them on sound quality at their original retail prices (not at the super discounts many eventually were priced at). I rather IEMs be priced less than what you're getting in value of sound (Audiofly and the new JVCs) than being priced more than the value of the sound (with a huge price reduction later).