The most overrated IEMs - Page 5

All custom IEM's, in my opinion...

Quote:

Originally Posted by antonyfirst 

All custom IEM's, in my opinion...

Why exactly.

Sound quality wise or comfort wise?

(I don't have a custom IEM, but I am interested in)

In my opinion, they really are not worth the extra amount, sonically.

I would say the same in regards of comfort, given so many reports of hassles around, and need of refitting, but the thing is that even a JH13 sounds small, and like a IEM. Back then when I owned one, others agreed with me that it sounded slightly smaller than a Triple.fi 10 Pro. Also it wasn't perfect, the midrange wasn't lively enough, detail retrieval was good, but not electrostatic-like; the highs were very slightly metllic. Best iem I tried, regardless. But still in the same tier with the Apuresound ER4P, UM3x and the likes.

Also, using the JH13 out of a DAP, which is the way it is intended to be used, is really limiting it. Out of a 1500 usd home rig they sounded much better, tonally and detail-wise... but still small, and still less special than a audiocats-modded Babystax setup out of the same source. Impossible to pretend that it could compete witht the bigger guys, yet, back then, many people used to say that.

Also very fragile.

Similarly priced to the monster md tributes, the klipsch x10's were much worse.

Thanks for your opinion.

I'm always sceptical when people talk about a big sound stage with IEMs and CIEMs.

Since the information which the auricle contributes to the sound perception is totally missing

I guess they will never be as good as full sized headphones in that regard.

Also Shure E500 / SE530 were really bad in my opinion. I am not sure that the 535 with its huge price tag has really gotten better, but I am not curious to listen.

Ety ER4S are not as good as ER4P. I don't know now, but 4-6 years ago the general consensus was that the S were better, because the iPods back then had a impedance mismatch with the P, resulting in a bass drop off. Then, the consensus has gradually changed the subsequent years. In my opinion the P are much better, more natural and listenable, free from the sibilant peaks of the ER4S.

Quote:

Originally Posted by frix 

Thanks for your opinion.

 

I'm always sceptical when people talk about a big sound stage with IEMs and CIEMs.

Since the information which the auricle contributes to the sound perception is totally missing

I guess they will never be as good as full sized headphones in that regard.

If you choose well in the dynamic headphones real, you won't miss anything in speed.

Speed with balanced armature IEMs (especially if multidriver, most of the time) is an obvious advantage, in fact many cans are slower (AKG K501, many Sennheisers, lower end grados), but there are many examples of cans that are equally fast: orthos (Thunderpants, LCD2, other modded ones), Audio Technica AD2000, Sennheiser HD800, et cetera.

Electrostats win already, even in regards to speed.

With the budget of a custom IEM you can obtain much better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lee730 

SE530: Not that great. The mids are the showcase and are overblown IMO. For $500 they are a big rip. My former IE7s were better IMO.

 

Sony EX1000: Although I got them at a great deal compared to retail at the time (283.00) they were a sibilant mess and one of the most painful IEM I have ever used. When I mean painful I mean it was literally painful for me to listen to them. It felt like getting stabbed in the ears lol (treble spikes).

 

TF10s: Considering I got them during the Black Friday sale they aren't that bad of a deal. Then again they aren't that special either. The mid-range is very recessed, the treble is artificial and plastic-sounding. The bass is bloated and not that convincing. Even after reshelling them I wasn't that impressed compared to my higher tier dynamic universals (IE80s, FX700). I must admit they were pretty decent though for games. At the full retail though these are also a big rip. At least they had sales unlike Shure...

 

Beats and Bose: What can I say that already hasn't been said...
 

(READ BOLD) Damn dude, didn't know you hated them that much, I wasnt a fan myself until I used them with my UHA-4 in DAC mode (dunno why, it sounds better in DAC mode,) then I LOVED them. I REALLY love the EX-1000's now when powered by my L3

My most overrated IEM's are the Westone UM3X RC's I shelled out full retail for them, AND dropped $120 for UM56 CUSTOM tips, and they just sound muffled, If anyone who is a UM3X fan could look at my equipment and assemble a winning combination I'm more than willing to try it...

Quote:

Originally Posted by antonyfirst 

Also Shure E500 / SE530 were really bad in my opinion. I am not sure that the 535 with its huge price tag has really gotten better, but I am not curious to listen.

 

Ety ER4S are not as good as ER4P. I don't know now, but 4-6 years ago the general consensus was that the S were better, because the iPods back then had a impedance mismatch with the P, resulting in a bass drop off. Then, the consensus has gradually changed the subsequent years. In my opinion the P are much better, more natural and listenable, free from the sibilant peaks of the ER4S.

Good to hear, I am quite happy with my ER4P's I only own 3 pairs of >$200 IEM's and the ER4P's were the only one's I was happy with out of the box...

Brainwavz M2

Glad i only paid half of their msrp

bloated bass hog that has almost no definition and seperation

X10s, even at the 95 dollar sale, still not anything special, and they wanted to sell these for 300 or whatever

TF10's, well they are good for the 95 range but pia to put on and keep them on, but for anything more in price, nope

Also not iem, but Sennheiser HD238's. The more I listen the more I dislike them, even though they are not expensive (most places sell for $50 or so), but to be stayed away for sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by donedj 

Brainwavz M2

Glad i only paid half of their msrp

bloated bass hog that has almost no definition and seperation

 

X10s, even at the 95 dollar sale, still not anything special, and they wanted to sell these for 300 or whatever

 

TF10's, well they are good for the 95 range but pia to put on and keep them on, but for anything more in price, nope

 

Also not iem, but Sennheiser HD238's. The more I listen the more I dislike them, even though they are not expensive (most places sell for $50 or so), but to be stayed away for sure.

I don't know about the HD238, but the rest seem to have a bass-heavy signature.  I think that they just aren't you flavor (not really overrated).  At the same time, I might be missing something.