In ear vs full size headphones?

I love IEMs and everything that comes with the territory, like the isolation, long-term comfort, and portability. Unfortunately, I've yet to hear an IEM that can give the same detail and airy feeling as my HE-400 can. I think the lower you go on the price scale, the more and more worthwhile IEMs are. 

The best full-sized headphones can easily outperform the best IEMs in soundstage size, but that's about it. IEMs can match and surpass full sized headphones in pretty much every other area in my opinion.

For me anyways, I chose the IEM route rather than the full sized headphone route at the get go because IEMs for me are significantly more comfortable and easy to wear while on the go. My lifestyle at the moment and foreseeable future doesn't really have me being any less on the move.  Even though there are plenty of people out there in the world and on head-fi who use portable or full-sized headphones with active lifestyles, for me IEMs were really the only way to go. In terms of soundstage, I think that most excellent IEMs can rival the soundstage and quality of a good upper mid-tier headphone quite well. For example the SM3s have a sound signature and soundstage which is arguably comparable to the Sennheiser HD 650 (in my experience auditioning both).

In the not so distant future though, I do think that IEM technology will advance to the point that the larger soundstage of full sized headphones will not be limited to the realm of full sized headphones only.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pianist 

The best full-sized headphones can easily outperform the best IEMs in soundstage size, but that's about it. IEMs can match and surpass full sized headphones in pretty much every other area in my opinion.

This, basically.

Usually that starts going into CIEM territory which can be fairly costly, especially with reshelling every once in awhile.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thoughtcriminal 


Thanks for your input. Are you a custom or universal guy? Do you feel IEM can compete with a good closed can in imaging and positioning within the soundstage? Do they do well with gaming and binaural recordings?

Actually, I feel that well designed balanced armature IEMs can have imaging that rivals the best dynamic full sized cans. For binaural recordings, IEMs with accurate frequency response like Etymotic, Phonak PFE single driver, Hifiman RE0, RE272 or Sony EX1000 should easily compete with great full sized headphones. For gaming or movies, IEMs may not be as suitable, because soundstage size may also be important for these applications and big cans usually have an advantage here, sounding less "in your head" than IEMs. However, this is usually only the case with open back over-the-ear versus IEMs. Closed back full-sized headphones often have poor soundstage size as well, even smaller than what many IEMs can manage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HybridCore 

This, basically.

 

Usually that starts going into CIEM territory which can be fairly costly, especially with reshelling every once in awhile.

IMO customs don't have any inherent advantages over universals at all. They may provide better fit, but not for all people. Many should be able to get a perfectly acceptable fit with universals. As for sound quality, universals can have the exact same drivers and construction as customs, so I don't see how customs can inherently sound better. I say that is BS - universals can sound just as good or better and are more practical than customs as you can share them with other people, resell them much more easily, etc.