TDK EB950, BA100 and BA200 added.
Warm + Sweet 3. TDK BA200 (
link)
Warm and sweet like the rest of the TDK’s IEM family but comes in more of a stage monitor tuning that resembles the Westone UM series. Like any good monitor, bass comes in a fairly neutral flavor. While it is tight, it still runs deep, impactful and good in texture. More importantly, it does come out when it is called for and never feel lacking in anyway except for a basshead. Mid is sweet, but not overly full or particular upfront. It is well distanced, showing space between the singer and the listener while still warm and have a decent sense of intimacy and texture. Treble is well extended but in a smooth way. Delicacy and detail are kept in place by having just enough sparkles and crispiness. Overall, neither one particular element stands out on its own where the whole presentation is rich but not lush and make for both a good stage monitor as well as day-to-day IEM
Pro: Top-tier sound for a dual driver price. Build quality. Accessories. Not picky on source.
Con: Slightly big Y-splitter. Availability.
Warm + Sweet 9. TDK EB950 (
link)
Warm and sweet sounding with a fairly strong lower end response. Bass can be slightly boomy at time but not aggressive. It can almost be classified as being bass dominated if not for the equally dominating mid range. Together they complement each other and present a sound that is fun and energetic. Treble, while not lacking, is a step behind the mid and bass. The light amount of sparkles adds detail to the overall sound but not an element of its own. While analytical listener would probably find it to be insufficient, casual listener will likely to enjoy the blend that is forwarded, dynamic, musical and fatigue free. Soundstage is about average, neither good nor particular bad in any aspects. Overall, EB950 is a high energy and easy-going IEM to listen to and best suited for casual listeners who are looking more for enjoyment rather than technical accuracy. As such, it is probably most suitable for more mainstream music as well. While it might not be the most accurate sounding IEM in the sub$100 market, it still compares really well to other popular choices in the same bucket such as HifiMan RE0 and Shure SE215.
Pro: Price/performance ratio.
Con: None.
Warm + Sweet 13. TDK BA100 (
link)
Warm and sweet sound, but almost on the opposite end on presentation in comparison to the lively EB950. Technically perhaps slightly more accurate than EB950, BA100 lacks a sense of dynamic and musicality. Bass is slightly higher in amount than being neutral, neither particular deep nor impactful. It is however well in line with the mid, in a fairly unremarkable way no less. With the treble mostly smoothed out and lacking of good sparkle and crispiness, the overall sound is on the thick and slow side, blurring out some of the lower end texture. The whole presentation is overly compensated to a point where smooth becomes BA100’s only flaw, as the life and edge of the music are sucked out from the sound itself and all it left is a sense of veil, almost like listening to an old Shure model. Due to the lack of air, soundstage is only below average. At this point, you might start asking whether BA100 is really that bad? No. It is still technically better than a lot of lower end single balanced armature IEM. However, it definitely comes short when compared to other good IEM within its MSRP of $200. The good news is that the street price is so low these days (as low as $50 on Amazon), it still makes for very a decent choice.
Pro: Low street price. Build quality. Accessories.
Con: Scary MSRP. Earpieces are on the large size.
