[DynamicEars]

Spent all last night awake and listening to Bad and Dangerous by Michael Jackson on Qobuz on the DX320MAX, and I must say, upgrading the source was definitely a good thing! Punchier and more defined kicks! A more spacious layout! A tad more sparkle, without a hint of fatigue!

Every time I go through the process of improving a portion of my signal chain, I am reminded that the whole is very much a sum of its parts working together as best they can, that synergy truly matters. This DAP has certainly breathed new life into my set.

Still doesn't solve the long-term comfort issue, however... I've never been able to make it past about 40 minutes at a time with the M9's in my ears before I need to take a break. Hence the main reason for me searching for customs.

Yeah source can stretch the transducers into maximum capabilities, little bit on these departments and that.

I think if you want custom, go for a12t (the custom form of u12t)

 

[Vamp898]

Because INAIRS aren't sold in Japan and i used up my last pair, i tried the MIS T41 from Moondrop this time.

They are surprisingly comfortable and isolate as good as it is possible. I am not 100% sure if i am satisfied with the sound, i have not listend long enough to them. They sound... i would desribe it as more balanced. The bass sounds much more controlled and the treble too. Everything is more harmonic and in balance and the treble, even though more balanced, sounds clearer but the bass no longer hits as hard. The bass is still as strong as before, but the "pressure" feel is no longer as strong.

But this feeling also caused the bass to sound less controlled, so i assume the MIS Tips sound more correct.

I will test them further, but they have the potential to be the best tips i have tested so far. They have all the advantages of the EP-NI1000 without any of their disadvantages with being cheaper, isolating much stronger, being way more comfortable and so on.

I will test them further but even though i've been disappointed quite some times with Moondrops, these Tips have never let me down. I also use them on my 5/COSMOS and used them on the S8 and was always satisfied.

But i always had the T55 in small, but the T41 (which is the correct size for the IER-M9) in Medium (as they don't go as deep, they need to be larger).

I think i prefer this sound over the INAIRS and over the EP-NI1000. Not sure if everyone does, but i think i will stick with these, at least for the next for months.

 

[MudEnjoyer]

Because INAIRS aren't sold in Japan and i used up my last pair, i tried the MIS T41 from Moondrop this time.

They are surprisingly comfortable and isolate as good as it is possible. I am not 100% sure if i am satisfied with the sound, i have not listend long enough to them. They sound... i would desribe it as more balanced. The bass sounds much more controlled and the treble too. Everything is more harmonic and in balance and the treble, even though more balanced, sounds clearer but the bass no longer hits as hard. The bass is still as strong as before, but the "pressure" feel is no longer as strong.

But this feeling also caused the bass to sound less controlled, so i assume the MIS Tips sound more correct.

I will test them further, but they have the potential to be the best tips i have tested so far. They have all the advantages of the EP-NI1000 without any of their disadvantages with being cheaper, isolating much stronger, being way more comfortable and so on.

I will test them further but even though i've been disappointed quite some times with Moondrops, these Tips have never let me down. I also use them on my 5/COSMOS and used them on the S8 and was always satisfied.

But i always had the T55 in small, but the T41 (which is the correct size for the IER-M9) in Medium (as they don't go as deep, they need to be larger).

I think i prefer this sound over the INAIRS and over the EP-NI1000. Not sure if everyone does, but i think i will stick with these, at least for the next for months.

I love the MIS tips, I discovered them with Moondrop Variations and have been using them for a long time. My long term observation with them is that they chew the treble with time. If you have a coupler, you can measure again in some weeks and you'll notice the difference compared to new ones. Because this happens gradually, you won't notice straight away compared to INAIRS which clearly nuke the treble extension even if they are freshly new.

Which is a shame because those Moondrop last really long compared to most memory foams out there. So they are deceiving, because they look like new but don't sound that great anymore.

On the other hand I have been using the same EP-NI1000 for more than 6 months and they look and sound like new.


I recommend both and MIS are a no brainer if importing the Sony ones is too much effort / cost.


I greatly prefer these sponge like tips that you don't have to compress. I am personally done with these for just listening to music as they are annoying to use, color the sound too much and with the M7/M9 I always end up with a much deeper insertion than I'd like as it sounds better with a shallow fit.

 

[Vamp898]

I love the MIS tips, I discovered them with Moondrop Variations and have been using them for a long time. My long term observation with them is that they chew the treble with time. If you have a coupler, you can measure again in some weeks and you'll notice the difference compared to new ones. Because this happens gradually, you won't notice straight away compared to INAIRS which clearly nuke the treble extension even if they are freshly new.

Which is a shame because those Moondrop last really long compared to most memory foams out there. So they are deceiving, because they look like new but don't sound that great anymore.

On the other hand I have been using the same EP-NI1000 for more than 6 months and they look and sound like new.


I recommend both and MIS are a no brainer if importing the Sony ones is too much effort / cost.


I greatly prefer these sponge like tips that you don't have to compress. I am personally done with these for just listening to music as they are annoying to use, color the sound too much and with the M7/M9 I always end up with a much deeper insertion than I'd like as it sounds better with a shallow fit.

The EP-NI1000 last like forever, that is true. If they only would isolate a bit more and had higher comfort, i'd never look at something else.

They are just oh so slightly to short for my ears. If they would have the same length as the MIS Tips or the INAIRS, they would be perfect. But this damn shortness.

But yes, everything that is not the EP-NI1000 starts to change the sound over time which is a shame.

But compared to the INAIRS, the bass is just much better controlled and much faster. Even though it doesn't ""hit"" as ""hard"" (it still does), it is worth the better control imho

 

[HunqVux]

Thanks for the suggestions @DynamicEars .

I do have the U12t on my list, as I’ve seen quite a few users discuss it in this thread. Hoping for other suggestions as well. I tend to buy blind, as I don’t know of a place around me to audition gear.

Also, I just acquired an iBasso DX320MAX, actually. I expect it to be a proper upgrade to the M11+!

As an owner of a U12T and had a rather long audition session with an M9. Imho, just skip the U12T.

 

[WilliamBlake]

Spent all last night awake and listening to Bad and Dangerous by Michael Jackson on Qobuz on the DX320MAX, and I must say, upgrading the source was definitely a good thing! Punchier and more defined kicks! A more spacious layout! A tad more sparkle, without a hint of fatigue!

Every time I go through the process of improving a portion of my signal chain, I am reminded that the whole is very much a sum of its parts working together as best they can, that synergy truly matters. This DAP has certainly breathed new life into my set.

Still doesn't solve the long-term comfort issue, however... I've never been able to make it past about 40 minutes at a time with the M9's in my ears before I need to take a break. Hence the main reason for me searching for customs.

before thinking of a custom set i would try different tips, is not easy to find a similar tuning like m9

 

[BonGoBiLai]

I have found my holy grail with IER M9 + Aroma Audio Air + Spinfit W1 combo. So much so that I have sold off my HD 650, Edition XS and 109 pro already lol. I am contemplating getting the Symphonium Helios as a complement ( I heard it briefly before. A downgrade from M9 but a friend of mine is selling it for around $550 which is a fantastic deal)

 

[HunqVux]

I've been reading a lot of reviews about the IER-M9 being not as resolving as other TOTL IEMs, one of them is the U12T and I just don't get it. To my ears, the resolving ability of the IER-M9 is simply superior to the U12T, the M9 has better separation, layering, imaging, and note definition than the U12T so how could it be less resolving, and is less detailed to the U12T? This is the opinion of the one who was an owner of a newly bought U12T and listened to the IER-M9.

I wanna hear more about your opinions about these 2 IEMs. This is a true shock since if imaging, separation, layering, and detail retrieval are everything you desire, then probably nothing could beat the M9! Maybe except for the KSE series and the open-back IEMs from Audeze!

 

[MudEnjoyer]

I've been reading a lot of reviews about the IER-M9 being not as resolving as other TOTL IEMs, one of them is the U12T and I just don't get it. To my ears, the resolving ability of the IER-M9 is simply superior to the U12T, the M9 has better separation, layering, imaging, and note definition than the U12T so how could it be less resolving, and is less detailed to the U12T? This is the opinion of the one who was an owner of a newly bought U12T and listened to the IER-M9.

I wanna hear more about your opinions about these 2 IEMs. This is a true shock since if imaging, separation, layering, and detail retrieval are everything you desire, then probably nothing could beat the M9! Maybe except for the KSE series and the open-back IEMs from Audeze!

Audiophiles mostly care about upper mids, so any IEM on the warmer side with any mid bass or lower mids will sound less detailed to them. It is as simple as that.

 

[MudEnjoyer]

For the EP-NI1000 fans out there, it seems the new XM5 come with new tips with the same polyurethane material but different size. It’s hard to tell if they’re bigger or smaller as the XM5 is significantly smaller than the XM4, but they look as if they have more length.

 

[HunqVux]

ah, although that's a great point, I couldn't remember any reviews I've read or people I've met highlighting or putting a relation between upper bass and details. Thus, it's not that clear to me why the U12T always has an upper hand in detail retrieval when compared to the M9.

I currently own a pair of IEMs that virtually has no upper treble extension at all. Despite of that, it still surpasses the U12T when it comes to detail retrieval, separation, and layer as well.

 

[WilliamBlake]

I think there's also a component of psychoacoustic and bias, 64 audio is identified as one of those high end brand, so something from them must be superior

 

[osiris1]

They are closed IEM, its impossible. Silicone doesn't let through air. Where is the air inside your ear supposed to go?

If you don't like foam, don't buy the IER-M9

Ear --> Closed
IEM --> Closed
Silicone--> Don't let through air

Not just that you push (or, depending on how you insert them, pull) the air that is trapped inside your ear, your ear is a, sounds stupid, living thing. When you drink, the temperature changes (of the air around you or inside your ear), you use your face muscles and so on, you slightly change the width and/or length of your ear canal and will create under or over pressure.

So even if you would be able to insert them pressure free (which is almost impossible, but can be done), you have to sit down with an absoklutely straight face and not move at all, don't drink, don't sweat and use an air conditioning and so on.

Or you just use foam and can enjoy them no matter what

just let people use whatever they like. they should experiment instead of sticking to your opinion.

 

[BonGoBiLai]

I've been reading a lot of reviews about the IER-M9 being not as resolving as other TOTL IEMs, one of them is the U12T and I just don't get it. To my ears, the resolving ability of the IER-M9 is simply superior to the U12T, the M9 has better separation, layering, imaging, and note definition than the U12T so how could it be less resolving, and is less detailed to the U12T? This is the opinion of the one who was an owner of a newly bought U12T and listened to the IER-M9.

I wanna hear more about your opinions about these 2 IEMs. This is a true shock since if imaging, separation, layering, and detail retrieval are everything you desire, then probably nothing could beat the M9! Maybe except for the KSE series and the open-back IEMs from Audeze!

You'll find the same 'reviewers' gushing over the likes of Noble Viking Ragnar, an F- tier heap of garbage (well thats basically all Noble's Chinese/Thai sweatshop made stuff). Or CA Trifecta that looks and sounds like balls. Ear gouging piercing treble equates 'resolving' ability to these people. (Also Sony usually doesn't send their audiophile products to reviewers so there's that). Recently tried out the 64 Audio tia trio for a few hours (man it was terrible. very plasticky sound). U12T is a good IEM but the soft/mushy transients are a major bummer for me (basically blunted edge of notes, timbre is kinda off as well)

Audiophiles mostly care about upper mids, so any IEM on the warmer side with any mid bass or lower mids will sound less detailed to them. It is as simple as that.

XM4 was sooo good with EP EX11 (the stock ones that come with M9). Too bad my unit developed battery issues and died withing 8 months. They have apparently solved the battery issue starting from the November 2022 batch though.

 

[SweetCans928]

I find that the pressure dissipates rather quickly with stock tips. Maybe my head isn't fully sealed!? I really should stop being so impressionable, because I almost immediately tried to find "better" non-foam tips without pressure, vacuum seal, or occlusion effect, based on what I read, only to find what I was looking for with the tips that came with the darn thing. After an arduous amount of tip rolling. Creating problems to solve for myself, just like I did with the Z1R and its stock cable(I immediately swapped it out only to later realize it works perfectly for me).

I can't put my finger on why but I haven't really heard much that sounds like the M9, it sounds unique without also having some weird tuning or something.