[ShangriLa]

I'm talking about sound quality up to/around Sennheiser HD650 level. Which gives more bang for the buck, IEM or full-size headphone?

 

[baskingshark]

I'm talking about sound quality up to/around Sennheiser HD650 level. Which gives more bang for the buck, IEM or full-size headphone?

It is kinda comparing apples to oranges.

Headphones and IEMs have their different strengths and weaknesses. Headphones have generally better soundstage. Whereas IEMs are weaker in soundstage but they are more portable and may have possibly more details/isolation/subbass depending on seal/vents. They bring different benefits to the table.

But the past 2 - 3 years I think the CHIFI IEMs have really given very good price to performance ratio compared to CHIFI headphones. So just speaking about CHIFI equipment in general, the CHIFI IEMs have really caught up to the budget/midfi western/japanese IEMs, whereas for CHIFI headphones, the western/japanese brands are still king. So if u look at it that way, in the budget segment, probably I would say CHIFI IEMs would give more bang for buck than CHIFI headphones, YMMV.

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

It’s ultimately up to your ears to decide. I think most iem users will lean towards iems while headphone enthusiast will stick to their coconuts
Then again..how on earth would you compare an iem with say an HD650 in a meaningful manner?

 

[Roderick]

It's indeed quite difficult to compare a specific iem to one headphone but with large enough take some conclusions can be made.

I'm not a iem guy but I just tested about 20 chifi iem's cheapest being $5 and most expensive ones $250-300. What I found surprising was how poorly price reflects the sound quality with iem's compared to headphones. Many times I preferred cheaper ones over the more pricier alternatives. Some $200 iem's were actually VERY bad. It's quite difficult to find a modern $200 headphone that is absolute trash.

I think iem's (good ones, not the ones you buy from gas station ) under $50 are usually way better than headphones of the same price. At $100 it's quite even and after that headphones start to pull ahead.

 

[surfgeorge]

Similar experience to @baskingshark and @Roderick here
While each has it‘s strength and weakness, I started with headphones, bought and sold a handful, tried a few IEMs, didn‘t like them until I got a Moodrop Kanas Pro which I preferred to my then best headphones, the Audioquest NightHawk and NightOwls.
I went through maybe a dozen IEMs which I owned (from about €200-1000), maybe two dozen more I tested (up to €2000) and I now started looking for a headphone that could complement and improve upon the SQ and signature I am getting from my IEMs.

It has been disappointing so far. Tested Sennheiser HD660S, Focal Elear, Hifiman Sundara, Austrian Audio Hi-X55, Sennheiser HD800S and a few more.
With the exception of the HD800S none of the headphones had the transparency and detail of the equivalently priced IEM, and although the sound field was bigger, the soundstage and imaging was not as good as the IEM‘s!

I bought the Focal Clear and should receive it in a few days, lets see if this will move the needle and live up to it‘s stellar reputation...
So far I have to say that IEMs performed better than headphones for me at a given price point. Although... the Nighthawks are interesting, weird, but interesting at the discounted prices.... None of my IEMs makes me relax like the NightHawks did.

 

[FastAndClean]

in lower prices under 100$ earphones, in sub 200$ you can get decent planar that will outperform most earphones in that price range

 

[ShangriLa]

This is all informative. I wonder if there's a list of recommended IEMs, especially Chi-Fi ones, here reviewed by Head-Fi. Or better yet, 2 or 3 unanimously recommended models.

 

[3Putter]

It is kinda comparing apples to oranges.

Headphones and IEMs have their different strengths and weaknesses. Headphones have generally better soundstage. Whereas IEMs are weaker in soundstage but they are more portable and may have possibly more details/isolation/subbass depending on seal/vents. They bring different benefits to the table.

But the past 2 - 3 years I think the CHIFI IEMs have really given very good price to performance ratio compared to CHIFI headphones. So just speaking about CHIFI equipment in general, the CHIFI IEMs have really caught up to the budget/midfi western/japanese IEMs, whereas for CHIFI headphones, the western/japanese brands are still king. So if u look at it that way, in the budget segment, probably I would say CHIFI IEMs would give more bang for buck than CHIFI headphones, YMMV.

Chi-Fi certainly do offer some good value. But they're made in China. I'm guilty of trying several sets and I've only kept my KZ ZST's. I have a set of Grado SR125e's that were my first set and I will never sell them. May gift them to one of my kids some day when they finally realize that EarPods sound terrible. But I love my Periodic Audio C's and Be's. Made in America, cost a bit, but not budget breaking. Worth EVERY penny. Give our fellow Americans a chance, folks!

 

[3Putter]

Similar experience to @baskingshark and @Roderick here
While each has it‘s strength and weakness, I started with headphones, bought and sold a handful, tried a few IEMs, didn‘t like them until I got a Moodrop Kanas Pro which I preferred to my then best headphones, the Audioquest NightHawk and NightOwls.
I went through maybe a dozen IEMs which I owned (from about €200-1000), maybe two dozen more I tested (up to €2000) and I now started looking for a headphone that could complement and improve upon the SQ and signature I am getting from my IEMs.

It has been disappointing so far. Tested Sennheiser HD660S, Focal Elear, Hifiman Sundara, Austrian Audio Hi-X55, Sennheiser HD800S and a few more.
With the exception of the HD800S none of the headphones had the transparency and detail of the equivalently priced IEM, and although the sound field was bigger, the soundstage and imaging was not as good as the IEM‘s!

I bought the Focal Clear and should receive it in a few days, lets see if this will move the needle and live up to it‘s stellar reputation...
So far I have to say that IEMs performed better than headphones for me at a given price point. Although... the Nighthawks are interesting, weird, but interesting at the discounted prices.... None of my IEMs makes me relax like the NightHawks did.

I recommend you try Periodic Audio's Carbons. I think they have a great sale going on at the moment if you're a subscriber to their newsletter. Just a wonderful sound signature. You think if I pimp them enough on here they'll give me a t-shirt? LOL

 

[baskingshark]

This is all informative. I wonder if there's a list of recommended IEMs, especially Chi-Fi ones, here reviewed by Head-Fi. Or better yet, 2 or 3 unanimously recommended models.

U can ask the others more in these threads:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/chinese-asian-brand-iem-info-thread.820747/
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bes...nd-impressions-sharing-reference-list.805930/

But maybe to fine tune the suggestions from the community, best to let them know:
1) budget?
2) preferred sound signature eg neutral, V shaped, basshead/bass averse, treble head/treble sensitive, midcentric etc?
3) preferred sound signature?

 

[surfgeorge]

I recommend you try Periodic Audio's Carbons. I think they have a great sale going on at the moment if you're a subscriber to their newsletter. Just a wonderful sound signature. You think if I pimp them enough on here they'll give me a t-shirt? LOL

Thanks for the recommendation!
I have heard many good things about the BE and seen the positive feedback on the Carbons.
But I bought the Periodic Audio Mg when their were at 50% discount and their design simply doesn't work for my ears.

 

[Redcarmoose]

https://www.amazon.com/K701-Open-2DBack-Headphones-Varimotion-Flat-2DWire/dp/B000EBBJ6Y


I’m still kinda amazed at what you can buy for around $200.

The AKGk701 was a 2006 TOTL Flagship that was $450 or more in 2006. They did move production from Austria to China but people like them for $200. And that’s $200 brand new, as they are even less on the used market. The only down side is they need a pretty powerful amp to come alive. The response is fairly transparent and neutral yet they do have a slight treble peak. Still as far as detail even all these years later they are great. I still use them for movies from a receiver and love them!

But there has never been a better time for great low cost IEMs too. Some of my low cost favorites are the $199 BGVP DM6. The $389 Fearless S6Rui, or the $299 Sony XBA-N3. I still need to try the BQEYZ Spring2 which sells for $169. So the market is really full of nice sounding deals if you can find one in your sound signature and get a good source to it.

https://www.linsoul.com/products/fearlessaudio-s6


Finally spending $549 gets you a very close to end game sound with the DUNU SA6.

I use the DUNU Studio SA6 everyday!

Fearless SA6Rui Review:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fearless-audio-s6rui.23646/reviews#item-review-22356
XBA-N3 Review:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-xba-n3.22428/reviews#item-review-24616
Dunu Studio SA6 Review:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/dunu-studio-sa6.24665/reviews#item-review-24391
https://www.dunu-topsound.com/product-page/studio-sa6

As far as IEM or full size, it’s fairly subjective? You just have to gravitate to what you like, no one can decide for you.

 

[GREQ]

Fine... I'll be the abrasive and polarizing one today...

Headphones win, hands-down, every time.
I prefer sub $30 earbuds to most IEMs up to $100 because of the more open and spacious sound presentation.

IEMs that shoot a funnelled-down nozzle-sized 'squirt' of sound directly into your ear canal will never match the scale, timbre and presentation of a large sound wave hitting your entire ear lobe that headphones can offer.

There I said it.

@Redcarmoose Don't forget about the AKG K612 Pro!! Quite a few prefer it to the original K701.

 

[SilverEars]

For me, iems were for getting SQ at convenience. Otherwise, I use circumaural rig at home for appreciating SQ, not iems. Iems cannoy match the SQ of headphones although iems are easier to tune precisely due to more control of sound through the ear canal, and no ear shape interacrion. No ear shape sound interaction is the reason why iem imaging will be limited.

If yall iems guys hear a good circumaural rig, your opinion will likely change.

One of the biggest factor that steer me away from iems is the rediculous pricing of fitting in a bunch BAs in a shell. Not worth it.

 

[3Putter]

Thanks for the recommendation!
I have heard many good things about the BE and seen the positive feedback on the Carbons.
But I bought the Periodic Audio Mg when their were at 50% discount and their design simply doesn't work for my ears.

They need foam tips. That worked for me.