That list does seem intriguing. It seems like you are looking for a warm pair of in ears. How about the Sennheiser IE80. It's currently going for around $206 on Amazon. I would also throw in the Sony MDR 7550 if you would like an open soundstage and balance sound, although it does lack noise isolation.
Of those on your rather exhaustive list, I like the 1More Quad and the T20 quite well. I like the Finder X1 but have no idea about the Traveler. Maybe it will be good, too.
That being said, if I were purely selecting based on your tinnitus I would absolutely choose the SE215 because of its rolled off highs and their potential protective effect on your ears. FWIW. YMMV, of course. Just my opinions.
I have the Finders and Triple Drivers and for you the X-1's are bright I do love them but if you have a problem with high frequency I would pass. The Quads are also very good. On the cheap there is one I really like the Havi B3 Pros. Very neutral and on the warmer side but not too much to kill detail.
It was same for me, I was thinking I would feel very uncomfortable when cable touchs my back ear, but now I am used to wearing such way and no problem. But if you are working in a place that people always trying to talk to you, or you need to listen voices from around this can be a problem.
But I recommend these because of their price point. You can buy with good discount from some sellers.
And last thing, if you decide to go with K3 Pro, warn the seller to check IEMs before sending. Because especially at 7th Anniversary Aliexpress deals, there were some defected units reported. Left bud was loosing the sound but it was because of cables. There is a Magaosi K3 Pro thread on head-fi you can see what was the problem.
Box of K3 Pro has no plastic cover or sealing, so better is to remind the seller to check before sending units and cables. I have bought at 7th Anniversary deals but thank God, I have no problem.
I have the Finders and Triple Drivers and for you the X-1's are bright I do love them but if you have a problem with high frequency I would pass. The Quads are also very good. On the cheap there is one I really like the Havi B3 Pros. Very neutral and on the warmer side but not too much to kill detail.
I listened to the Travelers but can't recall how they sounded for sure it wasn't something on my radar as a have to hear. There is just so much at CanJam it is hard to keep straight what you did hear.
I've been breaking-in the LZ A4 this week and after a couple of days of use, I gotta say, these things sound great. Solid build quality, mmcx connectors, hybrid design opens up the soundstage to sound more like over-ear cans, plus all the detail and separation you would expect at this price. Plus, you can sculpt the frequency response to match your ideal listening habits. Not all the filters are equally useful but the gray, black and red nozzle filters do an admirable job of shaping the mid-treble balance to varying degrees of neutral even though the shape of the IEM unfiltered is definitely V-shaped. The black back filter gives me exactly the bass I need in an IEM setting but the options there work for most people as well. Price-wise, they're at the top end of what you might want to pay ($195 on amazon) but they compare favorably against IEMs priced much higher (that's what other reviews say-- these are the priciest IEMs I've ever bought so I have no context) so to me they're worth it. Ymmv.
I've been breaking-in the LZ A4 this week and after a couple of days of use, I gotta say, these things sound great. Solid build quality, mmcx connectors, hybrid design opens up the soundstage to sound more like over-ear cans, plus all the detail and separation you would expect at this price. Plus, you can sculpt the frequency response to match your ideal listening habits. Not all the filters are equally useful but the gray, black and red nozzle filters do an admirable job of shaping the mid-treble balance to varying degrees of neutral even though the shape of the IEM unfiltered is definitely V-shaped. The black back filter gives me exactly the bass I need in an IEM setting but the options there work for most people as well. Price-wise, they're at the top end of what you might want to pay ($195 on amazon) but they compare favorably against IEMs priced much higher (that's what other reviews say-- these are the priciest IEMs I've ever bought so I have no context) so to me they're worth it. Ymmv.
I've been reading a lot about these and I'm liking them more and more. My only two concerns are isolation as they are semi open and buying from a seller I can return them to if I don't like them. Amazon is offering them from **** Audio and Penon Audio also sells them.
Where did you get yours from?
I've been reading a lot about these and I'm liking them more and more. My only two concerns are isolation as they are semi open and buying from a seller I can return them to if I don't like them. Amazon is offering them from **** Audio and Penon Audio also sells them.
Where did you get yours from?
Ordered them from **** on Amazon. Solid rating so I felt ok ordering from them. I figured the head-fi reviews for the A4 were good enough that unless I had serious beefs with the FR after tinkering with the filters, I knew I'd be keeping them. The unit I received had the smallest notch on the back filter that was pre-attached to the IEM, like it was slightly bumped sometime during shipment. The aluminum must be relatively soft. Not great, but everything else was fine. Sound-wise, they sounded factory fresh, with some dramatic smoothing of the treble within the first few hours of use. Tbh, I maybe should've ordered it from Penon as they are offering a bundle with an additional cable that I ended up ordering on eBay for more money than the bundle. No idea what their return policy is like, but I digress...
The passive isolation isn't great, about on par (maybe a little less) with other IEMs I've owned that aren't Shure. They don't leak very much sound fwiw. That said, not a deal-breaker for me as I was looking for high-fidelity IEMs not a daily commuter. The upside to that semi-open filter back is that the soundstage is decent, better than the closed-back circumaural cans I've owned. To me, that is preferable than total isolation but ymmv. What is on point is the sound quality. After 2 days of use, I'm already preferring these to my X2s. Better sub-bass to mid-bass response with the black back filter and all-around a smoother treble response with the gray nozzle filter. I'm a little floored, frankly, at how good they sound. The crossover circuitry is quite nicely integrated, and there doesn't seem to be any unwanted dips in transitioning. Are they as liquid smooth as the E-MU Teak? No, but they're close enough that I'm ecstatic to have IEMs I can wear all summer long.
Of those on your rather exhaustive list, I like the 1More Quad and the T20 quite well. I like the Finder X1 but have no idea about the Traveler. Maybe it will be good, too.
That being said, if I were purely selecting based on your tinnitus I would absolutely choose the SE215 because of its rolled off highs and their potential protective effect on your ears. FWIW. YMMV, of course. Just my opinions.
My SE215 arrived today and OTB they are are wonderful. Having never used this kind of IEM before getting them seated and sealed is a bit fiddly but once I do they sound great. Everything I've thrown at them has been a pleasure to listen too and they are a great match IMHO for the Cayin N3. Compared to my TS02, thee SE215 have a wider sound stage and far less grain in the treble. It will take a few weeks to know how they impact my Tinnitus but so far, I'm quite pleased. Thanks again for this recommendation!
Thanks for all the input. I almost went for the LZ A4 but after further reading I decided to pull the trigger on the Shure SE215-K.
My SE215 arrived today and OTB they are are wonderful. Having never used this kind of IEM before getting them seated and sealed is a bit fiddly but once I do they sound great. Everything I've thrown at them has been a pleasure to listen too and they are a great match IMHO for the Cayin N3. Compared to my TS02, thee SE215 have a wider sound stage and far less grain in the treble. It will take a few weeks to know how they impact my Tinnitus but so far, I'm quite pleased. Thanks again for this recommendation!
Thanks for all the input. I almost went for the LZ A4 but after further reading I decided to pull the trigger on the Shure SE215-K.
My SE215 arrived today and OTB they are are wonderful. Having never used this kind of IEM before getting them seated and sealed is a bit fiddly but once I do they sound great. Everything I've thrown at them has been a pleasure to listen too and they are a great match IMHO for the Cayin N3. Compared to my TS02, thee SE215 have a wider sound stage and far less grain in the treble. It will take a few weeks to know how they impact my Tinnitus but so far, I'm quite pleased. Thanks again for this recommendation!
The Westone Star silicone tips improves the Shure SE215's sound even more. It expands on the soundstage and also extends the frequency a bit higher. It is also more comfortable and less fatiguing than the tips that came with the Shures since it is made with a softer material, I believe. I suggest giving them a try as well. Happy listening.
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