Monoprice 8320 IEM

Mossey

New Head-Fier
Pros: mids are fairly well detailed, especially for the price, headphone is also surprisingly detailed (and bright) which leads to significant fatigue.
Cons: Bass extension if rather low, you can hear it, however don't expect much visceral impact
I've been a headfi stalker for many, many years, joining when the ER4 and whatever Shure or UE equivalent were just accepted as king, in fact the single most expensive thing I ever bought was with my own money in high school was a pair of brand new ER4P's. With the exception of the custom UE10's, these were basically the most highly regarded IEM or even headphone/earphone, this side of an Orpheus at the time.
 
However this is the first time I've felt compelled to post a review as by and large I think my hearing has deteriorated (I became an attack helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army for several years, the combination of turbine engines are 5.56 just ruined my hearing, and as such I've generally been more attracted to bass centric headphones lately- but, for whatever reason, recently seem to have been regained my high frequency hearing or at least the appreciation of what I have left..
 
So why am I reviewing the Monoprice 8320? Well, they're absolutely terrible, at least without the right fit. I'd read an insane amount on amount on them but still bought them and they'd always sounded terrible to me, the other night my RHA T10i's failed on me again (not a well made headphone despite the looks) and I was left with either my 7506's which I couldn't find, earpods or the monoprices, so I grabbed the monoprices after already having them written them off as being terrible, despite trying 5 or 6 different tip combinations and...suddenly I found one that fit, sillicon earbuds that I think I actually got from jabra bluetooth earphones. 
 
For whatever reason they fit perfectly, even without  playing music playing the isolation was exceptional and this benefitted a very specific type of rock, mainly, low-fi recorded rock, a good example is Interpol, who despite having great music, seem to have initially terrible recordings on their first two albums. The Monoprices' strength seem to be in digging up enough detail and melodic mids to sound good but without being able to resolve the flaws. There's no doubt they sound terrible without the right fit but once you do get it, I honestly think it's one of the most enjoyable rock music IEMs I've ever had for lower-fi recordings..
 
Cheers
Alex
Larethio
Larethio
I thought turn on the bright lights was actually a good sounding album. Maybe I need to give it another listen :smiley:

SethDove

New Head-Fier
Pros: None
Cons: Cheaply made, gaudy looking, terrible sounding
I got some of these based on their crazy-good reputation. Even for the $6 I paid I feel ripped off. Worst pair I can remember. What in the world is everyone talking about? These are so gaudy looking, and feel cheaply put together. I could overlook those things if they sounded like everyone says. But they don't. I can't remember disliking the sound quality of an IEM this much. These are just awful. I feel like I am in a Twlight Zone with these things. Their reputation can't be real. No amount of "breaking in" will fix this garbage. They were six dollars, and sound like one dollar. 
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Faceman
Faceman
Harsh dude.
 
No product that costs $6 can possibly be deserving of a 1 star rating.
Headzone
Headzone
1 star and I didn't see one phrase trying to describe what makes them sound so bad to you. 'mainstream' people usually think = lots of bass = good sound quality. 
glassmonkey
glassmonkey
This is a clueless review. Nothing to describe the sound, only a rant about how he hates them. I recommend these all the time and have repeatedly given them away as gifts. If you get good insertion, these compete with many $100 headphones. The main problem with these is that they don't fit everyone's ears. Maybe our reviewer has unfortunately small ears. With a poor fit, these would probably sound pretty garbage.

engineerd3d

New Head-Fier
Pros: Great sound, once broken in the mids are very clear.
Cons: You need to burn in these headphones, otherwise they sound flat.
I bought my first set of 8320 two years or more back. They were very flat in the beggining then someone sugested these should be burned in for a few days with white noise. An old cell phone and white noise generator helped break these things in. Man o man what a difference. Made my bose IEM look like dollar store headphones. Sound is a relative thing IMHO just like taste in food. Some like certain foods more or less. I stopped buying other types of IEM's. Simply put these are the most durable IEM's I have ever had, once you perform some choice upgrades they can be awesome.
 
I wore these for more than 2 years daily for at least 3 hours a day. They have never let me down.
 
My suggestions would be as follows.
 
1 - Get some better tips for these.
2 - Get a set of earplugs and cut them short and puch out a hole in them. Put them behind the tips for extra spring.
3 - do not forget to wrap the cable behind your ear to reduce microphoning of the cable. (Helps tremendously)
 
I even designed a 3d printable holder for these so you can store them in style. Here is a link. -> https://www.youmagine.com/designs/monoprice-8320-headphone-holder
 
I Even bought two more pairs to keep as spares as these after 2+ years are looking raged, but they are still 100% functional. If I bought 10 pairs I could have a lifetime supply of these. 
 
-Bruno
engineerd3d
engineerd3d
These for me have been the longest wearing IEM's I have ever had. Usually I get about 1 month for a cheap 10-20 dollar set. Maybe 6 months on a more expensive set. These have been abused day in and out, the fabric sheathing has degraded, yet they still work. I even stepped on them.... I am hoping I can get another 2 years out of the new set. Maybe I got lucky with these?
HAMS
HAMS
well maybe they are just that durable, i just wreck it because the mods haha. also you can recable it after the cords give up and have it even longer:D
engineerd3d
engineerd3d
One problem I found is that monoprice changed the tip quality on these. I am not happy with their new version changing tip quality.
 
Now they ship them with a crappy rubber coated tip. I have a feeling its going to rip out. Here is a youtube review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2qNzwqF8jE

Talai

Head-Fier
Pros: Great clarity, looks interesting
Cons: Lack of bass, lots of microphonics, easy to tangle
Hey Head-fi,
 
The 8320 have a lot of hype, but there are several aspects of it that I can't help but dislike. However, if you can look past these issues then it's really a very nice IEM.
 
Here's my review:
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To sum it up:
There's a surprising amount of clarity, though instrument separation isn't the best. I felt that there was a distinct lack of bass (this could possibly be attributed to an improper seal, though I was under the impression that they were sealed adequately.). Comfort is a bit of an issue, as the top of the 8320's dig into my ear a bit. Microphonics are strong with this one (and they leak more sound than would be expected), but the mids and highs are quite good for the price. Just don't expect too much from them...
 
I'd love any feedback that you have, and thanks for the inspiration!

skwrl

New Head-Fier
Pros: Clear sound. Cheap.
Cons: No bass. Weak subs.
First off, I got the 9963's, because there were lots of comments about how it's the better deal.
Got these because of all the head-fi rave, but they sound mediocre to me at best. Honestly, I'm not audiophile, and my hearing has been getting noticeably worse as of late, but these sound no different from my beat up MDR-J10s. Could be just me, but I was really disappointed after all the hype. I felt NO punch from the bass, and the build quality is no different than those mdrs. The driver enclosure is big on me (and I have pretty average size ears), hurts because of the stupid sharp ridges on the outside (I'd file it down, if I cared more about it. I nearly tossed it though), and the cable really feels cheap.
 
I used the J10s for a longass time with no complaint and these sound really no better to me, but I guess I was just in search of something stronger. This wasn't it for me. I need to feel my bass, not this squeaky crap that hurts my ears.
 
Went ahead and dropped 6x the money for a proper IEM ...
gp58mb
gp58mb
I agree totally! I'm enjoying my UE-600's about $40 & more balanced, with a silent backround.
I'll be getting the Hi-fi man $99 units soon?

Harry Mudd

New Head-Fier
Pros: Sound can be excellent, depending on the source. Price is the best value to be found.
Cons: Fit and seal can be difficult. Cord is kind of strange, looks GREAT but is actually kind of stiff and kinky. Needs a neck slider.
I bought these cheap 'phones because of all the hype I saw on Head-Fi. The hype is so well deserved that I registered to Head-Fi just to add my weight behind these earphones!
I use these on my Sansa Fuze+ player and they sound absolutely excellent! With a good seal, which admittedly is difficult to get, the base can rattle your eyeballs....... NO KIDDING...... I was amazed.
 
My gold standard for "phones is the Koss Porta-Pro, And the various formats using that same drivers. On my Sansa Fuze+ the Porta Pros sound BREATHTAKING.... But I actually prefer the Monoprice over the Porta-Pros. There is an over-all pleasing and satisfying quality to these "phones that is difficult to explain. The sound is different than the Koss, Since the Koss are PERFECT, this would indicate that the Monoprice is inferior. Even so I consistently reach for the Monoprice and am extremely satisfied with the sound.  They are more efficient that the Porta Pros Too.
 
Now to be fair I also own a Sangean DT_400W pocket radio. This is a VERY high quality radio and the sound is WONDERFUL in headphones........ Except these Monoprice 6320s sound harsh and middy with that radio. The sangean's BassBoost switch only adds boominess to the mix. I would love to love the Monoprice on that platform also....... But no, the Porta Pros are the only way to go there.
 
For the $8 you just can't beat these "phones! My Koss cost $35 ON CLOSE OUT SALE, yet the Monoprice are every bit the equal on some platforms such as the Sansa player. The Monoprice will take amplification to the point of pain, in spite of the better efficiency...... I just don't have amp enough to make these drivers clack bottom. I can overdrive the Koss with the same amp.
 
If you don't like these 'phones then you didn't get a good seal..... Or your device just doesn't drive them well. The good reviews are ten to one against the bad ones. Buy some Monoprice, They are excellent. If you don't think so, just save them. Another platform will show them to be the (ugly) little jewels that they are! 
 
UPDATE! -  2/19/16    It's approaching two years since I reviewed the Monoprice 8320 . I am listening to them right now. The cord is all kinked and crinkly, The inside wires are poking through the fabric in tiny loops here and there. They are sporting triple flange MEE Audio tips now, for a quick and reliable seal. Looking rough and sounding WONDERFUL, they are in daily use and still going strong.
 
Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells........... That low organ pedal note just rumbles, a note nonexistent and not reproduced when listening with full size speakers by the way.  Freakishly clean tinkling highs...... Well...... Just like the ringing of bells! Let's not neglect Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon............ The heartbeat, WHUMP-BUMP.....WHUMP-BUMP.....WHUMP-BUMP, gives chills and goose bumps. The clear and pristine voice of the torch singer on The Great Gig In The Sky brings tears and you don't know why. The clinking of coins onto a table so accurate that you instinctively check your pockets for spilling change. Can you tell that I really love these earphones? The best $8 ever spent! Still going strong what, 20 months later? You can't beat that.

Mike46

Head-Fier
Pros: better than the average iem that i got with my Cowon D20 and C2
Cons: For the price none reallly
Bought these just to see if the hype was justified, and yeah I think it is...

vjcritic

New Head-Fier
Pros: Great sound quality, price, tight bass
Cons: none
Exceptional sound quality, tight bass, engaging highs and is a nice all rounder. Also found that a headphone amp (FiiO E10 in my case) makes this little guy shine. Great value is what I expect from Monoprice and that is exactly what I got. Lacks extension both in highs and lows but can't really complain for the price.

julian67

500+ Head-Fier
Pros: None.
Cons: Sound irredeemably awful with voices and natural tones. Left vs. Right drivers very unbalanced.
Purchase and Receipt:

My Shure SE215 were stolen last week and I wanted a very cheap temporary replacement with over the ear cable routing. I have seen the hype and the hand waving and smelled the BS, but also noticed some reasonable people say some reasonable things about these so thought they would be worth a try.

I bought these on Amazon UK from the Monoprice UK marketplace seller (fulfilled by Amazon). They cost £5.31 which at the moment is US $8.23. Delivery was free.

They arrived boxed, with medium size tips attached and a small packet containing one pair each of small and large silicone tips. The model number is MEP-933 and these are the metallic looking style with fabric covered cord.

First Impressions and Fit:

These are big for an In Ear Monitor. The driver is very large for this type of 'phone, so the housing is correspondingly large and the tube which holds the eartip is quite long and unusually angled. The silicone tips sit right on the end.

The cable is fabric covered and routes up and back over the ear. It is shorter than usual for this type of design and at its limit when you take your player out of a trouser pocket or unclip it from a belt or waistband. This is acceptable but not ideal. This is the most tangle prone cable I have encountered. Usually this type of design has a slider on the cable so the cable can be kept snug against the back of the neck. This prevents noise from the cable (often called microphonics) and keeps things tidy and convenient. The Monoprice cable has no such sliding keeper. It doesn't seem important until absent at which point the absence is constantly irritating and inconvenient as the cable slips off the ear and twists and tangles. A zip tie with any excess trimmed does just as well. The cost to a manufacturer of doing this properly could only be in fractions of a penny so the omission looks mean.

I suppose my ears are medium to large because I have no trouble accommodating these IEMs in my ears and they are perfectly comfortable in normal use. They are extremely light. The tips don't go deep into the ear but are sit in the ear canal entrance and should seal it. Despite the size these don't protrude but sit flush inside the shell of the ear. At first glance these might appeal to anyone who likes to fall asleep with earphones in, however the point where the cable exits is designed without regard to the shape of the ear. It does press onto the ear, there is no avoiding it, and over time causes a pressure point.

The product description/name/claim "Noise Isolating" is a bit misleading. Almost any other IEM will offer as much or usually more isolation than these. As well as failing to isolate you from external noise the Monoprices also leak sound - people nearby can hear your music. If you expect the kind of isolation offered by Shure, Klipsch and Etymotic IEMs you will be disappointed. Probably the worst aspect of poor isolation is that to mask external noise you tend to raise the volume to extremely high levels without realising it has become loud enough to damage your hearing. These Monoprices are sensitive enough that they can be driven very loud indeed even with a small player so if you need IEMs for use in a noisy environment then avoid these or risk hearing damage.

Sound Quality:

NOTE: HUGE EDIT!! I've now spent many hours with these and have tried them with a wide variety of music and they fail so badly in important areas that I have had to rewrite this review to reflect this..

To clarify: I have used these with the supplied tips, with Sennheiser tips, and with Comply TX-400 tips. With the Monoprice and Sennheiser tips I have also used them modified with material from foam earplugs. I am perfectly familiar with getting and recognising a good seal. With the Comply tips there is no doubt that the foam tips expanding to fill the ear canal makes a very good seal. The modified silicone tips also work really well. The deficiencies I describe in this review are not related to seal or fit issues. I used the Monoprices with good quality sources: iRiver H140 and H340 and a Sansa Fuze+ (all Rockboxed) and also with a Yamaha Home Theatre receiver connected via TOSLINK to my PC. My music files are lossless, flac ripped from CD.

These Monoprice IEMs have severe defects which are especially obvious when listening to unamplified voices or unamplified instruments. These Monoprices are quite tolerable for short periods with amplified music, and especially electronic musc where natural tones are absent but even then the harsh, unconvincing mid highs become intolerable. I was trying to like these but it isn't possible. I played my lossless rip of my CD of "Christopher Gibbons: Motets, Anthems, Fantasias & Voluntaries" and this was the final proof that these IEMs are irredeemably terrible. This is an album of beautiful solo and choral works and consort music, so there are some exceptional singers supported by a small ensemble of players. It is music composed for the acoustic of an English church (a stone chamber with long decays and reverberations) and was recorded brilliantly in such a place. With good or even just modest headphones it sounds fantastic. Unfortunately these Monoprices produce a hideous and ugly sound as they fail to even begin to offer any lifelike reproduction of natural tones. Out of curiosity I found my iRiver ear buds from about 8 years ago that were supplied with my 2005 model iRiver H340. In 2005 these were low end Sennheiser buds rebranded for iRiver player, real throwaway stuff. They sound way better than the Monoprices! My even more ancient Sennheiser MX-5 buds (good quality buds from the 1990s) were better again. My 2009 Sennheiser CX 95 IEMs sound utterly fabulous in comparison with these Monoprices on this kind of material. Next to the Monoprices my Koss KSC75 seem like they arrived from heaven carried by a unicorn and sprinkled with magic pixie dust. I am sorry to say it but unless you only ever listen to artificial and over produced sounds that are all bass and top end then these Monoprices don't belong in your ears but in the trash, they are that bad. They are easily outperformed by disposable OEM earbuds from decades past, the kind of things people throw out, and so massively outperformed by very modest modern IEMs and portable headphones that any money spent on them is money wasted.

These earphones are horrible, hideous and not worth even their tiny price.

Monoprice 8320? Bleeeuuurggh.

edit: I had another session with these, taking some time with parametric eq to see if/how they could be made usable. It is possible to tame the huge spike at 3000 Hz and to introduce a little warmth at the bottom end but eq only corrects frequency response, it can't help with ringing, distortion, imbalance and other issues and these still sound like ess aich eye tee even with a seemingly quite balanced tone. And it gets worse: what became apparent with attentive listening is that the left and right drivers are seriously unbalanced, one being obviously much louder than the other! These things have not a single positive attribute and the people hyping them (the same few who regularly hype mediocre and poor products) ought to be embarrassed, and a lot quieter too. My advice is to look at the people who started the hype on these, look at the other stuff they relentlessly hype (usually just ordinary or below average even for budget gear), remember their names and in future ignore everything they say.
chrisers
chrisers
I have the 9927 version, and they sound fantastic!!!
Hinoz
Hinoz
Hello... I think that julian67 is free to write whatever he likes if it's his own opinion about the IEM. BUT , there is a difference between saying your opinion about what you hear and writing false things as if they are facts... Like for example saying that the left and right drivers in Monoprice 8320 are imbalanced!!!!! That's totally wrong from hardware point of view... What you say means that either you received a defective pair or you have a problem in your own ears!!!!!! Also, you don't have the right to offend other people who like the Monoprice 8320 and initiate the hype about it, saying that they are used to promoting low end products because that's another false thing that you state as if it's true. I like the 8320 and was astonished when i heard that sound coming from such cheap earphones while i already possess : RHA ma750i, Sony xb90ex, Brainwavz S5, Brainwavz S0, Brainwavz M5 & soundmagic e10s. 
waynes world
waynes world
Hey Hinoz, I appreciate your passion - especially for a review that hasn't had a comment in it for 19 months! Anyway, I hope that julian67 comes back and replies, because him and I have an understanding, and it would be good to see him post again (it's been quite a while since he has).
 
Btw, if you are into completely ridiculously good quality for the price ratio, then check out the $5 VE Monk earbuds. Even if you think that you hate earbuds, just get them lol:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/venture-electronics-ve-monk
http://www.head-fi.org/t/783669/venture-electronics-ve-monk-a-5-earbud-that-seriously-deserves-a-place-here

Taharqa

New Head-Fier
Pros: Great sound, clarity and price of item
Cons: Tangle prone cord
I read reviews on this and I said let me try this out, for $10 I couldn't lose. This surpassed all of expectations for a $10 IEM.
beerchug.gif

I am going to purchase a set for my wife, she was also blown away by the sound.

elpsycongroo

New Head-Fier
Pros: Decent SQ for price, fairly nice cord
Cons: Build quality, huge clunky body, very harsh sound
I got these for ~$10 online. I must say the first thing I noticed was the shoddy build quality. However, considering the asking price and the decent sound quality, this is really nitpicking. The cable is actually decent enough, especially for the price, being a braided sort of fabric. 

On to sound quality! These things sound incredible compared to stock earbuds.
The bass is very present and strong, punchy even, but feels cold and kind of harsh in places. Sub-bass is very good for a headphone in this price range, as long as the seal is perfect.
The mids feel recessed, almost drowned out by the bass in some songs. 
Highs are fairly detailed but sound tinny and harsh, which is a turn-off for me. Jazz sounds absolutely terrible on these.
There was barely any improvement over 50 hours of burn in.
 
The sound stage is about as flat as a piece of paper. On more aggressive, bass-oriented songs,
the bass completely covers much of the mids. Even though the bass is so strong, it sounds thin and far too harsh.
There is barely any instrument separation.
 
Build quality on these is the worst out of anything I have ever seen. On my pair the filter screen above the drivers fell off after about a week. 
However, I guess they had to make up the price of the drivers somehow.
Overall, not the greatest. My $30 set of JVC HA-S600 full-size cans completely destroys these in every possible way, as do many pairs of cheap ~$15 IEMs I've owned.
 
Seriously, if you're thinking of spending the ten bucks, why not spend another 5 and actually get something halfway decent sounding? There are plenty of other options,
and I feel as though this set of IEMs has been severely over-hyped. 
takato14
takato14
It's still a 32 ohm voice coil. Impedance is impedance, whether it's a cheap IEM or not. While 32 ohms doesn't need an amp, it most certainly benefits from one.
Take it from someone who owns them and has actually tried them out of good equipment.
hchanrn
hchanrn
I bought a set of these a couple months ago and went through the burn in process. Around 50 hours or so. Ended up putting them away since they didn't really impress me too much. I figure..ehh...just $10. So had the itch to buy another set of IEM...ended up ordering a set of vsonic gr07 mkII. So for the heck of it I figure pull out the cheapy monoprice 8320 and give it another chance. In my research of the vsonic's there was mention of 200 hr burn in to get the best sound from them. Hmm...so may be I could try something similar on the 8320. So I plugged them and beat them into submission for another 24hrs. To my surprise something seems to be happening. Little better sound stage....mid-high separating. Amping also seems to make a difference. Going to give it the 1 week burn in(200 hrs) and see what happens. Anyone out there who can speak to what their experience is after a significant burn in?
pyroom
pyroom
The mesh part falls out after about a week and rests against your eardrum. Drove me crazy, and my audiologist refused to take impressions until it was removed. 3 doctors later it still isn't removed :frowning2:

Golila3

Formerly known as MellowBS
Pros: Sounds like Hi-Fi IEM Tight bass, great instrument separation (even for $30-50 IEM) Very Detailed Highs, very fast
Cons: FIT IS HORRIBLE very boring mids
Just want to explain one thing. In my opinion, the reason this IEM is receiving so much praise is it really sound Hi-Fi  It somewhat has lots of elements an audiophile looks for such as speed, positioning, instrumental separation and a punchy but tight bass, thus, making it what we might consider the Cheapest Hi-Fi IEM which, in my opinion, does fit the name of the 8320. 
 
Warning  as far as my experience went, I would suggest you all leave the other monoprice products alone. I ordered 3 other IEM/earbuds and none of them was even able to touch the 8320's shadow, not even the one that was almost double the price of the 8320.
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mechgamer123
mechgamer123
Hmm, I just borrowed them from a friend for a night. I have to agree with you on just about everything you said. Did you ever find any tips that actually fit in your ears and gave you a good seal?
Also, I thought the treble was slightly unimpressive, moreso than the mids. Both are easily fixed though with a small bump at 1k and a slightly larger bump starting at around 8k and going up from there :)
Golila3
Golila3
Nope...No luck on the fit either. The best one for me so far is the Ortofon medium tips.
Regarding the treble.... yeah....I have to say, not so pleasant sounding but still quite detailed.

gm20

New Head-Fier
Pros: Best sounding IEMs under $30
Cons: Could never get a good fit
I could never get the 8320s to fit right.  I put on smaller tips (helped a little), put the cord over my ears, in front of my ears, twisted the bud...my ears just aren't big enough.
 
The 8320s suffer mostly from a bizarre design.  If Monoprice would put the same guts into a standard, straightforward bud I would buy them in an instant.  Soundwise, they are on par with UE SuperFi 4s and MEElectronics M9P, but with larger soundscape.  All of the instruments are very distinctive, even on crappy 192 AAC.  Isolation is poor with the stock tips, better with smaller tips, not great overall.
 
I wanted to like these so much, but I can't stand wearing them.  They're too big for me, the cord is always tickling the back of my ears, and there's something very sharp poking me when I adjust them.  I replaced them with Panasonic RPHJE120Ks which are the most comfortable IEMs I've ever owned, though the sound is much, much thinner.  I wear them 2+ hours a day, so comfort wins out.
Hutnicks
Hutnicks
Try the 8322 model Tacky with the diamond stud, but it does fit the ear and I actually find the sound smoother than the little seashells that fit no ones ear that I have found.

inline79

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: amazing soundstage, mids
Cons: have to plan in advance to wear them
Awkward fitment, but pleasant sound.  Good control of microphonics, even without wearing cord up (only really one way to wear it).  R Ch lost trebel after 10hrs of burn in!
 
2nd pair.  These don't isolate that well, but super wide soundstage, great detail, and suitable amount of bass that extends well into the deep.  Very fun to listen to.

THese are definitely mid centric, maybe even bordering on bright.  Bass, as said before is there, even with a good seal, maintains its backstage presence.  Mids and treble are clear with great detail and that superwide soundstage.  Only the awkward fitment, difficult sealing, and de-emphasis of bass take away from an otherwise great experience.
 

thelostMIDrange

1000+ Head-Fier
Pros: detail and air
Cons: fit
this little acorn has a pretty honest and balanced sound that is musical when used at low volume. The problem for me is the sound tube is too large and uncomfortable. These also need an eq boost in the low mids to fill out the sound and there is a uneven-ness somewhere in the mids that can be distracting.

Spiff0

New Head-Fier
Pros: Detailed highs
Cons: Tiny soundstage, Poor Isolation/fit
These IEMs were a surprise to me, after all the reviews I read I am still not sure if my pair is defective, but so far nothing seems to show that.
 
I was extremely disappointed with the 8320. Highs are detailed without being sibilant but I never use mine due to:
 
-Soundstage is tiny. They sound flat and distant. Sound appeats to come from inside your head, cold and not involving.
-Bass is acceptable but depends on good fit.
-Format is not very good. Over-the-ears are my favorite but their format does not allow for a deep insertions/good isolation, they are not particularly comfortable. Also despite the format, it is easier to let the cable to down instead of over-the-ear.
-Cable is very thin and microphonic.
-Build quality is low, but perhaps acceptable for the cost.
 
Problems 2 and 3 can be mitigated with better tips, probably triflanges. However I could never get past #1. To me they sound as if they are worth indeed no more than $10.
 
Other headphones I own/compare to:
 
IEM: Sony E888, Fischer Audio Eterna, Mylar X3, RE0
Other: Sennheiser HD590, Sony MDR-CD3000, Koss PortaPro.
pro1137
pro1137
The stock tips are dreadful. You'll need to get some better tips for the best sound.
Deviltooth
Deviltooth
I'm agreeing. These things are some of the least comfortable IEMs ever designed. I tried it with 7 or 8 different tips before I decided to just call it money wasted.
elpsycongroo
elpsycongroo
Agreed with your review. Most uncomfortable IEMs ever. Sound ok, though a bit harsh and aggressive to my ears, but they just won't sit right. Ended up giving them away.

aangen

500+ Head-Fier
Pros: So cheap, yet decent sound
Cons: None.
These little things sound really good, even though they cost less than $8. How do they do it? Everyone should try these at this price, I mean why not? Totally useful phones for nearly nothing. You can't go wrong.

lyleyork

New Head-Fier
Pros: Separation of highs, mids, and bass.
Cons: Wire noise
Don't hesitate, just buy these, they are a definite steal for 8 bucks.  I promise you, these headphones will put a smile on your face.  Nice separation of highs, mids, and bass.  It has nice control in high volumes and heavy bass.  Can basically handle any genre you throw at it.....
 
The texture of the wire does not bother me, i think its kinda cool, i think they are a handsome pair of headphones, though i'm more concerned about the sound.
 
More for sitting down still and listening to tunes, not for working out (too much wire noise).

MarkdotT

New Head-Fier
Pros: Top end of the value for money spectrum,
Cons: Poor presentation
I am not a regular headphones/earphones user so what caught my eye originally was the articles in Lifehacker. To see a $9 version of anything compared favourably to $100+ version is something to pay attention to whether the item is earphones or cruet sets.
 
When the shipment arrived I was surprised how small the carton was. I had seen unboxing videos on Youtube and expected something larger for the quantity involved. SO, you can imagine I was a little disappointed to find bulk packed items just in small plastic bags with no packaging at all. Of course, if they had been packed in boxes, the shipping charge would have been higher but I was a little disappointed.
 
I got a pair out, reviewed the videos and photos of how to wear them, and slotted them in.
 
Many people have remarked about the fit with a significant minority saying that just did not fit at all. While some of those may have later found they were wearing them incorrectly, many must genuinely have had problems. My last earphones were Sennheiser and they came with different size tips to get the best fit. A budget item is just that but I know that we will be offering ours with different sized tips (at extra cost) to try and address this issue.
 
So back to my installation process. I have trouble inserting ordinary foam ear protectors but I had no problem with the 8320s which was a pleasant surprise and, though I have not had them long enough to evaluate long term comfort, they felt fine and now my wife has nicked my set to listen to Beethoven while she marks school work.
This must surely come down to the issue of features/value/price. I think the 8320s deliver a great deal more bang for the $ (or punch for the £) then anything I have ever heard of but if they are not for you, there is no much you can do about it.
 
8320s in my ears and I fire up iTunes and take the first thing it offers me... Neil Young ah!!!!!!!!!!
 
Most amazing thing of all? The volume was not LOUD but very adequate and I then realised I had it on the lowest possible setting before mute.
 
Happy listening.
 
 

Huntbald

New Head-Fier
Pros: Cheap, Great, Sounds like it costs 10x more
Cons: None really. Bothers my ear after a while.
WOW! These IEMs are amazing especially for the price! Best IEM I have ever owned! I actually prefer listening to some songs in these than my modded ATH-M50s. I have owned other IEMs preferably JLAB J5 those were crap. I then switched to some that came with my Galaxy S3 and thought those sounded pretty good. Than I told my brother about these and he got some. I heard than and was so amazed that I bought myself and pair (Who wouldn't? There freaking 8 dollars!) I was surprised at the bass in these. Some people may not think the have any but there is just a perfect balance between bass and everything else. The bass is clean and not overwhelming the mids and highs are perfect. Just awesome. :D
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