[zachmal]

Is it just me or...

what are IEMs with a really big soundstage around that price point, for you, then ?

I find the soundstage of the **** and T2 somewhat big (actually it's not that big, bigger than the usual IEMs like V90, NX7, etc. which have a rather small one)

but I'm yet to listen to really huge, orchestral, concert-hall like in size IEMs

any recommendations around 50 or 80-100 USD ?

 

[citral23]

what are IEMs with a really big soundstage around that price point, for you, then ?

I find the soundstage of the **** and T2 somewhat big (actually it's not that big, bigger than the usual IEMs like V90, NX7, etc. which have a rather small one)

but I'm yet to listen to really huge, orchestral, concert-hall like in size IEMs

any recommendations around 50 or 80-100 USD ?

It's technically very difficult (I prefer not to say impossible, but...) to get a big soundstage without using the clues that our outer ears give us on sound spatiality I think. IEMs excel at detail and isolation, but if one is after portable soundstage, he should go for cans or earbuds imo.

 

[NeonHD]

what are IEMs with a really big soundstage around that price point, for you, then ?

I find the soundstage of the **** and T2 somewhat big (actually it's not that big, bigger than the usual IEMs like V90, NX7, etc. which have a rather small one)

but I'm yet to listen to really huge, orchestral, concert-hall like in size IEMs

any recommendations around 50 or 80-100 USD ?

KZ ED9 has the widest soundstage I've ever heard from any sub-$100 IEM, and they are only $10. I'm going to sound like a broken record, but I cannot recommend these enough. Over the 3½ years I've owned them, I have yet to find a replacement for them.

Revonext QT2 also excels in soundstage. Not as wide and spacious as ED9, but has good depth.

Oh and TRN V20 is another great IEM with a very expansive soundstage, and it costs $15.

 

[Pizzawizard]

I'm looking for recommendations on a sub $100 IEM. My requirements are a neutral profile and also a 2 pin connector (not MMCX). My main pair of headphones that I have been using for years is the Senheiser HD598 and would like a similarish sound profile. I very much dislike headphones with emphasized bass. I tried a pair of Tin T2s and I really liked the sound profile of them, but after returning 2 pairs due to shotty MMCX connections I am completely turned off to any headphone with MMCX. It just seems like a flawed design to me no matter how well it is made.

So basically I am looking for a similar sound to the Tin T2, but with a 2 pin connection. Right now I have my eyes on the Moondrop Starfield, which is the upper end of my price range but I'm willing to stretch a bit. The Moondrops look like they may be more bass heavy than I'm used to, but they are getting great reviews, and I love the look of them, so I am intrigued. I've looked into the TRN V90 and the Blon BL-03 and I believe those look even more bass heavy than the Moondrop starfield, so I don't think I should consider them.

Any ideas?

Following up on this (sorry a bit late). I ended up getting the Starfields and decided to stick with them. They are indeed more bass than I'm used to, but after listening for a while I decided I like them. Even though the bass is more pronounced, the mids are very clear and nice. Sometimes I wish it was a bit better on the treble end. I have found it really shines when listening to electronic music and I prefer the senheisers more for acoustic or folk type music. If anyone has any questions I can try to answer, but I am not exactly an expert.

 

[Nimweth]

what are IEMs with a really big soundstage around that price point, for you, then ?

I find the soundstage of the **** and T2 somewhat big (actually it's not that big, bigger than the usual IEMs like V90, NX7, etc. which have a rather small one)

but I'm yet to listen to really huge, orchestral, concert-hall like in size IEMs

any recommendations around 50 or 80-100 USD ?

Most IEMs with a vented housing possess a good soundstage. Examples are QT2, V2, **** and **** Pro, V90 and my recommendation, the KZ ZS7. I'm running them via balanced out on my Xduoo X20 and the stage is huge. Wonderful bass, sparkly treble and detailed mids.

 

[baskingshark]

what are IEMs with a really big soundstage around that price point, for you, then ?

I find the soundstage of the **** and T2 somewhat big (actually it's not that big, bigger than the usual IEMs like V90, NX7, etc. which have a rather small one)

but I'm yet to listen to really huge, orchestral, concert-hall like in size IEMs

any recommendations around 50 or 80-100 USD ?

If u want "huge, orchestral, concert hall like" soundstage in sub $100 USD IEMs, I think it's very difficult at that price point. I agree with @citral23 that due to the IEM being inside the ear canal, it's difficult to beat similarly priced headphones and earbuds (which lie outside the ear canal) at that price bracket in the area of soundstage.

Well, personally I think imaging is more important in IEMs than actual soundstage width. For example, you can have an IEM with a comparatively wide soundstage but lousy imaging/instrument placement, and for me, it is still technically not as good as a set with a smaller soundstage width but more accurate imaging/instrument placement. But YMMV, music and sound preferences are subjective.

But FWIW, 2 sets at that pricing I've tried that have rather wide soundstages would be the DUNU DM-480 and Jade Audio EA3. I used to think that open backed/vented IEMs at the budget price range usually sacrifice isolation for a better soundstage (eg ****), but these 2 sets surprisingly had superb isolation yet comparatively wide soundstages. In fact the DM-480 is not vented at all (which is not common in a pure dynamic driver setup), but still manages to get good isolation/soundstage, I use it as my daily transit IEM nowadays.

 

[-sandro-]

The Tennmak Pro was one of the first earphones I bought, in the Summer of 2016, after reading recommendations here on Head-Fi.
.
Mine are definitely darker sounding than other earphones I've purchased - they do have a pronounced Mid-Bass hump, a somewhat recessed Midrange, but the Treble is OK (not as detailed as newer, more expensive models).

Don't know why no one mentioned this when I asked months ago. It's been recommended by many people.

 

[DBaldock9]

Don't know why no one mentioned this when I asked months ago. It's been recommended by many people.

The Tennmak Pro is still my most comfortable set of earphones, to wear when sleeping. And, having a darker sound is actually a benefit for sleeping earphones.

 

[-sandro-]

s

The Tennmak Pro is still my most comfortable set of earphones, to wear when sleeping. And, having a darker sound is actually a benefit for sleeping earphones.

Yeah but I'm not sure if I got a "fake" one or it just honestly sounds bad. It's not just about dark sound.

 

[RikudouGoku]

Shozy Form 1.1 review is up: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/shozy-form-1-1.24021/reviews#item-review-23291

 

[Dobrescu George]

Not having the NX7 Pro but the "normal" NX7 with the faaeal Hibiscus litz cable + micropore mod (but prob too thick micropore alternative)

very pleasant sound, highly detailed and nicely punching bass, timbre also feels natural

Woah, happy to hear that the normal NX7 is nice as well!!

I am.. Very nice almost perfect bass (texture, decay, dynamic, depth, punch, tuning, tightness) regarding the price.
Even crin also praise their bass performance.

Very decent set around $100 with nice treble extension that trying to mimick high end Andromeda. But can be tiring for treble sensitive people.

Cable is a big steal. They worth half the price of total package.

Nice review btw!

Thank you for your kind words, and happy they provide a good sonic performance for their money!

 

[EdenSJW]

I have and love my zs6 iems, but I'm always on the lookout for something better.

So what would you call an upgrade?

I would suggest KZ ZS10 PRO for more of a similar sound signature. Tin hifi t2 for the other end of spectrum.

 

[Podster]

I was just cruising (Trolling if you will) the threads today and I'm always compelled to put a little $.02 in this title because I like MB find there are many an awesome sub $100 buds out there even sub $50 if one looks around and reads Outside of the $5 proverbial killers (Monks) I find especially since so many kind of slam Earbuds but Earbuds truly have their rightful place in this hobby and many times at work I prefer a nice Bud (I may even like a nice BUD in other locations as well but I'm getting a little off track here) LOL

Here's some fine buds and especially since they have had the magic touch put on them by the Panda and his awesome cable mods, the Sony Ericsson's with the cloth Rasta cable are excellent with far more bass than one would expect, The black pair with silver inlay strips referred to as the "Dream's" have incredible detail and sound stage while the little wooden "Chestnuts" (Obscure brand to me) can honestly IMPO keep many a bass head happy if given a chance I know they rattle my feeble drums on many an occasion Anyway just had to throw some of my observations out there before moving my "Little Doggie" behind along

 

[mbwilson111]

@Podster love the photo! Those look kind of familiar to me.... I too often prefer a good bud. In fact, at this point when I take into consideration comfort, sound and the fact that I do not actually need isolation, I would say I like buds best, then headphones then iems.

 

[Slater]

I was just cruising (Trolling if you will) the threads today and I'm always compelled to put a little $.02 in this title because I like MB find there are many an awesome sub $100 buds out there even sub $50 if one looks around and reads Outside of the $5 proverbial killers (Monks) I find especially since so many kind of slam Earbuds but Earbuds truly have their rightful place in this hobby and many times at work I prefer a nice Bud (I may even like a nice BUD in other locations as well but I'm getting a little off track here) LOL

Here's some fine buds and especially since they have had the magic touch put on them by the Panda and his awesome cable mods, the Sony Ericsson's with the cloth Rasta cable are excellent with far more bass than one would expect, The black pair with silver inlay strips referred to as the "Dream's" have incredible detail and sound stage while the little wooden "Chestnuts" (Obscure brand to me) can honestly IMPO keep many a bass head happy if given a chance I know they rattle my feeble drums on many an occasion Anyway just had to throw some of my observations out there before moving my "Little Doggie" behind along

@Podster love the photo! Those look kind of familiar to me.... I too often prefer a good bud. In fact, at this point when I take into consideration comfort, sound and the fact that I do not actually need isolation, I would say I like buds best, then headphones then iems.

You two are making it awfully difficult to resist getting into ChiFi earbuds