Best first IEM under 3k

[awesomenatorrad]

I am trying to get into the world of IEM from headphones and I primarily listen to large classical music that has thunderous drums to intimate female vocal music, my preference would be a tonality that is mid focused like a susvara or utopia. I was thinking of either a elysian diva 2023, used annihilator 2023 or a used oriolus model like the trailliii and monachaaa.

 

[dunring]

I'd recommend starting with the Sennheiser IE600 as the vocals and acoustics are so good. Also the imaging for instrument placement is fantastic. I never wanted to EQ them, so good for everything out of the box. The law of diminishing returns gets pretty brutal over $500. The small form factor makes them comfort kings on long sessions, you don't even know you're wearing them. After that I prioritize a silent noise floor for IEMs with a Topping L30 II (most quiet amplifier at any price) on an optical USB cable into a powered hub, drawing power from a true sine wave power backup for an inky black noise floor.

 

[o0genesis0o]

I am trying to get into the world of IEM from headphones and I primarily listen to large classical music that has thunderous drums to intimate female vocal music

You are describing Annihilator 2023

 

[awesomenatorrad]

You are describing Annihilator 2023

That’s the one to get then, thanks

 

[madi]

AKG N5005? maybe the best IEM under 200

 

[vaporsynthwave]

That’s the one to get then, thanks

straight to the top, I like it. Although you're already there on the headphone side. It's one of the best, but I highly recommend a demo if possible to feel out the fit. I know ears are entirely unique but it's one of the <5 iems that gave my fairly large ears some discomfort.

 

[awesomenatorrad]

straight to the top, I like it. Although you're already there on the headphone side. It's one of the best, but I highly recommend a demo if possible to feel out the fit. I know ears are entirely unique but it's one of the <5 iems that gave my fairly large ears some discomfort.

That’s the thing, I have no iem shop so I have to just buy them and if it is too big, I will have to sell them or return them. The only iem I have ever used is the audeze isine and it was so painful that I sold it within an hour.