[vcjha]

I don't know why, but in the last two years, getting the top headphones in the world has become my new obsession.  It all started five years ago when I thought the sony ex71lp were the best I could get.  Then, they came out with ones that had a clip, and finally they ones where the earbud was placed a 45 degree angle.  This was all within three years.  My fourth year I found out about ultimate ear monitors and thought those were the ones to look out for.  Then I came across JH audio, and I thought my search was over with the jh16 pro.  But then I found out about more brands just a week ago, when I first started roaming around this forum, and found out about westone, ear sonics, and so forth.
 
I've searched around the forums and it seems the JH audio line is the best, but it seems people are holding back on their answers.  Some say it's because they have the best customer service, some say it leaves some full-size headphones in the dust.  But I'm asking right now: what are the best IEM bar none? the ones that blow every single other headphone(even all full-size headphones away if possible), if money is of no concern, even $10,000 is nothing.  But quality of sound is everything, where you can hear every single detail in fullest and most accurate clarity possible?  I don't want a, "you can't go wrong with....."  I want to hear a, "The.....are the best money can buy for quality sound, build, etc.  Everything else doesn't begin to compare." sort of answer.

 

[Meluq]

for $10,000 , i would hire my own orchestra 

 

[Photofan1986]

 
Quote:

what are the best IEM bar none?

There is no such thing.

 
Quote:

 I don't want a, "you can't go wrong with....."  I want to hear a, "The.....are the best money can buy for quality sound, build, etc.  Everything else doesn't begin to compare." sort of answer.

LOL. Technically, top-end customs are probably the best out there (JH13/JH16, ES5, EM3-pro, UE18...) but the differences that exist between those models are left to a personal appreciation. One could like the sound from the JH13 more than the JH16 for example. Audio is subjective. Not completely subjective (I bet no one would prefer iBuds to JH16) but once a certain level of quality has been reached, it really comes down to personal preferences. The best is the one you like the most. You want THE best and don't care to spend (very) much? Then buy every single high end custom and only keep the one you find the best, for you.

 

[mcnoiserdc]

I would say, if money is no problem for you buy all those high end, and give away what you dont like

 

[Caldoran]

Ask Patrick82...

 

[mvw2]

Best: depends.
 
The hardest part of this hobby is not making a good product.  The hardest part is making a range of products to fit everyone's personal preferences.  There lies the trick.  You as a person has a personal preference in sound, an "ideal" that is not real in a raw sense but real in your perception, your perfect that isn't really perfect.  The goal for you is to find that product that best fits your skewed sense of perfection.  That's the challenge.  The problem is this quite literally requires you to buy everything out there, try them, and then keep the best.  Versus what others say, you may be surprised what you keep versus what you get rid of.  Much will go against what you've read because everyone else's preferences and sense of perfection are skewed different from your own.  That's exactly why there's a thousand different products out there for you to choose from.  Best for person A is not best for person B or C.  That's the challenge with the type of question you ask.
 
Do I have an answer for you?  No.
 
Do I have a suggestions?  Yes.
 
Try everything.  If money is not an issue, start buying everything you're interested in.  Try them.  Compare them.  Sell what doesn't suit you, keep what does.  Try more.  Compare, sell, keep.  Repeat for a couple years.  Eventually you will have a small collection of favorites, the few products that really fit you best, the product that offer what you want and sound best to you.  You will likely have a few because no one product tends to do everything.  Certain aspects of each will be better than the others, but none of them are all that far off.  You may end up keeping just one.  You may end up keeping a few.  The inability to be 100% of your perfect keeps the search going.  You will never really find that 100% perfect product, but you will find some products you really like, and I suggest holding onto those.  Keep trying new things.  Eventually one product here or there may replace one of the keepers you had, but really new products come out all the time, the next latest and greatest thing.  Some are really good and worth a look, some not so much.

 

[pigenio]

Quote:

for $10,000 , i would hire my own orchestra 

lol

 

[AudioDwebe]

If you'd continued your search a bit, you'd come to realize that there is no such thing as "The Best" of anything 'round here, be it cans, IEMs or amps.  No such thing exists.
 
It's all a matter of personal preference and system synergy plays a huge role on what is liked/disliked.  Also, the musical genres you listen to. 
 
Your question is much like this one:  Who makes the best hamburger in the US, price be damned?!  You'd get a crapload of different answers.
 
Be prepared for a crapload of different answers here.
 

 

[imackler]

If I were you and had a thousand, I'd buy the Ultimate Ears In-ear reference monitor. And then I'd only come back to head-fi.org when they wore out.

 

[Yikes]

Koss KSC-75. Silly ass question, it's subjective. Might as well ask what's the best color.

 

[BobSaysHi]

Quote:

Koss KSC-75. Silly ass question, it's subjective. Might as well ask what's the best color.

 
That would be red, and if you like a different color, you're wrong.

 

[s2odin]

Quote:

Quote:

Koss KSC-75. Silly ass question, it's subjective. Might as well ask what's the best color.

 
That would be red, and if you like a different color, you're wrong.

What if someone likes brick red as opposed to fire engine red?
 

 

[JosephKim]

what a dumb question.

 

[BobSaysHi]

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Koss KSC-75. Silly ass question, it's subjective. Might as well ask what's the best color.

 
That would be red, and if you like a different color, you're wrong.

What if someone likes brick red as opposed to fire engine red?
 

That very question keeps me up at night.

 

[swbf2cheater]

ive had really expensive sets that i didnt enjoy, and a $30 sets that were pretty awesome and made me happy.