[Carpet]

So, I'm trying to drag a friend into the IEM rabbit hole, and I'm just curious what's everyone's take on the most technical (detail/separation/imaging) IEM at around $300-350 currently? (no tuning or library preferences). Still Blessing 2 Dusk?

Seriously consider buying a couple of $20 IEMs to find out what signatures he/she prefers. Alternatively loan them a couple of sets. Then once they have listened to their own music, they may want different sets for different genres or find that they prefer one more versatile tuning. Detail, seperation and imaging tend to be better on brighter IEMs but if that type of tuning doesn't sit well with them, it may be a poor choice. Even better, being able to try something in person lets them find out if fit is an issue. As I recall B2 Dusk has a larger nozzle and shell that could cause fit issues for some people. Half the fun is figuring out what you like after experimenting. Douglas Adams summed it up with the philosophers response to Deep Thought "What's the point of arguing the existance or non-existance of God? If this machine just gives you his phone number in the morning!"

Edit: Wu Zetian is pretty solid for a versatile set. Planars do well at all of your requirements and this one shines for it's tuning.
Truthear HEXA is a new release that is similar tuning to B2 . You could buy both and still be well under your budget

 

[AmericanSpirit]

Thank you for the detailed response! I heard the timeless before and it does have pretty good detail. By your description I think the Dusk (or Truthear Hexa) and Tea2 will probably be the recommendation so far

Yea but note tea is not analytical IEM, it’s mid specialist, thus although Tea has a good size of fans, many famous IEM reviewers rated Tea as not so good IEM. It depends on if reviewer values how Mid-and upper bass range, especially male voice related range the most or not. Mean while Dusk is the opposite, it degrage male voice range, and boost female voice range.
Tea handles male voice, like the mongolian traditional Khoomi: 1:15~ Of this song

Or
Tibetan Monk choir

Very well.

Dusk can not hit right tone for those genres.

 

[r31ya]

Yea but note tea is not analytical IEM, it’s mid specialist, thus although Tea has a good size of fans, many famous IEM reviewers rated Tea as not so good IEM. It depends on if reviewer values how Mid-and upper bass range, especially male voice related range the most or not. Mean while Dusk is the opposite, it degrage male voice range, and boost female voice range.
Tea handles male voice, like the mongolian traditional Khoomi: 1:15~ Of this song

Or
Tibetan Monk choir

Very well.

Dusk can not hit right tone for those genres.

out of curiousity, hows Hexa (or blessing 2) going to handle this song?


i need to slightly mod my Aria to sound a bit better on this song (removing metal filter and micropore tape on one of the vents)

 

[AmericanSpirit]

out of curiousity, hows Hexa (or blessing 2) going to handle this song?


i need to slightly mod my Aria to sound a bit better on this song (removing metal filter and micropore tape on one of the vents)

Haha I’ll try it tomorrow. But HEXA will take 2-3weeks to be delivered…it’s still on ship. Yea, you are right! Aria OG needs to have that metal hex filter to be removed in order to have mid-range congestion problem solved. Moondrop had to use that filter to fit Aria to their VDSF curve with a slight cost of mid range clarity.

I was listening to GK10, and it sounded very amusing! Nice to know that band! Added to my fav. It somehow reminds me of Rammstein’s Du hust part

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Initial impressions of BQEYZ Winter:
● neutral sounding.
● has good subbass rumble and equally textured midbass.
● well-textured midrange
● Smooth, clean treble.
● all elements (instruments and vocals) are well-separated and has a distinct cues of each layer
● above-average to wide soundstage (Autumn is a bit more spacious)

tx mate for precise and concise first impressions....im too excited about these, need to calm down...first thing i will do here is to compare the to UM MEXT...
wide soundstage and great imaging sure are BIG plus to me....do you feel you need to fit them in peculiar way to get proper bone conduction transmission (mext is bit capricious about this)?

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

The modular distal cable plugs I think they function as impedance adapters, so they theoretically should bring changes to the sound.



You getting the DT200?

I think the DT200 has excellent timbre for a pure BA set. Very non fatiguing and smooth warm neutral tonality. Fit and isolation and accessories top notch too.

Just that the DT200 is weak in technicalities - soundstage, micro-detailing, instrument separation, transients all were quite poor for a $100ish multi driver set. Many other competitors at the same price kill it for technicalities. So just my 2 cents, for a $20ish IEM like BLON BL-03, you can accept poor technicalities for excellent timbre/tonality. But at $100ish, I think you can't be a one-trick pony, consumers deserve at least average to above average scores in all departments.

yes your right, hum wait a sec will copy paste hum

this:
''
We have observed that the frequency response curves of the 3 plugs tested by some people are almost the same before 8khz, and the curves start to differ after 8khz. According to the conventional test method, this test curve is no problem and is reasonable. We guess that this is a frequency response test instrument with an internal resistance close to 0 ohms or a very small internal resistance.

You should also be curious, it stands to reason that the curve change after 9 khz will have little change in the sense of hearing. But why is the difference in the sense of hearing of the three plugs more obvious than the difference in the curve?

This is because the internal resistance of the actual player device (front-end device) will not be 0 ohms. At least a certain resistance value exists. The interchangeable tuning plug is a very interesting new technical means. The traditional frequency response test method has not considered this kind of plug. In order to truly distinguish the curve differences of the three heads in the frequency response test session, simulate the real hearing changes under the three heads. We specially changed the test environment and test methods for EN1000 [including other headphone models with interchangeable tuning plugs], and deliberately added an additional resistance to simulate the internal resistance of the player device. We call it [distribution resistance]. This resistance does not exist on the circuit of the plug. Instead, it is connected in series with the audio terminal (3.5mm) of the plug, and then connected to the test instrument. Without this resistor, the test results are similar to yours. In the presence of this resistance, the amplitude of the variation difference of the three plugs will be more obvious, and the sensitivity will change. After overlapping the three curves at the 1khz position, you will find that after the curve is at 5khz, the trend begins to have a significant difference in decline. This can also explain why there are obvious differences in the sense of hearing under the three plugs.
''
this work very weel and its not like a 75ohm adapter...dynamic is still hefty wtv plug used. i would like to know your impressions of these EN1000, they grow on me for real...im a sucker for big soundstage.
oh, well, i was thinking buying them....but now im unsure....was just curious to know how DT200 compare to Hisenior T2 in fact. which have great technicalities....so, now im a bit confuse and think i will not buy them lol

 

[nraymond]

So, I'm trying to drag a friend into the IEM rabbit hole, and I'm just curious what's everyone's take on the most technical (detail/separation/imaging) IEM at around $300-350 currently? (no tuning or library preferences). Still Blessing 2 Dusk?

While I haven't heard it, the AKG N5005 is on sale direct from AKG for $200 right now, and it reviewed well at its retail price of $1000:

https://www.harmanaudio.com/akg/AKGN5005BLK.html

 

[Lobarkaine]

Haha I’ll try it tomorrow. But HEXA will take 2-3weeks to be delivered…it’s still on ship. Yea, you are right! Aria OG needs to have that metal hex filter to be removed in order to have mid-range congestion problem solved. Moondrop had to use that filter to fit Aria to their VDSF curve with a slight cost of mid range clarity.

I was listening to GK10, and it sounded very amusing! Nice to know that band! Added to my fav. It somehow reminds me of Rammstein’s Du hust part

Very interesting the Aria mod.

I've open my Aria.
In the web I've seen that there are two version, one have the removable nooze with replacing exa filters and mine with the plastic screen under the metal filter.

First I've removed the plastic screen and the sound change effectively as a veil is pull out.
More clear and open reproduction, details come out as the subbass extension, more punchy, but it needs a tips rolling to find the right one.

But I wasen't completely satisfy, so I've try to put a 300 mesh sponge in the nooze and the whole sound become an hint more warm and full and udibly more punchy, without loose cleariness and details.

This is my final setup.

Thank's

I've seen the EA1 has a similar plastic screen in the nooze, has anyone try to remove it?

 

[Zerstorer_GOhren]

tx mate for precise and concise first impressions....im too excited about these, need to calm down...first thing i will do here is to compare the to UM MEXT...
wide soundstage and great imaging sure are BIG plus to me....do you feel you need to fit them in peculiar way to get proper bone conduction transmission (mext is bit capricious about this)?

Bone conduction somewhat works with the newer included tips in Winter. It does give you some BC reverb.

 

[JAYAUDIO88]

Thank you guys for all the helpful replies I’ll most likely push him towards the Hexa and Wuzitian then

 

[4ceratops]

Very interesting the Aria mod.

I've open my Aria.
In the web I've seen that there are two version, one have the removable nooze with replacing exa filters and mine with the plastic screen under the metal filter.

First I've removed the plastic screen and the sound change effectively as a veil is pull out.
More clear and open reproduction, details come out as the subbass extension, more punchy, but it needs a tips rolling to find the right one.

But I wasen't completely satisfy, so I've try to put a 300 mesh sponge in the nooze and the whole sound become an hint more warm and full and udibly more punchy, without loose cleariness and details.

This is my final setup.

Thank's

I've seen the EA1 has a similar plastic screen in the nooze, has anyone try to remove it?

Great news. Could you please post a link or photo of the 300 mesh sponge?

 

[Lobarkaine]

Great news. Could you please post a link or photo of the 300 mesh sponge?

This are the low density sponge I've used.

https://it.aliexpress.com/item/1005..._list.0.0.78a73696oVG8fx&gatewayAdapt=glo2ita

And this is the Ali link.

 

[4ceratops]

This are the low density sponge I've used.

https://it.aliexpress.com/item/1005..._list.0.0.78a73696oVG8fx&gatewayAdapt=glo2ita

And this is the Ali link.

God bless you...

 

[Lobarkaine]

God bless you...

Happy to may help.

I've try the high density sponge too (same link), Aria is always more trasparent then with the plastic filter, the bass are an hint more pronuced, the whole sound is an hint more warm but always open, airy and sparkle.

You may choose by your taste.

 

[Cheesebuggah]

Would like some help choosing between these : CRA, EDX ULTRA and EDA BALANCED.
I liked the Blon 03 and currently using C12. Listen to rock, 80s and some psy trance.
No sibilance please.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

I would check out XerusKun's reviews on the CRA and EDA. I am not sure if they have covered the EDX Ultra. Seriously, their reviews are pretty dense with graphs and also music tests.

Edit: Whoops, I thought I was on the most recent page. Also, welcome back, @AmericanSpirit!