[RvTrav]

Thanks everyone for all your helpful responses so far!
This Kinera BD005.. More bass than the Legend X? My inner bass-head is already directing my fingers to the search bar..
Of course, I appreciate that's a frequency chart and may not tell the whole story, but I'm going to take a look and see what I can find out

The Kinera BD005 has been around for several years and I purchased them back when Hybrids were pretty new to the budget market. I was surprised when someone referred to them as bass-head, I haven't listened to them for awhile but never thought of them that way. I just gave them a listen and I certainly would not class my pair as bass-head, probably shallow V shaped signature. There are a number of resin filled earphones on the market in the $20 price range. The one I purchased is the Nobyn A2, it has big bass, excellent sub bass you can feel, punchy mid bass without alot of bloat. The mids are clear and treble is has some sparkle without being too bright. Just another earphone to check out. I have not heard the Legend X so can't make any comment on how they compare.

 

[DBaldock9]

I'll admit I didn't see the original requirements - but if you're looking for an earphone that's similar in size / shape to the Kinera BD005, and has better low Bass (without the Mid-Bass booming of the Tennmak Pro), check out the ($35) Pizen PianoTrio - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32825090018.html

 

[Layman1]

I'll admit I didn't see the original requirements - but if you're looking for an earphone that's similar in size / shape to the Kinera BD005, and has better low Bass (without the Mid-Bass booming of the Tennmak Pro), check out the ($35) Pizen PianoTrio - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32825090018.html

Oh, hi there!

Ok, again, thanks to those who've given suggestions
Well, the original 'brief' was just me wondering whether there were any budget (or possibly mid-fi) IEMs out there that have 2 DD's and can match the kind of thunderous and impactful bass put out by the EE Legend X or EE Nemesis, ideally with a sound signature that's at least decent to go with it.

For what it's worth, I got loaner units of the Legend X and Nemesis from EE, listened to them both intensely for about 3 weeks, and ended up choosing the Nemesis.
My mission at that time was to find the IEM which could output the most head-shaking bass, and I felt that Nemesis actually was superior to the Legend X in this regard.
It also seemed a bit cleaner around the mid-bass than the Legend X.
However, the Legend X was a significant step up in terms of technical performance.

So for those who haven't heard either of them, they sound full and powerful (without anything excessive) on most songs.
But give them a track where the drums are mastered with some power and impact and it becomes a Whole New World
This was a test track I used with them both; 'Faith & Science' by Marit Larsen:

Just search on YouTube (or your streaming service of choice lol) if that link doesn't work for any reason.
When this song plays, I can feel the drums shaking my skull (in a good way lol) with a kind of ringing impact and depth and power.
I've listened to this track (and others) on CA Solaris, Atlas, 64 Ears N8, Trio, EE Valkyrie and Bravado and various others, and none of them came close in the low end. So I feel it must mainly be down to the twin DD's on each side (plus tuning etc)

Anyway, I'm trying to get some family and friends into the audiophile hobby, and some of them listen mainly to rock, pop and hip-hop (although still have broader tastes than just those), and it got me to thinking.. I'd love to get them a budget IEM that can capture some of the magic of the Nemesis low end.
I'm guessing the reason the Nemesis and Legend X can 'out-wallop' any other IEM I've ever heard with regards to the low-end seems to come down to the fact that they've dedicated TWO dynamic drivers in each side for the low end.

So it got me to wondering whether any budget IEM makers had tried to do the same thing and been able to achieve a similar result?
I'm obviously not expecting a budget IEM to sound as good as a TOTL one, but I was hoping there might be something out there that had a similar low-end, paired with a hopefully decent sound signature?

So apologies if I didn't explain myself well in the first place; hope this makes things more clear

 

[DBaldock9]

Oh, hi there!

Ok, again, thanks to those who've given suggestions
Well, the original 'brief' was just me wondering whether there were any budget (or possibly mid-fi) IEMs out there that have 2 DD's and can match the kind of thunderous and impactful bass put out by the EE Legend X or EE Nemesis, ideally with a sound signature that's at least decent to go with it.

For what it's worth, I got loaner units of the Legend X and Nemesis from EE, listened to them both intensely for about 3 weeks, and ended up choosing the Nemesis.
My mission at that time was to find the IEM which could output the most head-shaking bass, and I felt that Nemesis actually was superior to the Legend X in this regard.
It also seemed a bit cleaner around the mid-bass than the Legend X.
However, the Legend X was a significant step up in terms of technical performance.

So for those who haven't heard either of them, they sound full and powerful (without anything excessive) on most songs.
But give them a track where the drums are mastered with some power and impact and it becomes a Whole New World
This was a test track I used with them both; 'Faith & Science' by Marit Larsen:

Just search on YouTube (or your streaming service of choice lol) if that link doesn't work for any reason.
When this song plays, I can feel the drums shaking my skull (in a good way lol) with a kind of ringing impact and depth and power.
I've listened to this track (and others) on CA Solaris, Atlas, 64 Ears N8, Trio and various others, and none of them came close in the low end.

Anyway, I'm trying to get some family and friends into the audiophile hobby, and some of them listen mainly to rock, pop and hip-hop (although still have broader tastes than just those), and it got me to thinking.. I'd love to get them a budget IEM that can capture some of the magic of the Nemesis low end.
I'm guessing the reason the Nemesis and Legend X can 'out-wallop' any other IEM I've ever heard with regards to the low-end seems to come down to the fact that they've dedicated TWO dynamic drivers in each side for the low end.

So it got me to wondering whether any budget IEM makers had tried to do the same thing and achieve a similar result?
I'm obviously not expecting a budget IEM to sound as good as a TOTL one, but I was hoping there might be something out there that had a similar low-end, paired with a hopefully decent sound signature?

So apologies if I didn't explain myself well in the first place; hope this makes things more clear

When I was looking for some additional low profile earphones, similar to the Tennmak Pro, that were comfortable to wear while sleeping, I came across the Pizen PianoTrio. They were around $10 cheaper then, than they're currently priced - but even at $35, I think they do sound really good. They've got strong low Bass, but without the booming mid-Bass of the Tennmak Pro. Their Midrange isn't as forward as some of my other earphones, but it is clear. The Treble seems detailed, without being peaky. I listen to them every day, since they're my primary "sleeping" earphones (sometimes I use my Tennmak Pro, Rose Aurora, or Audio Sense T100).

 

[Grayson73]

Please elaborate a little. What kind of monitoring? Stage monitoring? If so, what instrument, and how much noise isolation do you need? For mixing/mastering? Probably the most neutral-ish sounding IEM for less than $50 is the Tin T2 (as previously recommended), but the isolation is quite poor.

Stage monitoring. I'm sometimes lead singer, electric guitar player, and bass player. Need pretty good isolation.

 

[RikudouGoku]

Stage monitoring. I'm sometimes lead singer, electric guitar player, and bass player. Need pretty good isolation.

Oh, if you need isolation then my recs are probably bad....

ehm I dont know if there is anything that is close to neutral while also having very good isolation in the lower priced tier.

The Audiosense DT200 at 150 usd would be very good both sound and isolation but the price is quite a bit higher than you wanted.

Etymotic ER2SE/XR should be a very good one too, but unless you are in the US it costs quite a lot more (it costs around 100 usd on amazon.com but over at amazon.de/uk it costs like 200 usd!!!)

 

[Grayson73]

Thanks for everyone's responses for a stage monitor ~$50! My friend got the ZS10 Pro and it was very clear, but the highs sounded artificial. I'd like something more natural and accurate sounding in its tuning. My favorite IEMs are the LZ-A2/A2S and Zero Audio Carbo Tenore, for example. I've currently using the Tenore as my stage monitor.

The last few days, people have recommended all of these. Which one would you recommend based on the above, with decent isolation?

Hisenior B5+
CCA C16
KZ AS10
Tin Hifi T2
Final Audio E1000
MEE Audio M6 Pro G2
ZSX
CCA C12
ThieAudio Legacy 3
KZ BA10
TRN BA5
CVJ CSN

 

[RikudouGoku]

Thanks for everyone's responses for a stage monitor ~$50! My friend got the ZS10 Pro and it was very clear, but the highs sounded artificial. I'd like something more natural and accurate sounding in its tuning. My favorite IEMs are the LZ-A2/A2S and Zero Audio Carbo Tenore, for example. I've currently using the Tenore as my stage monitor.

The last few days, people have recommended all of these. Which one would you recommend based on the above, with decent isolation?

Hisenior B5+
CCA C16
KZ AS10
Tin Hifi T2
Final Audio E1000
MEE Audio M6 Pro G2
ZSX
CCA C12
ThieAudio Legacy 3
KZ BA10
TRN BA5
CVJ CSN

You wont get good isolation with the Tin T2 or Final E1000 since they are bullet style so you can remove them from the candidate list.

I do not know the others because I dont have them but I think that the closest to neutral might be the Hisenior B5+. Or maybe the TRN BA5.

IF you can go higher then I recommend the Audiosense DT200, you get a very good natural and close to neutral (little bass boosted but that might be helpful in a noisy environment) and also one of the best isolating iems out there.

 

[zenki]

Hibiscus ~$40

 

[baskingshark]

Thanks for everyone's responses for a stage monitor ~$50! My friend got the ZS10 Pro and it was very clear, but the highs sounded artificial. I'd like something more natural and accurate sounding in its tuning. My favorite IEMs are the LZ-A2/A2S and Zero Audio Carbo Tenore, for example. I've currently using the Tenore as my stage monitor.

The last few days, people have recommended all of these. Which one would you recommend based on the above, with decent isolation?

Hisenior B5+
CCA C16
KZ AS10
Tin Hifi T2
Final Audio E1000
MEE Audio M6 Pro G2
ZSX
CCA C12
ThieAudio Legacy 3
KZ BA10
TRN BA5
CVJ CSN

For using CHIFI for stage monitoring, my priority in an IEM is:
1) Isolation is the first priority in stage monitoring - to protect hearing health and also to hear the music better and play the music at the softest possible volume. So what this means is, in general strike out single DD sets (which are usually vented) or open backed sets as they will let in noise. In general multi BA sets which are usually unvented will do the best job at isolation.
2) Which brings us to the second priority, of technical performance eg clarity, details, imaging, instrument separation. In general at the budget segment, multi BA/hybrids also do a better job at these areas than single DD sets.
3) The third priority is to have something neutralish in sound signature. If u have EQ on the fly or have soundmen assisting you, then no biggie buying some V shaped sets like the KZs and u can EQ the bass and treble downwards to get something more balanced.
4) My 4th priority is comfort for long term use on stage. I find the smaller bean shaped type shells like in Shure and Westone give the best comfort. The lower audiosense models (other than the flagship T800) all have similar bean shapes or very comfortable resin shells.

I get what you mean about the KZ ZS10 Pro having an artificial timbre in the treble frequencies, but I'll close one eye on timbre for stage monitoring as that is not the most important priority. Perhaps unless u are using the stage monitor for some acoustic guitar or classical performance.

Quite a number of my band mates use the KZ ZS10 Pro (which is V shaped) with EQ. It is very cheap at $30ish USD with good technical performance. Isolation is also about 20 - 25 dB depending on tips used.

Though personally, for your budget, I think one of the Audiosense T180, T260, T300 sets would fufill the above 4 criteria easily for good price to performance ratio. Hisenior B5+ is a bit pricier but is midcentric, with a subbass and higher treble roll off, though it has good isolation and also above average technical performance. YMMV.

 

[jibberish]

I'd hesitate to recommend the TRN BA5 as a stage monitor due to its tendency to temporarily malfunction when exposed to moisture. I think it would be a good budget candidate based on its tuning and technical ability, but you could get stranded on stage with something useless.

 

[IEMusic]

Thanks for everyone's responses for a stage monitor ~$50! My friend got the ZS10 Pro and it was very clear, but the highs sounded artificial. I'd like something more natural and accurate sounding in its tuning. My favorite IEMs are the LZ-A2/A2S and Zero Audio Carbo Tenore, for example. I've currently using the Tenore as my stage monitor.

The last few days, people have recommended all of these. Which one would you recommend based on the above, with decent isolation?

Hisenior B5+
CCA C16
KZ AS10
Tin Hifi T2
Final Audio E1000
MEE Audio M6 Pro G2
ZSX
CCA C12
ThieAudio Legacy 3
KZ BA10
TRN BA5
CVJ CSN

The Legacy 3 can give almost CIEM levels of isolation with foam tips, that one can insert quite deep, but it‘s a different price bracket.

I also think you would probably be best served by one of the KZ or CCA IEMs with foam tips. The hybrid ones do let in sound due to being vented, but the nozzles are quite long, and you can insert foam tips pretty deep, for good isolation. Probably the best would be one of the all BA units. baskingshark is correct, I wouldn’t worry about timbre/artificial sounding highs for a stage monitor. The other criteria he listed are far more important.

 

[Grayson73]

For using CHIFI for stage monitoring, my priority in an IEM is:
1) Isolation is the first priority in stage monitoring - to protect hearing health and also to hear the music better and play the music at the softest possible volume. So what this means is, in general strike out single DD sets (which are usually vented) or open backed sets as they will let in noise. In general multi BA sets which are usually unvented will do the best job at isolation.
2) Which brings us to the second priority, of technical performance eg clarity, details, imaging, isolation. In general at the budget segment, multi BA/hybrids also do a better job at these areas than single DD sets.
3) The third priority is to have something neutralish in sound signature. If u have EQ on the fly or have soundmen assisting you, then no biggie buying some V shaped sets like the KZs and u can EQ the bass and treble downwards to get something more balanced.
4) My 4th priority is comfort for long term use on stage. I find the smaller bean shaped type shells like in Shure and Westone give the best comfort. The lower audiosense models (other than the flagship T800) all have similar bean shapes or very comfortable resin shells.

I get what you mean about the KZ ZS10 Pro having an artificial timbre in the treble frequencies, but I'll close one eye on timbre for stage monitoring as that is not the most important priority. Perhaps unless u are using the stage monitor for some acoustic guitar or classical performance.

Quite a number of my band mates use the KZ ZS10 Pro (which is V shaped) with EQ. It is very cheap at $30ish USD with good technical performance. Isolation is also about 20 - 25 dB depending on tips used.

Though personally, for your budget, I think one of the Audiosense T180, T260, T300 sets would fufill the above 4 criteria easily for good price to performance ratio. Hisenior B5+ is a bit pricier but is midcentric, with a subbass and higher treble roll off, though it has good isolation and also above average technical performance. YMMV.

Thanks for the detailed response! So you'd recommend the Audiosense T180 over the KZ ZS10 Pro? I see the T180 for $36 on Amazon. Where is the ZS10 Pro for $30ish?

Also, any comments on the KZ ZSX or CCA C12?

 

[RikudouGoku]

Thanks for the detailed response! So you'd recommend the Audiosense T180 over the KZ ZS10 Pro? I see the T180 for $36 on Amazon. Where is the ZS10 Pro for $30ish?

on aliexpress.

If you are buying from aliexpress, wait until next week for the mid-year sale.

 

[IEMusic]

Thanks for the detailed response! So you'd recommend the Audiosense T180 over the KZ ZS10 Pro? I see the T180 for $36 on Amazon. Where is the ZS10 Pro for $30ish?

Also, any comments on the KZ ZSX or CCA C12?

I think the ZSX sounds a little better than the ZS10 Pro. The treble isn’t quite as bright, and the overall balance is better, but it is still v-shaped. The fit is a consideration though. The ZSX is bigger than the ZS10 Pro.