So I bought the Sony MDR-EX1000 from another user here based on
@crinacle 's ratings (which I mostly agree with).
The imaging, staging, detail and soundstage of this IEM is ridiculously good. The only IEM I've listened to that has similar levels of detail and presentation are Zeus XIV and ER4SR but the ER4SR does not have the same level of imaging and extension, especially in the bass as the EX1000 and the Zeus XIV does not have the same bass texture and naturalness or realism in vocals. The EX1000 just sounds so vivid. It does a great job of presenting and portraying an image of where the singer(s) and instruments are spatially located and their boundaries and relative distance and also providing a very clear and detailed image. The music also has a nice natural and life-like texture to the sound and doesn't sound boring or clinical.
I'm currently using: TIDAL offline + Spiral Dots + EX1000 + 3.5mm stock cable + Cayin N5ii (medium gain). I find the earphone very unforgiving and very sensitive to the quality of the recording. The better the song is recorded, the better the song sounds and the opposite is also true in a very noticeable manner.
However, this is definitely not a warm or easy going IEM. It's a bit fatiguing because amount and depth of information being relayed. Comfort is surprisingly good considering how scary the cable + hooks look. I suspect it's because of the single dynamic driver and light weight of the shell. Isolation is very poor. It's definitely for home or office listening and it would be terrible on the subway.
This one is a keeper for me!