[JdeFalconr]

Due to oddly-shaped ears only deep insertion IEMs will stay in at all for me. The Etymotic ER2XR has been amazing for me though my chief complaint is it's utterly lacking in depth. A reviewer was quite accurate in describing it as a two-dimensional image of the music.

Can anyone recommend another deep-insertion style IEM that has some good soundstage and depth to it? I noted that the Final Audio Heaven series looks like it could fit the bill but, sadly, they are expensive and not easy to find.

 

[Opalius]

First thing to understand is, that soundstage is a matter of frequency response, meaning that you will be trading in sound accuracy for soundstage.

You could try something else, like a IE300 from Sennheiser, it is very small and light, that with the foam eartips should fit anyone. Soundwise it has a very large soundstage and great imaging - but it is bassy and V-shaped.

My second recommendation would the the Shure Aonic 3. It has a nice bass hump and a "beye peak" that adds some very nice imaging but also sibilance on badly mastered tracks...

So in short, - you can not find a IEM, that sounds just like a etymotic and at the same time has a large soundstage.

Overear headphones have the same problem... HD600, HD650 and so on... Very accurate but small soundstage. HD800s... Stupid big soundstage, but a bit hot on the highs and zero subbass...

Just my two cents.

 

[JdeFalconr]

Hi, thanks for the reply and the recommendations! I can see how my original post may have been unclear. I am looking for deep-insertion IEMs because their physical shape (elongated and thinner in diameter) is the only one that stays in my ears. "Normal" shaped IEMs like the IE300 or Shure Aonic 3 that you mentioned which sit in the outer part of the ear do not fit as my ears are way too big. Believe me, I've tried a considerable number with a ton of different eartips.

I mentioned the Etys because of their physical shape and as an example of one of the few IEMs that do fit me. I don't require something that sounds like them and I only brought up their sound to describe my desire for depth.

 

[Opalius]

Ah.. well then I have some good news and bad news

Bad news first: there ain't other items that go as deep as etys...

Good news: just get some "iem costum tips", they can be made to fit any universal iem and can be made to go deep, so they have something to hold on to inside they ear. - problem solved

You can even diy costum tips if you want, bug getting a correct mold past the second bend inside the ear can be a pain.

Try looking up Google - there you'll get a better idea at what I'm getting at.

 

[JdeFalconr]

Thanks! I'm familiar with custom tips, I just hadn't yet pursued them for budgetary reasons. From what I've found it's about $150+ for the molds and tips. If I'm going to spend that much on custom tips then I figure I need to be spending a proportionate amount on an IEM for them... no sense in getting custom tips that are several times the cost of the IEMs themselves. In my mind that's minimum $300 (tips equal in cost to the IEMs) and that's well outside my budget at the moment, sadly.

Based on what we're talking about I think I'm just going to deal with the Etys. They certainly don't sound bad by any stretch, just flat.

Thanks for all the information and help, though! I do appreciate you taking the time to help me along here.

 

[earmonger]

A lot of Final Audio models are bullet shaped if you want to try them. I haven't heard them.

If you want to do an inexpensive experiment, you might also try the Sony MH750, which are so tiny and stubby that they are easy to insert deeply (either with the included Sony tips or aftermarket foams).

They are widely counterfeited. I got mine (genuine) from spassear:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/352537526219

Other Head-Fi people have said this seller is also legit.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/304069747002?var=603209045217

 

[harry501501]

Final e3000, but only if you have a source powerful enough to drive it. The Final E series tips are also good at staying secure in ear