[furyossa]

On a completely separate and not related at all matter, does anyone else feel ashamed spending so much on IEMs when earbuds deliver so much for so cheap.

Not really. For those who love the music and audio gear, this is not the problem. I agree, buds can sound very good, but there are some models which cost very expensive.
Also, another great advantage of earbuds is that there are a lot of good sounding DIY drivers that can provide a lot at a very reasonable price.

 

[WoodyLuvr]

On a completely separate and not related at all matter, does anyone else feel ashamed spending so much on IEMs when earbuds deliver so much for so cheap.

Yes. Having said that, I find use cases for both. The sheer value that can be had with a good earbud is beyond reach.

Not really. For those who love the music and audio gear, this is not the problem. I agree, buds can sound very good, but there are some models which cost very expensive.
Also, another great advantage of earbuds is that there are a lot of good sounding DIY drivers that can provide a lot at a very reasonable price.

True; there are indeed some rather expensive earbuds models out there and DIY is a very smart avenue to go if you have both the skills and the eyes & hands to do it. DIYing earbuds is also worlds easier than IEMs is most all regards. However, it must be strongly stressed that only a few of these high-tiered earbuds are expensive (relative to other transducer mediums) falling in the $500-700 neighborhood whereas quite a number of high-tiered IEMs are in the mid to high thousands!!! There is nearly no comparison there... even high-tiered full sized headphones are in the low thousands, again no comparison. So really earbuds are the one transducer medium that can offer a lot for your money if you are patient and spend wisely (easier said than done! I am proof! )

Price-Performance Ratio I (excellent value for the money outside of pricey flagships)​

Price-Performance Ratio II (collect multiple sound signatures and impedances for a modest outlay)​

- from Woody's Why Earbuds? post​

​

 

[furyossa]

True; there are indeed some rather expensive earbuds models out there and DIY is a very smart avenue to go if you have both the skills and the eyes & hands to do it. DIYing earbuds is also worlds easier than IEMs is most all regards. However, it must be strongly stressed that only a few of these high-tiered earbuds are expensive (relative to other transducer mediums) falling in the $500-700 neighborhood whereas quite a number of high-tiered IEMs are in the mid to high thousands!!! There is nearly no comparison there... even high-tiered full sized headphones are in the low thousands, again no comparison. So really earbuds are the one transducer medium that can offer a lot for your money if you are patient and spend wisely (easier said than done! I am proof! )

Price-Performance Ratio I (excellent value for the money outside of pricey flagships)​

Price-Performance Ratio II (collect multiple sound signatures and impedances for a modest outlay)​

- from Woody's Why Earbuds? post​

​

Well said Mr W.

 

[Star Ace]

IEMs do have the obvious advantages, in many though definitely not all cases, of good to great isolation, depending on model. In addition to some possible fit issues, that is the one big con of earbuds, so I assume their relatively lack of mass audiophile popularity increases their value per dollar. They are relatively popular in a niche way, but not as hyped as IEMs (or headphones, for that matter.) So IEMs will most likely be more expensive even when the sound may not be as nice or in many cases, not nearly as natural sounding.

(Many IEMs have a specific tonal signature/"headstage" that sounds spacious, if not as open-airy as a great earbud. Still, lots of air can be found. They can have their own sound that is its own beast-for better or worse.)

I do love IEMs in general, as their conveniences cannot be denied. But the good sound of something like the Chaconne is hard to match, so despite their quite high price for earbuds, they really sound very good for those $320.00 when compared to the good or historically well-received headphones.

IEMs can also be more expensive than many good headphones at the mid to "high end" level. Some can be outrageously expensive for what you get. But to each their own money, or lack thereof in my case.

 

[samandhi]

Just received my QianYun Qian39 today. Not jumping to any conclusions but the key take away from me is a solid FR with a very open airy sound.

On a completely separate and not related at all matter, does anyone else feel ashamed spending so much on IEMs when earbuds deliver so much for so cheap.

True; there are indeed some rather expensive earbuds models out there and DIY is a very smart avenue to go if you have both the skills and the eyes & hands to do it. DIYing earbuds is also worlds easier than IEMs is most all regards. However, it must be strongly stressed that only a few of these high-tiered earbuds are expensive (relative to other transducer mediums) falling in the $500-700 neighborhood whereas quite a number of high-tiered IEMs are in the mid to high thousands!!! There is nearly no comparison there... even high-tiered full sized headphones are in the low thousands, again no comparison. So really earbuds are the one transducer medium that can offer a lot for your money if you are patient and spend wisely (easier said than done! I am proof! )

Price-Performance Ratio I (excellent value for the money outside of pricey flagships)​

Price-Performance Ratio II (collect multiple sound signatures and impedances for a modest outlay)​

- from Woody's Why Earbuds? post​

​

I believe that there are some gems in IEMs that cost a fraction of what the top end cost. I don't believe that you need to spend thousands of dollars to get 95% of what the highest dollar product can get you. In comparison they are still more expensive than buds, but if you are a research hound you can come close.

For instance, I have a pair of TinHifi P1 planar IEMs. To my ears these (for about $150) sound as good or better than $1k-2k IEMs. In a blind test I doubt most could pick out the higher dollar phones. Don't get me wrong, I also have a pair of iBasso IT07, and while I don't find them worth $1k overall, I think they are definitely very high end IEMs.

To me, from what I have found, normally the sweet spot for finding these gems is in the $300 range. That is when you start seeing potential "punch in at much higher than their price-tag" type of IEMs.

To your question though, I don't think I would use the word ashamed when buying expensive IEMs compared to just-as-good (or better) buds. More like I feel like I have found a serious treasure when I find a pair of buds that are cheaper and as good or better than IEMs.

 

[FranQL]

True; there are indeed some rather expensive earbuds models out there and DIY is a very smart avenue to go if you have both the skills and the eyes & hands to do it. DIYing earbuds is also worlds easier than IEMs is most all regards. However, it must be strongly stressed that only a few of these high-tiered earbuds are expensive (relative to other transducer mediums) falling in the $500-700 neighborhood whereas quite a number of high-tiered IEMs are in the mid to high thousands!!! There is nearly no comparison there... even high-tiered full sized headphones are in the low thousands, again no comparison. So really earbuds are the one transducer medium that can offer a lot for your money if you are patient and spend wisely (easier said than done! I am proof! )

Price-Performance Ratio I (excellent value for the money outside of pricey flagships)​

Price-Performance Ratio II (collect multiple sound signatures and impedances for a modest outlay)​

- from Woody's Why Earbuds? post​

​

There is no going back, the buds are a treasure, without comparison possible.

 

[Con Par]

Hello guys.Im looking forward to buying the airpods 3

Does anyone knows if the airpods 3 can take foam pads? like my trusty airpods 2 (down below on the picture)

​

Has anyone tried this???

 

[Sam L]

Just received my QianYun Qian39 today. Not jumping to any conclusions but the key take away from me is a solid FR with a very open airy sound.

On a completely separate and not related at all matter, does anyone else feel ashamed spending so much on IEMs when earbuds deliver so much for so cheap.

Yep, I think many of us came to that conclusion quickly -- the performancerice ratio is insane with buds. I only just recently picked up a couple iems after more than a year of not being the slightest bit interested in new iems. Earbuds have kept me satisfied.

 

[Charlyro222]

Here is the serial numbre

Hey guys could I ask you to take a picture of your LBBS box if you have it?
So we can check the S/N number on them.

Because it seems that @Szymon The Crackhead got a unit from Jietu with the LBBS check mark but the cable is actually the LBB cable. @WoodyLuvr is currently investigating this with NiceHCK. But more data might be needed.

here is my unit:

 

[Charlyro222]

Today just arrived my new VE Monks Lite 120 Ohms.

Just a quick listen before Burn in.

Perhaps too dark and warm for my tastes, but let´s wait a few days and listen again. No body knows.

 

[Kavhat]

Hi everyone. First of all I want to say that i'm so happy to find this buds thread, finally the place I want to be.

I would like to receive some recommendation from you, since my audio knowledge is not the best, and can only talk about what I think its better (for me)
Currently I have an Edifier P180, and even if I really like the bassy sound it has, the wire is failing and I want to buy a new ones doing an upgrade if possible.
Today I tested my brother's Moondrop Aria (not a bud, but comparing the sound) and I didn't like the sound at all, the bass was really weak compared to my P180, so conservating that bassy sound, what would you recommend me?

Thank you so much!

Edit: Also, where do you buy this buds? Most of what I read here is shown only in Aliexpress and 30days of shipping. Are you using any other website?

 

[calcatreppola]

Price-Performance Ratio I (excellent value for the money outside of pricey flagships)​

Price-Performance Ratio II (collect multiple sound signatures and impedances for a modest outlay)​

- from Woody's Why Earbuds? post​

​

I think that with earbuds it is possible to get a reasonable small set up that offers quite a lot of satisfaction for a reasonable price. This is not always true with iem's and headphones, that mostly requires good (and expensive) gear to run, and after a certain point they simply offer a refinement that is audiophilee only, in that is worth the price only for those who have enough money.
Earbuds' setup can be tried out for reasonable sums. And I would say that IEM's sound descriptions are more prone to great differences between users, than earbuds are. After a small practice it is easier to understand what people are saying about earbuds' effect, than about IEM's or headphones sensations.
With my gear I am pretty satisfied, in that I can now listen to many music (that I both like and dislike) with a lot of satisfaction, by switching between my two dac/amps (hiby w3 s and xd05 bal, although I decided to try some opamps on this, not a huge sum though) and my earbuds. Yes, I can chase better rendering and different sensations, but this will only lead me to excesses (that I would be prone to do, if only I had money). I have some items in a list for trying... But enjoying almost all my listenings, staring at nothing while concentrating on voives, timpans, organs, banjo, xylophones, breathes and tickling of oboe's keys or the landing of the bow on a cello's strings is worth every single effort I put in getting my gear.
And thank you to this community, too...

 

[Kamen555]

On a completely separate and not related at all matter, does anyone else feel ashamed spending so much on IEMs when earbuds deliver so much for so cheap.

A little embarrassed that I didn't know about it, or dismissed them because they were earbuds, yeah. But Iems have their use-case too. I can't use most of my earbuds on the train and bus, but at home, or with the wife around, earbuds are ideal.

 

[baskingshark]

In terms of price to performance ratio, earbuds take the cake.

Case in point: Vido for $1 USD.

Even the ultra hyped cheap Sony MH755 IEM for $7 USD or so is still more expensive (and there are many fakes abounding out there).

Even TOTL earbuds are around $100 - 300, which is considered midFI pricing for IEMs, and TOTL IEMs easily cost 10 times more.

 

[Sam L]

Today just arrived my new VE Monks Lite 120 Ohms.

Just a quick listen before Burn in.

Perhaps too dark and warm for my tastes, but let´s wait a few days and listen again. No body knows.

Yeah, it's not very good at stock tuning but the drivers eq really well. Here are some measurements with stock tuning vs one of my older target curves (v1.1).

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/earbuds-round-up.441400/page-3314#post-15905008
V1.5 target is way better. I have some v1.5 compensation files somewhere here on head fi. Looking...