[audio123]

Compilation of BA Top Performers ( Will do for hybrid iems soon )

20 BA Drivers

• Rhapsodio Infinity

18 BA Drivers

• 1964 A18t

16 BA Drivers

• Unique Melody Mason V3

14 BA Drivers

• Empire Ears Zeus-R

12 BA Drivers

• 1964 A12t
• Aroma Musical Box Yao
• JH Layla
• JH Roxanne
  
• Unique Melody Legacy
• Unique Melody Maestro
• Unique Melody Mason V2
• Unique Melody Mentor V3

11 BA Drivers

• Jomo Flamenco

10 BA Drivers

• Earsonics EM10
• JH 16 V2 Pro
  
• Noble Kaiser Encore
• Oriolus Mellianus
• Unique Melody Mentor V2

9 BA Drivers

• Earsonics S-EM9
• Noble Katana

8 BA Drivers

• 1964 A8
  
• Custom Art Harmony 8.2
• Hidition NT8
  
• InEar Prophile 8
• InEarz Nirvana
• JH 13 V2 Pro
  
• Jomo Samba
• Perfect Seal PS8
• QDC Gemini
  
• Vision Ears 8
• Westone ES80

7 BA Drivers

• Aroma Audio Musical Box Twins
• Rhine Stage 7

6 BA Drivers

• Cosmic Ears CE6P
  
• Earsonics S-EM6 V2
• Hidtion NT6 Pro
• InEarz Euphoria
  
• UE 18+ Pro
• Unique Melody Miracle V2
• Vision Ears 6

5 BA Drivers

• Campfire Audio Andromeda
• Empire Ears Phantom
• Eternal Melody EM-5
  
• Fitear MH335DW
• Fitear MH335DW SR
  
• Lime Ears Aether
• QDC 5CH
  
• Spiral Ears 5
• Tralucent Plus 5
  
• Vision Ears 5

4 BA Drivers

• Lime Ears Model X
• Fitear MH334
• Fitear MH334 SR
  
• Fitear Monet 17
• Fitear To Go! 334

3 BA Drivers

• Fitear Private 223
  
• Fitear Private 333
• UE Reference Remastered

2 BA Drivers

• Custom Art FIBAE 2
• HUM Pristine
• Fitear Private 222

1 BA Driver

• Final Audio FI-BA-SST
• Warbler Prelude

Unknown

• Fitear Aya

Compilation of Dynamic Top Performers

• Acoustune HS1503 AL
  
• Acoustune HS1551 CU
  
• Astell & Kern T8iE MKII
  
• Beyerdynamic Xelento
• Campfire Audio Vega
• Dita Brass
  
• Dita Dream
• HiFiMAN RE800
  
• HiFiMAN RE2000
• Rhapsodio Galaxy V2

i have added compilation for dynamic top performers and will do for hybrid configuration soon.

 

[XybernetIQ]

Updated!

My bad Suggested Legend X which is a hybrid. Sorry man!

 

[proedros]

i don't mean to sound rude , but this is just a number list

also not sure if i want to see someone just listing all the BAs in the world

feel free to review some of them but let's not hijack this lovely thread by saying 'you forgot this iem' etc

cheers

 

[audio123]

i don't mean to sound rude , but this is just a number list

also not sure if i want to see someone just listing all the BAs in the world

feel free to review some of them but let's not hijack this lovely thread by saying 'you forgot this iem' etc

cheers

It is a comprehensive list of all the top performing iems. I sort by driver count for the sole purpose of keeping it neat. Cheers!

 

[Ultrainferno]

Since we are talking high-end... Have you (or anyone else for that matter) been able to secure a review sample of the oBravo Ra C-Cu yet? I keep asking oBravo for them "in exchange for my honest opinion", but they appear surprisingly reluctant.

Got it! Review soon

 

[jeffhawke]

Hi guys, need a bit of advice here, even though I'm not totally sure this is the appropriate thread. Anyway: I'm in the market for the best possible mid-fi iems, in terms of price/performance ratio, in the $400/600 range. So far, I have narrowed down my choice to the following five:

AAW AXH Uni ($460)
NCM DB3 Uni ($310)
Nocturnal Atlantis ($610)
Custom Art EI.3 Uni ($435)
iBasso IT04 ($499)

As I have not auditioned any of the above, expert advice (and alternative suggestions) would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[tim0chan]

Hi guys, need a bit of advice here, even though I'm not totally sure this is the appropriate thread. Anyway: I'm in the market for the best possible mid-fi iems, in terms of price/performance ratio, in the $400/600 range. So far, I have narrowed down my choice to the following five:

AAW AXH Uni ($460)
NCM DB3 Uni ($310)
Nocturnal Atlantis ($610)
Custom Art EI.3 Uni ($435)
iBasso IT04 ($499)

As I have not auditioned any of the above, expert advice (and alternative suggestions) would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

U missed the empire ears bravado.
What kind of sound r u looking for?

 

[jeffhawke]

U missed the empire ears bravado.
What kind of sound r u looking for?

Thanks for the heads-up. I'm looking for as much of a linear response as possible, big and deep soundstage, not particularly keen on hi-freq as due to my age I can't really hear much, if anything, beyond 15/16 kHz

 

[proedros]

Thanks for the heads-up. I'm looking for as much of a linear response as possible, big and deep soundstage, not particularly keen on hi-freq as due to my age I can't really hear much, if anything, beyond 15/16 kHz

also check Custom Art F3 , i have heard great things about it and also great price

some people here have got it, also @piotrus-g could help you out more regarding how it sounds

 

[Deezel177]

Hi guys, need a bit of advice here, even though I'm not totally sure this is the appropriate thread. Anyway: I'm in the market for the best possible mid-fi iems, in terms of price/performance ratio, in the $400/600 range. So far, I have narrowed down my choice to the following five:

AAW AXH Uni ($460)
NCM DB3 Uni ($310)
Nocturnal Atlantis ($610)
Custom Art EI.3 Uni ($435)
iBasso IT04 ($499)

As I have not auditioned any of the above, expert advice (and alternative suggestions) would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

My personal recommendations would be the Custom Art FIBAE 2 and the Empire Ears Bravado. Both have a slightly v-shaped, fun and dynamic sound with a pleasing timbre overall. The FIBAE 3 is fantastic and I have a review for it coming very soon, but it is rather bright (in tone; not harsh in any way), so the upper-treble emphasis might not be for you. I'd steer as far away from the AXH as possible. It is - by far - one of the harshest, thinnest and most sibilant IEMs I've ever heard. I don't know how the IT04 fares, but I did hear the IT03 and it has a relatively well-balanced signature.

 

[Wyville]

Got it! Review soon

Very nice! I saw the unboxing pictures a few days ago and am very curious if it is at all possible for those to live up to their (even by today's standards) extraordinary price tag. Surely the law of diminishing returns must kick in with a vengeance with these. Still, will be a very interesting review!

 

[jeffhawke]

Thank you guys, all very helpful. I added the iBasso IT04 to the shortlist thanks to this review: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/ibasso-it04.22954/reviews#review-19926
Any takes on the cheapest of the lot (NCM DB3)?

 

[tim0chan]

My personal recommendations would be the Custom Art FIBAE 2 and the Empire Ears Bravado. Both have a slightly v-shaped, fun and dynamic sound with a pleasing timbre overall. The FIBAE 3 is fantastic and I have a review for it coming very soon, but it is rather bright (in tone; not harsh in any way), so the upper-treble emphasis might not be for you. I'd steer as far away from the AXH as possible. It is - by far - one of the harshest, thinnest and most sibilant IEMs I've ever heard. I don't know how the IT04 fares, but I did hear the IT03 and it has a relatively well-balanced signature.

XD u haven't heard the worst yet(for sibilance) , that title belongs to the ex1000 with a bad source and recording xD
I do agree that the Axh is very thin, maybe a ciem version would alleviate the problem

 

[Wyville]

Hi guys, need a bit of advice here, even though I'm not totally sure this is the appropriate thread. Anyway: I'm in the market for the best possible mid-fi iems, in terms of price/performance ratio, in the $400/600 range. So far, I have narrowed down my choice to the following five:

AAW AXH Uni ($460)
NCM DB3 Uni ($310)
Nocturnal Atlantis ($610)
Custom Art EI.3 Uni ($435)
iBasso IT04 ($499)

As I have not auditioned any of the above, expert advice (and alternative suggestions) would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

I have had my Custom Art Ei.3 for about a year now and absolutely love them (they have been reshelled to universal fit). They are warm, smooth and very versatile. I still largely feel the same about them as in my review here, which might be helpful. I demoed FIBAE 2 and really liked those as well, but don't feel I am missing out with the Ei.3 and prefer its more holographic stage (I like that depth).

 

[proedros]

we all know that jeff starts with a 500$ iem and 1-2 yeaars later he is eyeing the Phantom/a18/legend of this world , right ?