[sionghchan]

Hello all,
 
I am starting to get into the IEM world, however, I'm starting to wonder, since designing IEM means working in such a severely compromised environment (with tiny drivers and extremely confined space), will it take A LOT to get it to match a full sized headphone?
 
For example, I just recently purchased the Noble Audio Savant (MSRP CAD$750), however, in terms of sound signature, it actually is very similar to either the Beyerdynamics DT770 (but with less bass) or the DT880 which really only cost around CAD$200 or so.
 
Perhaps, the CAD$2,000 Noble Audio 10u only approximates the Sennheiser HD650 (which is a fraction of its cost)?
 
Any thoughts from the scientifically minded head-fi crowd?

 

[castleofargh]

as every IEMs and headphones are different, it's very hard to hope for rock solid objective information.
my personal logic is that IEMs are to use on the move(small, practical little toys). and if isolation is required, then they can do better than even closed headphones(depends on the model of IEM but the potential for isolation is superior).
so at home I use speakers, when night falls I move on to fullsize headphone for respect toward the neighbors, and IEMs are to go out and when on the train or on a plane. but I never use my IEMs at home unless I'm testing them. 
so I have a clear practical use for all of them based not on sound but on other factors(place, time, isolation, ease to carry...).
 
 if I was to rank my personal preferences with only sound in mind, it's speakers as my audio of choice, then headphone, then dynamic driver IEM, then sealed BA driver IEMs. that being said, I've spent way more money on IEMs than on headphones or speakers ^_^.
going for IEMs for the ultimate sound, I know a few people who do believe it's a logical move. to me it's not. every time we bypass part of our hearing system, it becomes harder and harder to get a realistic feeling. speakers are almost the real deal, headphones remove the body and the head, IEMs remove the external ear.

 

[sionghchan]

Great reply! Thanks. I guess why I was curious was because I was thinking, can one TOTL iem replace all my full sized headphones.

Also, since I got more into IEMs, I find that it is very hard for any company to design one that will best a full size. Mainly due to all the compromises that design of an iem will have to make. E.g. when you have multi drivers, crossovers come into play and with that, phase comes into play etc. As opposed to a full size, just one driver, single source, just right there, it already has iem designs beat.

 

[headwhacker]

iems will be the hardest to design due to obvious reasons. But I see a lot of potential for growth on iems than speakers or headphones. People will always find ways to make iems sound like a headphone or close to a speaker. 
 
I have been trying different iems and I believe a few comes very close at least to headphones. Speakers are very difficult to mimic because the body position can vary relative to speaker placement thus experience will vary which something an iem nor a headphone can not replicate. (Or maybe not if one is will to spend time with DSP).
 
Having said that, iems are convenient and you will most likely spend more time enjoying iems than headphones or speakers. 
 
For speakers you have to stay at a fixed spot. Then you can't turn the volume up unless you have a dedicated sound-proofed room. Thus you can only spend the least time on speakers. Headphones can be designed to be portable as well but not as convenient as an iem.