[Blaze182]

Thats right... I can't live without the massive sound stage... what sort of IEM dares compete? Musicality, nothing recessed, if anything, a slight bass boost, but I think that comes with the IEM territory anyway. 
 
Thoughts?
 
1. Roxanne JH Audio IEM
2. Tralucent 1plus2 (can you even buy these anymore?)
3. 1964 A4
 
(I'd like an IEM... thats what I'm asking; and I just like listening to music, I'm no pro). 

 

[kernel8888]

of all the hp's and iem's you've listed, I have only heard the roxannes. BUT their tone is going to be a fair bit darker than the hd800 based on what I have read, even though they check all of your other requirements (boosted bass, excellent soundstage, etc.)

 

[Blaze182]

Hmmm, is the soundstage really that good on them? I've read it but almost in denial over it

 

[Chodi]

Hmmm, is the soundstage really that good on them? I've read it but almost in denial over it

It is anatomically impossible to recreate the sound stage of an HD800 with any iem. By definition the iem sits in the ear canal which bypasses the part of the ear that is critical for spatial cues. Having said all that, some iem's do give a very convincing impression of a sound stage through clever design. It is never going to throw the image across a room and fill the entire listening area the way an HD800 can. Even the best iem's are a more intimate listening experience.
 
I own and have heard iem's that can be very convincing in producing a sound stage with very specific imaging. Those don't come cheap. They will still do it in a different way from your HD800 but very convincing none the less. Among those that I own the UM Mason can do this. I caution you that the ability to get the best possible sound stage from any iem is very source dependent. Generally those who listen using their phone won't get close. It takes a high quality (usually spelled expensive) front end to really hear what the top iem's can do. As with  everything in high end their are exceptions such as the recently reported entry from Grace on Massdrop but I have not heard that for myself only read numerous reports. 
 
I owned the HD800 for more than a year and now I am into iem's. I can get close to the sound stage of the HD800 with my best iem's but it is only close. 

 

[Blaze182]

Hmmmmmm, thanks for that.

In that case, if I start taking my HD800s around, what mobile source componentry is good? Currently my mobile setup inlcudes an iPhone which is pretty crap on its own