[Moon v1]

Hello !

Sorry to interrupt a bit the discussion (i'm still talking about metal IEM tho =p ) but i would like to have a few help/review from you guys since you know what you are talking about.
I have made a lot of researches about IEM and CIEM in general but i'm a little bit lost, i lack the knowledge and since i'm new i can't post a thread myself so sorry about that.

I'm looking for IEM/CIEM that are suitable mostly for metal music, and i feel like i'm kinda in love with the drums' sounds so i'm not sure where i have to hit... (trible?mids?etc...)
I heard that neutral signature is made for a clear sound so you can hear each instruments. This should be where i should focus on right ? I also really like the fact that some IEM looks like "well-built" and "big" covering nearly the entire ear.

here's a few example of what i'm listening to, and i really like the drums work escpecially from the monster Luke Holland

Luke Holland - BMTH mashup
Luke Holland - I see stars - 'White lies '
'Hos down' - Jason Richardson & Luke Holland ft. Rick Graham
Annisokay - 'Good Stories'
BAD OMENS - 'Careful What You Wish For'
Ice Nine Kills - 'Stabbing in The Dark'

And then i'm listening to other genres but way less than metal stuff, like rock/pop/chill with bands like : Starset / BMTH / Normandie / LANDMVRKS / BTS / NOIJA etc...

I would like to spend at max 500€ only for the IEM/CIEM, but since i want to use them most of the time for a nomade use, i have only a mobile phone as a media player to put these on, i'll need to look for a media player right ? (DAC and to change the cable?) would like to have recommendation on this as well if possible.

I have seen that the BGVP-DM6 are good for rock/classic so i'm not sure if it fits well for me and since the shipping looks like to take ages and that i'm impatient to put my hands on a good IEM/CIEM.
Audio 64 U3/A3 limit to my budget and i'm not sure if those are perfect like "people" on different forum are talking about.
FH5 review from someone here in this forum thanks to him "HerrXRDS" I enjoy the warmth and musicality of the FH5 more than the clinical and neutral IEMs I've heard"

I really want to thanks this forum and the community around that makes me really happy where i can find a lot of information since i'm a "newb" of technical stuff into music !

Hoping for answers !





https://www.head-fi.org/members/herrxrds.414696/

 

[Pott]

"I heard that neutral signature is made for a clear sound so you can hear each instruments." pas tout a fait

Neutral signature simply means that no frequencies are enhanced/recessed. What enables all instruments to be heard correctly is the separation of said frequencies.
More expensive/complex IEMS can have multiple drivers (either dynamic driver, like a speaker, or a Balanced Armature, something else entirely). Each driver can then specialize in a smaller range of frequency. The more the driver count, the more specialized each driver can become through outputting a smaller frequency band. The downside is that your IEMS can start to sound less coherent (picture in your mind: a single, high-quality speaker outputting a song, vs. many smaller speakers each outputting different parts of the song. THAT's where it could all go bad!). That's why IEMs get so expensive, they need to be tuned to maintain that coherence.

If you like drums, the good news is that most IEMs in that range tailored for 'fun' (V-shaped) EQs will do the trick; enhanced bass and enhanced treble will make the drums pop out more.
If, however, true clarity is your preference, other IEMs in this price range specialize on this (e.g. the Massdrop Plus, which is a great value).

I'm not familiar with the IEMs you're mentioning, and I have fit issues with virtually everything that is not a CIEM, so I won't be much help otherwise Mais pour un autre metalleux Francais je fais quand meme l'effort de commenter

Note that what matters is the sound YOU'RE hearing; try a bunch (la Fnac etc...) and see if any really makes your favorite tracks sound good to you.
Re: DAC + amp, that really depends on several things:
* Is your hearing detail-oriented?
* Do you listen to higher-quality files (256k variable/320k fixed or lossess encodings)?
* Do you have earphones/headphones that need a little more power?

New earphones is definitely what will get you the biggest change. But the more detailed any individual component in your signal chain is, the more you will hear the other weak links. Hence if you get truly resolving earphones, you may find the sound disappointing as you're hearing a low-output signal transmitting a poorly-encoded file... this is not ideal for your ears.
If you really wish to get started down that rabbit hole, I recommend the AudioQuest DragonFly). It's tiny, easy to carry, and will TRULY make a difference to your phone's output (my Motorola Moto G is a very poor source, the DF Red really changes that!).
This way your mobile setup is taken care of with a single expensive and minimal space requirements.
But it's up to you! If you trust your files and your source is decent, you may not even need to bother.

 

[Moon v1]

Merci beaucoup pour ta réponse et tes explications

"That's why IEMs get so expensive, they need to be tuned to maintain that coherence." The price of those are over my budget limit i suppose =p ?
"I have fit issues with virtually everything that is not a CIEM", I guess if i can't try IEM i won't be able to tell this for myself and i'm pretty sure that "fnac" at Dijon doesn't provide IEM but i should give it a try still.
So i should go for the "V-shape" then

About the DAC + amp : i'm listening to music mostly with spotify at high quality, some with 320 kbps songs or a few FLACs.
"* Is your hearing detail-oriented?" I think yes
"* Do you have earphones/headphones that need a little more power?" Yet nope, since i have a SMSL AD18 for my computer, but i'm looking towards my first IEM/CIEM to a nomade use most of the time so since i'm using my phone "xiaomi mi 8" i'm kinda sure i gonna need the AudioQuest DragonFly you are recommending me to make the difference about the poor source of my phone.

So I will follow your advice, i think i should start by the combo : AudioQuest DragonFly + Massdrop Plus (I heard that the original cable is "meh" so + a new cable ? but not sure which one tho, the tin 2 ?)
I'm sorry that i have to rely on you to start building my first nomade kit but i felt like i need a lot of advices while i'm reading all the stuff around it. I'm gonna do some more researches before buying tho because there's a load of stuff and i feel like i have a lot of possibility to start with !

EDIT : if i may ask what do you think of the "Moondrop Kanas pro" ? (that is neutral in the mids and treble with a slight sub bass boost). https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/moondrop-kanas-pro.23385/reviews

I'm really grateful for the information and the time you took to help me !

 

[MetalheadGeek]

I'm with you on the Be as an option and not having a removable cable. Been looking at the Fiio FA7. Wonder if it's warmer u shape would work better than the FH5. Being able to use them on my BT5 adapter is a huge plus. **** I hate wires.

I feel like I'm walking in @gazzington shoes, All the IEM threads I'm investigating he's already been posting there. Looks like I'm down to 3 options tha will fit my taste and use case. #1 Sony XBA-N3AP. #2 Fiio FH5 and #3 Periodic Be. I really want to stick with the MMCX form factor so I can keep using my BT2 adapter. If I go Be then I have another 100 in a BT adapter. Outside of that I'm trying to get a handle on the bass response differences between the N3 and the FH5. I like bass that is visceral, deep and with slam like a live gig but doesn't congest or overly darken the mids. It also has to be fast and tight. No one note burps. Mids that are warm to neutral and treble that isn't fatiguing. Overall organic vs clinical/technical in the presentation.

 

[Mmurin]

I feel like I'm walking in @gazzington shoes, All the IEM threads I'm investigating he's already been posting there. Looks like I'm down to 3 options tha will fit my taste and use case. #1 Sony XBA-N3AP. #2 Fiio FH5 and #3 Periodic Be. I really want to stick with the MMCX form factor so I can keep using my BT2 adapter. If I go Be then I have another 100 in a BT adapter. Outside of that I'm trying to get a handle on the bass response differences between the N3 and the FH5. I like bass that is visceral, deep and with slam like a live gig but doesn't congest or overly darken the mids. It also has to be fast and tight. No one note burps. Mids that are warm to neutral and treble that isn't fatiguing. Overall organic vs clinical/technical in the presentation.

N3ap are excellent all rounders, the bass department is well extended, with subbass emphasis. Bass definition while being good is not the best. Sennheiser ie80s or earsonics es3 are more performant in this regard.

 

[MetalheadGeek]

Periodic Audio Be ordered. Thanks to @DanWiggins from Periodic for the great assistance.

 

[DanWiggins]

You are welcome - let us know what you think!

 

[natalieann]

Xlento by far

 

[Hansotek]

If you guys are looking for a new end game metal IEM, I'm working on a review for the new Unique Melody Mirage right now. This guy really slaughters all comers on the metal front. PERFECT tuning. Massive impact. Great speed and pace. Super crisp and clear. Great staging. Perfect for metal, hip hop, electronic and has really rocked with everything I've thrown at it.

 

[DanWiggins]

For $1100 they should do EVERYTHING perfectly!

 

[FangJoker]

In terms of IEMs the best of the best for me are CA Andromeda - amazing piece of sound, fast, dynamic, great downstage (for IEMs), however they are sensitive and with 12.8 ohms you have to be careful with source output impedance.
I personally have MEE P1 and Aune E1 - both are also amazing in heavy music.

Tested on mostly modern metal, almost every subgerne without doom, black and extreme death branches - Trivium, Lamb of God, Devin Townsend, Between the Buried and Me, Shining (Nor), Behemoth, The Dillinger Escape Plan - with some classics: Fear Factory, Death, Testament, Annihilator. I listen to plenty of bands but these are recently the most frequently played.

Andros are too picky with source. They have way too many hiss with my source and if you use IEMatch, it takes away too much sq. My A12t is way better than andros and isn't picky with source. And the fit with andros can be very uncomfortable for some people because of its shape. Anyone buying it should try it with their source and if it is comfortable.

 

[Hansotek]

For $1100 they should do EVERYTHING perfectly!

It kinda does. I’ll be interested to see how others feel this lines up with the Andromeda, which is similarly priced and probably the most universally lauded endgame IEM right now - it gets recommended like 50 times a day in the head-fi Facebook group. I have both here, so I’ll be comparing too. The UM is a bit more “fun” sounding, but not overly colored at all.

Of course, I still recommend your Be a lot too for people who want something great in that middle price bracket. Great speed and dynamics for rock & metal!

 

[MetalheadGeek]

You are welcome - let us know what you think!

I received my pair of Periodic Be IEMs yesterday . I have not been this enamored with a pair of cans since I had my Thinksound ON1. I had to sell them when I started wearing glasses and that was a sad day. The ON1 and ON2 are overlooked by many because they are on-ears but they are voiced by a metalhead for metalheads. Anyways after about 120 minutes of listening via my Cayin N3 I am ****ing ecstatic. The detail is outstanding, the bass is pummeling but it's not muddy or overblown. The mids are about as forward as I want them and the highs are as bright as I'd want them. Tinnnitus is a bitch about shouty mids and bright highs. They have an organic sound character that I really dig. Kick drums are so meaty and tight. Like a great live gig. Buy these now. Periodic has some "blemished" pairs going for 199.00. I have no idea what's blemished about my pair but at this price they are swinging way above thier weight class. \m/

Again thanks to @DanWiggins at Periodic Audio for the assistance.

 

[Zenvota]

Just got my KZ ED16 and I must say after a day of using it, it's pretty darn good for its price. a bit recessed mids but fun sounding with sparkling highs. Initially the highs were piercing and artificial sounding but after a few hours thuings are settling in better. , Anacrusis - screams and whispers album sounds pretty sweet with a punchy kick drum and pleasant highs. I'm liking the ED16 for a budget-fi.

At the moment I like the KZ ED16 for Doom/Stoner/(Post) Black Metal/Shoegaze/Melodic Death Metal/...
Only problem: They don't like old records that much. Rainbow is terrible, old Black Sabbath can be a pain for the ears, too, as well as others. Problem is, sibilants can be harsh, as well as cymbals. With modern recordings no problem, the old ones.. well...nope
That's the reason why I prefer the Havi B3 Pro1 at the moment. They are quiet neutral sounding, so no v shaping or something like that. But sometimes I would like to have a bit more at the low end (which is quiet easy, when using an EQ). But I guess I will check out some more IEMs, hopefully I will find my holy grail without killing my bank account

These are pretty decent sounding for the price. I was trying a few budget iems, the phiaton ms100ba, ultimate ears ue600, kz zs3, bose soundtrue ultras(for the tips), and while I liked that sound signature of the ms100ba the best, the single ba just isnt enough for death and black metal, whereas the 2bas and one dd of the ed16 is able to keep it together under more complex fast distorted music. Id been considering something like the mee audio planamic but the multi driver iems do seem to be able to keep pace over single dd or single ba.

As to the ed16s sound these assessments are accurate. Theyre a bit warm but not too bassy, theres a slow rise from 1-2khz,then a drop off from 2-3khz, a peak at 3.5 khz, and a peak 5khz. A little eq and they sound really great and dont have that lowfi kz sound at all. But can listen without eq and enjoy them much more then the other affordable options.

Using the foam tips that came with the ue600s, fairly similar to the comply spheres id imagine. great stable fit.

 

[phikr1]

guys what do you recommend for iem under $50, i listen to death, melodic, -core, power, and progressive rock ?