[PeacockObscura]

If I know the price, it changes how I read the review. I worry that I’ll find the perfect piece of gear and only then realize I can’t afford it. Reading about the really high end stuff becomes an academic exercise. It’s the 95% of performance at half the price (or less) that gets me excited. But you still need a point of reference. It also seems like the threshold of “not better, but different” keeps getting more affordable. Mind you, my practical experience is fairly limited, and I’m learning that it’s not all that difficult to impress me.


Where do you think the line is for no glaring technical faults, just tuning choices?

If I was to stick a wild generalisation pin into a specific price based solely on my personal experience I would day $700 ish with plenty below that are so damn close as to be worth arguing over . Obviously those who gave tried more much higher priced iems than I have would probably stick their pin in a higher price. All I know is I'm supremely happy with the iems that I own. I do have a $1900 IMR Titan with a £300 liquid Links cable on it and it's amazing but the differences between it and Oriveti OH700VB and Alpha Omega RA are very small and could be described as a difference in taste rather than better.
Edit
I'm also easily impressed or should I say I look for the positives in life and squeeze as much joy out of most things as I can.
That said I can differentiate just good from excellence and that's the water mark for the above estimates

 

[BS5711]

The recent posts by emdeevee got me to thinking about retail prices versus sale prices and the used market.

We have a very small market for this sort of stuff in my part of the world so the local used market is all but non existent save for the odd bit of gear that come up on a local general on line sales site. As such, I don't give much consideration to the used market but do occasionally look out for good clearance sales on new gear which leads me into the below.

The Solaris 2020 were Campfire Audio’s TOTL only a few years ago and I recently picked up a set of the limited edition Solaris Mercury (functionally the 2020) new at half price.

I consider them above mid fi pricing at normal retail but within the scope at 50% off. Of course an exchange rate of near 1.7X the USD doesn’t help so they are still a long way from modest pricing in my part of the world.

It took me some time to figure out tips, seal and comfortable fit but once I got them right and I could just sit and relax with them and enjoy the music I really started to appreciate their tuning. Everything is well balanced to my ear but still definitely a 'V' tune with enjoyment in mind and not a reference set.

I fitted them with a Kinera Dromi cable because it suits the aesthetic perfectly and I dislike the skinny stock cables.

While I enjoy them and consider them worth what I paid I would have been less enamored if I had paid full price. They are good and sound lovely but also demonstrate to me diminishing returns and just how really good IEM can be at much less money.

Still, the Solaris 2020 would make a great set if picked used at sensible money and have a sound signature that seems to be generally liked rather than the 'acquired taste' sound that some Campfire offerings seem to have, the IO model that I owned most definitely included.

 

[Hypops]

If I know the price, it changes how I read the review. I worry that I’ll find the perfect piece of gear and only then realize I can’t afford it. Reading about the really high end stuff becomes an academic exercise. It’s the 95% of performance at half the price (or less) that gets me excited. But you still need a point of reference. It also seems like the threshold of “not better, but different” keeps getting more affordable. Mind you, my practical experience is fairly limited, and I’m learning that it’s not all that difficult to impress me.

Where do you think the line is for no glaring technical faults, just tuning choices?

I hemmed and hawed for months before buying my first set because of that exact question. As a longtime headphone hobbyist, I already knew my tuning preferences pretty well, and I knew that a so-called "neutral" IEM would not be to my liking. So for me, that meant my search started at right around $250-$300. That was the price-point where there were finally enough choices in tunings and driver types that I felt like I could start testing the waters. Below that price, the goal seems overwhelmingly to match popular preference targets rather than aim for more idiosyncratic tunings. There are exceptions, of course, but not enough to plant a flag and start looking around.

 

[BS5711]

If I know the price, it changes how I read the review. I worry that I’ll find the perfect piece of gear and only then realize I can’t afford it. Reading about the really high end stuff becomes an academic exercise. It’s the 95% of performance at half the price (or less) that gets me excited. But you still need a point of reference. It also seems like the threshold of “not better, but different” keeps getting more affordable. Mind you, my practical experience is fairly limited, and I’m learning that it’s not all that difficult to impress me.

Where do you think the line is for no glaring technical faults, just tuning choices?

I have never dabbled in the real budget end of the spectrum with my most modest set being the S12 Pro at $135.

Based on the S12 Pro and others I have had in the $200 to perhaps $400 range versus other sets that are in the $600 to $1,600 retail price bracket, in my opinion all come in the realm of 'tuning preference' with no really obvious technical deficiencies in respect of just sounding really genuinely bad. I have had a few sets that I really didn't enjoy at all but at the same time reviews here and elsewhere indicate that a lot of people like them just fine.

The only IEM that I have listened to that were genuinely bad were two different sets of $10 supermarket IEM that I bought just for s..ts and giggles. They made sound but it wasn't a sound that I can imagine anybody that had listened to anything decent would actually enjoy. Even then, for somebody that wanted just functional sound with little investment they were not truly hideous, music still sounded like music and for most people not into audio they probably are just fine.

 

[Hypops]

The only IEM that I have listened to that were genuinely bad were two different sets of $10 supermarket IEM that I bought just for s..ts and giggles. They made sound but it wasn't a sound that I can imagine anybody that had listened to anything decent would actually enjoy. Even then, for somebody that wanted just functional sound with little investment they were not truly hideous, music still sounded like music and for most people not into audio they probably are just fine.

Sometime last year, I was at the airport on my way out of town when I realized I forgot my headphones at home. Classic. I paid the inflated airport price ($50) for a pair of generic plastic earbuds. God I hated those things. But... the whole weekend on that trip--using those nasty-sounding, nasty-feeling earbuds--I did nothing but enjoy listening to music while walking from meeting to meeting. They were great. And also totally terrible.

 

[cats4cans]

Sometime last year, I was at the airport on my way out of town when I realized I forgot my headphones at home. Classic. I paid the inflated airport price ($50) for a pair of generic plastic earbuds. God I hated those things. But... the whole weekend on that trip--using those nasty-sounding, nasty-feeling earbuds--I did nothing but enjoy listening to music while walking from meeting to meeting. They were great. And also totally terrible.

No music at all is definitely worse than cheap, wonky earbuds.

 

[Valrhona]

I'm a 58 years old old rocker/biker who got into the hobby in covid after my wife suggested that my record player was too loud lol. Now 90 sets of iems and 20 daps down the road I have fallen for many hype trains and thoroughly enjoyed the process.
I have the collector gene so don't get rid of anything. I will be sharing pics and impressions of what I have and any new stuff that arrives. I have bought much of my collection on the 2nd hand market as they often go for far less than retail sometimes only weeks after release.

Great pict! Where does this "throne" rest?

 

[nikbr]

Oh I bought it after I got the Juzear Clear only to color match and to have 4.4. The stock cable on the Clear is actually really nice especially for a $50 set. Best stock cable under $100 iems in my book.

Yep, this is the Juzear Pure cable and I consent that it is of good quality.

If I know the price, it changes how I read the review. I worry that I’ll find the perfect piece of gear and only then realize I can’t afford it. Reading about the really high end stuff becomes an academic exercise. It’s the 95% of performance at half the price (or less) that gets me excited. But you still need a point of reference. It also seems like the threshold of “not better, but different” keeps getting more affordable. Mind you, my practical experience is fairly limited, and I’m learning that it’s not all that difficult to impress me.

Where do you think the line is for no glaring technical faults, just tuning choices?

Very much agreed.

About that line of no faults, though ... there is one particular set high up in multikilobuck territory that does get quite a bit wrong technically, yet is an acquired taste and has a strong cult following. Oh, Mr. Audio, how can you be so subjective ...

 

[PeacockObscura]

Great pict! Where does this "throne" rest?

The A’DAM Lookout Tower in Amsterdam Gibson Guitars has an office there.

 

[Valrhona]

Still have my Audeze LCD i4. Released in 2018. And my AK x EE Odyssey is getting up there in age too . I've really thought about selling both but I enjoy them too much with the right songs.

Did you get anything new at CJSG?

 

[Stu Paddasso]

Just sharing this. Hiby R6 Pro II $749. Really good sounding Dap only weakness is its short battery life. Tipowin Danube cable $60 bought on sale at Linsoul $51. I bought it for the looks, and it turns out to be a lovely match for Unity. Opens up the sound stage and adds clarity to the mids & treble, bass stays the same. Plunge Audio Unity Signature series $900 CND or about $655 USD. One of the largest sound stages out there, with excellent separation and placement of instruments. Musically detailed without being sterile, good BA bass.

 

[stacey]

Did you get anything new at CJSG?

Yeah, DC Elite. Great dongle for its price.
Plans are to save up for Storm, but at this rate I’m probably better off getting it at Zeppelin next year due to GST savings.

 

[Valrhona]

Yeah, DC Elite. Great dongle for its price.
Plans are to save up for Storm, but at this rate I’m probably better off offering it at Zeppelin next year

Apologies, I don't quite get the last statement.

 

[stacey]

Apologies, I don't quite get the last statement.

Flight WiFi + autocorrect causes some messages to come out weird. Oops

 

[PeacockObscura]

A new cable for my Oriveti OD200 I absolutely love this DD iem