[cn11]

Great thread! I really like the concept behind it. I've gone through a whirlwind of buying/ selling over the past 2+ years, and it has been pretty fruitless, never finding an IEM which seems to 'have it all'... and I probably over-extended a bit by going through all the following ones... These I've either sold or returned at some point (from most recent to older): Dunu Glacier // HS1790Ti // Diva '23 // Svanar (briefly) // Mezzo LE // Spartacus (briefly) // FH9 // OH700VB // Bonneville // DTE900 // Mentawai // Camelot // SR8 // Aur Aurora // 64 Audio U4s // Maestro SE // Trifecta // Supermoon // Cerberus // VE EXT // MEST Indigo // Aroma Audio Thunder // MEST MkII // Turii (orig). Some were kept and enjoyed for a fair time, others really didn't click, and got sold right away.... The two that I probably enjoyed most, and were closest to being 'it' were the Mentawai and Aroma Thunder.... maybe DTE900, but eventually that proved a tad too hot for me.

Not that long ago I lucked into a 2nd-hand pair of S12 Pro Glamdring (this opened my eyes [& ears] again to the coherence of a great single full-range driver). Also got the MP145 (same ballpark), and finally the Shanling MG800. The MG800 is not an inexpensive IEM by any means, but I feel that even in the 700-800 ballpark it is a massive bargain, because to my ears it significantly overperforms that price. Coming back around to the the recent past sets above, the MG800 just makes me forget about any of them, regardless of their retails. It sounds so right across the whole range, and leaves me wanting nothing. To me, this is the spirit of this thread - finding gems at a still fairly reasonable price. The Glamdring and MP145 are both so good that they'll be sticking around too. So that's the stable of 3 I've got these days. I am finally content, and not searching anymore. I'm good to just kick back and enjoy my music, and new music, especially on the MG800. It's a nice feeling finally....

 

[maegnificant]

I am regularly listening with my Sennheiser HD 600, one of THE best deals in Audioland and my Timsok Ts-316. I can also recommend TGXEarbuds for great mid-fi options.

 

[cats4cans]

Great thread! I really like the concept behind it. I've gone through a whirlwind of buying/ selling over the past 2+ years, and it has been pretty fruitless, never finding an IEM which seems to 'have it all'... and I probably over-extended a bit by going through all the following ones...

That’s a lot of turnover. Education can be expensive. I only bought my first IEM a year and half ago, but have really gotten the bug in the last 6 months. My biggest blind spot so far is I’ve only bought IEMs from one manufacturer. I’ve kept them all though, and plan to long term. But I don’t think I can really get a handle on my own preferences until I at least try some others. I am pretty sure I’m not a basshead though. Going to be more selective next purchase, and reign in the budget. Ignorance can be expensive too.

 

[mythosaur]

I've been enjoying my Ety IEM's for quite a time now. Looking for an upgrade and I'm also shyly looking at current customs offer, although I haven't decided yet and whether I'd still like to stick with universals or not.
It's quite overwhelming at the moment (please feel free to move this thread whenever it fits best, obviously), but anyone care to point me at the right direction, please? It'd help me out doing my own research and decisions.
Not sure about the budget yet (maybe like up to a grand for the time being).
My ears are rather sensitive and I'm also looking for material options for the customs and/or some super comfortable tips and foams. What do you guys find most comfortable? Thank you!

 

[nikbr]

I am regularly listening with my Sennheiser HD 600, one of THE best deals in Audioland and my Timsok Ts-316. I can also recommend TGXEarbuds for great mid-fi options.

Thanks for music suggestion.

In Earbudslandia I'm currently loving how the Yincrow RW2000 performs.

You own the TGX Carbon? Have you tried any other TGX too? How would you describe the Carbon?

 

[maegnificant]

Thanks for music suggestion.

In Earbudslandia I'm currently loving how the Yincrow RW2000 performs.

You own the TGX Carbon? Have you tried any other TGX too? How would you describe the Carbon?

Never heard of this one, but I only tried out TGXEarbuds so far. I am content with Carbon
I have tried the OG Serratus with Stainless Steel Bells and the retuned version with Aluminium Bells. To me, these were V-Shaped and sounded nice, but treble was sometimes over the edge of being too harsh for me.
I also owned Totem, which reminded me of the Unique Melody Mentor. A very capable, but safe tuning, that is ultimately way too boring for me.
The Carbon has a really nice signature from the mid-bass to the treble, reminds me of the HD 600 a bit. I like it a lot.

 

[Lexington99]

ZiiGaat Difficult belongs firmly in this discussion. An amazing IEM at its price offering a club experience, like a more extreme Xenns UP but better bass and more incisive treble (welcome).

 

[cn11]

That’s a lot of turnover. Education can be expensive. I only bought my first IEM a year and half ago, but have really gotten the bug in the last 6 months. My biggest blind spot so far is I’ve only bought IEMs from one manufacturer. I’ve kept them all though, and plan to long term. But I don’t think I can really get a handle on my own preferences until I at least try some others. I am pretty sure I’m not a basshead though. Going to be more selective next purchase, and reign in the budget. Ignorance can be expensive too.

Definitely a lot of turnover, and expensive. Thankfully I've wound up with an IEM I'm content with. The biggest thing I learned through that process was that I value full, rich midrange far more than I ever would have predicted. It was almost always the mids that kept killing most of those IEMs in the list.... where something would just be 'off'. Whether it was a thin, overly lean tonality, being pulled back in space (recession), or just not sitting right in the overall stage 'image', I started to realize how badly that would affect the lifelike feeling of an IEM. And often it would be the most pricey ones I tried which were the worst offenders.

 

[PeacockObscura]

An Iem that when released was $1200 can now be picked up for $300 My new Planar is an old Planar the Audeze Euclid 18.5mm Planar that sounds like an over ear headphone. This Planar is incredibly source dependent on the Sony NE-MW1A it sounds like the best Planar iem I've ever heard warm, spacious analogue with super layers and no fatiguing peaks on the Cayin N3Ultra it's a bloated mess, the iBasso DX170 sound not bad the Hiby RS2 back to bloated mess.

 

[Shane D]

So, to be clear, this is yet another IEM thread?

 

[thaslaya]

So, to be clear, this is yet another IEM thread?

Midfi applies to everything. Headphones, iems, DAPs, DACs, amps, etc.

 

[Singaravelan]

An Iem that when released was $1200 can now be picked up for $300 My new Planar is an old Planar the Audeze Euclid 18.5mm Planar that sounds like an over ear headphone. This Planar is incredibly source dependent on the Sony NE-MW1A it sounds like the best Planar iem I've ever heard warm, spacious analogue with super layers and no fatiguing peaks on the Cayin N3Ultra it's a bloated mess, the iBasso DX170 sound not bad the Hiby RS2 back to bloated mess.

Whoa... How come it's so source dependent... Crazy..
What's the sauce at sony mwiA that makes it gel with this?

 

[BS5711]

So, to be clear, this is yet another IEM thread?

Not if you talk about headphones or anything else mid fi level.

 

[BS5711]

HD600 with Custom Cans mass damping rings and Forza Audio Works cable into EarMen ST-Amp.

The price barely rates as mid fi in some folks opinion but the performance certainly does. Always a refreshing listen after my usual IEM rotation.

Who else has a pair tucked away not used much because they are not the flavour of the month ?

 

[Barndoor]

Mine are HD6xx's (modded) rather than 600's. Still never heard the 600