[DougofTheAbaci]

I'm in the market for new CIEMs and was wondering what people thought of my options.

Right now the possible lead contender is the JH Audio 16pro. My last CIEM was the 13pro and the Noble 4c before that. I currently own the Heir Audio 8.a and used to own the Heir Audio 4.a. In general, here were my thoughts:

- Heir Audio 4.a: Little lacking in the bass but otherwise solid.
- Heir Audio 8.a: Too much bass.
- Noble 4c: Still lacking a bit in the bass area.
- JH Audio 13pro: Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

In general, I like a headphone that's very natural sounding. The perfect sound signature, to me, is my HE-500's and one of the things I loved about the 13pro was it also had that rather natural sound with a wider than normal sound stage.

My budget is something around $1,200 or so. Less is better.

I'm giving the 13pro v2 a pass because, frankly, the cable. Pretty much every CIEM I've owned has had an issue where the cable sticks out and pushes against my skull. It's not uncomfortable but it always pushes the headphones out of fit. I get around this by buying cables with shorter plugs (or better yet CIEMs with recessed plugs). It doesn't look like either of those are an option for the 13pro vs (please correct me if I'm wrong or you have another possible solution this side of surgery).

I'm vaguely considering the Noble 6c but my issue with Noble (and the reason I went JH Audio last time) is the wait time mixed with the cost of import.

What do you all think of my choices? Any others I haven't considered that I should look into?

 

[NA Blur]

I love the JH Audio 10x3 Pro as it has the perfect balance of bass, midrange, and treble. It is not too bassy, the midrange is upfront without being too much so, and the treble is nicely rolled off as to not be fatiguing or sibilant. They would save you some cash over the JH13 and I prefer the 10x3 Pro over all of the other models including the 13.

 

[DougofTheAbaci]

I love the JH Audio 10x3 Pro as it has the perfect balance of bass, midrange, and treble. It is not too bassy, the midrange is upfront without being too much so, and the treble is nicely rolled off as to not be fatiguing or sibilant. They would save you some cash over the JH13 and I prefer the 10x3 Pro over all of the other models including the 13.

How's the sound stage? One of the things I loved about the 13 was that wide sound stage, it's one of my favorite things about my HE-500 (though I don't expect any CIEM to come close to that).

 

[PinkyPowers]

Have you considered Angie? Excellent soundstage. Clear, extended treble. And adjustable bass which at its fullest gets quite warm and boomy, while maintaining awesome control and texture.

 

[DougofTheAbaci]

Have you considered Angie? Excellent soundstage.

I don't see the point of in-CIEM adjustable bass. And it has the same cable that I'm concerned about with the new JH 13. It's also more expensive and more than I'd prefer to pay.

 

[PinkyPowers]

You don't see the point in being able to achieve the precise balance your ears desire?

 

[NA Blur]

The JH 10x3 Pro has an excellent soundstage, but nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[DougofTheAbaci]

You don't see the point in being able to achieve the precise balance your ears desire?

More if I get the right set of headphones I won't need to. It seems like an extra feature that I won't get much if any use out of.

 

[PinkyPowers]

More if I get the right set of headphones I won't need to. It seems like an extra feature that I won't get much if any use out of.

I thought the same thing. Once I got Angie, I set the bass to 2 o'clock and never touched it again. Until about five months later. I found myself craving a change. You know, sometimes we just get bored with the same thing every day. So I looked for a new set of IEMs, until I decided to see if I could make Angie seem different enough to satisfy that urge. She did. I turned the bass all the way, and now I've got a rather warm and boom-y sound, while maintaining control, speed, and texture. The treble and mids are the same, but she feels like a new creature.

Never underestimate versatility. The ability to change to exactly what you want when you want it can be an enormous benefit.

 

[DougofTheAbaci]

Never underestimate versatility. The ability to change to exactly what you want when you want it can be an enormous benefit.

Hmm. I suppose. Though I rarely get that very strong urge to replace my headphones. I've had my HE-500 for a few years now and have pretty much no desire to replace.

How do you find the comfort with the cable from your Angies? I'm still on a search but aside from that damned cable I keep coming back to the 13v2 as probably the sound for me...

 

[PinkyPowers]

My Angie is Universal, so the fit will be different than the Customs. For me, the cable is in no way uncomfortable or in the way.

I've read lots of reviews and impressions on the Layla, Roxanne and Angie. All have the same cable. I've yet to hear about the cable causing fit problems.

The JH13v2 is almost certainly your best bet. It's now got the Siren Series cable and 4th Order Crossover tech. I'd love to get a pair myself, one day.

 

[DougofTheAbaci]

Thanks for the info. I'll probably contact JH Audio, see what they say.

Anyone else, any other suggestions?