[John Alexander]

Hey everyone, I've lurked for a while but finally pulled the trigger on making an account. I'm what I'd consider an newbie audiophile, I like great music out of great gear and I want to learn more. Currently I have two G3 6 inch Rokit studio monitors, a pair of Sony MDRV6 cans, and I'm looking for a pair of IEMs that will reproduce the EDM music that mainly I listen to in an awesome way.

My budget is $150, and I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for gear for reproducing EDM through an iPhone in the best way. I really like the clarity and neutrality that my MDRV6's give for the price, but for IEM's I'm looking for something with a little more bottom end, specifically I'd love to have something that can bring the sub bass through from the very bottom with clarity. I don't want something as exaggerated as beats, but I do want something that has a punchier personality than the MDRV6's. Any questions or comments I'll happily respond to, thanks all and I'm looking forward to being a part of the community!

EDIT: Also, if anyone has any advice as to some budget options for HQ source setups I'd love to hear some info. I've looked into the streaming service Tidal, is that the best option I have for using just an iPhone? If I'm limited by the iPhone, what gear options do I have on a budget?

 

[williamclarkonet]

KZ headphones are a good buy

 

[buke9]

A bunch of options at that price so I’m sure many different opinions on them. I have two of the KZ’s and they are the cheap one the ATE sand ZST. Both are good for the money as in $11 and $20 the ATE’s are a good all around little earphone for cheap rugged and a step up from the Apple earbuds that I also don’t think are too bad just too uncomfortable for long use for me. The ZST’s definitely have better bass and highs but I think the mids are lacking a bit too much for me but they too are comfortable to me.
The others I have that I think are much better is the 1More Triple Driver and the Echobox Finder X1. I think they both do good on bringing the bass but would not classify them as basshead earphones but to bring some . I think the X1’s are better at it but if you don’t like a bright sound signature they might not be for you I like it a bit brighter so I’m happy with them. The 1Mores are a bit more balanced with just a touch of warmth to them and the bass is not as defined as the X1 but still pretty good. Another would be the Quad Driver from 1More as it is much better on the bass and high end than the Triples but at a premium of $50 over your budget.
I have Tidal HiFi and at $19.99 would not classify it as budget friendly but I think it is very good. I have other services that I use only the free side so can’t really comment as it wouldn’t be too fair of a comparison.
As always these are just my observations and opinions YMMV.

 

[Malfunkt]

If you like the Sony MDR-V6, and your Rockit monitors, you have an ear / preference for that monitor sound.

Familiar with both of those, especially the V6. Treat yourself, find a pair of Sony MDR-7550 in-ears and don't look back. They have more bass extension than your V6 and are even clearer. Very linear, but not fatiguing on the top end. You'll be able to listen at listen at lower SPl, but still get a good sense of the music. Excellent for any eletronic music.

oh - $150.. if you are super lucky you might get them used for that price. I did. But that was a rare opportunity.

 

[alex2750]

A bunch of options at that price so I’m sure many different opinions on them. I have two of the KZ’s and they are the cheap one the ATE sand ZST. Both are good for the money as in $11 and $20 the ATE’s are a good all around little earphone for cheap rugged and a step up from the Apple earbuds that I also don’t think are too bad just too uncomfortable for long use for me. The ZST’s definitely have better bass and highs but I think the mids are lacking a bit too much for me but they too are comfortable to me.
As always these are just my observations and opinions YMMV.

Agreed. The most expensive KZ IEM is currently 1/3 of your budget (the KZ ZS6), and of the IEMs I've tried/owned, KZ is consistently the best for EDM. The ATE and ZST are good choices; you might also want to check out the ED9 (powerful, punchy bass and a booming soundstage) and the ZS3 (rich, warm bass that sounds like it was made for EDM).

That said, you get what you pay for. These sub-$30 IEMs aren't going to match up to offerings you'll find closer to your $150 budget but are worth grabbing for around $10 and stashing just in case the other more expensive options don't work out.

 

[John Alexander]

I know the KZ lineup is super popular around here. I almost pulled the trigger on some ZS6s earlier this week, but I I feel like once I've experienced a certain standard of audio quality it's hard take a step back, because at the end of the day I know I'll always reach for my best gear. How do you y'all think the KZs would stand up to my current setups?

Malfunkt, I do like the clarity of the V6s, but they almost feel top heavy, frequency-wise in a way that's irritating and harsh when I get into high volume territory. The rokits are little better, but I don't have a sub to match and they can only go so low. I really want something that can recreate the 10-40hz range with the same detail, presence, and clarity I get from the Rokits and V6s, or is that too much to ask from an IEM in my price range lol?

Thanks for the replies guys

 

[Malfunkt]

The mdr-7550 is not peaky or sibilant like the v6.

Check out this thread. They make the top of the list
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/head-fi-basshead-iem-thread-lists-page-1.761433/