Damn.
I had the Massdrop x Noble X IEMs, but I was never really able to give them a shot. Fit issues, then the lack of opportunities to use IEMs regularly.
Recently, Massdrop had the Kaiser 10 one sale and I jumped on them for no specific reason other than curiosity.
What a sound. They're VERY pleasant to listen to. My main genre is technical death metal, which is tricky to find IEMs for: typically, treble- and mid-focused units are the key. For example, my Etymotic ER4XRs. Bass just needs to be there and accurate, but not overblown.
I won't say the Kaiser 10s are this. But DAMN. They've really changed the way I think about what an ideal IEM is for me, and also about fit: prior to them, I didn't realize I could even GET a fit from a UIEM which didn't have a small-bore nozzle (e.g. Westone, Etymotics). With foam tips, my horizons broaden significantly, which what I finally tried with the K10s.
This, in turn, made me dust-up my Campfire Audio Atlas to also finally give them a good shot, but the bass on these is just too much. On the K10s, it's sweet. On the Atlas, it's there, and everywhere. Not that these IEMs are comparable in any way whatsoever, but I gave them both a good go recently, so...
I still need to make my mind up on the cable. And I don't like the idea of being 100% reliant on foam tips. But that's the reality of it now for me to get a fit.
I'll continue using the K10s; I have the balanced cable with it, and will soon get the adapter to connect it to my amp at work. I'm really looking forward to trying this out.