[mrconfuse]

I was looking to replace my current IEM (Westone AM Pro 30, used to be in a band, not anymore). I wanted something that would be usable at my desk when I'm working, when I'm in bed resting or when I go out/travel

First place I looked was at the Westone line. I like the westones because they (to me) had the best fit and were the most comfortable.I looked at the B30, B50 and also the W60 Gen2 and found that the bass was to much. The W40 seem to be the best when it came to the bass but the soundstage did not sound very wide

I tried the campfire andromeda 2020 edition (in a store). the fit wasn't bad, the 2020 edition was comfortable, sort of close to the westone. The sound stage was much wider than the W40, the bass was okay, seem to be a little more than the W40 but less than the B30/B50/W60

One of the sales people had me try on the Dan Clark Audio AEON FLow 2 (closed back) and I was very impressed. This was my first time with Planar magnetic headphones. It was very nice sounding and very comfortable. However, it isn't very portable and i don't think it would be very good for lying in bed (i could be wrong).

So bottom line i don't know, I was very impressed by the AEON Flow 2 but it's not very portable. I usually prefer IEM because I can also have them on me in one of my pockets. And with the AEON Flow 2 I won't be able to do that. The campfire audio isn't bad in comfort and has better soundstage than the W40 but bass is a little more.

If i were to say best sounding was priority I would prob would pick the AEON Flow 2
If i were to say portability as priority I would probably go with the campfire or westone
If i were to say comfort was priority i would definitely opt for the Westone.

I saved up for a bit to get something nice and now I'm sort of stuck on what to do

 

[IEMusic]

What’s your exact budget and what music do you listen to the most? Clearly I’m biased towards IEMs, but I just want to perhaps provide some options for you to look into before making you decision. Right now you can get a whole lot for you money with IEMs. Perhaps you could even get a great IEM and the AEON Flow 2. Also, what are the most important characteristics to you? Imaging, soundstage, detail, clarity, sub bass rumble, mid bass punch, midrange fulness, treble extension, reference tuning, etc.

 

[mrconfuse]

What’s your exact budget and what music do you listen to the most? Clearly I’m biased towards IEMs, but I just want to perhaps provide some options for you to look into before making you decision. Right now you can get a whole lot for you money with IEMs. Perhaps you could even get a great IEM and the AEON Flow 2. Also, what are the most important characteristics to you? Imaging, soundstage, detail, clarity, sub bass rumble, mid bass punch, midrange fulness, treble extension, reference tuning, etc.

I have a 1000-1100 budget. I listen to a variety of music, from Pop, Rock, contemporary, Jazz and etc to alternative (from the 80's, 90's, and up). I listen to some classical music but not really that much. I'd say about 15 percent of my music is classical.

Comfort is huge for me, if i can't wear it for longer then 10 minutes it's not going to work. Reason why I stuck with the Westone line is because they were always the most comfortable (based on what I can try out in my local audio store). With the westones I can lay in bed and listen without having issues. Long tubes that extend into my ears are no go, just painful. I prefer shorter tubes rather longer ones. This is why the campfire Andromeda 2020 was actually okay, it had a shorter and a less fat nozzle. I also tried out some Chi fi IEM from my friend and they all hurt after about 10-15 minutes.

As for the sound, I would say a sound signature similar to the W40 but with a wider soundstage (whatever characteristics those are), I could also say sound signature like the closed back AEON Flow 2 (as I like it ) but I don't think it can be possible with an IEM.

I'm also sensitive to bass like some are sensitive to sibilance so something with to much bass really makes me not want to use them. I don't mind bass but it should be natural, it should be what's on the recording not overemphasized or underemphasized.

 

[IEMusic]

One that I think would be worth getting just to see what you can get for very little money is the Tin HiFi T2 Plus. It has a neutral-ish sound signature with some boosted bass (compared to neutral), but it’s tasteful and of high quality. You can usually find for $50 or sometimes less if purchasing from a retailer in China, but if willing to pay closer to $60, it is available on Amazon US, with an easy return policy. However, I don’t know where you’re located. https://www.amazon.com/Linsoul-Performance-Reference-Audiophile-Musician/dp/B089ZZ6PXW

For $300, I can completely endorse the Mangird Tea. It has a very balanced sound signature with an extremely wonderful sounding midrange and amazing soundstage and imaging. Quite holographic in it‘s presentation. Its two possible weaknesses are if you want a lot of bass or if you want an ultra detailed IEM. The sound is very non-fatiguing IMO, yet it has wonderful clarity and resolution.

Both of these IEMs have really nice ergonomics, though the T2+ has a shallower insertion. Both are also able to play any genre of music well, without having bloated bass that infringes on the midrange.

 

[mrconfuse]

The T2 + looks promising, the Mangird Tea looks like it has a large shell and may be uncomfortable.

 

[surfgeorge]

Going by your IEM preferences it seems like you prefer a warm tuning with less pinna gain (2-4kHz boost)
The Andromeda 2020 should be a solid contender in that regard.
I'd also consider the Sony IER-M9 and IER-M7 which are excellent warm IEMs with a very good soundstage, resolution and smoothness.
Both are also known for their high comfort, but in any case be prepared to try various tips to find the best comfort and fit.
Out of those the I'd consider the M7 the value proposition, the Andromeda 2020 the "safe bet" and the M9 the most refined.
Being able to actually test the IEM before buying is a HUGE plus of course.

You didn't write about your source, or from what source you have been listening at the dealer.
I personally find the source to be as important as the IEM, even more so with the headphone.
At that IEM price level I'd consider a good DAP, portable DAC/Amp or at the very least a Dongle-type DAC for the phone to actually bring out the sound quality the IEM is capable of.
(Personal choice: CHORD Mojo and CHORD Hugo 2, Tempotec Sonata Pro for music on the move)

 

[mrconfuse]

My source is my AK SR15, when i was at the dealer I was using my unit and my songs. You know it's funny that you mention changing the source. At one point I was thinking about getting the chord mojo but then I didn't want to have to deal with a stack. As for the source vs the IEM/Cans it seems there's not agreeing point, i have had people tell me to change to a better dap/Dac and then i have telling me to go for a good IEM/Can
I can see why this hobby is such a money pit lol, one eventually ends up doing both.

 

[surfgeorge]

My source is my AK SR15, when i was at the dealer I was using my unit and my songs. You know it's funny that you mention changing the source. At one point I was thinking about getting the chord mojo but then I didn't want to have to deal with a stack. As for the source vs the IEM/Cans it seems there's not agreeing point, i have had people tell me to change to a better dap/Dac and then i have telling me to go for a good IEM/Can
I can see why this hobby is such a money pit lol, one eventually ends up doing both.

As for spending money on source vs IEM/HP most people will prefer spending money on the IEM or HP, yet buying the Chord Mojo has transformed the way I enjoy music, even with cheaper IEMs. I built a stack with a HiBy R3 and it has served me very well for almost 2 years, but it’s more transportable than pocketable. For listening on the go I’d not really recommend it, despite the great SQ.
I posted photos of the stack here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/chord-mojo-dac-amp-☆★►faq-in-3rd-post-◄★☆.784602/post-15876023

And yes, this hobby really is a money pit! I never imagined how much I’d spend, but I also never imagined what SQ was possible with a pair of IEMs and a good source

 

[mrconfuse]

Just wanted to give an update, I opted for the Westone W40. I really liked the campfire Audio 2020 it just wasn't comfortable enough. And the W60 just seemed to bassy to me. While I don't doubt there are prob some great Chi Fi brands that would work I just don't want to spend any more time and energy trying and then returning. At some point there are only so many you can try and return (Amazon). I own the Moon Drop Kanas pro, bgvp dmg, Tri I4, TinFi P1, Final Audio B2, Final Audio E2000 and few Linsoul ZXXX line of IEMs (and some I returned. The ones that I own pretty much sit in the drawer due to - being too bassy, to much treble, soundstage to narrow, or a comfort. At the end of the day, realistically if can't wear them for more than 20 minutes it doesn't matter how super duper amazing the IEM is,