Precog's IEM Reviews & Impressions

[Precogvision]

Campfire Audio Solaris OG Impressions

Spoiler: FR Graph

I don't think I was even in the hobby when the drama surrounding the Campfire Audio Solaris took place, but even I'm familiar with the background surrounding one of the hobby's most controversial IEMs. The Solaris has persevered with a cult-like following over the years, and today, I'll finally be stripping down what I think of it.

As usual, I'm not going to mince words: The bass on the Solaris OG is an atrocity to DD bass. It has some of the poorest slam I’ve heard and it decays far too quickly. In fact, it sounds like a farty BA driver and, if I didn't know better, I would've said that's exactly what it is. By comparison, the Solaris 2020 had poor DD bass to be sure, but it at least sounded reasonably tight. Moving into the midrange, we have what some might call an extreme case of WeStErN tuNiNg (yes, I'm memeing). To elaborate, the midrange of the Solaris OG is characterized by an upper-midrange suppression at 4kHz which, consequently, strongly emphasizes the sub-1kHz frequencies. The Solaris OG's midrange generally comes off as thick and soupy, even more so than the Solaris 2020. Hell, from memory, the Solaris 2020 sounds downright lean by comparison. I'm sure this will appeal to some listeners - perhaps in a "rich" or “soulful” sense - but it sounds tonally wrong to my ears. Like most of the Campfire IEMs, the Solaris OG's treble response is one that dances oh-so-close to the sun, but never quite loses its wings. It's got lots of sparkle, reasonable extension, and compels me to praise the remarkable balance that has been struck here.

Intangibles are also quite different on the Solaris OG relative to the Solaris 2020. The Solaris 2020 sounded plain incoherent due to the mismatch between its textureless bass, slightly gritty midrange, and sparkly treble. The Solaris OG is likewise extremely colored, and yet it maintains a textured, virtually coherent presentation. I suppose you could say this is the one instance with which that otherwise horrible DD puts in some actual work. Staging on the Solaris OG is also better. I still don't hear much depth, but soundstage height and width are noticeably more impressive than from my time with the Solaris 2020. How much of this is attributable to the 4kHz recession or the larger shells, I don't know. As for the bad stuff, the Solaris OG has rather poor dynamic range. It comes off downwards compressed and, while there is a decent sense of weight to notes, macrodynamic punch is limp. It's basically the auditory equivalent of a golden banana slug to my ears. I also think the Solaris 2020 is slightly more resolving, as the Solaris OG is generally more colored and thick.

I'll end by stealing an excerpt from my original Solaris 2020 review: "Campfire Audio clearly had an artistic vision when they set out to make this IEM - the Solaris [OG] has a unique sound signature that I don’t think you’ll find elsewhere". The Solaris OG has its niche. And while it's no Andro 2020, I would certainly prefer it over the Solaris 2020 which I already thought was a decent (if far from perfect) IEM.

Score: 5/10

 

[Sebastien Chiu]

He's got a vision, a precogvision

Review vision ears ve6?

I like this pun!

 

[Precogvision]

He's got a vision, a precogvision

Review vision ears ve6?

I can't speak for the VE6, but I may have a VE7 on the way for review

 

[eloelo]

I can't speak for the VE6, but I may have a VE7 on the way for review

haha yea VE6 is ...kinda outdated lol. I just happened to hear it and prefer it to VE8. But for others and based on its FR, I doubt it will get a high score.

Can't wait for VE7 review!

 

[Precogvision]

Thieaudio Clairvoyance Impressions

About a year late to hearing the Clairvoyance, and from early impressions of its younger brother, the Oracle, it's already been usurped. There's also not much to say from a pure sonic perspective: It's generally good. But you'll want the details. What you have with the Clairvoyance is a slightly warmer interpretation of a lot of the target curves that have been hitting the market lately - I dig it.

Spoiler: FR Graph

I think the bass response of the Clairvoyance is what I wanted the Monarch's to be. The Monarch's bass was quite incisive, dedicated almost solely to the sub-100hZ frequencies. While this lent to terrific rumble and fun, I did feel that it cut out a lot of warmth. It's unfortunate, then, that the Monarch's poor bass intangibles have been carried over. The Clairvoyance's bass sounds strangely plasticky if you ask me, almost BA-like at times, and there's a general lack of detail. Things look up a wee bit as we move into the midrange. Tonally, I don't think I can critique it. It's definitely thicker than the Monarch's midrange, and maybe just a hair thicker than my dead-neutral spot that the B2 Dusk hits. The slightly bunted transients here would be the biggest problem; overall, it can sound slightly soupy as a result. That’s a pretty general trend with the Clairvoyance, but…

What really surprised me most about the Clairvoyance was its treble response. And yes, I've read the less-than-stellar reports about the Clairvoyance's treble. But here's the kicker...I actually think it's quite good. The Monarch had more energy dedicated toward the lower-treble for a more aggressive listen. Followed by a noticeable roll-off, I thought it sounded quite dry. By comparison, the Clairvoyance has more of a mid-treble emphasis and it audibly extends further to my ears, lending to more defined sparkle and shimmer. Just as a whole, the Clairvoyance’s treble is smoother and strikes a balance that I struggle to see someone faulting. Whether you can expect the same extension if you hear another Clairvoyance, well, I'd throw caution to the wind. My unit, and the previous (borked) one I was sent, both seem to extend further than other units I've seen graphed.

Technicalities on the Clairvoyance are good but not great. It'll probably help to lend some context by going back to the Monarch. Despite the accolade of reviews praising the Monarch's technicalities, I didn't find the Monarch to be a particularly detailed IEM. Yes, it had terrific clarity, but for a sense of true, internal detail? Mmm, I'd beg to differ. So I do find the Clairvoyance to be the Monarch's equal, at least in terms of detail retrieval. I also don't find myself nitpicking the Clairvoyance's coherency issues like I did the Monarch. I probably could point them out if I really listened for it; however, I think this is an instance of which the Clairvoyance's slightly mushy notes and more pleasant tuning serves as a veil. That's a good segue: the Clairvoyance's Achilles Heel would be that it's a really boring IEM. Notes are too blunted to hold my attention, but just defined enough for me to think, "Ah, it's fine. I can keep listening to this". There's a steady sense of ennui that settles in the longer I listen to the Clairvoyance, which isn't helped by the generally downwards-tilted dynamics.

But if you're wondering which I'd prefer between the twins, it may come as a surprise that I’d take the Clairvoyance. I found myself constantly nitpicking the Monarch when I had it, because it gave me the impression that it was trying to be something that it was clearly not. The Clairvoyance knows what it is, and it sinks into the "pleasantness above all else" ethos that tends to appeal to me more in the long-run. Some might point out that that's somewhat contradicting, as I said above it's also a boring IEM. That's because I would prefer to listen to neither IEM given the choice; the Clairvoyance is simply the lesser of two evils. But I digress. I want to reiterate that this is a very well-rounded IEM, possibly even more so than the Monarch; I give credit where credit is due.

Score: 6/10

 

[IEMusic]

Thieaudio Clairvoyance Impressions

About a year late to hearing the Clairvoyance, and from early impressions of its younger brother, the Oracle, it's already been usurped. There's also not much to say from a pure sonic perspective: It's generally good. But you'll want the details. What you have with the Clairvoyance is a slightly warmer interpretation of a lot of the target curves that have been hitting the market lately - I dig it.

Spoiler: FR Graph

I think the bass response of the Clairvoyance is what I wanted the Monarch's to be. The Monarch's bass was quite incisive, dedicated almost solely to the sub-100hZ frequencies. While this lent to terrific rumble and fun, I did feel that it cut out a lot of warmth. It's unfortunate, then, that the Monarch's poor bass intangibles have been carried over. The Clairvoyance's bass sounds strangely plasticky if you ask me, almost BA-like at times, and there's a general lack of detail. Things look up a wee bit as we move into the midrange. Tonally, I don't think I can critique it. It's definitely thicker than the Monarch's midrange, and maybe just a hair thicker than my dead-neutral spot that the B2 Dusk hits. The slightly bunted transients here would be the biggest problem; overall, it can sound slightly soupy as a result. That’s a pretty general trend with the Clairvoyance, but…

What really surprised me most about the Clairvoyance was its treble response. And yes, I've read the less-than-stellar reports about the Clairvoyance's treble. But here's the kicker...I actually think it's quite good. The Monarch had more energy dedicated toward the lower-treble for a more aggressive listen. Followed by a noticeable roll-off, I thought it sounded quite dry. By comparison, the Clairvoyance has more of a mid-treble emphasis and it audibly extends further to my ears, lending to more defined sparkle and shimmer. Just as a whole, the Clairvoyance’s treble is smoother and strikes a balance that I struggle to see someone faulting. Whether you can expect the same extension if you hear another Clairvoyance, well, I'd throw caution to the wind. My unit, and the previous (borked) one I was sent, both seem to extend further than other units I've seen graphed.

Technicalities on the Clairvoyance are good but not great. It'll probably help to lend some context by going back to the Monarch. Despite the accolade of reviews praising the Monarch's technicalities, I didn't find the Monarch to be a particularly detailed IEM. Yes, it had terrific clarity, but for a sense of true, internal detail? Mmm, I'd beg to differ. So I do find the Clairvoyance to be the Monarch's equal, at least in terms of detail retrieval. I also don't find myself nitpicking the Clairvoyance's coherency issues like I did the Monarch. I probably could point them out if I really listened for it; however, I think this is an instance of which the Clairvoyance's slightly mushy notes and more pleasant tuning serves as a veil. That's a good segue: the Clairvoyance's Achilles Heel would be that it's a really boring IEM. Notes are too blunted to hold my attention, but just defined enough for me to think, "Ah, it's fine. I can keep listening to this". There's a steady sense of ennui that settles in the longer I listen to the Clairvoyance, which isn't helped by the generally downwards-tilted dynamics.

But if you're wondering which I'd prefer between the twins, it may come as a surprise that I’d take the Clairvoyance. I found myself constantly nitpicking the Monarch when I had it, because it gave me the impression that it was trying to be something that it was clearly not. The Clairvoyance knows what it is, and it sinks into the "pleasantness above all else" ethos that tends to appeal to me more in the long-run. Some might point out that that's somewhat contradicting, as I said above it's also a boring IEM. That's because I would prefer to listen to neither IEM given the choice; the Clairvoyance is simply the lesser of two evils. But I digress. I want to reiterate that this is a very well-rounded IEM, possibly even more so than the Monarch; I give credit where credit is due.

Score: 6/10

Nice review! I had a feeling you would like it more than the Monarch’s tuning, based on your Monarch review (I have yet to hear the Monarch myself). FWIW, the upper treble on my Clair set also has tremendous extension, so I don’t think it’s an anomaly of your set. Andrew also mentioned how the upper treble extension impressed him, on one of his YouTube vids (the comparison between the twins). Your impressions were pretty much what I expected.

I do wonder if the TA implementation of the bass on the Monarch and Clair are a bit polarizing. The fact that it uses a single DD + 4 BAs dedicated to bass, may yield what you perceive as “plasticky and BA-like”. Perhaps it may also cause some coherence issues for some people. I personally happen to like the implementation, and find it better defined than that of many other IEMs that I’ve heard, but we all hear things differently.

Perhaps a combined DD/BA bass presentation causes more wildly varied perceptions, just like the Tri-DD presentation seems to as well.

 

[luisdent]

How is this?

it went horribly. I just can't get a consistent amount of bass with each pinhole attempt. It works, but it's just way too varied so I gave up. there might be a better way. i was poking holes in the tips core.

 

[ClarenceKyle]

Haha, I appreciate the sentiment, but I don't think I can consider myself independent anymore. I work for Headphones.com and get paid to do the reviews that show up on the site and channel. But the main reason why I chose to work with this company is because they value transparency and are focused on the long-term picture. A lot of reviews are out just to try and make a quick buck. By contrast, our aim is to create content that establishes trust with our audience. Earning that trust means going forward with reviews that might even cost us sales in the short term. I can confidently say that I'm more than happy with the direction things have gone (and are headed) so far.

I should also clarify that I have plenty of gear to review. Probably too much! It's just the more rare (generally international) stuff that can be difficult to find, or that I have to rely on readers/friends to loan. So there's no need to panic!

Having listened to other reviewers at headphones.com like Andy, you folks come across as quite objective. I think for IEMs more objective than most sites as most sites get the IEMs for free, even CIEMs. Agree it's your willingness to ding products in specifics that makes you worth following.

 

[drbluenewmexico]

Well i suppose it just shows that amp circuit and implementation in general is more important than dac chip.


Why dont you try EE Bravados? Weapon X subwoofers are awesome for EDM.

Second that notion! Way fun and dynamic

 

[Precogvision]

Precog’s Budget IEM (Sub-$200) Picks​

Those who have followed my reviews for some time will know that I tend to mainly cover IEMs on the more pricey end of the spectrum. In this vein, I freely admit that I do have some bias against budget IEMs. It’s just a fact that more expensive IEMs tend to sound better; therefore, they entertain my interest more. Tend, meaning not always, OK? Trust me, I’ve heard my share of flagship fatalities and my not-so-flattering reviews are proof of that.

But that's just one reason why I don’t cover budget IEMs often. Really, the biggest problem with budget IEMs is that they’re a dime a dozen. The ones that make enough of an impression - much less a good impression - for me to take note are few and far between. Still, make no mistake: There are budget IEMs that slip through the chinks in my jaded paradigm and meet, sometimes exceed, my lofty expectations. I’ve even had the pleasure of adding many of these IEMs to my own collection. So in this write-up, I want to share the sub-$200 IEMs that I give my stamp of approval to.

To keep things interesting, I’ll rank my choices from my least favorite to my favorite. Hopefully, that’ll keep you reading (although you can skip to the end just to spite me if you’d like). Of course, here are some disclaimers. There are no set metrics for my rankings other than subjective preference. And before I get the “Why didn’t (insert X IEM here) make the list?” questions, there’s one of two reasons: 1) I didn’t like it and, trust me, I don’t like a lot of IEMs, or 2) I simply haven’t heard it yet.

#10 Moondrop SSR: It’s got no bass, it’s ridiculously midrange forward thanks to no less than 13dB of pinna compensation, and it’s got something of a mid-treble suckout that graphs don’t reflect. On the basis of tonality, I definitely can’t stand how lean and shouty the SSR is. But it’s also got some of the best technicalities that $50 can buy. One of the first things one might notice about the SSR is its transient speed. It is snappier than any other IEM I’ve heard in its price range. Layering on the SSR is also a standout with an ample sense of space between instruments; imaging as a whole benefits. If you have ears of steel or are just a sucker for weeb tuning, the SSR is an IEM you’re going to want to put on the list. (You can click to read what some of my earlier reviews looked like; I've since walked-off some of my initial criticisms of this IEM).

#9 Thieaudio Legacy 4: This is an IEM that doesn’t pull the punches. It’s bright, forward, and with an emphasis on sheer clarity. The dynamic driver being used on the L4 is a significant step up from one in the L3 and L5 (yes, if you’re asking me the L4 is actually better than the L5). Now personally, I don't like this IEM. I think it has too much upper-midrange and the lower-treble comes off as abrasive; consequently, it quickly becomes fatiguing for my ears. But those who want a more in-your-face listen with a solid technical foundation will want to check out the L4.

#8 Final Audio E500: The cheapest earphone Final Audio makes and, if you ask me, ironically their best sounding (indeed, I’d handily take this over their $2000 flagship IEM). Bass is mid-bass emphasized for a good sense of punch without getting out of control. In a very un-Final Audio like fashion, the midrange isn’t a shouty mess and sounds, well, simply neutral. Treble is fairly soft; this is a darker IEM in general, but it won’t fatigue. If you’ve no luck finding a Sony MH755, or desire yourself a more neutral option, then you can do no wrong with the Final Audio E500. Cop yourself some of those Final Type-E eartips while you’re at it because they’re handy for taming IEMs not as well-tuned as this one is.

#7 Tin Audio T4: I haven’t been the biggest fan of most Tin IEMs I’ve heard - from memes like the P2 to the perplexing regression to the common denominator that was the T5 - but I do have a healthy appreciation for this one. The T4 plays to Tin's roots, following the neutral-style tuning that won them the hearts of many audiophiles. It's a leaner presentation to be sure, but no less a solid one. Technicalities are about what you'd expect for the price; that is to say, again, simply solid. You might be wondering where the T2 is on this list. After all, many would consider that IEM to be a budget benchmark. Well, I didn't like it. It sounded very un-resolving and mediocre, neutral-tuning for $50 be damned.

#6 SeeAudio Yume: The Yume is an instance of one hand giveth and the other taketh away. On that latter hand, the Yume’s just not very resolving. Notes are slightly blunted and mushy; for imaging, I’m inclined to say the Yume’s actually below average for its price point. On the former hand, the tonality here is class-leading. It’s neutral with bass boost; a clean, sub-bass oriented shelf. The midrange rises into the pinna compensation and slopes off from the upper-midrange beautifully, and there’s just an extra bit of spice in the mid-treble to keep things from getting too stale. Sure, some might still find the Yume boring, but you won’t find anyone saying it’s bad. Stack on excellent fit, and you have a well-rounded IEM for those desiring ease of listening over all else. Hell, the Yume plays with a lot of kilobuck stuff for tonality.

#5 Samsung Galaxy Buds: Hey, nobody said this list was limited to just wired IEMs. And trust me, these actually sound pretty darn good. This is the first Harman-tuned IEM on this list; perhaps that shouldn’t come as a surprise considering Samsung owns Harman International. The Buds have good sub-bass, an upper-midrange emphasis, and quite a lot of lower-treble. Yeah, you might also not like the scooped lower-midrange, but as a whole? There’s little to complain about here. Technicalities are more or less a case of “it's a TWS," but I’ve heard much, much worse. And the timbre is surprisingly good for a TWS. Don’t go for the Buds+ unless you really need that extra battery life - because if you’re asking me, they don’t sound quite as good.

#4 Ikko OH10: Probably the least safe recommendation on this list. Do not, and I repeat, do not consider buying this IEM unless you enjoy a decidedly “Asian” sound-signature with an emphasis on the bass and upper-midrange regions accordingly. The bass tactility on the OH10 is definitely some of the better I’ve heard in this price range. But perhaps the most surprising part about the Ikko OH10 would be that it has the best treble extension of any IEM on this list. It peaks strongly for air at 15kHz with a good amount of zing; as a result, imaging is quite impressive too. However, whether you can hear that high up or not is another concern entirely. So hey, just don’t shoot the messenger if this IEM ends up sounding quite dark to you.

#3 Sony MH755: Sony doesn’t make these anymore, but if you can find a legit one, you’ve got yourself one of the best IEMs for bass under $500. I’m not kidding by the way. The MH755 follows the Harman target very closely. It’s got recessed lower-mids, a shouty upper-midrange, and way too much lower-treble, so it might come off as fatiguing for some listeners. The bass, however, is to die for. It’s got healthy amounts of both sub-bass and mid-bass, and for sheer slam and texture, there’s nothing, absolutely nothing, in its price bracket that comes close. It doesn’t hurt that it also has technicalities comparable to a lot of the better sub-$200 IEMs. If you feel like you didn’t get your money’s worth here, let’s just say you got a fake (I’m kidding, but I wouldn’t be surprised).

# 2 Moondrop Aria: The Aria, KXXS, KXXX, or the Starfield, it doesn’t matter. Once you’ve heard one of them, you’ve more or less heard them all. The Aria’s just the cheapest, latest instance of Moondrop undercutting themselves again. And who are we to complain? The Aria follows a tuning that’s not dissimilar to Harman, but it takes on more warmth and is generally a whole lot easier-on-the-ears. It’s not the most resolving IEM in its price bracket (it’s actually slower in the transients and doesn’t layer as well as its younger brother, the SSR). However, timbre is oh-so-pleasing and natural; this IEM’s certainly not lacking in that icky, musical buzzword. This is one of my favorite sub-$100 IEMs, one I can just pop-in and enjoy for hours on end.

#1 Etymotic ER2XR: So you want what is objectively the best IEM that $200 can buy? Then this is the IEM to look at. The ER2XR follows Etymotic’s interpretation of the classic Diffuse Field tuning. And if you’re asking me, it’s better. The overall sound here is a reference-oriented one with a touch of “oomph” down-low. Bass is lacking texture, but is quite clean with adequate slam. Some might find the ER2XR’s midrange slightly upper-midrange forward; however, I’ve never found it shouty. It has good technicalities too, probably the best I’ve heard under $200. The ER2XR’s biggest weaknesses would be its darker treble response and narrow imaging. Oh, and the fit. The nasty, nasty fit that you’d better hope you can live with for a price-to-performance ratio so good that it’s almost unfair.

And there you have it - ten budget IEMs that I give my stamp of approval to. Of course, you can see that I don’t like all of these IEMs. Some of these IEMs made the list out of respect, or simply because I wanted to meet a requisite of ten IEMs on the list (expect some re-works in the future). I think some words of parting are also warranted here. While I might not make budget IEMs the focus of my content, there is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying budget IEMs. I firmly believe that there is something for everyone in this hobby; likewise, it’s not hard to empathize with the thrill of the budget chase and stumbling upon that rare gem. So feel free to comment what your favorite budget IEMs are too!

 

[twiceboss]

Precog’s Budget IEM (Sub-$200) Picks​

Those who have followed my reviews for some time will know that I tend to mainly cover IEMs on the more pricey end of the spectrum. In this vein, I freely admit that I do have some bias against budget IEMs. It’s just a fact that more expensive IEMs tend to sound better; therefore, they entertain my interest more. Tend, meaning not always, OK? Trust me, I’ve heard my share of flagship fatalities and my not-so-flattering reviews are proof of that.

But that's just one reason why I don’t cover budget IEMs often. Really, the biggest problem with budget IEMs is that they’re a dime a dozen. The ones that make enough of an impression - much less a good impression - for me to take note are few and far between. Still, make no mistake: There are budget IEMs that slip through the chinks in my jaded paradigm and meet, sometimes exceed, my lofty expectations. I’ve even had the pleasure of adding many of these IEMs to my own collection. So in this write-up, I want to share the sub-$200 IEMs that I give my stamp of approval to.

To keep things interesting, I’ll rank my choices from my least favorite to my favorite. Hopefully, that’ll keep you reading (although you can skip to the end just to spite me if you’d like). Of course, here are some disclaimers. There are no set metrics for my rankings other than subjective preference. And before I get the “Why didn’t (insert X IEM here) make the list?” questions, there’s one of two reasons: 1) I didn’t like it and, trust me, I don’t like a lot of IEMs, or 2) I simply haven’t heard it yet.

#10 Moondrop SSR: It’s got no bass, it’s ridiculously midrange forward thanks to no less than 13dB of pinna compensation, and it’s got something of a mid-treble suckout that graphs don’t reflect. On the basis of tonality, I definitely can’t stand how lean and shouty the SSR is. But it’s also got some of the best technicalities that $50 can buy. One of the first things one might notice about the SSR is its transient speed. It is snappier than any other IEM I’ve heard in its price range. Layering on the SSR is also a standout with an ample sense of space between instruments; imaging as a whole benefits. If you have ears of steel or are just a sucker for weeb tuning, the SSR is an IEM you’re going to want to put on the list. (You can click to read what some of my earlier reviews looked like; I've since walked-off some of my initial criticisms of this IEM).

#9 Thieaudio Legacy 4: This is an IEM that doesn’t pull the punches. It’s bright, forward, and with an emphasis on sheer clarity. The dynamic driver being used on the L4 is a significant step up from one in the L3 and L5 (yes, if you’re asking me the L4 is actually better than the L5). Now personally, I don't like this IEM. I think it has too much upper-midrange and the lower-treble comes off as abrasive; consequently, it quickly becomes fatiguing for my ears. But those who want a more in-your-face listen with a solid technical foundation will want to check out the L4.

#8 Final Audio E500: The cheapest earphone Final Audio makes and, if you ask me, ironically their best sounding (indeed, I’d handily take this over their $2000 flagship IEM). Bass is mid-bass emphasized for a good sense of punch without getting out of control. In a very un-Final Audio like fashion, the midrange isn’t a shouty mess and sounds, well, simply neutral. Treble is fairly soft; this is a darker IEM in general, but it won’t fatigue. If you’ve no luck finding a Sony MH755, or desire yourself a more neutral option, then you can do no wrong with the Final Audio E500. Cop yourself some of those Final Type-E eartips while you’re at it because they’re handy for taming IEMs not as well-tuned as this one is.

#7 Tin Audio T4: I haven’t been the biggest fan of most Tin IEMs I’ve heard - from memes like the P2 to the perplexing regression to the common denominator that was the T5 - but I do have a healthy appreciation for this one. The T4 plays to Tin's roots, following the neutral-style tuning that won them the hearts of many audiophiles. It's a leaner presentation to be sure, but no less a solid one. Technicalities are about what you'd expect for the price; that is to say, again, simply solid. You might be wondering where the T2 is on this list. After all, many would consider that IEM to be a budget benchmark. Well, I didn't like it. It sounded very un-resolving and mediocre, neutral-tuning for $50 be damned.

#6 SeeAudio Yume: The Yume is an instance of one hand giveth and the other taketh away. On that latter hand, the Yume’s just not very resolving. Notes are slightly blunted and mushy; for imaging, I’m inclined to say the Yume’s actually below average for its price point. On the former hand, the tonality here is class-leading. It’s neutral with bass boost; a clean, sub-bass oriented shelf. The midrange rises into the pinna compensation and slopes off from the upper-midrange beautifully, and there’s just an extra bit of spice in the mid-treble to keep things from getting too stale. Sure, some might still find the Yume boring, but you won’t find anyone saying it’s bad. Stack on excellent fit, and you have a well-rounded IEM for those desiring ease of listening over all else. Hell, the Yume plays with a lot of kilobuck stuff for tonality.

#5 Samsung Galaxy Buds: Hey, nobody said this list was limited to just wired IEMs. And trust me, these actually sound pretty darn good. This is the first Harman-tuned IEM on this list; perhaps that shouldn’t come as a surprise considering Samsung owns Harman International. The Buds have good sub-bass, an upper-midrange emphasis, and quite a lot of lower-treble. Yeah, you might also not like the scooped lower-midrange, but as a whole? There’s little to complain about here. Technicalities are more or less a case of “it's a TWS," but I’ve heard much, much worse. And the timbre is surprisingly good for a TWS. Don’t go for the Buds+ unless you really need that extra battery life - because if you’re asking me, they don’t sound quite as good.

#4 Ikko OH10: Probably the least safe recommendation on this list. Do not, and I repeat, do not consider buying this IEM unless you enjoy a decidedly “Asian” sound-signature with an emphasis on the bass and upper-midrange regions accordingly. The bass tactility on the OH10 is definitely some of the better I’ve heard in this price range. But perhaps the most surprising part about the Ikko OH10 would be that it has the best treble extension of any IEM on this list. It peaks strongly for air at 15kHz with a good amount of zing; as a result, imaging is quite impressive too. However, whether you can hear that high up or not is another concern entirely. So hey, just don’t shoot the messenger if this IEM ends up sounding quite dark to you.

#3 Sony MH755: Sony doesn’t make these anymore, but if you can find a legit one, you’ve got yourself one of the best IEMs for bass under $500. I’m not kidding by the way. The MH755 follows the Harman target very closely. It’s got recessed lower-mids, a shouty upper-midrange, and way too much lower-treble, so it might come off as fatiguing for some listeners. The bass, however, is to die for. It’s got healthy amounts of both sub-bass and mid-bass, and for sheer slam and texture, there’s nothing, absolutely nothing, in its price bracket that comes close. It doesn’t hurt that it also has technicalities comparable to a lot of the better sub-$200 IEMs. If you feel like you didn’t get your money’s worth here, let’s just say you got a fake (I’m kidding, but I wouldn’t be surprised).

# 2 Moondrop Aria: The Aria, KXXS, KXXX, or the Starfield, it doesn’t matter. Once you’ve heard one of them, you’ve more or less heard them all. The Aria’s just the cheapest, latest instance of Moondrop undercutting themselves again. And who are we to complain? The Aria follows a tuning that’s not dissimilar to Harman, but it takes on more warmth and is generally a whole lot easier-on-the-ears. It’s not the most resolving IEM in its price bracket (it’s actually slower in the transients and doesn’t layer as well as its younger brother, the SSR). However, timbre is oh-so-pleasing and natural; this IEM’s certainly not lacking in that icky, musical buzzword. This is one of my favorite sub-$100 IEMs, one I can just pop-in and enjoy for hours on end.

#1 Etymotic ER2XR: So you want what is objectively the best IEM that $200 can buy? Then this is the IEM to look at. The ER2XR follows Etymotic’s interpretation of the classic Diffuse Field tuning. And if you’re asking me, it’s better. The overall sound here is a reference-oriented one with a touch of “oomph” down-low. Bass is lacking texture, but is quite clean with adequate slam. Some might find the ER2XR’s midrange slightly upper-midrange forward; however, I’ve never found it shouty. It has good technicalities too, probably the best I’ve heard under $200. The ER2XR’s biggest weaknesses would be its darker treble response and narrow imaging. Oh, and the fit. The nasty, nasty fit that you’d better hope you can live with for a price-to-performance ratio so good that it’s almost unfair.

And there you have it - ten budget IEMs that I give my stamp of approval to. Of course, you can see that I don’t like all of these IEMs. Some of these IEMs made the list out of respect, or simply because I wanted to meet a requisite of ten IEMs on the list (expect some re-works in the future). I think some words of parting are also warranted here. While I might not make budget IEMs the focus of my content, there is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying budget IEMs. I firmly believe that there is something for everyone in this hobby; likewise, it’s not hard to empathize with the thrill of the budget chase and stumbling upon that rare gem. So feel free to comment what your favorite budget IEMs are too!

Oh yes, highlight on that E500! I was raving a lot for E500 on the entire discord servers.

Oh btw, my Oxygen was $190, could be in this budget range LMAO (literally a gem within $200). (currently experimenting with mods, quite enjoying rear vent tape!)

 

[Precogvision]

Oh yes, highlight on that E500! I was raving a lot for E500 on the entire discord servers.

Oh btw, my Oxygen was $190, could be in this budget range LMAO (literally a gem within $200). (currently experimenting with mods, quite enjoying rear vent tape!)

Just going by MSRP. Speaking of hype in Discord servers, I think I need to go hear the Tanchjim Tanya soon

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Hey @Precogvision , when you are you @Resolve going to review the Oriolus Traillii? I just bought one and it is blowing my mind. I think it might be your first 10 and Crinacles first S+.

 

[ranfan]

Try this gem sometime old but gold from Japan

https://www.amazon.com/AUDIO-stereo-headphone-ZB-03-ZB-03JB/dp/B01LXUU98J

Its name is Zero Bass, but by no mean it's zero bass Less than $30 too

 

[tgx78]

Tanya was pretty meh for me, but then I listened to it right after auditioning Oriolus Isabellae. Will revisit Tanya with a fresh perspective.