Rank the IEM's you've heard

[Vamp898]

Well... There is some great differences between a dynamic driver and a balanced armature :

- The first one produce air déplacement, not the second one. So the hearing sensations are different
- The first one as a longer decay. Because of the suspensions.
- You can make the dynamic drivers with a lot of different materials, not the BA
- The BA "only" make air vibrations.

So, even if the level and the tuning are comparables, the final results (tactility, textures, decay, physical impact because of air deplacement...) are quite different.

I'm not saying one is necessarily better than the other. It's different.

This is not true for the IER-M9 which has an Woofer that does move air and an Super Tweeter with Magnesium Diaphragm.

Also the Sonion 37 and HODVTEC both need venting because they move an ""large"" amount of air.

Also most Hybrids use Soundpipes for the DD anyway which complete eliminates this air sensation. There are only very few In-Ear that actually produce enough air movement to make an difference. Most famously is most likely the IER-Z1R which is, according to Crinacle, the only In-Ear that really is capable in this. And he tested more than 1000 In-Ear

 

[Natesdailies]

My top 10 post Canjam NYC. Phonix and Supermoon was in here but got bumped off by Ronin / Storm.

1. Mentor | PW Orpheus | SP3K
2. XE6 | OTL | N8ii
3. Elysian X | RS8
4. Ronin | SP3K
5. Traillii | N8ii
6. Impact | Ifi Go bar
7. Ragnar | PW Orpheus | SP3K
9. Jewel | SP3K
10. Storm | Orphy | Q7

 

[DaveStarWalker]

This is not true for the IER-M9 which has an Woofer that does move air and an Super Tweeter with Magnesium Diaphragm.

Also the Sonion 37 and HODVTEC both need venting because they move an ""large"" amount of air.

Also most Hybrids use Soundpipes for the DD anyway which complete eliminates this air sensation. There are only very few In-Ear that actually produce enough air movement to make an difference. Most famously is most likely the IER-Z1R which is, according to Crinacle, the only In-Ear that really is capable in this. And he tested more than 1000 In-Ear

Ok, if you say.

"Large amount of air". Ok, but vs a 13,6mm dynamic driver for instance (I think about the almighty Fh9)... I wouldn't stake my head too much in an air displacement contest and physical impact.

Super science

It's all about you being happy with them.

Bravo.

 

[alavenue]

My top 10 post Canjam NYC. Phonix and Supermoon was in here but got bumped off by Ronin / Storm.

1. Mentor | PW Orpheus | SP3K
2. XE6 | OTL | N8ii
3. Elysian X | RS8
4. Ronin | SP3K
5. Traillii | N8ii
6. Impact | Ifi Go bar
7. Ragnar | PW Orpheus | SP3K
9. Jewel | SP3K
10. Storm | Orphy | Q7

What makes mentor #1 for you?

 

[Vamp898]

Ok, if you say.

Large amount of air. Ok, but vs a 13,6mm dynamic driver for instance... I wouldn't stake my head too much in an air displacement contest.

Super science

It's all about you being happy with them.

Bravo.

You mean the FH9? That one uses Soundpipes and hard crossover, so the DD is mostly for show because people think they need/want Hybrids for the sake of being Hybrids.

The XBA-Z5 uses an 16mm Driver and the 12mm Driver in the IER-Z1R produces an significantly stronger impact/more punch and more air feel. Quality over quantity

 

[DaveStarWalker]

You mean the FH9? That one uses Soundpipes and hard crossover, so the DD is mostly for show because people think they need/want Hybrids for the sake of being Hybrids.

The XBA-Z5 uses an 16mm Driver and the 12mm Driver in the IER-Z1R produces an significantly stronger impact/more punch and more air feel. Quality over quantity

You are always right in your own world bro.
Have a nice day

 

[Vamp898]

You are always right in your world bro.
Have a nice day

In the World of Physics and Science. Poor me

 

[DaveStarWalker]

In the World of Physics and Science. Poor me

indeed.... It is indeed obvious to read you. Not even carefully.

But :

Well... There is some great differences between a dynamic driver and a balanced armature :

- The first one produce air deplacement, not the second one. So the hearing sensations are different.
- So you can make different vents tunings, passive radiators... With dynamic drivers.
- The first one as a longer decay. Because of the suspensions.
- You can make the dynamic drivers with a lot of different materials (very fine tuning and other things : wood, impregnated paper, titanium, beryllium, CLD, etc...), not the BA
- You can work heavily on the physical dampening of the dynamic driver. Not the BA.
- The BA "only" make air vibrations.

(...)

So, even if the sound level (general balance in the bandwidth) and the tuning are comparables, the final results (tactility, textures, decay, physical impact because of air deplacement...) are quite different.

It is mechanical and physical domains, non-reducible.

I'm not saying one is necessarily better than the other.

It's different.

Just try to quote to whole thing bro...

Not just the points that suit you. It's called... intellectual honesty, and in science, real science, it's fundamental. A usefull concept, really.

Also, we all learn from our mistakes.
With pleasure and I repeat, have a good day.

 

[newworld666]

In my search of the perfect travel IEM ..... (beside TWS which are still not at these sound quality level by a significant margin)
From left (up down to right up down) :

HA-FW1800 I really enjoy the sound quality, though a bit bulky, but sounds like a charm with Spinfit 1025

IER-Z1R the absolute reference with stock tips .. for sound quality (with NW-WM1A-NP) but probably the most uncomfortable and weak MMCX connector

XBA-N3AP (with spinfit W1), actually my preferred IEM (with some PEQ for mid high and highs), though I can't sleep with them an whole night, but at 130€ new, surely the best bargain I made, and for me in the same league as my IER-Z1R (after EQ)

WU Zetian ... my first step with planars ...definitely a real success maybe a real keeper.

IE800, the smallest size with a very nice sound quality (need some EQ too to be at best sound level), but not possible to be used with balanced amp. Far too much driver flex noise when I sleep with them.

IE600 (with Comply Foam T-500) the spicy modern sound quality with nice low frequencies and the most comfortable for sleeping, I still prefer the IE900 (which is not on the picture due to being serviced actually by Sennheiser by a faulty mmcx connector). I keep both, but IE900, for me, is nearer IER-Z1R sound quality just behind N3AP.

x Crinacle Zero, the cheapest, clearly over exposed on forums last year, though it's a pure Harman Target frequency response (my reference)..I almost never use => it's as cheap and tasty as a bigmac menu.

Xelento V1, for sure the most comfortable IEM for an whole night, with a very decent sound quality (though after some EQ mid-high/high).. But a bit too much driver flex noise when I sleep with them (IE600 is more usable for such purpose).

VE EXT, with a sound quality not really far from IER Z1R, but very weak MMCX connectors too.. so .. in nearly 2 years, I am a bit too frustrated more than happy for servicing it too often.


In short, for IEMs, my ranking is based on what I really own (not just eared, as it takes weeks for me to really appreciate any IEM with appropriate tips and PEQ):

1) My reference (sound quality) is clearly the IER-Z1R (but mine is out of order due to some MMCX issue on one driver)

2) My keepers in order of preference XBA-N3AP, IE900, HA-FW1800, Wu Zetian, Xelento

3) Not bad.. but not my preferred IEMs too => EXT, IE600, IE800.

4) Not sure they are worth really the money ................. x Crinacle zero.

My sources are first as largely preferred the WM1A-NP .. then in preferred order Kann Alpha, BTR7, Centrance M8V2, iFiGoBlu, UP4(22), Fiio M11/M9, HiBy 6Pro..

After my IER-Z1R, IE900 and EXT experiences=> for sure, the XBA-N3AP 130€, HA-FW1800 250€ and Wu Zetian 140€ convinced me, I have no need any-more to pay thousands of Euros for an IEM, as with much cheaper IEM, we can get more than very decent sound quality (with proper tips and, of course, some PoweramEQ PEQ adjustments under android 10+ based on AutoEQ to Harman Curve or another)..

My feeling is that this IEM industry has really changed these 2 last years in price tag 2000 to 5000€ or more, with being far from same level of SQ quality improvement... Most are maybe good artisans, but I am not even sure they can produce continuously same sound quality with their sold IEMs.. I feel too much like a gamble to buy these more or less homemade thousands € IEMs.

NB) I consider, that I became, these last 2 years, clearly a typical (Harman Response Curve) head ... probably like 70% of listeners, though depending on music genre and maybe the time or wether, I can do some more PEQ adjustments to the Harman Freq Response Curve that many wouldn't do. .... just for my pure own selfish pleasure.

 

[Arora]

@newworld666 do DAPs make a big difference in your opinion? i’m pairing my Z1R with a BTR7 but thinking to get the WM1AM2

 

[Natesdailies]

What makes mentor #1 for you?

My favourite IEMs are warm leaning W shaped iems. Traillii used to fill that role as as my former #1. I'll use it as a point of comparison. It still holds a spot in my top 10 because of its fantastic acoustic timbre with the micro details to back it up. Mentor with the right source isn't far behind in terms of musicality but is class leading in terms of its imaging and resolution.

Staging / Imaging: Traillii is known for having a wide sound stage. It's more pancake sized (shorter depth). On some tracks, the channel split is noticible.

Mentor has more of a balanced circular soundstage. It has great depth with better center imaging. The bone conduction drivers in it also brings it to another level I haven't heard in other iems. With a revealing source (Like N8ii or SP3K), transients crawl towards me like the 3D text introduction of Star Wars. The only other iems competes staging wise is the Elysian X or XE6.

Microdetails: Some of the most resolving IEMs I've come across is the Ragnar, Jewel, Storm and Elysian X. What these have in common is they lean on the neutral or colder side. Mentor stands out because it does this while having a thicker note weight. Ragnar (and Turi ti to a lesser degree) is revealing but that detail comes at the expense of bass quantity, thin note weight and an emphasis on treble.

Mids: Traillii still has the most natural lush sounding mids. Impact is close, Ronin not far behind. Mentor loses a few points here because I preferred Ronins fuller note weight for female vocals.

Highs: Elysian X bar none has the best treble I've heard. Annihilator extends well but unlike X fatiguing. Mentors treble is not far behind X.

In terms of warm W shaped TOTL iems, Ronin sounded like a Traillii with more bass. It was neck to neck with Mentor but I preferred Mentors imaging, staging and highs. All in all, the added combination of Mentors technicalities makes it my personal #1.

 

[newworld666]

@newworld666 do DAPs make a big difference in your opinion? i’m pairing my Z1R with a BTR7 but thinking to get the WM1AM2

In my own experience, I would say the sound quality is really affected in this order by :
1) the IEM itself .. the most important factor !!!! IER-Z1R can be impressive with even the old WM1A
2) PEQ ... can improve significantly the result, I really like the AutoEQ calculations to a prefered target and the PowerampEQ as automatic profile switcher.
2) the ear tips .. every time, it's a real pain for me to find the proper tips. In my case none can be said as universal fit for me, they are largely depending of the IEM model and how you intend to use the IEM (living room, office, outside, sleeping, ...)
3) the DAP, in my case, the old WM1A offers me the sound quality I prefer by a significant margin with the longest battery playing time.
Then, though there are some some impacts, I find DAPs like A&K Kann, Centrance are quite convincing too without significant difference, and as bluetooth receivers, the BTR7 is not bad at all to be free outside or even work good as answering calls too), but with a too short battery playing time which can't handle a typical 10 to 12 hours working day (including transport).
So, I am almost sure, the improvement between a WM1AM2 and BTR7 will be really noticeable, though it's not at all the same price range.

then with almost no effect for me ..
4) I would say cables have no impacts other than going from unbalanced to balanced (significant stereo/staging and impacts improvements)
5) burning hardware have almost no impact for me.. only brain burning is very important, as it can take 10 minutes or more when switching between hardware to enjoy fully a new configuration. So usually A/B comparison is like a real challenge, the first item tested sounds often better than the second one.

 

[Arora]

Thanks for that @newworld666. I’ll pick up the WM1AM2 at some point and A/B with my BTR7 to see if I notice a difference.

I find the Final Type E tips work best for me with the Z1R.

 

[alavenue]

My favourite IEMs are warm leaning W shaped iems. Traillii used to fill that role as as my former #1. I'll use it as a point of comparison. It still holds a spot in my top 10 because of its fantastic acoustic timbre with the micro details to back it up. Mentor with the right source isn't far behind in terms of musicality but is class leading in terms of its imaging and resolution.

Staging / Imaging: Traillii is known for having a wide sound stage. It's more pancake sized (shorter depth). On some tracks, the channel split is noticible.

Mentor has more of a balanced circular soundstage. It has great depth with better center imaging. The bone conduction drivers in it also brings it to another level I haven't heard in other iems. With a revealing source (Like N8ii or SP3K), transients crawl towards me like the 3D text introduction of Star Wars. The only other iems competes staging wise is the Elysian X or XE6.

Microdetails: Some of the most resolving IEMs I've come across is the Ragnar, Jewel, Storm and Elysian X. What these have in common is they lean on the neutral or colder side. Mentor stands out because it does this while having a thicker note weight. Ragnar (and Turi ti to a lesser degree) is revealing but that detail comes at the expense of bass quantity, thin note weight and an emphasis on treble.

Mids: Traillii still has the most natural lush sounding mids. Impact is close, Ronin not far behind. Mentor loses a few points here because I preferred Ronins fuller note weight for female vocals.

Highs: Elysian X bar none has the best treble I've heard. Annihilator extends well but unlike X fatiguing. Mentors treble is not far behind X.

In terms of warm W shaped TOTL iems, Ronin sounded like a Traillii with more bass. It was neck to neck with Mentor but I preferred Mentors imaging, staging and highs. All in all, the added combination of Mentors technicalities makes it my personal #1.

Really awesome comparison! I have a MM on the way, really excited for it. I was really on the fence between it and the Traillii, I'm all about the mids but the overall package of the MM won me over. Doesn't it already have a really good stock cable? I'm curious why you decided to change it up.

 

[Vamp898]

@newworld666 do DAPs make a big difference in your opinion? i’m pairing my Z1R with a BTR7 but thinking to get the WM1AM2

Digital Amps are generally faster but it totally depends on the songs if you'll notice an difference