[matze76287]

1. Noble Kublai Khan (KK)
2. EE Odin
3. InEar Promission-X (PMX)

I am quite new to this hobby. At the same time, these are all the IEMs I have heard so far.

The KK is the one I listen to the most at the moment, as it combines the strengths of the other two in one IEM: The full, rich sound of the PMX with its beautiful mids, and the crystal clear highs of the Odin. And all that with the incredible BCD bass of the KK.

And yet, I also like to listen with the other two to have some variety.

 

[Retrorai]

Off the top of my head:

1) Elysian Annihilator 2021
2) Symphonium Helios SE
3) Symphonium Helios OG
4) Sony IER-M9
5) Sony IER-Z1R
6) UM Mest MKII
7) Sennheiser IE600
8) Dunu SA6 MKII
9) Truthear Hexa
10) IKKO OH10
11) Moondrop Aria
12) Moondrop Blessing 2
13) Seeaudio Yume Midnight
14) Letshuoer Galileo
15) KZ x CRN Zex Pro
16) Moondrop Chu

Truthear Hexa is probably the best value IEM I've tried, it's honestly really good for what it is.

 

[kmhaynes]

The question is if we are ranking iems according to their objective qualities or our personal favorites
Sometimes what's the best isn't necessarily what we would pick as our daily driver.
I can see many people put the EXT high up on their lists and i can agree, they are very enjoyable and good but definitely not a TOTL in technicalities. Even the Moondrop S8 crushes them in resolution and separation.
But I would pick the EXT every time over the S8 for pure music enjoyment.
I myself spend 100% listening time with the u4s last weeks, even tho they are inferior in detail retrieval and separation to the Monarch Mk2. The Monarchs rest in peace in a box .

I think what is missing with "ranking" lists is each user stating WHAT his personal preference sound is. For some time I chased many of the chi-fi under $600 iems, only to find that the majority of them have a fairly mid-focused sound, with varying degrees of sub-bass / bass and trebles. The goal for most of them seemed to me to be smooth and refined. All the while I was looking for a comparatively "bombastic" sound, which I found in the Campfire Dorado 2020 (and some time ago in the Ikko OH10, still have them!).

So, when giving opinions, I feel the need to qualify my opinions with my preferred sound: a V-shape "energetic sound", meaning great sub-bass, non-bleeding bass, decent mids, and strong and extended highs.

 

[Smirk 24]

1. Elysian Annihilator 23
2. U12t
3. Symphonium Helios SE
4. Symphonium Helios OG
5. Elysian Diva 23
6. U4s
7. IER-Z1R
8. 7th Acoustics Supernova
9. Moondrop Variations
10. Moondrop S8
11. Moondrop Blessing 2: Dusk
12. Truthear x Crinacle Zero: Red

 

[jasonb]

1. Aful Performer 8 (no EQ needed)
2. Etymotic ER4SR (better with a little EQ)
3. 7Hz Timeless AE (better with a little EQ) (sold)
4. HiFiMan RE-Zero (no EQ needed)
5. Truthear Hexa (EQ doesn’t seem to help it)

 

[blotmouse]

That’s the most unfortunately named #1 I’ve seen yet here

 

[jasonb]

That’s the most unfortunately named #1 I’ve seen yet here

You just have to pronounce it differently. Like “A-Foo”.

Anyway, the P8’s are really good.

 

[Rolu]

1. Trailli
2. U12t/ Annihilator
4. Other 64 Audio IEMs pricier than the U12t
5. Fir M5
6. IER M9 (poor dynamics)
7. Z1R (inaccurate treble)
8. MEXT (less resolution)
9. MEST mk2 (hot treble, scooped mid bass)

 

[Cabbages]

Top 10 has changed dramatically since my last post probably goes something like this now:
1. QDC Anole V14
2. Sony IER-Z1R
3. Elysian Annihilator 2023
4. Kinera Loki
5. Symphonium x Elise Audio Helios SE
6. 64Audio U4S
7. Nostalgia Audio Camelot
8. Fatfreq Grand Maestro
9. Seeaudio Neo
10. Aful Performer 8

Also special mention of the acoustune HS2000MX MkII (ACT05) being the only single DD I've liked so far.

EDIT: probably good to note that anything past top 5 can change on mood/day to day it gets a bit iffy there. Top 5 is quite solid though

 

[Meejay]

1. U12t
2. Mest INDIGO
3. Monarch Mk2
4. KSE1200
5. SA6 Mk2
6. Variations
7. Timeless
8. Aria
9. TSMR Sands

EDIT: Ranking is hard... U12t is best overall. INDIGO is fun, but sounds off at times. KSE1200 is great, but needs EQ. SA6 Mk2 gets a lot of use mainly due to comfort because it feels like its made for my ears.

 

[newworld666]

Those are only IEMs I own (though some are out of order (ooo) now, as they were too weak for a real intense use day & night), but all with a true life story behind..

My "uncommon" personal ranking :

1) IER Z1R (No EQ, ooo but my personal pure sound quality reference)
2) HA-FW1800 (with PEQ my favourite every day IEM)
3) XBA-N3 (No EQ .. my preferred enjoyable frequency target)
4) EXT (No EQ, ooo under warranty twice)
5) IE900 (No EQ, ooo because of sleeping with them and under warranty 3 times)
6) Xelento (with PEQ, best IEM for sleeping, very comparable to Soundcore Sleep A10)
7) IE600 (with PEQ, ooo because of sleeping with them and under warranty twice)
8) TWS HA-FW1000T, Liberty 4 & EAH-AZ80 (all on par with some PEQ)
9) IE800 (with PEQ, ooo because of sleeping with them)
10) Tangzu Wu Zetian (with little PEQ)

I will get this week from "Classiffieds" a used Sony M9, though I am not sure a 100% BA should really suit my taste perfectly, I believe they should be, at least, like a pure flat "true reference" tuning for me, so I imagine they should top the XBA-N3, maybe the FW1800 too.

What is sure, is that I won't go any more over 1K€ for some IEM .. definitely, I noticed, for a 15hz to 15Khz ears like mine, with a few hundred bucks and some appropriate EQ (Poweramp EQ & Qobuz), I already reach a very decent and enjoyable sound quality level.. Z1R, EXT, IE900 don't offer real improvements even with EQ.

At any price tag I tried, even with some PEQ, I could never reach, by a big margin, the sound quality and sound stage level of a closed DCA Stealth + M17 (plugged as Enhanced Audio Mode) or a HEDDphone One with a proper poweramp.
Basically TWS, and a bit behind, IEMs are far more convenient and comfortable for long time listening sessions => so I use them every day much more than the DCA Stealth or any of my other loved headphones (HEDDPhone One, GS3000e , Z7M2, Ed15 Veritas) => so it's worth to continue searching for some improvements with TWS and IEMs

 

[pail]

Truthear Hexa is probably the best value IEM I've tried, it's honestly really good for what it is.

lol, i found these totally crap, there is not a defined sound signature in these earphones, it's just random treble, bass is totally nonexistent (oh and according to manufacturer they do have a dedicated bass driver...), did you know that the screw that is present in these earphones has no functionality but to make them look nice? (screw on a brand new unit goes in a freewheeling state), i have a pair of Final E2000 which cost half the price of the Hexa and sound Wayyyy better, here you have a defined sound signature, you put them on for the first time and you know what's going on.

 

[jasonb]

lol, i found these totally crap, there is not a defined sound signature in these earphones, it's just random treble, bass is totally nonexistent (oh and according to manufacturer they do have a dedicated bass driver...), did you know that the screw that is present in these earphones has no functionality but to make them look nice? (screw on a brand new unit goes in a freewheeling state), i have a pair of Final E2000 which cost half the price of the Hexa and sound Wayyyy better, here you have a defined sound signature, you put them on for the first time and you know what's going on.

Idk if I’d be quite that rough on the Hexa, but yea. They weren’t great in my opinion either. I really wanted to like them, and I had my good days with them and bad days. Ultimately they made me want to try a better hybrid IEM, so I got the Aful P8 which are quite a bit better.

 

[pail]

Idk if I’d be quite that rough on the Hexa, but yea. They weren’t great in my opinion either. I really wanted to like them, and I had my good days with them and bad days. Ultimately they made me want to try a better hybrid IEM, so I got the Aful P8 which are quite a bit better.

Yep, the "hate" comes from all that praise i heard about them, got them the other day, opened the box then "what the heck is this?", totally randomish sound, no real signature.

 

[jasonb]

Yep, the "hate" comes from all that praise i heard about them, got them the other day, opened the box then "what the heck is this?", totally randomish sound, no real signature.

I’d say the “no real signature” is them being neutral. But there is more to it than that. Somehow even my ER4SR felt more fun and enjoyable than the Hexa. The Hexa has what I’d say is a decent bass quantity in the realm of a neutral set, but the bass just wasn’t good. The mids were ok, and the treble at times felt “lo res”.