[alamnp]

Mentor > Elixir > Odin, the rest are below them.

3D Holographic beats Bass monster for sure.

Best deal is Elixir, has deals of both world for cheap.
Can’t believe a 4 years old technology for Elixir, still hard to beat.

So sad Aure Audio is gone.

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Updated

Vision Ears Erlköning (Best earphones of the planet ? Maybe... ). Position #2. Stock cable (pure silver ?) and "Tips Raptgo Adaptative Eartips" L.

Alambic Ears Mentawai "Mars" (Jade's Emperor : my reference - and technical - endgame ? ). Rhapsodio Graphene balanced cable x4 (ABSOLUTE TOTL as I think ; best match ever with these uiems) and tips "Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L.

Aure Audio Ringo (Magical tuning, timbres and tones : my musical endgame ? ). Aaw Aoraki mk7 balanced cable x4 (ABSOLUTE TOTL as I think ; best match ever with these uiems) and tips "Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L.

Aure Audio Elixir (aka "Squaring the - organic - circle" : my balanced - everything - endgame ? ). Penon Totem x2 coaxial balanced cable (one of it's kind ; best match ever with these uiems) and tips "Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L.

Final A8000 (God of infinite clarity : my analytical endgame ? ). Dunu Blanche balanced cable and tips "Azla Xelastec", L.

FiiO FH9 "DSW tuned" (Weapon of mass destruction : my... endgame ? ). FiiO "LC-RE Pro 2022" 8-wires, balanced cable and tips "Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L. Vents modded (value 550 for the filtering strength). Green filters on the nozzle.

Not a real ranking but if so :

1/ Vision Ears Erlköning (position #2 and accessories listed above)
2/ Alambic Ears Mentawai "Mars" - Aure Audio Ringo (and accessories listed above)
3/ Aure Audio Elixir - Final A8000 - FiiO FH9 "DSW tuned" (the same and mods for the FH9's)

For points #2 and #3, I can't really decide...
That's all folks

Updated,

I have given up on proposing any ranking, in absolute terms.

So this is a list of the associations that I consider to be the best for my personal tastes (uems, dap, cable, tips). Every prices, every technologies considered. All types of musics (from the most degenerate metal bomb to the most subtle classical work ... and everything in between).


In all cases, unless otherwise stated, the DAP used is the Aune M1p, filter LF, in balanced load.



Aure* Audio Ringo (magical tuning, timbres and tones : my musical endgame ? ). Effect Audio "Ares S Founders Edition - 4/10" balanced cable, and tips "Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L.

Aure* Audio Elixir (aka "Squaring the - organic - circle" : my balanced - everything - endgame ? ). Effect Audio "Ares S Founders Edition - 4/10" balanced cable, and tips "Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L.

FiiO FH9 "DSW tuned" (weapon of mass destruction : my... everyday endgame ? ). Effect Audio "Eros S", balanced cable, and tips "Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L. Vents modded (value 250 for the filtering strength). Green filters on the nozzle. DAP : Aune "M1s - Fast filter" (because it's better than...)

Vision Ears Erlköning (almost perfect ? but a little too polite... ). Position #2. Stock cable (pure silver) and "Tips Raptgo Adaptative Eartips" L.

Ambient Acoustics MAD16 (direct take, total spontaneity !). Effect Audio "Ares S Founders Edition - 4/10" balanced cable, and tips "Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L.

PMG Audio Apx (a technical and musical "tour de force" : ultimate marvel ? ). Stock cable Omega2 (copper and silver with graphene core), and tips "Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L.

Alambic Ears Mentawai "Mars version" (Jade's Emperor). Rhapsodio Graphene balanced cable x4 (ABSOLUTE TOTL as I think ; best match ever with these uiems) and tips "Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L.


That's all folks...

Tickets have become very (very !) "expensive" to be in my top list...



* Aure Audio and not Aür Audio.

 

[Tybot]

My updated list that feels like it could remain static for quite some time.

1) Annihilator 2023
2) EE Evo
3) Noble Sultan Damascus
4) Noble Kublai Khan
5) KSE1200
6) Mest Indigo
7) Oriolus Traillii
8) IE900
9) Maestro Mini
10) Raptgo Hook-X
11) Legend X

The order is based on what I’d own if I could only own 1. Of those I’ve never heard, I assume Storm would be right near the top. Looking forward to hearing Rhapsodio Supreme 3 and hoping I don’t like them.

Dang. Forgot to include Audeze i4 (with EQ and only with EQ). Falls below Traillii and above IE900 for me.

 

[lilhaiti]

I am a "mature basshead" if that's a thing...lol. I have love a meaty bottom end but lately I need a little up top to even things out and I am appreciating resolution and detail more these days. With that said here is my current top 5 that I own.

1. Tangzu FUDU - Nice warm presentation, but not overly thick, nice bass thump and rumble and a smooth yet still detailed treble
2. Moondrop May (without DSP) - Balanced sound profile with decent bass, an excellent mid range and good treble extension
3. 7hz Sonus - Fun yet refined V tuned IEM with good bass and treble.
4. TFZ No.3 - Meaty bass with smooth rolled off treble.
5. KZ Castor Bass - Bought cheap and it impressed, good bass and smooth up top.

 

[holsen]

That's intersting coz I never found the KK to have such issues. When I demoed it it gave me a warm, pleasant feel. I didn't really hear any harsh treble peaks. I guess this varies with one's library and source, as well as one's ears.


If you want to play safe, i guess the only option is to demo it out yourself. Personal experience >> any review. Honestly we just sharing what we hear, which is defintely subjective.


I guess you just have to accept the wholy grail is non-exisitent. I have to confess that I never found an iem, even paired up with the best cables and sources, satisfied all my requirements. Thats why you see guys here having multiple iems. Even we talk about the best all-rounders (e.g. the u12t) most of them are still jack of all trades, master of few.


I would strongly suggest that a flaw is really subjective. What may be a big problem for one may not be an issue for you. If you don't hear it, it just doesn't exist. Personal enjoyment >> all, its a subjective hobby after all.


I may share some of my favourites though:

Best all-rounder: Vision Ears Phonix (with EA Centurion)/UM Multiverse Mentor (with stock cable)
Best Bass: FIR Frontier Series (with original cables)

Best Mids: Aroma Jewel (with stock cable)/Vision Ears EXT (with EA Chiron)

Best Highs: UM Multiverse Mentor (with stock cable)/Vision Ears Phonix (with EA Centurion)

Best technicalities: UM Multiverse Mentor (with stock cable)

Finally getting my hands on the UM MM - arriving Tuesday! So an absolutely pristine set of Indigos which have been to date, my fave set of all rounders, are now in the classified. Thanks for all the comments here that have caused me to open my wallet again!

 

[rickles]

1. Subtonic Storm - My favorite. They do everything right. I'm not totally sure things can sound better.
2. Canpur CP622B - A bit like the Storm. Sub bass a bit deeper perhaps, less detail in the midrange, and treble.
3. Aroma Jewel - A really pleasant listen. I wish there was a bit more body in the midbass.
3. Oriolus Triallii - Great soundstaging, broad, and accurate. Midrange is wonderful. Crossover to upper mids is a bit off for me.
3. Elysian Annihilator 2023 - These are another that do just about everything right. To me the crossover is just not quite optimal between midrange and midbass.
6. Thieaudio Monarch II - A great all arounder, and easily at the point of diminishing returns. Midrange detail not at the level of the ones above.
7. 64Audio U12T - Somehow a bit "numb" sounding for me. It may that the treble is not sufficiently extended.
8. Empire Ears Legend X CIEM - Sort of "fat" sounding and the bass lacks some detail. A sort of "liquidy" listen that's pleasant.

 

[nocturne19]

7. 64Audio U12T - Somehow a bit "numb" sounding for me. It may that the treble is not sufficiently extended.

I actually think the 3k dip does something with this, but yeah probably the biggest (and only) flaw of the set.

 

[capybara is mine]

These are the SS tier IEMs I've heard so far.

64Audio U18t - My favorite tuning among 64Audio products. The bass quality is not great, but the resolution and image expression are top-notch.

Sony IER-Z1R - The textures of the Sony drivers sound very analog and very pleasant. Great V-shaped signature. Vivid image expression.

Faudio Mezzo -The left and right stages are extremely wide. I would like to compare the stage size with Solaris. The tone is V-shaped, revealing the character well, and there is no strange feeling at all.

Aroma audio Ace & Fei Wan - Aroma audio's sound quality is already top-notch, starting with Thunder and Yao. Meanwhile, Ace and Fei Wan both have very good tones, and I like Ace a little more.

Recently, I liked the tuning of the Hidition Waltz so much that I ordered it.

 

[Deathman666]

1. Elysian Annihilator 2023
2. Empire Ears Odin
3. Timsok TS-316
4. Custom Art FIBAE 7 Unlimited
5. iBasso IT07
6. Dunu SA6
7. Kinera Idun Golden 2.0
8. Westone 4r
9. Audiosense T800
10. FiiO FH5

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Timsok TS-316 = very interested and interesting

 

[TimTam]

IE7 > S4

havn't heard much else in terms of other IEMs. ai face generator

EDIT :: i just received the TF10Pro and after a quick listen, would place it above the IE7, although do i prefer the IE7's soundstage. power bi revit

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! It's great to hear your impressions on the TF10Pro and how it compares to the IE7.

 

[Deathman666]

Timsok TS-316 = very interested and interesting

Yes, for the money it's nonsense

 

[berger]

1. Oriolus Traillii Ti
2. UM Multiverse Mentor
3. Oriolus Traillii JP
4. Noble Sultan
5. Vision Ears Phönix
6. Oriolus Mellianus JP
7. UM Mason FS Le Jardin
8. 64 Audio U18t
9. 64 Audio U12t
10. Shure KSE 1500
11. Fitear ToGo! 334
12. ⁠Sennheiser IE600

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Fitear 334 rules

 

[Turcoda]

SO, interesting question and I am glad someone noticed. The KSE 1500 is dependent on its built in DAC which is HORRIBLE. You can not bypass it.
The KSE 1200 you can pair with any DAC/DAP because it's just an AMP, not an AMP/DAC combo as the 1500. Believe me, I have had both and they are not the same. The IEMs themselves are the same but the AMP or AMP/DAC combo makes a huge difference in sound. Go for the cheaper as it is better

Well that's 100% a crappy lie. You CAN obviously bypass the DAC in the KSE1500 by using the line in and going full analog. You probably tested wrong and left the EQ in the signal path. I wasn't aware that was possible, but I'll just assume that's what happened here. Obviously if you're gonna EQ you're requiring the DAC to do its processing. There's nothing wrong with the built in DAC inside the KSE1500. Its simply that the KSE1200 and KSE1500 tuning isn't flat. The EQ is somewhat necessary and the KSE1500 allows you do walk around with a truly portable solution to that problem, whereas the KSE1200 does not.

I've had a long audio journey and the KSE1500 never really catered to my personal audio taste initially, but I fell in love with it regardless. Its by far one of the few audio gear I've tried that just lets you simply enjoy music by letting you forget about the gear. When you go to A/B it with something else, it always gave me the "No... just one more minute with this one" feeling that left me just wanting to keep listening and not interrupt it.