[Sil3nce]

Mod Comment:

Thread has been cleaned up due to the nature of the direction the discussion is headed.
I suggest we all just calm down (e.g. pointing out the overreaction of an user is not going to make him any less inclined to agree with you).

 

[taki]

Interesting choices...
For me, I love XBA-Z5 and H3. I guess after seeing all these choices I consider my sell a noob in the IEM world since almost no one is listing Z5

 

[Toom]

Interspersing choices...
For me, I love XBA-Z5 and H3. I guess after seeing all these choices I consider my sell a noob in the IEM world since almost no one is listing Z5

Know thyself....

 

[faithguy19]

1. CA Vega
2. AAW W900
3. CA Andromeda
4. iSine 20
5. Dunu Dn-2000J

1. U18 Tzar
2. Tia Fourte
3. CA Vega
4. AAW W900
5. CA Andromeda/Hidition NT-6pro

 

[maricius]

Hello! I'm back again after a few months after hearing a few new IEMs. Also, I finally found IEMs I would 100% consider better than my current reference.

Tier 1:
1) InEar ProPhile 8 (new) - honestly this is probably the most perfect IEM I've heard for almost all kinds for music
1.5) HiFiMan RE2000 (new) - a bit stronger bass and treble than the latter, slight sibilance, better for jazz by a bit


Tier 2:
2) Flare Audio R2PRO (what I use)
2.5) AKG K3003

Tier 3:
3) Final Audio Design Heaven VI
3) InEar Stage Diver SD-2
3) Campfire Audio Vega (new) - honestly wasn't as amazing as I expected it to be, I commented this hence the shopkeeper had me listen to the top 2 today
3) Shure SE846
3.5) Ortofon e-Q8 (new)
3.5) InEar Stage Diver SD-3
3.5) Flare Audio R2A
4) Grado GR10
4) Sennheiser IE800

Tier 4:
5) TDK BA200
5) HifiMan RE-600
5) Shure SE535
6) HifiMan RE-400
6.5) Brainwavz B2

Tier 5:
7) LG QuadBeat 2
8) XiaoMi Piston 2
8.5) SoundMagic ES20
9) Brainwavz M4
Tier 5:
10) Klipsch Image S4

 

[whitemouse]

My current top 10 after last year visits to Canjam London and few trips to Hong Kong. In alphabetical order.

64 Audio U18
Jomo Audio Samba
Jomo Audio Flamenco
Noble Katana
Orilous Mellianus
QDC 8 Studio
Shure KSE1500
Unique Melody Meson V3
Unique Melody Mentor V3
Vision Ears VE8

Alphabetical, but if you had to rank them by sound quality, what would be No1 from your list?
And Im very curious how you rank Shure Electrostatics.

 

[Bina]

Alphabetical, but if you had to rank them by sound quality, what would be No1 from your list?
And Im very curious how you rank Shure Electrostatics.

Don't really want to rate them, since they have different strengths and weaknesses, as different sound signatures.
Shure would be lower, they do some things great, but missing in other areas.

 

[whitemouse]

Don't really want to rate them, since they have different strengths and weaknesses, as different sound signatures.
Shure would be lower, they do some things great, but missing in other areas.

Fair enough.

Still, I wish you'd elaborate on $3000 Shure Electrostatics.

Not many have heard them, I'm guessing.

Few words to describe from someone who owns KSE 1500, the most expensive IEM on Earth, would give us first hand, unbiased opinion.

Pity you wouldn't elaborate. You are in a quite a unique position, (you own them, I assume).
Most people have not had a chance to audition $3000 Electrostatic IEMs. These are the only IEM, actue the only headphones that are intriguing, but no shop I know has them in stock, and ready to be auditions.
Shure KSE 1500 remain a mystery to me. No one stocks them, and these are boutiques that stock every major headphone.

You wouldn't even say if Shure Electrostatic IEM are comparable to Stax 007 and 009?

 

[Bina]

Fair enough.

Still, I wish you'd elaborate on $3000 Shure Electrostatics.

Not many have heard them, I'm guessing.

Few words to describe from someone who owns KSE 1500, the most expensive IEM on Earth, would give us first hand, unbiased opinion.

Pity you wouldn't elaborate. You are in a quite a unique position, (you own them, I assume).
Most people have not had a chance to audition $3000 Electrostatic IEMs. These are the only IEM, actue the only headphones that are intriguing, but no shop I know has them in stock, and ready to be auditions.
Shure KSE 1500 remain a mystery to me. No one stocks them, and these are boutiques that stock every major headphone.

You wouldn't even say if Shure Electrostatic IEM are comparable to Stax 007 and 009?

Firstly, KSE1500 are out for few years old, many people owned them or auditioned them, so finding impressions and reviews isn't hard.

I don't own Shure KSE1500, neither most of the IEMs on my top 10 list(own only 3 of them). As I mentioned in that post, I gathered these auditions on different shows I attended in 2017 and few trips to Hong Kong, where you can easily audition all of them, including Shure.

And I have no intention to buy KSE1500, I'm truly over need to carry another brick around.

Also not sure why you view KSE1500 as the most expensive IEM on earth, since few models match them or surpass them

 

[whitemouse]

Firstly, KSE1500 are out for few years old, many people owned them or auditioned them, so finding impressions and reviews isn't hard.

I don't own Shure KSE1500, neither most of the IEMs on my top 10 list(own only 3 of them). As I mentioned in that post, I gathered these auditions on different shows I attended in 2017 and few trips to Hong Kong, where you can easily audition all of them, including Shure.

And I have no intention to buy KSE1500, I'm truly over need to carry another brick around.

Also not sure why you view KSE1500 as the most expensive IEM on earth, since few models match them or surpass them

My mistake, I'm behind the curve.
I thougt KSE 1500 are the most expensive IEM at $3000. Seems I am wrong, and I'll have to get back to you as for why I thought KSE 1500 are the most expensive IEM.
Also, I shouldn't have asked you to be specific. I thought the ranking, and evaluating different IEM are based on long term ownership, not auditioning at a store.

I've read reviews by other people, but I was curious about unbiased opinion of long term user. Reviews are often part of advertising strategy, so not exactly something I read and trust.

I travel to HK and Singapore almost every months, could you point me to right audio shop in HK, to check out the Shure Electrostatics? I haven't seen them in stock anywhere.

Of course I'll then be in a position post my own list of Top 10, based on 10 to 30 minutes of auditioning various top end, multi thousand $ IEM in a store

 

[KLK2A1]

Few words to describe from someone who owns KSE 1500, the most expensive IEM on Earth,

Not even close. The oBravo Ra C-Cu will set you back $13,000 Cdn for one example.

 

[whitemouse]

Not even close. The oBravo Ra C-Cu will set you back $13,000 Cdn for one example.[/QUO

Not even close. The oBravo Ra C-Cu will set you back $13,000 Cdn for one example.

Interesting! Haven't seen those in anyone's ranking.

I'm a beginner in audio game, had no idea there are $13k IEM out there. Learn something every day!

 

[Bina]

My mistake, I'm behind the curve.
I thougt KSE 1500 are the most expensive IEM at $3000. Seems I am wrong, and I'll have to get back to you as for why I thought KSE 1500 are the most expensive IEM.
Also, I shouldn't have asked you to be specific. I thought the ranking, and evaluating different IEM are based on long term ownership, not auditioning at a store.

I've read reviews by other people, but I was curious about unbiased opinion of long term user. Reviews are often part of advertising strategy, so not exactly something I read and trust.

I travel to HK and Singapore almost every months, could you point me to right audio shop in HK, to check out the Shure Electrostatics? I haven't seen them in stock anywhere.

Of course I'll then be in a position post my own list of Top 10, based on 10 to 30 minutes of auditioning various top end, multi thousand $ IEM in a store

In Hong Kong, stop by Sim city, DMA audio has most of the TOTL IEMs for listen, including KSE1500 I believe.

 

[JohannLiebert]

I thought Andromeda was just the flavour of the month man. I couldn't have been more wrong.
Still waiting for my Custom Art Harmony 8.2, expecting it to hit the Top 3.

1. Andromeda
2. AK T8ie / UERM
3. Shure 846
4. SD4 / IE 800
5. IM03 / Re600
6. E70
7. AK Rosie
8 UE900 / Westone 4
9 KEF M200

 

[fuzzychaos]

So Far, rearranged including new and relistening to the previous.

1) Tralucent 1plus2.2 (open and spacious sound, good bass, mids, and treble though it can get a little "hot" for me. My current reference)

2 Tie) Noble X (good bass and nice soundstage, great with Spinfits) and Audio Technica CKR100iS (nice bass and decent treble extension, excellent with amplification maybe edging out the Noble X, highly underrepresented)

4) Fiio F9 Pro (very resolving, treble cutting, but works well with Comply tips)

5) Westone W4r (warm)

6) 64 Audio U4 (extended bass can get a little muddy)

7) 1More Triple (really good for less than $100)