[mvvRAZ]

I never heard Annihilator or X but I think that those who have or had, I think there is a preference for Annihilator....They have a very similar sound from what I've read so far

I haven't heard Anni, but the X is missing literally all midbass, that frequency is entirely hollow, like there's a driver missing

 

[Rockwell75]

I haven't heard Anni, but the X is missing literally all midbass, that frequency is entirely hollow, like there's a driver missing

I've heard some say Annihilator is missing sub-bass...though I don't find that to be true. When it comes to bass i've always had a leaning towards mid-bass (personal bias) which is possibly why I was more drawn to Ani when I had X and Ani demos on hand a few months ago.

 

[RIGATIO]

Ive heard a couple of multi kilobuck iems, including u12t, Odin, Anole vx, have had a chance to pick up a used Mest 2 for 1k and u12t for 1,3e but i liked the Monarch 2 the most. But im a sucker for such even tuning. I just love how it reproduces the vocals. Its a life-like experience and the imaging is quite mind boggling. Odin was too aggressive, even with my friends ak sp2k. Anole was a stright in my face analytical orgasm but no soul. My shanling M8 fills the mid bass area in Monarchs a bit, so there is an almost perfect blend of reference and musicality in this combo. I honestly think that the Monarchs 2 could be easly called an END GAME iems. Its like Sennheiser hd 600 but eleveted to a totl level.

 

[chaoslight]

I never heard Annihilator or X but I think that those who have or had, I think there is a preference for Annihilator....They have a very similar sound from what I've read so far

Same observations here.

I would need to hear X again to say anything really meaningful but the consensus seems to be that X is more source sensitive and when all factors line up probably the superior IEM...but Annihilator is less source sensitive and in general more of an all rounder.

Thanks, I don’t have an amp or nice DAC, so I will probably go with annihilator.

 

[om letap]

I heard a handful of 1K-2K iem (UM mest OG,mkii , noble KK , sultan, VE ext , phonix , elysium, ie900, ie600 ,64 trio, u12t, fourte , u18 . …. ! Unless i am 110% focus on the music and details, I couldnt tell the difference with most of the iem above outside of elysium being extremely sparky and the ie900 not being my preference at all! . Pick a iem which goes with your music genre is probably most important if your throwing on iem for fun listening sessions and not 110% focus on the music. I wouldnt mind blind buying any of the above and being extremely happy. My favorite still is the mest OG because how it sounds with rock and rap ..super Fun

 

[Rolu]

1. Oriolus Trailli
2. Elysian Annihilator
3. Sony IER-Z1R
4. 64 Audio U12t

Re-ranking:

1. Trailli
2. Annihilator
3. u12t
4 Ier-Z1r

I bought the Z1r recently and tried comparing it with u12t and kept after a few days of back and forth have concluded u12t is more accurate, natural, universal, and dynamic. So u12t has to go up in my rating. Maybe one day if I buy the Trailli and Annhiliator, the u12t may still come on top after extended listening! This marvellous little thing!

 

[Rolu]

Ok with that :

What's funny is that I don't believe this hobby is 'all subjective'

But there is not an automatic correlation between high quality and high prices.

By the way, the tuning is the more important thing. Then, it all depends on what we are looking for.

Me :

1) homogeneity,
2) balance,
3) no systematism... (sound colouration, specialized tunings or other things like that... : No go...)
4) large dynamic scale AND nuances
5) tones

Yes, there's no automatic correlation, but issue with pricing outliers occurs in all product segments and is not unique to earphones.
Good list on what's important for you in an IEM. I agree with all for my own tastes as well!

 

[Vamp898]

Ok with that :

What's funny is that I don't believe this hobby is 'all subjective'

But there is not an automatic correlation between high quality and high prices.

By the way, the tuning is the more important thing. Then, it all depends on what we are looking for.

Me :

1) homogeneity,
2) balance,
3) no systematism... (sound colouration, specialized tunings or other things like that... : No go...)
4) large dynamic scale AND nuances
5) tones

Balance is not that simple

Musicians call something balanced if it reproduces the original instrument as close as absolutely possible.

Most audiophiles consider something balanced based on how it measures, completely unrelated to how it actually sounds.

A few of the most balanced IEM that exist like the IER-M9 or the TG355 are considered warm and bassy by audiophiles because they were tuned by musicians and PA engeneers with real instruments and sounds as reference.

They don't just call them IEM because they think it's a cool word, they are actually monitors and they use them for monitoring.

What most audiophiles call balanced is completely unusable for monitoring due to the recessed bass and pushed upper mids.

If you would use them for monitoring, the result would sound weird and off as the sound you hear is far from the actual sound the instrument products.

There is quiet a difference between actual IEM and what audiophiles call IEM and what audiophiles call balanced and what musicians call balanced.

So if you use the word balanced, there is actually a need to state your background if this is just an hobby or if you're actually an musician.

Because for real IEM, there is a price limit until it doesn't get better, for audiophile IEM, there is no price limit as it's all a matter of taste

 

[Abramo]

1. Empire Ears Odin
2. 64 Audio Tia Trio
3. Campfire Trifecta
4. Ultimate Ears Fi10

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Balance is not that simple

Musicians call something balanced if it reproduces the original instrument as close as absolutely possible.

Most audiophiles consider something balanced based on how it measures, completely unrelated to how it actually sounds.

A few of the most balanced IEM that exist like the IER-M9 or the TG355 are considered warm and bassy by audiophiles because they were tuned by musicians and PA engeneers with real instruments and sounds as reference.

They don't just call them IEM because they think it's a cool word, they are actually monitors and they use them for monitoring.

What most audiophiles call balanced is completely unusable for monitoring due to the recessed bass and pushed upper mids.

If you would use them for monitoring, the result would sound weird and off as the sound you hear is far from the actual sound the instrument products.

There is quiet a difference between actual IEM and what audiophiles call IEM and what audiophiles call balanced and what musicians call balanced.

So if you use the word balanced, there is actually a need to state your background if this is just an hobby or if you're actually an musician.

Because for real IEM, there is a price limit until it doesn't get better, for audiophile IEM, there is no price limit as it's all a matter of taste

I make a great difference between "balance", and "transparency", "definition", "resolution", and even "target audio curve" or, worse, "neutrality" (means nothing as I think) .

"Balance" : musical essence, and must be the traduction in one word of the best association between : registers, weight, impact, dynamics, tones, texture, openness, etc ... Everything. Musical soul and realism .

"Transparency" and others terms like that ("neutrality"... ) : Technical and audiophile concepts. Nothing to do with music.

That's why I'm not a very impressionable guy. And all these "audiophile concepts" (to be nice) have a very little and relative relevance, for me.

Also and finally, I have only one barometer left: goose bumps.

But... within the few essential points I have indicated here so far.

 

[RIGATIO]

Balance is not that simple

Musicians call something balanced if it reproduces the original instrument as close as absolutely possible.

Most audiophiles consider something balanced based on how it measures, completely unrelated to how it actually sounds.

A few of the most balanced IEM that exist like the IER-M9 or the TG355 are considered warm and bassy by audiophiles because they were tuned by musicians and PA engeneers with real instruments and sounds as reference.

They don't just call them IEM because they think it's a cool word, they are actually monitors and they use them for monitoring.

What most audiophiles call balanced is completely unusable for monitoring due to the recessed bass and pushed upper mids.

If you would use them for monitoring, the result would sound weird and off as the sound you hear is far from the actual sound the instrument products.

There is quiet a difference between actual IEM and what audiophiles call IEM and what audiophiles call balanced and what musicians call balanced.

So if you use the word balanced, there is actually a need to state your background if this is just an hobby or if you're actually an musician.

Because for real IEM, there is a price limit until it doesn't get better, for audiophile IEM, there is no price limit as it's all a matter of taste

You overthink this IMHO. Balanced tuning is a balanced tuning which means its natural. Balanced means balanced for all- musicians and audiophiles. You dont need to be a musician to be able to distinguish if the instruments reproduction has the correct timbre. I would go even farther and say that the actual musicians use a very flat transdusers to make sure they dont exaggerate with bass or treble in a production process. But overall, every well tuned and natural sounding iem will fit both- musicians and audiophiles. The iems are good or not. Harman curve is the best right now, thats why most great and natural sounding iems follow this curve with sight modifications (slightly lowered 2-5k, little more or less mid bass etc). Every iem ive heard which roughly didnt follow Harman, sounded off and muffled.

 

[Vamp898]

You overthink this IMHO. Balanced tuning is a balanced tuning which means its natural. Balanced means balanced for all- musicians and audiophiles. You dont need to be a musician to be able to distinguish if the instruments reproduction has the correct timbre. I would go even farther and say that the actual musicians use a very flat transdusers to make sure they dont exaggerate with bass or treble in a production process. But overall, every well tuned and natural sounding iem will fit both- musicians and audiophiles. The iems are good or not. Harman curve is the best right now, thats why most great and natural sounding iems follow this curve with sight modifications (slightly lowered 2-5k, little more or less mid bass etc). Every iem ive heard which roughly didnt follow Harman, sounded off and muffled.

To know, of something exaggerates the bass or treble, you have to know how it is supposed to sound.

If the song is supposed to have exaggerated bass, and it sounds balanced with your IEM, your IEM does have recessed bass

I assume pretty much most musicians disagree with your statement and the most professional IEM are not tuned to Harman, for a reason.

 

[JohnnyOps]

I honestly think that the Monarchs 2 could be easly called an END GAME iems. Its like Sennheiser hd 600 but eleveted to a totl level.

I needed to hear this because the Monarch IIs were a big financial reach for me, and so I’ve heard MD Kato, 7Hz Timeless, MD Variations, CRA+, Dunu Titan S, and Monarch IIs. Obviously (?) I love the Monarch most, perhaps less obviously I love the Titan S next. After that it’s kind of a tie between Timeless and Variations. But they are all so different. 85% of the time I’m listening to IEMs I listen to Monarchs. I find it hard to justify saving the money for U12t or Campfire or Odin or Sony TOTL. But probably for me that’s because so much of the time I’m listening to 2-channel or open-back headphones. IEMs are for open-plan work spaces or in bed next to my wife. I tried committing with them, but AirPod pro 2’s are just better for the use case (need to remove to talk to people, navigate situations etc).

So… ranking in terms of what I love and listen to?

1. Monarch MK II
2. Dunu Titan S
3. Moondrop Variations (tie)
4. 7Hz Timeless (tie)
5. CRA+
6. Moondrop Kato
7. Shure 215
8. Etymotic er2se (sound is great but I feel like I’m in that Star Trek movie where Khan puts the bug in the guy’s ear)

 

[RIGATIO]

To know, of something exaggerates the bass or treble, you have to know how it is supposed to sound.

If the song is supposed to have exaggerated bass, and it sounds balanced with your IEM, your IEM does have recessed bass

I assume pretty much most musicians disagree with your statement and the most professional IEM are not tuned to Harman, for a reason.

Harmans flat bass line is just a refference and none follows the curve in this area. At least 99% harman tuned iems have bass boost. Its quite obvious. But the bass boost depends on your take on the Harman and could be more or less boosted. I have harman or close to harman tuned iems like Monarch 2, Hook X and they all reproduce a deep bass when the song calls for it. I have friends who are musicians and most of them said that if not the price, they would go with the Monarchs as their reference iem because they are the most natural sounding iems they have ever heard. Some of them have Blessing 2 and they love it. So most musicians i personally know, agree with me.

 

[Vamp898]

Harmans flat bass line is just a refference and none follows the curve in this area. At least 99% harman tuned iems have bass boost. Its quite obvious. But the bass boost depends on your take on the Harman and could be more or less boosted. I have harman or close to harman tuned iems like Monarch 2, Hook X and they all reproduce a deep bass when the song calls for it. I have friends who are musicians and most of them said that if not the price, they would go with the Monarchs as their reference iem because they are the most natural sounding iems they have ever heard. Some of them have Blessing 2 and they love it. So most musicians i personally know, agree with me.

I listened to the Monarch 2 several times and it sound thin, plastic and far from realistic

The Blessing 2 is one of the worst IEM that exist on this planet in terms of authentic recreation.

Every musician who uses the Blessing 2 and think's it sounds authentic should instantly stop his job, this In-Ear has so many issues with Layering, Soundstage, Instrument's like Trumscheid that completely disappear from the Mix and so an. Drumkits where the Hi-Hat is right behind your ear while the Tom is meters away, on live recordings the clapping and screaming if the audience is in different layers.

It's a mess, from the beginning to the end and has an insanely recessed bass and painful spikes in the upper mids