[ocZZ]

^^ ouf of the two I'd probably go with the 10th for but I'd go with the SR7 over either (for EDM)

 

[conceptcar3]

My list is in these 2 photos, but I have a a couple more to add- shuoer s12 which I was not a fan of, I would rank it a C. and 64 audio fourte which is my new number one set- ranking S++ and not by a small amount. I guess it has W shaped tuning, I’m wondering if any less expensive set could mimic its tuning and get close on its technicalities so I could not have to own such an expensive set. But as it stands, I have never heard anything even close to as good as the fourte.

 

[kingmoon]

Based on what I've heard and own
1. Subtonic Storm
2. Elysian Annihilator 2023
3. Unique Melody Mest MKII
4. Sony IER-Z1R
5. Dressage DS8+2 (My only CIEM)
6. Thieaudio V16 Divinity
7. 64 Audio U12T
8. Letshuoer Cadenza 12
9. Sony IER-M9
10. Thieaudio Monarch MKII

 

[Deckard001]

Hello do you prefer Tanchjim Zero or Crinacle Zero Red? I just want an afforable iem to go with. Not v-shaped with a big soundstage and good tuning.

I have seen that Tanchjim Zero seems a very good affordable option

 

[Rockwell75]

I've had a bunch of stuff cross my path recently. Current 10 favorites with my personal enjoyment being the main metric. No particular order:

Dita Perpetua (new fave-- just wow'd by this)
Campfire Bonneville
Aroma Fei Wan
Campfire Trifecta
Oriolus Monachaa
Vision Ears Phonix LE
UM Amber Pearl
Oriolus Traillii
Elysian Annihilator
Campfire Cascara (new budget king imho)

Other Noteworthies:

Fir Rn6
Canpur 622B
Subtonic Storm
Fir Electron 12
Vision Ears X
Vision Ears EXT
Custom Art Fibae 5
Vision Ears Elysium
Dunu Zen Pro
Campfire Supermoon
Oriolus Isabellae

 

[katzuhiroo]

Hope to expand my list soon, would love to hear Fatfreq's MSE & GM. Like many of us, I really like bass

Participants and preliminary ranking of the ongoing shootout and also best IEMs I heart for my sources and music flavour:

IER-Z1 > Lengend Evo > Legend X

 

[djcarpentier]

I've had a bunch of stuff cross my path recently. Current 10 favorites with my personal enjoyment being the main metric. No particular order:

Dita Perpetua (new fave-- just wow'd by this)
Campfire Bonneville
Aroma Fei Wan
Campfire Trifecta
Oriolus Monachaa
Vision Ears Phonix LE
UM Amber Pearl
Oriolus Traillii
Elysian Annihilator
Campfire Cascara (new budget king imho)

Other Noteworthies:

Fir Rn6
Canpur 622B
Subtonic Storm
Fir Electron 12
Vision Ears X
Vision Ears EXT
Custom Art Fibae 5
Vision Ears Elysium
Dunu Zen Pro
Campfire Supermoon
Oriolus Isabellae

Quite the list. Have you heard the Oriolus Szalayi? Music genres you prefer?

 

[Rockwell75]

Quite the list. Have you heard the Oriolus Szalayi? Music genres you prefer?

Yes I owned the Szalayi for a bit-- I listen to a pretty wide variety of music, but an emphasis on classic rock, jazz, soundtracks, funk, electronic etc.

 

[djcarpentier]

Yes I owned the Szalayi for a bit-- I listen to a pretty wide variety of music, but an emphasis on classic rock, jazz, soundtracks, funk, electronic etc.

What did you think of them? Mixed reviews of them and there aren't many.

 

[Jacii]

My personal ranking based on sound quality, comfort, build, and overall listening experience:

1. Shure SE846: These are at the top of my list. The clarity and depth of sound they offer are exceptional. The low-end response is rich and detailed, without overpowering the mids and highs.
2. Sennheiser IE800: A close second. These IEMs have a beautifully balanced sound profile. The bass is tight and precise, and the overall soundstage is impressively wide for IEMs.
3. Westone W60: The W60s offer a wonderful, detailed sound with six drivers per ear. They are particularly good for acoustic and vocal-heavy tracks.
4. Sony IER-Z1R: These are notable for their hybrid driver system, which delivers a very natural and spacious sound. The build quality is also top-notch.
5. Campfire Audio Andromeda: Known for their exceptional build and unique design, the Andromedas have a detailed and balanced sound signature with slightly emphasized highs.
6. FiiO FH7: These are a great value for the quality they offer. They have a balanced sound signature with a slight emphasis on the lower end, making them great for a variety of genres.
7. Etymotic ER4XR: Best in class for noise isolation and incredibly accurate sound reproduction. They lean towards a more analytical sound, which might not be for everyone.
8. Noble Audio Kaiser 10: With ten drivers per ear, they offer a rich and complex sound. However, they are quite pricey, which affects their ranking for me.
9. Audio-Technica ATH-E70: A solid choice for a more neutral sound profile. They're particularly good for monitoring and studio work.
10. JH Audio JH16 Pro: These are custom-molded, which means exceptional comfort and isolation. The sound is very detailed, with a focus on a powerful bass response.c

 

[Jacii]

My personal ranking based on sound quality, comfort, build, and overall listening experience:

1. Shure SE846: These are at the top of my list. The clarity and depth of sound they offer are exceptional. The low-end response is rich and detailed, without overpowering the mids and highs.
2. Sennheiser IE800: A close second. These IEMs have a beautifully balanced sound profile. The bass is tight and precise, and the overall soundstage is impressively wide for IEMs.
3. Westone W60: The W60s offer a wonderful, detailed sound with six drivers per ear. They are particularly good for acoustic and vocal-heavy tracks.
4. Sony IER-Z1R: These are notable for their hybrid driver system, which delivers a very natural and spacious sound. The build quality is also top-notch.
5. Campfire Audio Andromeda: Known for their exceptional build and unique design, the Andromedas have a detailed and balanced sound signature with slightly emphasized highs.
6. FiiO FH7: These are a great value for the quality they offer. They have a balanced sound signature with a slight emphasis on the lower end, making them great for a variety of genres.
7. Etymotic ER4XR: Best in class for noise isolation and incredibly accurate sound reproduction. They lean towards a more analytical sound, which might not be for everyone.
8. Noble Audio Kaiser 10: With ten drivers per ear, they offer a rich and complex sound. However, they are quite pricey, which affects their ranking for me.
9. Audio-Technica ATH-E70: A solid choice for a more neutral sound profile. They're particularly good for monitoring and studio work.
10. JH Audio JH16 Pro: These are custom-molded, which means exceptional comfort and isolation. The sound is very detailed, with a focus on a powerful bass response.c

Oops, I forgot my Kinera Norn. She sounds at the average level, but I am carried away by her appearance~

 

[Tom75]

Based on what I've heard and own
1. Subtonic Storm
2. Elysian Annihilator 2023
3. Unique Melody Mest MKII
4. Sony IER-Z1R
5. Dressage DS8+2 (My only CIEM)
6. Thieaudio V16 Divinity
7. 64 Audio U12T
8. Letshuoer Cadenza 12
9. Sony IER-M9
10. Thieaudio Monarch MKII

I’d love to hear some storm impressions…

 

[kingmoon]

I’d love to hear some storm impressions...

It's very well balance, crisp, engaging, very full sounding, super resolving, best I've ever heard, at the same time, not fatiguing.

 

[Rolu]

Ok yeah there's an update with my latest purchase- the Bird

1. Oriolus Trailli
2. 64 Audio u12t

3. Unique Melody MEST Indigo
4. Sony IER-Z1R
5. Unique Melody MEXT
6. 64 Audio u4s
7. 64 Audio Trio
8. Unique Melody MEST mk2

 

[nocturne19]

Cross-posing this from the Watercooler thread:

2023 Year-end IEM Ranking

Preamble.
Intro.
Who am I? I am nobody, just a random guy on the internet who wants to share his impressions with fellow audiophiles. I am more familiar with portable gear than with headphones/2ch systems because I am always on the go. I personally find iems to strike a good balance between quality and portability.
Preference.
I am always on the search for 'neutrality'. I had times of being a 'warm' guy or a 'cold' guy, but guess both of them didn't work out for my entire library. So I believe 'neutrality' is the best compromise to different genres, though optimal playback is not ensured. Graph-wise I perceive neutrality to be IEF neutral with a 0 to +5dB bass shelf, but that is preliminary talk. Drivers, shells etc. all have an effect on sound.
Despite the chase for neutrality, I do believe I crave for neutral-warmish and neutral-darkish signatures, which I believe to be 'imbue emotion' into audio playback. Good examples are VE8 and InEar PMX.
Sources.
Though iems take up most impact of the audio chain, sources are unmistakably important, especially as you go deeper into the rabbit hole.
I have a preference towards neutral sources, but I DO believe in synergy among different gear. To keep things simple, I would prefer to keep the source constant. Most of my impressions are based on Lotoo Paw Gold Touch, which is a DAP I consider to render 'neutrality' best, if not sounding slightly dark.
Music.
I listen to a variety of genres, but I have to admit my tracks are mainly synthpop and classical. Below would be an example of my demo playlist:
Vivaldi - The Four Seasons (Summer)
Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C-Sharp Minor
Bruno Mars - 24K Magic
Naul - Sad Cafe
Taeyeon - Rain

Ranking.
My plan is to rank the top 3 iems I consider best in each compartment. Please be reminded this is my subjective view of iems, so don't be intrigued if we share different views. After all, there is no right or wrong in this hobby
Bass:
1. Campfire Audio Trifecta. Disclaimer to Trifecta lovers: I do not like this iem. It sounded too boomy for my tastes. Yet, I have to admit it has first-class bass. Excellent extension with satisfying slam. To me Trifecta satisfies a bass-lovers dream: this is the iem for one to dance along edm/bass-heavy tracks.
2. FIR Audio RN6. 'Kinetic bass' is not a slogan: It produces something you can feel - remnants of bass notes lingering in the air. It actually reminded me of subwoofers in pop concerts: Excessive yet satisfying bass. Probably my 'guilty pleasure' iem pick.
3. Fatfreq Grand Mastero. Hits hard and deep with the black module, top of the line bass. I do believe this iem scales up with power, which I am interested to explore.

Mids:
1. Vision Ears VE8. I preferred this over Phonix and Erlkonig to my disbelief. But I guess this is what VE8 is about - emotion. Being warm and dark, vocals on VE8 are sweet and lush. VE magic.
2. Vision Ears x DMA New Phonix. An iem that strikes a good balance between emotion and neutrality. Definitely on my list for extended listening sessions.
3. Noble Audio Ronin. Warm, detailed, articulate. A big surprise from Noble.

Highs:
1. Elysian Acoustic Labs Annihilator 2023. The definition of 'treble extension'. Endless treble extension while sounding silky smooth. Give it a powerful source, and you'll find yourself floating in 'air'.
2. Vision Ears Elysium. The first iem rocking off Sonion ESTs, and I guess it continues to rock. Well-extended without major harsh peaks.
3. JVC Victor FW10000. Can't believe I picked a DD, but its treble is amazing as a DD - natural, extended, smooth.

Technicalities:
1. Unique Melody Multiverse Mentor. Holographic stage with outstanding details, accurate staging with impressive dynamics as an all-BA set.
2. Noble Audio Viking Ragnar Prestige. Holographic stage, impressive resolution, top-of-the-line dynamics.
3. 64audio U18t. Definitely a hallmark iem. Wide stage, top-of-the-line resolution, precise staging.

All-rounder:
(Note: What I mean by 'all-rounded' is an iem that is impressive in most compartments. Faults do not affect their greatness.)
1. Unique Melody Multiverse Mentor. Top-level technicals with a standard W-shaped tuning. If it sounded less aggressive in mid-highs/low-treble, this could be the one.
2. Vision Ears VEX. W-shaped with outstanding technicalities. In my opinion VE really nailed bass and treble with their signature mids. It could sound a bit boomy and glaring for certain instants, but it does sound good. Probably my iem of the year.
3. thieaudio V16 Divinity. Basically the pinnacle of 'science hi-fi'. Highly technical, highly 'scientifically neutral', a neutral-heads dream.

(Honorable mention - Best pairing:
Unique Melody Amber Pearl + Stock Cable + Cayin N30LE AP. Natural, effortless, wonderful. Basically the pinnacle of portable audio. This pairing offers more than one can expect. It does come with a hefty price tag, but it won't disappoint you.)

Conclusion.
What a wonderful time to witness advances in portable audio: The Shure SE846 is probably one's endgame a decade ago, and now we have iems 10x the price. Regardless how you perceive the value of these luxuries, never forget why we started: To enjoy music.
Merry Christmas everyone, and happy listening