Recommend me a good mp3 player and some good IEMs

[funnyjoke]

Hey guys,

It's been a year since I last posted a thread here and almost a year since I bought my Brainwavz M2 IEMs which recently stopped giving sound in the left side, and I tried to get them fixed but the people I went to ruined it even further I think.

So, I'm here to ask for recommendations on a new pair of IEMs. Along with that, I also need to buy an mp3 player; I know absolutely NOTHING about mp3 players, I've just had the Sandisk Clip Zip for a long time now but since its battery power has faded a bit I want to buy a new one.

My budget for the mp3 player is 50$-100$, and for the IEMs is also 50-100$ (preferably around the 50$ mark). I'm actually thinking of going for two IEMs this time incase one stops working again. Anyway, my first choice for IEMs is still one of either the Brainwavz M1 or M2, but I guess if there's better, do tell me.


Thanks, all help appreciated!

 

[buke9]

A Fiio X1 can be had for that money and can do High Rez also nice little player. You can get a pair of KZ ZS10’s for around $50 also I think they rival my 1More Quad Drivers and do well against the iBasso IT01’s which would be at the top of your budget but are really good also.

 

[Mhog55]

The Cayin N3 can be found on Ebay for 110 bucks shipped. Crazy good price on a killer little entry level digital audio player.

 

[funnyjoke]

If it's not too much to ask, could you guys explain why these choices would be good for me? What is really good about them in particular that I should choose them over anything else? Are they the absolute best choice at this price range or do you think I can find better? Also, a different question: Would it be better to go for two ~50$ IEMs or to just get a single 100$ one (I could use two since I live in Pakistan where it's hard to find good IEMs at a cheap price but I have a chance right now to get some from USA).

I like the KZ ZS10 but I'm thinking they might be like a gimmick? I'm coming from the Brainwavz M2 IEMs, which are also around 50$; would the KZ ZS10s be a significant jump over them? How much different (or better) are the iBasso IT01s over the KZ ZS10s? Also, I want to understand why those mp3 players will be a necessarily better choice than to go for a 30-50$ Sandisk mp3. Please help me with these questions!

Thanks a lot for the replies!

 

[theveterans]

To me, iPod Touch 6G has excellent sound quality and it's my primary DAC for Campfire Andromeda IEM. As for IEM, I'd stay away from M2 and get the Quad B400 instead since it gives a nice low end and non-fatiguing top end for 3x the M2's price. What you'll notice at those prices is that those "odd/tin can/plasticky" is non-existent.

 

[funnyjoke]

To me, iPod Touch 6G has excellent sound quality and it's my primary DAC for Campfire Andromeda IEM. As for IEM, I'd stay away from M2 and get the Quad B400 instead since it gives a nice low end and non-fatiguing top end for 3x the M2's price. What you'll notice at those prices is that those "odd/tin can/plasticky" is non-existent.

Hey, thanks for the reply, much much appreciated. So, my budget just doesn't allow me to go for anything so expensive as the iPod Touch right now. Is there some reason I should?
For the IEMs, I would definitely do that willingly though, and I'm convinced on that manufacturer already, so it's definitely looking like an option right now. I just need to know, that if I already find 50$ IEMs like the Brainwavz M2 and M1 to be satisfying enough, should I really go for such a high jump over them (with the Quad B400)? What do you think about the two suggestions that buke9 and Mhog55 gave - should I not count them at all?

I hope you reply back soon!

 

[theveterans]

Well, I chose that suggestion because I’ve been accustomed to over $200 USD IEMs that it’s easier for me to know if an IEM sounds tonally right to my ears. I’ve heard IEMs ranging from 20-50 USD such as the Kinera SEED, KZ ZS6, ZS3, ZST and brainwavz b200 and Shure SE215. All of them have a what I call “artificial” timbre that is unnatural sounding when compared to $150-200 IEMs such as Campfire Comet, Brainwavz B400 and Simgot EN700 Pro

As for mp3 player, I would agree with the other 2 responses. The reason I suggested the iPod Touch is because it’s the most flexible DAP for the money where you can install any streaming service you like and even local radio station apps like iHeart radio or tune-in radio app

 

[funnyjoke]

Thing is, the $50 mark of IEMs already satisfy me enough, so I think I should be fine with a pair of M1s.

Along with that, I'm thinking, since the KZ ZS10 look to me like they offer something new from the kind of sound I'm used to, I should maybe go for them as well. I don't want to be restricted to just over-the-ear either, so that's another reason for me to buy two cheaper pairs instead of one expensive pair.

Would I be really missing out if I didn't go for the iBasso IT01s or the Quad B400s though? Is it something as amazing as was the jump for me to the Brainwavz M1s when it was my first time going to a real high quality kind of headphones, coming from low-grade, cheap ones? Dude, that would be awesome as well.

I still want more opinions though, so please do share them.

For the mp3 players, I'm thinking of going for a simple Sandisk Clip Sport one ($50-ish), which again, I could use some more opinions on.

Thanks

 

[theveterans]

As always with our recommendations, your ears are the one that matters. We're here to give you options (and our preferences of course) and you select the one you prefer after demoing. IMO, going from say KZ ZS10 (haven't heard) to B400 would probably be an incremental upgrade and as such won't be as large as freebie to ZS10 for example. If I would've guess, the timbre and tonality is where the B400 would have the biggest difference where you'll notice on some songs that "yeah this sounds more akin to the real life". Then again the price/performance ratio gets worse as you go up the price ladder.



PS: Don't think that manufacturers are after your money by pricing IEMs that cost much more since in general they do sound better than the 2-3x lower priced ones. Just to me (of course it's different to others) that you'll be hearing "hi-fi" sound (my definition of "hi-fi" is that it would never sound "artificial" in a bad way) once you go to $150 IEMs and up. When you're there, you're mostly after sound preference than technicalities.

 

[bixby]

Spend $100 for a used LG V-10 better than any sansa

 

[funnyjoke]

I really want to go for the B400s, but 200$ is pretty much my whole budget, and that includes the mp3 player budget as well. Do you still think I should?
Both of the times I've purchased Brainwavz IEMs, they stopped working in one of the sides in a year or less, so I'm also afraid of that when I consider their B400s.

Spend $100 for a used LG V-10 better than any sansa

A smart phone? I want the Sansa because it's small, it has use-able UI and it has over 20 hours of battery. If I spend 50$ on an mp3 like Sansa, then I can spend extra on headphones as well.

Do you guys have any recommendations that aren't over-the-ear style, for around 50-100$?

Thanks once again.

By the way, I don't have these brands where I live so sadly, I can't demo any headphones at all. Also, I understand you are trying to help me and I can't tell you how thankful and appreciative I am, bro. I just need to understand these choices fully before I commit myself to an IEM for at least a year or more.

 

[funnyjoke]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but could you guys give me a recommendation for 100-200$ IEMs that aren't over-the-ear? I've not heard anything but 50$ IEMs yet, so I hope this will be worth it. Thanks.

 

[kukkurovaca]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but could you guys give me a recommendation for 100-200$ IEMs that aren't over-the-ear? I've not heard anything but 50$ IEMs yet, so I hope this will be worth it. Thanks.

Campfire Comet can be worn straight down. Also 1More Triple and Quad Drivers.

 

[buke9]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but could you guys give me a recommendation for 100-200$ IEMs that aren't over-the-ear? I've not heard anything but 50$ IEMs yet, so I hope this will be worth it. Thanks.

What type of sound are you looking for?

 

[funnyjoke]

Nothing in particular, but I would like it if it was original and not custom fake sound (unless it's really good?). Well, I like high-quality headphones.

I like bass, I like rock songs, and drums, but I really want it to be good for any type of song because I don't focus on genre that much. I like listening to the instruments as they work in the background so I want them to be strong, but I think vocals are ofcourse the main part of music.

Does non-over-the-ear mean it's worse in quality? I'm thinking of getting the 1MORE Quads but what's especially great about them and the Campfire Comet ones?