Sony IER-M9 impressions thread

[Leviathant]

Yes indeed, delighted to be back! I wondered given that 3 years had passed whether the M9 might sound inferior to sets I’ve since tried or now own, but easily holds up and absolutely a keeper.

Actually, I’d be very interested in knowing which of WM1ZM2 and GT2 it pairs better with…. Been eyeing GT2 a little.

Wonder if you could do a strengths and weaknesses assessment of them both using the M9 as a reference? No rush!

 

[Leviathant]

Kimber cable 'sounds' exactly like the stock cable i.e. just fine.
Neither of them has any haze or issues with resolving.
Please don't spread this nonsense, or if you have to, do it in WC thread. Alternativly these guys are always happy to discuss the cables as well.

Ha. Jesus. I know exactly what I can hear. Feel free to mute me. Please do.

Also, I don’t take orders from you. I’ve just as much right to post what I hear in this thread as you do. I’d kindly ask you to remind yourself that.

 

[Bigbeat]

Kimber cable 'sounds' exactly like the stock cable i.e. just fine.
Neither of them has any haze or issues with resolving.
Please don't spread this nonsense, or if you have to, do it in WC thread. Alternativly these guys are always happy to discuss the cables as well.

It does not. Levianthant is right unfortunately.
I was using IER-Z1R for approx. 2 years. After the original balanced cable started to be rather sticky, I ordered SONY Kimber cable MUC-M12SB2. At the same time I got a new set of SONY IER-M9.
I tried IER-Z1R with the Kimber cable first. It was apparent that compared to the original SONY cable, the sound with the Kimber cable was somehow veiled. I was missing trebles especially.
With IER-M9 and the Kimber cable it has been the same story. Trebles and probably mids as well feel as if they had been supressed somehow.

On top of that the volume must be turned up by 5 notches with the Kimber cable to match the volume with the original cable.

 

[HunqVux]

As my number 1 IEM I feel I must start looking for another solution to bring out its best performance.

I haven't considered trying 3rd part cables on my M9 mostly due to the fragile nature of the MMCX connectors. However, If you want to maximize the technicalities part of the M9 with the only exception of its soundstage size then I strongly believe the Cowon P2 would do the job. Although I sold my Cowon quite a while a go, I couldn't forget how amazing the M9 had been with the Cowon technicalities wise.

 

[ducnsh]

I still have my IER-M9, with an broken driver on one side^^ i wanted to gift them to my mother but she can't wear them, they are too big for her/uncomfortable. My girlfriend had the same issue. Which is weird as i never had the feeling they are pretty big.

imho the IER-M9 are rather on the smaller size but the shape seems the issue. But i also had issues with the shell with them getting uncomfortable over prolonged use.

If Sony is planing/working on an revised Version, i hope they work together with JustEar and release something in an shape the other IEM have. And ship them with foam.

But i somehow have the feeling there will be no successor to the IER-M9.

Could I ask the reason why your M9's driver has been broken? From my experience, M9 build quality is top-notch. My friend dropped it many times, but it is still flawless in both functionality and aesthetic

 

[tomcourtenay]

Hi all, i just bought a Sony IER-M9 as im returning so some sort of highend audio equipment after selling all given low time avaliable due to work and im wondering if anyones is pairing them with an Ibasso DX180?

Thanks!

 

[angpsi]

(...) After the original balanced cable started to be rather sticky, I ordered SONY Kimber cable MUC-M12SB2. At the same time I got a new set of SONY IER-M9.
I tried IER-Z1R with the Kimber cable first. It was apparent that compared to the original SONY cable, the sound with the Kimber cable was somehow veiled. I was missing trebles especially.
With IER-M9 and the Kimber cable it has been the same story. Trebles and probably mids as well feel as if they had been supressed somehow.

On top of that the volume must be turned up by 5 notches with the Kimber cable to match the volume with the original cable.

Same here, after about 2-3 years of use, the silicon earloops and the connector covers on the stock IER-M9 cable got really sticky to the point of shredding and disintegration.

This gave me the opportunity to revisit Onso and splurge on their TOTL iect 06 high purity copper (6n+4n) cable (available on Amazon.co.jp), which I just got my hands on yesterday. Right out of the box it feels like a proper high quality copper cable, with an audible extension of depth and width, delicately voluptuous mids and deep lows. Detail and separation are also quite audibly improved over the stock Sony silver plated copper cable. A modest amount of murkiness on the low frequencies quickly went away after a couple of hours of listening. Super interested to see how much the cable develops from here, over time.

In summary, it's been forever since I first tried their 03 on my HD600, but it seems that Onso continues to be a super solid option—at least enough to break my long radio silence and write about it to the community. I'll be sure to cross-examine my findings back with the stock Sony cable, but so far I'm super happy with my taking the chance. Given @Bigbeat 's report on the MUC-M12SB2, I'm also happy I decided not to go down that track (lots of fakes out there, was also part of the reason).

Spoiler: About me

Mind you, I'm not someone who has done a lot of cable rolling with my IEMs; but after having tried several cable options with my stereo system, as well as considering the audible improvements I got with the upgrade cables I use for my HPs (see signature), I'm anything but a sceptic. Over time, I consistently found myself settling for pure copper cables over silver, or silver-plated copper cables, as I find them more natural and closer to live auditions.

 

[Aochan]

I bought an M9 a few months ago and have been loving them for the most part. It sounds very natural and non-fatiguing to me once I found the right tips. I mostly listen to Jpop and game soundtracks. I found that foam tips sounded better than silicone tips the M9. Using silicone tips made the fit extremely finicky. I don't understand how people use silicone tips with unvented iems. Most foam tips are tall and cylindrical in shape which unfortunately is uncomfortable for my ears. One problem I have with the M9 is with the foam tuning filters. My earwax is oily/wet, so when I use the M9 for a long time, liquid earwax drips into the bore of the eartips. There isn't a ton of liquid earwax when this happens, but it still sucks. Eartips with earwax guards like comply or some azla tips don't prevent it either.

Sonicfoam/Inairs: the treble was a bit too sharp for me.
Comply: the sound was too muted for me.
Azla Foamax: It did not dampen the treble as much as the comply tips did, but it was still too muted for my taste.
Sony EPNI1010: I liked these and the tips below the best, but the cylindrical shape of the tips were uncomfortable. These tips tamed the treble just right for my ears.
Final Audio Fusion-G: These sounded similar to the EPNI1010, but are more comfortable. My current choice of tips for the M9. The downside is that they aren't sold in the US/EU yet, so you have to import them.

I also am loving the coherency the M9. My daily driver before was the Blessing 2 Dusk which I had a few problems with. I always see people talk about coherency as in hearing the difference between the drivers, but it's a bit different for me. My hearing changes from day to day, so depending on the day, my perception of treble/mids/bass changes. The same goes for the volume I listen at. Sometimes I need to raise or lower the volume to get it back to what I consider my normal volume level. The B2D really bothered me regarding this. It could be thin, bright, and fatiguing on one day or too bassy on another day. My B2D aren't broken, but sometimes it sounds like it plays a completely different note. I noticed this on the bass guitar in my favorite song, Dearly Love - Dr. Flowers.

With the M9, I still notice these changes, but it's not a drastic change in signature like it was with the B2D. I love how consistent the sound is on the M9. I also own the Z1R and notice these changes, but it's not as bad as the B2D. I do not feel the need to buy another IEM.

I'm curious about trying other studio IEMs like the SE846 and the Westone Mach series, but there is no audio shops near me. I have tried the Inear Prophile 8, but it sounded grainy to me.

Music I listen to:

 

[HDOctopus]

Hi all, i just bought a Sony IER-M9 as im returning so some sort of highend audio equipment after selling all given low time avaliable due to work and im wondering if anyones is pairing them with an Ibasso DX180?

Thanks!

The DX180 is my main dap for all my Iems. Fantastic Pairing especially with the balanced connection.

 

[TurtelyEnough]

Howdy yall. Been out of the game for a couple years but checking back in to see what yall think. The M9s are my favorite headphone/IEM of all time maybe besides the Audeze LCD-X and certainly the best tuned. With all these new “META” tuned IEMs I am wondering if yall think any of these new offerings offer a worthy alternative or dare I say arguable upgrade to the M9s? For what I’d be looking for - I basically love everything about the tuning of the M9s (warm-ish with slightly dark treble, great timbre etc.) but share the opinion that it can be slightly lacking in dynamics and bass impact (pressure, decay, etc.) and have been spoiled by a few alternatives in those departments (eg IE900s). Does anything you’ve heard fit the bill or is it still M9 or bust? I doubt I’ll really move onto anything else just curious as I know the IEM space is bananas these days. Thanks!

 

[Vamp898]

Howdy yall. Been out of the game for a couple years but checking back in to see what yall think. The M9s are my favorite headphone/IEM of all time maybe besides the Audeze LCD-X and certainly the best tuned. With all these new “META” tuned IEMs I am wondering if yall think any of these new offerings offer a worthy alternative or dare I say arguable upgrade to the M9s? For what I’d be looking for - I basically love everything about the tuning of the M9s (warm-ish with slightly dark treble, great timbre etc.) but share the opinion that it can be slightly lacking in dynamics and bass impact (pressure, decay, etc.) and have been spoiled by a few alternatives in those departments (eg IE900s). Does anything you’ve heard fit the bill or is it still M9 or bust? I doubt I’ll really move onto anything else just curious as I know the IEM space is bananas these days. Thanks!

The IER-M9 is special because its rather an real Monitor than an average Consumer In-Ear. Its still slightly on the consumery side, but if you like the IER-M9, you like rather Flat/Accurate tunings. The IER-M9 doesn't hit that target perfectly, but better than most consumer In-Ear. It is an actual, real IEM and not just called so for marketing... for the most part^^

Based on your description, i would say the best fitting would be the SE846 imho, the biggest difference is exactly what you miss on the IER-M9, this stronger compressed, hard hitting bass, but without loosing the quality of an BA bass and an otherwise similar tuning overall.

So i would look in that direction. Depending on your budget, there are offerings that do the same, but better, but more expensive. If you know a price range, i could give you some picks.

 

[psikey]

Howdy yall. Been out of the game for a couple years but checking back in to see what yall think. The M9s are my favorite headphone/IEM of all time maybe besides the Audeze LCD-X and certainly the best tuned. With all these new “META” tuned IEMs I am wondering if yall think any of these new offerings offer a worthy alternative or dare I say arguable upgrade to the M9s? For what I’d be looking for - I basically love everything about the tuning of the M9s (warm-ish with slightly dark treble, great timbre etc.) but share the opinion that it can be slightly lacking in dynamics and bass impact (pressure, decay, etc.) and have been spoiled by a few alternatives in those departments (eg IE900s). Does anything you’ve heard fit the bill or is it still M9 or bust? I doubt I’ll really move onto anything else just curious as I know the IEM space is bananas these days. Thanks!

My last 4 IEM's (now 3) are/were Sony IER-M9, IER-Z1R, Shure SE846, Fiio FD7.

Sold the M9 as I prefer my long held SE846 but the top banana for me is 1ZR without a doubt for pure musical enjoyment with awesome everything really other than can have fit/comfort issues.

i always wished the awsomness of the Z1R sound fitted in the M9 shell for its comfort/size etc.

I love my SE846 when out and about for its comfort, all day wearability and sound, but for pure sound it's the Z1R every time at home for me.

 

[Vamp898]

My last 4 IEM's (now 3) are/were Sony IER-M9, IER-Z1R, Shure SE846, Fiio FD7.

Sold the M9 as I prefer my long held SE846 but the top banana for me is 1ZR without a doubt for pure musical enjoyment with awesome everything really other than can have fit/comfort issues.

i always wished the awsomness of the Z1R sound fitted in the M9 shell for its comfort/size etc.

I love my SE846 when out and about for its comfort, all day wearability and sound, but for pure sound it's the Z1R every time at home for me.

As i switched to customs, i luckily never have to worry about fit ever again. In my audiophile journey, that was the best decision so far

 

[TurtelyEnough]

The IER-M9 is special because its rather an real Monitor than an average Consumer In-Ear. Its still slightly on the consumery side, but if you like the IER-M9, you like rather Flat/Accurate tunings. The IER-M9 doesn't hit that target perfectly, but better than most consumer In-Ear. It is an actual, real IEM and not just called so for marketing... for the most part^^

Based on your description, i would say the best fitting would be the SE846 imho, the biggest difference is exactly what you miss on the IER-M9, this stronger compressed, hard hitting bass, but without loosing the quality of an BA bass and an otherwise similar tuning overall.

So i would look in that direction. Depending on your budget, there are offerings that do the same, but better, but more expensive. If you know a price range, i could give you some picks.

Interesting, thanks! Looking at the FR, it looks like it graphs pretty similarly to the M9. I feel like I haven't really heard of these much, any idea why? I know that Shure isn't the sexiest brand anymore but wondering if it is anything beyond that.

I don't really have a hard budget as I am not that committed to actually getting another pair. That said, ideally would be looking at under 1k but could probably make up to 2k work for a dream pair.

Edit: Not sure how I can edit this post to include the second commenters quote but I get the sense the IER-Z1 won't really be up my alley just because it looks like the mids are recessed and I listen to a ton of male vocals - would also be looking for something that has better comfort for on the go purposes. That said, I should still try and give them a listen.

 

[Vamp898]

Interesting, thanks! Looking at the FR, it looks like it graphs pretty similarly to the M9. I feel like I haven't really heard of these much, any idea why? I know that Shure isn't the sexiest brand anymore but wondering if it is anything beyond that.

I don't really have a hard budget as I am not that committed to actually getting another pair. That said, ideally would be looking at under 1k but could probably make up to 2k work for a dream pair.

Edit: Not sure how I can edit this post to include the second commenters quote but I get the sense the IER-Z1 won't really be up my alley just because it looks like the mids are recessed and I listen to a ton of male vocals - would also be looking for something that has better comfort for on the go purposes. That said, I should still try and give them a listen.

The SE846 Gen 2 (Red Filter) won the VGP Gold Award in 2025 and i think was the second best selling IEM in 2024 in Japan.

YouTubers do not care because, you can't make YouTube money with a company that releases a new IEM every 10 years. You'd get bankrupt. In the ChiFi world, have been 5 IEM released in the time it took me to write this post. So of course, YouTuber and Reviewer care more about these because they give them endless material. And most people on HeadFi care about new products too. If collecting IEM and talking about them is your hobby, the hobby gets pretty boring when there is nothing new to talk about.

But if your budget is around 2000 Bucks, you can absolutely go into the CIEM Range. Thats already top of the top.

In that case, you will be probably very happy with this beauty https://pro.ultimateears.com/products/ue-11-pro it is basically the IER-M9 with added bass.