[Hinomotocho]

My XBA-N3 in new form after Fiio UTWS1 broke my N3 female connectors.

Nice. Have you compared to a pair of stock N3? I always wondered how much a reshelling changes the sounds - how much the sound comes from the driver, and how much it's affected by the shape and materials used.

 

[HerrXRDS]

My XBA-N3 in new form after Fiio UTWS1 broke my N3 female connectors.

What? Where? How? Wow!

 

[HaloGenZ]

Wow that’s awesome. Does it sound the same?

Yes, it still sounds the same
and soundstage seems to be wider.

 

[HaloGenZ]

What? Where? How? Wow!

Local custom IEMs store in my country reshelled them for me. It's still UIEM though.

 

[Kal El]

Hi guys! I'm looking for an IEM to add to my recently started collection. I'm quite new, and I can't find threads about IEMs for metal.
In this period I mostly listen to metalcore / thrash metal / nu metal, but generally I listen to prog rock / prog metal / hard rock / punk hardcore and other subgenres.

At the moment I have just two IEMs:

• iBasso IT01S (dynamic single driver)
• KZ AS10 (multi BA)

These are good but I wish something different, like the Sony N3AP that are hybrid, or Campfire Comet (single driver armature) or Weston W10.
I'd like to buy something with very fast bass response and precision to listen to that metalcore tracks with fast and technical drummers, without too much emphasis on lows by the way.

Thank you guys for help!

 

[Damz87]

Hi guys! I'm looking for an IEM to add to my recently started collection. I'm quite new, and I can't find threads about IEMs for metal.
In this period I mostly listen to metalcore / thrash metal / nu metal, but generally I listen to prog rock / prog metal / hard rock / punk hardcore and other subgenres.

At the moment I have just two IEMs:

• iBasso IT01S (dynamic single driver)
• KZ AS10 (multi BA)

These are good but I wish something different, like the Sony N3AP that are hybrid, or Campfire Comet (single driver armature) or Weston W10.
I'd like to buy something with very fast bass response and precision to listen to that metalcore tracks with fast and technical drummers, without too much emphasis on lows by the way.

Thank you guys for help!

The N3 might be too elevated in the lows for what you’re looking for. Out of the Sony’s that I’ve tried, I’d say the IER-M9 would be more suitable. There’s a cheaper version, the IER-M7 which I personally haven’t tried, but apparently it’s fairly similar to the M9 so that might be worth investigating too. They are both multi balanced armature IEM’s with the M9 having 5 drivers and the M7 with 4.

The other Sony options that I’d recommend are their older single dynamic driver studio monitors MDR-EX800ST (called MDR-7550 in the US) or an MDR-EX1000. The latter is a bit harder to find these days as it’s discontinued, but is an awesome IEM and would be worth exploring the used market if it fits in your budget

 

[Gioacchino]

Your gear upstream ? You can't really get down to DB8 without knowing that...earphones do not just dangle in the air and play themselves and some IEMs transform so much depending on what is behind them based on synergy.
Surprised how many say X or Y is not good in this area, and don't mention or list their gear in their profile that is behind it...just like in the LCD2c thread recently where someone was griping about treble quality and running them off a MOJO.

Hi I wanted to ask you if it makes sense for you to spend 500 on the mojo having the Sony X-BAN3, I have never had a portable DAC amp, and I want something that really upsets the sound and not a little improvement

 

[Lohb]

Hi I wanted to ask you if it makes sense for you to spend 500 on the mojo having the Sony X-BAN3, I have never had a portable DAC amp, and I want something that really upsets the sound and not a little improvement

I find the balanced-out cheap as chips E1DA PDV2 no worse than MOJO for electronic music (better in treble actually/meatier presentation).

Have moved on from N3/N1 to planar IEMs...wish there was a Sony N4 with subs/detail/separation of N3..mid-bass/treble of N1...missed sub extension on N1 and felt treble too hot on N3 at times....between mixing the best of the 2 models, there is a stellar hybrid IEM IMO....Sony's new gen hybrids now have wacky pricing...would not go near them, even if their ToTL IEM sounds like a ToTL headphone.

 

[Kal El]

The N3 might be too elevated in the lows for what you’re looking for. Out of the Sony’s that I’ve tried, I’d say the IER-M9 would be more suitable. There’s a cheaper version, the IER-M7 which I personally haven’t tried, but apparently it’s fairly similar to the M9 so that might be worth investigating too. They are both multi balanced armature IEM’s with the M9 having 5 drivers and the M7 with 4.

The other Sony options that I’d recommend are their older single dynamic driver studio monitors MDR-EX800ST (called MDR-7550 in the US) or an MDR-EX1000. The latter is a bit harder to find these days as it’s discontinued, but is an awesome IEM and would be worth exploring the used market if it fits in your budget

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I can’t find those iems on sale online, neither on the Sony official website. Btw my budget is around 200/300€.

 

[Lohb]

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I can’t find those iems on sale online, neither on the Sony official website. Btw my budget is around 200/300€.

I found MDR-EX800ST terribly grainy and lacking in the microdetail + richness of N3....

 

[Kal El]

I found MDR-EX800ST terribly grainy and lacking in the microdetail + richness of N3....

Do you have some advice? I wish something with good instruments separation and with fast and precise basses to listen to metalcore and other similar genres...

 

[Gioacchino]

I find the balanced-out cheap as chips E1DA PDV2

I find the balanced-out cheap as chips E1DA PDV2 no worse than MOJO for electronic music (better in treble actually/meatier presentation).

Have moved on from N3/N1 to planar IEMs...wish there was a Sony N4 with subs/detail/separation of N3..mid-bass/treble of N1...missed sub extension on N1 and felt treble too hot on N3 at times....between mixing the best of the 2 models, there is a stellar hybrid IEM IMO....Sony's new gen hybrids now have wacky pricing...would not go near them, even if their ToTL IEM sounds like a ToTL headphone.

no worse than MOJO for electronic music (better in treble actually/meatier presentation).

Have moved on from N3/N1 to planar IEMs...wish there was a Sony N4 with subs/detail/separation of N3..mid-bass/treble of N1...missed sub extension on N1 and felt treble too hot on N3 at times....between mixing the best of the 2 models, there is a stellar hybrid IEM IMO....Sony's new gen hybrids now have wacky pricing...would not go near them, even if their ToTL IEM sounds like a ToTL headphone.

I read something about PDV2, only that I am quite new in this world and I have not understood much, meanwhile I start telling you that at the moment I listen to music only from an honor 10 and tidal smartphone, once I tried the DragonFly black using my 1 more triple driver, apart from the volume the sound hasn't changed much in fact I returned it, with the N3 and PDV2 in your opinion is there much difference compared to the phone? And adding that I don't care about increasing the volume, I'm just looking for a noticeable audio enhancement. Thanks

 

[Lohb]

I read something about PDV2, only that I am quite new in this world and I have not understood much, meanwhile I start telling you that at the moment I listen to music only from an honor 10 and tidal smartphone, once I tried the DragonFly black using my 1 more triple driver, apart from the volume the sound hasn't changed much in fact I returned it, with the N3 and PDV2 in your opinion is there much difference compared to the phone? And adding that I don't care about increasing the volume, I'm just looking for a noticeable audio enhancement. Thanks

Definitely a difference from PDV2 vs a standard phone barring some newer audiophile chip phones. You need to power PDV2 off a battery if hooked up to a phone. Works off my Macbook air no problem. Even Fiio BTR5 running balanced out will give you a great sound with the N3. If you are looking for a mobile solution, try BTR5 dongle once supply resumes from China. Great bang-for-the-buck.

EDIT: E1DA9038s is better matched to N3/N1 than PDV2, as it has an IEM lower "power mode 4" added to it. They are both around 500mWatts per channel but the 9038 is only one of the 2 more matched to IEMs.

 

[Gioacchino]

Definitely a difference from PDV2 vs a standard phone barring some newer audiophile chip phones. You need to power PDV2 off a battery if hooked up to a phone. Works off my Macbook air no problem. Even Fiio BTR5 running balanced out will give you a great sound with the N3. If you are looking for a mobile solution, try BTR5 dongle once supply resumes from China. Great bang-for-the-buck.

FiiO BTR5 currently costs on aliexpress 130 while the PDV2 55 on 60 always on aliexpress, from the translation I did not understand correctly, but do you mean with the PDV2 the phone battery is consumed too quickly? However I should use it at home so I can recharge the smartphone ... But instead what do you think of the earstudio1000?

 

[DJ Core]

Do you have some advice? I wish something with good instrument separation and with fast and precise basses to listen to metalcore and other similar genres...

Audio sense T800, Dunu DK2001 or Fiio FH7.