[AmericanSpirit]

Then maybe a better question is what is the best all-rounder iem under 500 dollars?

Safe bet:

find DUNU’s SA6 under sales. It’s like Porsche 911 Turbo S. Solid all rounder that you can drive it to race tracks or daily grocery shopping.
I’m a car addict as well, so I’d also add what I can think each of IEMs associated with sports-cars.

Side bet:
Vocal-Neutral with little coloring:
If like neutral bass floor >HEXA(Mercedes AMG C43), if like sub-bass lifted with more details >Variations (Mecedes AMG C63S)

Instument-neutral with little coloring:
Tea (BMW M3) & Tea2 (BMW M5), AFUL Performer 5 (Lexus RC F) , Yanyin Aladdin ( Toyota GRMN YARIS)

Inoffensive with some colorations
N5005 (Audi RS5) , SA6(Porsche 911 Turbo S) , See Audio Bravery (Lotus Elise)

Tunable U-shape
Yanyin Canon (Lexus IS F)

Planar:
S12Pro (Tesla Model S) / PR1PRO (zeekr 001) / Timeless (Tesla Roadster) <dry -analytical>, Wu Zetian (AstonMartin Valhalla) <warm-musical>

Dark horse:
Aur Audio Neon Pro ( Lotus Evija)

It’s $600 sth though. At least some good reputation from sizable few. Let down is it’s a small start up in Singapore, and their website is down, only means of communication is whatsapp and facebook, a little too niche, but the sound quality maybe one of the best for price-to-performance. It’s like the Bravery’s tuning with doubled size of 10BA

And many other offered on this thread.

 

[o0genesis0o]

Then maybe a better question is what is the best all-rounder iem under 500 dollars?

Blessing 2 is always a good starting point. Even though some people including me have problems with it, it is still a solid and accomplished IEM.

Dunu Vulkan is an alternative if you want something fancier and more lively than Blessing 2.

Letshuoer S12 is less natural and neutral than the other options but it has its moment. I always feel that these are Sundara in IEM form factor with most of strengths and weaknesses. Solid introduction to Planar IEM at an affordable price.

Potential options (that I have not tried but felt positive based on graph): Awful performance 5, Fiio FH7s, Yume 2, Symphonium Meteor

Now, what I buy if I have $500 for a portable setup: JD7 + replacement cable with 4.4mm jack + Topping G5 or Shanling M3 Ultra, depending on whether you want amp or DAP. This combo is my actual daily driver.

 

[kmhaynes]

New Reecho update on the basshead SG-03.

Reecho SG-03s LCP Diaphragm Dynamic Driver 2Pin 0.78mm Metal In-ear Earphone​

Really nice looking -- they look a bit like the multi-faceted face of the Ikko OH10.

I assume they are fairly heavy, being all metal body??

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

i use my wm1a at the steel fab shop everyday, sometimes the a55 too but wm1a is just better

i thankfully work from home now, so the days of having my gear stolen by fellow employees are gone. I rarely brought my expensive gear to work anyways. Never had a player stolen, but a couple IEM's yeah.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

Safe bet:

find DUNU’s SA6 under sales. It’s like Porsche 911 Turbo S. Solid all rounder that you can drive it to race tracks or daily grocery shopping.

Side bet:
Vocal-Neutral with little coloring:
If like neutral bass floor >HEXA, if like sub-bass lifted with more details >Variations

Instument-neutral with little coloring:
Tea & Tea2, AFUL Performer 5, Yanyin Aladdin

Inoffensive with some colorations
N5005, SA6, See Audio Bravery

Tunable U-shape
Yanyin Canon

Planar:
S12Pro/PR1PRO/Timeless (dry -analytical), Wu Zetian (warm-musical)

Dark horse:
Aur Audio Neon Pro (it’s $600 sth though) At least some good reputation from sizable few. Let down is it’s a small start up in Singapore, and their website is down, only means of communication is whatsapp and facebook, a little too niche, but the sound quality maybe one of the best for price-to-performance. It’s like the Bravery’s tuning with doubled size of 10BA

And many other offered on this thread.

@Vonbuddy
Following up with this.

There is no one-size-fit all recommendations we can make unless we know your exact gain spots and favorite genres. Also IEM itself is not all the story as we mentioned, if you want to get best out of a good sound out of it, invest in format source (Tidal /apple losses /amazon HD), find a paring ear tips, invest in DAP.

Here is something I summarized on another thread, hope this helps.

Find your personal HRTF, then decide whether you like upbeat (peaks hitting your gain spots) or downbeat (dips avoiding your spots), bass Floor sensitivity especially for mid-bass, etc etc.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

I’d say tonality B, Technicality C. Total 70/100, a pass. It smears with complex music. A typical single DD with OK-level of technicality, at least better than technicalities of Wan’er, 7Hz salnotes zero, but behind CRA+, Chu, Lea’s.

Tuning wise it’s very very safe, no harsh treble, clear mid, musically entertaining bass floor, the harman well executed. If as a first set of tasting harman, it’s well worth, but for someone already has harman single DD with better drivers, it will be a piece of collection.

At least I’m not motivated enough to have a full coverage nor writing a review on head-gear. That level “OK, not bad”

So how can it beat the Salnotes Zero in technicalities? There is no smear of complex tracks with the Salnotes Zero. None. Not the best when it comes to mids, because they are scooped, but still, the ZEro can keep up quite well with complex movements without smearing or bloating. So how can the Cadenza be superior?

 

[Vonbuddy]

@Vonbuddy
Following up with this.

There is no one-size-fit all recommendations we can make unless we know your exact gain spots and favorite genres. Also IEM itself is not all the story as we mentioned, if you want to get best out of a good sound out of it, invest in format source (Tidal /apple losses /amazon HD), find a paring ear tips, invest in DAP.

Here is something I summarized on another thread, hope this helps.

Find your personal HRTF, then decide whether you like upbeat (peaks hitting your gain spots) or downbeat (dips avoiding your spots), bass Floor sensitivity especially for mid-bass, etc etc.

I have Tidal and Amazon Music.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

No one knows what your reasonable is. It'd be easier if we had a total budget for 3 IEMs that we could allocate.

But, since i just went through a bunch of purchasing, what I ended up with at the high(er) end was Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 and Thieaudio Monarch MkII - I say that not because I think either one is reasonably priced, but rather because it gives you a sense for my comparison.

If I had $350 to spend across three IEMs, personally it'd be Dunu Titan S (perhaps Dunu Kima instead, haven't heard them) + CCA CRA+ + Timeless 7Hz. I might throw in a pair of Etymotic ER2SE's if I wanted to add something completely different.

If you have a different budget in mind, let us know and we can answer that question. It's a great question, but we need to know your actual budget constraint. $250 for 3 is fun but harder. $500 for 3 is interesting. I picked a kind of mid-point.

I have two of the three you mentioned and recommended, and I have to agree. CRA is a easy to drive and very loud but for a few dimes, is very capable and technical. Could use better imaging and spatial cues, as it's mostly left-right, but hey, quibbles. The Timeless are just such a good IEM. Sure, they have the typical planar limitations, but I certainly lose myself in the music while listening to them, so no complaints, unless you're a basshead, which at that point, oyu avoid planars of all types.

 

[Vonbuddy]

I have two of the three you mentioned and recommended, and I have to agree. CRA is a easy to drive and very loud but for a few dimes, is very capable and technical. Could use better imaging and spatial cues, as it's mostly left-right, but hey, quibbles. The Timeless are just such a good IEM. Sure, they have the typical planar limitations, but I certainly lose myself in the music while listening to them, so no complaints, unless you're a basshead, which at that point, oyu avoid planars of all types.

I bought the CRA+ from Amazon this morning. I also bought the Gimlet.

 

[nraymond]

Then maybe a better question is what is the best all-rounder iem under 500 dollars?

Besides the AKG5005, you might also consider the Westone W80 which is on sale for $399 right now:

https://www.adorama.com/we80v3bt.html?emailprice=t

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

I bought the CRA+ from Amazon this morning. I also bought the Gimlet.

You will enjoy the CRA+. You simply can't go wrong with that for a balanced listen for a couple cups of Starbucks. Good choice.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Everytime I spend time with my Sennheiser IE800, I smile with a tear in my eye. The sound I'm provided is so upscale and mature. So endearing and broad. Then with a turn of my head or a movement to straighten up or shift, and i'm reminded what a horrific and epic failure the cable is (non-detachable). Absolutely a travesty. If i'm perfectly still, it's barely a problem, but after that....tears.

 

[bhazard]

It doesn't look like the Meaoes Eagle came with the extra filters Penon mentioned in the package, so they are probably coming later and I can reassess then.

The value in the purchase is pretty high here. It came with a modular cable and all the terminations, plenty of tips, fabric case, and a Hifiboy IEM thrown in.

Initial impressions... yes that treble is very prominent, but without measurements I can't pinpoint exactly where and how. Cymbals and hot treble tracks like "Lux Eternal" get a little too sibilant, but warmer tracks benefit from it (Katatonia - Austerity). For me it has to be handled to be able to avoid quick fatigue, just like on the KZ PR1 Pro. This is with the stock generic silicone tips though, so foams might help tame this without going the EQ route.

There's a lot to like in the sound, so I'm going to tip roll, EQ, let it run a few hours and see what happens.

 

[lgcubana]

Paiaudio PLIISEN727 6BA+1DD Hybrid 2pin 0.78mm HiFi In-Ear Earphones Audiophile IEMs

Specification
Brand Paiaudio
Model: PLIISEN727
Driver: 4 mid frequency balanced armature & 2 high frequency balanced armature + 1 custom 10mm CNT diaphragms dynamic driver
Handmade, resin cavity
Impedance: 12Ω±5%
Sensitivity: 110±3dB
Frequency range: 20-20000Hz
Plug: 3.5mm straight plug
Cable Length: 1.3m
Connector: 2pin 0.78mm
Color: Yellow mixed / Purple mixed （The color or grain of each pair of earphones will not be exactly the same, because each stable wood was cutting from the whole piece of wood, especially the mixed colors.）

New listing on Penon site. Lots of BAs on tap with a CNT dynamic for bass. 4BAs doing the mids. Interesting.

On paper, this sounds like the Xenns Mangird Tea 2; which was on sale last week, $260

 

[Vonbuddy]

Besides the AKG5005, you might also consider the Westone W80 which is on sale for $399 right now:

https://www.adorama.com/we80v3bt.html?emailprice=t

I bought the N5005 for 199.00 a few moments ago. The reviews on the Westone W80 are a bit mixed. Not sure for even the huge discount right now.