[slowpickr]

I started a fun thread several months ago about headphones that significantly performed ABOVE their price point.  Thought I would do one now for IEMs that are extremely over priced for the sound quality.  Not so much concerned about build quality or accessories.  A general example would be a $500 IEM that sounds like it should cost $100.
 
As with most topics on Head-Fi this is all subjective so no need for arguments to arise.

 Thanks.

 

[watsaname]

Might just be fit, but to me the R3s aren't all that great. They lack a lot of clarity, sound distant, and a PITA to put on and keep on.

 

[Spyro]

UE900:  I would not pay $150 for it.   While the easiest frequency to replicate midrange is improved over TF10....the bass and treble is a step down from TF10.

 

[eke2k6]

Earsonics S-EM6. A genuine What moment for me.

 

[omastic]

Heir Audio 4.ai: To this day I am not sure what the others like about them so much. Performance level at best on par with other 150~200 dollar iems. 
 
Audio Technica IM04: Performs worse than the IM02 while being more than twice the price. I have heard a lot better for a lot less money.   
 
ASG2: I could not believe my ears for how bad it sounded. There is a good chance the demo unit that I tried was broken.

 

[tinyman392]

  Heir Audio 4.ai: To this day I am not sure what the others like about them so much. Performance level at best on par with other 150~200 dollar iems. 
 
Audio Technica IM04: Performs worse than the IM02 while being more than twice the price. I have heard a lot better for a lot less money.   
 
ASG2: I could not believe my ears for how bad it sounded. There is a good chance the demo unit that I tried was broken.

 
The 4.Ai isn't that bad...  I'll agree that it was definitely well over-hyped, but for someone looking for a warm, non-fagiguing signature, it's definitely recommendable.  I think most people who don't like it expected it to be neutral...  I actually didn't mind the ASG-2. 

 

[omastic]

   
The 4.Ai isn't that bad...  I'll agree that it was definitely well over-hyped, but for someone looking for a warm, non-fagiguing signature, it's definitely recommendable.  I think most people who don't like it expected it to be neutral...  I actually didn't mind the ASG-2. 

The 4.ai is not necessarily a bad sounding iem, it is just that many of the sub $250 iems sounded much better to me. The ba200, for example, performed at a much higher level while being warm and non-fatiguing, thus essentially beating the 4.ai in its own game. 
 
ASG-2 sounded plain weird to my ears. Fuzzy, artificially separated sound. The mid bass impact was nice though but the overall sound was just.......weird.   

 

[Ivabign]

Earsonics SM1 - like a drunk prom date, kinda just laid there. Seriously, I thought they were thin and flat, with no life... (again, like a ....) 
 
Although I had a hell of a time getting a seal... 
 
The Earsonics website sells them the $273.. (199 Euros) That is just plain highway robbery.

 

[H20Fidelity]

Heir 3Ai, was a lemon.

Monster Miles Davis Tributes sounded like music from behind a door.

JVC FXZ100. Total meh hype machine.

All left me disappointment.

 

[lin0003]

H20, do you remember the RDB 2v1? It was quite good technically, but man, the overall sound... Worse than earpods. 

 

[H20Fidelity]

H20, do you remember the RDB 2v1? It was quite good technically, but man, the overall sound... Worse than earpods. 

Yes, I remember, it was a dud, the bass was ok, mids and highs were fail. What about the ASG-1 we both had the pleasure of owning?

 

[lin0003]

Yes, I remember, it was a dud, the bass was ok, mids and highs were fail. What about the ASG-1 we both had the pleasure of owning?

Haha pretty sure that was 99.99% defective. Dat veil.

 

[H20Fidelity]

  Haha pretty sure that was 99.99% defective. Dat veil.

Sounded like someone screaming through a concrete wall. 

I've heard quite a few "lemon" IEM's though ones when I was starting out stick with me the most (as I listed above). Before I understood reading peoples hype comments and 'team threads' pushing a product is just a load of bull dogs poo. Now I'm a little more seasoned I can sift through the BS. 

 

[lin0003]

I actually read Swimsonny's review (I think) and he regarded them really highly along with a lot of other people. That was before he was banned for writing paid reviews that is...

 

[H20Fidelity]

It's a tough world out on the Head-fi battlefield.