The Journey starts here - Please Help me!!!
Jul 5, 2020 at 8:56 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 9

Edyeded86

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Hey guys,

I'm new here and am starting a journey down the audiophile path.

Initially, I was looking for a pair of high end IEMs to listen to music from my phone (onePlus 8 Pro), and had my eyes on the Shure SE846s and the UE 11s.

The trouble is that I feel like I'm going to the top way too fast, and I don't want to not experience the gradual progression into musical nirvana. The worst thing possible would be to buy £1,000 IEMs and feel like...meh.

As such, instead I have bought the AK SR25 (£649), and I'm planning on working my way up from the bottom to the top!

I. Looking at going through price brackets starting at the sun £50 mark, and then progressing to £50-£100 etc.

I'm staring with the Blon03 and I've also ordered the KZ ZS10 Pro, which are coming in from China (I have time to wait)!

Anyway, would appreciate any advice you guys can offer and perhaps advise me of IEMs within price brackets (currently looking at £50-£100).

Going to be streaming from YouTube Music and Tidal initially.

P.s. credit to @assassin10000 who actually advised me not to go for the high ends in the begining!!!!
 
Jul 5, 2020 at 12:22 PM Post #2 of 9
Go to the high ends lol.

Step 1. Go to crinacle IEM ranking list
Step 2. Pick all those in S tier and S- tier
Step 3. Filter out those you're not interested in
Step 4. Get demo models of those you're interested in
Step 5. Buy the pair you like the most
 
Jul 5, 2020 at 12:35 PM Post #3 of 9
Go to the high ends lol.

Step 1. Go to crinacle IEM ranking list
Step 2. Pick all those in S tier and S- tier
Step 3. Filter out those you're not interested in
Step 4. Get demo models of those you're interested in
Step 5. Buy the pair you like the most
@Edyeded86 Unless you know what specific signature you are looking for, don't do this, at least not yet. Crinacle's list is, essentially, a subjective one; there are ranks that I agree with, and many I don't. You should cultivate a finer grasp of your personal preferences first, before digesting specific ranking lists such as Crinacle's.
 
Jul 5, 2020 at 12:46 PM Post #4 of 9
The problem with "climbing up" the ladder with IEMs is that the used marked has nothing to do with the over-ear one. Over-ear headphones are really stable in their price, especially if you buy them used you can sell them almost everytime with very little loss.

Picking up IEMs used is another thing as those are often more sensitive to failures and the hygiene plays a big part in it even though you can change the tips. So if you sell your IEMs to buy the next upgrade your loss is much more compared to over-ear models.
 
Jul 5, 2020 at 1:08 PM Post #5 of 9
Go to the high ends lol.

Step 1. Go to crinacle IEM ranking list
Step 2. Pick all those in S tier and S- tier
Step 3. Filter out those you're not interested in
Step 4. Get demo models of those you're interested in
Step 5. Buy the pair you like the most

hey,

thanks for this - actually really helpful!

I think the issue is that I don’t (at least right now), don’t know why sounds I do and don’t like. I don’t know how to appreciate the differences between warmer and brighter IEMs.

whilst I’m likely to save more in the long run going straight to the top, I really don’t want to not appreciate the differences between units,

hope that makes sense?

Thanks again for your input!
 
Jul 5, 2020 at 1:11 PM Post #6 of 9
@Edyeded86 Unless you know what specific signature you are looking for, don't do this, at least not yet. Crinacle's list is, essentially, a subjective one; there are ranks that I agree with, and many I don't. You should cultivate a finer grasp of your personal preferences first, before digesting specific ranking lists such as Crinacle's.

hey, thanks - yes pretty much I’ve said in my response above lol
 
Jul 5, 2020 at 10:15 PM Post #7 of 9
Hey guys,

I'm new here and am starting a journey down the audiophile path.

Initially, I was looking for a pair of high end IEMs to listen to music from my phone (onePlus 8 Pro), and had my eyes on the Shure SE846s and the UE 11s.

The trouble is that I feel like I'm going to the top way too fast, and I don't want to not experience the gradual progression into musical nirvana. The worst thing possible would be to buy £1,000 IEMs and feel like...meh.

As such, instead I have bought the AK SR25 (£649), and I'm planning on working my way up from the bottom to the top!

I. Looking at going through price brackets starting at the sun £50 mark, and then progressing to £50-£100 etc.

I'm staring with the Blon03 and I've also ordered the KZ ZS10 Pro, which are coming in from China (I have time to wait)!

Anyway, would appreciate any advice you guys can offer and perhaps advise me of IEMs within price brackets (currently looking at £50-£100).

Going to be streaming from YouTube Music and Tidal initially.

P.s. credit to @assassin10000 who actually advised me not to go for the high ends in the begining!!!!

I definitely agree with Malevolent to try a few sub $50 sets to know your preferred sound signature then upgrade from there. Would be money down the drain if you parachuted into midfi/TOTL gear and you don't like the sound.

I think with the BLON BL-03 and KZ ZS10 Pro, you got most of your bases covered.

1) BLON BL-03 is very good for timbre and tonality, though it is not the best for technicalities other than imaging (it isn't that great for instrument separation, clarity, details and the driver can't keep up with complex music/competing instrumentation). Harmanish tuned with a midbass bump, some folks find the midbass too heavy and it bleeds a bit. It is good for genres incorporating a lot of acoustic instruments.
One thing to note, the fit is atrocious due to the short nozzles, so most of us need an aftermarket longer nozzle eartip (eg spinfit CP 100 - more bass, spinfit CP145 - less bass), or do a spacer mod for better fit.
I feel it can compete with some sub $100 sets in timbre/tonality, but the technicalities and fit prevent it from being a true TOTL giant killer.

2) KZ ZS10 Pro is V shaped with good technicalities, poor timbre though. So it is a good daily beater set for rock, pop etc, not so good for classical/jazz due to the timbre issues. Quite bang for buck for the price, it can hit about 80% sound quality of my Westone 3 and Westone W30 which costs 10 times more.

3) I think if u are adventerous, u can consider a neutralish set like Tin T2.

4) Or a midcentric set (boosted mids) for vocals. The cheapest midcentric IEM I own at the sub $100 range is the Hisenior B5+, 5 knowles BA set that has above average technical performance and is great for vocals. Midcentric sets are kinda a hate it or love it proposition as it is not too all rounded for most other genres.
 
Jul 7, 2020 at 1:36 AM Post #9 of 9
You can climb up the price ladder .... but ... higher price does not always equal better sound. Not trying to go negative on you; just sayin'
Yea, you're right and I think that that's half the thrill. To find something for a lower price that you love?

Thinking about trying out the moondrop starfield next.
 

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