[Johnnydead]

Are the mids the most important part of the sound spectrum of an IEM? Maybe that is subjective, are maybe not. Exactly what constitutes a great mid-range? I consider myself to be a bass head but I feel the mids have greater importance.The most important aspects of the mid-range to me is its fullness and seperation. When I read about an IEM sounding thin I run the other way.I don't have nearly as much experience with IEMs as others but here's a list of IEMs I've owned and a brief comparison of them. My comparisons are based on my own perception.
 
Hippo VB- Good bass, clear mids with descent seperation not forward or recessed, forgetful highs.
V-Moda VIbe-Decent bass, confused but pleasantly forward mid-range, forgetful highs
Panasonic RP-HJE900-Good bass, mids are clear, full and have good seperation, good highs
Hifiman RE-ZERO-lacking bass, lacking fullness in mid-range but good resolution, good highs
Brainwavz M3-Somewhat lacking bass-good mids, decent highs
A-Jays two-forgetful
HifiMan RE-262-Good bass, full,forward,clear and good seperation in mids, good highs
 
To my ears the IEMs I was most impressed with were the Panasonic RP-HJE900 and HiFiMan RE262. Both have quick drivers, with the Panasonic being a step ahead. It feels like they both capture the pace of the music well. The bass is not good in quantity but good in quality for both. The mids are similar in quality but the REs are abit more forward and satisfying. The highs are good for both. So the great mids of these two IEMs seems to stand out among all the IEMS I heard making them the best I've heard. But then again both of these IEMS have quality bass and despite not being good in quantity their bass stands out to me as well. So actually I'm torn between the quality of the bass vs the mids, which part of the spectrum actually makes these IEMS good are is it the combination of both? I mean neither of them are bass monsters but yet offer good quality. Then again I have never had the pleasure of hearing a true bass monster and how its mids and bass present themselves. The Hippo VB are the closest I've gotten but they are not even a top tier IEM. And I wont forget that highs matter too but for some reason don't seem important to me.
 
What might interest me is comparing a true bass monster to a mid monster to see just which wins out. Say maybe like The Atrios Mg7 vs the RE-262. Or the Shure SE 535 vs  the Radius HP-TWF21.
 
What do you guys think? 

 

[ostewart]

Shure SE425 also has great mids, i say go for it, compare some bass monsters to mid forward sigs, but the problem with most bass monsters is that they tend to bleed into the mids, warming the mids up and then they loose some detail.
 
i love my mids and treble, but the mids is where its all at, vocals, guitars nearly everything.
 
i love the way the Shures portray the mids.

 

[nipit]

Etymotic ER-4P/S. Period.

 

[Johnnydead]

Well with the Atrios mg7 fpr example, the reviews say that any bass bleed to the mid-range is minimal. But I gather it does happen because the bass warms the mids. So in your view that would take away some of the quality of the mids. With a IEM like the RE-262 the bass and highs compliment the forward mids.There;s no bass bleed because the bass isn't dominant.So it'd be interesting to see a bass monster with good mids because I already know there are mid-range IEMs that have good bass.

 

[Johnnydead]

Quote:

Shure SE425 also has great mids, i say go for it, compare some bass monsters to mid forward sigs, but the problem with most bass monsters is that they tend to bleed into the mids, warming the mids up and then they loose some detail.
 
i love my mids and treble, but the mids is where its all at, vocals, guitars nearly everything.
 
i love the way the Shures portray the mids.

Well with the Atrios mg7 fpr example, the reviews say that any bass bleed to the mid-range is minimal. But I gather it does happen because the bass warms the mids. So in your view that would take away some of the quality of the mids. With a IEM like the RE-262 the bass and highs compliment the forward mids.There;s no bass bleed because the bass isn't dominant.So it'd be interesting to see a bass monster with good mids because I already know there are mid-range IEMs that have good bass.

 

[Johnnydead]

I'm sorry I am new to this and I am not sure how to delete my other post.

 

[Swimsonny]

What is the most important part of the spectrum is subjective to the person. Some people only care for bass, some treble me i like my mids. But what determines good mids, My Shure SE530 and Aurisonics ASG-1 (also the Vsonic GR06 which i loaned) have amazingly forward mids which sound clear and very nice and i love them because they are forward. But are they the best mids i have head, most enjoyable to me but the best for me still has to be the DBA-02 as they were neutral and so crystal clear and revealing.
 
All of this is very objective so it is hard to determine.

 

[tinyman392]

Etymotic HF5, ER4*, EtyKids...  ACS T15, Shure 535*, MEE A161p, Brainwavz B2...  List goes on  
 
*means I haven't personally heard these IEMs. 

 

[ZARIM]

The Westone 4, UM3x are very good bass, mids centred IEMs and UM3x has better imaging, insturmental separation, Sony EX1000 also are very detailed in mids with good punchy bass.

 

[Swimsonny]

Hmmm, my EX1000s are my favourite IEMs and although have beautiful midrange timbre, vocals lack energy. The bass is also the bet I have ever heard but not huge quantity wise (not shabby either).