[cspirou]

When it comes to the best headphone setup it seems like the common perception is a full size headphone like the Sennheiser HD800 or the Audeze LCD-3. Within this price range you can also find custom in ear monitors such as the Noble K10. Usually the two categories aren't really directly compared and for good reason. However if I am spending $1600+ on a CIEM, I think there is a reasonable expectation that it is an end game headphone for many people.
 
Setting aside the obvious differences in convenience and looks, do people consider IEMs an ultimate listening experience? Are there people on this forum that would rather listen to an IEM over a similarly priced fullsize when sitting down at home and not just traveling?

 

[up late]

no tbh

 

[Sefelt103]

IEMs are not quite as good as full size headphones. The audio hierarchy is speakers>headphones>IEMs>earphones. To quote DavidMahler:

IEMS' INHERENT SHORTCOMINGS: In my opinion, full-size headphones possess the ability to sound more natural than in-ear headphones. The reason I feel this way is that much like natural acoustic sound, sound waves that emanate from a full-size headphone travel through the entirety of the ear, rather than just the canal. To me, this sense of space makes for a more natural auditory experience. Not everyone agrees with me on this matter, but I stand by my assertion.

I agree with this. Comparing the relatively cheap IEMs and headphones I have, the IEMs can't recreate the bass as well as headphones despite their frequency response curve indicating they have more bass extension. It just doesn't sound as deep. IEMs also suffer from the listener's breathing and other sound contamination.

 

[KaminKevCrew]

One thing that Full Size cans will always do better than IEM's is bass. It's not because IEM's can't reproduce the frequencies, it's just that they don't have the ability to move large volumes of air. With a full sized driver, you can feel the air on your ear, and earlobes, so the bass has much more impact, and that's something that you can never really experience with IEM's. 

 

[robm321]

no tbh

This.

 

[Leicachamp]

No full size headphones I know sound as fast and detailed as my Final audio piano Xi and Fi Ba ss.

 

[up late]

i've heard three piano forte models which have unique sound signatures to say the least. agree that the fibass is ruthlessly revealing. i chose the k3003 over them and while i think it's a fantastic earphone, i still find cans to be a more complete listening experience and speakers even more so. the hd800 and electrostats are pretty fast and detailed btw.

 

[zxathlon]

Isolate yourself from outside noise when you listen to open fullsize headphones.

 

[Chodi]

I listen to my iem's at home with a good quality desktop system. I think most people using iem's are using portable gear for playback and that can be a limiting factor. Only the very best of the portable source gear will equal a good desktop system. Source issues being equal I think top quality iem's can come surprisingly close to a full headphone experience. It is never going to be exactly the same experience for reasons already stated. Iem's are sitting in your ear canal. It is rather amazing that the best can produce a soundstage even approaching a good headphone but they do. Notice I said approaching. It can be a very satisfying listening experience but it will always be different than full size headphones. 
 
I was forced into this after many years of using top quality headphones. I had a neck injury and can't bear the weight So I ventured down the iem road and I am surprised that I am not giving up much in sound quality and I still enjoy the hobby and more important, I still enjoy my music. So yes, I think top quality iem's can be a very satisfying experience for home listening. They can also be very expensive. I've bought a few and I'm still getting over the sticker shock.

 

[Leicachamp]

Totally agree Chodi. Using IEM with desktop Dac and amp removes the limitation. I am using Lampizator transport and DAC with OVERKILL Bakoon 21 amp. 

 

[up late]

don't think that's what chodi actually said

 

[Chodi]

  Totally agree Chodi. Using IEM with desktop Dac and amp removes the limitation. I am using Lampizator transport and DAC with OVERKILL Bakoon 21 amp. 

Actually what I said is using a good desktop system with your iem's gets you as close as possible to good full size headphones. There are limitations inherent in wearing something in your ear canal as opposed to over the ear. Still, it can get you very close with top quality iem's. Some may even find it a more enjoyable experience. I have gotten to the point where I don't miss my full size cans at all.

 

[zeissiez]

I agree that using IEM with desktop gear provides an experience at a level of full-size cans. Good IEMs in fact have better timbral accuracy. Fullsize headphones, even the good ones like HD800 unmodded, sounded thin or kind of a telephone effect. There are only few full-size cans I heard that sound tonally accurate, LCD-2/3/X & HE-560. Most of the good IEMs sound correct. Some of the IEMs are airy sounding too, for example the 1plus2, Unique Melody IEMs. Matched to a desktop amp, the soundstage even exceed some of the close-back full-size cans.

 

[up late]

again, i don't think that's what chodi actually said. "good iems in fact have better timbral accuracy" - really? as much as i enjoy good earphones that sounds like a stretch to me.

 

[cspirou]

A lot of the comments I see talk about how IEMs inject the sound directly into the ear canal vs fullsize headphones that have sound interacting with the ear to give a more realistic perception and better sound stage. I think a major edge for IEMs is when it comes to binaural recordings. The microphones used for binaural recordings are positioned inside the ear canal of a dummy head, which is exactly where an IEM produces sound. As far as soundstage goes, the best soundstage I have ever heard came from a binaural recording with IEMs. Unfortunately binaural recordings are limited to very few albums and some demo discs that show what is possible.
 
Personally I think that soundstage is really lacking for headphones in general because of the extreme separation of the stereo channels. This is mainly because most music is recorded for speakers and you need to hear both channels with both ears to get a clear effect of soundstage. Open headphones have a bit better soundstage because they aren't totally isolated but still very limited. To compensate for the way music is recorded I think a lot more amps should offer crossfeed.