[flippant1]

Forgive me as I am relatively new to this forum bt have been lurking for imnfo for some time. I recently  discovered that my predilections toward gear were in line with the Supreme,  well read and written audiophiles. Sitting on Saturday afternoon listening to my iPhone 6 with Apple music and planning my next IEM purchase and deciding whether to go for a Fiio X3II, Fiio X1, or make more informed investment in IEMS's or?.
 
A pair or Dunu Titans 1 seem near in my near future but i didn't really know who to ask whether I am going in the right direction, therefore this post. I crave that higher level of sound quality I find so many hear yearning for, and IEM's being a personal sort of purchase, many purchase are blind, just helped by suggestions.
 
Well this forum has helped get me in the right direction and now I need to take the next step.Maybe.
 
Being a relative newbie, I though all sound that was digitized was the same whether it came out of an iPhone 6 or a Fiio X5 or a Creative Nomad. As long as it was digital and lossless. In any case I spent a while pouring over the glossary here at Headfi, reading your posts and started looking forward toward my daily dose of Headfi expertise as I made small but noteworthy purchases.
 
I recall my ears coming alive as I put on my first pair of Head-fi participant recommended IEMS, the GR07BE. I thought that was the end. Incredible sound form my iMac and iPhone 6. No mushey base or tinny hi's. Wow. "Nirvana'.
 
Then I got the bug to try more IEMs in a quest for better sound-to me. I bought Shure SE215s and loved them so I upgraded to 425s and was disappointed by the flat nature of the sound. I tied software equalization which was OK but I new there was more out there. I laos started to think about the source, I started to read you profiles. I realized this was the main resource of knowledge on this topic here  a wealth of information.
 
My current 3 main IEM's are
 
GR07BE for my commute, Fidue A83 for critical listening and Bose QC20i's which I use when I sleep as the hardware noise suppression really blocks out quite a bit of unwanted noise,  including some of my 3 year old stomping feet about which I love but cn keep me awake.
 
Now to get to the reason for my thread if you stayed with me this far. I feel I share many of the listening desires with folks here, I will leave unnamed but we use the same IEMS's. Now I am looking into the source and whether that will make as large a difference as I think it will. I once returned a pair of Sennheiser IE80's I bought on sale for $265US  as I disliked the booming, muddy sound, thought it was too bassy  out of my iPhone and "muddy" but given the reviews I have seen here and the recent changes in my listening appreciation.  I am now looking at the source.
 
After significant deliberation, I finalized my choices to a Fiio X3II, or Fiio X1, a return of my Beyerdynamic DX160ie to be replaced with Dunu Titan 1. I am looking for an non over the ear style IEM for fast insertion on my commute, and the Dunu 1000 also tempted me as well by their appearance and what I have read here on Head-fi, but I have not heard them
 
So I am leaning toward  the Fiio X3II snd Titan 1 to round out my kit.
 
I thought about a Fiio E11K  amplifier, but believe a clean neurtral source will help me get the most out of my Shure 425's and further my quest for the perfect sound.
 
My question for you authoritative (almost scary) group of experts (and there are so may questions and so many experts:
 
Am I on the right path? Or what would you do or point me in the right direction.
 
Thanks so much for indulging me by reading and I would much appreciate you thoughts!
 
Flip

 

[Jackson 6]

If you want that full on, blousy roast beef sound, then the Sony H3 or better H5 might be down your alley. Short of spending huge bucks.