Done with all the dynamic/static Shures. Done with Westone W80. Now enjoying Solaris (new back) and IER Z1 using AK SP2000. Wondering if there is ONE ultimate CLOSED IEMs that justify the purchase.
Best is a weird concept. How do you rate an IEM that sounds amazing but is almost unwearable because it is just too darned large. Large being a function in part from having too many darned drivers.
Best is a weird concept. How do you rate an IEM that sounds amazing but is almost unwearable because it is just too darned large. Large being a function in part from having too many darned drivers.
+1 to this. I recently auditioned the very highly lauded IER-Z1R. It seems to be on most audiophiles top 10 best IEMs. V shaped with superb bass, but I didn't really like the depressed mids. But worse of all was the fit, couldn't get a good fit with the stock accessories, I think it was even worse than the infamous BLON BL-03 fit for me.
So as usual, YMMV, one man's meat is another man's poison.
Best is a weird concept. How do you rate an IEM that sounds amazing but is almost unwearable because it is just too darned large. Large being a function in part from having too many darned drivers.
I am reluctant to spend much money on iem's for this very reason, the fit! First and foremost is that it has to be pretty comfy if it is going to be stuffed in my ear for very long.
Not to mention that these things are now being produced and pumped out with new models every couple of weeks. It is just too much work to stay in touch and makes me feel if I did try to keep up I would just be a dog chasing his tail
+1 to this. I recently auditioned the very highly lauded IER-Z1R. It seems to be on most audiophiles top 10 best IEMs. V shaped with superb bass, but I didn't really like the depressed mids. But worse of all was the fit, couldn't get a good fit with the stock accessories, I think it was even worse than the infamous BLON BL-03 fit for me.
So as usual, YMMV, one man's meat is another man's poison.
Hence why I went with the VE8. The Best part of it all? I feel a direct connection with my entire collection once more. Oh and there's no sacrifice in the mids! Paying so much should be equated to having the least compromised signature as much as possible.
There is no "ultimate best IEM". The longer I'm in this hobby the more I'm coming to the conclusion that the idea of "one IEM to rule them all" is a myth. There are simply too many different types of music that benefit from distinct types of tuning that you're never going to get one that does everything perfectly. My current top 3 are the Elysium, IER Z1R and Dorado 2020. Each has a distinct tuning strength and each does something better than anything else I've heard. All of that said if I had to rec one IEM to someone knowing nothing else about their tastes and preferences I would choose the Andromeda 2020.
I rank comfort as a factor very highly. Mainly because I do at least half my listening while I drift off to sleep. That places the FLC8 series very high for me as they are quite comfortable. I like my LZ A7 a lot for example, but they are nowhere near as comfortable. Not claiming that either are end game units; but when I borrowed some super fi units I could not get a proper fit a lot of the time. I need large size tips but my ear shapes are pretty much "normal".
Like others have said, best is a function of so many things - sound, comfort, looks, value/price, etc. It’s also about what you want out of the hobby. Do you want to always be on the hunt for something better? Do you want the best that money can buy? Do you just want the best value? So many things. I have Kinera Nanna 2.0, UM Mest MKII, VE Elysium, and EE Odin. Various price ranges as you can see. Do they sound different? Sure. If all I had was the Nanna, which is the cheapest, would I be disappointed? Nope, they sound fantastic, even if they are 4x cheaper than the Odin. I just like trying new things.
Just having this conversation with someone... I wish there was a simple “best” so I could not have multiple iems and pool all my funds into the “one” but here I am with the Elysium but finding myself listening more to my EE Bravado Mk2 these days because of the tuning. I’d say the Elysium is “better” but not necessarily more enjoyable at the moment. Depends what you like.
I rank comfort as a factor very highly. Mainly because I do at least half my listening while I drift off to sleep. That places the FLC8 series very high for me as they are quite comfortable. I like my LZ A7 a lot for example, but they are nowhere near as comfortable. Not claiming that either are end game units; but when I borrowed some super fi units I could not get a proper fit a lot of the time. I need large size tips but my ear shapes are pretty much "normal".
I no longer have the 8S and now just have the 8D. Same sound signature; but only tunable in the HF region. The bass is locked in.
I like the A7 a bit more overall in terms of sound, but it is less comfortable for sleeping than the 8D. The A7 is better for sleeping than most but the 8D is super comfortable.
I think both are terrific and can easily recommend both. These are the only wired IEMs I own right now. People I respect are saying good thing about the IT07 from iBasso by the way.
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