[gaex86]

Sorry if it’s a stupid question, but since I’m fairly new to this whole world, I’m still surprised by the widespread of IEMs and how much people are willing to spend into. I was aware of IEMs for musician, audio/sound engineer and technician, but didn’t know so many people used them for listening to music.

Are there any advantages over classic over ear/on ear headphones?

I know that surely there’s a lot of work and engineering behind them, but I’m always surprised how many IEMs cost way more than very good speakers.

 

[msing539]

Are there any advantages over classic over ear/on ear headphones?

Portability, driveability, convenience, and typically cost. In the budget range, an iem will often outperform a similarly priced headphone at detail retrieval. Some also find iems more comfortable but it's completely subjective.

 

[dunring]

It's mainly cost and the technology has come so far with them. They also have the most fierce diminishing law of returns when you get over $50. Try a Moondrop Chu 2 for $16 and compare the sound to a $400 pair of headphones and the value for money is amazing. I've had $600-$800 IEMs and they're better, but in no way worth that kind of cash. The original 7hz Timeless is my favorite and we'll worth the price, but like DACs $200 is the most I'd pay for one personally.

 

[castleofargh]

IEMs are amazing in all the circumstances where what I'd rather use isn't a good option.
If I have the choice and nearly full control of my environment, then I'd go: speakers at home≥ speakers in those modern expensive cars with crazy DSP and acoustic that I cannot afford(that stuff is so good I wonder if it shouldn't go first)>headphones with HRTF stuff>headphones and plain stereo>earbud>IEM.
Then, depending on the amount of environmental noise or simply if I'm on the move or commuting, IEMs quickly become not just my first pick, but my only viable solution. I'd never think to pick up IEMs to relax at home. That I just don't get, but if I had to list all the things people do that I don't get... So let's leave it at my very personal preference.

And given when I do use IEMs, I have no interest in the big bulky ones, so that saved me from most really expensive products. I want the small ones I don't need to care or worry about, that's how IEMs serve me best in life.
With that said, of course, I started getting all the fancy TOTL stuff when I got into this hobby online. Because it was everything I did not want on the go, that didn't last too long for me.
The most expensive IEM I purchased was like 1k$ before customs performed the ritual colonoscopy to get their due. At the time, that was the amount to get the TOTL, FOTM IEM that all reviewers were crazy about. I think I got lucky to fall for it at that time instead of now.
While walking or commuting, I'm dealing with an SNR of maybe 20 to 25dB if they isolate really well, because I will not ruin my ears with overly loud music. So under those conditions, who cares about pretend fidelity and alleged better sounding music? Not me. Often enough, if the ambient noise is really high I'll switch to an audiobook or just turn everything off and keep the IEM as earplugs.
Nowadays, for my use, noise-canceling stuff might legitimately give me better audio than the most expensive IEM. The road to hyper expensive and occasionally actually good fidelity IEMs was just not for me. But I've had more than 10 IEMs at any time for nearly the last decade, so I guess I still have some use for those suckers , just not the big ones that turn out to usually also be the expensive ones. I also happen to not like anything with more than one driver tech in it. I don't want that in anything, not speakers, not headphones, and not IEMs.

 

[bigshot]

I don’t really feel I need the absolute best for out on the go. I prefer something that is simple to use. My iPhone and AirPods Pro do the job for me. At home, I listen to speakers. I even prefer cheap speakers to putting stuff on or in my ears. I use headphones for editing audio.

 

[gaex86]

That’s interesting, because reading the forum and a little bit around, I felt like IEMs are all the rage and sometimes the first and only medium to listening to music. People spending tons for them, rather than having a proper setup, or at least that’s the impression I got.

Since buying a little portable dap I bought a couple of IEM, to try them out and I got to admit they’re great for commuting, going around and such.
Don’t have a great experience neither try a lot of them; the most I spent so far is 400€ for a pair, out of curiosity and that’s the most I can justify.
Other than that when I’m home I’d rather from my speakers or if I can’t for any reason, I pick my Grados; can’t really imagine listening for a couple of hours home with IEMs, but that’s my preference.

I’d rather upgrade my system than spending 1000+ euros on IEMs. But that’s just my idea, obviously.

 

[2leftears]

IEMs are something the mention of which has slowly crept up on me. I would hazard a guess that their development originated in the world of TV broadcasting and/or stage use in live music events?

In any case, they are not for everyone; like many others with autoimmune complications I can't use them on medical grounds.

 

[BS5711]

I use IEM a lot due to a variety of reasons and I believe with appropriately chosen sets they offer better sound quality than headphones certainly within the same price range. With modern ChiFi sets in particular you can get very good sound quality for very little money.

Castleofargh mentioned avoiding multiple driver types, I don’t know where that comes from. I have sets with single, double and triple driver types and there is no reason in my mind to avoid any set up, it all comes down to the implementation and tuning.

Like everything there is a market for the ridiculously high end where certain types of people with a lot of money will buy IEM at ludicrous prices for the sort of reasons these type of people spend ludicrous money on anything. Have a look at The Watercooler thread here. That is however the exception to the rule, not all very good IEM cost a lot of money and not all IEM that cost a lot of money are technically good.

 

[castleofargh]

Castleofargh mentioned avoiding multiple driver types, I don’t know where that comes from. I have sets with single, double and triple driver types and there is no reason in my mind to avoid any set up, it all comes down to the implementation and tuning.

I wish I had some logical answer to that, but I don't. Guess I could pretend justify that with different driver types, we increase the likelihood of massive impedance deviations at the crossover freqs(pulled that out of my ...head right now), but honestly it's just that when I consider it, it feels wrong and my brain says "nuh uh!".

 

[BS5711]

I wish I had some logical answer to that, but I don't. Guess I could pretend justify that with different driver types, we increase the likelihood of massive impedance deviations at the crossover freqs(pulled that out of my ...head right now), but honestly it's just that when I consider it, it feels wrong and my brain says "nuh uh!".

Can't argue with that logic.

I certainly have things that I don't bother with simply ...... "because".

With IEM multiple driver types is probably the rule rather than the exception these days, or close to it. I think for the most part any significant technical hurdles have been sorted out and properly implement the result is very cohesive sound. I am not sure they are necessary but it doesn't seem to do any harm. That said I suspect it is driven by advertising advantage as much as anything else.

I have a 10 x BA set that sound great, a single dynamic driver set that sounds great, a 2 x DD and 6 x BA set that sounds great, a 1 x DD, 5 x BA and 2 x EST set that sounds great and a single planar set that sounds great with an 8 x BA and 2 x BC (bone conduction) set on the way soon that I am certain will sound very good indeed. It is ultimately down to the skill of the tuner I believe.

 

[Shawnb]

Headphones are big and bulky. Can get neck tired after so many hours while I can rock IEM's all day.
Also TOTL IEM's are way more inconspicuous compared to headphones.
You can easily tell what are expensive. Also the cables will end up more bulky as well.

 

[bigshot]

I don’t have IEMs… I have AirPods. So I have a couple of dumb questions… Do IEMs have noise cancelling like buds? Do they have pass through on the noise cancelling so you can talk to someone while wearing them? Are they as easy to pop in and out as buds? Are they wireless? Can you adjust the volume and change noise cancelling modes on the IEM itself so you don’t have to pull out your phone? These are all features that are important to me.

 

[msing539]

Do IEMs have noise cancelling like buds?

They can, either tws or wired. Wired would generally be via usb c if there is any anc. IEMs that use usb c vs. analog might also have dsp built into the cable.

Do they have pass through on the noise cancelling so you can talk to someone while wearing them?

Yes, at least some do.

Are they as easy to pop in and out as buds?

Not quite, but the extra effort needed is minimal. Going from flathead to iems can take a little getting used to.

Are they wireless?

Yes, they can be wireless or wired.

Can you adjust the volume and change noise cancelling modes on the IEM itself so you don’t have to pull out your phone?

At least on some, yes.

 

[BS5711]

I don’t have IEMs… I have AirPods. So I have a couple of dumb questions… Do IEMs have noise cancelling like buds? Do they have pass through on the noise cancelling so you can talk to someone while wearing them? Are they as easy to pop in and out as buds? Are they wireless? Can you adjust the volume and change noise cancelling modes on the IEM itself so you don’t have to pull out your phone? These are all features that are important to me.

I think when most "enthusiast" level folks talk about IEM they are talking about wired sets with no electronic features.

Essentially "dumb" transducers like passive speakers with all controls being via the source device and no ANC, pass through, controls via the IEM themselves or any other features.

If those features are important to you then your Air Pods have you covered. Just know that sound quality can be much better with well tuned wired IEM. Of course that is subjective and not necessarily always the first priority for everyone with different IEM use cases.

 

[bigshot]

It seems to me that when you’re multitasking walking down the street, convenience is the primary concern. If you’re at home in your living room focusing on listening to the music, sound quality might be worth a little fiddling around with stuff, but not on the go. But maybe that’s just me.

Audiophiles seem to want to wear a hair shirt and suffer for sound, hauling around multiple boxes with bulky wires and a bunch of dials and buttons. They appear to equate inconvenience with quality. Makes no sense.