[1832vin]

i had my Ibasso IT01 for 4 years now, and it's starting to break.... it was a well rounded IEM with nice strong base (a bit loose) and decent mids and trebles, and i also have an over ear momentum (first version). with the same phone, i can hear the difference.

which makes me wanna know, what do you think generally is a sweet spot for IEMs? where the money you're pouring into the earphone is outpacing a regular mobile phone (playing FLAC files). kinda intrested what you think the general price range is, and if there's any specific IEM you think of.

i listen to alot of nina simone, and jazz if you're kind enough to recommend me any, but i'm just doing my research at the moment, and just curious why there isn't a "bang for buck for plebs" category in any reviews.

maybe because most people who are willing to spend a month researching about IEMs usually are willing to have a more complicated setup and enjoys flatter profiles? like i'm willing to spend more money on the IEM, but not willing to make my setup for casually listening to music on the go more complicated

cheers!

 

[Bosk]

By all accounts entry level products like the CCA CRA and Tripowin HBB Melee are all you need for decent sound these days. I don't own either but if I'd never been exposed to anything better could probably live with a pair of BLON BL-03's and an Apple dongle. Throw in a NiceHCK silver-plated 8 wire cable to improve performance.

I'd recommend pouring any extra money into better earphones rather than a DAP to get more bang for buck. If you're using a phone you could always add a dongle later.

 

[dunring]

I think it depends on how much use they get compared to listening on a home setup. I just use a pair of VE Monk ($10) wired or Sennheiser Momentum 2 ($65 used on eBay) wireless ear buds. I'd rather put the money into the home setup. Also I use earbuds more often when they're not so expensive I'm worried about losing or breaking them (or bad weather).

 

[logiatype]

Don't think you can do better value for money than the LetShuoer S12 or Tin HiFi P1 Max right now.

 

[rayliam80]

i had my Ibasso IT01 for 4 years now, and it's starting to break.... it was a well rounded IEM with nice strong base (a bit loose) and decent mids and trebles, and i also have an over ear momentum (first version). with the same phone, i can hear the difference.

which makes me wanna know, what do you think generally is a sweet spot for IEMs? where the money you're pouring into the earphone is outpacing a regular mobile phone (playing FLAC files). kinda intrested what you think the general price range is, and if there's any specific IEM you think of.

i listen to alot of nina simone, and jazz if you're kind enough to recommend me any, but i'm just doing my research at the moment, and just curious why there isn't a "bang for buck for plebs" category in any reviews.

maybe because most people who are willing to spend a month researching about IEMs usually are willing to have a more complicated setup and enjoys flatter profiles? like i'm willing to spend more money on the IEM, but not willing to make my setup for casually listening to music on the go more complicated

cheers!

I still have my IT01 in good condition, albeit modded. I think it's still a decent IEM now but there are definitely better IEMs in the price range. But if you still own one, it's quite decent for a budget model. I think the sweet spot is still somewhere in the $100 - $200 range at the moment (CCA CRA is starting to make me question this though), based on what I own. And because there are so many IEMs out there now, you can find good deals and even discounts at times.

The reason why there isn't a bang for buck plebs is because there are even more IEMs out there now than when you got your IT01s (probably around the same time I did as well as many others). Market is saturated with both IEMs and reviewers.

Something that is warm and musical around $100 is the FiiO FD3. It doesn't push the mids as forward as the IT01 but the technical details are better especially in the treble region. The bass is also much better textured on the FD3. I'm sure there are other options to consider too.

 

[1832vin]

I think it depends on how much use they get compared to listening on a home setup. I just use a pair of VE Monk ($10) wired or Sennheiser Momentum 2 ($65 used on eBay) wireless ear buds. I'd rather put the money into the home setup. Also I use earbuds more often when they're not so expensive I'm worried about losing or breaking them (or bad weather).

that's a good point, but i think for most non-enthusiasts, on the go and during work is probably most of the time they'd be listening to music. because if you're into audio enough that you have a dedicated timeslot for enjoying music on a regular basis, you're not a casual listener anymore. by then, spending time to have a good setup is probably more likely

 

[1832vin]

By all accounts entry level products like the CCA CRA and Tripowin HBB Melee are all you need for decent sound these days. I don't own either but if I'd never been exposed to anything better could probably live with a pair of BLON BL-03's and an Apple dongle. Throw in a NiceHCK silver-plated 8 wire cable to improve performance.

I'd recommend pouring any extra money into better earphones rather than a DAP to get more bang for buck. If you're using a phone you could always add a dongle later.

i'll be honest, i'm a bit cautious about that low price range.... i've had my fair share of things that break within a year of using it.

i think my point i wanted to make is that casual listener doesn't mean cheap. like someone who'd drop $500 for an airpod max is a casual listener. it's the hassel free experience that defines a casual listener. they wouldn't want to pay more for an IEM that their phone becomes the limiting factor, or that they're not going to be able to listen to the difference when they're listening to music in the office when working because it's just a slightly noisy environment.

so IEMs that break in a year, casuals will generally steer away, because once they break, they just go back to airpods, or sonys.

like i'm just suprised there isn't a "for casuals" ranking on any reviewer

 

[1832vin]

The reason why there isn't a bang for buck plebs is because there are even more IEMs out there now than when you got your IT01s (probably around the same time I did as well as many others). Market is saturated with both IEMs and reviewers.

OMG, that's exactly my thoughts, like when IT01 came out, the news cycle was still once half a year or something, now it almost like monthly

Something that is warm and musical around $100

like, i'm willing to spend more, and i'm sure alot of casuals are willing to spend more too, but spend more to get noticeably better IEMs, not spend more, and because you're using a phone to drive it, or because the office AC is kinda loud, that you can't discern the difference you paid for

like, more than ultra crisp clarity on the trebles, i pick up on better sound staging much easier


but on your recommendation of the Fiio FD3, it seems like it's quite the V shape. However, i mostly listen to jazz, and 70s80s afroamerican jazz, so alot of mid vocals. so..... any other suggestions that pop into your mind?

 

[logiatype]

OMG, that's exactly my thoughts, like when IT01 came out, the news cycle was still once half a year or something, now it almost like monthly


like, i'm willing to spend more, and i'm sure alot of casuals are willing to spend more too, but spend more to get noticeably better IEMs, not spend more, and because you're using a phone to drive it, or because the office AC is kinda loud, that you can't discern the difference you paid for

like, more than ultra crisp clarity on the trebles, i pick up on better sound staging much easier


but on your recommendation of the Fiio FD3, it seems like it's quite the V shape. However, i mostly listen to jazz, and 70s80s afroamerican jazz, so alot of mid vocals. so..... any other suggestions that pop into your mind?

"noticeably better IEMs"

The question is what does this mean and how much of it is placebo. I'd say my hearing is pretty good, played instruments and performed for years, and I cannot hear anything that people say on this forum even into the kilobuck range (when listening to music). I hear new details on a new set and go back and it's right there on the older cheaper set; Oops it was the tuning that brought something to the fore.

IMO, find the cheapest set with tuning you like and stick with it (same with sources). I love hearing how new driver tech affects music but two similarly tuned DD (or other drivers) sets sound the same. It's all tuning differences or placebo IMO.

 

[rayliam80]

OMG, that's exactly my thoughts, like when IT01 came out, the news cycle was still once half a year or something, now it almost like monthly


like, i'm willing to spend more, and i'm sure alot of casuals are willing to spend more too, but spend more to get noticeably better IEMs, not spend more, and because you're using a phone to drive it, or because the office AC is kinda loud, that you can't discern the difference you paid for

like, more than ultra crisp clarity on the trebles, i pick up on better sound staging much easier


but on your recommendation of the Fiio FD3, it seems like it's quite the V shape. However, i mostly listen to jazz, and 70s80s afroamerican jazz, so alot of mid vocals. so..... any other suggestions that pop into your mind?

The FD3 is a finicky beast. On the graph, it does appear very V shaped. But because of interchangable nozzles and tips (I have a bunch of aftermarket tips and have a green FD7 nozzle purchased from Aliexpress on my FD3), it feels it isn’t as V shaped but more of a U shaped. YMMV and so on. As far as tonality goes, they’re both on the warm/musical side of things with the FD3 being a bit more detailed and crisp.

I’d probably look into the newer Planar model IEMs that are more sensitive than the P1 which I own. The original P1 needs an amp to drive them otherwise they sound anemic and very thin. I think some of the newer Planars are more sensitive so they should be easier to drive from a phone. I’d look into those.

If you’re willing to insert an IEM deep in your ear, then go for an Etymotic ER series pair. I like jazz and classical music with either of my Etys but they’re much more technical/analytical than the IT01. Instruments are extremely separated and to some people, it can sound unnatural. Both of my Etys sound fine driven by my V30 phone.

IMO, the P1 and Ety’s sound faster and cleaner and crisp than the IT01. The FD3 has definitely more crisp treble than the IT01 but is a little bit slower than the P1 and Etys.

When I was in a heavy Billie Holiday phase a few years ago, the IT01 were the IEMs I’d reach for for listening to her recordings more often than not. I can’t really say why but this was a thing I did. I’d say in the last six months, for listening to jazz music like Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane, Bill Evans I’ve been rotating between my FD3 and my Campfire Audio Jupiter (not a recommendation - this was a recent “nostalgic IEM holy grail” purchase for me). It’s probably why I initially rec’d you the FD3 from my previous comment.

 

[Raketen]

Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? the audiophile or the person seeking out recommendations from headphone forum weirdos?

 

[1832vin]

Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? the audiophile or the person seeking out recommendations from headphone forum weirdos?

no, i think there's a non-insubstantial amount of people who think they'd be an audiophile, do tonnes of research, buy a separate player and DAC, then realise that it's too much hassle, and go back to airpods.

those are the casuals, they understand what is good audio, because they have the gear, and occasionally whip them out for a listening session, but most of the time, they're listening on the go, on their phones, with crappy gear.

that's why IMO schenhisers are still a brand. it's not terrible enough to make you stop listening, and it's much easier to use them daily. that's why for the uninformed, it seems so prestigious, because many "audiophiles" (people who can throw out some lingo after researching a bunch) are using them.

and i am one of them. willing to spend the bucks, but not willing to take the hassle.

 

[northernsound]

i had my Ibasso IT01 for 4 years now, and it's starting to break.... it was a well rounded IEM with nice strong base (a bit loose) and decent mids and trebles, and i also have an over ear momentum (first version). with the same phone, i can hear the difference.

which makes me wanna know, what do you think generally is a sweet spot for IEMs? where the money you're pouring into the earphone is outpacing a regular mobile phone (playing FLAC files). kinda intrested what you think the general price range is, and if there's any specific IEM you think of.

i listen to alot of nina simone, and jazz if you're kind enough to recommend me any, but i'm just doing my research at the moment, and just curious why there isn't a "bang for buck for plebs" category in any reviews.

maybe because most people who are willing to spend a month researching about IEMs usually are willing to have a more complicated setup and enjoys flatter profiles? like i'm willing to spend more money on the IEM, but not willing to make my setup for casually listening to music on the go more complicated

cheers!

I know that a lot of people think that one of the most irritating things there are at a forum like this is when a person that hasn't the most experience in the field comes along and recommend his or hers favorite IEM that him or her is currently using, and when one has it as ones profile pic it might get even more irritating. With that said, lets do just that:

Taking your musical preferences into account, I wonder if the Tin Hifi T2 (not the pro-version) wouldn't be very much something that you'd enjoy. You can check out the review below for the thoughts of someone more experienced than me reviewing the Tin Hifi T2:

 

[KutuzovGambit]

OMG, that's exactly my thoughts, like when IT01 came out, the news cycle was still once half a year or something, now it almost like monthly


like, i'm willing to spend more, and i'm sure alot of casuals are willing to spend more too, but spend more to get noticeably better IEMs, not spend more, and because you're using a phone to drive it, or because the office AC is kinda loud, that you can't discern the difference you paid for

like, more than ultra crisp clarity on the trebles, i pick up on better sound staging much easier


but on your recommendation of the Fiio FD3, it seems like it's quite the V shape. However, i mostly listen to jazz, and 70s80s afroamerican jazz, so alot of mid vocals. so..... any other suggestions that pop into your mind?

Tin T2+ or Dunu Titan S.

 

[Toom]

Regular smartphones don't even have headphone jacks these days, so you're looking at TWS units really.