[timbo999]

I’m looking for a step up in earphones and spending around €$£200 I guess. My research has drawn me to the Shure earphones but my heart is pushing me towards the Lear Kaleido. Then, would I go for the Kaleido in Universal fit or Custom fit? Any suggestions or thoughts?

 

[davidcotton]

Only problem with customs right now would be getting impressions done for them, which with the current crisis could be difficult depending where you live. Any reason on Lear in particular? They don't seem to get talked about on here much.

Oh and welcome to headfi, sorry about your wallet.

 

[baskingshark]

I’m looking for a step up in earphones and spending around €$£200 I guess. My research has drawn me to the Shure earphones but my heart is pushing me towards the Lear Kaleido. Then, would I go for the Kaleido in Universal fit or Custom fit? Any suggestions or thoughts?

Well it would be useful if we could know a few details, so that the community can fine tune their suggestions. $200 is entering midfi territory so it is best to narrow down your preferences rather than throwing money down the drain if u don't like the tuning.

1) What are your preferred music genres?
2) What sound signature do u prefer? Neutral? V shaped? Harmanish? Midcentric? Treblehead? Treble sensitive? Basshead? Bass Averse?
3) Will u be using this on the go or at home? IE is isolation and drivability important.

 

[timbo999]

Well it would be useful if we could know a few details, so that the community can fine tune their suggestions. $200 is entering midfi territory so it is best to narrow down your preferences rather than throwing money down the drain if u don't like the tuning.

1) What are your preferred music genres?
2) What sound signature do u prefer? Neutral? V shaped? Harmanish? Midcentric? Treblehead? Treble sensitive? Basshead? Bass Averse?
3) Will u be using this on the go or at home? IE is isolation and drivability important.

Thanks for the prompts! Lear has come up a few times on some top 10’s I’ve found on the web and they look to be good value. I can get ear impressions locally so I’m okay with them. But happy to go universal also.
I’m a massive fan of drum and bass, jungle so the bass needs to be well controlled but I certainly don’t need it to be prominent. I also love acoustic and airy music with vocals. So, something that is natural and can handle both would be ideal. So I guess a neutral signature would suit me, but with the driver(s) in place to cater for both the vocals, mids and lows. I often find that drum and bass needs good mids as much as good sub bass, it’s not just the lows.
I’d like to listen to them from my DAC connected to my PC and my phone. Hopefully we’ll isolating for a plane and train, too...
I also don’t want to have missed out and bought the wrong first big step into in-ear auidiophilia. So, if they NEED to cost a little more the recommend away!!!
Thanks for the help!

 

[baskingshark]

Thanks for the prompts! Lear has come up a few times on some top 10’s I’ve found on the web and they look to be good value. I can get ear impressions locally so I’m okay with them. But happy to go universal also.
I’m a massive fan of drum and bass, jungle so the bass needs to be well controlled but I certainly don’t need it to be prominent. I also love acoustic and airy music with vocals. So, something that is natural and can handle both would be ideal. So I guess a neutral signature would suit me, but with the driver(s) in place to cater for both the vocals, mids and lows. I often find that drum and bass needs good mids as much as good sub bass, it’s not just the lows.
I’d like to listen to them from my DAC connected to my PC and my phone. Hopefully we’ll isolating for a plane and train, too...
I also don’t want to have missed out and bought the wrong first big step into in-ear auidiophilia. So, if they NEED to cost a little more the recommend away!!!
Thanks for the help!

If u like something neutralish with an added bit of warmth at the bass region (yet bass is tight and accurate), check out the Audiosense DT200. Easily drivable, excellent fit and isolation. Great tonality.

The Tin Audio T2 and T4 are also known to be neutralish/neutralish bright, though bass may be lite (especially the former).

Good luck in your search and hope the others can chime in too.

 

[1TrickPony]

Off the bat, around that range, I've read good reviews on the ISN H40 or the Dunu Dk2001. Those aren't "neutral" but are balanced enough to suit DnB and airy vocals. That said, haven't heard them but trusted friends/fellow h'fers speak well of them.

I have a superb neutral set but I'm not sure it's going to give you that dynamic (read bombastic) signature that brings out DnB tunes like V or W shaped signatures.

 

[timbo999]

Thanks for the suggestions. A very wide choice of prices but that’s a good thing I guess. The Tin Audio appeal but I’m sceptical about the ability of a single driver. My Sound Magic buds perform quite well and in look for a defined step up in sonics and performance. The Dunu look the best all round step up with multiple drivers - they just cost $300....!

 

[FlowLikeWater]

Thanks for the suggestions. A very wide choice of prices but that’s a good thing I guess. The Tin Audio appeal but I’m sceptical about the ability of a single driver. My Sound Magic buds perform quite well and in look for a defined step up in sonics and performance. The Dunu look the best all round step up with multiple drivers - they just cost $300....!

only 4 posts in 12 years? damn son....

for <$200, i wuld recommend ER2XR ($120ish), or if u can stretch a little bit, JVC FDX1 (on drop at $250) -- both of these are top performers, can give up to $500 IEMs a run for their money. good luck in ur search frend

"but I’m sceptical about the ability of a single driver"

u'd be surprised what a good single driver implementation can pull off. When done right, they do certain things (like texture, timbre, etc) better than any multi-driver setup. essentially they r less artificial sounding

to answer ur question, i would not recommend Shure -- both Shure and Westone were the kings in like 2012, but have since been surpassed by essentially every other IEM company in terms of price to performance ratio (except for KSE1500, but this is slightly our of ur budget)

 

[timbo999]

So. It took me a while to get them and I tried some new headphones in between that I didn’t like. But, the DUNU DK-2001’s are awesome!

Now. I’m using them with my PC and a Cyrus Soundkey DAC. With my old earphones there was no hiss. But the DK-2001’s there is a hiss with no sound playing. Is it simply because they are more revealing? Any recommendations on a well priced DAC/amp for my PC? That will suit the DUNU’s? It doesn’t need to be powerful!