[decayoflying]

Hi everyone!
I am currently in search of a wireless pair of IEMs as I already have a pair of over-ears but would like something more portable and less clunky. Most popular ones I've seen seem to have a somewhat V-shaped sound signature or at least have an issue with bass overshadowing the mids, though, which doesn't seem to be the right signature for me - I currently have the Sennheiser HD 4.40s, and really like the sound in those, and conversely, I tried my housemate's Momentum 2.0 on-ears and didn't like their sound at all. (I realise comparing an on-ear with an over-ear doesn't check out completely, but me being a student and having a social network consisting of students, as well as lockdown being a thing, there is very limited opportunity for fair comparisons)

Quick list of things I think are relevant (I'm very new to audio stuff and only just figuring things out, so bear with me)
- I would have gone for wired if my phone (Huawei P20 Pro) had a 3.5mm jack, which it doesn't. It does support aptx, though.
- The kind of sound signature I like seems to have a relatively flat, neutral, transparent sound signature; clear, detailed mids seem to be especially important. I had the JBL E45BT before the HD 4.40s, but much prefer the way the latter sounds.
- I've been told that^ by the same housemate who let me borrow the Momentums, and also to look for an open, spacious soundstage (as much as that's possible with IEMs), airy/breathy quality, and nothing hollow, V-shaped or U-shaped. Probably nothing too forward or with a lot of attack.
- Some examples of what I tend to listen to: Phoebe Bridgers (click), The National (click, click), Mitski (click, click), Lorde (click)
- As mentioned, I'm a student, which sadly leaves me very limited financially (the upper boundary of my budget is about £75, I'd say, but I'd prefer something more around £50-60) As a result I'm aware the amount of precision, detail, and overall build quality I can get for that price is very limited - I'm more asking for recommendations that support the sound signature I'm looking for!

Things I've looked at and would like specific opinions on whether they seem to be something that would suit me based on above info:
- Sennheiser Momentum Free/HD1 (both with and without neckband) (I searched for threads, found a couple, but none with a detailed review of the non-neckband one)
- Sennheiser CX 650 BT (hasn't been mentioned here)
- Sennheiser CX 6.00 BT
- Advanced Evo X (seen some discussion about this one on here, mainly on crinacle's review list)
- Other suggestions definitely welcome!

Thanks for taking the time to read, and in advance for taking the time to comment!

 

[pjones5]

Hi everyone!
I am currently in search of a wireless pair of IEMs as I already have a pair of over-ears but would like something more portable and less clunky. Most popular ones I've seen seem to have a somewhat V-shaped sound signature or at least have an issue with bass overshadowing the mids, though, which doesn't seem to be the right signature for me - I currently have the Sennheiser HD 4.40s, and really like the sound in those, and conversely, I tried my housemate's Momentum 2.0 on-ears and didn't like their sound at all. (I realise comparing an on-ear with an over-ear doesn't check out completely, but me being a student and having a social network consisting of students, as well as lockdown being a thing, there is very limited opportunity for fair comparisons)

Quick list of things I think are relevant (I'm very new to audio stuff and only just figuring things out, so bear with me)
- I would have gone for wired if my phone (Huawei P20 Pro) had a 3.5mm jack, which it doesn't. It does support aptx, though.
- The kind of sound signature I like seems to have a relatively flat, neutral, transparent sound signature; clear, detailed mids seem to be especially important. I had the JBL E45BT before the HD 4.40s, but much prefer the way the latter sounds.
- I've been told that^ by the same housemate who let me borrow the Momentums, and also to look for an open, spacious soundstage (as much as that's possible with IEMs), airy/breathy quality, and nothing hollow, V-shaped or U-shaped. Probably nothing too forward or with a lot of attack.
- Some examples of what I tend to listen to: Phoebe Bridgers (click), The National (click, click), Mitski (click, click), Lorde (click)
- As mentioned, I'm a student, which sadly leaves me very limited financially (the upper boundary of my budget is about £75, I'd say, but I'd prefer something more around £50-60) As a result I'm aware the amount of precision, detail, and overall build quality I can get for that price is very limited - I'm more asking for recommendations that support the sound signature I'm looking for!

Things I've looked at and would like specific opinions on whether they seem to be something that would suit me based on above info:
- Sennheiser Momentum Free/HD1 (both with and without neckband) (I searched for threads, found a couple, but none with a detailed review of the non-neckband one)
- Sennheiser CX 650 BT (hasn't been mentioned here)
- Sennheiser CX 6.00 BT
- Advanced Evo X (seen some discussion about this one on here, mainly on crinacle's review list)
- Other suggestions definitely welcome!

Thanks for taking the time to read, and in advance for taking the time to comment!

Reading people's posts and thinking, "Man, I know what they should look into!" only to get to the inevitable "this my budget" and realizing that it will not work.

What I wanted to suggest... The BTR5 (retail ~$140 USD) which is a portable DAC/amp. Capable of many different Bluetooth codecs (including aptX), or can even be used as an USB-DAC. I'm a little bit like a broken record in recommending this thing. To be fair though, I think it's great. It might be the only piece of audio tech that I don't have a gripe about. There is a mildly cheaper alternative, the ES100 (~$99 USD) which also has great reviews. If you get either of those, then you can use wired IEMs. There are plenty of great chi-fi IEMs on the market. My personal favorites are the KZ ZS10 Pro (~$40) and KZ ZSX "Terminator" (~$60). The KZ ZS10 Pro will have a little bit more slam in the bass and, in my opinion, better timbre for vocals and acoustic stuff. The ZSX though works a more neutral and detailed sound. I've heard that the Tin T2s are also pretty good (~$50).

I've taken the wireless earbud route. I've had/tried AirPods, AirPod Pros, Bose True Wireless, Bose SoundSports, Sony WI-1000X, a couple different Beats earbuds, some cheap Sony earbuds, and then a couple smaller brands mixed in there. Most those earbuds hit between $200 to $300 and I only mention them to say that I much prefer now using wired IEMs. So much so, that I've actually sold all of my other earbuds because I just never use them anymore. That is purely because I would rather have great sound quality than ease.

So, if sound quality is a priority, then I recommend getting a halfway decent USB-C DAC; you can spend as little as $13 on that or as much as you'd like. Then, get some chi-fi IEMs like the ones I mentioned above.

If wireless is the priority, then I probably won't be a huge help. When in doubt, however, I would opt for the neckband. When it comes to wireless earbuds in the sub $100 range, neckband types tend to have better connectivity and battery life than their true wireless counter parts.

For kicks and giggles... These are not IEMs, but I have actually been using them more than some of my IEMs lately. Check out Koss Porta Pros and KPH30i. Both are $30. Not super comfortable. The Porta Pros are decently durable with their metal headband, but the KPH30i's are entirely plastic. They look and feel cheap. For $30, the sound quality is incredible - especially for the KPH30i's. Might be worth checking out the either one in your case because they're relatively portable (especially the Porta Pro's) and you can buy the USB-C DAC for about $13 AND the Porta Pro's (or KPH30i's) and still come under budget.

 

[decayoflying]

Reading people's posts and thinking, "Man, I know what they should look into!" only to get to the inevitable "this my budget" and realizing that it will not work.

What I wanted to suggest... The BTR5 (retail ~$140 USD) which is a portable DAC/amp. Capable of many different Bluetooth codecs (including aptX), or can even be used as an USB-DAC. I'm a little bit like a broken record in recommending this thing. To be fair though, I think it's great. It might be the only piece of audio tech that I don't have a gripe about. There is a mildly cheaper alternative, the ES100 (~$99 USD) which also has great reviews. If you get either of those, then you can use wired IEMs. There are plenty of great chi-fi IEMs on the market. My personal favorites are the KZ ZS10 Pro (~$40) and KZ ZSX "Terminator" (~$60). The KZ ZS10 Pro will have a little bit more slam in the bass and, in my opinion, better timbre for vocals and acoustic stuff. The ZSX though works a more neutral and detailed sound. I've heard that the Tin T2s are also pretty good (~$50).

I've taken the wireless earbud route. I've had/tried AirPods, AirPod Pros, Bose True Wireless, Bose SoundSports, Sony WI-1000X, a couple different Beats earbuds, some cheap Sony earbuds, and then a couple smaller brands mixed in there. Most those earbuds hit between $200 to $300 and I only mention them to say that I much prefer now using wired IEMs. So much so, that I've actually sold all of my other earbuds because I just never use them anymore. That is purely because I would rather have great sound quality than ease.

So, if sound quality is a priority, then I recommend getting a halfway decent USB-C DAC; you can spend as little as $13 on that or as much as you'd like. Then, get some chi-fi IEMs like the ones I mentioned above.

If wireless is the priority, then I probably won't be a huge help. When in doubt, however, I would opt for the neckband. When it comes to wireless earbuds in the sub $100 range, neckband types tend to have better connectivity and battery life than their true wireless counter parts.

For kicks and giggles... These are not IEMs, but I have actually been using them more than some of my IEMs lately. Check out Koss Porta Pros and KPH30i. Both are $30. Not super comfortable. The Porta Pros are decently durable with their metal headband, but the KPH30i's are entirely plastic. They look and feel cheap. For $30, the sound quality is incredible - especially for the KPH30i's. Might be worth checking out the either one in your case because they're relatively portable (especially the Porta Pro's) and you can buy the USB-C DAC for about $13 AND the Porta Pro's (or KPH30i's) and still come under budget.

Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed reply!
I was looking at the KZ ZSX just now - they retail on Amazon UK for about £42, which leaves me with about £25-30 (USD $31-$36 roughly) for a DAC. Very limited, but above the minimum price you mentioned - would you say there is a chance of success with that?

Wireless is not the priority per se - just something easier to take with me than my current over-ears, and something that works with my phone's lack of a headphone jack. I didn't even consider the portable amp/DAC route, so thanks for pointing this out!

Yeah, I didn't mean truly wireless - what I mean by "neckband" is a hard neck "brace" in addition to the wire between the two buds, vs. just a wire but no hard neckband. Everything I've read about true wireless IEMs/earbuds seems to emphasise their size and the complete lack of wires over sound quality, which worries me a bit.

Edit: browsing on Amazon for DACs, and from the "related products" it gave me for my search I saw KZ offers a bluetooth cable designed to attach to wired IEMs with detachable cables, including the KZ ones you mentioned (click). What would your opinions on that be - would it be any better as opposed to IEMs who are wireless by default, or would it still not rank up to a DAC?

 

[pjones5]

Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed reply!
I was looking at the KZ ZSX just now - they retail on Amazon UK for about £42, which leaves me with about £25-30 (USD $31-$36 roughly) for a DAC. Very limited, but above the minimum price you mentioned - would you say there is a chance of success with that?

Wireless is not the priority per se - just something easier to take with me than my current over-ears, and something that works with my phone's lack of a headphone jack. I didn't even consider the portable amp/DAC route, so thanks for pointing this out!

Yeah, I didn't mean truly wireless - what I mean by "neckband" is a hard neck "brace" in addition to the wire between the two buds, vs. just a wire but no hard neckband. Everything I've read about true wireless IEMs/earbuds seems to emphasise their size and the complete lack of wires over sound quality, which worries me a bit.

Edit: browsing on Amazon for DACs, and from the "related products" it gave me for my search I saw KZ offers a bluetooth cable designed to attach to wired IEMs with detachable cables, including the KZ ones you mentioned (click). What would your opinions on that be - would it be any better as opposed to IEMs who are wireless by default, or would it still not rank up to a DAC?

It's totally up to your preference!

It looks like the KZ band you've mentioned utilizes aptX HD, which is a pretty decent bluetooth codec. Fortunately, it looks like your phone should sport the same codec. So, you'll get reasonably good bit transfer rates over a wireless connection. I doubt you'll notice a significant loss of detail in the music you listen to. I would just read some reviews and verify that that particular band doesn't have any connection issues experienced by others.

My personal preference is to go wired when possible. Bluetooth compresses the information loaded into a song file in order to transmit it wirelessly. LDAC is arguably the best with a transfer rate of around ~900kbps (so I've read). aptX HD is the next best at 576kbps. Now, Spotify (at its highest quality setting) has 320kbps song files, so hearing the difference between LDAC and aptX HD won't happen because there's no compression occurring. If you're running songs through Tidal MQA (or even HiFi) which utilizes files upwards of 1400kbps then you'll hear a difference between wired, LDAC, and aptX HD. Even then, that difference will be more in nuance of the song and won't affect the core listening experience.

All of this information is probably over the top for your decision... The KZ IEMs are great, but they aren't $300 open-ears, so I think whatever you choose will take advantage of those IEMs regardless of whether compression occurs or not.

 

[decayoflying]

It's totally up to your preference!

It looks like the KZ band you've mentioned utilizes aptX HD, which is a pretty decent bluetooth codec. Fortunately, it looks like your phone should sport the same codec. So, you'll get reasonably good bit transfer rates over a wireless connection. I doubt you'll notice a significant loss of detail in the music you listen to. I would just read some reviews and verify that that particular band doesn't have any connection issues experienced by others.

My personal preference is to go wired when possible. Bluetooth compresses the information loaded into a song file in order to transmit it wirelessly. LDAC is arguably the best with a transfer rate of around ~900kbps (so I've read). aptX HD is the next best at 576kbps. Now, Spotify (at its highest quality setting) has 320kbps song files, so hearing the difference between LDAC and aptX HD won't happen because there's no compression occurring. If you're running songs through Tidal MQA (or even HiFi) which utilizes files upwards of 1400kbps then you'll hear a difference between wired, LDAC, and aptX HD. Even then, that difference will be more in nuance of the song and won't affect the core listening experience.

All of this information is probably over the top for your decision... The KZ IEMs are great, but they aren't $300 open-ears, so I think whatever you choose will take advantage of those IEMs regardless of whether compression occurs or not.

I see.. thanks for the info! To be clear I am also considering a decent USB-C DAC, I was just wondering if it would be a noteably different experience quality-wise using bluetooth cable + IEMs made for wired vs. listening to wireless IEMs where the IEM was made with wireless in mind (if that makes sense) I may order both that and a DAC with the KZ IEMs and then send one back when I decide what method I like better (so the net money spent is still under budget)

Are there any DACs within budget that you had in mind when writing the previous post? I saw something about Venture Audio's one in another thread, which looks promising. Hifizs Sonata as well, but wondering how much is sensible to spend on a DAC given that the IEMs themselves are pretty inexpensive in the grand scheme of things.

 

[pjones5]

I see.. thanks for the info! To be clear I am also considering a decent USB-C DAC, I was just wondering if it would be a noteably different experience quality-wise using bluetooth cable + IEMs made for wired vs. listening to wireless IEMs where the IEM was made with wireless in mind (if that makes sense) I may order both that and a DAC with the KZ IEMs and then send one back when I decide what method I like better (so the net money spent is still under budget)

Are there any DACs within budget that you had in mind when writing the previous post? I saw something about Venture Audio's one in another thread, which looks promising. Hifizs Sonata as well, but wondering how much is sensible to spend on a DAC given that the IEMs themselves are pretty inexpensive in the grand scheme of things.

I don't know a ton about basic USB-DACs. I primarily use my BTR5, but that's a pretty good reach out of your budget.
One thing to keep in mind is future-proofing. It might be worth to spend a little bit more now so you don't have to spend more later.

I think I'm tracking with what you said! I would venture to argue that purchasing the KZ with the bluetooth neckband would be better sound-quality wise. One cool thing about the KZ ZS10 Pro is that its got one dynamic driver with four balanced armature drivers. This allows the IEMs to create a lot of detail in the music which will out perform any standard IEM in this price range with only one dynamic driver (which are most wireless options).

 

[Monstieur]

The PowerBeats Pro destroys all of these in sound quality, if you don't mind the mediocre isolation. Bluetooth codecs are a marketing gimmick. AAC is the highest quality codec and you don't need anything else.

If you need isolation, I don't think any of the wireless models are very good. I would get a Bluetooth MMCX adapter like the Shure RMCE-BT2 and use it with an IEM of your choice. I use a Shure SE846 with the RMCE-BT2. The RMCE-BT2 is the most compact adapter with no audible noise floor, and it's cheap right now at $50. All of the other adapters have an audible noise floor.

Only the neckband style adapters have uniform sound quality for the left and right channels. The true wireless left / right models all have inferior quality in one ear and very high latency, unless you have a TrueWireless Stereo Plus adapter & phone (or iPhone & PowerBeats Pro / AirPods Pro). This applies to out of the box true wireless models as well, not just adapters.

 

[PopZeus]

Shanling has a couple of wireless IEMs that skew neutral, and are near your price range. I haven’t heard them myself, but I like Shanling as a company,