Can anyone please advise me on the very best wired IEMs that have cables that run downwards (instead of behind and over the ears)? I wear glasses, and the "cable behind the ear" IEM's are too cumbersome when I'm on the go. Cost not important.
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Best wired IEM with cord that doesn't loop behind ears
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Rosenbloom
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I am a fan of Etymotic, currently using ER4XR. You may consider the ER4 series.
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Yes, PEQ with a Qudelix-5K. 3.5mm, but also open to USB-C if it'll work with a Samsung Galaxy.
IAtaman
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I'd recommend JBL Endurance Run 2 as a cheap option.
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Thanks I had a pair of Ety ER4's back in the day (maybe 20 yrs ago) and I really wasn't impressed by the sound. I distinctly remember the Senn 535 (OE) sounding way better. Maybe they've gotten better?
Are there no high end options? For instance, the IE800's are decent. Is anything better? Thanks
Are there no high end options? For instance, the IE800's are decent. Is anything better? Thanks
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Thanks! From your other post it seemed that you weren't that impressed by the sound, despite their adherence to the Harman IE curve?
If you don’t mind 2nd hand the Sony XBA-N3 are a great iem, I love mine and would immediately replace them at any cost, still pricey though at around $150 - $200 on eBay see below for sqiqlink comparisons to Truthear Crinacle red, 7hz Zero, Truthear Nova
precog.squig.link
Squiglink - IEM frequency response database by Precogvision
Compare hundreds of frequency response graphs between IEMs and earphones from manufacturers like Moondrop, Sony, 64 Audio, Fiio, and more.
precog.squig.link
These are all good but the Zero's are $23 so get those anyway. They sound great weigh nothing and real soft pads. If you forget them somewhere, so what. Step on them, so what. Someone takes them, so what. I find because they are so easy to wear I'm using them more and more.YMMV
After reading @IAtaman other post on the Run2's I plan to try them. I'm done with $100+ IEMS
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How do you like the XBA-N3's compared to, say, the Zero? Thanks for the rec!If you don’t mind 2nd hand the Sony XBA-N3 are a great iem, I love mine and would immediately replace them at any cost, still pricey though at around $150 - $200 on eBay see below for sqiqlink comparisons to Truthear Crinacle red, 7hz Zero, Truthear Nova
Squiglink - IEM frequency response database by Precogvision
Compare hundreds of frequency response graphs between IEMs and earphones from manufacturers like Moondrop, Sony, 64 Audio, Fiio, and more.
IAtaman
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Coming back from open back headphones, they sounded a bit V shaped for my taste indeed. When I am sitting at my desk and want to use JBL's, I do plug in a low shelf and a high shelf filter. On the go, this becomes a "feature" - somewhat boosted lows and high makes it such that the sound is not drowned in the noise of the outside world.
No comparison
, the Sony's hit much harder for some reason/you can feel the thump in jaw and the treble is much nicer extension without the shouty bit that I eq'd down on the zero 2, my zero 2 are totally unused now once I got over the initial "wow" factor in. such a cheap iem.Here's what precognition had to say about them, I just checked on eBay and it seems the hype is building on them as the pricing is way up on the last time I checked - shame, as a couple of years ago you could find them for £100ish, Crinacle also rates them very highly as well.
I've just set up an alert on eBay for sony xba n3 as I'd happily pay the going rate for a mint boxed version to have as a spare.
Precog's IEM Reviews & Impressions
Sony XBA-N3 Impressions This was previously requested by @redguardsoldier. Price: Discontinued Configuration: 1DD/1BA Special thanks to "Grawlix" for lending me this unit. On first listen, the XBA-N3 reminds me of the Sennheiser IE600/900 IEMs with more emphasis in the mid-bass. The...
www.head-fi.org
And here's HBB's review of them years ago,
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It’s a shame you‘re in California as I have sent my XBA’s out to 3 folk in the UK to demo and they’ve all bought a used set, one of them managed to find a new/sealed in box set for £220 from japan last year, that’s what I’m hoping my eBay alert will ping up.
There’s bound to be other iem’s that use a drop down wire, apart from Etymotic that is but I can’t think of any apart from the old school earbud type that sit in the outer ear.
Listening to my set now, the original cable is a bit crap so I use an £11 NiceHCK 16 Core High Purity Copper Cable from VS Audio store on aliexpress
There’s bound to be other iem’s that use a drop down wire, apart from Etymotic that is but I can’t think of any apart from the old school earbud type that sit in the outer ear.
Listening to my set now, the original cable is a bit crap so I use an £11 NiceHCK 16 Core High Purity Copper Cable from VS Audio store on aliexpress
Update: the Zeros have the ear wire but so light and $23 one could easily cut them off with wire cutters.
If you want an Ety that really doesn't need EQ (though it can be improved with some modest adjustments), I wouldn't look any farther than the ER2XR. At a street price of $100 and frequent discounts below that, it's decent value even in the age of excellent $20 IEMs. The cable is very stethoscopic and you need to learn how to use the chin slider and shirt clip in tandem to suppress that.
