Can you recommend better headphones than AKG N5005? 500$ ++ ultra high end reference class. IEM

[coolkids]

Hi i am considering akg n5005 , Can you recommend better headphones than AKG N5005? 500$ ++
i want small portable headphones with aux port, blue tooth + aux is an great option like akg n5005.
i want high end quality and maximum portability,aux is a must since i will use with my phone lg v60 with aux.
ultra high end reference class is the headphones i need. Headphones format needs to be IEM.

 

[propaganda1]

I believe for end-game audio, EQ is a must, as everyones HRTF is different and you cannot expect to get a headphone that is a perfect match to your HRTF out of the box.

What I am about to say would annoy cause problems elsewhere but this is a science based forum, but endgame audio comes down to your headphone being as smooth as possible in the treble (passed 6kHZ), and then EQing the rest to your preference.

Purchase a Qudelix 5K (this is a powerful, very portable, bluetooth DAC/AMP with DSP, for around 100USD; the biggest bargain in audio) and one of the following IEM's:

1. Moondrop Variations
2. Truthear Nova (with Tripowin Spiral Groove Tips)
3. Simgot EM6L

I have put them in order, starting with the best. Now the difference between 1st and 2nd is perhaps 10-15% in the treble quality, and you do not have to use foam tips with the Variations; if these factors are worth the 5x price difference, then purchase the Moondrop Variations (they are the best). I want to note, you HAVE to use Truthear Nova with 'Tripowin Spiral Groove Foam Tips', as these are the tips that smoothen the treble; I find them very comfortable but of course you may be different. If you do not want to use foam tips and don't want to spend the money on Variations, then the EM6L is an option, but the treble quality is lower than the other 2 options (but still MUCH better than most other IEMs on the market).

Then EQ the IEM's to your personal taste which you can save on the Qudelix 5K, and voila! Endgame IEMs!

I have attached graphs so you can see their frequency response, and also a graph comparing the top 2 recommendations to the AKG N5005 (which, if I am to be honest, is not good, especially in the treble).

 

[coolkids]

How about Sennheiser ie 900?

are they better vs akg n5005?​

and vs chinese brands you mentioned?

https://www.soundguys.com/sennheiser-ie-900-review-58946/

 

[propaganda1]

How about Sennheiser ie 900?

are they better vs akg n5005?​

and vs chinese brands you mentioned?

https://www.soundguys.com/sennheiser-ie-900-review-58946/

The IEMs I mentioned are much better in the treble. You can use graph databases to compare IEMs, and see how smooth they measure in the treble region. People have already done the research, and the IEM's I mentioned are known to have the best measuring treble, and with EQ are endgame.

 

[coolkids]

hi where i can see chart, and see where akg n5005 stands vs chinese and others and who is the champion and winner i dont use eq its always off.
how about sony headphones end game reference sound? Sony IER-Z1R Signature Series

 

[propaganda1]

hi where i can see chart, and see where akg n5005 stands vs chinese and others and who is the champion and winner i dont use eq its always off.
how about sony headphones end game reference sound? Sony IER-Z1R Signature SeriesI

If you are not going to use EQ, then it is completely preference-based, you will have to listen to the IEM's to make an informed decision.

But 99% of IEMs/Headphones have terrible treble quality, and I do not believe one can reach 'endgame' sound without EQ.

Look for stores near you and try them out yourself. The three IEM's I listed are the ones I recommend, most other IEMs (including the sony you mentioned) have big problems in the treble.

 

[coolkids]

I dont have shops which care such expensive headphones,
i can get akg n5005 for 300$ , i can get senheiser ie 900, for around 600-700$ i can get, sony Sony IER-Z1R S 1000$
what to do ?
i cant hear these which one is the best. Chinese have terrible build quality .

 

[markanini]

If I had a generous budget for IEMs, I’d visit one of the specialized stores in Asia that provide in-store demos. The performance of an IEM varies significantly depending on your individual ear anatomy, and this variability is unavoidable regardless of the price. You won’t know how they perform until you’ve tried them in your own ears. Make a playlist of songs you know well and let your ears be the judge.

 

[mspringfield]

Hi i am considering akg n5005 , Can you recommend better headphones than AKG N5005? 500$ ++
i want small portable headphones with aux port, blue tooth + aux is an great option like akg n5005.
i want high end quality and maximum portability,aux is a must since i will use with my phone lg v60 with aux.
ultra high end reference class is the headphones i need. Headphones format needs to be IEM.

Look at the Shure SE846. I have both the N5005 and the SE846. Both sound excellent but I use the Shures more than the AKGs. The Shures are 4 driver BA where the AKGs are Hybrids. To me the Shure have better bass and mids. They are smaller and fit better. Both have an MMCX connector but the AGKs (like the Sennheisers) have a bit deeper socket on the connector, so you have to have an adapter in order to user standard MMCX cables with them. The Shures have a standard connector so cables are easier to find. Also the Shures are 9 Ohm so they are easier to drive than the AKGs. Both have interchangeable "filters" so you can tailor the sound to your personal tastes. The AKG come with more cable options and the packaging is a bit more "premium" looking. The AKGs also come with better tips, their SpinFits are extremely nice. With either the Shures or the AKGs the tips you choose are extremely important because getting a good seal on your ears is everything. The Shures are more reliant on good tips than the AKGs but when you get a good seal the Shures are magic.

When it comes to Bluetooth connectivity the Shures are the clear winner here. I have never been a fan of the behind the neck Bluetooth cables that come with the AKGs. The TW2 behind the ear adapters that Shure uses are some of the best I have used. So comfortable that I almost forget that I am wearing them. The Shures have a "passthrough" environment mode that lets you turn on the mics and hear what is going on around you.

A final thought, take it as an opinion, I think the quality of AKG dropped with they sold to Harmon who later sold to Samsung. Shure quality is top notch and their customer support, should you need it, is second to none.

 

[coolkids]

If I had a generous budget for IEMs, I’d visit one of the specialized stores in Asia that provide in-store demos. The performance of an IEM varies significantly depending on your individual ear anatomy, and this variability is unavoidable regardless of the price. You won’t know how they perform until you’ve tried them in your own ears. Make a playlist of songs you know well and let your ears be the judge.

I dont have such stores, so i can only blindly buy them online .

Look at the Shure SE846. I have both the N5005 and the SE846. Both sound excellent but I use the Shures more than the AKGs. The Shures are 4 driver BA where the AKGs are Hybrids. To me the Shure have better bass and mids. They are smaller and fit better. Both have an MMCX connector but the AGKs (like the Sennheisers) have a bit deeper socket on the connector, so you have to have an adapter in order to user standard MMCX cables with them. The Shures have a standard connector so cables are easier to find. Also the Shures are 9 Ohm so they are easier to drive than the AKGs. Both have interchangeable "filters" so you can tailor the sound to your personal tastes. The AKG come with more cable options and the packaging is a bit more "premium" looking. The AKGs also come with better tips, their SpinFits are extremely nice. With either the Shures or the AKGs the tips you choose are extremely important because getting a good seal on your ears is everything. The Shures are more reliant on good tips than the AKGs but when you get a good seal the Shures are magic.

When it comes to Bluetooth connectivity the Shures are the clear winner here. I have never been a fan of the behind the neck Bluetooth cables that come with the AKGs. The TW2 behind the ear adapters that Shure uses are some of the best I have used. So comfortable that I almost forget that I am wearing them. The Shures have a "passthrough" environment mode that lets you turn on the mics and hear what is going on around you.

A final thought, take it as an opinion, I think the quality of AKG dropped with they sold to Harmon who later sold to Samsung. Shure quality is top notch and their customer support, should you need it, is second to none.

i can get akg n5005 for 300$ , i can get senheiser ie 900, for around 600-700$ i can get, sony Sony IER-Z1R S 1000$ how about sony and Senheiser, ?
you never said anything about them.

SE846​

cost more than senheiser, so not sure if its good option 2 times more.

 

[markanini]

I dont have such stores, so i can only blindly buy them online .

If you can't travel, consider buying a selection of well-reviewed and reasonably priced IEMs. There's no absolute guarantee that any single IEM will suit your preferences, no matter how carefully you choose. This will give you a higher chance that your money leads to a satisfying result.

 

[coolkids]

i am currently with marshall headphones and they sound like crap.

 

[mspringfield]

I dont have such stores, so i can only blindly buy them online .

i can get akg n5005 for 300$ , i can get senheiser ie 900, for around 600-700$ i can get, sony Sony IER-Z1R S 1000$ how about sony and Senheiser, ?
you never said anything about them.

SE846​

cost more than senheiser, so not sure if its good option 2 times more.

Cost is the downside of the SE846. They are expensive but I think they are worth it. They came out in 2013 and were so far ahead of their time that everyone else is just now catching up. Shure released a Gen2 back in 2022 but I talked to a Shure repair tech and asked him if the Gen2 was worth the upgrade. He told me that the internal components in the Gen2 are the exact same as the Gen1 the only difference between the 2 was the addition of a red "extended" filter that tweaks the bass a little more. I have tried to buy just the red filter for mine but Shure will not sell them separately.

If you can get the N5005 for $300 then IMHO that is the way to go. I haven't heard the Sony but I have heard the Sennheiser. The Sennheisers sound great. I like the sound as well as the N5005 but not quite as well as the SE846. The Sennheiser does not sound 2x as good as the N5005 and the Shure does not sound 3x as good. The only real downside I have found with the N5005 is they are a bit on the large side. If you have small ears or ear canals then you may have an issue with fit. At $300 you will not find another pair of IEMs that sound that good and are that versatile.

 

[coolkids]

i live in europe, here i can get senheizer for 500$ brand new sealed , made in ireland,
if i import shure from usa it will cost me with all the custom fees 3 times more.. or at least 2x.
vs shure.
akg i also need to import when i import it price comes closer to ie 900.
Chinese cost same price as senheiser... so not sure if they are high quality i cant test any of chinese brands.

 

[mspringfield]

If you are in Europe then the Sennheiser may be your best bet from a cost standpoint. You can't go wrong with Sennheiser. I have the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 and they are probably my most used headphones. The case is small enough to fit easily in my pocket and the sound is amazing. Although they sound a little better, the N5005 and the SE846 both have huge cases that are really too bulky to comfortably fit in the front pocket of a pair of jeans so the Sennheiser wins on portability. In a lot of cases it doesn't matter how good headphones sound if they are not portable then you don't use them.

 

[coolkids]

I Wear headphones when i walk i dont care about portability...
i need high end high quality reference class.. top notch.

 

[SuicideSquid]

But 99% of IEMs/Headphones have terrible treble quality, and I do not believe one can reach 'endgame' sound without EQ.

Upon what do you base this assertion?

Hi i am considering akg n5005 , Can you recommend better headphones than AKG N5005? 500$ ++
i want small portable headphones with aux port, blue tooth + aux is an great option like akg n5005.
i want high end quality and maximum portability,aux is a must since i will use with my phone lg v60 with aux.
ultra high end reference class is the headphones i need. Headphones format needs to be IEM.

You do not, and in fact should not, pay $500+ for IEMs. I've never seen an IEM in that price range that measures better than IEMs in the $20-$50 range.

You can buy all of the Truthear Zero Red, Moondrop Chu II, and Salnotesz 7Hz Zero 2 for less than $100, all of which are exceptional IEMs, and if you want to use bluetooh, add a set of wireless bluetooth adapters for IEMs, all for half your budget, listen to all three, pick the one that sounds best to you and is most comfortable, save the others for a rainy day.

When you buy "high-end" IEMs you're not paying for sound quality or engineering, you're just paying to say "look how much I spent on my IEMs".

 

[coolkids]

I cant try/ or test chinese products and also quality is hit or miss.
i tried over the years many chinese products high end low end and i have issues quality issues they arrive broken brand new non working sometimes... i preffer to go with high end brand quality one .

 

[SuicideSquid]

I cant try/ or test chinese products and also quality is hit or miss.
i tried over the years many chinese products high end low end and i have issues quality issues they arrive broken brand new non working sometimes... i preffer to go with high end brand quality one .

You could buy 20 sets of the models I recommended and still not crack $500 and I'm willing to bet every single one would work fine. Truthear, Moondrop, and Salnotes IEMs are very popular with ASR members and I've seen no complaints of quality control issues. I own multiple IEMs from all three brands and have had no issues.

 

[propaganda1]

Upon what do you base this assertion?

Large peaks and dips in the treble, here are the frequency responses of the IEMs you recommended compared to an IEM the measures smoother in the treble.

The Zero:Red shows a large hole in the treble, Chu 2 has a huge peak. The Zero:2 is better than the other two, but has poor extension and smaller peaks and dips . These are problems that cannot be easily fixed with EQ (probably cannot be fixed, period).