Do premium IEMs sound better than entry level ones?

[Phorize]

In personally prefer my Blessing 3s with a bass shelf because they are nicely made, isolate really well and are extremely comfortable for me. I don't see any obvious sound quality differences though compared to cheaper iems such as the Truthear ones.

 

[Ype]

It depends.
I think a better question would be: by what mechanism could a premium IEM sound better?

We got frequency response measurements, we can look at distortion and we all have the ability to EQ bass and treble to taste.
This would have to be done, regardless of the price of the IEMs, as people have different preferences.
For the top end I'd experiment with shelf filters before trying individual filters and luckily all of this can be ABX'ed quite easily.

This leaves the wildcards: comfort, seal, fit and insertion depth.
Why would a more expensive IEM fit better other then random chance unless they make a mold specifically for our ears?

Perhaps I am behind the times and I missing something, but that is all I know.
This is not to discredit any positive experience with more expensive IEMs and I very happy to hear you are all enjoying what you have.

 

[HalSF]

Especially with IEMs it’s become treacherous to apply audiophile price-correlates-to-sound-quality descriptors like “entry-level” and “premium.” That value system is in tatters.

 

[muza_1]

Also thinking that most expensive sets are either more comfortable and/or better built is a wrong notion in today's market, forums are full of mid-priced+ sets with quality control issues or failing, it might even be more percentage in proportion to low-cost sets. They might have "better" accessories but tips, cases and cables are quite cheap to justify the premium as for the flashy box some might care or even like it but still is just a box.

As for comfort expensive sets tend to be hybrids for the most part so bigger shells and in some cases bigger nozzles and heavier.

Personally I think price is just part of the marketing at this point.

 

[Jiraya369]

It depends.
I think a better question would be: by what mechanism could a premium IEM sound better?

We got frequency response measurements, we can look at distortion and we all have the ability to EQ bass and treble to taste.
This would have to be done, regardless of the price of the IEMs, as people have different preferences.
For the top end I'd experiment with shelf filters before trying individual filters and luckily all of this can be ABX'ed quite easily.

This leaves the wildcards: comfort, seal, fit and insertion depth.
Why would a more expensive IEM fit better other then random chance unless they make a mold specifically for our ears?

Perhaps I am behind the times and I missing something, but that is all I know.
This is not to discredit any positive experience with more expensive IEMs and I very happy to hear you are all enjoying what you have.

paradoxically, more expensive stuff is usually less comfortable due to massive, heavy shells as a result of hybrid multi driver implementations. They are contoured and stuff but single DD iems are lighter, smaller and can also be contoured. There's also the fact that weirdly enough, stuff like the Gate has less distortion than the U12T for example, though both are far beyond human audibility thresholds in normal levels I think.

Not to mention the fact that for some reason more expensive iems and stuff just chase the weirdest FR possible and that somehow becomes their main selling point in places like head-fi.

 

[Sebby]

paradoxically, more expensive stuff is usually less comfortable due to massive, heavy shells as a result of hybrid multi driver implementations. They are contoured and stuff but single DD iems are lighter, smaller and can also be contoured. There's also the fact that weirdly enough, stuff like the Gate has less distortion than the U12T for example, though both are far beyond human audibility thresholds in normal levels I think.

Not to mention the fact that for some reason more expensive iems and stuff just chase the weirdest FR possible and that somehow becomes their main selling point in places like head-fi.

Why Head-Fi?
If you look at the FR of something like the Dita Project M, for example, you’d probably think it’s awful, yet it’s one of my favorite IEMs. Sennheiser IE 600?
I don’t see the problem with appreciating different sound signatures. They’re often expensive IEMs, sure, but that’s normal when you’re targeting a niche audience. There’s also the comfort factor, the aesthetic factor… and it’s not true that expensive IEMs are usually more uncomfortable, otherwise I wouldn’t use them.

That doesn’t mean cheaper IEMs can’t sound great.
I personally own three IEMs under €30 that I really enjoy, but saying that expensive IEMs or headphones don’t make sense just puts you on the same level as Head-Fi, where the dogma is "the more it costs, the better it is".

Not everything has to follow Harman target curve, and not everything has to be made of plastic.

 

[Jiraya369]

Why Head-Fi?
If you look at the FR of something like the Dita Project M, for example, you’d probably think it’s awful, yet it’s one of my favorite IEMs. Sennheiser IE 600?
I don’t see the problem with appreciating different sound signatures. They’re often expensive IEMs, sure, but that’s normal when you’re targeting a niche audience. There’s also the comfort factor, the aesthetic factor… and it’s not true that expensive IEMs are usually more uncomfortable, otherwise I wouldn’t use them.

That doesn’t mean cheaper IEMs can’t sound great.
I personally own three IEMs under €30 that I really enjoy, but saying that expensive IEMs or headphones don’t make sense just puts you on the same level as Head-Fi, where the dogma is "the more it costs, the better it is".

Not everything has to follow Harman target curve, and not everything has to be made of plastic.

prolly hrtf, loads of placebo/bias or no point of reference.

 

[Sebby]

Probabilmente si tratta di terapia ormonale sostitutiva, con un forte effetto placebo/distorsioni cognitive oppure senza un punto di riferimento.

Ok, lol