OK, so the framing of the question is somewhat clickbaity
More seriously though, I've been reflecting on this whilst listening on a pair of Truthear Zeros.These are tuned very close to the Harman iem target, the tonality of which I really like. I also like the fact that the tonality doesn't change if I put my glasses on, and whilst I can't measure it, I can easily adjust the seal to 'tune' the occlusion to feel neutral. Contrast my AKG 371s, the tonality of which I enjoy, but in the knowledge that a) pinna effect will add a random variable to the tonality I experience (which can admittedly be eq'd out, and b) if I put my glasses on I can kiss goodbye to any Harman curve compliance that my pinna had seen fit to tolerate.
So I suppose I end up somewhere along the lines of 'all other things being equal, IEMs are subject to less variables that can piss on one's tonal parade than headphones'. Obviously not quite the hypothesis in the post title, but as Rear Admiral Grace Hopper said it's easier to seek forgiveness than permission.
Am I missing something?
More seriously though, I've been reflecting on this whilst listening on a pair of Truthear Zeros.These are tuned very close to the Harman iem target, the tonality of which I really like. I also like the fact that the tonality doesn't change if I put my glasses on, and whilst I can't measure it, I can easily adjust the seal to 'tune' the occlusion to feel neutral. Contrast my AKG 371s, the tonality of which I enjoy, but in the knowledge that a) pinna effect will add a random variable to the tonality I experience (which can admittedly be eq'd out, and b) if I put my glasses on I can kiss goodbye to any Harman curve compliance that my pinna had seen fit to tolerate.
So I suppose I end up somewhere along the lines of 'all other things being equal, IEMs are subject to less variables that can piss on one's tonal parade than headphones'. Obviously not quite the hypothesis in the post title, but as Rear Admiral Grace Hopper said it's easier to seek forgiveness than permission.
Am I missing something?