Looking for good IEM's that fit the following criteria:

[captainhook]

- high resolution
- well responding to EQ's
- durable (I want them to last)
- non proprietary cables (fitting standard MMCX or 2 pin cables, not recessed or similar - I want to be able to swap cables without having to select only a few specific ones)
- the nozzle should not be too wide (not as wide as a Blessing 2's etc.)
- less than 1k USD

Do you think of anything fitting these criteria? Would be great. I currently use S12's, Olina's as well as MeeAudio Pinacle's.

Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[eboleyn]

I'm pretty happy with my Shure SE-846's. The current/new model is "SE-846 Pro Gen 2".

They are pretty durable and long-lasting, use MMCX connectors (I changed out to a balanced cable easily enough).

Awesome clarity, they are often called "neutral" in reviews, but I like that. Having said that, they come with swappable physical tuning filters which mess with the sound profile a bit.

I generally use them without EQ due to those swappable filters, and I'm pretty happy with the results. I *did* try to use EQ on them and generally found them working well with that, though when I played around with extreme EQ for fun at one point, boosting the sub-bass a lot led to recognizable distortion coming in, but it was really over the top, so I think that's a nit... plus I could feel the pressure in my ears, so it wasn't a good idea anyway, haha.

Really, the only complaint I have for them is that they are very sensitive plus have a low impedance dip in the upper frequencies, and that means if you want the ultimate in sound clarity you need a good headphone amp. I've had good success both with the E1DA balanced dongle (~$110-ish including shipping) and with the Topping A50s, but you could probably go cheaper on that latter and get great results. Both had true balanced amps to get that low impedance dip fully stereo separated, but I'm probably going overkill there.

 

[fieldcar]

Just stick with the Olinas and start EQ'ing.

I wish I didn't waste so much time and money on worrying about what IEM to buy next. They all have the same universal flaw of ear canal resonance (that 8KHz peak). If you must buy something, the Blessing 2 dusk will require little to no EQ.

Squiglink - IEM frequency response database by Super* Review

Compare hundreds of frequency response graphs between IEMs and earphones from manufacturers like Moondrop, Sony, 64 Audio, Fiio, and more.

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[12Many]

I have tried many from the $50 up and have been pleased with with the blessing dusk. Well below you budget so you may want more. I have considered and have been shopping in the up to $700 range and have been happy enough with the dusks to not buy anything else. There are small improvements at upper price ranges. The Duna SA6 looked interesting too. I have been told that the S8 may not be worth the extra price over the dusks, but have not listened myself.

 

[304290]

While I have not heard the dusk, I did just recently sell my blessing 2. And I can say the s8 is a significant step up from the blessing 2. Even eq'ed with the same bass shelf as the dusk, the s8 is pretty big upgrade. That's really saying something since I did really like an eq'ed blessing 2. In comparison to the s8, the b2 sounds shouty, thin midbass(even when eq'ed). You can hear the separation of the bass to the mids when eq'ed, not as noticeable stock. They sounded like a nice bookshelf speaker with an integrated sub, while the s8 sounds like a complete full range speaker that extends low with a nice punch.

The mids sound more natural on the s8 as well, though this is where the b2 comes closest. The treble really stills the show with the s8 vs the b2. More resolution and realism while the b2 treble sounds grainy in comparison. I'm not an s8 fanboy. This is just in comparison to the b2. The s8 has been getting little time since my sony m9 has been here, but those don't check all of your boxes.

 

[12Many]

While I have not heard the dusk, I did just recently sell my blessing 2. And I can say the s8 is a significant step up from the blessing 2. Even eq'ed with the same bass shelf as the dusk, the s8 is pretty big upgrade. That's really saying something since I did really like an eq'ed blessing 2. In comparison to the s8, the b2 sounds shouty, thin midbass(even when eq'ed). You can hear the separation of the bass to the mids when eq'ed, not as noticeable stock. They sounded like a nice bookshelf speaker with an integrated sub, while the s8 sounds like a complete full range speaker that extends low with a nice punch.

The mids sound more natural on the s8 as well, though this is where the b2 comes closest. The treble really stills the show with the s8 vs the b2. More resolution and realism while the b2 treble sounds grainy in comparison. I'm not an s8 fanboy. This is just in comparison to the b2. The s8 has been getting little time since my sony m9 has been here, but those don't check all of your boxes.

NOOOOOO. Now you are making me want to try the S8. I think you would like the B2D better than the B2, but it is only a change in base and treble and not an overall SQ improvement. Thanks for your input - it is a great comparison. I so wish there was a way to listen to these without buying. I know I can return them, but I don't like doing that, particularly for IEMs.