Please recommend a balanced IEM specifically for the Metal Genres

[BasalGanglia]

I currenty have the Hiby R3 Pro Saber but have just been using standard earphones using the 3.5mm jack. I have just ordered the Hiby R3 II, which has a balanced 4.44mm output. So I wanted to buy a decent pair of balanced earphones that can be used in that port.

I mostly listen to various Metal genres such as Thrash, Death, Melodic Death, Industrial, Metal Core etc so looking for somthing punchy. I was currently using Sony earphones with extra bass (Don't know the model number) and whilst they sound nice and punchy, the quality isn't very good. I have tried more expensive standard earphones that had good reviews but found them to lack bass and therefore sound rubbish for the music I listen to.

My mate suggested the Fiio FH9 but that is out of my budget. The FH7s is £300 in the UK so considering those. I could alwatys go sencond hand though. Would these be good of the genre that I listed to. Does anyone have any other (preferably cheaper) options so look into?

Thanks

 

[Dunring]

For metal the Simgot EA500 or 7hz Salnotes Zero:2 are my favorites.

 

[ZolaIII]

Hidizs MP145 IEM Review

This is a review, listening tests, EQ and detailed measurements of the Hidizs MP145. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $150. The immediate impression of the shells is one of jewelry with its machined aluminum case. As you see, the included cable has 4.4mm balanced connection even...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[markanini]

Depends if you listen to big label or smaller label stuff. Truthear Red is a more forgiving allrounder. For better recorded stuff Moondrop Lan scratches that itch for me, and is still very crankable, but improves more with EQ, so skip if you don't EQ.

 

[IAtaman]

What makes an IEM more suitable for metal?

 

[Vincent Kars]

What makes an IEM more suitable for metal?

Low on distortion...

 

[Chromatischism]

What makes an IEM more suitable for metal?

Balanced frequency response, tasteful bass boost preferred, but one that doesn't bleed into the lower midrange. You're basically listening to pink noise, so you won't tolerate brightness or thinness for long. And you'll notice tonality issues right away.

Top contenders will be:

Moondrop Blessing 2: Dusk
Softears Studio 4
Binary Acoustics x Gizaudio Chopin
Kiwi Ears Quintet
Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite
AFUL Acoustics Performer 5
Tangzu Wu Heydey Edition
Truthear x Crinacle Zero: Red
7Hz x Crinacle Salnotes Zero 2

 

[InfiniteJester]

What makes an IEM more suitable for metal?

I'm a metalhead, and something that it is very hard to endure when listening to metal is an excess of treble.

A warm/dark IEM would perform better, I believe, for this genre.

You would prefer a bright IEM to listen to classical music, for example.

 

[ZolaIII]

I'm a metalhead, and something that it is very hard to endure when listening to metal is an excess of treble.

A warm/dark IEM would perform better, I believe, for this genre.

You would prefer a bright IEM to listen to classical music, for example.

Very fast especially in lows, precise to the target and with very low THD so that you can EQ it further more. I already gave direct proposal and as requested balanced and according to the budget.

 

[olieb]

You would prefer a bright IEM to listen to classical music, for example.

I would not agree. Vast amounts of sub bass might not be necessary in most classical music, but I would very much expect that the right amount of treble is in the recording (why would recording engineers attenuate treble on a regular basis for classical?) and therefore I would prefer a natural balance instead of "brightness".

 

[InfiniteJester]

I would not agree. Vast amounts of sub bass might not be necessary in most classical music, but I would very much expect that the right amount of treble is in the recording (why would recording engineers attenuate treble on a regular basis for classical?) and therefore I would prefer a natural balance instead of "brightness".

I have recorded multiple albums of classical music, mainly piano, but also orchestra. I have produced at least six albums before recording them myself, so I have dealt with a number of "professionals".

I have also recorded, mixed and mastered at least 20 non-classical albums.

Most "recording engineers" just don't do a good enough job. At least here in my country. The microphones and/or the rooms tend to lower highs and "engineers" either don't equalize the recordings or they equalize them in a very weird manner with elevated bass and low mids, as if they were dealing with classical rock.

Obviously, this won't apply if you only go for the best produced and most modern albums. But if you want to listen to the albums of the people that you know, and I know hundreds of classically trained musicians that are always begging for my attention, or older recordings, you probably won't be satisfied with a balanced tuning.

But the situation may improve. Until very recently, metal was always brick-walled, but in the last few years metal has more dynamic range than pop.

PS: Pianist are the worst at recording their music. They have sent me mono recordings, something that they accomplished with TWO mics, asking for help to improve the "deepness" of sound. Not even joking, sadly.

 

[Chromatischism]

Can always use EQ to raise the highs on a known good IEM rather than looking for another.

 

[SteveL]

As a serious amateur classical musician and avid music listener I want the most neutral and accurate transducer I can get, and I have that for just $20 with the 7hz Salnotes Zero. Most commercial classical recordings have been of excellent quality for years and nowadays there are also exceptionally high quality streams like the Berlin Philharmonic Digital Concert Hall. With such sources a neutral transducer gives an almost uncanny sense of being in a good seat in the concert hall, with instrumental and vocal timbres sounding entirely natural. The price for that is that bad recordings will sound bad. So be it.

 

[Chromatischism]

As a serious amateur classical musician and avid music listener I want the most neutral and accurate transducer I can get, and I have that for just $20 with the 7hz Salnotes Zero. Most commercial classical recordings have been of excellent quality for years and nowadays there are also exceptionally high quality streams like the Berlin Philharmonic Digital Concert Hall. With such sources a neutral transducer gives an almost uncanny sense of being in a good seat in the concert hall, with instrumental and vocal timbres sounding entirely natural. The price for that is that bad recordings will sound bad. So be it.

I agree, if we want realism (don't we all?) we need neutral.

I would check out the Salnotes Zero 2; the original was a little on the bright side, similar to the original Truthear Zero. You could of course EQ your way there as well.

 

[SteveL]

I agree, if we want realism (don't we all?) we need neutral.

I would check out the Salnotes Zero 2; the original was a little on the bright side, similar to the original Truthear Zero. You could of course EQ your way there as well.

The Salnotes is virtually perfect for me out of the box (I just take 4 kHz down by 2 dB with a graphic equalizer but the effect is very subtle). That may be because I'm 68 years old; on the other hand Jaakko Pasanen gives it a considerably higher compliance score than the Zero 2.

 

[Chromatischism]

on the other hand Jaakko Pasanen gives it a considerably higher compliance score than the Zero 2.

He only provides a tool that tracks compliance to Harman IE 2019. He doesn't make assertions as to whether Harman IE 2019 is the best (consensus is that it is brighter than neutral and needs refinement).

The Salnotes is virtually perfect for me out of the box (I just take 4 kHz down by 2 dB with a graphic equalizer but the effect is very subtle).

Exactly

Though we could argue about how subtle that would be. I had to take 3-5 dB out of the Truthear Zero but it is more egregious in its response than the original 7Hz Salnotes Zero. This experience has led me down the path of finding balanced earphones and the above list is what I've come up with. I'll end up picking one before long to test. What's slowing me down is that my Truthear Zeros sound excellent now so the only reason I would try something new would be 1) fit and 2) curiosity, the "what if" factor.