84% think they are great, 11% think they are fine, 95%, that is an overwhelming number from people who appreciate objectively good sound. So, you are more than likely to recover from whatever mistake you made that lead you to not getting a great experience with those.
And how many of those voting have actually even heard them?
Most of the votes on ASR reviews are done by people based on reading the review and looking at the graphs, not because they actually own the things. Many commenters here think actually owning or listening to the thing is unnecessary in any case, use of their fallible earthly senses would only possibly compromise their objectivity.
Some of this stuff may be good, some of it may be terrible. But either way, most voting haven't heard it.
I don't think this is a bad IEM, either, although it does seem to have some QC, unit variance and channel imbalance issues. I have this opinion owning the thing, I don't vote on ASR polls on stuff I haven't heard. (Voting "fine", disregarding price, if I was considering the price, I think it could be "great".) I think I'm an outlier here, many will argue blue in the face in the threads about stuff they are proud to admin they have never heard. You cannot make any logical conclusion from the votes on an ASR review because on most, the voters haven't heard the item and they are just expressing their agreement with the review.
While I do think it is a very good IEM, and especially for $50, I'm not totally on board with the circlejerk that IEMs are now dead as the Truthear Zero is "objectively" better than anything else in existence. Someone isn't "mistaken" if they don't particularly like these, they just don't particularly like them. Several people find them shouty or bright. Maybe they are shouty? Having said that, it is a good idea with something new, particularly if it has a signature you are not used to, to try to acclimate to it over a period of time, you may find you come to like it. So good point there.
Interesting comment, I have a question, not just about those particular IEM, in this thread, all IEM in general. If I understand your post, you are saying that insertion depth will affect the frequency we hear, much more than the IEM actual FR, if this is the case, is it just not easy for every one to insert those IEM, just so they sound great to them.
Insertion depth does significantly affect frequency response, primarily in relation to the insertion resonance, which is conventionally placed at 8kHz on graphs but on most people, with most IEMs, is probably lower than this, mine is usually around 7.5kHz with most IEMs, but it can go to 9kHz or higher with IEMs I specifically try to get a deep insertion with (like the Sony IER-Z1R). Many have much lower than this,
Oluv of Oluv's Gadgets for example did a poll of his viewers where most got between 6-7kHz. Deeper insertion will move the resonance higher. This is one of the big advantages of Etymotic, their
very deep insertion pushes this very far up (and also reduces it) where to many people it will be less apparent.
It does make a big difference to IEM tonality. You can find your own resonance using a
tone generator, just sweep up and find the peak around 6-8kHz, it should be pretty apparent. Then when you have found the peak, with the tone still playing, push your IEM in a bit- and you'll find the tone immediately gets much quieter. If you hold it in that position, you can sweep up and you'll find your insertion resonance has moved higher. This is very easy to test for yourself without any measuring rig because it's not a remotely subtle effect, it's very obvious.
This is my Zero (Right, Moondrop Spring Tips) with a "standard" 8kHz insertion and also a shallow and deep insertion, you can see how the insertion resonance moves and the effect it has on the rest of the FR. Medium on 8kHz and deep, a different (large) tip for the shallow insertion, so as to still get a seal.
No alignment:
Aligned at 500Hz:
H