What are your top 3 IEM ?

[markanini]

I haven't tried them all, but out of these:

Spoiler: IEMs I owned

7Hz Zero 1
Aoshida x Letshouer E20
CCA CRA rev 2
Creative EP-630
Etymotic ER4S
Etymotic HF3
Kiwi Cadenza
Koss The Plug
KZ Castor Standard
KZ D-Fi
KZ EDA Balanced
KZ EDC Pro
KZ ZST
LG Quadbeat 2
LG Quadbeat 3
LG Quadbeat 3 Tuned by AKG
Monoprice 9927
Moondrop Chu
Moondrop Lan
Moondrop Quarks DSP
Philips SHE3885
Philips SHE8105
QKZ VK4 rev 2
Samsung Tuned by AKG EO-IG955B
Sennheiser CX 1.00
Sony MDR-EX15
Sony MH1
Sony MH750
Sony MH755
Tanchjim One DSP
Tangzu Wan’er
Tin C2
Truthear Gate
Truthear Hexa
Truthear Hola
Truthear Nova
Truthear Red
Truthear Zero
VSonic GR07 Bass Edition

1. Truthear Hexa
2. Aoshida x Letshouer E20
3. KZ EDC Pro

 

[InfiniteJester]

I don't know what is going on with the EW300 DSP, but I was traveling by train while using them and I needed to check several times that the sound was coming from them and not the speaker of the phone. They don't have a soundstage like the MP145, which is like being enveloped by sound, they are weird, I'm not even sure about what kind of soundstage they have, because they sound nebulous and strange in regards to imaging and space, but many times I think that the sound is really outside, to the point that I actually check.

I was listening to this, btw:

 

[Somafunk]

I was listening to this, btw:

My condolences

 

[Jimbob54]

I don't know what is going on with the EW300 DSP, but I was traveling by train while using them and I needed to check several times that the sound was coming from them and not the speaker of the phone. They don't have a soundstage like the MP145, which is like being enveloped by sound, they are weird, I'm not even sure about what kind of soundstage they have, because they sound nebulous and strange in regards to imaging and space, but many times I think that the sound is really outside, to the point that I actually check.

I was listening to this, btw:

Sounds like one might be out of phase ? Plenty of online phase tests to check . But just reverse one of the 2 pin connectors first to do a quick check

 

[InfiniteJester]

Sounds like one might be out of phase ? Plenty of online phase tests to check . But just reverse one of the 2 pin connectors first to do a quick check

I checked, they are not out of phase.

Very crazy the effect of the guitar out of phase playing inside your head.

Online Stereo Polarity (Phase) Sound Test

Checks your loudpeakers wiring.

www.audiocheck.net

That would be an excellent trick for music production.

 

[markanini]

I checked, they are not out of phase.

Very crazy the effect of the guitar out of phase playing inside your head.

Online Stereo Polarity (Phase) Sound Test

Checks your loudpeakers wiring.

www.audiocheck.net

That would be an excellent trick for music production.

It's a common trick in music production to manipulate phase relations to convey width and space. Aside from stereo effects, its utilitarian usage is for multi-mic situations on a sound source where one mic cancels out the other mics signal, commonly this happens when mics are place on each side of a drum. Reversing the phase of one mic restores the lost frequency content.

 

[bahamot]

1. Elysian Pilgrim Noir
2. Moondrop variations
3. Truthear Zero Red

Now eyeing on Elysian Annihilator butttt my brain keeping my wallet safe for now.

 

[InfiniteJester]

It's a common trick in music production to manipulate phase relations to convey width and space. Aside from stereo effects, its utilitarian usage is for multi-mic situations on a sound source where one mic cancels out the other mics signal, commonly this happens when mics are place on each side of a drum. Reversing the phase of one mic restores the lost frequency content.

Yes, I have recorded music, I know that you should avoid phase cancellations. I was talking about forcing phase "issues" to cause the weird effect of the guitar in the test I mentioned earlier. Could be interesting if you use it with some sense and taste for programmatic reasons.

 

[majingotan]

1. Elysian Pilgrim Noir
2. Moondrop variations
3. Truthear Zero Red

Now eyeing on Elysian Annihilator butttt my brain keeping my wallet safe for now.

Annihilator 2023 builds on the tonality of Pilgrim Noir. Definitely one of the top IEMs for me as well

 

[Mr Vinyl]

Tanchjim Zero and Pandamon v1. I tend to look for balanced and neutral sound with open back (Pandamon) or poor noise isolation (I need to hear my surroundings). The Pandamon has the better resolution of the two. I had the Salnotes Zero, but returned them due to the highs sounding strange - like a low resolution compared to the rest of the frequencies.

 

[bahamot]

Annihilator 2023 builds on the tonality of Pilgrim Noir. Definitely one of the top IEMs for me as well

View attachment 393124
View attachment 393125

If you rate annihilator as 10, what's the rate for pilgrim noir?

 

[Phorize]

1) Blessing 3
2) TE Zero Red
3) MD Kato

Comfort is as big a factor as sound so for me the Blessing is #1-best of both worlds for me, comfort is good considering fairly deep insertion and perceived isolation best of the 3. Red sounds great with HF nearly as good as Blessing, not quite as comfortable. Kato is extremely comfortable due to shallow insertion and I don't eq it at all-mainly used for audiobooka in bed. If I had to pick just one I'd be torn between the blessing and the kato, but blessing would win out just on subjective preference.

 

[majingotan]

If you rate annihilator as 10, what's the rate for pilgrim noir?

It would be a 8.5/10 for me. Treble subjective quality is the biggest difference between the two IEMs

 

[sulfuriq]

1. Hidizs MP145
2. Simgot HBB EW300
3. Moondrop CHU II DSP

Still loves my old KZ AS10 and KZ A16 Pro running on FreeDSP Cable.

 

[herr.jemine]

currently:

1. Sennheiser IE 600
2. Topping ArpegEar Hane
3. Simgot EW300 DSP

 

[muza_1]

Updated.

1. Kefine Delci (modded, replaced filters with the KZ Castor ones)
2. KZ Saga Balanced
3. TRN Orca

Honorable mentions Truthear Zero: RED (with adapter or EQed for more bass) and KZ Saga Bass Enhanced.

 

[DS_Construct]

1. Thieaudio Prestige LTD
2. Aroma Thunder
3. Dita Perpetua

 

[soundofsingle]

1)Meze Advar
2)Shure SE 535
3)Fatman Fatfones in-Ear DJ

 

[ears-of-steel]

Single driver preference (DD/BA) here ...

1. iBasso 3T-154 ... transparent, natural, detailed w. amazing spatial reproduction
2. NiceHCK Himalaya ... somewhat similar w. stronger bass but less detailed/airy
... both w. modded nozzles on very low imp. cables & DACs/amps
3. Etymotic ER4XR ... I don't leave home without them ... ever