What IEMs do you consider significantly better than the beloved Truthear Zero IEMs?

[brandall10]

I'd go with a quite wide budget of less than 2000 USD/EUR. I'd really love to know if I can get some real improvements from other brands.

I use KSE-1200s as my daily drivers when I'm stationed for awhile. It's a 'system', not just IEMs, as they're electrostats and need an amp.

Frequency response is terrible, as it is with electrostats in general, but they take EQ well and I have them set to some Harman-esque variant posted by oratory. I do have a pair of Truthears, as well had a pair of Monarch Mk-IIs which are probably the most notable kilobuck Harman champs, as well as many IEMs over the years - starting from Ety-ER4ps 20 years ago, to shure e500s, Roxanne customs, etc. Been to 2 LA CanJams and heard quite a few very $$ rigs although in terrible conditions. Have Buchardt A500s as a home system.

EQ'ed, the KSEs are the best I've heard by a decent margin. They're incredible.

AFA cost, they're $2000 new, got mine open box for about $1600 - occasionally see them go as cheap as $1200 on the used market.

 

[ehabheikal]

There's too much bias put on raw FR and conformance to a target eq. I want a good low distortion iem with fast settling time and good impulse response as well as easy to handle and offering good fit.

The 'who matches the curve best' game is dull, it only tells you broad strokes.

The trueears have quite decent distortion

 

[redeyes]

Can you hear it? Otherwise it doesn't matter one bit.

 

[sejarzo]

FWIW, a key part of the Harman target for IEMs sounds exactly the way it looks to me: the broad peak centered near 3kHz, taken to that extreme, sounds like obvious and unpleasant coloration. I don't how how they came up with that.

I have some Truthear Zeros, and they're a big bang for the buck if you can EQ them, but I like my various Etymotics better, though their fit is tight and fatiguing. Ideally, even Etymotics need a little less 3kHz boost, for me.

Same here. I use convolver .wavs from various sources that are supposed to EQ to Harman for both IEMs and over-ears, but then I usually find myself using MathAudio Headphone EQ in Foobar to bring down that region and tame the highs when listening to typical (poorly mastered) pop recordings. I find that well recorded acoustic/orchestral music only needs this perhaps 25% of the time.

Filter 1: Peak, 3200 Hz,-2.0 dB, Q=1.2
Filter 2: High Shelf, 6800 Hz, -3.0 dB, Q=1.0

 

[Multicore]

Truthear Zero is excessively bright. Relative to all my other 'phones, IEMs and speakers it doesn't make sense how bright it is.

Etymotic sounds good.

 

[markanini]

Truthear Zero is excessively bright. Relative to all my other 'phones, IEMs and speakers it doesn't make sense how bright it is.

Etymotic sounds good.

Has anyone that likes Etymotics tried EQing a shallow insertion IEMs to their curve? I suspect the reduced psi of shallow insertion will make the 3kHz ear gain resonate too much.

 

[Bam!]

Etymotic 2,3,4
IE 300, IE 600
Fiio FH7(s), FD5, FH5

All are (much) more expensive than the Zeros, and if you value matching a particular target curve more than anything else, they are almost all worse than the Zeros. In the last couple of days I listened for hours with the IE 300 and the Zeros. I do prefer the IE 300. Comfort and SQ.

The FH7 is one of my favorites and I love the sound even if one can measure a "gap". To me they sound spot on. Maybe I am totally wrong but it is my believe that FQ measurements (esp for IEMs) are not the holy grail many people believe it to be.

 

[Nango]

Truthear Zero is excessively bright. Relative to all my other 'phones, IEMs and speakers it doesn't make sense how bright it is.

Etymotic sounds good.

Try playing with different tips for taming that brightness.

 

[buz]

Galaxy buds 2. Small, no cable, mildly effective ANC.

 

[DS_Construct]

I am a fan of the Thieaudio lineup. You can start on their low end and get a good sounding and quality built IEM. My first forage into Thieaudio was the V14 and it took my breath away Just like the AKG k3003 did the first time I heard it. My next purchase was the Clairvoyance and I highly recommend it. At some point, I will add a Monarch MK2 to my short list. Take care.

 

[don'ttrustauthority]

I'm quite new to IEMs and like some of you I begin my journey from truthear zero, 70 dollar IEMs that I really like. I was just wondering where to go next. As I find using IEMs can be very convenient in work and life so I've decided to increase my number of IEMs within reach. I bought some Chinese brand IEMs but I can't get much difference from my zeros with EQ.

By "go next" I mean to buy a new pair of IEMs, which can be "significantly better" than Truthear Zero. I'd go with a quite wide budget of less than 2000 USD/EUR. I'd really love to know if I can get some real improvements from other brands. If it's just a little bit better or just going different in the preference of measured FR like the new Chinese IEMs I bought after the zero then I'll not bother, better to EQ my existed IEMs instead for free then. Thank you!

I don't think there is "significantly better" as IEMs measure so closely together that you really don't get much objective improvement for your added dollars.

Crinacle has a planar out for $100 - Salnotes Dioko - that has a boring sound signature, but is more detailed and balanced than the TruthEar Zero at $50.

I prefer the Zero with it's "subwoofer" like bass, and "analog" sound. I think that technically the planar is superior, but it just didn't grab me when listening to music in the same way. Still, Dioko is a great value for $100. Comes with a carry case you can put a high quality DAP in (my old 160 fits in it) with the IEMs, chips, and toss in a suitcase safely. Portable system in tiny box.

I may sell the Dioko and try the 7 Hz Timeless that is hyped.

 

[Jimbob54]

IEMs measure so closely together

You reckon?

 

[don'ttrustauthority]

That's quite poetic because the Samsung IEM doesn't follow the Harman IE target.

I do not believe it is 'follow' you are looking for. Instead, I believe, it is 'adhere to' that you want.

 

[lashto]

I'm quite new to IEMs and like some of you I begin my journey from truthear zero, 70 dollar IEMs that I really like. I was just wondering where to go next. As I find using IEMs can be very convenient in work and life so I've decided to increase my number of IEMs within reach. I bought some Chinese brand IEMs but I can't get much difference from my zeros with EQ.

By "go next" I mean to buy a new pair of IEMs, which can be "significantly better" than Truthear Zero. I'd go with a quite wide budget of less than 2000 USD/EUR. I'd really love to know if I can get some real improvements from other brands. If it's just a little bit better or just going different in the preference of measured FR like the new Chinese IEMs I bought after the zero then I'll not bother, better to EQ my existed IEMs instead for free then. Thank you!

Truthear's new HOLA has ~the same Harman tunning and a bigger driver with less distortion (according to manufacturer measurements, see linked thread). It's also much cheaper.
Sounds like a win to me...

 

[staticV3]

Truthear's new HOLA has ~the same Harman tunning

It's not Harman tuned and neither does Truthear claim it is:


Instead, they clearly write how they targeted IEF Neutral:

 

[markanini]

I haven't heard Truthear Zero in person. But EQ-ing my Kiwi Cadenza to Harman 2019, a target Zero measures close to, sounds worse to me on most songs. The Cadenza is a $35 set. It looks like a warm tilted Harman 2019 on a graph.

 

[Nango]

I'm quite new to IEMs and like some of you I begin my journey from truthear zero, 70 dollar IEMs that I really like. I was just wondering where to go next. As I find using IEMs can be very convenient in work and life so I've decided to increase my number of IEMs within reach. I bought some Chinese brand IEMs but I can't get much difference from my zeros with EQ.

By "go next" I mean to buy a new pair of IEMs, which can be "significantly better" than Truthear Zero. I'd go with a quite wide budget of less than 2000 USD/EUR. I'd really love to know if I can get some real improvements from other brands. If it's just a little bit better or just going different in the preference of measured FR like the new Chinese IEMs I bought after the zero then I'll not bother, better to EQ my existed IEMs instead for free then. Thank you!

I think this could be the "name of the game" Trurhears' trying. First flooding the mkt with a decent IEM with a marketing bid and low cost and after that placing the next IEM at higher cost with more or less identical innards but hey, "If one pays more, it will (automatically) sound better"-approach. I am fine with the Zero and better tips, good VFM.

 

[Jimbob54]

I think this could be the "name of the game" Trurhears' trying. First flooding the mkt with a decent IEM with a marketing bid and low cost and after that placing the next IEM at higher cost with more or less identical innards but hey, "If one pays more, it will (automatically) sound better"-approach. I am fine with the Zero and better tips, good VFM.

Except they went from Zero price, up to $80 Hexa and now down to $20 with the Hola.

 

[markanini]

Except they went from Zero price, up to $80 Hexa and now down to $20 with the Hola.

Judging by the graphs Hexa is a detail oriented set, Hola is a wamth oriented set. I'm noting a lack of hype for sets that are all rounders at the moment. 7Hz Salnotes Zero and Tangzu Wan'er would be two still popular sub $25 sets to fulfil that need. I kind of split the difference with my Kiwi Cadenza, and payed a little more for it, $35.

I think it was worth the extra $10-15 for the extra tips it provides, but fit hasn't been a given for me in past purchases.

 

[Leiker535]

I think this could be the "name of the game" Trurhears' trying. First flooding the mkt with a decent IEM with a marketing bid and low cost and after that placing the next IEM at higher cost with more or less identical innards but hey, "If one pays more, it will (automatically) sound better"-approach. I am fine with the Zero and better tips, good VFM.

Quite on the contrary. I think the Chinese iem market now is a race to the bottom. They've realized how good well tuned cheap iems sell and so are exploring the sub 100 dollar bracket extensively.

Even more: truthears take with the Hexa, for example, is to mimick a much more expensive iem (blessing 2) just by cloning its FR. In the end, they went with the "pay less for more" and had huge success with it.