Your favorite IEMs?

[RHO]

Favorite IEM: Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk.
Personally I have no issue with the big nozzles. They fit my ears perfectly.

 

[carsknivesbeer]

HAHA. I just want to make sure there is not a misunderstanding, but the mod involves cutting a piece of the stem of a tri-flange (it could be a bi-flange equally I guess) and then sticking that 3 or 4 mm stem to the nozzle of the earphone before putting it inside another eartip. It doesn't consist on converting a 3-flange into a 2-flange by cutting one of the tips. I thought from your comment you might have interpreted my post as "converting a 3-flange into a 2-flange by cutting the larger tip and then using that as a 2-flange".

The objective is basically to remove the Etymotic earphone 3 or 4 mm from your eardrum, which is supposed to increase the soundstage.

So you are just adding an extension tube between the ear tip and the shell? Is there a picture anywhere that shows this? The ER2 series has a somewhat of a greater soundstage because the driver is further back in the shell but the extension mod is new to me.

 

[AdamG]

I'm a fan as well.

Welcome Aboard @toddverrone.

 

[snowsurfer]

I need to use IEMs in summer due to heat here in Spain, and I settled for Moondrop Kanas Pro with Dekoni (non memory) foam tips. I have them EQd to Harman removing 1db from the low shelf filter (a tad less bass than standard Harman). When out and about (street, office, travel when it was a thing) I use the atrocious sounding Bose QC20, but the ANC is just too good. They are falling apart though and I dread the day when I'll have to replace them. Wondering if the Etymotics passive isolation would be enough...

 

[DanTheMan]

Etymotic isolation will surprise you. It’s better than any active I’ve heard, but I’ve only heard Sennheiser (Which seems to be best at steady-state type of noise). Etys kill all noise without discrimination.

 

[DanTheMan]

I would like to but it is impossible to find anywhere.

Sadly. They need to make a mod available. A decade ago many people were selling mimic mods and they were freely published around the web. Maybe you can do a search?... I always wanted and XR’s bass with a B’s treble.

 

[Dealux]

Sadly. They need to make a mod available. A decade ago many people were selling mimic mods and they were freely published around the web. Maybe you can do a search?... I always wanted and XR’s bass with a B’s treble.

The tuning kit can help with that. The brighter filters should bring the response closer to the original ER4B but I have yet to experiment with that. I actually sold both of my ER4 pairs. I only have the ER3XR currently.

 

[Count Arthur]

I've only had a few pairs of IEMs and I've spent slightly more each time and so far it's been a worthwile.

Soundmagic E10 - I didn't like these much, I found them too bass heavy and muddy sounding.

Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 In-Ear - I didn't like these either, same issues as the Soundmagic.

Final Audio E2000 - I find these very pleasant sounding, no real complaints, but not amazing either.

MEE Audio MX4 Pro - I like the sound of these a lot, but I could never get the right earpiece to fit very well and recently the connector to the right earpiece has started playing up and cutting out on occasion.

Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk - As RHO mentioned, I was worried about the large nozzle before buying, but having got them, with the small ear tips fitted they are the most comfortable IEMs I've tried to date and stay put nicely. I would describe the sound as very clean and refined, vocals sound really nice and there's never any harshness. The built quality is also a nice step up from the lower cost IEMs I've had, overall I'm very happy with these.

 

[jannek]

@RHO , @Count Arthur so you are both using the Blessing with the stock tips?

 

[RHO]

@RHO , @Count Arthur so you are both using the Blessing with the stock tips?

Yes, stock tips. The large ones for me. They sound amazing with those.
I've tried Spinfits too. The 155, also L size. Those sound more mid-forward and have less bass. Comfort is quite good with those, but not much better than the stock tips. I like the sound with the stock tips much better.

 

[DanTheMan]

The tuning kit can help with that. The brighter filters should bring the response closer to the original ER4B but I have yet to experiment with that. I actually sold both of my ER4 pairs. I only have the ER3XR currently.

I don’t think they’ll get you to that same balance with the filters. The 4b was done with resistance and capacitance in the cable. I used the red filter in the B to reduce the pin a gain a couple dB.

 

[Count Arthur]

@RHO , @Count Arthur so you are both using the Blessing with the stock tips?

Stock tips for me too, the smallest ones that came in the box.

 

[Blank Verse]

So you are just adding an extension tube between the ear tip and the shell? Is there a picture anywhere that shows this? The ER2 series has a somewhat of a greater soundstage because the driver is further back in the shell but the extension mod is new to me.

I haven't done this mod because I haven't received my ER2SE yet, I just read about it. Originally it was for the ER4S, but I think it should work for the ER2SE. You can read about it in the original thread. I will send you a PM because it is in a different forum. It is unclear to me whether the step might fall of the end of the new tip and cause a serious problem in your ear, but I guess the way these ear tips are made it would be very unlikely, since nobody else showed convern about that.

 

[brandall10]

Having had (and tried) a lot of IEMs over the years, I currently have the following:

Honorable mentions (both owned and borrowed from friends):

-Shure KSE1200: Easily the best technical performer, married with good but not perfect FR (great extension on both ends and lack of any kind of bothersomeness in the entire range, just as smooth as the Etymotics), although they're very tip dependent regarding to sound, only foams worked for me. Comfort was good, build quality so-so, but the whole energizer thing was such an inconvenience for a plug&play listening experience and a deal breaker for me. It clipping a lot at high volumes too, so not worthing the hassle, unless you pursuit the best technical performance with proper noise isolation.

KSE1200s are my daily drivers. Personally, I find the FR problematic and feel they're totally transformed w/ some good PEQ (I use Harman sub 1k, Oratory 1990 above). In particular, they need more sub and less mid-bass, the midrange is a bit wonky, the upper mids have s significant suckout, and then there's that 8k spike that makes certain music untenable. Included are the corrections. I just got some Buchardt A500s which we know are nearly ruler flat, and the FR is not too dissimilar to my ears.

The energizer certainly makes for a portable-but-stationary type listen, so they're only for when I'm working at home or at a cafe or something, which is about 80% of the time I listen to IEMs. Use some OG Andromedas or just APPs when out and about.

That said, I highly, highly recommend checking these out if you have access to good PEQ. I've been a head-fi member since 2003 and been to a couple canjams and have owned quite a few variations of a desktop rig that pushed $5k or so. These really are a top listen. You can get them used for about $1200-1300. Best bang-for-the-buck in audio IMO.

 

[GeorgeWalk]

I have MEE Pinnacle 1 and I like them a lot.
https://www.amazon.com/MEE-audio-Audiophile-Headphones-Detachable/dp/B01A60I4P6

 

[normanh]

The only mod I made to my ER-4P was to make custom tips from quick-setting silicone. Back then, 2005, it was a niche thing for musicians and the like and priced accordingly, but you can get a LugGuards kit for $20 these days. If you use 1/2 the amount to compensate for the nozzle displacement, block the nozzle and use a release agent, you have 6 washable tips and the most comfortable IEMs you've ever stuck in your ears. Keep you mouth wide open while they set to make them slightly bigger than your resting canal and you'll get a perfect seal, too.

 

[pwjazz]

The QKZ VK4 is a great bargain and would be my only headphone/earphone if my ears were more comfortable with IEMs in general.

To put it in perspective, here's their frequency response compared to the week regarded Blessing 2 Dusk.

 

[faheem]

The QKZ VK4 is a great bargain and would be my only headphone/earphone if my ears were more comfortable with IEMs in general.

To put it in perspective, here's their frequency response compared to the week regarded Blessing 2 Dusk.

View attachment 135148

That 8k peak may be a bit too intense. The Blessing is good, there's an old sony mh755 , think it was $6 , that garnered a cult following. If you can find them, and after a bargain, grab a pair.

 

[markanini]

I use my MH750 daily while my QKZ VK4 is collecting dust. The tips are also much better at maintaining a consistent seal.

 

[jannek]

I have been to an audiologist to get some impressions done for custom silicone tips for my Dusks. But he gave up, simply not possible. So I sold the Dusks and ordered a pair of Thieaudio Clairvoyance, which are also highly regarded, have almost the same FR as the Dusks and the nozzle is at least 5mm which is 1.5mm less. Of course double the price, but I catched fire for IEMs.
Can't wait to get them.