How to Choose IEMs for:
Noisy public transit commuting(According to Reddit)
Who is this for?
Daily commuters on buses, trains, or subways who want to block out the world.
Unique demands
Environmental noise masks specific frequencies; the IEM must have enough isolation and bass 'oomph' to compensate for the noisy transit floor.
- High passive isolation
- Dynamic driver (DD) bass impact
- Durability for daily travel
Prioritize
Passive isolation (e.g., Etymotic style): blocking out the chatter of other passengers and engine drone is the first step to a good commute mix
V-shaped or bass-heavy tuning: low-frequency engine rumble masks bass; a boosted low-end is necessary to sound 'balanced' in a noisy environment
Deprioritize
Planar drivers (for bass): planar bass often lacks the 'slam' needed to overcome the physical vibrations of a bus or train engine
Open-back or semi-open designs: these leak sound to other passengers and let in too much environmental noise
