A4s

Worth is subjective to you and how much you make and where you are willing to spend, I started with ZS10s went to Aretes, quickly jumped up to hype 4s from there and loved every jump, I just now recently got my endgame pair being monarch mk4s and to me they were worth it, but for others I would likely recommend that $400 range being a good stopping point because of diminishing returns, yes my MM4s sound incredible but $750 more incredible than hype 4s? Probably not for most. I want the most I can get out of this hobby/experience and I also love being able to share that with others as most people will never experience true hifi

Also, 64 Audio's impression approval process can be brutal. I was fully prepared to get a set of A4S made and had an impression appointment created with an audiologist. 4 acquaintances have tried and spent a ton of time getting impressions taken and retaken. 2 of them gave up and got a refund from 64 after being rejected 4-5 times. The other two got approved on the 2nd and 3rd attempt. If you have semi normal ear canals and can tip roll easily, stick with universals and buy used or be able to sell.

64 Audio A18t. Second best is the A4s if you need something cheaper

A4s is better. A18t is obviously the best but A4s is next best. I doubt anyone in this entire subreddit has used custom IEMs that cost thousands of dollars so they talk out their ass.

I tend to work on my near field monitors but if I were going to use a pair of IEMs they'd be the 64 Audio 4S or 6S.

A4 customs. Again I don’t use IEMs for monitoring/mixing… I don’t really recommend it. But I wouldn’t get IEMs that aren’t custom fit. I don’t buy used monitors. But that’s me.

I think you're misinterpreting my statements. The first purpose of IEMs is not for control room work... I play drums, I do VO .... There are other applications than mixing and mastering for which IEMs are well suited. Others (almost everyone else who has replied) have also pointed this out to you in one form or another: There are numerous reasons to use near field monitors in mixing and mastering. Not only because large drivers and amplifiers will always be capable of a flatter response than IEMs, but it's also about how differently spatial imaging is represented by open air monitors vs. IEMs/headphones. You could give me a $50 million pair of IEMs designed by god himself, and I would still use near fields or mains to mix and master, and IEMs while tracking my own vocals, instruments, whatever. Physics is physics. Any IEM you can buy in any price range will always be less transparent than best-in-class open air near fields, mid fields or mains. **But your precondition is that you want to use IEMs anyway (hence, why I said "that's just me")**... so, setting aside the "why" and respecting that requirement, **\*\*\*IF\*\*\*** I were going to use IEMs for it, the 64 Audio A4s is probably the bare minimum of where I would start.

Correct. That’s what I’m saying.

I use Audio 64 4s IEMs. And this Rolls amp, which incidentally was my idea. https://preview.redd.it/20cf3k81tc4g1.jpeg?width=298&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=193a681ba263edbf0ef44546ea0317b2dac80cfd

we've made a semi-open back IEM called Duo, but it has since been discontinued. A very warm tone, with a fairly laid back pinna gain. Something that may interest you is our IEMs that are built with the interchangeable apex modules. You can go from the m20 modules which is almost fully occluded to something like our mX modules which really feels and sounds like an open back when you're wearing and listening to them.

That’s 64 audio’s whole thing. They built a port with filters into their iems. Essentially acts like having a molded earplug with set db filters (believe they have 12, 15, 20, and solid) that passes signal through it.

If you don't practice with IEMs, it would be better to not play with them either. The difference in volume perception, cue mix, and dealing with human interactions is pretty significant compared to the relative ease of sliding down your 'phones. Side note: most people see the visual cue of 'headphones on' and hold back on coming up to the booth - not so with IEMs. They just don't see them! I'm fortunate to have universal ear holes ?!!! so my set of 64Audio are great. Tried the Sennheiser HD-25 and they're good, also but actually did hurt my ears after a long gig. They also seemed to be tuned to clip certain frequencies but that could have just been my perception, Found that the bass was almost always too rich, when I really needed the mids to be in my sweet spot. The other gotcha with wearing IEMs, whether you get a custom fit or get away with the universal fits, is that you have to absolutely know, trust and believe in your FOH music management. You obviously don't need a booming booth monitor but if you're also controlling your own FOH on the fly, IEMs are not good for keeping your overall volume balanced. If you have to manage your own sound, I wouldn't trust my IEMs to not get in the way.