64 Audio - N8 CIEM

I used these for 6 years before I got some custom molded IEM’s from 64audio. IEM’s are insane but expensive unfortunately. If someone’s on a budget the 990’s are a solid option too

I wouldn't say that IEMs are inherently a better medium than headphones. My biggest takeaway from using both for so many years is that IEMs are much easier to tune and much easier to keep consistent for users. IEMs can use multiple drives and crossovers to perfect a tuning. Headphones seems to have so many more variables. From baffles materials, driver shapes, chassis shapes and materials and PADS (MY GOD THE PADS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO GET RIGHT) that it feels like the chances of success are so much smaller. My favorite IEMs are my 64 audio N8 CIEMs. They have a ton of bass, seal out a lot of noise and they are consistent. Due to the shape of the IEM, the insertion depth is constant as is the seal. This means the IEM will sound identical every time I put it in. It also is tuned reasonably ok. My favorite headphone is my old trusty HD650. Over time the pads wear and starts to sound darker and darker until the pads are dust. If I change the pads, the sound changes immediately. If I move them on my head or I'm having hot spot, the sound changes again. Getting consistent sound from a headphone is hard.

Just get some CIEMs from 64 Audio and call it a day.

Totally fair — I get that the 109 Pro, HD660S2, and Bathys aren’t summit-tier. But that’s kind of the point: a ~$1,000 IEM like the Monarch MKIII is outperforming multiple respected full-size headphones in the $500–$1,000 range. If the IEM world is delivering TOTL-tier detail, imaging, and tuning at mid-fi prices, that says more about how far IEMs have come — or how slow headphones have evolved. I’ve heard the Susvara, Utopia, LCD-5, etc., and yeah, they’re incredible. But they require $3K–$10K in amps and sources to get there. The Monarch just plugs into my M23 and delivers. So the question isn’t just “are they in the same tier?” It’s: Why do headphones need to cost 3–5x more (and weigh 400g) to match what a pair of tribrid IEMs can do in your pocket?

This is probably one of the most level-headed takes I’ve seen in this debate totally agree with your breakdown. What you said about consistency really hit the nail on the head. IEMs, especially CIEMs or well-fitted universals like the Monarch MKIII or 64 N8, just work every time. Seal, tuning, driver performance — all locked in. No pad wear, no fit fidgeting, no “just gotta get the angle right.” Meanwhile, headphones can be brilliant, but they’re like a vintage car: when everything aligns, it’s magical — but the tuning and performance shift over time, and user-to-user variation is insane. Pad type, pad age, clamp pressure, head shape — all of it matters. It’s not that IEMs are inherently better in every way… but they’re way more efficient at delivering reliable, high-level sound in a way that scales less with fuss and more with source quality. And I think that’s why a lot of us are starting to lean IEM over full-size. It’s not about being a purist — it’s about getting consistent excellence without needing to second-guess the gear every time we listen.

Honestly? That’s a hot take… but I kinda see it. 😅 Headphones really are the middle child of personal audio: • Less precise and intimate than top-tier IEMs • Less immersive and natural than properly set-up speakers • Still need bulky gear, but lack the portability of IEMs • And yet, they’re what most audiophiles treat as the “default” I still like headphones (I mean, I own HD660S2, 109 Pro, and Bathys), but since getting deep into IEMs like the Monarch MKIII, I find myself reaching for full-size cans way less… and when I want true immersion, I fire up the monitors. Maybe you’re right — headphones are great at doing everything kinda well but rarely best at anything.