BGVP - DMA

What does Linear IEM mean? You want a Neutral sounding one? If thats what you meant then there's the Etymotics ER2SE, still one of the best for neutral reference and often used by Musicians, though Bass is not one of its strongest points and the fit might need getting used to since Triple Flanged Tips are scary. Thought if what you want is just something thats more Musical with excellent separation, fantastic Mids, Bass rumble that you can feel, and decent highs then i can recommend the 300$ BGVP DMA, Its a Tribrid of 1 DD + 2 BA and 2 Bone Conduction Drivers a setup you wont find in other IEMs in its price range. Though its very source sensitive, so if the recording is bad you will hear and feel all the flaws of the track not in a good way.

Something with a Bone Conduction driver can probably mimic that stereo soundstage feel. Though at that price range it limits it to (the ones i currently know off) BGVP DMA and BQEYZ Winter/Wind.

If you want a good dynamic try BGVP DMA.

To the first part of your post, that price range will vary greatly with your musical experience/exposure, expectations about what you identify as mind-blowing, and your personal exposure to listening gear. Currently, IEM tech is changing at an accelerating pace- you can find mind-blowing products at several price ranges from the $100s to the $1000s. There is no potential endgame with IEMs in my experience. Specific designs will excel with certain genres of music and certain models are designed for very specific types of listening, including studio production- in my case, the Thieaudio Oracle is one of the only iems I can use for recording. For listening pleasure and study, I currently keep a handful of IEMs that can rival my headphones. In particular, I love my ISN EBC 80s for their astounding depth, immersion and dynamic breadth during active listening. I enjoy my Soundrhyme Sr7s during the day for their enveloping richness and soundstage experience. When I take the dog for a walk, I use my audiosense T800s and often take the 7Hz Auroras in my pocket. The warmer bass tuning make these a fun combo on the move. When I listen to live orchestra and chamber music I reach for the BGVP-DMA and the new NiceHCK Himalayas- they are astounding IEMs for the price. All these IEMs are in the $190 to $800 range, if you shop wisely. For professional work, I edit in a sound-treated room using Genelec and KEF monitors- they are both outstanding. I’ll move to HD 800 and Arya Organics at night to keep my neighbors happy. I have worked with far more expensive gear for years now, and cannot tell you that I’ve been blown away by more expensive hardware, specifically IEMs. I think this will change going forward, and we will probably hear breakthroughs that will indeed rival the likes of HD 800s and HE1000se. Lastly, IEMs cannot really compete with Supra-aural headphones imo. The physical design and anatomical challenges are pretty complex. There are other variables that will definitely affect your experience- your health, your ears and physiology, your eartips/fit solutions, your audio chain from power source-pre amp, to DAC and amp choice. The question remains, at what price point do you personally find the mind-blowing threshold ? IMO, the more you spend, the less you will experience that threshold. Late in life, I continue to have mind-blowing moments with my IEMs when I listen to new music every single night. Fundamentally, it’s bout the music in your head and heart. We live in an awesome tech moment that can afford us superlative listening for a relatively small investment.

Have you considered the BGVP DMA? I got them 2 weeks ago and I love them. I listen to prog rock/metal, tech death, groove metal and jazz fusion.