Drop + Etymotic - ER2SE

the thing with chifi iems is that they don't offer nearly as much sound isolation as something meant to use on stage you'd want something like the shure se215 or entymotic er2se. er2's are the better set though imo but only if you're okay with the fit

There are comfortable IEMS. There are good sounding IEMS, and there are IEMS that are noise blocking. I am sure its impossible to do all three.. but two is possible. I found one IEM that sounds awesomely flat and blocks the most noise you can imagine using foam tips.. But they are not comfortable as they go super deep into your ear canals. I mean crazy deep. The sound is extremely balanced and studio monitor quality, you could mix with these. They block all sounds from the outside. so much so you can only hear what comes thru your body and skull. But they are not comfortable to wear you can feel the pressure of the expanded foam in your ears. I use these when I am playing drums. Comfortable IEMS are the Shure SE215 but they don't sound great they sound good enough but dont block too much noise as they claim. Loud noises leak thru. . Noise blocking IEM that sounds awesome if you use foam tips included is the **Etymotic Research ER2SE IEM** [**https://etymotic.com/product/er2se-earphones/**](https://etymotic.com/product/er2se-earphones/) They are usually only $80 These feel like deep foam ear plugs but sound like heaven and block out everything. If you dont push them in deep you get a bad seal and they don't have enough bass. You know when you get them deep enough as the bass fills in and they sound like heaven.,

If you can tolerate the ~~ear dildo~~ deep insertion fit, er2se are good!

I went with the tanchjim fission to mix a livestream. Have been happy so far. $130 USD The tanchjim Nora are marketed as a set of “professional” IEM to mix with. No personal knowledge there. $110 USD The tanchjim bunny are said to be much like the fission while only being $20 USD. No personal knowledge there. I own etymotic er2se and find them too uncomfortable to bounce in and out of, I have to work the live room then get away from stage volume throughout my shows….. I may or may not have a predilection for single driver dynamic sets! If you need a dac amp for this use, consider a Qudelix 5k. It can be Bluetooth for convenience and also USB for critical listening.

ER2 series is still relevant, either the SE or XR version are good. I'm interested in getting the ER3XR, to compare the bass with the ER2XR https://preview.redd.it/9nqgbmc7votf1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=e737640c81870aee17731a7f58f4185b02671e82 .

Etymotic ER2XR is the classic neutral IEM with a tasteful bass boost. ER2SE will be true neutral.

Dual flange tips were a game changer for me. Great isolation not so deep.

I second the Etys. I’ve had mine for about 15 years. Can be uncomfortable but the sound is unreal.

If you haven’t tried the er2, then you might want to test run them. Sound will be good, but fit in the ears… not for everyone. The se215 are just ok. Safe bet in general, with a comfortable fit. I think better as a daily beater.

If you can handle the insertion depth, try Etymotics (ER2SE for flat neutral or ER2XR for added bass). If you get them from Amazon you can easily return if they are too painful to use, it seems to be about 50/50 on these, depending on your ear canal shape. Some people find the double flange tips more comfortable than the triple flange as well. Etymotics are one of the best for noise isolation as well. If you already have an IEM that *nearly* fits properly, try foam tips (Comply) or a grippy silicone tip like Penon Liqueur Orange - these are also larger than average tips and go up to an XL size that is massive, if you have larger ear canals. Foam will give you the best isolation, but some people find it scratchy, plus you need to replace the tips every few months.

Totally right about a lack of true neutral these days, everything has boosted subbass. People don’t even know what neutral actually sounds like unless they’ve heard old sets or… …Etymotic ER4SR are the most neutral around your price range, $225 on Drop. Or could get the ER3SE/XR or ER2 for even less. edit: my faves that would be considered neutral are the HiFiMan RE600. Only ~$70. https://i.imgur.com/PBeCdF3.png

Any of the the Etymotics (in order of cost): ER2SE, ER2XR, ER3SE, ER3XR, ER4SR, ER4XR. SE/SR models have less bass, XR models have a small bass lift (the ER2XR has a larger bass lift, but is close to Hexa for bass amount). These are extremely neutral, and all very detailed with fast (albeit not heavy) bass attack. Soundstage is tiny though.