Started with the OG 2017 CFA Andromedas, have since upgraded to the Dunu Glacier, with another sidegrade in the Mysticraft Myth.
Honestly, each purchase has been well worth it, considering how different they sound and how much has changed since 2017 (the Andromedas still have their place though).
Compared to mid-range IEMs like the YU9 Que or the Aether, there is a significant difference that more than justifies the price increase imo.
It's like instead of the music being in your head, you're truly in the music.
Surprisingly, a good DAP has made a bigger difference than I'd ever expected.
I couldn't get the Dunu Glacier out of my head after hearing it and 1 year later I got them for my self. That's why I don't want to test another Dac after the Fiio M21 they can't be better if I haven't tried them.
For my ears no. Although quit heavy the shape grabs my ear like it was made for my ears as for sound while it has much treble never a problem for me. I have listened for 10 hours strait with out any discomfort.
What budget? For me the endgame heavy metal/live music IEM is Dunu Glacier
Edit: nvmd now I saw $120 budget - I think Hidiz MP143, or Shozy P20 would be great if you can find one on sale, Plannar making very fast and accurate bass for metal and those has punchy bass with Shozy P20 has warmer, more musical sound profile. Another option that is easier to drive is Letshuoer S08
Around $140 other than Shozy P20 you have 7HZ Diablo but it's shape with the stiff cable might not be a good fit
I’d say the first break point is somewhere around $300ish, then the next break point is “entry” kilobucks around $1k. So for the first break point IEMs like Dusk, anything Xenns, Thieaudio, Softears, so on and so forth, and for the second break point you have a lot of solid options like Monarchs, Dunu Glacier, CFA Andromedas, 64 Audio U4S, etc.
Edit: to clarify, those are the points where I think you get the biggest jumps in quality relative to price points around them. So I don’t think it’s as worth it to move beyond that $300-$400 price point unless you’re jumping up to $1k.
**Saw the top picks from** [Reddit Recs](https://redditrecs.com/iem/) recently, and wanted to make my own (in no particular order). Similar sounding IEMs will be grouped together with a slash "/", for example: "Tanchjim Bunny/Zero Ultima".
IEMs that weren't included means they didn't make it due to better options available, for example: Zero 2, Pilgrim, Dusk, P5+2, 242, Mega7 etc. **Honorable mentions (HM)** just means they're still solid picks, but fall short due to either QC, price, or being too niche.
*Full Video Breakdown* [*here*](https://youtu.be/bpn-ZzCZG-E)
*My IEM Ranking List* [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZHVib50XFQW4up3SwOZUTbI-hZB6Ir5LX6XnZblIM6o/edit?usp=sharing)
*----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
**Under $25 sales included (+/- $5 from price)**
\-Moondrop Chu 2 non DSP (all-rounder)
\-Tanchjim Bunny/Zero Ultima DSP or 3.5mm (all-rounders)
\-Simgot EW100P/TangZu Waner 2 (clean vocals/balanced)
\-Kz Duonic Bass Edition (sub-bass boosted all-rounder)
\-Tangzu Waner 2 Bass Red Lion (mid-bass/warmer all-rounder)
*HM: GK KUNTEN (bassy all-rounder cheaper Zero 2)*
*Truthear Gate (all-rounder),*
*Kiwiears Cadenza OG (all-rounder)*
*KZ ELDAR/EDC PRO (bassy/warm),*
*KZ Gale (clean/neutral),*
*KBEAR ROSEFINCH (basshead)*
**Around $60 sales included (+/- $10 from price)**
\-Simgot EW300 non DSP (bassy all-rounder)
\-7Hz Elua Ultra (slight-v all-rounder)
\-Kefine Klean SV Black Nozzle/Kiwiears Cadenza 2 (clean/balanced)
\-Simgot EW200/Artti T10 (bright all-rounder)
\-KZ Zenith (vocals/smooth/mid-range)
*HM: Tanchjim 4U (neutral to warm-balanced),*
*TRIPOWIN VIVACE (bassy all-rounder),*
*TangZu Yu Xuan Ji (airy/neutral),*
*Moondrop Lan OG (clean/vocals),*
*Kefine Klean OG (warm all-rounder)*
*KZ VIBE X (bone conduction/balanced),*
*TRUTHEAR CRINACLE BLUE ZERO 2 with IMPEDANCE Adapter (basshead)*
**Around $100 sales included (+/- $20 from price)**
\-Simgot EM6L (slight v/bright/smooth)
\-Simgot EA500LM/SIMGOT EG280 (bright all-rounder)
\-CCA HYDRO (bassy all-rounder)
\-Tanchjim Fission (neutral/balanced)
\-NiceHCK F1 PRO (bright leaning)
*HM: AFUL EXPLORER (dark/bassy/scaling),*
*KEFINE DELCI AE (bright all-rounder)*
*ARRTI T10 PRO (warm/airy),*
*KIWIEARS AIROSO (warm all-rounder),*
*JUZEAR DEFIANT (slight v),*
*HIDIZS MK12 RED NOZZLE (warm/male vocals)*
**Around $200 sales included (+/- $30 from price)**
\-Simgot Supermix4/Gizaudio Chopin/Truthear Nova (all-rounders)
\-Ziigaat Odyssey OG (bassy all-rounder)
\-Letshuoer Astralis (sub-bass/slight-v all-rounder)
\-Crinear Daybreak/EPZ P50 (balanced/smooth all-rounder)
\-7Hz Timeless 2 Silver Small Nozzle (warm/smooth)
*-EQ OPTION: EPZ P40 (clean/bright)*
*HM: AAV CJ20 (airy/bright),*
*KEFINE ARNAR SILVER NOZZLE (dark/clean/scaling),*
*MYER CK2V (bright/cheaper and better tuned Braindance),*
*LETSHUOER CADENZA 4 (clean/bright/female vocals),*
*HIDIZS MP145 PRO/SIMGOT EA1000 RED NOZZLE (bright/sparkly vocals),*
*KIWIEARS AETHER (balanced/neutral-leaning*, similar tuned/tech but *cheaper AFUL P5+2)*
**Around $300 sales included (+/- $50 from price)**
\-Kiwiears Halcyon (sub-bass boosted all-rounder)
\-Kiwiears Astral/Ziigaat Crescent (slight-v)
\-Binary EP321 (clean/balanced-->replaces/better Dusk, Pilgrim, 5+2, 242)
\-Ziigaat Horizon (bright leaning all-rounder)
\-Xenns Tea Pro/Thieaudio Hype 4/Ziigaat Estrella (bassy all-rounders)
*HM: Punch Audio Martilo (basshead/slight-v),*
*Softears Volume S (warm/smooth),*
*Crinear Reference (neutral/smooth),*
*Dunu 142 (slight-v/cheaper astral/crescent but with peakier/sharper treble less refined)*
**Around $500 sales included (+/- $50 from price)**
\-Thieaudio Hype 4 MK2 (bright *leaning/a better tuned Dunu Braindance*)
\-NiceHCK Rockies (bright/all-rounder)
\-Xenns Top Pro/Tea Pro SE (all-rounder*s*/Top Pro sparklier SE is fuller and more balanced)
\-IO Volare (clean all-rounder/I'd get this over the MEGA7)
\-Hisenior Mega5est 7th (sub-bass boosted all-rounder/I'd get this over the MEGA7)
*-EQ OPTION: Moondrop Variations*
*HM: EPZ 550 (clean vocals/more textured Oracle MK1),*
*Ziigaat Arcanis (scaling/textured vocals),*
*Ziigaat Luna (warm/airy all rounder),*
*YU9 QUE (scaling, mid-range. smooth)*
*Symphonium Meteor (mid-bass, warmer/thick/airy),*
*Kiwiears HBB Punch (basshead),*
*TangZu Xuan Wu Gate (neutral/clean)*
**$500+ to Around $1000 sales included (+/- $100 from price)**
\-IO CIELO (dynamic all-rounder)
\-Thieaudio Monarch MK4/Prestige LTD (all-rounder)
\-Dunu Glacier (slight v)
\-Thieaudio Origin (bassy all-rounder)
\-Meze Astru (scaling/balanced/rever*b staging*)
*HM: Letshuoer Mystic 8 (bright-neutral/female vocals)*
*Softears RSV (vocal all-rounder),*
*BGVP Solomon (bright leaning),*
*FIIO FX17 (warm all-rounder),*
*AFUL DAWN-X (smooth/scaling/sub-bass)*
*Penon Voltage (slight-v)*
***Ya'll know this is just my opinion right?***
S12 Ultra bass is better and overall more "fun" to listen, Daybreak is smoother and safer, both are good for what you're looking for, up to you what you prioritize more - bass or smooth treble, can't have both unfortunately
Except I literally can. My units graphs and sounds very similar you can go check my database, and other reviews also describe both as bright leaning. You’re the outlier here since they’re more similar than different.
You’re talking about comparing graphs when Dracomies don’t even have a database. Literally go look at mine. T10 is not warm, most people and reviewers call them bright leaning, or an all rounder before calling them warm. It doesn’t have enough mid-bass to be warm and too much treble. You and Dracomies are most likely mixing up the soft timbre in the treble as being warm. This is like being color blind and trying to convince others green is red, you’re technically not wrong, but certainly misleading.
It's funny how he initially says *"one resorts to sarcasm when you have no idea what you're talking about"* when:
1. I didn't say anything sarcastic
2. Proceeds to then expose himself on how little he knows
3. Then throws personal attacks and gets banned when he gets called out
You can't make this shit up. We are witnessing a masterclass in projection and hypocrisy lol
It's funny you mention Alter Ego when that's a worse all-rounder than the LTD in all areas, thinner lower-mids, less treble extension and peakier, and worse balance overall. You could've literally picked any other IEM... oh the irony behind *"you have no idea what you're talking about".* Hey, maybe your CIEM sounds different than the stock due to the custom fit, but all the stock LTDs are marketed to be balanced, and graphs so. Anyways, cheers mate.
>Yeah the Empire Ravens are a real all rounder
These are more bass leaning than all-rounder, more slight v than balanced, also less refined in the treble vs LTD, again a bad example, I'd place the Raven as an bassy IEM more than an all-rounder (as others have described them as well)
>FR Graphs are an AWFUL way to gauge anything. They don't tell half of half the story.
Objectively wrong, they tell a lot with the right setup, not saying 100%, but definitely a lot
>MA AE's respond very well to some very basic EQ nudges. Funny you didn't mention they're recessed treble which is by a VERY long way their biggest issue
I literally did when I said "less treble extension and peakier" which is also reflected by the FR graph lmao you can't make this shit up
>What's your background in music/audio? What's your body of work???Could you even make these?
Yes, I tuned and released my own IEM, heard probably 400+ IEMs now, and make music on the side as a hobby. Look man, I'm happy for you that you were able to have a great career via music, I think that's very commendable, but there is also a chance that you might be in the minority here about the LTDs because not only to me, but also to the vast majority of reviewers - the LTDs are balanced and fits that all-rounder category, and definitely more than both the Ravens and the AEs, which is not only reflected by the FR graph, but also just by listening to them
Ok I think I found where the disconnect lies:
>tuned some of the best club soundsystems in the world... and produced/promoted/ran 1200+ music shows with some of the biggest artists in the world. I'd say my ears have served me pretty bloody well.
This actually checks out with why you think those bassier IEMs are balanced because you’re probably used to clubs and festival speakers being tuned differently due to the context of getting people hyped, which is vastly different than audiophile listening or studio mixing which associates balanced with less coloration/less v and energy in both ends, for example I would never use the Ravens to master or mix a track due to the extra bass and peakier treble, and instead use something more neutral and smooth like the Crinear Reference
Top IEMs on Reddit
1
7Hz
7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2
76% positive of 493 users
Budget gaming pick, but poor cables and polarizing bass.
21kUnlimited
