DUNU - Kima 2

I can not stand the Harman tuning even though this tuning is very popular with many people. My tuning preference is very similar to the HBB tuning. I prefer the HBB tuning's 8 dB rise for the simulated pinna gain in the upper midrange since the Harman tuning's 10 to 11 dB rise for the simulated pinna gain in the upper midrange is too sibilant for me. I also don't like how the Harman tuning decreases the lower midrange. Right now my two favorite IEMs under $300 are the Aful Performer 7 and the Dunu DaVinci. The Performer 7 simply is an improved version of the Performer 5 across the board. I still love my Performer 5 IEMs. At first I didn't like the DaVinci's powerful sub bass relative to the mid bass, but I found some eartips which fixed this issue such that the sub bass is in balance with the mid bass. I have some other favorite IEMs at lower price points. I was very surprised by how much I like the Kima 2 which Dunu sent to me. I knew that the Kima 2 uses single dynamic drivers, yet when I listened to the Kima 2 I could have sworn that there must also be BA drivers in the mix since the macro and micro details are very well defined. For example, the Kima 2 performs much better than the Thieaudio Legacy 2. It also dawned on me that the Kima 2 is tuned very similarly to the original Moondrop Starfield which was my first IEM, yet the Kima 2's technical performance is so much nicer to listen to in comparison to the OG Starfield. There always a very slight veil to the sound when I listened to the OG Starfield, and the Kima 2 totally rips any veil away. On the budget side, I really like the Simgot EW200 after I easily added some self adhesive mesh filters to shift the overall tuning from Harman to HBB. The transition after adding the mesh filters was splendid. The thing is that after adding the mesh filters to adjust the tuning, I was able to really appreciate the quality of the EW200's dynamic drivers. I hope that the above helps you with your research.

You asked for recommended upgrades from people who actually have any of these four IEMs. So here I go for the Starfield... Your Starfield IEMs do not have any chipped paint. You must have bought them in 2022 after it was announced that the paint chipping issue was fixed. I purchased two sets of the Starfield in March and April 2022. My set which I heavily used for several months still looks mint and has zero paint chipping issues. I sent my other set of Starfields, still factory sealed in the box, to Audio Amigo a few months ago for him to use in his review of the Dunu Kima 2 since the Kima 2 and the original Starfield have very similar overall frequency response curves. I can not stand the sibilance in the Starfield II and I can not say that the Starfield II is a nice upgrade (for me) for the original Starfield. I can say that the Kima 2 is a nice upgrade to the original Starfield. A riot of fun is that the Kima 2 is priced the same as the discontinued original Starfield. I remember the moment when I first listened to the Kima 2 and two thoughts immediately popped into my head. My first thought was that there must be at least one or two balanced armature drivers in the Kima 2 which must be delivering the very clean and crisp macro and micro details, Even the micro details sound clean and not fuzzy. Yet nope, the Kima 2 only uses dynamic drivers. My immediate second thought about the Kima 2 sounds like the original Starfield except that the bass now is very clean with no hint of muddiness which was present in the original Starfield and that the macro and micro details are very well defined in comparison to the original Starfield. It isn't that the original Starfield IEM is a bad IEM. The original Starfield was used as a reference by several reviewers a few years ago. Yet the original Starfield had seen its day. Following are some frequency response graphs of the original Starfield and the Kima 2: [https://audioamigo.squig.link/?share=Bad\_Guy\_Target,Moondrop\_Starfield,Dunu\_Kima\_2](https://audioamigo.squig.link/?share=Bad_Guy_Target,Moondrop_Starfield,Dunu_Kima_2) [https://squig.link/?share=Dunu\_Kima\_2,Moondrop\_Starfield](https://squig.link/?share=Dunu_Kima_2,Moondrop_Starfield) The Kima 2 has a very nice and crisp leading edge attack for the bass. This makes the bass sound a bit louder than what you see in the Kima 2 graphs. You might enjoy seeing Audio Amigo's review of the Kima 2. Starting at 21.56, he spends some time comparing the Kima 2 to the original Starfield. Following is the link for his review: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8hAPR6RRYM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8hAPR6RRYM) FULL DISCLOSURE: The Kima 2 was sent to me by Dunu for me to create an unboxing review for the Kima 2. I am glad that the Kima 2 was sent to me since the apparent lack of bass in the frequency response graph prevented me from considering this IEM. Dunu allowed me to keep the Kima 2. And keeping them I am since I really like the Kima 2.

Yeah, these are pretty good warm sound, good tonallity overall but lacks treble and air, and not so technical But worth their price though

Pretty much anything in the 200+ market is going to have a significant bass boost. I think the most bass light of the mid fi hybrids is the Cadenza4. It is very bass light, and presents with lighter bass than the graph suggests. I wouldnt pay full price for it. Wait for it to go on sale, and use a 20% coupon on the official Amazon store, and you can get it for under $150. Going a lot cheaper, the EA500 (non LM) is also very bass light, but treble heavy. The DUNu Kima2 might be a better alternative, with slightly less treble energy. The Rosetechnics/Rose Elsa Star City5 is a very neutral IEM, but some have said they did a silent re-tune to it, and added, you guessed it, more sub-bass shelf. Thankfully they are not bank breaking. The AFUL MagicOne is also fairly bass lean. But its a single BA set, and its also non-vented, so it may be a bit uncomfortable to some. Also they regularly go on sale for about half off. Wait for that. As a collectors set they are SUPER unique. Also the AFUL Performer 8...its almost a flat line. Its also nearly $400. LOL! The BQEYZ Frost is another great bass light set that doesnt over emphasize the treble in an absurd way. Also most of the Softears IEM's are generally not overly bass emphasized. But I cant recall which model i listened to. OH! And i almost forgot, all things Etymotic. For a long long time they were the "studio meta". But the fit is...unique.

Check out my full written review of the Dunu Kima 2 Here: https://mobileaudiophile.com/in-ear-earphones-iem-iems-reviews/dunu-kima-2-review/ Dunu Kima 2 Review What's up everyone? I hope you all have had a great start to your New Year. Today I have with me the Dunu Kima 2. From what I can tell, the Kima 2 is a drastically underrated iem folks. Built fantastic, made entirely out of stainless steel, another slick design and probably one of the better unboxing experiences for the cost as well. Great cable, nice case, a thousand eartips too. Really a nice packaging by Dunu, as expected. However, what this set excels in, the Kima 2 carries some of the best timbre that $100 can buy. Simple as that. It's natural through and through. This set carries a wonderful tonal balance. Basically neutral across the board with maybe a hint of warmth. It has a tight, punchy, and well defined bass region with moderate levels of thump that can handle most anything thrown at it. The mids are the crown jewel of this set. Awesome natural note weight, clean throughout, fantastic for vocalists, both male and female. The treble has just enough brilliance to add some luster, yet never so much that it causes fatigue. Nice extension & smooth up top. Really a nice sounding set folks. Of course, I do go quite a bit deeper in my review, along with a couple comparisons as well. Comparisons: Dunu Kima Classic / Fiio FD15 🔥🔥Kima 2 Pros 🔥🔥👇 -Exquisite build, all-alloy, light, premium -Such a slick looking series of iems. The Kima 2 is a looker -The unboxing is one of the best in the price point -Fantastic Lyre cable -Almost perfect tonal balance -Completely natural timbre -Highly resolute sound, very clean across the board -Fast, punchy bass -Wonderful midrange, completely tuneful, great for vocalists -Non-fatiguing treble, balanced, just brilliant enough -Detail Retrieval is solid -Separation & imaging -Spacious sound field 🥶🥶Kima 2 Cons🥶🥶👇 -Bassheads, even moderate bassheads will want more bass emphasis -Warm/dark lovers will not enjoy the Kima 2 Check out my full written review of the Dunu Kima 2 Here: https://mobileaudiophile.com/in-ear-earphones-iem-iems-reviews/dunu-kima-2-review/

That's the hope. I guess that's what sets a brand like Dunu apart. They know what a consumer wants. They really go above and beyond. There's a few other brands who do the same but Dunu has always had a reputation for being generous and seeking to "wow" the consumer. I love that. I agree, I hope other brands take notice of what Dunu just did with a $100 iem.

As for now the Kima 2 is my favourite iem but the hexa is second For the dac my favorite is the Luna Asano edition and the Tempotec Sonata BHD 2024, unironically. I like it's warm sound which gives some analog taste to music

Yeah, the accessories are a big W on the Kima 2. Fortunately I didn't have to pay for it because I won it on the Dunu giveaway they did for new year. The only thing I don't like about them is that they have somewhat poor isolation

My favorite vocal set is the Dunu Kima 2. Single DD, excellent tuning, very comfy and nice looking shells

My go-to DD iem is the Kima 2, it's an amazing performer for the price, for planars, well, I own none at the moment but currently waiting for the PRX to have a first try with this tech

https://preview.redd.it/ss03l1tx4wbe1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7466579c7a03a6d358c9ad0e39bb795d27ddb42d She’s up there, Dunu Kima 2 with a ivipq cable.

Dunu Kima 2, Moondrop Kato/Kadenz, and Tanchjim Origin have similar clean and lean tunings.

Hexa is good, you just need wide bore tips to bring out the soundstage. Dunu Kima 2 is also another option for balanced. Either DAC should be fine, shouldn't affect sound drastically

Yup, Klean and Kima2 are the two I really love for budget price right now

https://preview.redd.it/5nu1bvzcy0zd1.png?width=4052&format=png&auto=webp&s=3154006cb04d5818a1b877c77fc636e01c16211c # The Intro So, some weeks ago, Dunu reached out to me, and a few other active redditors in the sub, with a simple proposition (yeah, THE DaVinci’s Dunu), so of course I freaked out, because you know, as a random-ish redditor, to be contacted by a company as reputable as Dunu, with the message that they were interested in sending me an iem, really blew me away. After exchanging greetings, they told me that they would gladly send the Dunu Kima 2 for my enjoyment and that, if possible, they would like me to give my impressions here on reddit (so, if it wasn’t clear already, full disclosure, this was sent by Dunu, I did NOT buy it with my own money). Long story short, I accepted and here we are, now, people who have talked to me knows that, if I’m here, it’s because I want to help people, and one thing that I have never liked is when reviewers start to focus on checking more expensive stuff that companies send and forget the cheaper stuff as if it wasn’t good enough, so I, being more interested in sub $100 stuff, got blessed with a $120 IEM, what next? https://preview.redd.it/drmnwnyiy0zd1.png?width=3217&format=png&auto=webp&s=e83572954d905594dffdeccc9d8e9e6d5429ae20 Well, i initially got worried for 2 reasons, first, watching videos from reviewers, I noticed that a good part of the package, with the $120 price in mind, was the accessories, I mean, these come with some premium tips, a case, a pretty good looking, better feeling, cable and so on, but I wonder, are those accessories a plus on the iem, or a plus on the price? For all I know this could be very well be a $70-80 iem with $40-50 accessories. The second thing was that I really didn’t have any experience with iems this expensive, sure, I have an EQed good performing planar, but it wasn’t “apples to apples”, was it? So, with all of that in mind, I decided to challenge the Kima 2 to live up to my current best combo: KZ PR3 + Moondrop Dawn Pro Dongle DAC + TRN T2 Pro 4.4mm balanced plug cable. If people were going to see my review on these $120 iems, and maybe be interested in buying them, DUNU needed to make sure I can’t get something as good for cheaper.   \---------- # The Challenge I will be real with you, I am the first person in this sub to say that “what matters most is the quality of the driver over type or amount of drivers”, however, a single DD would need to do a VERY GOOD job to beat a combo that, while also on the expensive side when paired all together, it was still cheaper than the whole Kima 2, specially on sale, and you even have the option to hand-pick the accessories, so here are the prices and what the package of the Kima 2 (Limited edition) comes with, versus my current best daily driver, the PR3 combo (RP = Real Price / SP = Sale Price – I buy most of my stuff discounted on sales, so I will also add the actual prices I paid for my PR3 combo):   PR3 Combo. * KZ PR3 (with proprietary KZ silicon eartips for bass improvement)  : RP - $50 / SP - $29. * Moondrop Dawn Pro Dongle Dac: RP - $49 / SP - $42. * TRN T2 Pro cable with 4.4mm balanced plug: RP - $17 / SP - $12. * PR3 Personal preference EQ: Around 1 to 3 hours a day of trial and error for at least 3 weeks. Total: RP - $116 / SP - $83. *--- VS ---* Dunu Kima 2 Limited Edition: RP - $120. * Dunu Kima 2 Limited Edition IEMs (different color, same tuning). * Dunu 0.78mm 2-pin “high-purity, four-core mono crystalline copper and silver-plated wires with a nylon shock-absorbing sleeve” cable with 3.5m single ended + 4.4mm balanced interchangeable plugs with “Q-Lock Mini Interchangeable Termination Plug System”. * Dunu tips assortment: S&S Eartips, Candy Eartips, Vocal enhancement Eartips and Atmosphere enhancement eartips. * Soft Carrying Pouch. * Limited Edition Tubular Carrying Pouch. * Brush tool (for cleaning of the iem). * Earphone Clothing Clip (to attach the cable to your clothes for management). * Cleaning Cloth.   https://preview.redd.it/tlkk7tomy0zd1.png?width=4987&format=png&auto=webp&s=469a92c2aa022a85893bf25162ed4b210b6c9184 So, with a difference from $4 up to $37 bucks on  sale, Kima 2 didn’t have an easy task, of course, in order to be fair I need to clarify this: PR3 as a planar iem performs well above its price tag, but for that to be worth something I needed several weeks of trial and error on the EQing + The other expensive stuff that, luckily, I already had, but you probably will need to get it if you want to get a similar performance, and there aren’t that many options to cheap-out for a more budget approach since PR3 is quite power hungry.   \---------- # The Goal Let me be clear, I’m not trying to say that my PR3 is better than Kima 2 or the other way around, what I wanted to confirm was if this single dynamic driver iem could compete, let alone outperform, with a much cheaper but good performer planar IEM paired with a decent source, and spoiler, it did. By the way, I will dive first into the sound and performance for those curious about that, and later I will be talking about accessories and unboxing experience since I think it might not be as relevant for some.   \---------- # The Bias Just before we start with the actual review, I need to mention a few things about me, because remember, every person listens in a different way, listening preferences are key to understand what each person likes and dislikes and how that translates into the opinions given in a review: My preference is neutral with bass boost, I also don’t like too boosted treble, however, I personally can handle intense treble, so what is not really bright or too treble forward for me, could actually come as harsh for you, and what is bassy enough for me, could be too bassy or even muddy for you, this also tells you that I’m biased towards more bassy, less bright stuff, and so is my EQ of the PR3, which I will include a comparative graph of both Kima 2 and my personal PR3 EQ (thanks to reviewer OB Odio for the graph of Kima 2 and PR3 with my EQ applied), this comparation is so you can understand what kind of sound I like and what kind of sound the Kima 2 presents. https://preview.redd.it/y49gq3e321zd1.png?width=2400&format=png&auto=webp&s=07f682ba0f674ed6ba4dc4cc11b7edc39058587b Another thing to have in mind is that I’m very susceptible to shouty iems, especially ones with energy around 4Khz, which usually affects female vocals, and that’s about half my music library, that said, a lot of people doesn’t find this boosted area as a problem, is just that I usually do, and it gives vocals a weird and intense energy that doesn’t let me enjoy the rest of the sound, so if I personally find something shouty, for some might also be the case, but for others might not. Finally, with all that out of the way, here are my impressions and review of the Kima 2 Limited Edition.   \---------- # The Review I was really worried about this, as I said, my only reference for a similar performance was the KZ PR3, so I didn’t know what to expect, so, I plugged in a buckled up.   * **Fit and Drivability.** The fit was very good right away, and that’s from a person that has pretty small ear canals and even struggles with the fit of small nozzles, they never felt like falling out of my ears, they never felt really hurt on my ears, and they also aren’t heavy despite the metal shell. S&S tips didn’t fit me too well, while the other 3 didn’t present any problem with the small size tips of each set. Either way, i ended up settling for the medium size candy eartips. KIMA 2 is probably the most comfortable iem I have owned so far and that’s after daily driving like at least 10 different sets from below 5mm nozzles to 7mm nozzles (from Z300 to Truthear Zero Blue). As for how much energy you need for those, even from a phone jack you can pretty much make these work but a dongle is pretty much recommended, however, any basic dongle that works as well as the famous apple dongle should work plenty fine, I tried the KIMA 2 with both a Moondrop Click and Moondrop Dawn pro and I found basically no reasonable difference, so, as long as you have a decent dongle you should be safe with those.   https://preview.redd.it/jorxb6cry0zd1.png?width=4742&format=png&auto=webp&s=9bf90fdbc23e09dc9d45eaba634e3f95b9004550 * **Technicalities:** Once I played a song the better resolution was immediate, not worlds apart, but it did had a clear technical edge over less expensive IEMs and, my reference, the PR3. I checked other reviews after around 2 days of use and I can mostly agree that they seems to perform quite well but they are not a technical benchmark by any means, they maybe are slightly below average in its price range, but it’s a driver worthy of the $120 price-tag nonetheless. Soundstage and instrument separation is not the best, it gets the job done for sound direction, but it doesn’t seem to be the best pick for competitive gaming, as it doesn’t show much dept, it struggles a bit with more congested or busy songs, but with less complex, more refined music, works extremely well, the replay is very transparent, giving you the music exactly how is supposed to be, without adding too much of anything, however, it surprisingly also does well enough wit low quality files, its not going to make them outright better, mind you, but it’s not going to sound awful as other sets might do. Timbre is very correct, voices are very natural, if you like vocals, this might be your gateway to vocal heaven, KIMA 2 has just enough warmness to make male vocals sound correct and nice, without making female vocals husky. Something that specifically surprised me was how very SMOOTH the sound was, watching the graph I was expecting those to sound like cheese graters in my ears, with that menacing leaning on the upper mids and lower treble, but no, not at all,  even if the vocals and the treble were forward for me, I could crank the volume quite a bit before it turned offensive in any way, although I would not recommend those if you are a high volume listener, they scale pretty well with volume and maintains a very gentle yet forward presentation of the sound. Another thing that seems to be on part with the overall smoothness on those is the note weight, it has just enough that you can feel it, but it never gets fatiguing or too intense, for laid back listening seems to work quite well. Detail retrieval is pretty good, but it’s not going to be too obvious about it, if you search for the detail, is there and you can hear it, you can even find new sounds in your music, but they aren’t going to pop out in the sound. The tuning of this iem is balanced with a bright leaning in the sound, a near neutral type of tuning, it just has enough bass and treble to be enjoyable, but don’t expect super engaging sound, especially in the bass. A nitpick I do have about this tuning is that, as nothing, besides vocals, is too boosted, the sound sometimes is not that dynamic; feels like there is just center and forward layers on most songs, that might also could have to do with the not so deep soundstage, so yeah, all in all, this is an IEM for the folks that are looking for something on the analytical side of sound, yet musical.   * **Treble:** Because of my sound preference I feel like the treble is a bit more forward than other reviewers said it is, however, thanks to the very smooth sound, especially in this area, this won’t be a problem unless you are really sensitive to treble, the details are there, the air is there, even the sparkle is there, but without any kind of harshness most of the time. What I will have to disagree with other reviews I have seen so far is that those show a bit of sibilance in specific cases, it’s not common, but you will find sibilance sooner or later if you listen to anything with vocals, its especially obvious with the “S” in words, and sound can get a bit too intense and somewhat distorted when it happens, but I wouldn’t say it’s a deal breaker by any means, as it’s a problem that you will rarely run into, the only exception of this would be if you are very sensitive to treble and sibilance, although at that point, you really should consider other options for vocal focused iems to begin with. There isn’t really much more to say about treble cause it’s simply a very well-done one, maybe a bit too forward for some, but so well done in fact that me, as a basshead, enjoyed it.   * **Mids/Vocals:** This is the main reason you should be looking at this iems, these have possibly the best and most correct vocals you can find for this price. Nothing is too shouty, nothing is too thin, nothing is too husky, nothing is too intense, just very nice, very clean, very smooth vocals. And while I personally do think that it could have used just a tiny bit of extra energy (around 1Khz, specially for male vocals), if that’s the price to pay for this much correct and pleasant voices, I’m paying it. I like to listen to ASMR quite a lot and KIMA 2 just destroyed everything else I owned for vocals, its just so realistic, so transparent so correct that you might as well could use it for live monitoring… as long as the treble is not a problem for you, that is.   * **Bass:** Here is where the story turns a bit sour for me, i enjoy bass quite a bit, and with my preference, the amount of bass the Kima 2 packs just comes to me as barely enough, you can gain a bit of extra bass (and warmness) with the red atmospheric tips, but it doesn’t feel to be a super “natural” gain, more on that when I talk about the tips in the section about the accessories. The bass didn’t sound as anything impressive to me, it might also be due to the small amount of it (for me), but the texture, the detail in it, I don’t find it special, It gets the job done, you can hear it, but you can’t really feel it that much, just because of that I wouldn’t recommend this set for rock music genres, especially Nu Metal and Alternative Rock, this set seems to be more fitting for an acoustic guitar session or a piano plus violin duet, it does carry that “exquisite” vibe to it. Now, if the bass is boosted and well mixed in the song you are listening to, it does provide a pretty good replay. The bass is not the fastest, it doesn’t slam hard, but it is a pretty good in-between of also not being dull, sluggish and specially not muddy. It reminds me of how a “fast and dry” bass is supposed to sound but done with a more all-round type of bass, it is just: fast enough, distinctive enough, rumbly enough, clean, precise, but that’s in an “apprentice of much, master of nothing” kind of way. Another personal nitpick I have, this time about the bass, is that it feels like it could have used a bit more energy on the sub-bass, the mid-bass amount is pretty decent, but I’m always wishing for just a little bit of extra rumble. The bottom line is, it’s a correct bass, but if you are getting this set, don’t do it for the bass… unless you are also planning to use some EQ and do tip-rolling too.   * **Overall sound:** To sum it up, this is a very correct, clean and smooth sounding iem with a lean into a bright tuning. Bass is there but it’s not the main focus, vocals are excellent, and the treble is very well done, borderline neutral/analytical but musical, technicalities are just decent for the price but makes it up for it with royal-class accessories.   \---------- # The Unboxing Experience As the photos shows, the box seems pretty good on the outside, but it also looks bigger than it is. And so is the unboxing experience, it looks nice, but there is not much to it. https://preview.redd.it/0s0gilyt21zd1.png?width=5184&format=png&auto=webp&s=b91a73f4a659c0ee1d6960ce3a0b5d7fd974f28a To be fair, the experience is fine for a $120 IEM but I have seen better, because, as you open up, sure, you are greeted by a pretty handsome plastic paper that has “DUNU” printed o it, once you removed that, you have some nice looking emerald green iems and a cardboard covert for the limited edition carrying pouch, but once past that, everything else is just below where the iems rest and it’s just a black box with the cable, the tips and all the other extra things (listed above) stuffed inside. To be fair, while the unboxing is nothing special, *Man...* the accessories totally are.   https://preview.redd.it/e6gdhhfaz0zd1.png?width=5184&format=png&auto=webp&s=9bece55f992f7561fc9d4971d6c4395769c4aeea \---------- # The Accessories Those IEMs do come PACKED with good accessories to really pick and choose for your enjoyment: * You have a very good cable that could easily go for over $30, it is cloth covered but there is 0 microphonics with it, and the plug exchange system is great, the only “problem” I found with the cable is that the chin slider is a bit “rough” to adjust at first, but you’ll get a hold of it quickly. * There is 4 pairs of tips, 2 premium ones, 2 more “generic” ones (here alone is like $30 bucks of tips). https://preview.redd.it/iifybs4ez0zd1.png?width=4455&format=png&auto=webp&s=dde7e9ae3e870486598e748c350018dcadeeeac7 * *For the S&S tips, I don’t have much to say about them, they didn’t fit me well, it mostly reduced the bass and made the sibilance more apparent, I just don’t think it’s a great pairing, but those are a pretty good pair of tips still.* * *The Candy tips on the other hand seem to be made for this IEM, it really highlights the signature in a very good way, helps a bit with bass too, and overall, I think you should be rocking those ones.* * *The red ones helped a lot with reducing sibilance and enhancing bass, they probably were the most comfortable and better fitting ones, but it also felt like the resolution took a small hit, making the extra bass you get from them feel a bit odd and ever so slightly muddy.* * *The blue vocal tips are fine in terms of fit, but I didn’t find them as that great of a pick, they also help boosting bass quite a bit, but present the same resolution problem as the red ones and also makes what is an already vocal forward iem even more vocal forward, a kind of a small V-shape, if you want a bit more of overall energy out of the KIMA 2, then sure, go ahead, but I personally prefer Candy and Red tips over these.* *Let me clarify again, most of those tips alone are pretty great with fit and comfort, but I am not sure if I would recommend all of them to be used with the KIMA 2, on the other hand, if you have other iems in your collection, might as well do so.* https://preview.redd.it/gtnxewahz0zd1.png?width=4515&format=png&auto=webp&s=2a3bc10365154d74076e1e914dd6cdbd40c6ed72 * For transportation, the limited-edition KIMA 2 comes with a small dark orange soft carrying pouch, that is so small that I assume it is for accessories or something else since I doubt the iems fit in that, but it also comes with a larger, more practical tubular carrying pouch and, to be real with you. I was looking forward to the hard case on the normal version, so if you do too, go for that one. The tubular pouch is fine, it works for what is mean to do, it has a very nice finish, don’t get me wrong, it seems to be of pretty good quality, but I was just personally more interested in trying the hard case. * The cleaning brush, the cleaning cloth and the cable management pin are fine, I honestly don’t see myself using them soon, but you know, it’s good to have it, it seems to be part of an accessory kit from Dunu, so that’s at least $5 more greens worth of extras, you sure are getting pretty bang for your buck with this one.    \---------- # The Conclusions. So yeah, Would I recommend them? Totally yes, more so if you find them on a sale: as to whom would I recommend them? That’s que real question:   **WOULD RECOMMEND:** * For people that enjoy vocal forward signatures. * For people that want a truly neutral-leaning iem. * For people that is not super sensitive to treble. * A nice starting point for “baby” treble heads. * For people that are into EQ (these work fairly well for that, but dont expect extra punch on the bass). * For people that struggle with a good fit. * For people who like single DD sound and performance. * People that want a neutral tuning and some extra eartips for their iem collections. * For people who are sensitive to bass. * And overall, for people that enjoy detailed tracks that doesn’t have too much going on in the sound.   **WOULD NOT RECOMMEND:** * Not for people who are very sensitive to treble or fear sibilance. * Not for bass heads, especially for Sub-bass. * Not for people who wants the absolute best techs the price can offer. * Not for people that are into too busy or too bassy types of music. * Not for high volume listeners.   https://preview.redd.it/3mf5maxkz0zd1.png?width=4940&format=png&auto=webp&s=476cd105fd6fc789daba5798b357185c322730fe ***So yeah, TLDR: KIMA 2 is a pretty good set, if you come from sub $50 iems these are going to be a noticeable upgrade, but it just mostly competes with its peers around its $120 price range, it comes kitted out with various accessories and is a delight for people that are into neutral vocal forward signatures.*** PS: a HUGE thank you to DUNU for making this review possible.

its not so Easy to say, because most of my comparative knowledge at this price point comes from other Reviewers that had experienced other options. Some think could be a planar like the Kefine Klanar, the NiceHCK F1/F1 pro, the Letshouer S12, hidiz mp143/145 and so on. Other opinions are on things like the supermix 4 or the EM6L, Binary Chopin, moondrop stellaris/kato, maybe even the CCA Hydro (i honestly dont know all the good models that are out there in the market tho, not above $100 at least). i comfirmed it is better than options like the KZ PR3, which fights along the lines of iems on the $70 to $90 price bracket and so on, but any of the Reviewers i checked said that its technical performance wasnt anything especial for the price, it was fine. if i had something like the em6l, the aful Explorer, the Klanar, the S12, etc, i could comfirm how bigger, or not, the difference is, but as of now i can only know that its good enought for its price range, but cant say for sure where it specifically stands, let alone say what is better for a similar price, or if this one is actually from the best for the price. my bet would be that, for around the price, something like the klanar or the F1 Pro would be the option, since every Reviewer calls them the "cheaper S12" and thats a well liked set.

yeah, as i said, i like a bit more bass so thats why i stated my preference xd, it has enought for some, allthought i Wouldnt say the bass is the selling point. Its mostly people that are on basshead territory that should have this in mind if they are interested in the set.

For what you are saying, Kima2 might genuinely do the trick for you, allthought you probably would enjoy better the vocal tips on those, just check and compare, Explorer is also a very good option too, but its more for people who like bass, if you need me to test anything about those, just hit me up in the DMs. good luck.

Im not sure if its a great idea to spend so much on an iem for movies since you would likely need amplification for those, and that will add complexity to your setup, so, with that in mind, i think that some cheaper options are the Blon Z300 as its an iem that its cheap, comfortable, has pretty decent build quality for the price and has great sound replay, so pretty inmersive. On the other hand, if you want to step up the game, you can go for either the Dunu Kima 2 for a detailed replay, so you dont miss anything in the sound, or the Aful explorer for a step up in the inmersive sound style.

I have a few reviews published on my profile if you wanna check them (Models Reviewed so far are: Dunu Kima 2, Titan S2, Kefine Klean, Dunu DK3001BD, 7Hz Elua and Dunu Falcon Ultra). Oh, and also TRN Orca but is a very old and novice review xd.

For around that price, for balanced i guess Check the truthear nova. as for neutral, i mean, if you really want a neutral sound, the Dunu Kima 2 is pretty neutral, but check them well, as a neutral sound usually comes with some adjustments in the sound that people often dont enjoy for music. Now, if you dont want an specially neutral sound, the S12 works fine but remember that it is planar and that it also has a bit foward treble area, so you should not be too sensitive to treble and have a decent dac to power them. if you want something less treble foward, check the Kefine klanar. those arent strictly neutral, but wont be too colored in the sound eirher.

# After a few months of my first mega list of options under $50 dollars...  \---------- ***Click here for the sub $50 list:*** [https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/s/WfhfLLl0np](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/s/WfhfLLl0np)  \---------- ... Finally, after so much corrections and problems, I can post my next list, I’m sorry for coming this late though, I hope people still finds it useful, this time, I came with options ranging from around $110 dollars (counting in discounts) down to $60 for those looking for a little more advanced options, either to make an upgrade to your cheaper IEMs, or to get started in the hobby, in any case, you are welcome.   Unlike the first list, this time I won't detail so many things before listing options, if you want to know about where to possibly buy IEMs safely, which reviewers to check on YouTube for second opinions, and even understand a bit more of the terminologies used in the “audiophile lingo”, please check out the Sub $50 list, this one has two parts and explains a lot of this already.   \---------- # PLEASE DO TAKE IN MIND: That I’m just a single person doing this compilation of information, this list is based off the general impressions of various trustworthy reviewers on these iems. This is **NOT** a ranking list, this **NOT** my personal best picks, and I do **NOT** own all of the iems on the list. This IS just a list for you to have alternatives to pick of fairly recent, good, safe-ish iems to pick from.   There is so much a single person can do, so, **if you see any glaring error** with the description of any iem, or if you think there is any model left out that should be on this list, **please do let me know**, remember that this list only goes up to $110 because it will drop down to under $100 often on discounts, please do not mention iems over $110 or under $60.   Here, before I start, I'm just going to make some specific clarifications that people should keep in mind when looking to buy any IEM in this price range. Do consider that **I’m being very superficial here**, this is **not** full audio engineer knowledge being explained in a simplistic way, rather, this is more like **summarized general concepts** to help people grasp basic ideas that they could need to know when entering the hobby. \---------- ***Over-reach Update:*** Per request of various people in the post, I will be adding iems around $120-$130 to consider grabbing if you see it below $100. # Gaming Update: As quite a lot of people have been asking for gaming options, ill make this update marking iems with performance rakings from the "WALLHACK CERTIFIED IEM TIER LIST" of Reviwer Fresh Reviews, who is pretty well known for recomending iems for gaming use, just be aware that this does not reflect my opinion about each IEM nor does it ensure that you will have an excellent video game experience just because its listed. The Fresh Reviews system gives letter grades where “S” is the best grade, going down from S-A to C+, where C+ means that they are the minimum sufficient to be able to play video games with. The way I will mark it would be putting the score besides the name "(with FRS: “Mark obtained”)" (FRS = Fresh Reviews Score), example: Truthear Zero Red (FRS: C+), if you don't see this mark, it means that either Fresh Reviews did not consider it good for gaming, or did not review the product. \---------- # Relevant clarifications:  **---** * **“Hybrid IEMs = Better?”** A constant question you see these days is “are more drivers better than one?” and the answer is always: in budget price ranges? absolutely not, especially under $100. What mostly dictates the sound quality and technicality of a headphone is the quality of the driver(s) used, it doesn't matter if an earphone has 20 drivers per side at this price range, if another company is selling you one with only 1 driver, and people say it's good, that's because it usually is, the amount of drivers in lower price ranges means almost nothing, there may be extra benefits of having more drivers, but those benefits are not a “game changer” in this price range, pick based on performance, use case and sound preference, not on driver config…UNLESS you dislike the way that one specific type of driver produces sound..  \--- * **“What’s a Planar?”** IEMs that only use planar drivers are a special thing because usually drivers of this type offer very good and balanced technicalities in general at this price range, you know: separation, detail, resolution, soundstage, and all those terms you have heard. What happens is that most of these drivers also have some disadvantages that pay in return for the techs, among them the most common ones are: * That some people consider that the noise they produce in vocals and treble sounds somewhat “metallic”, which can be annoying or distracting. * \- * The second problem is that usually planar drivers, at least in this price range, do not have the most textured or impactful bass, they may have good bass presence and rumble, but they usually do not get to be as intense and feel as physical as a good dynamic driver can. * \- * And finally, planar drivers usually require a decent amount of amplification from a DAC to perform to the best of their capabilities, if you plan on choosing a full planar IEM, you really, ideally, should be running them with a DAC, unlike other driver types or even hybrid configurations at this price range, a planar IEM can exhibit noticeable changes in sound and performance when not properly amplified, especially reducing their overall technicalities and sounding less clean than they should. IF YOU CAN, hook them to a good dongle DAC with a 4.4mm cable for the best amplification possible. That's why, when I say that a planar will need “good application”, I mean that you'll probably want to use something more than the typical apple dongle recommendation to move a planar earphone, mostly just to make sure you are powering them correctly.  \--- * **“Should I get a dongle DAC?”** And the last point, although speaking of amplification again, above $50 you really should start considering getting a dongle DAC for your IEMs, because, while even at this price point, most iems could work pretty fine without it, you could likely end up leaving some performance “on the table” if they are underpowered. It is not obligatory for you to get one, specially if you dont get a planar, but also don’t be surprised if your iems doesn’t give you enough volume or if your new iems doesn’t seem to perform as great as most people say, you don’t need anything too fancy, just try a basic dongle dac in the $15-$40 price range, the normal cheap rec is the Apple dongle (US version), but you can always get something a bit more durable, and then judge your experience based on it. And if it’s possible to you, specially with planars, using a 4.4mm cable (on a compatible DAC) to get the most energy out of your dac will ensure that your iems aren’t under-amplified in most cases, is not a must in any way, shape of form, but you could try it if you can (but please, just dont use 3.5mm to 4.4mm adapters as those could damage some of your equipment if they are made improperly). By the way, the reason why i recommend a 4.4mm is because you can easily get more energy out of your same dac (if it has both conections, of course) using a 4.4mm vs the 3.5mm on the same DAC, you can always, get a very decent 3.5mm DAC too.   \---------- # SUB $100 IEM MEGA PICK LIST: (This list now cover iems mostly\* down from $60 up to $100, with some extra options that could be around $120, but that could be picked below $100 if on sale, please take that in mind. The prices listed are just the stock price, often lower on sales). ***Purchase links disclaimer:*** The links included are affiliate links, but make sure to check vendor reviews when you make any AliExpress purchases. The links have no influence on which IEMs are recommended or picked for the list.   \----- # BASSY IEMs. The option for people looking for a bassy, rumbly, thumpy or just warm and relaxed experience, if you want good bass, check here. **NOT EVERYTHING HERE IS BASS HEAVY.**  \----- * ***($109) 7hz Legato (FRS: C+):*** The bass canon pick under $100, plenty of quality bass for your basshead needs, with just enough of upper half energy on the sound to not be unusable. It’s recommended to be used with things like wide bore eartips for extra clarity. Technicalities are a bit below average since the heavy bass isn’t the best for detail, but still very competitive, the basshead upgrade path from the QKZxHBB. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mqJdKzH)  \----- * ***($90) Tangzu Fudu (FRS: B-):*** A relaxed, bassy and smooth experience, most people say they are pretty comfortable, but the nozzle is slightly on the large size. It has an overall clean-ish sound, nice and warm-ish well-done vocals, and smooth treble. Average good technicalities despite the extra bass and the smooth presentation. Should Work for gaming, although bass could be a bit too distracting for competitive. Also, the bass is not super powerful, as it is more of a relaxed set, so don’t get it just for the amount of bass it has, but also for the style of sound. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mqvuzOT)  \----- * ***($75) Kefine Delci/AE (AE FRS: B):*** A pretty good bass leaning iem, some consider it the step up from the BLON BL03, as it manages to have great bass qualities while still presenting nice enough vocals and detailed treble. There is some warmness in vocals, not the cleanest sound from the price range, but it makes for a more relaxed and bassy listening experience, that manages to be engaging when it needs to be, especially with the pretty thumpy and rumbly bass. Vocals are natural enough despite the extra warmness, just not the main focus of the iem. The treble is on the energetic side, but not too intense that it makes it a V-shape. Technicalities are fine for the price range, but the bassy sound just makes it a not so “clear” sounding iem, a better if you are into bassy stuff. If you would like the performance of the Delci for bass, but also would like to be able to use it for gaming, check the Delci AE with the interchangable nozzles for 2 tunings and more versatile usage. Not a common recommendation for gaming, at least not for competitive gaming. But the usual bassy recommendation under $100. Check it out here (Regular): [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mKaEwxD) Check it out here (AE): [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mKT5q5H)  \----- * ***($70) TRN White Tiger:*** Funny and energetic, yet not aggressive, bassy V-shaped iem, nice bass quality for the price, with good balance between sub-bass and mid-bass, the bass does have a bit of muddiness (bleed) to it, but doesn’t drown the vocals at all, is tastefully done and vocals are fine enough, the treble is a bit forward, but nothing too intense, nice technicalities for the price, an alternative to the Titan S2 if you feel like lacking bass and too much vocal energy. It comes with 3 different tuning nozzles, so check each one, but most people likes the green or red ones. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mMYoBHt)  \----- * ***($99) Letshuoer S08 (FRS: B-):*** Bassy focused approach to a planar iem, nice rumbly bass, although not the most physical or hard hitting one since it’s a planar, but it definitely does a better job with the bass than other planars around this price point, it still shares all those great technicalities of planars under $100, but also still requires good amplification, that said, it is slightly less "power hungry" than other planars in the list, so an “apple dongle” type of dongle might be just enough, but if you can get something better, could be the better option. Should work for gaming. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mL3X5zv)  \----- * ***($120) Aful Explorer:*** Warm-bassy, Inmersive IEM. The bass is rumbly, thick, with body, but its not on the intense/super punchy side, sub-bass over mid-bass approach. Vocals are on the clean side, with some Energy, but not pushed as foward as on balanced sets, not that natural in the upper vocals though. The treble is enough, smooth and detailed, but is not that detailed or open feeling, safer relaxed treble over detailed and clear sound. Technicalities overall are good for the elevated price. Should work for gaming. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mNhhRI3) \----- * ***($126) CCA Hydro:*** V-shaped, clean-cut Harman style bass, energetic IEM. The direct step-up all the way down from the Castor Bass and the CCA Rhapsody. The bass sacrificies a little bit the amount for extra quality: control, tactile thumpy punch and clean deep rumble, still giving good body to deep male vocals with minimal "bload", you can always boost it up a bit with the tuning switches though. Vocals mamage to be correct and Somewhat natural and detailed, they pop out enough and dont get as thin as other V-shaped iems. Treble is on the energetic side, maybe could be borderline too intense for some, but it also manages to give nice detail while not being too aggressive with it, be aware if you are sensitive to treble tho, this time, the bass cant be boosted too much with the switches to balance things out, also, the sound of the treble could come as a bit "metallic" for some thanks to the driver config. Technicalities are decent but stock price is a bit too high. Should work for gaming. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mPV3RvZ)   \---------- # BALANCED/NEUTRAL IEMs. Here you will find anything with just enough of both bass and treble for your music needs, some might lean a bit into the bass, others might have some extra treble, but the lean is not big enough to call it bassy or bright. **NOT VERYTHING IN HERE IS “NEUTRAL"**.  \----- * ***($80)*** [***Dunu Titan S2***](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1h8nzjb/the_rekindled_spark_dunu_titan_s2_review/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) ***(FRS: C+):*** A mild V-Shaped balanced iem with an edge on vocals, specially female vocals, pretty engaging energy, it uses some extra bass and treble to balance things out compared to the original Titan. The bass is pretty rich and clean, but it also loses a bit of body on male vocals vs the OG Titan, still warm, just not the same focus, it has good punch to it and decent rumble, with focus on the mid-bass but not too boosted over sub-bass, and has decent texture, overall great bass quality. The vocals, because of the V-shaped style, do sound slightly less natural than on the OG, but they aren’t as recessed as other V-shape sets. The treble quality is good but could come as a bit too forward in some cases, so it can be a bit fatiguing for some, especially for people sensitive to treble. Technical performance is great overall, above average, good detail retrieval, some say that it could almost compete with planars. but the soundstage is not as big as other options, in resolution is competing with benchmark iems like hexa. Should work for gaming. It also should work well for Rock music genres, even with busy tracks. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mOdiyY7)  \----- * ***($70-$80) Simgot EW300 (Comes with Type-C/DSP option) (FRS: C+):*** A balanced yet energetic iem that breaks with the “Simgot has peaky treble” tradition. Nice allrounder sound, punchy bass, good decently natural vocals, enough treble presence, and good technicalities for the price. A warning is that the iem could feel a bit heavy resting on the ears for some. Should work for gaming. This one comes in 3 versions: Normal, HBB and DSP - They are all almost the same, just pick based on connection necessities, price and looks (sound is just barely different that it could be just unit variance as well – in the words of some reviewers). Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mskLcPh)  \----- * ***($90) Simgot EA500LM (FRS: C+):*** Balanced, Neutral leaning, yet V-shaped sound, still the treble could be a bit too much for some, but it’s very well controlled compared to other options from Simgot. Bass has good texture and quality, and it’s more boosted than in the EA500 so it balances the sound more, it is not too boosted still, so with presence but not the main focus. Vocals are good, correct and natural, but also forward and energetic. The treble has also presence, but not too much; in reference to vocals and bass, is not as extra boosted for the V-shaped kind of sound. Some people consider it detailed and smooth, but others still can find them a bit too intense, so, again, a warning for treble sensitive people. All in all, works like a more energetic Titan S2, with also great technical performance, slightly above average, it favors a nice and natural kind of performance rather than ultra-wide soundstage and very obvious detail retrieval, still resolution is pretty good for the price, fighting above its price range with the Hexa and the S2. It comes with interchangeable nozzles, try them all, but most people seem to like the gold and red nozzles better. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mqBqcnt)  \----- * ***($90) Moondrop Aria 2:*** A pretty balanced, natural, good performing IEM that remembers a bit the sound of the Tangzu Waner, just overall cleaner, and with very upgraded technicalities according to its price range, very safe sound with just enough of everything in punchy bass, natural vocals and detailed treble, plus an average overall technical performance for the price. Should work for gaming. If you don’t know what to pick, this is your best starting point. Several people, however, do not like that the build quality is not that excellent, especially the paint scratches easily and moondrop as a brand sometimes does not have the best quality control. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mOIoiwJ)  \----- * ***($80) Truthear Hexa:*** A balanced, neutral leaning iem with a sub-bass boost. Is a set that focuses ln detail and performance, a somewhat clinical sound that might not be too engaging for some, but excellent technicalities for the price. Bass is decent and detailed, but the small amount of mid-bass could be too little for a fair amount of people. The vocals are nice and natural, but also not that energetic, and the treble is mostly detailed and controlled, with maybe some slightly too boosted areas in the lower treble, so, because of the small amount of warmness in the bass, some people can find the Hexa a bit bright sounding (sound leaning into the treble), with some female vocal energy being also pushed forward, if you are sensitive to treble is not the safest pick. Be aware that the nozzle is quite large, so comfort might not be that great for some, Woks pretty well for gaming, as this is usually the technical benchmark to beat under $100. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mt0zJjz)  \----- * ***($80) Tangzu XuanNV (FRS: B-):*** A vocal forward, slightly warm sounding iem, good bass dynamics but not the main focus, a bit extra boosted on the upper mids (female vocals lean), but most people consider them smooth and not fatiguing. Treble is there and has enough detail but is nothing too impressive. Just a very nice, pretty safe sound. Average technicalities for the price. Be aware that they need some good amplification to work the best. Nozzle leans to the large side but doesn’t seem to have much fit problems for people. It’s a pretty safe pick if you don’t know what to pick, but you know you like vocals. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_m0DwmLZ)  \----- * ***($110) Kefine Klanar:*** Pretty detailed balanced (borderline U-shaped) iem that leans a bit to the bass, so plenty Energy on bass and treble too but nothing too much, although vocals could feel slightly on the background for some people, it has just enough energy there, so vocals don’t thin out. It’s a planar so great technicalities, plenty detail and clean bass, but will need some extra energy to perform to the best of its capabilities, and bass probably is not going to be the punchiest, since it’s a planar iem; I should also mention that the treble could be borderline too energetic for very sensitive people. This one is considered a cheaper Letshuoer Z12/S12 pro. Should work for gaming. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mMIgDej)  \----- * ***($100) NiceHCK F1 Pro:*** Pretty similar to the Klanar, kinda balanced, but this planar leans some more into the vocals and treble over bass, with a good but controlled amount of bass, plus some crisp highs, not recommended for people sensitive to treble. It might be the closest one to the sound of the Letshuoer S12 tuning, with even slightly less bass. Being a planar, will have great overall technical performance, clean sound, and should work for gaming. Will need good amplification as most planars do. And the bass on planar, like this one, will not be the strongest or physical one. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mP9caUx)  \----- * ***($70) Artti T10:*** A very affordable balanced planar, it has a decent boost on the sub-bass for some rumble, clean mid-range and nuanced enough treble that is sparkly but can be a bit too intense for some people (similar to simgot models). It’s supposed to have the same driver tech as more expensive iems like the Letshuoer S12, so, if you don’t mind the basic build quality, it’s a very good, technically competent, cheap alternative, although it might just had some more Sub-bass and less treble than the S12. It does also need some good amplification as with the other planars, ideally a 4.4mm power output. Should work for gaming. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mOJiup9)  \----- * ***($110) Simgot EM6L (FRS: B/B-):*** V-shaped Neutral, somewhat bright leaning iem. Bass is there, it warms the sound, but for the price is nothing impressive, not as clean as other options and it could feel like somewhat soft or not that texturized/punchy, under $100 other picks have some better quality, it’s just decent enough. The vocals are forward, clear but not as clean, not that natural, even a bit on the warm side of sound, so with body, especially male vocals, but that can play against female vocals. The treble is forward in the sound, with maybe a bit too much energy, but that manages to not be super aggressive, some consider it pretty smooth actually, so you will hear it, but you might not “feel” it as much, it do adds a lot of detail and helps with the openness of the sound. Technical performance is where this iem is notorious, while the soundstage is not the best, the tuning paired with the overall good-for-the-price technicalities, helps a lot for uses like gaming, usually considered the default best budget gaming pick around this price range. For music is just not going to be the most technical or detailed listening, just be aware that people very sensitive to treble could still find it a bit too much. **Some people have had the nozzle or filters of the iem falling off, usually fixed by glueing them back on, but you should know this info.** Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mqM2p3z)  \----- * ***($65) Moondrop May (Comes with Type-C/DSP only):*** A soft V-shaped iem, with good technicalities for the price. The whole point of them is to be used with the DSP cable and the Moondrop app to personalize the tuning with sound pre-sets or a bit of EQ. Also works fine with a 3.5mm Jack with the stock soft V-shape sound, but you will have to provide the cable. Should work for gaming. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mP5XKDz)  \----- * ***($80)*** [***Dunu Titan S***](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/s/wxjSiXSolr)***:*** Neutral, vocal focused iem so it could feel a bit shouty for very sensitive people. Bass is decent in quality, but the quantity is around what most balanced neutral iems have, maybe even a bit extra boosted on top, and it focuses on mid-bass over sub-bass. The treble is quite well controlled and not that pushed foward, its smooth and precise but could lack some sparkle for some, vocals are very nice, very clean and natural, being the main focus as said earlier. Resolution and overall technicalities are good, resolution is the strongest part since it was above average when first launched, but somewhat average nowadays, the rest of the techs are just fine for the price, the S2 does present an overall decent technical upgrade over the original Titan. As a warning, the nozzle fits a bit deeper than other iems, so do expect the extra reach inside your ear. Should work for gaming, but I wouldn’t recommend it because of mid-range focus, ir could be a good vocal upgrade from Waner. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mM6hN4B)  \----- * ***($89) Kiwi Ears Canta:*** Energetic and balanced Vocal focused iem with some bright leaning to it. The bass is a kind of a V-shape approach, where the focus is more on a nice bass punch rather than sub-bass rumble, however, because of the treble, the nice bass qualities would not be as apparent, it is not the focus of the sound but is there and does a very good job. The vocals are very clear, detailed, clean, but also very forward, it could even get a bit sibilant or shouty for some tracks, so this is an energetic kind of tuning, more of a “W” shape than a “V”. The treble has presence, clarity and detail, but it can get unnatural thanks to the extra emphasis, although is not that aggressive. The tuning does make for a wide soundstage, but overall technical performance is just slightly above average, with an edge on separation and detail, at the cost of the intense sound. The EW300 is a more relaxed, balanced version of this one. Despite the technical performance though, doesn’t seem like the best pick for gaming. Check it out here: [Linsoul.](https://www.linsoul.com/products/kiwi-ears-canta?srsltid=AfmBOor8SGQG1NeTFgA-LY3I0SSdC_HvyTyZtY4bdj_CMLzKrCOqHwyc)  \----- * ***($77) Sivga Que:*** Balanced U-shape-Ish IEM that has an interesting balance between nice bass and crips treble. Bass is impactful, has a decent amount of rumble but it’s a clear mid-bass over sub-bass kind of sound, gets the job done but is not the most texturized or detailed bass. The vocals are a bit warm, mostly the male ones, so it has nice body to it, while managing some cleanness with the bass, is not the most natural, but is also not as thin, muddy or as unnatural as other similar sets can get, the area of female vocals is pretty forward, most people didn’t find it shouty, but it has the potential to be, at least for very sensitive people. The treble has presence, it brings good detail to the sound, but it manages to not be too intense or sibilant, just energetic enough. Technicalities are pretty good for the price, with some extra detail on top thanks to the mentioned treble style. It should be able to manage rock music even with busy tracks. Should work for gaming. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mtfpmTh)  \----- * ***($70) Tanchjim 4U:*** A balanced/Neutral iem with a switch system that lets you go from a warm iem, a sound style that reminds of the (R.I.P.) Truthear Hola, to a neutral balanced set, to a neutral bright-ish set, to a full neutral, vocal focused, set. The overall sound and technical performance is fine, but it is nothing impressive for the price, maybe even a bit outdated thanks to recent releases around the same price, safe in the treble too, not too intense. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mNYKbZ1)  \----- * ***($99) Ziigaat Cinno:*** Slightly warm, very correct sounding iem that is great for people both sensitive to treble and shoutiness, a bit of a "flat-liner" in the sound but maintains some musicality to it, with a natural enough sound. Technicalities are fine for the price, nothing too impressive. Should work pretty good for more detailed music genres like classical music. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mNDingn)  \----- * ***($140) Aful MagicOne:*** Balanced-warm leaning IEM. Technicalities are somewhat below average for the price\* but it works well in this (sub $100) price range. Bass is not the most Detail, punchy or rumbly, is overall a bit too smooth, but also pretty relaxed. The vocals are nice and natural-ish, but there is warmness from the bass, not the cleanest typw of sound, but it plays into the relaxed balanced sound. Trebel is smooth but detailed, not underboosted, foward enough to balance things out. An interesting, relaxed pick if you dont want going for bassy stuff like the Fudu. It doesnt seem to work well for gaming. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mtDTpsR) \---------- # BRIGHT IEMs. Here you will find the focus on vocals and treble: reduced bass amounts, very natural vocals and even sparkly trebles, anything for that high-pitched clarity and detail. **THERE IS GOOD QUALITY BASS IN HERE TOO**.  \----- * ***($120)*** [***Dunu Kima 2***](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1gk0xcm/i_challenged_they_delivered_dunu_kima_2_review/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)***:*** Balanced (a bit bright leaning) Neutral IEM With an excellent performance for natural vocals. Bass has very good replay, but its not the most Detailed, punchy or rumbly, it works more as a complementary approach to the tuning, the focus is on mid-bass over sub-bass, and its not too boosted, sub bass is also fairly reduced. The mids are natural, clear, clean but with body, transparent-like, excellent timbre, nothing shouty. Treble is clear, foward thanks to the reduced bass, detailed but very well controlled, pretty smooth. Overall technicalities are just fine for the price, it has great detail retrieval although is not too obvious about it, Soundstage is just fine and instrument separation is not the best out here, but all in all is fairly competent. Could work for gaming, but wouldnt recomend it. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mO6feEP)  \----- * ***($60) 7hz Sonus (FRS: B-):*** A very affordable Neutral-bright leaning IEM, a step up from the Salnotes Zero OG, great technical performance, above its price tag. A clean, neutral and natural sound, with a lean into the vocals and treble. Good but controlled bass, with decent quality in the hit and a boosted sub-bass rumble. Treble is nice and detailed, but not that bright, not that boosted. The biggest downside is the hybrid driver configuration which some people say is not totally cohesive, like there is a small separation between bass and the rest of the sound, but not a deal breaker for most people. Just watch out that for some it could some a bit Shouty on the vocals. Considering the cheaper price on the list, the overall technicalities are above average for the price, or on average with some more expensive iems in this list. This one is considered kind of a “Mini-Hexa”. Nozzle leans to the larger side. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mOUBJJ5)  \----- * ***($80) Simgot EA500:*** A bright V-shape-ish iem that also has some warmness to the vocals, so, not the most neutral because it has some sound coloration. Pretty good bass quality, over quantity, has good but somewhat forward vocals, specially energetic female vocals, the treble is quite forward but can get fatiguing or even harsh for some. Technicalities are just decent for the price. This iem is for people that like bright sound without overlooking the bass, a possible upgrade path from the Ziigaat Nuo. Not recommended for people with sensitivity to Shoutiness and harsh treble. It comes with 2 tuning nozzles that don’t show much difference but try both just to make sure. Check it out here: [AliExpress.](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mtyc6Bh)  \-----   \---------- # Final comments. Thanks again for the good feedback for this post, remember again that im just one person and can make mistakes, so please mention me if you see anything wrong.   If you are looking for more overall information on IEMs, or the sub $50, look here:    ***Click here for the sub $50 list:*** [https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/s/WfhfLLl0np](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/s/WfhfLLl0np)   I hope this list is of some help, and if you need to know more, don’t be afraid to ask… although this is honestly mostly how high in price my knowledge goes, and I don’t know much about dongle DACs, so, I will do my best to help as I can.   ***I hope you like what you pick from here, all feedback is well appreciated, good luck, the Budget Knight bids farewell, good luck... O.E. :)***

Dunu Kima 2, although thats a very neutral iem, Moondrop Aria 2 would be a more energetic pick.

If you can do the strecht, Dunu Kima 2, comfort, nice accesories, nice cable and a tuning that is smooth and focuse on correct vocals.

Mine is waiting for me at home! I got the green bastard edition.

I just got one, dang idk why I got the kima 2 when this is a thing. It’s basically a higher quality kima 2, closer to the origin….maybe better actually.

That green cable needs to be on my p7 or kima 2!

Thats a pretty big price difference between the EW300 and Supermix 4. While I do love the SM4, I think its only worth if your budget comfortably fits the SM4. Yes for me the SM4 was just straight up better but was it worth 2x the price of the EW300? Depends on you. I think for value, the EW300 is insane and one of the best. You could also look at the EA500LM if you like a slightly brighter tone or DUNU Kima 2 if you listen to very vocal songs. I still think Moondrop Kato on sale for like $110-130 is a great buy too.

I love the amount of accessories that comes with the Dunu Kima 2, but I don’t like vocal forward iems, or maybe I tested it with a ultra budget IEM like Tangzu Waner, might give it another chance and go for the Volume S.

Dunu titan s2 or Dunu kima 2 is what I think suits your preferences. Titan s2 has good bass with textural qualities. Mids on kima 2 are more pronounced but smoother than s2. S2 has better dynamics overall and is more of a fun sound. Both have very good timbre but kima feels more natural. Hexa is more of a neutral mid range iem, it lets you observe the sound but not necessarily feel the bass defintion. I didnt really like s08, planar bass is more of a wave feeling motion and the tuning was too neutral. Nova lacks in the bass punch feel but everything is kind of smooth on it while having good vocals. Fudu is decent but the air roll off kind of is a dealbreaker for me. On a random side note you should look into kz zvx pro, it has very clean bass shelf without it feeling lacking. I know its in the budget but the tuning on it feels so technical for its price. It doesn't lack anything the staging, imaging, and layering all sound great. It blends musicality with good technicaity and I can say it rivals alot of $80 or under pairs.