OH10 Obsidian

Ikko oh10 obsidian are a nice/fun set

Have you tried just adding a bass shelf with EQ? IME most basshead IEMs aren't actually really basshead without EQ anyway. Even something like the FatFreq Deuce needs the impedance adaptor to become true basshead, and I still don't find that as good as my Ikko OH10+10dB bass shelf (Harman standard settings). In terms of tips, I'd suggest trying Penon Liqueur Orange for the maximum amount of bass, although they're probably not going to add much over Kiwi Ears Flex, which is already pretty bassy (especially for a vented tip). And for that matter Divinus Velvet aren't too far behind either, though I do fairly consistently get a bit more bass with Liqueurs than those. The problem I have with the Flex tips is they're very springy and non-grippy, so they just push themselves out of my ear while making a squeaking noise for about 60 seconds. You also might find Faaeal H570 tips good for sub-bass specifically because I usually find they don't produce the same total amount of bass as Penon Liqueur, but they have a bit more extension into the *really low* sub-bass than other tips. But I'm really talking about doing frequency sweeps below 10Hz here. There's almost no content that low in actual music because it's typically high-passed at 20Hz to avoid intermodulation distortion. In most cases, having more of a boost around 50Hz is going to sound more sub-bassy than having more extension below 10Hz.

There's quite a broad range. For example: * Aful MagicOne - pretty, but not overdone * Ikko OH10 - good looking, nature-based & reserved * 7Hz Timeless, Timeless AE, Simgot EA500 - minimalist * Tin C2, Dunu Titan S (black/red version), Truthear Hexa/Pure - industrial There's a whole load in the middle that are just random swirly colours which has become the default low-effort design. Something like the Thieaudio Legacy 2 does that well IMO because its just one colour with a bit of texture, not all the colours, all at once. If you want a plain black cable, look at the KBear ST12. There's lots of options out there. I notice the stock cables often don't match the IEMs very well, and intentionally or not, this most likely helps sell a lot of aftermarket cables.

Ikko OH10 if you can find one for sale anywhere. They're still making them, but only in smallish batches, so there's often no stock. There's also the OH10S which is apparently tuned almost identically (I haven't heard it because there didn't seem to be much point in buying nearly identical IEM) with the main difference being the faceplate design. There are a few newer hybrids that are apparently quite good as well such as the Ziigaat Doscinco, but I haven't heard it myself. Audio Amigo has a good roundup of all the Ziigaats which is worth watching, as there's a ridiculous number of them, all with fairly similar tunings. Might be slightly outside your budget unless there's a sale though (which there very often is). On the cheaper side the Aful Explorer isn't bad either, although it's mostly a softer, very warm tuning and doesn't have the same sort of weighty bass punch as the OH10. Also I find vocals on the Explorer very sibilant, but not everyone seems to get that problem. Personally with the exception of build quality & comfort, I actually prefer the QKZ HBB over the Explorer and it's warmer & bassier too. And it's only $15. Out of the 3, the HBB is the best for volume scaling before the treble gets too intense (without EQ). The Explorer is a bit more resolving though.

The weight normally helps them *not* fall out of your ears. My other "out and about" IEMs are the Ikko OH10 which is one of the heaviest IEMs in existence. It's basically a lump of solid copper, and quite a bit bigger than the Kato. That thing is super stable in the ears. Extra weight is only a problem if it's all on the outside of the IEM and tends to pull it out, like the 7Hz Sonus or Moondrop Stellaris. It's all about the centre of gravity being inside your concha, and ideally a bit towards the front so it will push itself towards your ear canal. If they're not stable in your ears then they might just not be going in deep enough. Maybe try other sizes of eartips. Or else you might just have quite small ears, in which case maybe something a bit thinner would be better, rather than something lighter. The Tanchjims are a bit smaller than the Kato, but I find them a bit less stable because they're too small to stay in place properly. In fact it could be that you have unusually large conchas, in which case a much larger IEM might be more stable. Also make sure the ear loops on the cable are supporting the weight properly so it's not just flopping around like it's loose. If they ear loops are too big then you can heat them up with a hair dryer and re-shape them to fit better. Hold in place until it cools down and repeat as needed.

Ikko OH10 obsidian. An older one but still one of the prettiest I’ve ever owned.

https://preview.redd.it/gw89w6zw30yg1.jpeg?width=1320&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b1d70fc2a882d47cd55f5138308f45325e16c53a As someone that owns the OH10 and had the variations at one point, I would say look at the Hisenior mega7. The mega5est from what I’ve gathered is basically neutral with a bass boost. I’ve heard it’s boring, but some people like that. I consider getting the top pro but ended up with the xenns tea pro se (special edition). It has become one of my favorite IEM’s i’ve ever heard. It’s not as scooped out in the lower mid range like the variations or OH10. Its technical performance is extremely good. I wholeheartedly think the tea pro se would be the worthy successor of the variations. Almost forgot to mention that the tea pro se is an aluminum shell.

trn shell, kinera freya (2.0 is great also), ikko oh10 obsidian, shozy magma, tangzu nesha and tianpeng. its in no particular order but freya takes the cake by far.

trn shell, kinera freya (2.0 is great also), ikko oh10 obsidian, shozy magma, tangzu nesha and tianpeng. its in no particular order but freya takes the cake by far.

I've been using the Moondrop Variations for a few years now, but they keep breaking on me. (TLDR, sometimes I fall asleep using my IEMs and this somehow breaks them. I've broken my variations 3 times now: the right one twice and the left one once and every time I get a replacement, they're tuned slightly differently which REALLY bothers me.) I'm tired of dealing with this, so I've decided to get a new pair of IEMs. (After doing some research, I've found 3 IEMs that I think I would prefer over the Variations: The Xenns Top Pro, NiceHCK Rockies, and Hisensor Mega5 EST, but I'm having a difficult time picking between them. Some info about me: I LOVE the V-Shape sound signature. The majority of music I listen to is very Drum and Guitar focused: Rock, Metal, Alt, Indie, and Punk, which is why I prefer this sound signature over all others. One of my favourite IEMs I own is the IKKO OH10. It's bass and treble response is so punchy and fun. That being said, I still prefer Variations since it has much better technicalities, while still having strong bass and treble. Also the OH10 are a little too sensitive and pick up a ton of noise from the audio device I use (iPod Classic 5.5 gen). My biggest issue with the Variations is both the build quality and bass extension. I already touched on the build a little bit but to explain a little more, what I meant by they break is that one IEM will suddenly become significantly quieter than the other. Sometimes I can fix this by replacing the filter on other IEMs but as far as I'm aware, the Variations don't have a filter, or at least a replaceable one. Now for the bass, I just wish it had more mid bass. Its sub bass is PERFECT, but the mid bass leaves a lot to desire. I understand that that's partially how it's able to have such astounding separation and whatnot, but I would like a more middle-ground for my next pair of IEMs. So now that brings us back to my question: which IEM should I get to replace my Variations? Which one has a good V-shape like sound signature that also has great clarity and technicalities, AND has solid build quality that I can easily replace the filters on in case something happens to them? At the moment, I'm leaning towards the Xenns Top Pro (since that also boosts vocals a little bit, which is a nice bonus) but I figured I'd ask around just in case. Also if there are other IEMs you'd recommend that I didn't list, LMK as well please! Also if there's a way to fix my Variations instead, please LMK as well! Thanks In Advance!

Thanks for the options! The Elysian Pilgrims do look interesting, but it's not the ear connectors that keep breaking on me. It's the internals and the filters. Also the sound signature isn't what I'm looking for. In therms of EQ, The main device I use to listen to music is my iPod classic 5.5 gen, which doesn't have an EQ option anywhere in its software. I also find that when you EQ an IEM, they don't sound as good IMO. The FatFreq Deuce seemed okay, but funny enough, too far below my price range that I'm after. Still, I appreciate the suggestions!

The Hisenior Mega7 look like they have less bass and treble than the xenns top pro, so I think I'm gunna have to pass on those. I have considered the Tea Pro SE's though. They do look a little more V-shaped compared to the Top pro. My only worry with them is the technicalities compared to the Top Pro. From what I've heard, they're not as technical as the Top pro, but I don't know by how much, so I don't know if the tradeoff would be worth it for me or not.