I never see anyone talk about them but the Moondrop mays. I have a lot of Moondrop as a simp would but at the end of the day I sometimes would use my Mays over my Moondrop Meteors. They just do everything right with a comfortable form factor; they drive easy, the look clean, they even eq nice. I know that they're supposed to be a DSP iem but the raw sound is just amazing. They are what I would consider budget, the only thing I would ever say is I don't like to recommend moondrop items to anyone that lives in a humid environment like I do. However over 3 years they have never had any moisture issues so they get my stamp of approval.
Rich boi. Wait for Mondroop meteor DE. Best IEM under $1500. I demoed it last yeah on SIAS and it surpasses the MK4. They have a big driver but it extends outside so they actually have good ergonomics. I’d also recommend the base meteor but the bass and mids are not that good even on its price range . Everything else is monarch mk4 levels though. But it would be a downgrade to the mk4 while the DE will be an upgrade.
Rich boi. Wait for Mondroop meteor DE. Best IEM under $1500. I demoed it last yeah on SIAS and it surpasses the MK4. They have a big driver but it extends outside so they actually have good ergonomics. I’d also recommend the base meteor but the bass and mids are not that good even on its price range . Everything else is monarch mk4 levels though. But it would be a downgrade to the mk4 while the DE will be an upgrade.
Everyone to their own I guess. I found it the treble to be kilobuck level . Bass isn’t that good and the mids are also mid (pun intended ) but since the treble is pretty much perfect, it is one of these IEMs that work very well with EQ. The bass and mids can become way better after EQ. However that faceplate seems to be prone to rusting . Better wait for the DE ones that will allegedly have mother pearl faceplate instead of meteorite .
My main issue is that the faceplate seems to rust . I hope that the DE one isn’t canceled because it allegedly switched the meteorite faceplate with mother pearl. It’s been almost a year since the Meteor DE appeared in SIAS without any mention ever since , so it is not loooking good .
Meteor has better treble than the likes of monarch mk4 and the mysticraft myth. Pretty much the best treble under 2k for $500. Bass and mids can be fixed with EQ but are still not that great according to reviewers .
Complete opposite for me . My only complaint for the meteor was the bass and a bit of the mids. Also worried that the faceplate can rust . Might go for the art 12 if it good or just wait for the meteor DE all together (apparently the faceplate will be mother of pearl instead of meteorite)
I am not sure about that . Many reviewers said that the bass ain’t good. Even the respected super reviews said that the bass quality isn’t on par with the IEMs at its price range . Some others like jays audio and sharur are Moondrop haters so their opinions are irrelevant
Yeah will do . What scares me about the meteor is that the faceplate apparently rusts . I thought meteorite was a rock , but apparently it is mostly iron 😂. Another person just posted about that in this thread
I don't know your tuning preference, but the Moondrop Meteor is my personal favourite at 500USD. Sounds like a mild V, some would consider it neutral with a little bit of fun added. It was a great benchmark set for me, and I brought it with me when I went to demo kilobucks in store. It still holds it's own, especially in the treble. The bass might be too little for EDM depending on your taste, but technical performance gaps the Rockies imo, without having to overboost the treble. It also sounds a lot more natural.
It was the opposite of hyped initially, where everything except the treble was clowned on in reviews (Moondrop Mediocre). When the user reviews rolled in it was actually quite positive, but didn't manage to reach the same levels of hype as the Rockies is getting right now because of the initial lukewarm reaction.
I sold it because of long term comfort issues but I seem to be a rarity. Most find the comfort ok, just that it sticks out like a sore thumb.
Underrated-Moondrop Meteor as well.
NiceHCK Tears is frequently reviewed but I still don't see a lot of organic hype being generated relative to your Wan'ers, Bunny, Salnotes and Chus. I think it deserves to be in the same conversation as all these.
Overrated- Aful Dawn X. Don't get the appeal at all. It's not terrible, besides the 5kHz peak and the bass, but if you ask me what I like about it, I wouldn't have anything to say.
**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?***
>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
Moondrop Meteor is overpriced, the treble is good but the overall sound isn't worth $550 when there are so many good picks in that price range. Even at its original $500 MSRP there were already people saying that. Considering the drivers used the Meteor could have been priced $400, and it would be quite competitive at that price, but meh it's just Moondrop price tax. Back to the treble, I said it's good but really it's a bit too safe, and the cheaper Yu9 Que beats it handily treble-wise.
I attended an audio show (Headphone Connect) and had the chance to listen to a bunch of IEMs and headphones, including the Sennheiser HE1.
This was the second time I attended the show and I thought it would be fun to share some of my impressions from the IEMs I listened to. I did a [similar post last year](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1jv03pn/tried_few_highend_iems_at_an_audio_show_my_top_3/) and will be following the same format this time as well.
Rather than going through every IEM in depth, I will be highlighting the 3 IEMs that impressed me the most, along with some quick takes on the rest of the sets I managed to try.
Please note that these are purely subjective impressions and the quick takes might not convey the full picture. Also, since these impressions are from an audio show, take everything with a huge grain of salt.
I will be ranking the items from 1 to 5 and the following is the scale:
**Rating Scale:**
* 1 = Bad
* 2 = Not bad
* 3 = Average
* 4 = Good
* 5 = Excellent
*(4 and 5 are must tries)*
# Contents
1. Top 3 Picks
2. Top Performers - Bass, Mids & Treble
3. Quick Takes
# Top 3 Picks
**Crinear Reference (5/5)**
Where do I start? The Reference was basically love at first listen. The Reference is tuned spot on to my preferred adjustment of JM1, which I EQ my IEMs to and the moment I heard it, it hit the right spot.
The mids sound natural and pleasant although it tilted to the brighter side. The treble sounds smooth and sharp with no exaggeration in the air frequencies.
I was quite skeptical about the bass, since it is quite low compared to my preferred adjustment, but I was quite surprised by the fact that the bass feels impactful, textured and satisfying despite being low in quantity.
The only area where I felt like it fell apart was imaging and soundstage. Most of the imaging felt like it was coming from the left and right, with nothing much happening in the center stage. I guess I noticed this quite a bit, as I was coming from some expensive IEMs that do this very well.
**64 Audio U12T - 2025 (5/5)**
Just like last year, the 64 Audio U12T is the IEM that impressed me the most. I have tried a bunch of other IEMs in this price range and even beyond it, but none of them made me feel the way the U12T does.
What continued to impress me the most was its treble performance, which contributes to the precise imaging it delivers compared to most IEMs I have heard. Also, the staging feels holographic, with a good sense of depth to it.
The only issue I have with this is the bass, since it decays quite a bit faster than typical DDs. I like the bass to sustain for a bit, but even then, the bass is still top class, especially coming from BAs.
**64 Audio U4S (5/5)**
The U4s basically does everything the U12t does, but with a touch less refinement in the treble. This makes it less precise in imaging compared to the U12t, but I would not say it is a massive downgrade.
However, I prefer the bass response of the U4s over the U12t by a mile, since it uses a DD. The bass of the U4s feels meaty, impactful and engaging.
64 Audio IEMs are typically exaggerated in air frequencies and both the U12t and U4s did not bother me that much as with the Volür, which makes it ideal for me.
# Top Performers
* **Bass** \- Sony IER Z1R
* **Midrange** \- Crinear Reference
* **Treble** \- 64 Audio U12T - 2025
# Quick Takes
**Empire Ears Odin MK2 (1/5)**
* Experienced driver flex immediately upon wearing, which is unacceptable, especially at this price.
* The shell is chunky and the fit is only average.
* Shells feel hollow and lightweight, build quality does not justify the price.
* Bass feels hollow.
* Mids sound honky.
* Treble feels uneven, with noticeable peaks and dips and has occasional sibilance.
* Overall, not impressed considering the price.
**Moondrop Meteor (4/5)**
* I didn't expect to like this IEM, but it was surprisingly good.
* The fit is weird and the shell is on the larger side, but I had no comfort issues.
* The biggest highlight is the treble, it is exceptionally smooth, among the smoothest I have heard in an IEM.
* Bass feels tight and impactful although quality wise may not be the best for the price.
* Vocals are forward without being shouty.
* Imaging performance is very good.
**Tangzu Wukong (3/5)**
* Excellent build quality and a premium feeling cable.
* Not very competitive in sound, especially for the price.
* Bass is boosted and sounds boomy, lacking definition.
* Mids are relaxed and pleasant.
* Treble is not particularly interesting for the price range.
* Imaging performance is weak.
* Overall, not competitive for the price.
**Moondrop Variations (4/5)**
* Preferred Variations over Meteor.
* Bass is impactful and distinct, with a huge bass shelf.
* Vocals are very forward, bordering on shoutiness.
* Treble is excellent, it's smooth and sparkly.
**Campfire Andromeda Emerald Sea (2/5)**
* Due to the lack of venting, pressure issues made it uncomfortable to wear.
* Build quality is fantastic - metal shells.
* Could not listen for long because of the discomfort.
* Bass is mainly mid-bass focused but feels hollow and lacks body.
* Vocals sound drowned out and muffled.
**Sony IER Z1R (3/5)**
* Has one of the best bass performances I have heard in an IEM.
* Fit is very finicky and requires a lot of adjustment, even with a proper fit, it does not feel very secure.
* The biggest issue is the treble, which sounds sibilant and scratchy, it is not competitive with newer IEMs in this price range.
**Noble Audio Shogun (1/5)**
* Pressure buildup makes the IEM very uncomfortable.
* Comfort is poor due to the pressure issues.
* The resin shell design looks premium.
* Sound quality is middling.
* Bass is excessive.
* Vocals are recessed and drowned out in the mix.
* Treble sounds muted.
**Crinear Daybreak (4/5)**
* One of the most natural sounding IEMs I heard at the show.
* Bass quality is acceptable for the price.
* Treble has occasional sibilance and could be tamed with tip rolling.
**64 Audio Volur (4/5)**
* Has a classic 64 Audio style midrange.
* Bass quality is excellent.
* Treble is elevated and peaky in the upper treble.
* Upper treble sounds quite harsh for me.
**Aful Dawn X (4/5)**
* Has an overall pleasant tonality.
* Sounds smooth and non-offensive.
* Bass is textured and of good quality.
* Imaging performance is not among the best in this segment.
**ThieAudio Hype 4 MK2 (4/5)**
* Vocals sound natural despite the elevated bass and treble.
* Overall tuning is on the more V shaped side.
* Bass quality is good for the price, nothing particularly special, but well executed.
* Found no glaring issues with the treble.
* Shell and cable feel premium.
**ThieAudio Monarch MK4 (5/5)**
* The shell is on the chunky side, but tip rolling improved the fit.
* Not the most comfortable IEM, but it works.
* Better than U4s in subjective qualities for me.
* Sounds rather on the normal side without the extra flair found in some higher-end IEMs.
* Due to that it lacked a wow factor element, but that is not a bad thing as it does everything really well.
* Treble could be spicy bordering sibilance for me.
* Overall, a great set for its price and even beyond.
Yes, there are meaningful differences.
I tried the Reference right after the Daybreak and the Reference's bass quality is better, even though it has less quantity.
Also, the treble sounds much more refined and the imaging is sharper compared to the Daybreak.
The Reference is the only IEM that gave me the itch to buy. As you can see, it is placed in the top position among IEMs that cost $1000+.
I didn't expect to like it this much just by looking at the bass quantity, even though the rest of the tuning was spot on to my preferred EQ target.
I am quite interested in the ThieAudio Valhalla, which was unfortunately not there at the show.
But considering how chunky the MK4 was, I am not hoping that the fit would be comfortable for me.
Nope, I only tried it at the show. I still preferred the U12t over it. But the bass quality of the Trio was better for me.
> Could you say more about the MK4 vs. Dawn X?
Personally, I would pick the MK4 over the Dawn X for sound and build quality.
The MK4 sounded much more natural to my ears, especially when it came to vocals.
The Dawn X has a husky character to the vocals, which some people might like.
Also, I find the treble of the MK4 to be much more resolving than the Dawn X.
The only issue is the fit. The MK4 shells are big and were not as comfortable as the Dawn X.
That is one of the main reasons why it was not in my top 3, despite being a 5/5.
> Also reference is really all that?
The tuning of the Reference just hit the spot for me.
It could be because it is tuned right on my preferred EQ target, it is just that my target has more bass and treble.
The Reference made me look at music differently than with usual IEMs.
Since there is no exaggeration at either end of the frequency spectrum, the vocals sound natural and intimate, while still being on the brighter side.
The biggest surprise was the bass, which I thought I would be disappointed by.
But despite being low in quantity, the quality was good for the price and I never felt the need to EQ it.
Also, I highly recommend that you try any of these before buying haha.
I attended an audio show (Headphone Connect) and had the chance to listen to a bunch of IEMs and headphones, including the Sennheiser HE1.
This was the second time I attended the show and I thought it would be fun to share some of my impressions from the IEMs I listened to. I did a [similar post last year](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/comments/1jv03pn/tried_few_highend_iems_at_an_audio_show_my_top_3/) and will be following the same format this time as well.
Rather than going through every IEM in depth, I will be highlighting 3 IEMs that impressed me the most, along with some quick takes on the rest of the sets I managed to try.
Please note that these are purely subjective impressions and the quick takes might not convey the full picture. Also, since these impressions are from an audio show, take everything with a huge grain of salt.
I will be ranking the items from 1 to 5 and the following is the scale:
**Rating Scale:**
* 1 = Bad
* 2 = Not bad
* 3 = Average
* 4 = Good
* 5 = Excellent
*(4 and 5 are must tries)*
# Contents
1. Top 3 Picks
2. Top Performers - Bass, Mids & Treble
3. Quick Takes
# Top 3 Picks
**Crinear Reference (5/5) - (₹38K)**
Where do I start? The Reference was basically love at first listen. The Reference is tuned spot on to my preferred adjustment of JM1, which I EQ my IEMs to and the moment I heard it, it hit the right spot.
The mids sound natural and pleasant although it tilted to the brighter side. The treble sounds smooth and sharp with no exaggeration in the air frequencies.
I was quite skeptical about the bass, since it is quite low compared to my preferred adjustment, but I was quite surprised by the fact that the bass feels impactful, textured and satisfying despite being low in quantity.
The only area where I felt like it fell apart was imaging and soundstage. Most of the imaging felt like it was coming from the left and right, with nothing much happening in the center stage. I guess I noticed this quite a bit, as I was coming from some expensive IEMs that do this very well.
**64 Audio U12T - 2025 (5/5) - (₹1.9L)**
Just like last year, the 64 Audio U12T is the IEM that impressed me the most. I have tried a bunch of other IEMs in this price range and even beyond it, but none of them made me feel the way the U12T does.
What continued to impress me the most was its treble performance, which contributes to the precise imaging it delivers compared to most IEMs I have heard. Also, the staging feels holographic, with a good sense of depth to it.
The only issue I have with this is the bass, since it decays quite a bit faster than typical DDs. I like the bass to sustain for a bit, but even then, the bass is still top class, especially coming from BAs.
**64 Audio U4S (5/5) - (₹1.37L)**
The U4s basically does everything the U12t does, but with a touch less refinement in the treble. This makes it less precise in imaging compared to the U12t, but I would not say it is a massive downgrade.
However, I prefer the bass response of the U4s over the U12t by a mile, since it uses a DD. The bass of the U4s feels meaty, impactful and engaging.
64 Audio IEMs are typically exaggerated in air frequencies and both the U12t and U4s did not bother me that much as with the Volür, which makes it ideal for me.
# Top Performers
* **Bass** \- Sony IER Z1R
* **Midrange** \- Crinear Reference
* **Treble** \- 64 Audio U12T - 2025
# Quick Takes
**Empire Ears Odin MK2 (1/5) - (₹4L)**
* Experienced driver flex immediately upon wearing, which is unacceptable, especially at this price.
* The shell is chunky and the fit is only average.
* Shells feel hollow and lightweight, build quality does not justify the price.
* Bass feels hollow.
* Mids sound honky.
* Treble feels uneven, with noticeable peaks and dips and has occasional sibilance.
* Overall, not impressed considering the price.
**Moondrop Meteor (4/5) - (₹52K)**
* I didn't expect to like this IEM, but it was surprisingly good.
* The fit is weird and the shell is on the larger side, but I had no comfort issues.
* The biggest highlight is the treble, it is exceptionally smooth, among the smoothest I have heard in an IEM.
* Bass feels tight and impactful although quality wise may not be the best for the price.
* Vocals are forward without being shouty.
* Imaging performance is very good.
**Tangzu Wukong (3/5) - (₹2L)**
* Excellent build quality and a premium feeling cable.
* Not very competitive in sound, especially for the price.
* Bass is boosted and sounds boomy, lacking definition.
* Mids are relaxed and pleasant.
* Treble is not particularly interesting for the price range.
* Imaging performance is weak.
* Overall, not competitive for the price.
**Moondrop Variations (4/5) - (₹53K)**
* Preferred Variations over Meteor.
* Bass is impactful and distinct, with a huge bass shelf.
* Vocals are very forward, bordering on shoutiness.
* Treble is excellent, it's smooth and sparkly.
**Campfire Andromeda Emerald Sea (2/5) - (₹1.2L)**
* Due to the lack of venting, pressure issues made it uncomfortable to wear.
* Build quality is fantastic - metal shells.
* Could not listen for long because of the discomfort.
* Bass is mainly mid-bass focused but feels hollow and lacks body.
* Vocals sound drowned out and muffled.
**Sony IER Z1R (3/5) - (₹1.6L)**
* Has one of the best bass performances I have heard in an IEM.
* Fit is very finicky and requires a lot of adjustment, even with a proper fit, it does not feel very secure.
* The biggest issue is the treble, which sounds sibilant and scratchy, it is not competitive with newer IEMs in this price range.
**Noble Audio Shogun (1/5) - (₹3.5L)**
* Pressure buildup makes the IEM very uncomfortable.
* Comfort is poor due to the pressure issues.
* The resin shell design looks premium.
* Sound quality is middling.
* Bass is excessive.
* Vocals are recessed and drowned out in the mix.
* Treble sounds muted.
**Crinear Daybreak (4/5) - (₹18K)**
* One of the most natural sounding IEMs I heard at the show.
* Bass quality is acceptable for the price.
* Treble has occasional sibilance and could be tamed with tip rolling.
**64 Audio Volur (4/5) - (₹2.35L)**
* Has a classic 64 Audio style midrange.
* Bass quality is excellent.
* Treble is elevated and peaky in the upper treble.
* Upper treble sounds quite harsh for me.
**Aful Dawn X (4/5) - (₹1.2L)**
* Has an overall pleasant tonality.
* Sounds smooth and non-offensive.
* Bass is textured and of good quality.
* Imaging performance is not among the best in this segment.
**ThieAudio Hype 4 MK2 (4/5) - (₹42K)**
* Vocals sound natural despite the elevated bass and treble.
* Overall tuning is on the more V shaped side.
* Bass quality is good for the price, nothing particularly special, but well executed.
* Found no glaring issues with the treble.
* Shell and cable feel premium.
**ThieAudio Monarch MK4 (5/5) - (₹1.25L)**
* The shell is on the chunky side, but tip rolling improved the fit.
* Not the most comfortable IEM, but it works.
* Better than U4s in subjective qualities for me.
* Sounds rather on the normal side without the extra flair found in some higher-end IEMs.
* Due to that it lacked a wow factor element, but that is not a bad thing as it does everything really well.
* Treble could be spicy bordering sibilance for me.
* Overall, a great set for its price and even beyond.
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.
6alant
