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Top Pros
Top Cons
Reddit Reviews
AdmirableRub99NiceHCK F1 Pro. Criminally underrated.
AltrebelleI like BOTH the Divine and Diablo tuning. They are DIFFERENT. Those cables are certainly not my cup of tea. They were immediately replaced as soon as I unboxed the sets. I also have the ET142...the versatility (nozzle tuning) of that set puts it in a different spot compared to ALL the others. I have others "older" planar and planar hybrids. The only one that doesn't hold up (to me) is the F1Pro.... especially when compared to the Divine. The issues (for me) of the F1 Pro can be managed with EQ and tip rolling.
I think some folks (me included) get surprised with the quality and amount of bass a planar IEM can bring. Typically people hear planar and they associate the shimmery almost metallic treble. Add-in the fact that most planars are often associated with open back cans...which steers people toward open and bright (thank you HiFiMAN) Truth is planar drivers are EXTREMELY versatile. They take EQ like a champ! I have one planar only set and several planar hybrids. The F1 Pro (NiceNCK) can give me the rumble if I put on a nice bass shelf. The ET142 (Simgot) is a hybrid planar that can get plenty warm with a nozzle change AND a attenuation foam insert. Not quite Explorer level warmth...but warm nonetheless. Am excited to get my hands on the pair of 7Hz x Crinacle collabs that just came out. They both seem right in my sweet spot for the music I listen to
The F1 Pro has that classic bright shimmery planar sound. It's a set that's slips under the radar (IMO) Think as planar (in IEM) matures...the tuning gets smoother
B00SKAHI just purchased the F1 pros - absolutely love them - along with an Nk1 Max. Would love to own the NX8s and a dedicated dac
Banana_SlugcatThe NX8 are the most beautiful looking, but the F1 Pro definitely appeal to minimalist looks. In my case I prefer detailed IEMs like the NX8.
BellGeekNiceHCK F1 Pro and ARTTI T10. Have also tried KZ PRX, Letshuoer S08, and Kiwi Ears Aether.
NiceHCK F1 Pro, ARTTI T10, Aful Explorer, and at just above that range at $159, Meze Alba (I found an open box set for $99).
I think the NiceHCK F1 Pro is great planar IEM. I’ve never heard the S12/S12 Pro, but I believe reviewers have said that F1 Pro’s treble is smoother and less harsh that the treble on the S12 line. At any rate, I haven’t had any issues with the F1 Pro’s treble, and I love its bass presentation and just its overall sound.
I already have and love the F1 Pro, so it would be awesome to have a chance to try out the NX8.
Luckily, I figured that out at 1/10th the cost as I quickly realized that almost everything over $200 ranges from a little on the large side to outright boulder sized. I only have 2 IEMs over $200 (I didn’t pay anywhere near that much for either of them) and I’m not going any further until I can be sure that anything new I get both sounds good to me and is small and comfortable. My current favorite IEMs are the Meze Alba and the NiceHCK F1 Pro because they combine really good sound with great comfort.
Meze Alba, Aful Explorer, NiceHCK F1 Pro.
BigNewsIII listen to a lot of post-rock and have the T10 and the F1P. I am in love with the T10. I’ll plug the F1P back in for a few days and let you know if anything has changed for me.
brokenhearted_roxaI would love to have my hands on the NX8! I have the F1Pro and I really loved it
cdsolidsnakeMy recommendations: NiceHCK F1 Pro. On sale, they're like $65.00. Bright V-shaped, they feel very balanced, and ARTTI T10. On sale, they're like $50.00. Mid-centric V-shaped. They feel very balanced. ARTTI T10 Pro. On sale, they're like $90.00. Warm, they feel darker but with details. KZ PRX. On sale, they're like $60.00 on Amazon US. On AliExpress, they're like $30.00, or even less. Classic V-shaped, but well done. Source: trust me, bro. https://preview.redd.it/dh3zmb1ot7jf1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=51578f4aaca377c78b896ed66b85e9656bfe750c
I've tried some planars in the sub $100.00 category (budget restrictions), and I really love the planar sound. So far, I've tried the ARTTI T10, KZ PRX, ARTTI T10 Pro (right on the pic), and NiceHCK F1 Pro (left on the pic). If you've tried planar magnetic IEMs (pure or hybrid), which ones have been your fav? Mine are the ARTTI T10 Pro, but not by far.
I'd love to try the Shozy P20, but I haven't found them at a good price yet (I got the ARTTI T10 for $30.00, the KZ PRX for $26.00, the ARTTI T10 Pro for free and the NiceHCK F1 Pro for $41.00). How are the Sgor Luna compared to the ARTTI T10?
\-KZ EDC Pro is THE bang for buck pair of IEMs. Period. I wouldn't say they're the best in the sub $20.00 category (not by a long shot), but you can get a sub $20.00 pair AND the KZ EDC Pro, usually for the same $20.00 if you use discounts. You can have them as a spare pair of IEMs for Every Day Carrying (EDC) and leave your better, more expensive IEMs at home. \-The best KZ planar by far are the PRX, and they're around $30.00 (or less) on AliExpress. They're harder to drive than the ARTTI T10 Pro or the Sgor Luna, and the included accessories suck (except for the ear tips, they're quite good for my ears), but they're easy to recommend if you can get them at a(n even better) discount and have a better spare KZ-QDC cable around. https://preview.redd.it/4z7dggtk58df1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=45eaf3a592ad7051b936bbe578e22cc9bffd5dae
ARTTI T10 are the best planar IEMs you can get at the sub $50.00 category, with discounts, of course (get the stock 4.4mm balanced cable version for extra juice and some adapters if you plan to use them with 3.5mm single-ended). I'm rocking the ARTTI T10 Pro and the NiceHCK F1 Pro right now, but I still keep my OG T10 🫶🏼 (that's a 2.5mm balanced cable to use with an old dongle DAC/Amp I have, but the stock cable is great 🫶🏼). https://preview.redd.it/c9vgrlum78df1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=bb448ecf435db6d01b0aae68766133b302e78fa5
I've got mine for $38 recently, they're very good and detailed. I can't believe I got such a good deal. But they're brighter leaning. https://preview.redd.it/450yyjod59df1.jpeg?width=3968&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=578dbb11109d5f53ee573dad5813c62f25e4afe6
The F1 Pro has less sub-bass but more mid-bass. The 1.5kHz to 3kHz bump of the T10 isn't present in the F1 Pro, but the 8kHz peak is boosted and with extra 6kHz frequencies, which can make the F1 Pro feel more "detailed" but also more sibilant in certain tracks (if you lower the volume, it isn't that bad to be honest). The F1 Pro are a nice build upgrade and with better stock tips (LZ Ear Tips and NiceHCK 07 sets). If you can get them on Amazon US for around $45.00 or less (check every day or so, deep discounts in the 4.4mm cable version), go for them. But the T10 are still great <3
You can find a special collab version with S-BROTHER-S (a Russian DJ duo, apparently), but they're more expensive, and I think I've found a better deal at this price point: NiceHCK F1 Pro at around $40.00. More V-Shaped but really nice and high resolution planars.
Rankings by Use Case
Top recommendations from others in the same boat
Best for Competitive FPS gaming
Top pick
Kiwi Ears - Astral
Best for Console controller gaming
Top pick
KEFINE - Klean
Best for High-noise environment isolation
Top pick
Shure - SE215 Pro
Best for Immersive cinematic gaming
Top pick
ARTTI - T10
Best for Live bass performance
Top pick
KZ - Castor Pro (Harman Target with Improved Bass Version)
Best for Live vocal performance
Top pick
DUNU - Kima 2
