Simgot - EM6L

I have 10-ish different models in the 10€ to 150€ range, mostly for PUBG and about 3000 hours in the game. Here are my top picks: - Tripowin Vivace 35€ - Simgot EM6L 120€ - Truthear Crinacle Zero blue 60€ (need AMP&DAC) - QKZ x HBB 20€ In that order. For other games, the Simgot and Crinacle Zero jump higher. The next ones can do, but not competitive: - Moondrop Quarks DSP 15€ - 7Hz Salnotes Zero 25€ - Apple earpods 3.5mm 20€ - KZ Zex Pro Crn 40€ Can't recommend for PUBG: - Moondrop Chu 25€ - Brainwavz Omega 15€ I recommend checking Fresh Reviews on Youtube, he checked many pricier models...

Have been blown away by my simgot em6l.

Though it may be a tad harsh in the treble, the Thieaudio Legacy 4 is probably your best bet. If you want something more relaxing and better for all genres, then the Simgot EM6L unless you can find a second hand Moondrop Blessing 2 (original or Dusk) for less than $200. ETA: I haven't tried the Meze Alba yet, but I've heard good things about it and the Empyrean is fantastic for orchestral music.

EM6L are indeed good for gaming, but 7Hz G1 were also a good surprise.

Get the simgot em6l if you want an all rounder for gaming and music. I’ve heard they’re like wallhacks with the accurate imaging in games. Check gaming reviews on youtube. You will not be disappointed

1.) Headphones > IEMS in most cases when it comes to spatial awareness. 2.) If youre still considering buying IEMS, try the ff: -Simgot Em6l ($110) -Truthear Hexa ($80) -Truthear Red/Blues ($50) -Tangzu Waner ($20) Dont go over $110 if you'll be buying IEMS purely for gaming. And I also want to add that the Truthears nozzles are bigger compared to the others, so if you have a small ear hole, be advised. The only pros I see with IEMS are +No head dent (yay) +Lighter +Easy to bring anywhere u go

Been using EM6L with spinfit W1 eartips and a usb c dongle I got from Amazon. Great for games

It's a great first choice. When you are ready for a little extra, try the EW300. Or for a little more, the EM6L. By the way... Out of curiosity are you playing PC or console? How are you setting up your IEM?

I get what you are saying about the overall sound not sounding coherent. I get what you are saying about the piezo driver timbre. I understand why the piezo driver sound is noticeable to you since reviewers have mentioned this. Some reviewers have noted the the EW300 bass is sluggish and lacks layering. This is a thing which I have noted on some Simgot IEMs such as the EM6L yet not on other Simgot IEMs such as the EW200. Is this perhaps what you mean when you say that the bass sounds bloated and not so much the strength but instead the cleanliness of the bass? I ask since the Chu II and the EW300 have nearly identical sound signatures from sub bass all the way up to the upper midrange. Please check out these frequency response graphs: [https://vortexreviews.squig.link/?share=Bad\_Guy\_Target,Moondrop\_Chu\_2,Simgot\_EW300\_Silver,Kefine\_Klean\_Silver\_Nozzle](https://vortexreviews.squig.link/?share=Bad_Guy_Target,Moondrop_Chu_2,Simgot_EW300_Silver,Kefine_Klean_Silver_Nozzle) The driver incoherence can be solved by using a really nice single DD IEM. Lately I have been really pleased with the technical performance of the Kefine Klean since the clarity of the macro details is very nice. More surprising is the clarity in the micro details which is very impressive for 50 dollar price tag. In other words, I did enjoy the moment when I started listening to the Klean.The Klean's bass is not bloated as in being muddy. I find the Klean's bass to be surprisingly clean with similar texture and detail as the bass on the EW200.

Kinera Celest Relentless is what I’m using right now for gaming and honestly; I’m adoring them compared to my tin hifi t4’s. They are very comfortable despite being on the larger side, I’m enjoying the crunchy sounds from guns reloading in games right now. From marvel rivals to darktide. Good tones. Will say if you’re a bass junky I’d not go for them. In gaming you shouldn’t rly put bass too high for competitive games. I’d say my top worth investment wise for gaming is these, simgot ea500, & EM6L.

How good is em6l? I got it 3 days back and everywhere I am just reading that supermix 4 was better, it was just 2K INR more here. Should I return my em6l. My main purpose of usage is fps gaming, mainly cs2 and valorant.

For me it was a night and day difference.

The only one in your list I have experience with is the supermix 4 and I agree with you. I have the Tea Pro now and it's pretty darn good for FPS gaming. The imaging is spot on to my ears. It has, what I feel, is the max sound stage an IEM can do. I even tested my friend's Monarch MK3 against them and the gaming performance was similar with the mk3 edging them out in bf2042. Both are tremendous for gaming. The mk3 is amazing at everything imo.

I went from the EM6L > Kiwi Ears Quintet > Orchestra Lite > Tea Pro > Monarch MK3. I head a difference with every step up. I prefer the Quintet over the Tea Pro because the Tea Pro treble is darker and smoother and sounds less detailed imo. The Monarch MK3 is just absolutely amazing imo. I hear details in songs I've never heard before. The detail in every aspect is just amazing, and they're fun to listen to. They also do some black magic with soundstage and imaging. The MK3 sounds bigger than some openback headphones I've owned.

Great post! I’ve used the EM6L for a long time and was very satisfied. At some time I wanted to try planar and got the Hidizs MP145, let me tell you – it’s blows the EM6L out of the water! Everything I loved about the EM6L was multiplied, huge soundstage and great separation with super deep and clean bass.

The MP145 is the way to go! The only thing which does the EM6L „better“ is size. They are quite small and do really disappear inside your ear. The 145 are quite big in comparison, what never ever bothers me, especially while I am sitting at my desk. The wider soundstage is really unmatched with the 145 which I really like. The hole dynamic range of the planar drivers can also be otherworldly and is awesome for intensive games.

These were also my first pair. Decent entry but overall not great. I would go for Simgot, they have a great supply for every price and are worth their money. My last pair were the EM6L and they worked great for gaming, especially when paired with an Astro MixAmp for digital surround. Hidizs MP145 are my current and they seemed to be my endgame, for now.

sad, have had the EM6L for about 8 months, but the silver tip on my left ain’t attached anymore and falls off every time I take off my ear bud, everything else is fine

I think the tiers that really went "oh that was a definite bump in quality" is listening to the moondrop chu 2, then something like the simgot em6l, and the the apevoix Grit. Each one was just a clear improvement in better detail, more resolving, better dynamics and soundstage, etc. But honestly I have multi thousand dollar over ear headphones and after I got the Grit.... I don't know if there's really a better sounding iem under like 7 or 800 bucks. It definitely pegged the price to performance as far as it goes.

The price and the tuning, I think they are very balanced, comfortable and great for gaming.

They have some problems with the nozzle, sometimes it comes off, they are great iems, but in my opinion you should wait and get something in the 200 range, I like the KE4, Ziigaat Arete and Moondrop kadenz lately. If 120$ is your maximum price it is still a great iem.

You know, they are not bad but you need to like that uppermids and treble , em6l is king for now

So in the em6l I find the tuning more pleasant, the simgots have this characteristic of being too bright, they are both good for gaming, I prefer the design of the em6l.

uhm honestly i cant tell you exactly, the differences between the two iems is that the simgot sound is dry while the nova one is slightly softer in the high frequencies. they are both good iems, choose the one you like the most

I am with you. I play a lot fps and other games, and also collect vinyl and listen to music via a good HiFi System. I tried the last weeks the EM6L and the Supermix 4 as all big youtubers recommand them or better hyped them. a lot who are deep in IEM and headphones and frequencies graphes recommand them no wait hyped them too. Over a lot other IEMs. From audiophile side, stay away from both. get some good over ears for 120-200€ and you will enjoy music. For gaming. Try you buds which comes with your cellphone and tell me that you cant play a game anymore. Get a IEM, when you will, for around 30€ and play. You will see there is no real difference specially in the mids and more in treble where all the relevant sound is located in your games. American maybe Asians love bassy boomy IEM but thats not for music nore for gaming. Save the money you will have same fun, wont kill less enemies but can spent it for other things. maybe another inexpensive pair of IEM \^\^ Oh and never follow the hyped stuff. find your own way.

To expand on this as well since you said up to ~$100 - it might be a bit over that depending on sales pricing etc., but if you want a heavy, thumpy sort of bass then the Aful Explorer is good for that. I find it to be a bit lacking in eargain, so vocals can sound a but recessed or muffled, but it's much smoother and doesn't have that grittiness to the treble that the Castor has. It's also extremely comfortable. Tips make quite a big difference to how the Explorer sounds as well. The Simgot EM6L is worth a look as well. It's tuned quite neutral and it's been a while since I listened to it, but I seem to remember it having quite tight and punchy bass, especially considering how neutral it looks on a graph.

> Simgot EM6L (5) - endgame, great soundstage, great imaging, great sound separation. Can't recommend it due to it's nozzle QC issues. The EM6L has been the de-facto standard recommendation for gaming for a while now and it sounds like that shouldn't change, given that it still seems to outperform everything else. The nozzle issue is pretty overblown TBH. A lot of people get the impression that the nozzle actually breaks and that this is a common problem. The reality is that it's just a metal *cover* over the nozzle. And it's trivially easy to glue it back on if it comes off. AFAIR, I've seen a total of 3 posts in 2 years about this happening and every one of those people just glued the nozzle cover back on without any trouble whatsoever. It would obviously be better if it didn't have this point of failure in the first place, but a known mode of failure with an easy fix is a hell of a lot better than an unknown mode of failure that might not be fixable.

I would go with the EM6L out of that list. The Hexa fits your description except for soundstage, which is quite narrow. The EM6L has excellent imaging and a decent soundstage which is why it is one of the consistent top recommendations for gamers. It's also a fairly neutral sound. Bassier than the Hexa, but I'd say the Hexa bass is a bit below neutral and is a bit limp as well. The Aria 2 AFAIK is also a good choice. I haven't heard it but it's supposed to be very similar to the Kato, which I have. The EM6L is probably a bit ahead for technicalities though, especially stereo imaging. I haven't heard the Titan S2 but most reviews say it's not as good s the original Titan S, which I have and is a great IEM. If you can get the Titan S, it fits what you're looking for. Vocals are one of its particular strong points. You don't want the Legato, that's a basshead ridiculous mud-fest. The Fudu is also warm, bassy and a bit muddy. Not what you're looking for. Haven't heard the DZ4, nor can I recall seeing any reviews of it. A cheap dongle like the Apple dongle or JCally JM6 Pro should be all you need unless you're considering a planar like the Artti T10 (there are no planars on your list). There's no point in spending a lot of money on DACs as the difference they make to the sound is tiny, whereas the difference the IEM makes is huge. You just need one with enough power to drive your IEM and most IEMs don't need much.

What would you recommend for techno edm music I guess more sub bass focused? I almost bought this t10 pro until I saw your post, so under 200 usd for example aful explorer is marginally better for electronic? and also something like arcadia is more bassy than explorer? both explorer and arcadia are dd with ba so its better for the deep sub bass rumble than planar like t10 pro from what I understand right? for reference I have p1 max, em6l and truthear zero blue og, and I like best em6l for edm stuff ( with presets or EQ for warmer and more bass ) but I want to try bassier iems leaning to basshead, what are your insight, thanks man

EM6L. I use them on a DAC and Special EQ but the Sound is great. Better than any other Headset I used in the past.

Its changeable nozzles. Cant change to different nozzles if glued. You're thinking about simgot em6l

Either the sm4, the quintet and maybe blessing 2 . May i suggest u the fatfreq deuce? Also in order to keep in mind your interest in gaming i think the sm4 is the best choice , ( deuce awful for competitive gaming but very immersive for single player) sm4 is kept in very much good consideration for footsteps etc etc. i have the EM6L and i have to say simgot has got better at lowering that annoying 5k and raising bass response.

Demoed the EM6L a while ago in a local audio store. It's good for the price in my country (around $70 or 80) but I'm not really tempted to buy it since the tuning is a bit V-shaped and mainstream-ish (well, you can EQ it). The technicalities are aight tho, definitely good for the price and can be decent for gaming, but yeah just not tempted to get it.

In my quest for the best gaming IEM, I've tried or owned the Tanchjim Oxygen, TripowinxHBB Olina, Softears RSV, Simgot EM6L, Letshuoer EJ07, Truthear Nova, and ZiiGaat Odyssey, among others not worth mentioning. Some $2,000 invested in my handicap of not being able to use open back headphones, which is most ideal for gaming by nearly every measure. Fuck me for having heatsinks for ears! What I've learned is that staging and, to a lesser degree, imaging are critical, yet often under appreciated when you see answers to the question of the best gaming IEM. By staging I mean being able to determine exactly where a particular sound (such as footsteps) is coming from in 2 or, ideally, 3 dimensional space, as well as distinguish it from other similar sounds coming from that direction that are even slightly nearer, farther, above, or below.  Currently, the ZiiGaat Odyssey, paired with DTS:X Headphones (worth paying for! Stick with balanced), Tripowin foam tips, and a decent DAC+AMP, is serving me the best in FPS games on PC like OW2, Squad, Battlefield, Marvel Rivals, and STALKER 2. Of all the IEMs I've tried, Odyssey's staging is the widest, most accurate, and most immersive for my ears. All the others I mentioned are varying degrees of "effective enough" at ensuring that I hear footsteps, but the Odyssey beats them all at telling me exactly where those footsteps are in 3 dimensions. It's also great for general purpose listening.

My ears aren't terribly educated, nor do I listen to metal, nor do I have any idea how EA500LM sounds like but I got an EM6L and I too am a light bass and neutral/boring sound enjoyer so here goes my two cents for EM6L: * Smooth, detailed, good separation, neutral(ish) sound so nothing jumps out at you like crazy, super pleasant listen for me. * Bass is there but nowhere near bloaty, as a non basshead myself compared to my Sony WF-1000XM3 the sound is a lot calmer in terms of bass and really enjoyable to me. * Vocals(blues and classical rock) are clear and forward whilst not being artifically pushed forward if that makes sense. * Treble is there and clear but not strident I would say, even the trebliest of guitar solos sound pleasant. * But I usually rock them on mid volume(50% 65% on windows, 3.5mm jack so no type c or dac) not even close to full. I have the slight hunch that trebles might end up tiring with high volume long sessions but high volume in general is tiring to me and I think I am super sensitive to trebles so it totally might be me and I wouldn't be able to confirm it for you. * Sound stage is nice and wide * But again I didn't own or use too many in ears prior to this. I own the Sony mentioned and Galaxy Buds FE, I can say the stage feels wider compared to both and wide enough for me. * Comfort is superb for me, no problem at all running them all day everyday when I WFH with constant meetings or music going on for 8+ hours. * Units themselves are light can barely tell I have them on. * Cable is nice and light, soft aswell which combined adds to comfort IMO. Take all with a grain of salt, super personal and early in my audio journey kind of views. Also I think that EM6L's are a bit notorious with their nozzle issue, you can google it. I learnt about it prior to purchase but found the fix to be not too difficult so I didn't care, just a heads up.

delci ae is better for gaming than em6l but worse for music edit:/ all around for $99 letshouer s08, it's better for music than these and just as good forgaming as em6l still not as good as delci ae tho

artti t10 is huge step up from ew200 and you can grab them for $50, after that em6l and supermix4, then intuaura splendor II and other $260-530 stuff, splendor II being the best value, they are all about same just different tunings and tech

Letshouer S08 is as good as EM6L for gaming, better for music, it's my favourite all around IEM under $200 msrp that said Kefine Delci AE is best for gaming under $100 but I don't enjoy it for music I think even their Klean is better for music but it's also slightly worse for gaming, it's amazing value tho you can get them for under $40 on sale

EM6L + Blon V1 but you should look for Jcally JM20, it's cheaper if you not going to use 4.4mm no point in getting V1 for more money

EM6L + Blon V1 but you should look for Jcally JM20, it's cheaper if you not going to use 4.4mm no point in getting V1 for more money

Blue 2 if you're set on that price range. The Simgot EM6L and Supermix 4 are much better bang for your buck though.

Simgot EM6L. I’ll probably eventually get the supermixes but I’m still really happy with my current pair. Really really happy.

none of these are good. simgot EM6L, and there is no comparison to this. its that good.

simgot ea500lm & EM6L are both better than ew300.

simgot iems are all variations of bright tunings, with each upgrade offering better soundstage, technicalities & detail retrieval. so ew200zero red is a good option for a gaming iem under $100 but falls shorts in staging when compared to EM6L, staging in zero red is not satisfactory for gaming. EM6L basically has the best soundstage, technicalities & detail retrieval under $100.

EM6L, but imo there's no meaningful difference between the good ones even if they sound and stage very differently. I can hear the same things with a Zero Red, G1 or even KZ Libra and get used to the sense of distance etc while the bad ones make it hard toake out where the sound is coming from.

I tried the Cadenza briefly and it was decent. IEMs I had that lead up to the Aethers are the Kleans, Xuan Nv, Phoenix Calls, and EM6L. The Aether was a blind buy into a planar but each upgrade was looking for improvement in comfort, soundstage, and most importantly was detail/clarity. I was originally looking at the super mix 4.

The biggest for me was clarity and detail retrieval. My version of it was basically how clear and true to life classical music could be since I come from a string orchestra background.The Aethers were the first one that could keep up with the rapid fire string crossings in Hilary Hahns Sibelius. The EM6Ls for example wasn't muddy with it but just sloppy enough that it was like a high level highschooler versus a world class violinist. And the rest of the orchestra sounded incredibly real. Tight bass is nice, I don't like too much bass, though some other DD sets seem to be a tad bit more "natural". 300+ is a tight ask for me ATM. Are the Aethers that commanding up to that price point?

Competitive fps gamer here. Ascendent Valorant a few years ago if that adds anything. The Senn 560S has been king for me for the past 4. Sound stage, 3d imagining, and absolute comfort. It is open back tho. The kiwi ears aether has been pretty nice for me in marvel rivals too if you really want an IEM. I like it more than the EM6L.

As other people said, nothing is better than plugging it through USB, but due to what you want to do, your BTR15 has Aptx LL (low latency) but your computer does not, so I'd say look for a USB Bluetooth emissior with Aptx LL and see if that improves. How are you liking the EM6L? I love them :)

Nah, the EM6L yes, but the ea500lm is so bright

For 100 you can get the simgot em6l and you won't be disappointed, they do everything

I had them all and I even tested tripowin vivace and in the end I ended up deciding on em6l. supermix4 hurt my ears, too much treble for me, ew300 good all round but imaging compared to em6l is far behind.

yes definitely. I didn’t think the supermix 4 sounded much better, but the highs were much more aggressive. I played for 1/2 hour and was in pain. It’s very difficult to review CS. Thanks to Amazon.es, I tested them all... I ordered them, tried them for 1/2 weeks and returned them. I also had the Zero Red, gate and hexa but the order for me was em6l, ew300, tripowin, red, supermix, hexa and gate.

I play cs2 only… My journey was Red Zero, Gate, ew300 and now the absolute best and for me perfect (tested supermix 4 too) are the Simgot Em6l. Perfect imaging, steps, the perception of distance is incredible.

Moondrop Starfield 2, though tbf between $100-200 I only have EM6L, Supermix 4, and Starfield 2. EM6L is good but its bass is lacking, Supermix 4 is excellent and there isn't anything to complain about, but I just like the tuning of Starfield 2 the most even if it's not better than Supermix 4 in other aspects.

okay, for starter, i only got em6l and tea pro for now. if i can describe it, the em6l sounds... loose, like it sounds good, but it doesn't engage much. now if we're talking about tea pro? the sounds grab you tightly like it's saying, "Look at me only." one thing i found funny, when i do a/b comparison test on a 8d video on barbershop, i find that, yeah i can feel the snipping scissors, i can hear the footsteps of the barberman on em6l but like i said, it's just good enough. but when i put the tea pro, i can accurately tell where he is, what he is doing, and heck, the snipping scissors felt so real it tickled my ears and brain. i did a little illustration for this, i hope this can explain a bit [here it is](https://imgur.com/a/Ti7p5ue) edit: the box in the image is supposed to represent the soundstage. so while the em6l is wide, it is somehow narrow too. while the tea pro is, well, wide in width and height.

I have the EM6L and if you think they’re end game, my god, the Xenns Top that I have would blow your mind.

I have these. I do not use them for FPS gaming. They are strictly used with a Bluetooth adapter at work. The footstep resolution was god awful. In order of budget for decent footstep imaging on IEMs, Kefine Klean($50), Kefine Delci AE($75), Simgot EM6L ($100), Simgot Supermix 4 ($150). I have the Supermix 4s and am able to pinpoint footsteps just fine. The Kefine Cleans are really good for the money, just make sure you use the silver nozzle for gaming if you go that route.

I have these. I do not use them for FPS gaming. They are strictly used with a Bluetooth adapter at work. The footstep resolution was god awful. In order of budget for decent footstep imaging on IEMs, Kefine Klean($50), Kefine Delci AE($75), Simgot EM6L ($100), Simgot Supermix 4 ($150). I have the Supermix 4s and am able to pinpoint footsteps just fine. The Kefine Cleans are really good for the money, just make sure you use the silver nozzle for gaming if you go that route.

Moondrop just released the Rays at $99. It comes with a DSP USB c cable that you're able to store tunings on. The stock tuning is performing pretty well in fps games. Another good one is the Simgot EM6L. If you ever think about stretching a little bit the Simgot Supermix 4 is excellent if you can get it around $130 or so.

Moondrop just released the Rays at $99. It comes with a DSP USB c cable that you're able to store tunings on. The stock tuning is performing pretty well in fps games. Another good one is the Simgot EM6L. If you ever think about stretching a little bit the Simgot Supermix 4 is excellent if you can get it around $130 or so.

em6l is by far the best bang for buck tbh, just under 100 on sale and great for gaming. not the best for music for that price range though, magicone it's probably better

I have the EM6L connected to the FiiO K11. My favorite IEM for gaming. Do you purchase for gaming or music?

Truthear Nova if u can get a promo to 100$ or Truthear zero's ( blue or red both good for 40$/50$) Don't get em6l - they are good in only comp games (you can hear the footsteps , directions etc but for me its sounds off, have a muddy feel) , Nozzle - issues (falling apart ), super smooth nozzle causes tips to pop out

I have the Salnotes Zero:2 and Simgot EM6L, the EM6L are ok for EDM (my main music I listen to as well) but separate really well and have tons of detail, so you can hear each synth and sound super well. However they are light on bass. The Zero:2 have more bass but can be a little muddy, I wouldn’t say they are overpowering bassy though. I recently had a chance to listen to the Kiwi Ears Cadenza and the QKZ X HBB. The HBB have crazy amounts of bass that never felt overpowering to me, I really enjoyed them for heavier bass EDM. However, for overall I really really really enjoyed the Cadenza for basically anything and everything. Solid bass for EDM with a surprising amount of detail for a single dynamic driver, good separation, decent soundstage, and it handled every other genre well (I also listen to classical, country, rap/hip-hop, rock, and R&B). I am highly considering selling my Zero:2 and getting Cadenza because it sounds super similar but technicalities are way better on the Cadenza. 7hz Dioko is pretty solid as well if you want to try planar, they sound BIG! It’s the only way I can think to describe them.

I own the EM6Ls and I love them for gaming and music. If you get a good seal they have really good quality bass imo. It doesn’t rumble your brains like a FatFreq or Kiwi Ears x HBB Punch would (I haven’t heard them but I know those IEMs have oodles of bass) but it’s solid. The treble is a smidge high for me in some tracks, but it’s not often that it is. I thoroughly enjoy them

I have never heard them, but I know they supposedly image and soundstage a little better. I like the soundstage of the EM6L and love its imaging, it’s very accurate. You can compare FR graphs and see the difference in sound, I think the super mix has a little more treble but I don’t remember off the top of my head

EM6L have no competition in their price range. I have them and they are truly impressive for gaming and great for anything else. But for under 24$? I honestly don't know and would not recommend anything for gaming for that price. The only option would be Tripowin Vivace for around 29$ or a bit less on sale, but they have no mic option AFAIK.

If for gaming exclusively, get yourself a set of Simgot EM6Ls. They have their reputation for a reason.

My SM4 suddenly died from a day to another and I haven't been able to get a replacement or repairment since it was a review sample. I liked it a lot. The Defiant tuned very close in terms of low-end but they have more bass punch, whereas the Simgot were a bit less dynamic in that regard. However, the SM4 were more detailed and sparkling up top and the imaging and soundstage were slightly better. I'd say go for the Supermix 4 if you can handle some brightness and if you have the budget. Instead, go for the Defiant if you want a less emphasized treble yet with slightly inferior technical performance, punchier/more tactile and more textured bass and if you want to save some money.

For FPS em6l is what I’d go for. Much more comfortable and better imaging. I think they’re a sleeper in this area. If you want a relaxed, smooth set you can wear for hours without fatigue, for a little more money as well: Xuan Nv but look out for quality issues.

I’m a bit skeptical of tier lists. For instance here I’d say em6ls and EW300s are underrated. And your mileage will vary greatly if you don’t use a dongle for some of these because motherboard audio can make some sound horrible. Especially planars or even the Zeros.  The main thing is the bang for the buck. You can get great IEMs for a low price that will compete with much higher priced headphones. Imaging has more to do with the sound design of the game than anything else. 

I'd say for games like CS2/Valorant, you should definently get the EM6L and for more immersive types of games get the Supermix.

# 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. :)***

Check out the Linsoul SIMGOT EM6L. I got these specially for FPS gaming and they are a god send! I HEAR EVERYTHING.

EM6L, I had those KZs first and hated them for gaming.

I just got my supermix 4 and it's not bad. It has ear wings so it is more like custom fitted iems. It might not fit everyone's ears and it's a lil uncomfortable for me. The Em6l is also half the thickness of the supermix 4 and has a more universal fit. My Em6l nozzles came off but a drop of super glue fixed that. I enjoyed the soundstage and imaging on the supermix 4 more but the Em6l is 90-95% of the way there. For almost $50 less, the Em6l is a much safer option and better buy. I'm glad I have both tho. I love the supermix for music.

I just got my supermix 4 and it's not bad. It has ear wings so it is more like custom fitted iems. It might not fit everyone's ears and it's a lil uncomfortable for me. The Em6l is also half the thickness of the supermix 4 and has a more universal fit. My Em6l nozzles came off but a drop of super glue fixed that. I enjoyed the soundstage and imaging on the supermix 4 more but the Em6l is 90-95% of the way there. For almost $50 less, the Em6l is a much safer option and better buy. I'm glad I have both tho. I love the supermix for music.

hexa + apple dongle, don't waste your money on a more expensive DAC to start out with, it really only influences the sound minimally. I'd rather spend the cash on a better pair of IEMs. hexa are nice for a clean analytical sound but the EM6L are still balanced but a bit more rounded and warm compared to the hexa and they tend to have fewer issues with the fit (hexa nozzles very large and people tend to complain about that). the Titan S2 could be an option as well but a lot of people find them shouty. no experience with the dz4 so I can't say anything them but the aria are more v shaped and the fudu (while I do love them) are very warm and soft and you might miss out on some detail in the highs which makes them bad if your expectation is for something truly balanced. legato are just not priced well for how they perform imo but maybe someone else who has more experience with the set can speak to that.

Had my sm4 for about aonth now, no hissing noises. I use it plugged into my PC via ka11 dac, but I've also used them with a generic 3.5 to USBC Amazon dongle, neither gave me issues.

At the top of your budget, the em6l gets recommended a lot. I tried it and it performed pretty great. I use the SM4 now, but that's mostly because I was using them for music and wanted more bass. Otherwise, tripowin vivance, Crinacle Zero red/blues all get recommended quite often for gaming. I used the reds for a bit and they worked well, they were just uncomfortable for me since I have smaller ear canals and wasn't aware of tip rolling until after I returned them.

I used the em6l for a bit, but thought it was lacking some bass, so I went to the supermix 4s, and I've been pretty happy with them. I'm not a sweat or anything, but been using them for overwatch, valorant and Apex for multiplayer comp titles, and an assortment of other multiplayer fps games and am thoroughly pleased. That said, I also have used the Truthear Crinacle reds, and outside of them being uncomfortable I would have stuck with them. I do think the SM4 and EM6l are a bit better with their imaging, but the price jump doesn't match the performance increase. I also have the salnotes Crinacle Zero 2 and would throw them in the same spot as the more expensive Truthear reds in terms of soundstage/imaging, though my gaming time on both of those is pretty short compared to the em6l and SM4

+1 for the em6l, and also the vivance. In line mics for IEMs aren't great. If you're on PC you're better off getting a standalone mic. Fifine am8 is solid for a decent budget option. If inline is a must, check out the kinera or kimura.

If you're working from HD650s, you're already likely in the habit of checking your mixes against other sources, as the 650s are far from a neutral headphone. The same ideology applies to IEMs; while I wouldn't recommend bass cannons, you can work with nearly any set on the market and simply give them the same time you spent with the 650s to learn how the tuning will impact your mix on different reference gear. I've used a few IEMs for mixing (although I prefer over ears and monitors); out of the options you've listed above, the Nova and SM4s will work, but I think they both making better casual listening sets. I would look at a set like the Aful Explorer for your use case. They're slightly flatter across the frequency range, rather than U or V-shaped; bass isn't too emphasized, treble isn't sibilant; very present but not shouty mids. Overall it's a relaxing listen without being too dark, or too warm (no warmer than your Sennheisers).

S08 are one of Letshouer's best planars; very DD-like in its timbre and tonality. I own much of their lineup and this remains in my rotation to this day, alongside sets that are far pricier (including other planars). That said, I wouldn't necessarily recommend these for gaming. Upper mids and treble are the two major areas of the frequency range that are critical for gaming cues; the S08 has a warmer, more relaxed presentation, with more forward sub/mid bass. Lower frequencies narrow the soundstage and will typically make IEMs sound more intimate and "in the head," and emphasized sub/mid bass can cause some masking higher up in the frequency range. The S12 2024 is a better option and not much more expensive. I also still regularly recommend the EM6L (and while I own the S12 2024, the EM6L is what I run 90% of the time while gaming).

I know there's a quite a few people who have been waiting for me to finally make this post. I apologize for the delay, I was still waiting for an iem to be delivered. A little background: I've been an fps gamer all my life. I used to play cod semi-profressionally and participated in both online and LAN tournaments for money. The main fps games I play today are apex, cod and siege. Ever since I discovered the audiophile world with studio headphones I was amazed how much better headphones sounded compared to gaming headsets. Fast forward to present day and I am now into IEMs and discovering which ones are the best for gaming. As a disclaimer my thoughts and opinions are my own. I understand there are YouTubers such as Fresh Reviews, Ryan Ho, and Gadgetry Tech that may or may not agree with my takes. So please take my thoughts and opinions with a grain of salt as I am just a chill guy who likes to game competitively. The way I determine if an iem (or headphone) is good for gaming is by 3 main categories: soundstage, imaging, and sound separation. A good and accurate soundstage has good width (x), height (y), and depth (z). Imaging, or stereo imaging, is the spacial perception and ability to perceive the precise placement of sounds. Essentially directional audio. I.e left, right, center, back, top left, etc. Sound separation in a iem or headphone is the ability to pick up different sounds at once without it overlapping each other. So the ability to hear explosions go off, gun shots, gadgets, footsteps, etc without distorting the other sounds. With that being said here's the list of iems that I've tried each with a short review and a rating out of 5 for gaming (3 is usable, anything less is not): CCZ BC01 Pro (1) - way too bassy, bad vertical directional audio. Better options CCZ BC04 Pro (2) - same issue as the BC01 but a much more tolerable bass. Better options Moondrop Chu 2 (1.5) - sound is okay, soundstage felt narrow to me. Imaging was okay. Sound separation was below average. Premium feel and build but I didn't like how heavy they were on my ears. Better options Truthear Gate (2) - sound great but not good for gaming. Narrow soundstage, imaging is okay, below average sound separation. Better options Truthear Zero Red (?) - literally couldn't fit in my ears properly without severe pain. So I couldn't test the IEM and returned it. Will be testing the zero 2 tho Truthear Hexa (4) - comfort is not that good, better than the zero reds tho, soundstage and imaging is okay, sound separation is decent. Also not a fan of how they sound tbh. Too neutral for me Tripowin Vivaci (3) - nearly identical to the zeros 2 in technical performance but I like the zero 2 more in terms of overall sound. And for $5 more you can get the 7Hz G1 which is better than both 7Hz Zero (2.5) - a bit too bright, zero 2 is better 7Hz Zero 2 (3) - average soundstage, decent imaging, below average sound separation. Best $20 iem imo, better options as you continue to go up in price 7Hz G1 (4.5) - a Klean but cheaper with a more fun v-shaped sound signature, get this if you're on a budget 7Hz Sonus (4.5) - the most underrated iem for gaming, great imaging and great soundstage but average sound separation. EW300 is a bit better cuz it has better sound separation Kiwi Ears Canta (3.5) - a bit too bright for most people, good imaging, okay soundstage, below average sound separation Kiwi Ears Quartet (4) - best soundstage imo, super comfy fit, imaging is okay and sound separation is average Kefine Klean (4.5) - a better Delci, better sound separation and arguably better sound signature imo Kefine Delci (4) - good soundstage and imaging, slightly above average sound separation Simgot EW300 (4.5) - nearly endgame but still needs better sound separation. Simgot EM6L (5) - endgame, great soundstage, great imaging, great sound separation. Can't recommend it due to it's nozzle QC issues. Otherwise I probably wouldn't use any other IEM for gaming but this Simgot Supermix 4 (3.5) - not endgame. Might get some hate for this but I was really not impressed by this iem for gaming. It had a narrow soundstage and okay imaging, good sound separation tho. EM6L is way better Other IEMs I am planning to review: ND Planet, Tangzu Waner 2, KZ EDC Pro, Truthear Zero 2 Blue, and Kiwi Ears Airoso Note - in the end I recommend the 7Hz G1, 7Hz Sonus and EW300. The DT 900 Pro X and 770 Pro X are my reference headphones for directional audio for competitive fps games. Those headphones essentially make me feel like I have wall hacks and the iems perform 85-90% as good. The best was definitely the EM6L where I felt nearly no difference in performance with my headphones but I can't recommend it because of the nozzle QC issue. It is an easy fix by super gluing it back on but that shouldn't even happen for an iem worth $110 in the first place. With that being said I will still review iems (and headphones) above and below the respective prices but I feel that you will be perfectly happy with the performance of the iems I recommended. Side Note: I'm currently in the process of building a website with the best gaming peripheral recommendations which includes not only iems but headphones, keyboards, mice, monitors, even pro controllers and more. Hope you all have a blessed day and find this helpful in your purchasing decision!

I know there's a quite a few people who have been waiting for me to finally make this post. I apologize for the delay, I was still waiting for an iem to be delivered. A little background: I've been an fps gamer all my life. I used to play cod semi-profressionally and participated in both online and LAN tournaments for money. The main fps games I play today are apex, cod and siege. Ever since I discovered the audiophile world with studio headphones I was amazed how much better headphones sounded compared to gaming headsets. Fast forward to present day and I am now into IEMs and discovering which ones are the best for gaming. As a disclaimer my thoughts and opinions are my own. I understand there are YouTubers such as Fresh Reviews, Ryan Ho, and Gadgetry Tech that may or may not agree with my takes. So please take my thoughts and opinions with a grain of salt as I am just a chill guy who likes to game competitively. The way I determine if an iem (or headphone) is good for gaming is by 3 main categories: soundstage, imaging, and sound separation. A good and accurate soundstage has good width (x), height (y), and depth (z). Imaging, or stereo imaging, is the spacial perception and ability to perceive the precise placement of sounds. Essentially directional audio. I.e left, right, center, back, top left, etc. Sound separation in a iem or headphone is the ability to pick up different sounds at once without it overlapping each other. So the ability to hear explosions go off, gun shots, gadgets, footsteps, etc without distorting the other sounds. With that being said here's the list of iems that I've tried each with a short review and a rating out of 5 for gaming (3 is usable, anything less is not): CCZ BC01 Pro (1) - way too bassy, bad vertical directional audio. Better options CCZ BC04 Pro (2) - same issue as the BC01 but a much more tolerable bass. Better options Moondrop Chu 2 (1.5) - sound is okay, soundstage felt narrow to me. Imaging was okay. Sound separation was below average. Premium feel and build but I didn't like how heavy they were on my ears. Better options Truthear Gate (2) - sound great but not good for gaming. Narrow soundstage, imaging is okay, below average sound separation. Better options Truthear Zero Red (?) - literally couldn't fit in my ears properly without severe pain. So I couldn't test the IEM and returned it. Will be testing the zero 2 tho Truthear Hexa (4) - comfort is not that good, better than the zero reds tho, soundstage and imaging is okay, sound separation is decent. Also not a fan of how they sound tbh. Too neutral for me Tripowin Vivaci (3) - nearly identical to the zeros 2 in technical performance but I like the zero 2 more in terms of overall sound. And for $5 more you can get the 7Hz G1 which is better than both 7Hz Zero (2.5) - a bit too bright, zero 2 is better 7Hz Zero 2 (3) - average soundstage, decent imaging, below average sound separation. Best $20 iem imo, better options as you continue to go up in price 7Hz G1 (4.5) - a Klean but cheaper with a more fun v-shaped sound signature, get this if you're on a budget 7Hz Sonus (4.5) - the most underrated iem for gaming, great imaging and great soundstage but average sound separation. EW300 is a bit better cuz it has better sound separation Kiwi Ears Canta (3.5) - a bit too bright for most people, good imaging, okay soundstage, below average sound separation Kiwi Ears Quartet (4) - best soundstage imo, super comfy fit, imaging is okay and sound separation is average Kefine Klean (4.5) - a better Delci, better sound separation and arguably better sound signature imo Kefine Delci (4) - good soundstage and imaging, slightly above average sound separation Simgot EW300 (4.5) - nearly endgame but still needs better sound separation. Simgot EM6L (5) - endgame, great soundstage, great imaging, great sound separation. Can't recommend it due to it's nozzle QC issues. Otherwise I probably wouldn't use any other IEM for gaming but this Simgot Supermix 4 (3.5) - not endgame. Might get some hate for this but I was really not impressed by this iem for gaming. It had a narrow soundstage and okay imaging, good sound separation tho. EM6L is way better Other IEMs I am planning to review: ND Planet, Tangzu Waner 2, KZ EDC Pro, Truthear Zero 2 Blue, and Kiwi Ears Airoso Note - in the end I recommend the 7Hz G1, 7Hz Sonus and EW300. The DT 900 Pro X and 770 Pro X are my reference headphones for directional audio for competitive fps games. Those headphones essentially make me feel like I have wall hacks and the iems perform 85-90% as good. The best was definitely the EM6L where I felt nearly no difference in performance with my headphones but I can't recommend it because of the nozzle QC issue. It is an easy fix by super gluing it back on but that shouldn't even happen for an iem worth $110 in the first place. With that being said I will still review iems (and headphones) above and below the respective prices but I feel that you will be perfectly happy with the performance of the iems I recommended. Side Note: I'm currently in the process of building a website with the best gaming peripheral recommendations which includes not only iems but headphones, keyboards, mice, monitors, even pro controllers and more. Hope you all have a blessed day and find this helpful in your purchasing decision!

I use the EM6L + FiiO K11. I tried the SuperMix 4 but still prefer the EM6L

I have both and prefer the EM6L over the SM4 for gaming. I also like the Moondrop Ray since it uses USB C.

Kefine Delci AE if under $100. If you can go a little more or use coupons and coins on AliExpress, Go for the Simgot EM6L.

Nice review mate I just recently started getting into to audio space and tried some IEM's at first i had the Sennheiser IE300 but the EM6L are better for gaming imo

IF you asked this question a week ago i would of said the IE200, they are great for gaming and i was comparing them too Truth hear blues, and EM6L which are all great for gaming. Just picked up the Linsoul SuperMix4 and they are absolutely fantastic iems, no issues at all and i can find fault with all the others i listed above - iem falls out easily EM6L or ear tip too big Truthhear, housing scraping the ear IE200 using all different tips/cables and then i seen someone mention that the SuperMix4 are a way better version of the EM6L for a little more money, and if you was thinking of buying the EM6L then get the SuperMix4. Well i did and everything is great - audio clarity clear, comfort , cable length/ strength perfect. Honestly i could of saved myself 400dollars if i just got the SuperMix4 first.

many people are suggesting the EM6L which are great no doubt but if you can expand the budget pick up the Linsoul Supermix4 they are same brand but just a more perfect IEM for a little more money and well worth paying that extra.

Ill just say it. Don't trust any reviewer unless you try alot IEMs and know ur tuning preference then check their reviews and if his/her tuning are pretty similar to urs, trust their tierlists. For gaming is very well know, EM6L is almost endgame, while the ew300s is actually enough.

IMO the upgrade is like, The G1 then EW300 and the EM6L. You don't need anything above that for gaming.

Bit late to the party but just wanted to add my experience if anyone comes across this helpful tier list. The Simgot em6l vs the Simgot Supermix 4. I had to give the Simgot em6l a try based on your rating and comments. I enjoyed them out of the box leaning towards favoring female vocals. Gaming wise they are phenomenal, just plug and play no EQ needed at all. Now the cons, only tips that would give me a good seal are Comply T-500. Dunu s&s & SpinFit CP145 did not work as I could not get them deep enough for a good seal. I was also concerned over the longevity of the em6l as the known metal barrel coming off. As I forced to run foam tips I could see this happening pretty darn fast. I bought the Supermix 4 and agree with you. The tuning of the em6l out of the box is better for both music and gaming. However, EQ'ing the SM4 really brought them to life. Male vocals now how more depth and weight, the bass can be there if I want it. Gaming its the same story, out of the box I would not rate the SM4 anywhere near the em6l. A bit of EQ'ing and I now have my perfect EFT profile. 100% the fit and comfort & quality of the SM4 is worth the extra for me. Perfect seal with SpinFit CP145 avoiding the tedious at times foam tips. So to sum up, if you want a IEM that you do not want to EQ for both gaming and music at the £100 price mark the em6l is the definite winner. I got my Supermix 4 at only £20 extra. It you do not mind a bit of EQ'ing and would like a bit more bass when needed and superior fit and build quality the SM4 is for you.

Bit late to the party but just wanted to add my experience if anyone comes across this helpful tier list. The Simgot em6l vs the Simgot Supermix 4. I had to give the Simgot em6l a try based on your rating and comments. I enjoyed them out of the box leaning towards favoring female vocals. Gaming wise they are phenomenal, just plug and play no EQ needed at all. Now the cons, only tips that would give me a good seal are Comply T-500. Dunu s&s & SpinFit CP145 did not work as I could not get them deep enough for a good seal. I was also concerned over the longevity of the em6l as the known metal barrel coming off. As I forced to run foam tips I could see this happening pretty darn fast. I bought the Supermix 4 and agree with you. The tuning of the em6l out of the box is better for both music and gaming. However, EQ'ing the SM4 really brought them to life. Male vocals now how more depth and weight, the bass can be there if I want it. Gaming its the same story, out of the box I would not rate the SM4 anywhere near the em6l. A bit of EQ'ing and I now have my perfect EFT profile. 100% the fit and comfort & quality of the SM4 is worth the extra for me. Perfect seal with SpinFit CP145 avoiding the tedious at times foam tips. So to sum up, if you want a IEM that you do not want to EQ for both gaming and music at the £100 price mark the em6l is the definite winner. I got my Supermix 4 at only £20 extra. It you do not mind a bit of EQ'ing and would like a bit more bass when needed and superior fit and build quality the SM4 is for you.

definitely Simgot EM6L, though it’s near the top end of your budget, could look at second hand if that’s an option for you as well

Despite the drawbacks, the em6l is the smoothest simgot in their product lineup. Give foams a try when listening to music.

I would recommend you the Truthear Hexa and the Simgot EM6L. The Hexas are on the more neutral side and some would call it boring. For me, I just like it as nothing in its sound is offensive and sometimes I just want to just chill out. The EM6L on the other hand, is a V-shape tuned set that has a pleasant treble that doesn't stab my eye and just enough bass to have some semblance of balance with the treble. While I really don't subscribe to the "gaming IEM" opinion, there are at least lots of people who think the EM6L is excellent for gaming.

I can't speak for any of the IEMs you've listed above, but I do own a pair of EM6L. Personally, I really don't care much about picking "the best IEM/s for gaming", I can at least say the EM6L's soundstage and imaging may serve you well for games. I think this could also do well for music due to its decent tuning.

I'd say the Zero Red, Hexa, EM6L, and CKLVX are the ones that are really good below $200. None of them sound similar to each other but they all have a place to my usage of them.

planars are renowned for their clarity . typical planar tuning makes vocals come off as sounding metallic though but ymmv something liek the simgot supermix 4 would be great though. hybrid with harman tuning, female vocals really shine on this set

I am listening to metal on supermix 4 and to be honest this thing can handle metal without any clutter even on the very busy tracks .

I’ve been using the Artti T10. For music i like the supermix4 better, but for gaming the T10 is so damn sharp, fantastic.

Using the Letshuoer S08 and I love it. Previously tried Simgot EW300 and Simgot supermix 4. Found the Simgot EW300 was too heavy for my ears and that the Simgot Supermix 4 was too bulky to have a nice fit.

After hours of research, I got the Supermix 4 + Fiio KA11. Multiple friends made fun of me, cause of the money I paid. They requested to listen some music through them for just 10 seconds. Each one stood and listened at least 10 minutes, cause they were suprised. It's my daily driver, I play competitive cod through them and DayZ. They are fantastic. Also using them for music through my phone. Clarity is great, I hear a lot of "new noises" in songs I know. The only proposals I read a lot in the forum that match the Supermix4 or users say they surpass it in certain areas are the 1) LETSHUOER S12 and 2) HIDIZS MP145. Watch out for the Quality Control issues on the EM6L, cause I almost bought them when I first started my research. I don't have an honest opinion on the other products.

Thanks for your tips, I bought the Coreir Brass ear tips, and it truly enhances SM4's bass a great deal! 

Thanks for your sharing. That's an interesting observation that SM4 doesn't benefit too much from a balanced output.

I personally plugged my SM4 to a blon v1 and never had to EQ, the blon made the bass more tame and boost the treble even more, making it kinda sibilant and shouty which I actually enjoy. I really love my SM4s

I use simgot supermix 4 for both music and gaming

Really solid post, enjoyed reading your impressions on the SM4! They align a lot with mine, feel the mids are a little recessed and thin and can get overpowered by the sub-bass on certain tracks. It also leans on the technical/analytical side and coming from warm & musical sets the amount of detail gave me a bit of a headache at first. Overall a great set though, plays most genres in my library decently well and punches above its weight at this price range especially if you manage to get it on sale. Detail retrieval and resolution was on par with some of my older, more pricey sets. Also have to give props to Simgot for how well-integrated the drivers, despite the use of 4 different driver types, the cohesiveness of the SM4 is a stand-out factor to me.

Some basic rules: 1. It has to be either an IEM you currently have in your collection or an IEM you have used before. So it can be an IEM you have demo'd, borrowed, or previously owned. **You have to actually know what the IEM sounds like.** 2. As mentioned in the title, **no EQing the IEM**. You have to stick with its out-of-the-box sound profile. 3. Music genre can be as specific or as general as you want. 4. For the purposes of this hypothetical, **assume you have access to your ideal source, eartips, cable, etc. Your music is available to you in the highest resolution possible.** 5. Feel free to bend the rules, but try not to break them. My choice would be my Simgot Supermix 4 and the genre would probably be Pop (especially J-Pop). Maybe it's not my favorite genre, but it's one that provides a lot of variety. Runner up is "video game soundtracks", though that's not really a genre. If I could bend the rules it might be my TGXear Serratus 2 and Indie Rock. They're a fantastic combination. The Serratus 2 are earphones though, so I am definitely bending the rules. **So, what's your combo, r/iem?**

I personally didn’t think they were special in anyway they sounded average but not worth the price they sound abit like the zero blues but less bass and more treble and clarity

Well I only have them Simgot supermix 4… and I’m such a sucker for the harman target so I luv them, the treble is soooo smooth, the fit, the looks I love then. I’m considering a new cable tho.

Simgot supermix 4. Easily dethrones my ole 7hz timeless and s12

Supermix all day, it's bass is better in quality and everything else is better too...If you want a V-shaped IEM get a moondrop DSP cable and EQ to a target basshead iem.

I honestly don't get all the amazing reviews the Supermix 4 get. my first pair of iem were 7hz Zeroes, which for 20ish euros price are really impressive. With nothing to compare them with, I couldnt find anything to fault them but this being an audio hobby, I had to get something better but what ? So looking around, I eventually found Jay's iem rankings and saw that he recommended Simgot ew300 as a beginner set...so I looked at some more reviews, all of them being very positive, so I bought them for 80e. It's hard not to be impressed by the build quality and looks of the EW300. Soundwise, it is a step up from the Zeroes, in term of mids clarity which is enough for me to the justify the purchase. All in all I have been very happy with them. I still think the Zeroes are quite close sound and comfort wise but they are just not as beautiful an object. But, I had to get something better, so I went back to Jay's list. I obviously was not ready to spend 300+e on a pair, so looked at what he had as great value....which led me to the Supermix 4. Here it gets extremelly confusing. I don't like overpowering bass. I want bass extension along with great mid clarity, and so many opinions of the SM4 mentioned how bassy they were, so that put me off and had me looking for an alternative....read some more, confronted them with more expensive alternatives Elysium, Shure s12...then I started to get a sense that a lot of opinions are completely off base and contradictory. Saw some EW300 video reviews that were completely at the opposite of my experience soundwise....After much back and forth, I eventually decided to get the SM4. If Jay's list brought me to the EW300 that I really enjoyed, how could I not like the SM4? Today they arrived.....and oh boy am I disappointed. First thing, the comfort level is terrible, They re quite thick with a short nozzle, therefore they don't fit nicely in my ears like the EW300 do. But what about the sound? First of all, the stock cable they come with is quite thicker than the EW300's which anyone would assume is a sign of greater quality...I put on a first song, and I'm taken aback at how tiny they sound, whereas the EW300 and Zeroes sound expansive. Do they requite burn in? probably but my other iem sounded pretty good right away. Is it the cable? so I exchanged it with the EW300's cable. That improved drastically the sound, making it more open and expansive but still, it didnt sound as good and one question popped up right away....where is all that bass people were talking about? There is no meat on the bones when listening to them. Such a lean sound. The EW300 has a lot more bass without ever being bassy. So, I'm not exactly sure what are all these reviews about.... As for the equipment I used them with. Directly wired to an Audio GD r11 mk2 Dac/preamp/Headphone amp. I also used them wirelessly with a Fiio btr3k bluetooth dac/amp. Anyway, even if they had sounded great, they would have been returned because the comfort is really bad. I guess I'll stick with the EW300 a long long time because I dont see myself spending 500-1000e for a marginally better sound at the probable expense of comfort. These more expensive iems all seem to me to be quite bigger.

Where did you buy them for 200? I’ve only seen them for 250 or 200+shipping+taxes I have SM4 and I’m looking for something more relaxed and musical, but I’m between Odyssey, Aether and P5+2 I don’t know if it’s really worth the switch from SM4 to any of these. I don’t want to sell SM4, this would be an addition to have another option depending on the moment

I’m waiting for the price on Amazon because I bought SM4 there at the same price that was on sale on Linsoul’s website I read Linsoul’s conditions and it didn’t seem right to me that if the package is lost I have to pay half. Plus when you add shipping and taxes it’s more expensive than the current Amazon price at 235 They say that SM4 accepts EQ well but I can’t make them sound nice. It’s strange, it’s been selling well but I haven’t found any EQ’s from anyone. For now I’m trying different eartips

Tanchjim Origin for great all rounder QKZ x HBB for bassy and super cheap Simgot Supermix 4 for a cheaper all rounder

If you still have time, purchase a $2 code for a $50 discount code for the Linsoul sale and you will be able to get the Simgot Supermix 4s for around $80, you really get endgame with these iems and for that price it's a no brainer, one of the best gaming iems

For the price, simgot supermix 4

What you need is an iem that's considered an all rounder, great for music, videos, gaming and that's 100% the Simgot Supermix 4, I have a decent collective of iems ranging from 20-130 in price and these are definitely worth it and you won't feel the need to upgrade for newer ones

I don't own the explorer because like I said after owning these sm4, I don't feel the need of trying new iems, these are perfect for anything imo

The absolute best iems for gaming within your budget are the Simgot Supermix 4

Can't recommend enough the Simgot Supermix 4s, 10/10 iem for the price

I think the KB02 is a good entry point to bone conduction. Effectiveness of the tech seems to vary from person to person and the low price would be a good way to understand if you would prefer to get higher end BC like the DMAs or a multi hybrid set like the Supermix 4. You might even be happy with the KB02, ultra budget sets can be very surprising. I was using a set of borrowed Supermix 4 for gaming (excellent btw) when I added KZ PRX planars to an order just to bump my total up to the next coupon tier. I returned the Supermix because the cheap PRX set (on a 4.4 balanced cable with a good source) sounded better to my ear for gaming and music. A tuning which matches your personal sound preferences can trump a technically better IEM.

I had both the original tuning mp145 and supermix 4. I found both to be pretty similar and provided a nice balanced sound using the bronze tips. In the end I sold the mp 145 as I liked the supermix details and great sub bass as well as comfort as the mp145 is a bit large. You may consider ordering the new version of the mp145 which is mp 143 and releases in a about a weeks time.

Due to the Harmon tuning the mid bass is recessed a bit, but in its place you get great punchy sub-bass from both sets. If you want the most bass or most bass options I have to say MP145 because of the tip and filter selection your given.

I’ve had mine about 6-7 months. The edges of my faceplates have definitely seen some wear so you’re doing a great job at keeping them pristine. I use my SM4 everyday, playing around with ear tips and EQ. Without EQ, I agree with what you said about the SM4. I think if I had liked the Harman sound off the bat, I wouldn’t have experimented too much and in some ways, lessened my enjoyment of the hobby. 

You could get custom ear tips like spinfit to increase comfort. Either way dropping a 100-200 dollars on iems these days give you a lot of value. I currently use simgot supermix 4 and they are awesome.

I might be little biased in this because I use Wan'er longer than my Castor so I will pick Wan'er because of how comfortable it is with long time gaming and also Wan'er is much more fun to be EQ. Actually 7hz Zero2 might be a better choice if you comfortable with their design. If you have more budget for IEM, Sennheiser IE 200 can do better but with that price might just go for Simgot Supermix 4

Simgot Supermix 4, got them a few months back and I still love it to bits! Love the way it sounds, and with some minor eq adjustments and tip rolling, it sounds really good to me.

Hey, I got SM4s and have been looking for EQ options. I am trying Peace out for the first time. Did I do this right? https://preview.redd.it/x6kldie9wxse1.jpeg?width=955&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bc5f41abae6b5bb863cd5b70472717f4f0948f75

Nothing technical to add, just that I enjoy these posts. Again this is something that a laymen like me can "feely"craft but understanding the mechanics around it is interesting. This feels 100% accurate in my experience as a casual observer, some other common IEMs for gaming that are recommended would be Simgot SuperMix 4 and Mangird Tea Pro (I owned both of these at one point). When playing Hunt: Showdown to my ears it was objectively easy to tell that the SuperMix 4 had less overall bass AND it was also a lot slower to recover to spikes in volume (say a barrel or explosive detonating nearby). Once I had purchased the Tea Pros, the tightness of the bass was extremely noticeable and this seemed to help clean up some of the mids and low treble to make it easier to discern the separation in chaotic environments. Another interesting thought as you had mentioned the Arrti T10, I used the Letshuoer S08s which was a full planar set for a few weeks as well when I had just gotten into the hobby. The difference in the spactial "feeling" not the actual precision itself is another concept that I would love to understand. To me it feels like there is a difference between the precision and how distance plays out on the stage created. For example, I believe with all the sets I have mentioned I could get a good sense of direction based on a sound cue; however, all three sets have a very different resolution of 3D space. I attempted to test as best I could the difference between the MEST Mk2 and Tea Pros to see if I would like one or the other more over the last few days. The Tea Pro's space resolution feels less detailed but more accurate to relative distance, the MEST provides absolutely unparalleled detail but because of the recessed pinna mids messes with the distance some. Both could absolutely be used but one does a better job at creating space "around you" rather than "in front" of you. Is there any way to objectively analyze the perception of that 3D space that is being created?

me too recently just bought the simgot supermix 4 for my ps5

Aful Explorer for bass wonderland. Simgot supermix 4 for sophisticated harman bass. Cca hydro if you wanna go crazy with it.

Also SM4 owner, I broadly agree with your review. I found it lacking mid-bass, and has too much treble with occasional shout I tested your EQ, the result is okay (maybe the lower midrange is now too much, and it still is too sparkly in the treble but you said you enjoy SM4 treble). However, I did not like your direction. Basically you cut away too much, using too wide Q, when you could just tweak it with peak filters only to get the same result. See your result vs my tweaked version (I moved your EQ up 2dB to get a better normalization). There's technically nothing wrong with what you're doing as long as it works (the crossovers on SM4 doesn't seem to misbehave much), but it makes both visualization and A/B listen testing painful, as you have to keep re-adjusting the gain when doing both https://preview.redd.it/s1ur87oyvuse1.png?width=1887&format=png&auto=webp&s=a1148a48f4070bf5477baf3fc6ba3328ca298470

>As you can see, there's a difference in pre-amp between my EQ and yours. Yes, but then you cut the entire upper-mids and treble by more than 2dB, achieving the same FR as my tweaked version. I had to raise your entire EQ by 2dB to match against the original SM4, so effectively your pre-gain is 2dB more than it should be If you A/B test, it has to be at the same overall volume. Using your EQ, you cannot do this unless you change the pre-gain between tests, and this makes it one button changes much harder. This is why I changed the values in my tweaked version, which gives you the same result but makes A/B testing much easier as you can set the pre-gain once and only toggle the EQ on/off Edits: Formatting

Definitely IEMs are way better than headphones with similar price. I think the reason it's the drivers quality. A 50$ IEM driver will mostly be technically better than a 50$ gaming headset driver. Just make sure to check the quality of the soundstage and imaging (by reviews). Also a hibryd drivers (multi driver) IEM can be a game changer. I don't recommend a builted in mic just because an external one (even super cheap) will always sounds better. I love my Simgot SuperMix 4 for gaming, but I know they're not very cheap. I can suggest the Truthear Gate for that purpose or the cheaper Tangzu Wan Er

I red very good things about the Origins. Have you considered the Simgot SuperMix 4? I got them. Very good sound signature imho

I own both of these sets, the Supermix 4 is a good Harman tuned IEM. The Harman tuning is what Harman Inc. Found the majority of people prefer. I believe it's normally priced higher than what you wanted to spend. The Explorer is more of a new Meta tuning. New Meta is a flatter tuning with less ear gain usually making the IEMs easier to listen to at higher volumes. I am not a big fan of the new Meta tuning I normally listen at lower or a medium volume, so I prefer the boost in the upper mids and treble and a boosted bass. I hope this helps.

This is what I tell people about the SM4 - if you like the Harman target, this is a legit end-game level set. It matches Harman almost exactly, has wonderful detail, separation, and staging (especially considering the price), is comfortable, well-built, and easy to drive. Its detail and resolution blow the DUNU Davinci out of the water, at half the price. If you like Harman, this is a one-and-done set. It's THAT good. Are there better out there tuned to the same target? Sure. But you'll spend 3-4x the price. Problem is - many people don't like Harman.

Was not very impressed by these, don't get me wrong they are clear and imaging is great but not worth the price imo. Comfort for me wasn't good but thats subjective. I'm starting to wonder if i should move away from the G6, its served me well for years and i love the volume output.

ye supermix 4 is super overhyped , meh bass bad treble.

I don't have many iems, but I just got the supermix four and it is so good and comfortable, better than my Tangzu Waner at least. From what I read, the MP145 is kind of heavy, but I don't know what a heavy IEM feels like, but I think I would notice if the supermix was heavy at all. For 150, in absolute terms, I am very satisfied with the sound, very detailed. I have the edition XS and HD600 as far as headphones go, and they don't lose to them technically

Also, i stumbled upon a comment in this sub that said this: "I'll need a bit time with the supes to give an accurate comparison on sound. I love the mp145s but the weight and size were the one factor that made me want to continue looking at other iems. If that type of stuff isn't a big deal I still highly recommend them. At first listen, the supemix sounds "better" to my ears. Also the comfort is far superior."

I mean if you really want to take it competitively, headphones always beat out the IEMs. The simgot supermix 4 are pretty similar to the EW300 with more treble (which is what footsteps have a lot of) and a pretty safe tuning. Not the greatest bass, but maybe some EQ and certain eartips would make up for that. I play a lot of fps games, cs2 and val included and did not enjoy the ew300 but really like the super mix 4. A lot of people also swear by the EM6L for shooters

That would be a good move, the nova is better and the direct upgrade from the zeros. Same goes for the simgot supermix 4.

supermix 4 with spinfit omni tips and rock

I've had them for 3 days. I first bought the Simgot Supermix 4, which I returned the next day. Everything sounded very artificial, I didn't like the tone at all, the notes lacked weight and it was too bright. I read that it could be a problem with the power supply but I tried them on a Fiio K5 Pro Ess and on a Kiwi Ears Allegro Mini dac dongle and the result was equally disappointing in both cases. That's why I ordered these Odyssey and the truth is that I've been very impressed with the difference. They're exciting without losing that natural tone that I love. The sound stage, to me personally, seemed very good and the instrumental separation and the image were a delight, I agree with you that it's the best thing about the headset. I also have other headphones like the Sennheiser HD650 and Technics Az100 (for wireless they are amazing), but the Odyssey, although not as natural as the Senns, are more fun without losing as much naturalness and offering a stage and image that is really surprising for an IEM. They cost me €199 and taking into account that the Supermix 4 cost me €174, I think it is a very good quality-price ratio.

I've listened to SM4, P5, and Explorer. The SM4 has good details but shitty bass. The explorer has thick warm sound, really good bass quality, but sounds like it lack details (due to the tuning), if you eq it, it has really good details. P5 is the most balanced in terms of bass and details. Also where can you get the explorer for 87 usd

You’re looking at warm leaning v shape, without the mid range too scooped out (to allow for vocals to be balanced). The SIMGOT EA500LM is a great example of that. Others with similar profile: - Aful Explorer - Simgot Supermix 4 - Kefine Delci AE There are a few iems highly reviewed/rated around $50-70 (Kefine Klean, Tangzu Fudu, Inawaken Dawn) but if your budget wants to spend more closer to $100-150 then there aren’t as many without going to the $200-300-ish range (Kiwi Ears Quintet, Mangird Tea Pro’s etc)

I own the Supermix 4s, this was one of my comments on another post, so I'll paste it here. Hope it helps. I have the SM4, let me break it down for you. They have a great sub-bass extension, but overall are a bright set of iems. That, paired with the fact that they sound incredibly clean, can mean that they start to sound fatiguing after a while, and they definitely seem to lack a bit of musicality and emotion in music. They're a more vocal forward IEM, although due to the nature of Harman tuning mids and vocals can sound slightly thin and lacking weight. I would say that the resolution and technicalities are probably one of, if not the best in the price range. If you're looking for more mid-bass with a warmer, darker character overall these may not be the set for you. If you value sub-bass more and don't mind the much brighter sound, these may be for you. Clarity, as I've said, is really good on these iems.

I can only speak for SM4 and only had for two weeks but they’re my favorite and I’m a rock and metal dude.

2024 was an exciting year for me and all fellow audiophiles. So many great IEMs with unimaginable value. Here are 8 of my favorite sets from my ~15 sets collection. Right to left, top to bottom: ISN EBC80, HiSenior Mega5EST Bass + (custom design), Tangzu Zhu Bajie, Kiwi Ears Punch, Xenns Mangird Tea Pro, DUNU DaVinci, Ziigaat Estrella, AFUL Performer 5+2 Honorable mention: AFUL Explorer (best first IEM IMO), Ziigaat Arete (best gaming IEM IMO), Simgot Supermix 4 (best all-rounder IMO). I'm excited for what 2025 will bring us. Hopefully better sets with lower prices.

Even though the sm4 graph shows alot of sub bass the dip in the mid bass makes it sound faint. The lower midrange pretty important if you want more like "presence" and "weight" to the vocals/instruments. I always felt like sm4 was close to great but its held back by the pzt implementation. Sometimes you get a strong sting of it and it can be good/bad depending on song quality. It can get very fatiguing if you're not used to pzt/planar zing in the higher regions. I think if you like the single dd sound and want to refine it get the fd15. Its a vast improvement over salnotes zero. It sounds more tighter and defined/punchy in the bass. Vocals sounds extremely vivid and musical. The treble is my favorite part of it because it sound airy and sparkly yet non harsh. I would of recommended original moondrop kato (if you can find it 2nd hand or used market) but It might lack some of that treble energy from salnotes zero in exchange for better weight and mid clarity.

I second the Airoso! I have both the supermix 4 and the airoso (I never tried the ke4 so sadly can’t compare that one); for around 80-100 bucks the airoso is a solid purchase!

For me, the airoso is just more “versatile” where everything you throw at it, it sounds great. Honestly couldn’t put them down when I first started using them. Probably the most comfortable IEMs to wear for an extended period of time. The sm4 might beat the airoso on soundstage and details; so if you want to do more critical/analytical listening the sm4 is a better pick. Other than that (especially for a more “musical” approach and the better bass response) the airoso wins it for me

Personally I think the Supermix 4 is over-rated. It has 2 fatal flaws in my opinion (went through 2 sets and gave up). The first flaw is its super slow attack on bass notes. Bass notes are almost slurred into. The second is distinct lack of dynamic range. Listening to the Rain Song by Zeppelin at about the 6:02 mark and Satyam Shivam Sundaram by Thievery Corporation at about the 2:52 mark distinctly show that lack of dynamic range. The Letshuoer S12 PRO is a good option in this price range, but does have tiny bit of that planar metallic sound now and then, but no fatal flaws!

I'm a really big fan of the sm4, mostly listen to 70s music, edm, and rap, also use them for gaming occasionally but for that I prefer openback headphones.

Bought the supermix4 and i been loving them so much!, the large eartips that comes with them fits me like a glove, is there any way to buy just the eartips for me to try on another iems?

Whatever you pick between those you're good, but keep in mind that Hexa is neutral-ish tuned so it has less fun factor than others. I would pick either simgot supermix 4 or aria 2, mayber ea500lm