Simgot EA1000 "Fermat"

By that logic ie600 , tanchjim origin , ie900, mk12 , ea1000 and many others is not worth it.

Are you my clone lol! Those are my 2 IEMs alongside Simgot EA1000s.

The L2 handles metal pretty well. It has good separation & doesn't get muddled with busy parts. Bass is clean & punchy. Cymbals and hi-hats are well resolved but not pushed forward to where they could get fatiguing (like on the S12 Pro). The Simgot EA1000 is the best IEM I've found for metal. The L2 isn't quite as dynamic or resolving as that, but for being very neutral (and a lot cheaper) it keeps up pretty well.

They are bright. Very bright. So if you're at all treble sensitive, avoid. OTOH, if you're not treble sensitive or don't mind the risk of treble-fatigue, they're absolutely one of the best IEMs under $200. Absolutely insane performance for the price. They're basically a mini-EA1000 (my favourite IEM btw) but the EA1000 has slightly more realistic-sounding bass and smoother, less harsh treble. It's still bright-leaning but it's not outright bright like the EA500 and I don't find it fatiguing at all. Because of the extra treble, the EA500 actually has very slightly sharper imaging and a bigger soundstage than even the EA1000, which is known for it's very expansive soundstage by IEM standards. Most reviewers seem to agree on this, despite soundstage in IEMs being a very subjective psychoacoustic effect. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more open-sounding IEM than the EA500, especially not at the price. Keep an eye out for sales on Aliexpress. When the LM came out (not as good IMO but it's a *safer* choice, because the extra bass makes it sound less harsh to most people), there were some pretty big discounts on the OG. I thought they were planning to discontinue it, but it looks like they decided to just keep on selling it. I wouldn't be surprised if it's more popular than the LM in Asian markets, where they tend to prefer a brighter signature. Last couple of times I looked it wasn't as heavily discounted as it was just after the LM came out, but you should still expect to see some decent offers in the many & frequent Aliexpress sales.

That's interesting, I've been curious about those for a while. Maybe at some point in the future I'll be able to track down a lightly used pair to see if I get the same effect and if it's a huge jump up from my current best. I get that sort of effect from the Simgot EA1000 (which we talked about recently). That sort of thing is very recording-dependent though. One that I find is quite good is the Dire Straits live at the Hammersmith Odeon 1983, especially [Tunnel of Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3jw0Fjp_fU). Partly for how good the recording of the band is, and also because the crowd sound actually image properly instead of just adding a load of clipped white noise that ruins the recording. Harry Belafonte live at Carnegie Hall is pretty good too, although musically, I'd rather listen to Mark Knopfler. I also get that same effect to a slightly lesser extent but also with an added "bass blanket" effect and more emphasis on depth/layering in a slightly narrower stage from the Ikko OH300, which is $40. And an even more intimate version from the Letshuoer S08. I used to list the EA1000 and the S08 as my 2 favourite IEMs because of the contrast: the EA1000 is like standing on stage, 2m from the band and the S08 is like being trapped in a cupboard with the band, with the singer 2cm in front of your nose. The OH300 has mostly taken over the #2 spot from the S08 in my rotation, but it doesn't have that same trapped-in-a-cupboard presentation (it's very similar in a lot of ways though). The thing about imaging/soundstage is that it's mostly faked in production, hence the huge variation between tracks. Live recordings are usually mult-miked rather than binaural, but the positioning is less fictional because it pretty much has to reflect where the musicians actually were on the stage at the time. Especially if they're moving around between different mics. And then you have things like [Amber Rubarth, Sessions from the 17th Ward](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLgTaL-Q6Ig&list=PL0emVwtw4R9VbtzcZrkMkwXxqPABo9zfE), which is just cheating. It's a fully binaural recording and sounds holographic on just about anything that doesn't have completely whack channel balance, maybe with some slight variation depending on how well that particular headphone/IEM matches your HRTF. Have you got any good recordings you suggest for that sort of holographic imaging? Anything in particular that stood out on the Andromedas? Especially anything that sounds holographic on them but doesn't on other things? I'm always looking for good soundstage/imaging test tracks, that really show off the good stuff and show up the bad stuff.

Yeah, sorry about that one. I do find it far too bright unless I use Spifit CP-100+ tips, but those bring it down to the right level for me, so that my OG sounds fairly neutral and my 2025 sounds mildly v-shaped. I guess tip-related fixes don't necessarily translate well from person to person. But it's likely that you're more treble-sensitive than me too. I don't think I'm the most treble-insensitive person either. I definitely find the S12 Pro and EA500 fatiguing, and I find the Aful Explorer very sibilant, which a lot of people don't seem to notice (probably to do with the amount of 5-6kHz it has relative to the rest of the mids). Hence, definitely don't go buying an EA1000 at full price, there's clearly a big risk you'll find it much brighter than I do. I'm also using Divinus Velvet tips on mine, which are relatively trebly compared to many tips, so if it's just on the edge there you could almost certainly bring the treble levels down with the right tips. Maybe KB07, Dunu Candy or something like that. Maybe even Final Type E black, but I find they remove so much treble they usually kill a lot of technicalities.

Simgot EA1000. Keeps up with my planars for resolution, but with more natural timbre. Also has exceptionally realistic sounding bass when it comes to reproducing things like acoustic drums. Haven't heard anything that touches them for that, including over-ears. Hifiman Edition XS comes close in terms of overall clarity and bass extension, but lacks some of the punch.

The Simgot metal 1DDs are all very comfortable. You have the EA500LM for a balanced, but somewhat aggressive v-shape, the original EA500 that's very bright and gets fatiguing quickly, but it probably has the biggest wow factor for the price. And the EA1000 might be just in your budget depending on sales/offers and is sort of a more refined EA500 that isn't as bright or fatiguing. The EA1000 is my overall favourite IEM, but the EA500LM is possibly a safer option for more people as it's the bassiest one, and although it also has more treble than the OG EA500, it's more balanced out by the bass and it doesn't sound as bright. The other notably good 1DDs are the Tanchjim ones, but their ergonomics are terrible. They're small, but have very bad fit stability. Also the Moondrop Kato, if you can find one, is a great all-rounder 1DD and very comfortable. But it's discontinued. The Kefine Delci is really comfortable, but it's a warm, laid back sort of tuning that's not really competitive with the $100+ stuff when it comes to resolution etc. If detail is your top priority, you aren't going to beat the EA1000. Also while it doesn't have as much bass as the EA500LM, it has more "kick" to it than any other IEM I've heard, and it is very *realistic* sounding bass, especially for acoustic drums.

Depends what mood I'm in. Want warm, bassy & relaxed for mostly background listening? QKZ HBB. What warm, bassy & cosy but more focused on the music? Ikko OH300. Out for a walk? Ikko OH10. Out for a walk but want a more neutral sound? Moondrop Kato. Want less bass & lots of resolution? Stellaris. Want the most "realistic" sound possible? Simgot EA1000. And so on... I've got a lot of IEMs that I don't listen to that often. Some of those are just not very good but are too cheap to be worth selling. Some are good but not part of my core set, so I'll maybe listen to one of those now and then to mix things up a bit. I don't really do "genre-specific" IEMs because the mastering of individual albums can make a bigger difference than genres. But if I mainly want to listen to metal, I'll almost always get the EA1000 just because it's so much better than any other IEM for several things that come up a lot in rock, metal, prog, etc. If I'm in the mood for hip hop there's a very good chance I'll get the Dunu Titan S, but that's also more mood-specific and I might want something bassier. Even these "genre-specific" cases are more mood-specific anyway; just because I'm in the mood to listen to metal doesn't mean I'm exclusively only going to listen to metal, nor am I going to put Spotify on shuffle then change IEMs depending on what track comes on.

I don't go based on artist/genre so much as the overall presentation that I feel like at the time (which might also push me to listen to certain genres more than others, but not always). These days I listen to random playlists more often that specific albums, so I'm not a "this headphone for this album" sort of person. Generally if I'm going for a walk somewhere I'll pick up one, or if I want to just listen to music for a bit, I'll pick one. I won't normally change during a listening session unless I'm specifically A/B comparing them, or if I thought I was in the mood for a particular style and then realise I was wrong and swap over to something else. Occasionally I might hear something in a particular track and think "I wonder what that sounds like on such-and-such", but I keep a bunch of headphone-specific playlists so that I can just bookmark it for later. Although occasionally I will just want to hear how it sounds *right now*. The ones I'm listening to the most lately are: * QKZ HBB - these are mainly what I listen to when I'm doing something else; they have a similar warm, "wrapped in cotton wool" type of sound with recessed vocals that help to make them less distracting at lower volumes. * Ikko OH300^[1] - similar sort of warmth to the HBB, but also vocal-forward with incredible depth/layering - very relaxing but also engaging if I want to get fully absorbed into the music. * Aful MagicOne - another good one for relaxing, but more midrange focused without the bass of the HBB/OH300. I don't grab this one as often, but it's pretty unique. I'd probably listen to it a lot more if it was vented, but it doesn't bother me as much as my other unvented IEMs. * Moondrop Stellaris^[2] - Quite open and airy sounding with incredibly detailed treble and extremely linear bass, which just stays out of the way when it's not called for, and incredibly forceful when it needs to be. There is a bit of shout, but I don't really mind it and it's nowhere near as bad as they graph. Where the OH300 is for getting absorbed into the music, these are for getting absorbed into the overall soundscape, space and texture of the instruments, if that makes sense. You could call them analytical, but certainly not clinical. * Ikko OH10 - these are my main "walking around" IEM because the v-shape that combines deep, rounded bass with some good treble clarity makes them ideal for blocking outside noise. They're also incredibly comfortable. * Moondrop Kato - another mainly "out and about" IEM but they're slightly more neutral than the OH10, so I prefer these for longer trips on trains etc. They're probably the best "all rounder" IEM I have; can listen to them anytime, anywhere. I've also been listening to them more generally, since I started using my Shanling M0 Pro as my main DAC/amp instead of the Fiio BTR7. The BTR7 is a bit warm in a way that really completements the OH10, but the M0 Pro makes the Kato sound a lot cleaner. It's a really tiny difference, but it's enough to notice. Also the Simgot EA1000 remains my overall favourite IEM, but it's kind of similar to the Stellaris in a lot of ways with pretty different style of bass. There might be some recency bias that's making me grab the Stellaris more often lately. Both of them fall into the category of IEMs that can do certain things no other IEM/headphone can do (at least none that I've heard so far). ^[1] I'm not sure if the OH300 has been discontinued. I'd be recommending it to everyone if it wasn't sold out. Sounds incredible for ~$45 and it's mostly replaced the Letshuoer S08 for me (they have a lot of similarities, but the OH300 has better bass and the slight technical downgrades are barely noticeable). They dropped off Aliexpress a couple of months ago. I managed to grab a spare before all the stock disappeared from the Ikko website, but they're gone now. It now says "coming soon", so it might just be that they produce them in small batches and more will be available in the future. Not sure. ^[2] The Stellaris completely changed for me with Dunu Candy tips and quickly became one of my favourite IEMs. With most tips they are bright like a thousand suns and quite fatiguing. IDK if they'll work for everyone, so I don't recommend going out and buying a Stellaris (if you can find one: they're discontinued) but if you have one and have Candy tips lying around, I *highly* recommend giving them a try (and also let me know how it goes!)

Well, my overall favourite IEM is the Simgot EA1000 and it's also the only one I'd specifically recommend for metal. It handles everything else at least competently or better. The only thing that's missing really is it doesn't have tons of sub-bass for EDM, but it's not entirely lacking either, it just happens to excel more at acoustic stuff like making kick-drums sound incredibly realistic (which actually requires the sub-bass dip: you have to choose one or the other, because more sub-bass will make kick drums sound "slow" and maybe even muddy). It's resolving enough to keep up with my planar IEMs, and gets within about 95% of the Variations for treble quality (plus it has a bit more "bite" than the Variations which again works well for metal). It also has a particularly open/expansive soundstage, particularly with live recordings. I haven't heard the Astral or the Top Pro. Both sound interesting, but I can't do comparisons with them. I would say the EA1000 is "bright-leaning". I don't find it outright bright or fatiguing like the EA500 or S12 Pro, but if a track is mastered bright, it won't hide that fact. So anyone treble-sensitive might be better off with something else.

QKZ HBB. Nothing else is tuned quite like it. To give a more expensive set with similar-ish tuning that they sound better than: the Aful Explorer. Although the Explorer is better in a lot of ways (fit is better, resolution is better), vocals sound better on the HBB. Sibilance on the Explorer bothers me, so out of the two, the HBB is the one I'll normally listen to. Next to better, but quite differently tuned IEMs like the Simgot EA1000, they still hold their own as something completely different. They make a good complementary set as part of a collection. Whereas I have a bunch of other cheap IEMs that I rarely actually listen to, because they don't do anything unique. Another cheap pair that I do listen to a lot is the Ikko OH300, which has largely replaced the Letshuoer S08 for if I'm in the mood to listen to something like that. The S08 is pretty unique and I wouldn't say the OH300 is flat out better, but it does have better bass. The OH300 sits in a similar category to the HBB and they have quite similar-sounding bass. But whereas the HBB is quite relaxed, with pushed back vocals, the OH300 is quite vocal-forward. The OH300 also has exceptional imaging/layering, which is the other reason why it competes with the S08. The S08 is also exceptional in that regard, but incredibly tip-sensitive, and the S08 has a really tiny soundstage (which is a good thing, in the sense that it's very unique).

Simgot EA1000, mostly. The tonal balance isn't quite neutral though, it has a slight cool tilt to the midrange that I sometimes notice. Some would call them bright, but they don't really sound bright to me, so much as very unforgiving about bright-mastered tracks. For the most part they just sound correct, as long as the track is well mastered. I think someone who indexes specifically for vocal timbre, might be more bothered by that cool tilt than I am, especially where it's noticeable on male vocals. But I tend to index for things like complex tracks with lots of instruments, being able to still pick them all out, and each of them still having realistic timbre, so across the whole frequency range. I would say the Thieaudio Legacy 2 sounds the more neutral to me tonally, which can be better at times, because sometimes that cool tilt won't sound as natural. But most of the time, the EA1000 is the one that makes things, especially live recordings, sound more like they're actually real, rather than like I'm listening through transducers. The L2 is good but it doesn't quite have that effect. I was listening to the Truthear Pure recently and while it's fairly neutral across a lot of the FR (except the midbass/low mids), I would not say it sounds natural at all. It's far too warm, so it's very obvious you're listening through a device of some sort, that's colouring the sound. I have the Hexa as well and it just sounds pretty wonky, mainly because the treble is so peaky, which causes things like instruments wandering around on the stage. And also the lack of bass. There's one thing that the EA1000 does that I have not yet found any other headphone or IEM that can match, which is how realistically it renders drums, especially kick drums. I'm not sure what it is, but I have a theory it's because the passive radiator simulates the time-domain response of speakers in a room (which would add natural room reverb, that IEMs normally don't do, because they are supposed to be minimum phase). The closest I've heard is the Hifiman Edition XS, which can reproduce most of the decay in the sub-bass, but it doesn't have the same initial transient kick. Real drums at a live gig are really fucking loud. They should sound loud. For the most part, in recordings, they don't, but on the EA1000, they do. But not in a bloated, distorted, beats-by-dre sort of way. In a way that that just makes drums sound like real drums.

I wouldn't say I've found one like that yet, but it's true that there's very little correlation between price and performance, at least in terms of what you like or don't like. Technical performance does tend to increase a bit with price, but also caps out well before you get into TotL stuff. Ironically, if you're very skilled with EQ and have the patience to dial everything in perfectly, some of the best IEMs to use as EQ platforms are some of the cheapest (Kiwi Ears Cadenza / KBear KB01 for instance). In terms of my collection, I probably spend more time listening to the QKZ HBB than any other single IEM and it's only $15. It's not the most technical IEM out there, but it's tuned to its limitations and does what it does really well, which is to be very warm-yet-natural sounding and easy to listen to for a long time. My most expensive IEM so far, the Variations, is one that I almost never listen to. Even though it's technically excellent, the tuning isn't my favourite (tucked midbass) and it's not very comfortable. My favourite IEM overall is the Simgot EA1000 which falls in the middle price-wise, but I wouldn't call it endgame because it's not perfect. It does however do some things other IEMs cannot do (at least none that I've heard), and at least keeps up with others in all areas. Comfort is another big, and often overlooked factor. And the interesting thing there is no only is there no correlation with price, if anything there's an inverse correlation. With the exception of Sennheiser, almost all IEMs get less comfortable as they go up in price, and the cheapest ones are the most comfortable because they're small 1DDs. I expect that when I do find something I would call "endgame", it'll probably be in the ~$300 price range, technically good, comfortable and stable in the ear, with a tuning that I just happen to like. It's entirely possible it will be a $50 1DD though because there's no technical reason why a well-tuned 1DD can't outperform kilobuck IEMs. Sennheiser's flagship kilobuck IEMs *are* 1DDs, they just put more effort than usual into tuning via 3D printing. There are already 1DDs around $50 with among the best drivers you can get, so cost of parts isn't the issue. It's more a question of when/if the market will start releasing such well-tuned IEMs at that price point. Most IEM pricing doesn't reflect the BOM cost at all, and may or may not reflect R&D investment. I also expect the EA1000 will be kept around for a long time because if you remove the imperfections, you most likely also remove what makes it so good. I expect I'll find something that I'll eventually like as much as the HBB but is better in every way. But so far I haven't, so there's a good chance that will stick around for a long time as well. If I had to get rid of my entire IEM collection and keep just one, it would, perhaps counter-intuitively, not be the EA1000. It would be the Moondrop Kato, which is actually slightly cheaper (but now discontinued). The thing about the Kato is it's just a really good all-rounder, that works for all genres of music, both indoors and outside where it's noisy, and has no issues with being listened to all day. The EA1000 easily beats it technically, but the Kato is just a bit warmer and overall I prefer a slightly warm tilt like the Kato to a cool tilt like the EA1000. I can still listen to the EA1000 all day too, but if you have a badly mastered track, the EA1000 *will not hide that fact at all*, whereas the Kato will lie to you a bit and just make it sound good.

*In theory* you can fix anything with EQ, but in practice you can't. Very fine-grained FR features will be almost if not completely impossible to correct with EQ because you can't rely on graphs and have to do it by ear, which is increasingly difficult to do the smaller the features are. The IEM is highly modal then it will be more reactive to whatever ear (or coupler) it's inserted into so ideally you want less of that. You also ideally want the IEM to be as well vented as possible for comfort reasons, but that can affect things like sub-bass extension, especially when BAs are being used to produce those frequencies. The other factor is pure extension and the absence of nulls. If the drivers can't generate sound past 10kHz, no amount of EQ is going to add those frequencies back in, at best it's going to either do nothing or add distortion. Most IEMs don't actually extend all the way to 20kHz, even though they often make nonsensical claims like 40kHz (which nobody could hear even if it were true). It's always possible to EQ down, but again if the response is very jaggy then it might not be possible to get it where you want it. Nulls are where you get certain frequencies cancelling each other out because of resonances, reflections, or phase issues in multi-driver IEMs. That will result in a dip in the FR that doesn't respond if you try to increase it with EQ, although if you do try, you risk accidentally introducing a peak right next to where you think the dip is. Here's a good video about how trying to EQ away narrow features can often end up making things sound worse, which is one of the main reasons why AutoEQ often doesn't work as well as expected: /r/headphones/comments/1ivy4u7/how_measurement_error_hurts_eq/ The general rule of thumb aside from "sounds good to me" is you want the FR to be as smooth as possible, and change as little as possible between different couplers. That way you are really only making HRTF accommodations & preference adjustments rather than trying to "fix" things. One issue about smooth graphs is that the ones you usually see, e.g., on squig.link, are smoothed (usually 1/3 octave I believe), which means there might be features you can't see. Like a slight dip in the FR could actually be a much narrower null, but when averaged out, it looks smoother than it is.

I don't. I'm planning to experiment with that at some point and see if tilting the midrange warmer affects anything or not. Haven't had time yet though. I don't feel like it *needs* EQ and to me it sounds cool-tilted but not bright per se, or at least not excessively so. I think anyone who is more treble sensitive might find it bright though. I'm also kind of curious to know if the passive radiator introduces any time-domain effects (which are separate to FR). It's one of the reasons I bought my own coupler, but haven't got a measurement process sorted out yet.

This is a matter of some debate, but if you know enough about EQ, you can. The tricky part is knowing enough about EQ in the first place, and having a good enough ear to make those kinds of adjustments. Another way of framing it is: can you fix those things in a *practical* sense? But it's easy to prove the inverse, because you can absolutely make them worse. And all you're doing is changing the frequency response. So there isn't a magical additional property that they arise from, assuming you're not making big enough changes to push the drivers into audible distortion (which is unlikely on most IEMs unless you're doing crazy things). Soundstage, details and separation are not physically separate phenomena outside of frequency response, but also frequency response at the eardrum and frequency response on a graph are not the same thing, which is a big part of why confusion arises around this topic. It being possible to do something in theory, and it being practical or easy to do it, are not the same thing. Which is why both sides of the argument tend to end up talking past each other.

The crossover just determines which frequencies go to which driver(s), which in turn affects the final frequency response along with other things like acoustic tuning. Badly designed crossovers can cause things like nulls or other phase errors, which I mentioned earlier, can't be EQ'd away. This is why cheap hybrid IEMs are often bad, although the cost of a reasonably well-implemented hybrid has come down a lot in the last few years. That's one of the reasons a 1DD is typically better for EQ than most multi-driver IEMs, because there is no crossover to go wrong (and no possibility of phase errors between the drivers). Doesn't necessarily mean 1DDs are automatically better either. In the end, it's the end result that matters, which is almost entirely about the frequency response. That, alongside HpTF, distortion and time-dependent characteristics, although the last 2 are pretty much always below the audible threshold in IEMs, so there's no point in worrying about them most of the time. Having said that last thing, distortion is one of those characteristics that can't be controlled with EQ, so if it is audible, then it will make a difference. Crinacle actually put some thought into this in the design of the Daybreak, on the basis of "*if*you can hear it, it will sound better like this". He had said he intended to talk about it in the release video, but in the end it's only mentioned in passing, blink-and-you'll miss it sort of thing (I had to re-watch the video to see if it was mentioned at all). The thing about harmonic distortion is that even-order distortion tends to sound good, and odd-order distortion sounds bad. This contributes to why a lot of people like tube amps even though they're objectively bad. They add "good" distortion. Low levels of distortion that don't lead to clipping are typically referred to as "saturation" instead of distortion and are used a lot in mixing & mastering to make things sound fuller. That's another effect that can be added with DSP (not EQ but using the same sort of processing). But you can't *remove* distortion if it's being added by the IEM itself. As a generalism, distortion is always so low that it's not contributing anything to the sound anyway, but that may not have been the case 20 years ago, which may be where some of the myths about technicalities, and *physically* not being able to EQ them (as opposed to it just requiring a lot of skill), came from.

Yes, it's still good. It's definitely bassy, and I would say the best tuned of the bassy IEMs in that price range (and actually better than a lot of more expensive stuff as well). It's very warm rather than v-shaped, so it's quite laid back at low volumes, but it also scales to very high volume, with a ton of bass (just don't go crazy and damage your hearing). It's very different to the Gate tuning so it kind of depends if that's what you're looking for or not. It can take a little while to get used to the bass levels on the HBB, so it can sound a bit muddy at first, but it stops sounding muddy once you get used to it. [Dan's "most important video"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swejkFpZfBM) is about that actually. It's well worth watching the whole thing and listening to the sound demos. It's ostensibly a review, but it's really a detailed study of brain burn-in.

Interestingly, the narrowed soundstage was one of the reasons I returned the LM and kept my original EA500. I've since upgraded to the EA1000, which has all the soundstage of the EA500 but without the harsh fatiguing treble. I've been thinking about getting another LM at some point, if it goes on sale at a low enough price, to experiment with tuning mods though, as it has a lot of potential. You could try experimenting with the tuning nozzles and different tuning foams. I highly recommend watching the Paul Wasabii review of the LM on YT, because his experience with it pretty exactly matches mine and covers a lot of things most other reviews gloss over. He talks a bit about modding the tuning nozzles. There's also an EA500 tuning kit that comes with another spare nozzle and a selection of tuning foams, but it's been sold out for ages and possibly discontinued - you have a spare nozzle that comes with the LM in the box though, so you could keep the one you like the most as-is, and mod the other one. You could also potentially widen the soundstage with EQ. The usual thing is to add a slight reduction around 1-2kHz and possibly increase the treble a bit, and add a narrower reduction around 10kHz. You may need to experiment a bit until you find what sounds right to your ears, as everyone's HRTF is different. The EA1000 is the best IEM for metal in my collection, and the EA500 is sort of a mini EA1000 so it gets pretty close. The LM is similar-ish, but the bassier tuning just messes a bit with the soundstage. It still has good *imaging*, but the soundstage is a bit more like a sphere around your head rather than being wide and open like the EA500/EA1000. The thing about these is that they have really fast & resolving drivers for DDs, so they're able to keep up with the transients in metal and other busy/distorted music better than most things, other than maybe some planars (but they often have similar treble-fatigue issues as the EA500). If you want to try going the planar route, I'd recommend checking out one of the new Crinacle ones: the 7Hz Divine/Diablo. The Diablo is the basshead version and I've been listening to that a bit, but IMO it needs EQ not to sound muddy. All reviews of the Diablo say it has a much better stock tuning, but part of the reason I decided to try the Diablo is that it should be easy to EQ one to the other (in theory, one filter) and the Diablo has a smaller nozzle, so will be more comfortable. Also I don't like the mirror finish on the Divine. One thing I'd add about the EA1000, if it's in your budget, is that nothing renders kick drums quite like it. The EA500 has a similar tuning, but aside from the treble refinement, the other big difference is the bass. Drums sound incredibly realistic on the EA1000 in a way I haven't heard on any other IEM or over-ear headphone. Neither version of the 500 can do it either. The reason I like the EA1000 so much for metal is nothing else has that same combination of incisiveness in the mids & treble, along with that powerful kick to the drums. It's not a basshead style tuning though, it doesn't have loads of extra sub-bass (the LM is much bassier overall), it's just a subtle boost in the midbass that adds a bit on top of the usual "slam" you get from a good DD (which is something you won't get from any planar). It might be the passive radiator that does it, but IDK for sure. I plan to sit down at some point and see if I can replicate it with EQ on another IEM, but haven't had time yet.

It varies. I'm currently having a headphone clear-out because I tend to mostly listen to the HD650 or AKG K712 (for comfort & airflow, especially after a shower). But I find that I rotate between different IEMs for the variety of different tunings. Current favourites that I am listening to the most are: * Ikko OH300 - warm v-shape, quite vocal-forward. * Moondrop Stellaris with Dunu Candy tips - bright-neutral with exceptionally clean, very linear bass. I specify the Candy tips with the Stellaris because they really change the sound signature quite dramatically, which is crazy bright normally. IDK if those tips would have the same effect for others though. Some other favourites include: * QKZ HBB - warm and laid back; similar to the OH300 except that while the OH300 is vocal-forward, these push the vocals back a bit in the mix, which makes them great for background listening while reading. * Simgot EA1000 - balanced, mild v-shape that is slightly cool/bright leaning but also has exceptional bass quality. Other than the slight cool tilt to the midrange, these are overall the most realistic-sounding IEMs I've heard so far, especially how they reproduce drums. And they keep up with my planars for resolution (I have several, not just the Stellaris, though the Stellaris is probably the most resolving). My endgame, if I eventually find it, is probably this but a bit warmer. * Dunu Titan S - when I feel like something a bit more neutral, but not as boring as the Hexa. Probably the closest thing to my ideal tuning, although it can be a bit grainy in the treble at times. * Moondrop LAN - if I'm feeling bass fatigue and want something a bit lighter while maintaining a fairly smooth (not overly bright) upper mids & treble. * Ikko OH10 - mainly for walking around outside, I prefer more of a v-shape. While I prefer the tonal balance of the OH300 for listening indoors, these are a bit cleaner and more resolving. I like the combination of deep, thumpy bass with crisp incisive treble, although they can be a touch strident at times. The main thing is the comfort though, these are incredibly comfortable and stable. Those are the main ones I rotate between the most, along with the Moondrop Kato for another mild v that sits somewhere between the EA1000 and the OH10. Nothing really stands out, but it's just a really solid all-rounder for listening to anything, anywhere, any time.

Cheap planar that's also good? Artti T10. Note that planar IEMs like the T10, S12 Pro, Timeless etc., all have quite v-shaped sound signatures. So while they have a similar fast planar bass like the Edition XS, they don't have that super flat down to 0Hz bass that the XS has. They're more like the XS if you EQ in a +6dB bass shelf. Note that while all these planars have slight differences in their tuning, they all sound more similar to each other than different. The only ones that are notably different are the dark-tuned ones like the Letshuoer S08 (which is heavily damped so it sounds more like a DD) and I *believe* the Artti T10 Pro is in this category as well. Then you have the brighter-tuned ones like the Stellaris and the Dioko. Apart from those 4, AFAIK all the other planars are in the same general ballpark of sounding about 90% the same as each other. And the 2 bright ones are still within about 80%, just with less bass. If you want a very flat neutral sort of tuning then you probably do need to go to one of the Blessings, though I haven't yet tried any of them myself, so I can't really compare them directly. You can get something similar to that sound for a lot cheaper with the Mooondrop LAN (around $40), but there isn't really anything in between with a good, flat neutral tuning. There is the Truthear Hexa at around $80, which I've seen called a "mini Blessing 2" but I'm not a big fan of it myself and I'd take the LAN over it, even if they were the same price. Despite its incredibly flat bass, the Edition XS is really more of a bright-leaning, mild v-shape anyway and I think the closest thing I have to that is the Simgot EA1000. The EA1000 actually has a bit more mid-bass, but I'd argue it's actually more realistic sounding when it comes to the reproduction of acoustic drums. The Edition XS is the only thing I have that gets close to them though. If you want that same sort of sound for a lot cheaper, there's the EA500 (the original not the LM) which is like a mini EA1000 but it's a lot brighter and harsher in the treble, so it can get fatiguing. It's probably a bit closer to the Edition XS in the bass tuning as well. The other option you have is to get any planar IEM you like (for comfort reasons or whatever else) and then EQ it. Something like the EA500 or EA500LM would also be a good EQ platform (and very comfortable) if you want something that has a very fast and capable driver, but without any planar timbre. If you want something that can store any PEQ profile across different devices, The Qudelix 5K is probably the best option. The only annoyance about the Q5K is it came out a few years ago so it's still using 2.5mm for its balanced output, but it's pretty much a dead standard at this point and IEMs with modular cables usually only come with 3.5mm and 4.4mm now.

I also think you can achieve way better sound with budget ones you just have to know your tuning. My kutens sound better than airpod pro 2’s. My explorers sound waaaay better and my aethers and tea pros are in a completely different league. So i think its achievable with budget ones. You also have to appreciate the whole sound spectrum. Some active listening when first trying iems not just passive listening.

**¡Hello Community!** Welcome to the full review of the **Dunu DN-142**, released in late 2025. Let’s look at my experiences with music and video games: **Price:** 210€-250$ [Purchase link](https://www.dunu-topsound.com/product-page/dn-142) **Pros:** * Energetic character. * Excellent treble extension. * Bass texture and impact. * Clarity and dynamism across the frequency spectrum. - * Technically excellent. * Despite being impactful, it is an informative monitor. * Build quality. * Very complete and high-quality accessory package. * In single-player games it is the best option in this price range. **Cons:** * The best experience I had was with third-party ear tips. * Large shells. * Male vocals lack a bit to sound full. **Introduction:** It’s a day I was trying to avoid. Doing the review of the DN-142 means parting with it to continue studying the performance of other IEMs. Setting it aside for a while. I imagine you are guessing that the analysis will be very favorable to Dunu’s blue set. You are right. I’ve had the chance to try and enjoy two models from the brand before, the *Titan S2* and the *DN-242*, always leaving an excellent impression and, in the case of the former, a very solid recommendation for its price range. This *142* comes to fill a gap, with astonishing energy, between those two IEMs. **Accessories:** * Two shells. * Three sets of ear tips: S&S, Candy, and Standard, sizes SML. * Storage and transport case. * Cable with 0.78mm termination and modular 3.5mm/4.4mm connection. * Cleaning brush. * Cards with illustrations. **Comfort, design, and build:** The cable is wonderful in terms of construction, hardware, and reliability, that is undeniable, as is its excessive length. It’s not a cable I would use for outdoor activities, whether intense or relaxed. For my taste it is quite stiff. But I repeat, it is an excellent cable, among the best you can find in terms of quality. In terms of ergonomics, they are large shells. Be very careful with this and if you have oddly shaped ears, you may feel uncomfortable. In my case, that was not so. My auricle has a standard shape that can accommodate the monitors. Even so, they protrude, but they are not annoying since they have a rounded body designed not to cause pressure. Insertion into the ear canal is sufficient. It is true that the nozzle could be longer, but the ear tips included in the package, of great quality as always, help firmly secure the shells. I never felt like they would come loose, but I did have to use the largest size available. The construction of the shells is impeccable, with no signs of flawed workmanship, everything is perfectly finished and polished, and when you run your finger over them you only perceive a single piece with no protrusions. The quality control, as expected, is high-level. The blue color is intense, but it conveys calm, nothing like the sound character. The faceplate indicates brand and model, with an oceanic aesthetic touch. **Technical aspects:** * Configuration of 1DD+4BA+2MP. * Impedance of 37 ohms. * Sensitivity 107dB. * Response 5hz-40khz. **Pairing for the tests:** Simple dongle DACs like the FiiO JA11 or FiiO Jiezi were insufficient, both in volume level that I consider acceptable and in their ability to squeeze out the capabilities. The best experiences were obtained with devices like the FiiO KA11, BTR13, or higher. As for the type of source, I liked something neutral or warm/neutral. I tried to stay away from my neutral-bright sources because the 142 lost muscle down low and the high frequencies started to bother me. The ear tips used for the entire analysis were the S&S, where the stage can feel wider and more logical and maintains a bass strength that is very much to my preference. However, and as an anecdotal note, with the Penon Liqueur Orange ear tips the experience was better in every way for me, where the midrange felt cleaner and more forward, the treble somewhat more controlled, and the lower frequencies better textured. But I kept the S&S. **Sound signature:** Sound with a fun and energetic character: powerful and well-defined bass, clear but slightly recessed mids, and lively treble with lots of air sensation. It offers a wide and detailed presentation, ideal for enjoying without seeking a strictly neutral or analytical tuning. ***The low end*** of the 142 is simply contagious. From the first listen you feel it has personality: the sub-bass goes deep, powerful, and with presence, but without becoming clumsy or muddy. It makes itself felt, envelops you, and gives body to the sound, but at the same time maintains control and definition. It’s not a wild hit, but a firm push that feels natural and makes you want to listen more. The mid-bass brings balance and clarity. It’s there to support without stealing the spotlight or muddying what happens higher up in the spectrum. It has punch and substance, with a sense of tension and looseness at the same time, as if each note had its own space to breathe. This makes the entire low range feel alive and dynamic, never flat or artificially abundant. The most fun part of this monitor is how it combines these two bass regions: the sub-bass gently shakes you while the mid-bass keeps things under control. The blend is organic, energetic, and enveloping, with no sense of overload or artifice. It’s a low end that invites you to move, to enjoy the sound in its entirety, but always with precision and cleanliness. In short, the bass of this IEM is powerful, expressive, and elegant at the same time, a balance that is not easy to achieve and that makes it truly enjoyable. ***The mids*** feel lively and balanced, with a naturalness that surprises. The lower mids add body and a sense of rhythm without becoming heavy; they are there, firm and warm, supporting the sound and giving that sense of fullness that makes everything feel consistent. They don’t steal the spotlight, but they don’t go unnoticed either: their presence is discreet, comfortable, and necessary, as if they were the skeleton of the track that keeps everything in place. The upper mids are light, transparent, and airy, filling just enough space for everything to breathe. They have definition and detail without being aggressive or fatiguing; every nuance is perceived clearly, but never feels forced. The transition between lower and upper mids is smooth, creating a midrange that flows effortlessly, dynamic and harmonic, with body and clarity at the same time. The result is a sound that feels balanced, full of life, and connected to the rest of the spectrum. The mids of the Dunu 142 hit a perfect point: enough presence to make everything joyful, but without heaviness, and airy enough to let everything flow naturally and with fun. It’s a range that breathes, vibrates, and supports the sound elegantly, making listening always pleasurable. ***The treble*** of this set is a true spectacle of space and detail. The lower treble is present in just the right measure, adding clarity and definition without being invasive, helping everything be perceived with sharpness and allowing the midrange to breathe freely. The upper treble is extended, sparkling, and very airy, creating that sense of openness that makes the sound feel spacious and alive. Every nuance, every small detail is perceived, without losing naturalness. That said, if you have very sensitive ears, this range can feel a little bright in moments of high energy, but it never becomes annoying or fatiguing; rather, it’s a touch that adds vitality and emotion to the sound. The transition between lower and upper treble is smooth, maintaining coherence with the rest of the spectrum and avoiding any sense of fragmentation. Overall, the treble adds air, clarity, and sparkle, making the music feel open, detailed, and full of life, with enough shine to excite without losing control, but for some, it may come across as aggressive. For me, they are just right. As for ***vocal performance***, deep male voices sound solid and full-bodied, deep but controlled, natural and defined without being excessively boomy. Normal male vocals are clear and warm, slightly behind the front plane, which makes them pleasant and musical, but they may be insufficiently prominent for some tastes. Female vocals are perceived as bright and airy, detailed, with sparkle without becoming fatiguing. Overall, the voices are balanced, expressive, and well integrated into the sound. ***The soundstage*** of the DN-142 is wide and deep, with a convincing sense of space. Elements do not feel crowded or flat; they are perceived as distributed in all directions, with sufficient height, depth, and width to create an immersive experience. It’s a stage that breathes, where every component of the sound has its place. ***The imaging*** is very solid: each element is clearly located within the space. Lateral separation and distance perception are precise, allowing details to be reliably localized. It’s not overly analytical, at the level of a reference monitor, but it offers a consistency that makes the music feel three-dimensional and well organized. As for ***layering***, the 142 handles the superposition of elements very well. Different planes are easily distinguished, even when complexity increases, avoiding the sound becoming blurry or confusing. The interaction between layers feels natural and dynamic. Finally, ***detail retrieval*** is notable: small nuances and textures are perceived clearly, thanks to the extension and definition of the treble, along with the control of bass and mids. Every signal element is perceived with clarity, contributing to a rich and expressive listening experience, without losing naturalness or comfort. **Single-player video games:** Always seeking the most cinematic experience possible, tested in narrative and action-intensive titles. [Check my blog](https://hifijuegos.blogspot.com/p/como-analizo-el-audio.html) to see the specific games and the conditions of the audio analysis in video games. Source used FiiO K11 with filter nº5 (neutral), Dunu S&S ear tips, and high gain. ***Action:*** Every explosion and hit sounds like a well-placed punch to the chest. The sub-bass shakes you with force, deep and controlled, while the mid-bass holds the rhythm without losing definition. It’s not deafening chaos: it feels like a choreographed fight, where each impact has its space and doesn’t trample over other sounds. It keeps you in constant tension and excitement, without tiring your ears and filling them with an experience I’ve rarely been able to live with other monitors. ***Dialogues:*** Voices are heard natural, clear, and warm, as if the characters were right in front of you. Sometimes they fall a little behind the action, but that only helps give a sense of distance and realism, without losing intelligibility. ***Immersion:*** The game world envelops you like an enveloping fog you cannot ignore. Footsteps, echoes, and ambient noises float around, creating a living and three-dimensional environment. Every residual sound adds texture, making the experience richer and more convincing: you don’t just play, you enter the scene. ***Layer separation:*** Nothing mixes or piles up. Every effect has its space, every detail its place; even in the most chaotic scenes, you can distinguish what sounds here and what sounds there. It’s as if the 142 dissected the sound and showed and explained it. ***Stage:*** The spatial sensation is wide on any axis. Elements are distributed around you, creating a three-dimensional soundscape, like walking in a world that feels completely realistic and where you can contemplate its entire extent well defined and adjusted on a scale that, if it’s not the most realistic I’ve perceived, it’s very close. ***Sibilance:*** There is a touch of brightness that makes the treble feel sparkling and detailed and may make some metallic effects annoying for some. Personally, the sibilance did not fatigue me but rather feels like flashes of light that guide you, adding texture, information, and energy. ***Positioning:*** The DN-142 allows you to locate sounds with quite good precision, helping you orient yourself in space with confidence. It’s like having an auditory radar that works without being intrusive. It’s not extremely reliable performance, since in dense situations the sub-bass can mask localization perception, but outside of that, it does an outstanding job. **Multi-player video games:** Tested in competitive multiplayer shooter games: *Counter Strike 2, Apex Legends, Call of Duty Warzone, and Battlefield*. Source used FiiO K11 with filter nº5 (neutral), Dunu S&S ear tips, and high gain. In ***Counter Strike 2***, the DN-142 offers a wide and coherent soundstage. Footsteps and gunshots are clearly located, and layer separation allows you to distinguish near and far sources without sounds blending together. The sub-bass has body and presence, and although in moments of intense explosions it can give a small rumble that robs some tiny detail, it does not interfere with the overall perception nor make it difficult to locate enemies. In ***Apex Legends***, the soundstage feels deeper and more open, generating extra immersion. The combination of its excellent layering and airy treble helps distinguish abilities, gunfire, and environment without confusion. Positioning is not surgical, but it is consistent: one can confidently locate the direction of key elements, while the stage maintains coherence and width. In ***Call of Duty Warzone***, impacts and distant sounds are perceived with presence and definition, thanks to controlled bass and clear mids. The most powerful explosions can add a bit of extra weight that masks very fine details, but footsteps and critical cues remain perceptible. In ***Battlefield 6***, with dense and chaotic environments, this set keeps layers well defined and elements positioned within a convincing space. I perceived the scene as dynamic, sound sources are distinguishable, and the experience combines immersion and competitive utility, achieving a solid balance between enjoyment and precision. **Final conclusion and personal ratings:** The **Dunu DN-142** is a set that reaches deep, in every sense. Its main proposal is an *energetic dynamism* that will not leave you indifferent, where everything is balanced and measured for full enjoyment and so you don’t feel like you’re missing anything to savor. From the excellently nuanced, fast bass with just the right amount of body to amaze, through clean and transparent mids where instruments express themselves naturally, to a high-frequency region that is cheerful, impetuous, detailed, and expressive. *Everything in this set works in harmony*, where the most emotional fun is not at odds with technical conditions that lift you off the ground to transcend beyond the mundane and appreciate the dimension of the stage it represents and capture with your ears all kinds of detailed elements. Okay, *not everything is perfect*, of course. If I get picky, it bothers me a lot to know that with the Penon Liqueur Orange tips the final result was more satisfactory than with the included tip sets, or that male vocals lack a bit more presence among the instruments, but sometimes you have to make concessions: I prefer to lose a little of something and gain more in other things. But returning to my final impressions, I believe *it is a mirror in which the market should look*, a new benchmark at least for me. Its ability to connect with oneself so quickly is what attracted me the most. You may like more analytical, calmer, more instrumental, more vocal-friendly, spicier up top, or more overwhelming down low signatures, but an IEM that manages to bring together the best of each of these types and *concentrate it in a single set* and make you feel so clearly and with its own style that you lack nothing, I don’t know about more experienced reviewers, but I haven’t seen any example at least so far. As for single-player gaming performance, *the experience is extremely enriching*. Certainly this Dunu, along with another set (*SM5*), will be my rotation depending on the type of game I’m playing. The environmental richness with which it recreates the scene, the fidelity and proportionality with which it represents it, and the *implicit cinematography* in its technical and dynamic characteristics across all its frequencies make it, surely, the best option if in a generalized way I can infer the personal preferences of the masses who consume this type of content. For me, *they are very close to perfection*, and if they are not, it is because dialogues sometimes fall behind in scenes tremendously loaded with sound elements. As for multi-player, they are a *very considerable option*. If you stop to read the complete analysis, you will realize that they have all the capabilities to represent and position sounds in a clear, realistic, and natural way, but having that considerable bass reinforcement, although I have rarely felt it mask other elements, can work against you. Nevertheless, my recommendation points toward the *Tri-Clarion ear tips*, to calm those frequencies a bit. If you are willing to add those tips for your online gaming, you are going to have a set that will provide you with a lot of enjoyment and a slight positional and dynamic advantage. If you’ve made it this far, **thank you for reading.** [More reviews on my blog.](https://hifijuegos.blogspot.com) Social networks on my profile. **See you in the next review!** **Disclaimer:** This set of monitors was sent by **Dunu Topsound**. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to try one of their products at no cost and that no conditions were imposed when preparing this analysis. Despite this, my priority is to be as impartial as possible within the subjectivity that analyzing an audio product entails. My opinion belongs only to me and I develop it around the perception of my ears. If you have a different one, it is just as valid. Please feel free to share it. **My sources:** \-FiiO K11 for music and gaming on my main PC. \-FiiO KA13 while I work. \-FiiO BTA30 Pro + FiiO BTR13 for wireless LDAC listening at home. \-FiiO BTR13 + FiiO BT11 + iPhone 16 Pro Max for wireless listening on the street. \-FiiO KA11. \-FiiO Jiezi 4.4mm \-BQEYZ Lin. \-Shanling M0 Pro 3.5mm/4.4mm. \-Apple Music. \-Local FLAC and MP3 files.

ahora mismo tengo los EA1000 en las orejas puestos. Son dos sets muy diferentes. El 142 te dara lo que buscas. Espero tus impresiones. Un saludo amigo y gracias por participar.

Simgot EA1000.

I listen to a good amount of classical (less opera these days) - lately a bit of mahler, bach, brahms....and I love my Simgot EA1000.