Simgot - Simgot EA500 LM

I prefer my Simgot EA500LM for the quality of bass it provides more than the quantity on the Novas. Cheers

Def the Simgot EA500LM

Overhyped piece of shit. EA500LM over these any day

I personally like the sound signature of the Reds best, but beware of the large diameter nozzle. KZs have a little more treble energy than the Reds, while the Simgots are a bit more V-shaped. I'd recommend going on r/iems or r/HeadphoneAdvice to seek aditional opinions and advice.

I see. I am unfortunately not sure what 'warm' sound is. All i know is that vinyls and cassettes have 'warm' sound. I will definitely look into the Blons, as I have wanted to save up some money to gift a friend anyway. I agree that the ea500lm is lacking in bass, but the ear (1)s overdo it , like most TWS in its price range now-a-days. I also find that the ea500lm doesn't really put an emphasis on anything, which is nice in its own way, but I'd prefer to let higher frequency things (flutes, vocals, etc) have more emphasis, ad leave bass to things like bass gitar, kick drum, bigger brass and things. Also wanted to say thanks for the graphs. Very helpful for me, though I need more time to fully comprehend it!

Haha yeah. Always felt it sounded a bit weird on some tracks, but after seeing the graph it confused me a bit. I have gone through the tier list, and after talking with my friend and my own personal investigation, will go with the Simgot EA500LM. If I really end up liking it, I might get the Softears Volume S as my endgame, because it seems very in-line with how I like the tuning.

Under $200: QOA Adonis (OG) ISN H30 CKLVX D41 Honorable mention: Raptgo Bridge Under $100 Artti T10 Simgot EA500 LM (with Kato bronze nozzles) Shanling Sono Honorable Mention: Tipsy TTROMSO These are based on all around performance and my preferences, which are warm-neutral, natural, good details, above avg soundstage and dynamic, impactful bass.

Simgot 500LM could have a bit more bass than hexas both are the options below $80

Agreed. I have been lampooned for my review of the EW300 saying it was sub-mid. And other have taken issue with Tone Deaf Monk, and JayTiss for saying the same thing. The EW300 is absolutely overhyped, and is not kind to certain ear anatomy. For some people it sounds great...i naturally assume those people have never heard anything else, and have zero frame of reference. EA500Lm and Delci AE are superior.

From recent memory. Simgot EA500/500LM Tangzu x HBB Xuan Nv

Oof, we'll be here all day . Ok here is a list , whatever comes to mind ,, the list is going to be absolutely massive. 7hz Salnotes Zero (both 1 and 2) Moondrop Chu ( 1 and 2) Tangzu Wanner Ziigaat Nuo Kiwi Ears Cadenza Simgot EW200 Kefine Delci QoA Vesper 2 Moondrop Aria 2 Moondrop May Truthear Hexa Truthear x Crinacle Zero (all of them) Simgot EA500LM Final Audio E500 - E3000 7Hz Sonus Tanchjim Zero Tanchjim 4U Tanchjim Ola and Ola Bass HZSound Heart Mirror Pro Truthear Gate Kinera Celest Pandamon (both) Kinera Celest Plutus Beast

Personally I prefer the other three but it's a good iem , if you like what you're reading about it .. get it

I'd say it's probably the Simgot EA500LM or the Artti T10s

As someone that has a decent amount of iems ranging from Hifiman RE0 (for the older iem audiophiles here), Chu 2, Starfields, Hexas all the way up to the Blessing 2, my favorite out of all of them is the SIMGOT EA500LM. They are the most cohesive and fun out of the bunch and are a significantly more refined version of KZ's typical V-shaped response. They are $80.

Ok so this if from my personal experience.... I have several iem range from sub 100 until 500 some I lent to my friends or I just keep on my house...I have several friends which audio hobbyist they have audio store so I have opportunity to try before I buy one..so someday I want buy 1000usd iem, read reddit and head-fi forum then go to my friend store...so I tried moondrop chu2 compare to my kadenz yes the quality is very different, compare again with letshuoer s15 the s15 better than my kadenz for my taste...so when I put monarch mk3 it's blow my ear, damn this iem so amazong and I decide to bought it....then several weeks later my friend call me then say I have 64audio tia demo and annihilator just come....with fully excited I'm going there when I tried both of them, I dont feel WOW like I tried monarch mk3 the first time then at that time I realize, mk3 is my peak and I cant tell the significant difference between mk3 - annihilator and tia So thats why I like to try and buy several 100-500usd iem and sometimes sub100 too because I can tell the difference and I can choose whats signature I want..like a week ago I choose simgot ea500lm rather than ew300 because I found the sound more aggresive because mostly my iem is warm and neutral.... So from my story, I have limitation and taste for me, spent 1000 iem in monarch mk3 is one of the best choise I ever made and beyond that price point my ears cant tell fhe difference so..but back again thats my experience and opinion....

If you have local audio store maybe you can try several iems because I like simgot ea500lm better than ew300 both of them in similar price range in my country but back again thats more suitable to my taste because I have Kadenz which warm and neutral so I find something more aggresively and I found ea500lm is more suitable to me than ew300 in my taste....

This is a good list! I would personally recommend Simgot IEMs for those looking for the bright-neutral signature like the [Simgot EW200](https://s.lazada.com.ph/s.mLSaH). The Simgot SuperMix 4 in particular is moreso based sa reviews that I'm seeing is that it has a bass boosted neutral signature so a better all rounder. I personally have the [Kiwi Ears Quintet](https://s.lazada.com.ph/s.mLS1N) as my daily driver alongside a [Simgot EA500LM](https://s.lazada.com.ph/s.mLSfB). I don't like Headphones in general due to the itchiness and heat around my ear after wearing them for like an hour and the foam always melts after a month of usage haha. The Kiwi Ears Quintet has a slight increase in the upper mids for a detailed experience while also having a bass boost kinda like the supermix 4 but the supermix 4 has a better price than the Quintet.

Dude mag simgot ew200 ka na lang para mura lang thats like 2k pwedeng pwede na mag fps yun goods ka na HAHA bakal pa yung body beater na beater. Edit: If gusto mo upgrade talaga EA500LM ka may three nozzles sya nagiiba ng slight ang sound tas mas maganda pa sa EW200 and that's like 4k di mo na need magspend more pa. The diminishing returns kasi mararamdaman mo ng 5k and above na. You should only buy more than 5k kapag sure ka na yun ang gusto mo na sound for an IEM.

Not necessarily. I find the Simgot EA1000 to be the best of my IEMs when it comes to metal. They are at least bright-leaning, some would say just bright. They don't have so much upper treble that it gets harsh, but they have loads of resolving capability and can pick out fast transients so much better than almost anything. It's interesting to compare with the EA500 which is tuned somewhat similarly, but definitely brighter. The same metal tracks that sound great on the EA1000 are so harsh on the EA500 that I just can't listen to them at all. An indicative example of the sort of metal I'm talking about is *Cry Of The Blackbirds* by Amon Amarth. Fast guitars, fast drumming, lots of distortion, but really nice guitar tone that comes through on good headphones/IEMs. The planar IEMs are similar in terms of resolving ability, but not as timbrally accurate. The punchier dynamic bass makes a fairly big difference too. Interestingly of all my over-ear headphones, the only ones that cope with this track comparably well are the HD660S2. The HD600 is close, but sounds thin, the HD650 sounds muddy and both the Edition XS and Quad ERA-1 sound too bright. The problem with less resolving headphones/IEMs is that everything can blend together, especially when the guitars use heavy distortion. But it *should* be possible to pick them out except in bad recordings (and admittedly a lot of metal is recorded & mixed badly). However I agree that if you're forced to choose between too much treble and not enough treble, for metal you're safer with less.

If you're worried about too much treble then the Kefine Delci is probably your best bet, although I don't personally find it sibilant, it does have relatively more energy around 6kHz which is where sibilance generally comes from. The EA500LM on the other hand has a lot of treble energy in general, so some people do find it bright. But it seems to vary a lot by individual. The treble is balanced out by the bass, so most people find it quite balanced, maybe even a bit warm-leaning. If you look at it on a graph it looks extremely v-shaped, but it doesn't have the sort of midrange recess you'd expect, it actually sounds more neutral than it looks. I'd probably stay away from the T10 because it has very planar treble, so it might come across as too "sizzly" for you. It also doesn't have the same bass impact as the other 2, even though it has very clean and linear bass extension.

The EA500LM is by far the more technical set than the Delci, it's got a much more resolving driver.

EA500LM is very good but also quite v-shaped and some people find the treble too intense. The Kefine Delci is pretty good if you want a warm, slightly dark signature. It has very clean bass, not too overpowering. The Moondrop Aria 2 is also supposed to be very good, though I haven't heard it. It's supposed to sound almost exactly like the Kato, which I do have and is very good. The Delci is warmer, the Kato is more resolving (I can't say for certain if the Aria 2 is as resolving as the Kato though). The Artti T10 is a very good all-rounder planar with decent bass although it's not really warm signature as such with the stock tuning. It's only about $50 but you need to budget for a decent DAC/amp because it loses bass if underpowered. Ideally you'd want something with EQ but if you're on Android or Windows you can do global EQ in software anyway so that might not be a big deal. It's not possible on iOS without hardware. I don't know DACs that well so IDK if there's anything around that price with EQ, but there should be plenty with enough power for the T10. Another one to look at is the Aful Explorer, which I haven't heard but it's on my radar for possible next buy. It has quite a warm/bassy signature. It has loads of reviews on YT you can check out. Not sure if you can find it in budget though, might be a bit over.

OK. I think you basically want very rolled off sub-bass. The Moondrop SSR sounds like that. The Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite (a bit out of your budget, but I'll describe it anyway) has something similar, which I call "Tannoy Bass", because a lot of Tannoy speakers sound like this. They have really hard-hitting transients, but the actual bass weight behind it isn't there because the sub-bass is rolled off so hard. The SSR is actually a bit softer than that and sounds pretty much exactly how you described it. The Orchestra Lite is more like the Castor bass in terms of having that hard-hitting quality, but it doesn't have the same extension, so it lacks fullness and sounds slightly metallic. I usually describe it as drum hits sounding a bit like anvil strikes. What's really happening is you're getting more of the transient harmonics, but not the [fundamental](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_fundamental) or undertones. Somewhere about halfway between those two is the Simgot EA500 (not the LM), which has a very midbass focused, punchy kind of bass but it's not crazy elevated like the Castor. The overall tuning is bright-neutral and the bright part of that is very bright. Definitely a fatigue risk. The EA1000 is much better in that sense, but well outside your budget. It's also got a bit more bass than the EA500 but the presentation is similar. I'd say the EA1000 is just right to reproduce drums correctly. So EA500 is lower, so it's more like all the correct details are there, but the level is "as it is mixed" rather than "how it should sound" if that makes sense. Real drums are actually really loud and tend to be down-mixed to avoid drowning out everything else. Some graphs: https://squig.link/?share=Harman_Adjusted_Target,KZ_Castor_(DDUU),Simgot_EA500_(red),Moondrop_SSR Note the way the bass curves and peaks around 150Hz rather than rising all the way into the sub-bass. I don't remember the Conch having that sort of effect though. IDK if you've heard the Simgot EW200, but the Conch is almost identical, except that the EW200 has much cleaner treble. On the Conch it's quite peaky (in addition to being a bit bright like the EW200), so I found it hard to listen to. The bass was pretty much identical though, as far as I can remember. Only thing is I notice a lot of people complain about the EW200 lacking bass, because of tips. So it's possible you were getting that effect with the Conch, causing the sub-bass to be rolled off even though it doesn't measure like that: https://pw.squig.link/?share=TRN_Conch_Red,Simgot_EA500_Red,Simgot_EW200 I haven't heard the Ouranos so I'm not sure how that compares. Another thing to consider is that how bass instruments sound is only partially to do with the bass tuning. The bass affects the fundamentals, but transients on drums especially get right up into the high treble. So a more V-shaped or U-shaped tuning can put more emphasis on that initial strike (as I described the Orchestra Lite), although the more elevated the treble relative to the bass, the more likely it will lean into sounding metallic rather than plasticky.

Firstly, soundstage and imaging are two related, but different things. Soundstage is about how far away from you things sound. Imaging is about how precisely you can locate the position of things in 3D space. People also confuse imaging with separation, because imaging can make separation easier. But separation is about how easily you can tell if a sound is coming from one instrument or another one and that isn't a stereo effect at all, it exists even if you are listening in mono. So anyway, imaging is affected by a few things but the most important factors are channel matching and treble response. Bass below about 120Hz is completely non-directional. Higher frequencies can be more accurate about positioning because the wavelength is shorter. Soundstage on the other hand is an entirely psychoacoustic effect that comes down to tuning only and has nothing to do with driver capabilities. It seems to be that the most important factors are the ratio between the > 2kHz region and the 1-2kHz region. Sub-bass seems to be a factor as well, though more bass tends to make things sound closer, less bass makes them sound further away. In general a dip around the 1-2kHz region makes things sound bigger. You can do that with EQ. There are no physical differences between IEMs at different prices that will lead to better soundstage, and as long as you have good enough channel matching there isn't going to be much change in imaging ability either. The best IEM I've heard for both imaging and soundstage is the Simgot EA500, which frequently goes on sale for around $50. YMMV a bit, because all IEMs are affected by anatomical factors that mean everyone hears them differently. But these do follow all the general rules of thumb for having a large soundstage and sharp imaging. So if that's your priority, I'd start there, then try experimenting a bit with EQ to see how you can change your own perception of the effect.

EA1000 is my favourite IEM at any price, that I've heard so far. It's a very good driver, which easily competes with planars like the Timeless & S12 Pro as far as resolution goes, but it has better timbre. The quality of the treble is about 90-95% as good as the Variations, which probably has the best treble under $1000. I haven't heard the Timeless 2, but I have the Timeless AE. Haven't seen any comparisons, but I suspect the T2 is very similar to the AE. The [graph](https://audioamigo.squig.link/?share=7Hz_Timeless_AE,7Hz_Timeless_2_Gold_STD) looks nearly identical. The AE is quite bassy, mainly sub-bass focused, so is good for electronic music. A bit less spicy than the S12 Pro, but still very much from that generation of planars with similar planar timbre etc. It's maybe 5% better than the S12 Pro, for double the price. The EA1000 has a bit less sub-bass, but it has really exceptional midbass and makes acoustic drums sound more real than any other IEM I've heard. I don't know if you've heard the original EA500, the EA1000 is basically that, but more refined, less spicy treble, a bit better timbre (which is already pretty good) and better bass quality. I didn't really like the LM compared to the original. The extra sub-bass ruined the soundstage and masked a lot of the ultra-detailed sound the OG has. The EA500 actually sounds slightly bigger and has sharper imaging because it has so much extra treble. The EA1000 is still about 95% of the stage size & imaging precision, but much smoother and more natural sounding. I did some experimentation with the LM while I had it, but nothing I did could make it have the same magic as the OG, so I ended up returning it. The only thing I would change about the EA1000 is it has a Harman-like cool-tilted midrange, so male vocals can be missing some huskiness compared to some warmer IEMs. It's not a true Harman tuning though, because it doesn't have the midbass tuck. I haven't heard the ET142 so I can't compare, ~~but I did check a few reviews of it before and it sounds like the treble is a bit harsher than the EA1000, because of the PZT. That was the thing that put me off trying it.~~ Edit: It wasn't the PZT, it was something else, but I can't remember why I wrote this one off. In fact, most of the trustworthy reviews (Paul Wasabii, Audio Amigo, HBB's updated review) are very positive about it and it has a more S08-like treble tuning with some of the nozzles (which is a good thing).

I just received a set of Simgot EA500LM iem's, for anything that doesnt include heavy guitar distortion, they are superb. They are not good when you factor in distorted guitars. I was listening to a classic metal album from 1983, Balls to the Wall by Accept , and I just couldnt take the edge off guitar distortion and I ended up with a headache. I want a smooth sounding but with good detail set of iem's that arent as strident in the treble as EA500LM and are good for all genres without causing listening fatigue. I read good things about Simgot EM6L and the Kefine Delci, I have absolutely no interest in gaming btw and its only the music I would be buying for. Which of those two iem's do you think would suit me better ? I am not a basshead, I like natural timbre without bloat in the bass or glare in the treble. Thanks for all suggestions.

Anybody else out there got experience of both EM6L and Delci. I contacted Amazon and am returning the EA500LM IEM's, just too bright for me and headache inducing. The fit of them is outstanding and its such a shame their tuning is just too aggressive. Time for 2 x paracodol tablets for my aching head.

I just bought the Simgot EA500LM for $86 on Amazon. No complaints. Nice upgrade from my EW200.

Entry level ? Very entry level : Chu 2 / Entry level : Kiwi Ears Candeza / Quite entry level : Artti T10 / Less entry level but still: Simgot EA500LM Voilà 😄

I hear ya man..... I've tried AutoEQ'ing them, Quedelix'ing them.... Maybe I just have a defective pair? They sound terrible... Sorry, know it's not what you asked and I have some good sounding wired stuff too.....Simgot EA500LM are much better.... and half the price. Phoenix Call's are WAY better, 2/3 the price...... Frustrated. Makes me wonder if it's worth investing more I want to go to Orchestra Lite but after AWFUL Performer 5 I'm not sure

simgot ea500lm & EM6L are both better than ew300.

im talking about gaming only. ea500lm has better technicalities, soundstage & detail retrieval when compared to ew300 while gaming. i have tried all of them myself. ew300 is superior if you wanna listen to music & watch movies, but for gaming ea500lm>>. also you can always eq to make it warmer, it will still retain most of its technical capabilities.

idk lol, you might be a mid volume listener, in this case nova is thin as hell. you'd better off with simgot ea500lm or em6l or anything else

Simgot EA500LM is probably closest to having 8 inch monitor speakers on your desk. The EW200 also works, these are very similar. If you want something less bassy like 5 inch monitor speakers, there's EPZ Q1 Pro.

I went with Simgot ea500 lm’s with celest ruyi boom mic for this exact purpose, don’t think they have the nozzle issue you’re describing but I may be wrong.. mine haven’t broken in the 23 hours I’ve had them so far

I actually really like the simgot ea500lm it’s slightly warm good bass. People say the treble can be on the higher side but it hasn’t bothered me at all I like them significantly better than the em6l sound and comfort wise. Using them with the spinfit w1. On Amazon you can easily return it if it doesn’t work and it’s half your budget at 80

I bought both the em6l and the ea500lm and the 500lm for much better for me

The EA500LM is definitely not an upgrade to the Hexa, perhaps a sidegrade at best.

Get the crinacle reds or blues or the simgot ea500lm The others, especially the aria 2 is pretty much outdated. Good but outdated . Edit : what do you mean by "Bass focused ones"? Do you mean the punch of bass you can feel? Or the clarity of the bass? Or the bass that doesn't distort the other frequencies?

Hi everyone, I am once again debating on what I should buy. I'm thinking of getting a planar next, but for some reason I can't get over the thought of getting the EA1000 Fermat. For the planars though, the other two were just my first options. Feel free to recommend anything you like on this price range, I can tell you that I liked a couple of lower range planars and I actually liked them, I have the Aful P5 and I wasn't impressed at all, and I also have my favourite pair atm, the Simgot EA500LM modified with foam. Thanks in advance!

Wow, thank you for taking the time to write all of that. I think the EA1000 has the potential to be my favourite as well, that's why every time I see them, I wanna buy them. I just like Simgot's tuning overall. Yeah, it has a little peak there at 13k-ish Hz, looks very interesting. That was my first thought about Timeless II, why bother making something so similar? Ok, the planar driver is slightly bigger, wow. Although I must admit I'm a big fan of the new design. Never listened to the OG EA500, but I feel ya, that's why I bought the mod kit and changed to a finer mesh on the gold nozzles. I really like them after that. I might like that tuning tbh, I didn't like the Aful P5 that everyone praises exactly because it's too warm and relaxed. I'm considering the ET142 because I love Simgot and I want to widen my collection by getting planars, just to have a little more variety and experiment with other tech. Looking at the graphic though, that lower treble looks very interesting, but the EA1000 might sound better and more detailed exactly because of 11kHz-13kHz: they are opposites in this, ET142 has a big dip, and the Fermat have a peak. I can't decide, I might just pick one randomly and return it if I don't like it. So, what you suggest is: EA1000 > ET142 > Timeless II?

Simgot EA500LMs are nice, but I didn't find them all too different from the Moondrop May, listening to Apple Lossless music on my Galaxy S24 Ultra. EQ with the Moondrop app was pretty fun too. And the Mays have a fabulous case and objectively look better than the 500LMs

Just for reference I have owned several hundred IEMs including in my current stable the Thieaudio Monarch mk3, the Unique Melody MEST mk2, the Kinera Nanna 2.1, the Shouer EJO7M and the Canpur CP622B just to name a few. Some that really impressed me starting with the lowest priced, the Blon BL-03, the Tangzu x Seeaudio Shimin Li Encounter Edition, the Artti T10, the Kefine Delci, the Simgot EA500LM, and the one I believe could be endgame for most people that enjoy a bass oriented set the ZIIGAAT DOSCINCO.

I agree with most of your rankings, but I wonder why the EM10 is a B and the EM6L is an S. To me the EM10 is all around better set.

Kefine Delci > Simgot Ea500lm > Truthear Zero Red > Salnotes zero 2

I actually daily the simgots. Audio performance is awesome on those, they are bright but they still pack some bass. Otherwise they sound pretty detailed for everyday music listening and I would say go for it if music is important to you. For sim racing I'm not really sure if I would recommend them, I personally would like more bass to hear engine rumble and other low frequency sounds. Otherwise amazing IEM for the price. Don't go for kz they are garbage.

I'll give you a list of absolute bangers for that price that I've tried of course: Dunu Titan S2 - best package of eartips, cable, and case, decent sound quality Simgot EA500LM - Details, clarity, sharpness, and musical, guitars sound so good Nicehck F1 Pro - Planar techs and qualities on par with $100+ planar IEMs, same tuning with S12 Pro, nice treble quality, planar bass(not my type) Letshuoer S08 - a little more expensive but these are my favorite under $100, planar techs with deep punchy bass that does not sound like any other planar on this list and surprisingly good vocals, however has dark upper mids and treble, still a good all rounder Kiwi Ears Melody - V-shape, bass has good quantity but hits like a heavy pillow, mids are recessed and muddy but energetic highs, might be niche but I enjoyed them Kefine Delci - Bassy, good enough amount so don't expect a basshead type of beat, dark and bright treble, great tuning and and above average resolution but narrow soundstage. Some more to consider: Tangzu Xuan NV - sounds like Zero Reds, low/average resolution, layering is not great, but tuning is great, I'd rather have this than the Zero Red just for being more ergonomic, sancai tips, and pretty Truthear Hexa - Techs are above average for the price, tuning is flat can be sibilant and shouty, not as resolving as the EA500LM 7hz Sonus - cable is ass, pouch is meh, eartips are trash, drivers are really good, the overall techs are better than Truthear Zeros and Xuan NV. Bang for the buck all rounder IEM, great for gaming Read more reviews if you find one interesting, only you can tell what tuning is within your preference and what technicalities you can't live without.

# 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. :)***

Well, for starters iems arent sweat resistant so you might wanna get some beater cheapos instead (? But figuring your budget is under $100 or so, maybe the Simgot EA500LM? specially for detail and clarity that rivals the Hexa.

Simgot ea500LM and K-pop

“Best” is subjective. The IEM world has so much variety and your enjoyment would depend greatly on personal preference. What’s great for one person could be trash for someone else. In my opinion, the best way to approach this hobby is to sample numerous sets of various tunings. Try not to blind buy one set, using most or all of your budget, based only on recommendations. You may end up wasting money in the long run buying expensive sets with tuning you later realize you don’t prefer. Think about your tuning preference. Do you want a lot of bass (warm sound)? Or do you want more treble (crisp/bright sound)? Do you want something balanced (middle ground)? Or do want something with a bass boost with a treble boost (V shape)? If you want a boost in upper mids (vocal forward)? If you really can’t sample first, and can only buy, I recommend starting at the low end, then upgrading from there. This is my cheap starter collection… * Bassy - Tanchjim Tanya DSP * Slight v-shape - 7hz Zero 2 * Balanced - Moondrop Chu 2 (good for smaller ear canals) * Vocal forward - Tangzu Wan’er * bright-ish - 7hz Zero (original) (If you can’t sample, most newbies favor V-shaped or balanced IEMs.) If you have a little more money to experiment with... * Bassy - Blon x HBB z300 * Warm - Kiwi Ears Cadenza * Warm leaning - Truthear Zero Blue* * v-shape - Truthear Nova * Neutral - Truthear Zero Red* * Bright-ish - Truthear Hexa, Simgot EW200 or Simgot EA500LM *thick nozzles, not recommended for narrow ear canals. Borrow or buy-try-return. After sampling various tunings, you might be surprised by what you like and don’t like. (Whatever you do, stay away from KZ. They’re a terrible company with shady practices.)

Short answer: That’s up to you and your ears. Long answer: The IEM world has so much variety and your enjoyment would depend greatly on personal preference. What’s great for one person could be trash for someone else. In my opinion, the best way to approach this hobby is to sample numerous sets of various tunings. Try not to blind buy one set, using most or all of your budget, based only on recommendations. You may end up wasting money in the long run buying expensive sets with tuning you later realize you don’t prefer. Think about your tuning preference. Do you want a lot of bass (warm sound)? Or do you want more treble (crisp/bright sound)? Do you want something balanced (middle ground)? Or do want something with a bass boost with a treble boost (V shape)? If you want a boost in upper mids (vocal forward)? If you really can’t sample first, and can only buy, I recommend starting at the low end, then upgrading from there. This is my cheap starter collection… * Bassy - Tanchjim Tanya DSP * Slight v-shape - 7hz Zero 2 * Balanced - Moondrop Chu 2 (good for smaller ear canals) * Vocal forward - Tangzu Wan’er * Bright - 7hz Zero (original) (If you can’t sample, most newbies favor V-shaped or balanced IEMs.) If you have a little more money to experiment with... * Bassy - Blon x HBB z300 * Warm - Kiwi Ears Cadenza * Warm leaning - Truthear Zero Blue\* * v-shape - Truthear Nova * Neutral - Truthear Zero Red\* * Vocal forward - Simgot EA500LM * Bright leaning - Truthear Hexa * Bright - Simgot EW200 \*thick nozzles, not recommended for narrow ear canals. Borrow or buy-try-return. After sampling various tunings, you might be surprised by what you like and don’t like. You may want to take a look at the v-shaped Sennheiser IE 200, since they're a manufacturer that's crossing over from the music world to the audiophile space. (Whatever you do, stay away from KZ. They’re a terrible company with shady practices.)

Before buying your first set, think about your tuning preference. Do you want a lot of bass (warm sound)? Or do you want more treble (crisp/bright sound)? Do you want something balanced (middle ground)? Or do want something with a bass boost with a treble boost (V shape)? If you want a boost in upper mids (vocal forward)? I recommend starting at the low end, then upgrading from there. This is my cheap starter collection… Bassy - QKZ HBB v-shape - 7hz Zero 2 Balanced - Moondrop Chu 2 Vocal forward - Tangzu Wan’er Bright - 7hz Zero (original) Unless you can sample multiple sets before you buy, try not to blind buy one set using most or all of your budget. You’ll end up wasting money in the long run buying sets with tuning you later realize you don’t prefer. If you have a little more money to experiment with... Bassy - Blon x HBB z300 Warm - Truthear Zero Blue or Kiwi Ears Cadenza Slight v-shape - Truthear Nova Neutral - Truthear Zero Red Vocal forward - Simgot EA500LM Bright leaning - Simgot EW200 or Truthear Hexa After trying various tunings, you might be surprised by what you like and don’t like.

Sounds like you’re new to this space. The IEM world has so much variety and your enjoyment would depend greatly on personal preference. What’s great for one person could be trash for someone else. Think about your tuning preference. Do you want a lot of bass (warm sound)? Or do you want more treble (crisp/bright sound)? Do you want something balanced (middle ground)? Or do want something with a bass boost with a treble boost (V shape)? If you want a boost in upper mids (vocal forward)? This is my cheap starter collection… Bassy - Tanchjim Tanya DSP Slight v-shape - 7hz Zero 2 Balanced - Moondrop Chu 2 (good for smaller ear canals) Vocal forward - Tangzu Wan’er Bright - 7hz Zero (original) (If you can’t sample these before buying, most newbies favor V-shaped or balanced IEMs.) If you’re willing to spend a bit more… Bassy - Blon x HBB z300 Warm - Kiwi Ears Cadenza Warm leaning - Truthear Zero Blue* v-shape - Truthear Nova Neutral - Truthear Zero Red* Vocal forward - Simgot EA500LM Bright leaning - Simgot EW200 or Truthear Hexa *thick nozzles, not recommended for narrow ear canals.

Before buying your first set, think about your tuning preference. Do you want a lot of bass (warm sound)? Or do you want more treble (crisp/bright sound)? Do you want something balanced (middle ground)? Or do want something with a bass boost with a treble boost (V shape)? If you want a boost in upper mids (vocal forward)? I recommend starting at the low end, then upgrading from there. This is my cheap starter collection… Bassy - QKZ HBB v-shape - 7hz Zero 2 Balanced - Moondrop Chu 2 Vocal forward - Tangzu Wan’er Bright - 7hz Zero (original) Unless you can sample multiple sets before you buy, try not to blind buy one set using most or all of your budget. You’ll end up wasting money in the long run buying sets with tuning you later realize you don’t prefer. If you don’t mind spending a bit more on experimenting, then you can try the following (one might even end up your “endgame”)… Bassy - Blon x HBB z300 Warm - Truthear Zero Blue or Kiwi Ears Cadenza Slight v-shape - Truthear Nova Neutral - Truthear Zero Red Vocal forward - Simgot EA500LM Bright leaning - Simgot EW200 or Truthear Hexa After trying various tunings, you might be surprised by what you like and don’t like.

“Best” is subjective. The IEM world has so much variety and your enjoyment would depend greatly on personal preference. In my opinion, the best way to approach this hobby is to sample numerous sets of various tunings. Try not to blind buy one set using most or all of your budget based only on recommendations. You may end up wasting money in the long run, by buying expensive sets with tuning you later realize you don’t prefer. Think about your tuning preference. Do you want a lot of bass (warm sound)? Or do you want more treble (crisp/bright sound)? Do you want something balanced (middle ground)? Or do want something with a bass boost with a treble boost (V shape)? If you want a boost in upper mids (vocal forward)? If you really can’t sample first, and can only buy, I recommend starting at the low end, then upgrading from there. This is my cheap starter collection… Bassy - Tanchjim Tanya DSP Slight v-shape - 7hz Zero 2 Balanced - Moondrop Chu 2 (good for smaller ear canals) Vocal forward - Tangzu Wan’er Bright - 7hz Zero (original) (If you can’t sample, most newbies favor V-shaped or balanced IEMs.) If you have a little more money to experiment with... Bassy - Blon x HBB z300 Warm - Kiwi Ears Cadenza Warm leaning - Truthear Zero Blue* v-shape - Truthear Nova Neutral - Truthear Zero Red* Vocal forward - Simgot EA500LM Bright leaning - Simgot EW200 or Truthear Hexa *thick nozzles, not recommended for narrow ear canals. After trying various tunings, you might be surprised by what you like and don’t like. (Whatever you do, stay away from KZ. They’re a terrible company with shady practices.)

The IEM world is quite different from the headphone world that you probably know as a musician. There’s a lot more variety (in terms of tuning) and personal preference is much more important (due to differences in things like ear canal dimensions). In my opinion, the best way to approach this hobby is to sample numerous sets of various tunings. Try not to blind buy one set, using most or all of your budget, based only on recommendations. You may end up wasting money in the long run buying expensive sets with tuning you later realize you don’t prefer. Think about your tuning preference. What particular frequencies do you want to hear more? What do you want to hear less? If you really can’t sample IEMs first, and can only buy, I recommend starting at the low end, then upgrading from there. This is my cheap starter collection… Bassy - Tanchjim Tanya DSP Slight v-shape - 7hz Zero 2 Balanced - Moondrop Chu 2 (good for smaller ear canals) Vocal forward - Tangzu Wan’er Bright - 7hz Zero (original) (If you can’t sample, most newbies favor V-shaped or balanced IEMs.) If you have a little more money to experiment with... Bassy - Blon x HBB z300 Warm - Kiwi Ears Cadenza Warm leaning - Truthear Zero Blue\* v-shape - Truthear Nova Neutral - Truthear Zero Red\* Vocal forward - Simgot EA500LM Bright leaning - Simgot EW200 or Truthear Hexa \*thick nozzles, not recommended for narrow ear canals. Borrow or buy-try-return. After sampling various tunings, you might be surprised by what you like and don’t like. If you’re looking to spend even more you might want to look into these… Bassy - iKKO OH10 V-Shape - Sennheiser IE 200 Vocal forward - Tanchjim Origin Treble forward - Letshuoer S12

The IEM world has so much variety and your enjoyment would depend greatly on personal preference. What’s great for one person could be trash for someone else. In my opinion, the best way to approach this hobby is to sample numerous sets of various tunings. Try not to blind buy one set, using most or all of your budget, based only on recommendations. You may end up wasting money in the long run buying expensive sets with tuning you later realize you don’t prefer. Think about your tuning preference. Do you want a lot of bass (warm sound)? Or do you want more treble (crisp/bright sound)? Do you want something balanced (middle ground)? Or do want something with a bass boost with a treble boost (V shape)? If you want a boost in upper mids (vocal forward)? If you really can’t sample first, and can only buy, I recommend starting at the low end, then upgrading from there. This is my cheap starter collection… * Bassy - Tanchjim Tanya DSP * Slight v-shape - 7hz Zero 2 * Balanced - Moondrop Chu 2 (good for smaller ear canals) * Vocal forward - Tangzu Wan’er * Bright - 7hz Zero (original) (If you can’t sample, most newbies favor V-shaped or balanced IEMs.) If you have a little more money to experiment with... * Bassy - Blon x HBB z300 * Warm - Kiwi Ears Cadenza * Warm leaning - Truthear Zero Blue\* * v-shape - Truthear Nova * Neutral - Truthear Zero Red\* * Vocal forward - Simgot EA500LM * Bright leaning - Simgot EW200 or Truthear Hexa \*thick nozzles, not recommended for narrow ear canals. Borrow or buy-try-return. After sampling various tunings, you might be surprised by what you like and don’t like. (Whatever you do, stay away from KZ. They’re a terrible company with shady practices.)

I'd say to upscale your budget upto $100 or $200. Under $100, you get the Simgot EA500LM (treble foward but quite resolving - EA1000 near technicalities which makes the EA1000 not much value compared to these). Under $200, you can get either the Chopin or the Pula PA02/Myer CKLVX CK-D41. If you want more than that and have the budget upto $300-$400, get the Moondrop DUSK Or Thieaudio Hype 4. More than that is bad diminishing returns. $400 is the maximum threshold and breakeven in terms of value for price. You can also wait for other future releases like the DUNU x Gizaudio DaVinci and new releases and getting reviewed by Jaysaudio, SuperReviews, Hawaii Bad Boy, Bad Boy Good Audio etc.

EA500 LM and Zero: Red are both good sets. Neither would disappoint.

The $200 and below price bracket is currently one of the most competitive. Simgot EM6L, Simgot EA500LM, Gizaudio Chopin, Pula PA02, Aful Performer5, Kiwi Ears Quintet (on Sale). I've used and tested many of the above. The EM6L is still my main go-to for gaming. I have much more expensive sets, but there is almost no added benefit to spending more for casual listening and gaming. You'd need to move up to something like the Hype 4 to hear any real improvement. In other words, you do not need to spend at the top of your budget. Grab the EM6L, and maybe pick up a pair of better tips. I recommend the Dunu S\&S; they pair very well with the EM6L and work well for longer gaming sessions, providing a better and more secure seal.

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 would choose the ea500lm over the hexas for better bass , build quality and cable

Hexa is outdated Ea 500lm is objectively better

kiwi ears cadenza, don't use anymore as I now have the simgot EA500lm.

I'm talking about the latest KZ planar, the PRX. I love mine and for solid reasons- KZ has a rocky timeline with their attempt at a planar series and the PRX is the result of those efforts. Totally worth it. I just bought the Simgot EA500LM and let me tell you- best resolution for the price. If you had to spend $200-$350 for an upgrade, you'd only get minor gains and diminishing returns. It hits the VALUE mark HARD. For some, it can be bright, but thats why it comes with 3 tuning nozzles that have their own unique tuning characteristics. So while it's a set that punches a couple hundred dollars above its price, it's because of the tuning flexibility and absolute technicalities. Most people spend **$1,000+** chasing the kind of engagement, dynamics and emotional connection I found in the EA500LM. That’s how good this thing is.

Get the Simgot EA500LM used for $50 and call it quits. You then won't have to upgrade until you have a few hundred dollars ready to blow.

Something with good imaging and soundstage. Some good IEMs under $100 are: Final VR3000 and Simgot EA500LM Onear under $100: Koss Nova Pro Headphones: Senheisser HD650 and Arya Stealth (you may need to EQ those) With sll of them I use Fiio K7 BT These are my favorite for gaming.

I don’t know what to say , I am exactly in your shoes… I got kiwi ears cadenza was impressed , I just wanted a touch of bit more clarity, and I am in the same boat as you , it’s EW300 vs HEXA for me too I love the looks of the EW300 , but HEXA seems to have the best of clarity and separation out there but everyone seems to be on the train that bass is low , one Redditor said bass is like 10% more than AirPods Pro 2 , which I’ll be honest have more than enough bass for me. Honestly? Cadenzas had just about enough bass and any less would be anemic (more or less like AirPods but depth was better) , (maybe cadenzas were the best set ? Lmao) But looking at the anecdotes in the post… I am not even sure I should buy EW300 anymore… I passed up on EA500LM as reviewers put EW300 over them … (EW300 sounds more natural) Moondrop Aria 2s look don’t wow me , so that’s an no go… Ugh

I ended up getting Simgot EA500LM after SOOO MUCH AB Testing , Soundstage is better on LM (like the stuff doesn’t hit a wall, but disappear) , I found the Ew300 tends to get muddy in certain tracks so that too And the decay is sooo good on LM , instantly sold me on that , I also felt the LM had a fuller feeling low end. So that’s what I got , but honestly? EW300 and LM are sooooo similar you can’t really get wrong until you do ab testing a lot. Hexas didn’t wow me (soundstage is there ? But not my thing)

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

Well, EW300 has more sub bass but less mid bass than Aria 2 while EW300 DSP with red filter and EA500LM black filter has less bass overall but thin mids

I would recommend simgot ea 500 lm. They are good for gaming as well as music. Get it only if you are not very sensitive to treble.

Extremely easy answer - DaVinci and/or EM10

kiwi ears melody are the v-shape set to go for around 100$. You get alot of good rumbly punchy bass while still having good technicalities ea500lm has good subbass texture but is generally lacking in quantity especially in the midbass for someone who has alot of bass

It's better than the Zero Red (unless you want to use it specifically for gaming) and it is very similar to the Hexa with more bass and energy along with a warmer and less neutral tone. It's also very similar to the EA500LM with better midrange and a slightly less impactful bass. They're also cheaper than both of these IEMs at $75.

the EW200 (basically the cheaper and brighter Aria) or the EA500LM from Simgot

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.

Dude, if you like details get the EA500LM and don’t look back. If you’re treble sensitive you definitely need to reconsider but otherwise it’s very probably the best V-shaped at this price point

I have both the Nova and the EA500 LM, you are right, i prefer the LM more if you want more bass but still maintain clarity that doesn’t require higher volume to enjoy. Nova is a bassier Hexa. And LM is $90 so the value is amazing.

I see you still haven't made a decision since your last post haha, you're as indecisive as me. I'm a bit biased towards the EA500, it's a solid pick for gaming but also very musical. Even though it's not as flat as the Hexa, it still keeps up in terms of detail and separation. Just a really nice mixture of what you'd want for competitive gaming but also music. The LM version is a bit more of a V shape, bit more bass and treble. It's too far from my preferences, and for gaming I think it's a bit too distracting.

I see you still haven't made a decision since your last post haha, you're as indecisive as me. I'm a bit biased towards the EA500, it's a solid pick for gaming but also very musical. Even though it's not as flat as the Hexa, it still keeps up in terms of detail and separation. Just a really nice mixture of what you'd want for competitive gaming but also music. The LM version is a bit more of a V shape, bit more bass and treble. It's too far from my preferences, and for gaming I think it's a bit too distracting.

I used the LM as one of my comparison sets in the review. However, I think the LM is a fantastic single DD under $100. There are some ways it is better than the EW300 and there are some ways the EW300 is better. In my opinion anyways. They really do trade blows. Of course the LM is a bit more expensive and it is shocking how well Simgot tuned three different drivers to sound the way it does.

I love the EA500LM also though treble sensitive I'm not as I also have the S12pro and my favorite Estrella.

I have used Sennheiser IE 300, Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk, Phoenix Call, Chu 2, Tanchjim Origin, Tanchjim kara, Dunu Da Vinci, Mega5est, Simgot EA500, Kinera Skuld, Tin T2, Tanchjim One.and softears volume s on the way soon.

Mine are simgot ea500 and Tripowin Olina

Hydro are definitely better than the EA500LM but you will have to eq them a bit to get the right sound you want. The Hydros are also not as heavy as the ea500lm so the comfort is really nice as well. I use the hydros on 1100 and just lower the bass using eq. Also the ea500lm in the sound comparisons is not entirely accurate as it doesn’t sound that thin/sharp in person when you listen to music with them.

Ew300 dsp and hbb sound very similar dsp one has ease of use that's it. I recommend them over ea500lm. Ea500lm is too bright. Explorer is bassy and laid back good for long listening sessions. Haven't tried the p50, but if you have the budget man get the Performer 5+2, it's excellent. Watch my review you will get the answer why I like it so much.

Great choice! Too little bass for me personally. But acoustics and voices were fire on these. Sold them and got the Simgot EA500. Also already had the Raptgo Hook x HBB's (planar bangers). Was looking for a (beater) set... Enjoy your Hexas though! They do have something special.

I'm pretty sure you would enjoy the EA500LM. It's an amazing IEM with not a lot of quality issues, which is unfortunately not the case for the moondrop aria 2. The only thing that I could recommend doing with them is replacing the cable (the stock one is kinda mid) and, if you know how, do the EQ. But even without the EQ, it's a really good IEM

Hexa, EA500LM, and T10, which covers all the major configurations so I would say these give the most detail for the money respectively in the <$100 class. Rose Technics Star City 5 Pro could be a candidate too, still have that coming. I left out all the KZ stuff because while I think they offer overall the best value at the very cheap end, it's questionable if any of their stuff truly sounds "expensive"; Maybe the Hydro is the only one but I don't have that yet either. Also I left out anything out of production. So yeah if you leave out the fun factor and purely focus on next-level detail for the price those 3 are pretty much it, though I guess it depends on what you mean by cheap too.

I haven’t ventured beyond the $100 mark since I only really use IEM’s when I’m not at home. One budget set that I keep coming back to is Kiwi Ears Cadenza ($35). I’m currently using the EA500LM ($90) and I’m super satisfied for now (supermix 4 has my attention though).

Easy Simgot ew300. I have the ea500lm and love it, and if what I hear about the ew300 is true, you'll love yours too. I think it'll satisfy your needs for editing and gaming, although it isn't the most neutral, but when the time comes that you want to listen to music, you will find it amazing.

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

Your last paragraph described T10 perfectly. I have the normal EA500(not the LM) and it's great but I still pick T10 more often, even among more expensive iems. Don't worry about "planar timbre", the trebble is way more controlled and extended than simgot. In my opinion, T10 punches way above its price and it's a great all-arounder.

I have the Simgot EA500 (not LM, first gen I though) and are amazing for me. For anything were a game-changer, simracing, csgo, music, even discord lol. Compared to any previous headset or similar that I have. But Im far for an audiophile. You can ask for more detailed comparison at r/inearfidelity /iem /headphones /headphoneadvice or some related sub.

I have the ea500lm and I thought the driver is really good and resolving (even more than kato) but I wouldn't use them without some eq

Hexa may be the beauty you are looking for but I might prefer EA500, Aria, or even Vivace if you can get your hands on it, depending on if you like the bass, mids, or treble best on Chu2

The TE Nova is Harman, not Vshaped (diff is in harman having less mid bass = thinner sounding, but also more detail/ less recession in mids vs Vshape). Also the hexa isnt even in the same realm of bright as the EW200 or EA500LM...much more neutral than those two And Zero Red is harman 2019. Its neutralish but not completely neutral (has decent amount of bass and elevation in upper mids)

Yes, that could have been the case. I heard them at an audio event and compared to all the other earphones (even budget ones), they felt wierd. But I only spend a short time with them so there is that. I've found that soundstage and dynamics are very important for me and the Midbass-Uppermids level determines that for my ear anatomy. So even very cheap earphones like Wan'er and QKZ HBB sound good due to their soundstage. While Kefine Klean feels very one dimensional and lacks dynamics (contrary to what everyone else says). Olina SE, EA500LM and Supermix 4 are all great in these aspects (but they have their own issues).

I want that cable lol. I don’t need any more single dd iems though. Tanchjim origin, dunu falcon ultra, fiio fd15, ea500lm, tripowin Olina se and kz zenith have been great for me. Everyone is sleeping on that fiio, imo I like it more than origin.

Moondrop Chu 2 Tangzu Wan er SG/Studio edition(to be released late june) Truthear Gate Truthear Zero red Simgot EW200 Simgot EA500(LM) 7Hz Zero 2 All of these sets are well known and beloved by many in the audio community. Easily replacable too given their cheap price.

I love my ea500lm but I might be crazy, I could swear my Blon BL-03 sound almost identical, slightly warmer.

Thats a pretty big price difference between the EW300 and Supermix 4. While I do love the SM4, I think its only worth if your budget comfortably fits the SM4. Yes for me the SM4 was just straight up better but was it worth 2x the price of the EW300? Depends on you. I think for value, the EW300 is insane and one of the best. You could also look at the EA500LM if you like a slightly brighter tone or DUNU Kima 2 if you listen to very vocal songs. I still think Moondrop Kato on sale for like $110-130 is a great buy too.

EA500 only if detail and imaging is at the top of your list. If you're treble sensitive in the slightest, EW300.

I like the KZ ZS10 Pro X, Moondrop May, Letshuoer D13 and simgot EA500 for fps gaming. The zero Red has Very poor performance on FPS games for me, too much bloated Bass and bad Sense of directions.

No mostly less expensive than this, this was my splurge. I’ve had the Explorer (still love these), the Nova, Supermix 4, Performer 5, S12 Pro, T10, IE200, Hexa, EA500 LM, and a host of the popular budgets, like the Cadenza, Wan’er, Zero 2 (still use these with a Bluetooth adapter), and EW200. Before switching tips I was about to return them and just stop at the Explorer.