TANGZU - XuanNV/Xuan Nv

My personal rankings for stuff I've heard. I'm a neutral/neutral bright guy. (My post on reddit goes somewhat in depth on all of these, sadly I'm not very technical in my language) Kotori Audio Zephyr (Duh) Truthear Hexa Tangzu Yu Xuan Ji (might be too bright for some but easily looks the prettiest by a *BIG* margin) Truthear Gate (My current set, would upgrade to one of the options in the list in a few months) Tanchjim 4u (Bang for buck) Truthear x Crinacle blue 2 (tachjim 4u has better value) Aful Magicone (very similar to hexa) Moondrop May (A default starter set for almost everyone regardless of taste.) Letshouer s08 (not my taste, great value, premium for the price) Letshouer dz4 (not my taste, great value) Moondrop Chu 2 (My previous set that are lying around somewhere) Tangzu x hbb Xuan Nv (just because of the fit) Kotori Audio Vampire I'll check out your YouTube!

Tangzu xuan NV ? Really warm although a bit harder to drive than most iems

Among these I would definitely go with the Tangzu, provided that you will use a balanced output as already said here. They sound amazing for the price and have a very good staging and imaging. The bass are very well present without compromising the details. I tried the Truthear and I don't like them. The Simgot are nice but not great, while the Moondrop are not worth compared to the Tangzu.

I totally agree on the Tangzu

I would definitely suggest the Truthear Hexa if you want maximum fidelity. Otherwise, the Tangzu Xuan Nv are perfect if you want a warmer tuning.

I got my pair last week. Personally struggled with tips. Safe sounding enough but hasn’t given me any wow moments.

as my 1st IEM, Xuan nv or may because they are good all rounders & safe choice. S08 is good, but it's dark. And ew300 or artti t10 are also solid picks, but u might find them bright. Hexa is clinical, u might either love for their details or might hate them as they are unexciting.

I really liked it. Unfortunately my left ear in particular is shaped slightly weirdly and the shape lightly irritated it. I ended up not keeping them for this reason, but overall I really enjoyed the sound, it was just a personal fitment issue. You are not likely to have the same issue. BTW the eartips that come with them are very nice. Cable was good too. Slightly rubberized if I recall.

I got recommended on reddit to be honest I put up A post because I wanted a more premium feeling iem. I’ve already got a set of tangzu xuan nvs and I’m not very impressed with them

Imo Hexa sounds the best by a decent margin, but needs a deep insert. Tangzu is nice and pleasant, bit the bass is a bit fluffy. EW300 is fine.

Whats your budget and what kind of gaming are you doing? My single-player go to is the Xuan Nv, it is a better Zero Red (much easier to wear, smaller nozzles). It's a good all rounder. For an iem it has good depth to sounds and a decent soundstage and imaging. It does do best with a dongle dac/amp but I can power it off a controller while playing console. I believe it is ranked on fresh reviews wallhack list for fps games too in the budget tier, but I don't really play those types of games much.

If you're in the states you can get the Xuan Nv for around 80 (8 dollars off coupon, too) and a good dac/amp dongle like the KA13 which is on sale at amazon for 60 and be all set. The Xuan Nv comes with a decent cable and really good eartips that people often buy separately (tangzu Sancai - two sets, wide bore and balanced) It really is a great all rounder that is going to be comfortable for most people, short nozzle you don't have to have inserted super far into your ears and it's not super wide either.

They were alright good seperation from all the sounds so you can hear all the gunfire/explosions etc without them blending together and can pick things out where things are coming from left to right but they don't have a lot of depth i.e. things close to you and far from you don't sound as stretched out as you would like in games like BF and Warthunder but they would be great in Valorant for example. I use the Xuan Nv (I play more single player games) and it is much better at that depth but not as good at the other stuff...think the S08 has everything happening in center of your head but the Xuan Nv can have sounds happen from the center to the outside of your skull...if that makes sense. If you've heard of the Zero Red it is a better but more expensive version of that. Honestly you should check out Fresh Reviews, he tests in multiple games, usually Valorant, Apex Legends (probably the most helpful test for your games), Rainbow Six. [This is his overall list, it has links to the reviews as well. ](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sHR4QwC1-YprWbjDEHtrz9qCQskY_uuOsAo-Amjznts/edit?gid=0#gid=0)Pay attention to the prices before watching the reviews though, lol.

Lol no problem, sorry for all the questions but every bit of info helps for giving advice. The Reds are good, I would say they can be a tough fit because of the nozzle size, the Xuan Nv (80 USD)are a better version (better quality, accessories, sound and they have smaller nozzles) but also kind of benefit from a dac/amp dongle (you can get a cheaper one for around 10). The LM is not a bad iem but for competitive gaming (FPS games) the 7hz Sonus (60 USD) is rated higher by Fresh Reviews and is actually the cheapest of all these iems, price-wise. It also comes with decent accessories. Both the Sonus and the Xuan Nv are rated B- by him, the Reds and the 500LM are in his C+ tier. He rates iems for FPS games on youtube. Both are comfortable to wear, the Sonus has got more treble so you can't listen to it as loudly but it has great detail and the Xuan Nv is warmer so you can get more volume (with the dongle powering) and it has very good soundstage (both width and good depth). I have both, if you are playing games with smaller maps I would probably use the Sonus and if you are playing big battle royale games the Xuan Nv would be my choice. Good Luck, I hope this helps!

I play a lot of single player games and I think the Xuan Nv is very good for long play sessions. It has a good amount of bass that warms it up while still having decent treble, I never get fatigued even at reasonably high volume. It has the best soundstage out of the iems I own, it is both wide and pretty deep, it reaches the edges of your skull instead of being trapped inside, and footsteps feel like they are infront of me for third person games instead of the center of my head. The sound is nicely balanced, you don't have anything popping out too much in the mix, it works very well for movies/shows, too. It's nozzles are decent sized but also very short so you don't need to wear them deep into your ear canals. It's only about as much as a Hexa so not too much to check out (plus you get a couple sets of Sancai eartips, balanced and wide bore, in the box, which is a nice bonus).

The Xuan Nv, it comes with great accessories, and just works for anything, music, gaming (both multi-player and singleplayer), youtube, movies/shows, all of it. It does help if you can get a dongle but honestly I can power it off of an xbox controller just fine. The S08 is the only other one I own and it is good, but....it is cramped for soundstage (it sounds closer to the center of your head, the Xuan Nv the sounds can reach to the edges of your skull, if that makes sense) and it is picky for ear tips while the Xuan Nv comes with Sancai tips which are so good people buy them separately. Oh and it does look really cool!

Quite safe Harman tuning with one of the best treble extensions for the price. Very beautiful build. Great accessoires. Sold mine because I don’t like Harman but it’s great. 

I have a pair of Xuan Nv's and they're my favourite iems I've ever owned, I love the relaxed sound signature. I listen to a lot of rap and R&B and you can hear a good amount of detail in the sub bass and in mid bass kick drums. Listen to tracks like "picture in my mind" by Pinkpantheress and look out for the crackle and growl in the subbass before the pull off on the bass guitar. It's super noticeable on them! The presentation of the mids make guitar twangs sound really well pronounced as well as vocals and the treble is really laid back which is perfect for someone like me who owns a pair of DT 770's and cant stand the ear piercing treble. I cannot reccomend them enough. If you're into Ewing they take it really well and do fantastic on a v shaped signature or a corrected Harman Curve signature. Edit: I also reccomend changing out the stock ear tips to the Sancai tips that come with them! They make them sound even better and I basically keep them always on my pair. When I first noticed the different I was blown away

safe warm-ish vocal focused tuning, nice accesories, and Tangzu has decent reputation overall as a brand, but is not any hyper performer by any means, is just nice for the price. All that said, it does need some amplfication to work best.

for what you like, EW300 would be better, Nv is good but is more for people looking for nice vocals and not that much bass or treble, EW300 is more balanced and will have enough of everything you could be needing for music, since you have quite the variety of genres in library that is* As for tips, is not really a great idea to get some after ther fact because those can help with 1.- fit, and 2.- adjusting the sound, so, lets say, you get the Tang Sancai from Tanzu, which tame bass and treble and pushes vocals, if what you wanted ends up being more bass, less treble, then those wont work for you, so you really should consider get them after* If you really want options still, in my experience: Dunu Candy Tips are pretty good and affects too little the sound, it does reduce a bit bass and treble tho, but not as much as Sancai, they are really comfortable and also would help balance the sound more on the EW300, pushing the vocals a bit foward too.

Is recomended for gaming so i doubt is as bad as people say, lot of poeple often criticize based on way more expensive stuff (which would be criminal if it wasnt better) and also a lot of people are very nitpicky with this kind of stuff, so i doubt it doesnt have good female vocals or strings but XuanNV could be better specially for that, but i honestly dont think it would be as good for your other music genres. Besides, XuanNV is good but you really would want to have and use a dongle DAC with it tho. So thats a thing to consider if you do plan to go for them.

HBB has good collabs, the problem is that it feels like he either refuses, or isnt allowed to, put out good tunned iems under $70 bucks, at least for bassheads. 3 dual DDs he has put on the sub $100 market already and he, somehow, hasnt managed yet to make a basshead iem thats not useless with 90% of music genres (Hades), or has almost as much treble to compensate for bass (Elua), and the last one, that is barely Neutral with a bass boost, which of course is the better regarded of the 3, is the most expensive one at $80, the XuanNV. i just dont get why does he keeps letting bassheads down on budget sets.

# 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. :)***

i also agree with you, adding to that tho, S08 is a good bassy set but being a planar is on a similar situation of the NV about getting better results with a more powerful source than a basic 3.5mm Jack. So, also a good choice if OP wants a bassy sound, because while the others are nice, they arent as bassy as the S08.

Oh wow here’s the numbers for the Xuan NV https://preview.redd.it/8c0elyg0n1ee1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f4f8adf885ab79dce4a8c93208f256798902ad78 And wow here’s how much v/rms the Apple dongle does [according to Audio Science](https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-apple-vs-google-usb-c-headphone-adapters.5541/) 1.039 Vrms In conclusion, no you shouldn’t need an amp to drive this iem, I will still be receiving the Xuan NV tomorrow and test it myself

Received the Xuan NV today and this is what I run it on with an apple dongle in my 15 pro max, plenty loud and nowhere near topping the amp out. https://preview.redd.it/mcq3e7b3b9ee1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6b895c5f608cd6d0fe1b279b8d05ad72023fe3bd I also tried it on my [ugreen dac](https://a.co/d/hV6fUAn) and btr5 and found the sound didn’t change AT ALL. It’s almost like the sound signature shouldn’t change from amp to amp if they can all drive it!🤔🤔🤔 u/Ill-Yogurtcloset-622 , u/OmenchoEater and u/varglegion yall are literally arguing with math and have drank the koolaid so hard. If that’s how you wanna play the hobby fine but don’t EVER tell anyone they need x or y dac for a set of headphones unless the headphone NEEDS the dac to be powered properly (ie powering an he6 or modhouse tungsten), almost ANY IEM will run on an apple dongle no problem bc iems are designed to be used WHILE MOBILE and should run fine on a normal phone.

That's weird I thought my set was quite light/neutral in bad. Great mid-range and good resolution up top. Slightly sizzly which is easily tamed by using included alternative tips. It's excellent for instrumental and orchestral music as well as acoustic and vocal. But lacks punch and energy in the bass. It's there but pretty light to my ears. Can be had for as little as $60-70

Tangzu Xuan Nv It's still in the rotation especially for vocal and string pieces. Still also my choice for audiobooks

I have the Hexa, the Xuan NV and the EW300. I can tell you, the Hexa are great if you want maximum linear fidelity. They look better in reality than in the photos. However the nozzles are big and the sound might be boring. My favorites are the Xuan NV, because they are exciting, with a wide soundstage and a good bass while maintaining a good linearity and balance. However, you are sacrificing a little bit of details in the mids, compared to the Hexa. Also, you need to have a good audio source to fully appreciate the Xuan, because they are not easy to drive. Having a 4.4 balanced cable is a must. The EW300 are very good all rounder. I really enjoy these, very easy to drive, nice sound with good detail and punch. It's less wide than the Xuan and less detailed compared to the Hexa, but I suggest the EW300 to everyone as their first IEMs because you can't go wrong with them. I think the Simgot are the best value for money in general.

Tangzu Xuan NV is tuned very closely to the Harman curve. I’d go with that.

Tangzu Xuan NV. I thought I was going to regret it but it’s definitely worth every penny!

S08 is best all around, if they were all same price it would be my #1 pick obviously but Xuan Nv would be #2, that said Artti T10 is best buy if we take prices into consideration and 7Hz Sonus also beats all of these

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

Xuan nv won't sound like qkz hbb, its more of a flat tuning, with darkish treble (like on qkz x hbb). If you really like the tuning of qkz x hbb then the possible upgrade is blon z300 x hbb. It should sound the same, but with higher quality drivers, and a little bit brighter treble. Qkz x hbb is my favorite iem and I can't find anything i like more. I hope the z300 won't disappoint. I tried nearly all warm-bass heavy iems with tamed treble. I just can't find anything better. If you want i could give you my opinion on blon z300 vs qkz hbb when I receive them.

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

well you haven't specified your tastes but I am gonna probably buy the simgot ew300 dsp(or the simgot ea500 dsp) so probably look between them. Simgot are a really trusted brand with a good image so simgot should be safe. I have bought 2 iems before the tangzu waner and the yu xuan ji they both kinda sucked since they don't have bass. These simgots are an all rounder. If you can increase your budget even a little buy the aful explorer. Here are some lists you can use if you want some more info [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zeby9PqsTmHMRQ3D3n5W\_1Gx9aNPPK67yoBl\_FXdaF4/edit?gid=0#gid=0](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zeby9PqsTmHMRQ3D3n5W_1Gx9aNPPK67yoBl_FXdaF4/edit?gid=0#gid=0) [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XQtSH90BGK99Vij3dXcSylfwcut5XerPbkkEksFwATA/edit?gid=0#gid=0](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XQtSH90BGK99Vij3dXcSylfwcut5XerPbkkEksFwATA/edit?gid=0#gid=0) [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZHVib50XFQW4up3SwOZUTbI-hZB6Ir5LX6XnZblIM6o/edit?gid=0#gid=0](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZHVib50XFQW4up3SwOZUTbI-hZB6Ir5LX6XnZblIM6o/edit?gid=0#gid=0) hope this helps

It all depends on personal preference, I personally prefer the Yu Xuan Ji as I prefer its balanced tuning. But I am sensitive to bass which is probably another reason that I prefer them. The Zero Reds I found to have a more developed bass sound with good treble but I was hoping for more mid clarity. The IgniteX I personally don’t have any experience with but after a quick search it seems that they have a sizeable V-Shaped curve with a punchy bass. I have seen some people say that the IgniteX’s treble was a bit too bright for them. Again, all of this is personal preference and based on the music you listen to. You can’t go wrong with any of these options, but to the vast majority of people I think the Zero Reds are going to be their choice!