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.

Had a couple of people DM me asking for some recommendations on anything good to look at during the Prime Deal Days. So instead of copying and pasting the same text a bunch of times. Figured I would just make a post, and farm some of those fake internet points, so I can tell my imaginary friends people on the internet think I'm cool. So, couple things first, NONE of these product links are affiliate links. I am no ones bitch. No one pays me to say this. All recommendations I make, are on products I OWN! I am not graph sniffing and guessing. Same as above applies...I dont get free shit. So this is LITERALLY my money doing the talking. Biggest thing to remember is this...DONT BUY INTO FOMO!!! You DONT need new IEM's! OK?! Buy within your means! Dont see a sales sticker and think its a good deal. A LOT of products on Amazon jump in price, only to be put on "sale". Always double check an Amazon price tracking site to make sure its an actual good deal, and not just some marketing bullshit. Hell, they had a 20% off "Flash Sale" on the Astral when the sale started. The flash sale ended, and an hour later, it was $24% off. How many people got suckered into the Flash Sale, and didnt even realize they could have saved an extra $15? Answer: Too Many. The best rule when buying is this: if it isn't discounted 20% or more. It's not a deal. 10-15% coupons and deals happen ALL YEAR ROUND! So dont get suckered in by a big red SALE tag, and click buy. Look at the discount percentage. Under 20%, shit. Over 20%, is probably a good buy, but remember to double check that price tracker first to make sure it isnt a swindle. And last but not least, and this goes back to the FOMO, there are still a BUNCH of sales to come before the end of the year. Prime Day, 11/11, Black Friday, Boxing Day, etc. etc. So there will be PLENTY more opportunities to buy things later this year for as good, nearly as good, or maybe even better prices. So dont feel like you will miss out. There will always be another sale. There may be some gems out there, but dont panic buy. With all that said...lets get to it. ----- Easily the biggest deal on Amazon right now, **Kiwi Ears Astral - 24% off - $227.24** https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F37H5F71/ Simply put, its the best IEM value at under $250. Period. I would say its 95% of the Tea Pro. A slightly more bright/neutral option to the Tea Pros warm/neutral presentation. The Tea Pro does extract a little more texture and nuance, but at this price, you are talking about a $130 difference. Its also a more neutral and tonality to something like the Hype2, which can come off almost feeling V Shaped, with its more authoritative bass impact. Overall, the Astral is a great set. This is the lowest price its ever been. Absolute quality set for people who like a variety of music. https://audioamigo.squig.link/?share=Kiwi_Ears_Astral,Xenns_Mangird_Tea_Pro,Thieaudio_Hype_2 ----- Second best deal, IMHO, **Pula PA02 - 32% off - $128.52** Want a AFUL Performer 5? Cant afford $175? Well, this is your answer. The PA02 trades blows with the performer 5, and i kinda like the P5 more than the P5+2. The PA02 has a little more sub bass emphasis, and extends a little further than the P5 as well. Which makes it a nice option right in between the P5 and P5+2. The musicality and warmth of the P5, with the airiness of the P5+2, but without the all resin nozzles, or the micro planar glare some people dont like on the P5+2. Honestly, this is an absolute steal of an IEM for this price. Im tempted to buy another pair, because...damn, under $150 for this kind of performance is crazy. Yes, the cable could be better. Yes the tips could be more premium. But for this price. Who cares. You will have plenty left over if you want to upgrade later. https://atechreviews.squig.link/?share=Harman_2019_Target,PULA_PA02,AFUL_Performer_5 ----- At the lowest price i have seen it in a while, **ZiiGaat Odyssey - 25% off - $171.75** https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DHZ755GD/ The Odyssey really doesnt need an introduction or an explanation. Its a softened interpretation of the JM-1 "meta tune", and pulls down the upper mids, and softens up the sub bass a little, and rolls off the treble past 15k. Its gives a much more balanced tonality than the KE4, with less sub bass slam, and that makes for fuller feeling mids. Again, great all arounder for any genre of music. One of the better sets under $200. https://audioamigo.squig.link/?share=Ziigaat_Odyssey,Kiwi_Ears_KE4 ----- Honorable Mention goes to the ** ZiiGaat x Hangout.Audio: Odyssey 2 - 20% Off - $199.20** https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLK2NRPY/ This is a borderline deal for me, and normally i wouldnt include it. But this set is new enough that to be on ANY sale, is a bargain. To be on a 20% off sale, almost unheard of. This is a great set at $200. Metal shell. Great modular cable. Excellent tips selection. And a quality carrying case. This is even MORE "meta tuning" than the Odyssey. But if you thought that the Crinear Daybreak had too much upper mids, and was too vocal forward. Or the Odyssey or KE4 had too much treble extension, but not enough vocal presence, than this would be a perfect choice for you. And with the all metal shell, it should hold up well long term as well. https://atechreviews.squig.link/?share=ZiiGaat_x_Hangout_Audio_Odyssey_2,ZiiGaat_Odyssey,CrinEar_Daybreak,Kiwi_Ears_KE4 ----- Many peoples best IEM of 2024 **AFUL Performer 5+2 - 20% - 191.99** Again, another IEM that needs little introduction. Much beloved by everyone. Amazing detail and texture, easy on the ears (some people do find the upper treble extension from the micro planars a little bright, be warned), hard to find better technicalities and detail retrieval under $200. AFUL has a very unique approach to tuning that i find super refreshing, and doesnt really adhere to any target curve but their own. Great vocal emphasis, tight bass presentation. Can place most any genre well. Superb fit and finish. Great cable. The only downside is the tips, and thats because of the smooth resin nozzle. I much prefer the Spinfint W1 on the 5+2, not only do i think they sound better, but they fit snug on the nozzle. At this price, adding the W1 is easy to stomach. The P5+2 hasnt gone on sale but a couple of times. Usually only 10-15%. Cant talk about the P5+2 without its older brother **AFUL Performer 5 - 20% off - $175.99** Often unfairly overshadowed by the 5+2, the Performer 5 is, to me, the more musical of the Performer series. It is not quite as exacting as the P5+2 in the technicalities. And the bass is not near as tactile as the double DD 5+2, but that slightly slower bass response makes the bass feel just that little but more rich and creamy. It also brings the vocals a little more forward by having a slightly higher upper mids rise in the Pina Gain region, and the treble carries a more flatter that the P5, but not quite as far. So you lose some of that air and sparkle, for a little more presence, and playfulness. And the comfort...top notch. One of the easiest sets to disappear in my ears. Like the 5+2, highly recommend some SpinFits. CP145 pairs well with the P5, along with the W1 and Neo. Likewise, you can just buy the PA02, because it is just too good of a deal. My ears like the P5 better. $35 better??? That's tough. https://audioamigo.squig.link/?share=AFUL_Performer_5,AFUL_Performer_7 ----- **ZiiGaat Lush - ~20% off - 136.04/143.20** (Depending on colorway) This is a super flat, super neutral IEM, with jsut enough tweak upwards at either end to make things a little mroe lively. Very much Meta Tuned, but a very reserved approach top it. Great for studio monitoring, and mixing. If bigger V or U shaped sets arent your thing. This is a good alternative. Much better than the graphs would have you believe. https://audioamigo.squig.link/?share=Ziigaat_Odyssey,Ziigaat_Lush ----- Honorable Mention goes to the **DUNU X Koto Ito - 20% off - $171.99** Full disclosure, I DO NOT OWN the Ito, but i have spent some time listening to it. And I think its the best basshead IEM under $200. If the price point of the Punch Audio Martillo is a little steep, this is a fantastic alternative. I think it gets about 80% of the way to the Martillo. Obviously it isnt as resolving, or as tactful int he bass. But it offers a level of competency at this price point that little else can in the basshead segment. It does well with vocals, balances sound in an engaging V shaped presentation, and was an impressive surprise. Like the Odyssey 2, 10% off for an IEM this new is almost unheard of. Which makes it a great deal. https://atechreviews.squig.link/?share=DUNU_x_KOTO_ITO,Punch_Audio_Martilo ----- If you love your Bunny, but want something better, **Tanchjim Fission - 20% off - $103.99** This is a fantastic set for $100. If you have the Bunny, but want more of everything, this is it. Amazing driver, comes with a modular cable, and plenty of tips and tuning accessories (maybe too many). The most important inclusion in the set, however, is the USB adapter on the modular cable, that you can connect to the Tanchjim App to get full DSP functionality with. Giving you a ton of tuning options and preferences. This is basically an Origin for $100, with DSP. Great build quality, great looking IEM. https://atechreviews.squig.link/?share=Harman_2019_Target,Tanchjim_Fission_(Nozzle_S_Switch_Default),Tanchjim_Fission_DSP_(Popular),Tanchjim_Origin_Nozzle_L ----- Just pretend it doesnt have Zeos face on it, **Juzear Defiant - 20% off - $79.99** How do you make the best IEM at $100 better? You make it less than $100. Great all arounder. Fantastic sound signature. A set that is right at home with something like the PA02 tonality wise. Obviously the PA02 has better quality drivers in it, and does a much better job at bass tactility, and overall detail. But for $80...a freaking STEAL! Absolute banger of a first IEM. Only downside is that the cable, while nice, does not wear well (it gets plasticy), and the BA configuration can cause some pressure build up. Some people have it worse than others with this set. I am sensitive to pressure build up, and id didnt bother me too much. But some people hate it. https://atechreviews.squig.link/?share=Harman_2019_Target,PULA_PA02,Juzear_x_Z_Reviews_Defiant ----- **Tangzu Xuan Nv - 20% off - $63.20** This is such a rad little set. Dual DD. Warm tuning. Good vocal representation. Soft DD treble presentation with no harshness. Great air and extension. Comes with a nice set of Tang Sencai Wide Bore and Standard tips. Overall a fantastic little IEM with a cool design, that i think gets overlooked way too much as a first time buyers IEM. And a nice upgrade for someone coming from the Wan'er. At $60, i think it represents a good value. I would buy this over the EW300, any day. https://audioamigo.squig.link/?share=Tangzu_x_HBB_Xuan_Nv,Simgot_EW300_STD_Gold,Tangzu_Wan_Er_S.G. ----- And now for something you have likely NEVER heard of **Jialai Carat - 50% Off Coupon - $29.99** (after coupon at checkout) This is a cool ass little IEM. 10mm Titanium metalized DLC diaphragm. All metal CNC shell. Super small! If you have tiny ears, this will fit. Guaranteed. Good little accessories package and tip selection. Cable isnt bad either. So what the hell is a "Jialai"...no idea. But they are a sub brand of NiceHCK, and this is their first IEM release under the brand name. I think this IEM is actually worth every penny of a $50 price tag. I think it is a FANTASTIC alternative to the Kefine Klean, and is actually better built, and has a better driver. I dont expect this IEM to stick around long term. I feel like it might go the way of Soratune, because it jsut never got off the ground in terms of market recognition. But I'm telling you about it, and for $30...what have you got to lose? https://cqtek.squig.link/?share=JIALAI_Carat,Kefine_Klean_Silver ----- Some non-IEM things... **AZLA SendaEarFit Crystal - 20% off - $25.60** https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09B78F5C1/ These come onsale only a couple times a year. Great matte liquid silicone ear tips. One of my favorites. Lots of other AZLA tips are onsla,e so be sure to click around. **Kiwi Ears Flex Tips - 30% Off - $10.49** https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXXC8BQ3/ This is a soft silicone ear tip, with a flex joint barrel like a SpinFit. Great for IEM's like the KE4 or Astral that like a deeper fit, and have a little treble zing at the top. These help to tame that a bit, and unlike the Spinfits, these can get a deep fit without really gripping onto your inner ear, and the flex joint angles them nicely into your ear canal. Its a shape these tips dont get more praise. They are fantastic. And this price makes them accessable enough to be worth trying. ----- And finally, i wanted to end on a "Deal not a deal" like i was talking about above. The Ziigaat Luna. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F99M49W8/ This IEM is labeled at "25% off" at $285. And it shows the MSRP of $379. The Luna has never sold for 379 on the street. Its been between $325, and $350. So, at best, youre only looking at 15% off of actual street pricing for the IEM, which isnt fantastic. Yes it is the first time it has been below $300. Which is great. But its not the best deal you could get, despite what they are trying to sell you. And this is where the price checkers really come in handy. Hope this helped some of you find some deals. And if anyone else finds something they think is of good value, post it up for everyone else to see. And remember, you dont need it jsut because its there. Shop smart people.

tangzu xuan nv it's neutral, but ngl quite warm leaning, and sounds natural (at least to my ears). treble is surprisingly detailed but still smooth. as for eartips pairing, i juggle between wide bore sancai and the stock white ones (i believe they're kbears). for detail, i go with the sancai wide. for aesthetic and general usage, i go with the kbear. it's an all-rounder set imho

I recently got the TANGZU Xuan Nv and they sound really good to my ears. Slightly forward female voices, no sibilance, and balanced bass. They look nice and the cable is decent enough that I didn't need to replace it although I probably will when my new order of zonies comes in.

Bought the Xuan NV and 7hz Sonus just now. I know those others you mentioned and have those, ie Pure, Hexa, Bunny and Lush and those definitely fit in camp neutral. Going to roll the dice but since you've been spot-on with the others I'll take a chance on the Sonus and Xuan NV :P Thank you for the recommendations! :P

I literally just got the Xuan NV just now. And have the Sonus and tested them. This might sound wild...but the Xuan NV gives me ATH M50x vibes. The vocals are accurate. On the hecking dot. Not thin. Not woofy. Not higher pitched. NOt lower pitched. No pitch change. Exact. Correct. But the bass in the back is fun. That's my vibe of it. Kind of like the ATH-M50x

Xuan NV Celest Pandamon 2.0 is actually my new EDC—despite owning far pricier IEMs. It’s not the best-sounding set, but it’s effortlessly comfy and I can wear it all day. Comfort is S-tier. Retails for $50 (was $20 for a while), and I pair it with Kiwi Ears Flex tips. I use the Pandamon 2.0 about 90% of the time. It sounds better than IE200 and everything in its comfort tier—easily beats LAN, Chu 2, Gate, etc. I even prefer it over Hexa, Kefine Klean, Tangzu Waner 2 (non-Studio), Dunu Titan S, Tanchjim Bunny, LAN 2 Reference, Kiwi Cadenza, and Salnotes Zero. I also find it more enjoyable than Blessing 2. The sound won’t wow you at first, but it grows on you—super chill, my daily go-to. Sometimes, comfort just wins. Ironically I prefer them over everything people are mentioning here. Xuan NV is a safer bet though. Then again, no. I'd say the Pandamon 2.0 is a safer bet since it's dirt cheap.

Zigaat Lush would be a direct upgrade. ie more neutral warm. Xuan NV imo is better than the Red Zero. Better than Artii 10 as well.

Etymotic ER2XR / ER4XR Mixing: Below average (soundstage is too 2D) Critical Editing: Excellent Monitoring: Excellent Enjoyment: Okay Crinacle Daybreak (surprisingly) Mixing: Depends—more “Meta” neutral than Etymotic-style Critical Editing: Excellent (picks up sibilance like crazy, great for catching issues) Monitoring: Excellent Enjoyment: High Xuan NV (big surprise) Mixing: No, too much bass Critical Editing: Excellent (vocals are super accurate for both male and female) Monitoring: Iffy—low impedance can be weird with interfaces like the MOTU M2 Enjoyment: High Thieaudio Legacy 2 Mixing: Excellent Critical Editing: Excellent Monitoring: Excellent Enjoyment: Decent Cadenza 4 Mixing: Excellent Critical Editing: Excellent Monitoring: Excellent Enjoyment: Excellent Orchestra Lite Mixing: Excellent (surprisingly neutral—not bright like Blessing 2/3, not warm like Dusk or Lush) Critical Editing: Excellent Monitoring: Excellent Enjoyment: Excellent Basically the Studio4 but more revealing with sibilance instead of smoothing it out. Hexa I don’t really recommend it—too many fit issues and inconsistent impressions. If you do try it, use wide-bore tips (not narrow). Video explaining why: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x-T8el9fbs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x-T8el9fbs) Hope this helps.

From experimenting with a ton of IEMs, I’ve found there are three real “value peaks” where performance jumps make sense: **$80–$100 tier:** Defiant, Explorer, Xuan NV, Dunu Kima 2, Truthear Pure — this is where good sound starts. **$200 tier:** Performer 5+2, Kiwi Ears Astral, Letshuoer Cadenza 4 **$400 tier:** Dusk, Softears Studio 4, Tea Pro — this is where things get *really* good. **Beyond $400, returns drop off hard.** For my preferences: * Mega5EST didn’t beat Tea Pro or Dusk. * Dunu SA6 Mk2 fell behind Studio 4, Zigaat Lush, and Dusk. * Top Pro is good, even great, but not $550-good — Astral and Studio 4 gave me more. * Mystic 8 at $1000 disappointed; Studio 4 still sounded better to me.

I feel the same way about the Defiant. There are some IEMs it absolutely wipes off the board. Then there are sets where it could go either way — not a clear win, just a different flavor — like Pure, Crinacle Daybreak, Dunu Kima 2, Explorer, and Xuan NV. And then there are IEMs that I’d genuinely call clear upgrades, many sitting around the $400 range. It honestly reminds me of the Neat King Bee V1(not v2) in the mic world — a $99 mic that outperformed everything in its class and even competed with $500+ mics. People got sticker shock trying to “upgrade.” I’m not kidding when I say the $99 Neat King Bee could beat a TLM 103 ($1000), and the Defiant gives me that same vibe in the IEM space.

This is one of my favorite iems too. I love the artwork box too. Kept that in my closet. Love the Tang Sancai eartips too. ANd love this iem too. :D

Softears Studio 4 (better for female vocals, ie kpop) Xuan NV (great for male and female vocals. Imo better than Truthear Nova. But soundstage is lacking on Xuan NV). But it's a hell of a deal for $67. Great artwork box. Great eartips (usually 20 bucks). Great cable. Great sound. Kiwi Ears Astral (better for female vocals. But no penalty for male vocals) Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite (better for female vocals) Cadenza 4 (great all-rounder) Juzear Defiant (at least the unit I have; mine works fine. Vocals are spot on for male and female vocals.) YMMV but I feel like Zigaat Lush has good vocals too.

QC I don't know. But imo a hell of a deal regardless at its $67 pricepoint. The best way I can explain it but it's sort of like the M50x headphones, ie accurate vocals (dead-on neutral with vocals) but the bass isn't netural and it's more fun. iirc it's 8.5 ohms for impedance but 98 db sensitivity.

Here's my Ew200 review if you're curious. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI7VRLplt7k Xuan NV just stomps it to the ground so just get it :D

Xuan NV. That box is art. Absolutely beautiful. I'm the type of person that doesn't save boxes. I saved that box for a while. Artwork: Xuan NV wins Sound: Aside from the shit comfort and annoying cable, Dusk.

Damn. A lot of the ones I think hit the mark are either discontinued or recently went out of stock. I really wish they still had the Westone Mach 60s deal for $350. They used to have this deal where it was the Westone Mach 60s + Ifigo for $350. That imo is pretty spot-on accurate with vocals, microphones, etc, and doesn’t compromise on soundstage. Overall it’s like perfect for your application. But yeah, they don’t have the deal anymore. That said, here’s what I’d recommend, trying to calibrate to what you’re saying. Since you have the Studio 4, I can calibrate to that. If you want something with more bass than Studio 4, accurate vocals, but less soundstage and technicals than Studio 4, you can go for the Xuan NV. They’re basically like the Audio Technica M50x, over emphasized bass but accurate vocals. They imo completely replace the Audio Technica ATH-E40. TLDR: accurate vocals, exaggerated bass, not as good soundstage. Shure SE846, 1st gen or 2nd gen, but go 1st gen. Use the neutral blue filter and either the included yellow sponges or just plop on a Final Audio E large. This imo gets pretty close to JBL 305s. Don't bother with the 2nd gen. The only draw of the 2nd generation is the red filter and the red filter isn't even good. Blue filter is closer to neutral. Zigaat Lush with Moondrop spring tips. I tested a bunch of tips but for some reason the Spring tips help a lot. These have an HD600 tonality and sound. It does tend to dull out sibilance a bit, so it’s not good for critical editing, but it’s pretty warm-neutral. Tanchjim Fola, but use the D filter. D filter equals a better Nora. Warmer than Truthear Hexa, but a bit less warm than Truthear Pure. This is the Truthear Hola upgraded, if you have it from years past, but with better technicals and better vocals. Hard to explain, but you’d only understand this if you have all of these to understand: Truthear Hola, Truthear Pure, Truthear Hexa. Totally different company though. If you use the S filter (default filter) it'll sound like a 90% Tanchjim Origin. Which still actually is useful for your application too. Dusk, Tea Pros, RSV Mark 1 if you’re looking more for the Meta sound and you think Meta is neutral. Beyerdynamic DT70IE. These are very accurate with vocals, but also have bass. These are sort of a refined version of the Xuan NV. Think Xuan NV but better soundstage. A bit overpriced as all Beyer stuff are, but even voiceactors swear by this (they talk about how accurate vocals are on it). I have it and these have amazing comfort. I feel like the fair price for this is $300, but these are great for what you’re looking for. Cadenza 4. Odd choice, I know. But I pegged these as accurate enough for mixing and critical editing. No weak bass on these. Vocals are accurate. U-shaped. Excellent for enjoyment. You might love these. Letshouer Galileo. This is honestly the closest I’ve seen to dead-neutral. I have these and these are insane. When I wear a microphone and speak into this, this sounds exactly like me. It’s insane how neutral these are. But good luck finding these. They’re very hard to find. But imo much closer to my notion of neutral. Kiwi Ears Aether. Think better Hexa. This is not an enjoyable set at all, but I respect its existence. It’s neutral-ish, less harsh than the Hexa, and has better soundstage than the Hexa. But it’s joyless. You might like these. Keep the Studio 4s since they bring so much joy.

Letshouer Cadenza 4 Enjoyability: A to A+ Critical Editing: B to A Mixing: A. While a bit U-shaped it's not egregious. It's enough to make decisions. Sennheiser IE200 Enjoyability: B to A Critical Editing: D to F (rounds out a lot of sibilance imo, which is actually a good thing for enjoyers). Mixing: B. Kind of shocking but while people call this v-shaped this is actually not as v-shaped imo. If you monitor yourself using these iems it'll sound exactly like you down to the microphone. Most other v-shaped iems don't do that. Crinacle Daybreak Enjoyability: B to A- Critical Editing: A (rofl. It's funny because it genuinely is good at picking out bad audio. If it sounds harsh it's because the original track is harsh) Mixing: B (This is more of a "Meta" tuned iem. But imo just enough where it sounds true) Crinacle Dusk Enjoyability: B to A+ (depending on who you ask) Critical Editing: C on Analogue. F on DSP. It rolls out sibilance by quite a large margin. Mixing: A on analogue mode. Honestly pretty neutral. almost HD600ish. But about a C on DSP mode. Tanchjim Origin Enjoyability: C to A (depending on who you ask) Critical editing: A (it'll definitely let you know spicy regions Mixing: A. A bit bright-slanted but definitely capable for mixing. Theioaudio Legacy 2: Enjoyability: C Critical editing: A+ Mixing: A+ Xuan NV (honorable mention) Enjoyability: A Critical editing: B Mixing: D (too bassy imo) I mention these because imo these are the Audio Technica M50x of iems but the size of 2 quarters. They basically give you accurate vocals down to the tee but thumpy bass. The vocals are very accurate on these. Not good for mixing though. Dunu Titan S (original) Enjoyability: C Critical editing: D (the treble is rounded out quite a bit) mixing: A (these are my imo pretty close to neutral)

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.

Truthear Pure, Tangzu Xuan NV, Simgot EW300

Between these two, I'd get the Zero: Red easily. Since you mentioned you can stretch your budget up to $120, I'd definitely get something like the Kiwi Ears Airoso (just a good set in general, a pretty good all-rounder with nothing to complain about, and good value too), the Simgot EW300 (a real banger for the price, good sound overall, though it could be a bit "harsh" for gaming), or the Xuan NV (good for gaming and music, the value is kinda insane). If you are looking for "neutral" sets, you could go for the Truthear Hexa, but for some people, they may sound "boring". I'd also recommend the Truthear Pure too since they are basically Hexa but with more bass and a bit less treble. I don't think you could go wrong with either of these.

- Xuan NV (neutral to warm): cleaner on the midbass than Wan'er, slightly less warm but retain same vocal forwardness feels - Defiant (U-shaped) : less punchy midbass than Wan'er but way more bassy on subbass. vocal slightly recessed behind its bass and treble - PA02 (U-shaped) : I feel it's similar to Defiant but the vocal is more relaxed and with more treble energy up top If you go with Xuan NV i definitely recommend to buy a dac/amp dongle to drive it, as it's a bit hard to drive with smartphone