General IEM & DAP Chat

[Bengineer]

Few here seem into IEMs. Thread to talk about them!

 

@Klaus220 @damz87 @PassionForSound@GiullianSN @Dr_Kevy

Edited June 27, 2021 by Bengineer

[PassionForSound]

Nice idea! I'll hopefully have some content to add here very soon thanks to @Bengineer lending me his UM MEST Mk2

[Bengineer]

Gotta get that content somehow!

 

U12T and Mest Mk2 will be listed for sale soon. Gave both enough time to suss them out. Pro's and Con's with each, but really enoyable for different genres too.

[AudioGeek]

I have been getting into IEMs recently. My goto at the moment are 64Audio Nio and Thieaudio Monarch.

@Bengineer interested in your Mest 2

[Bengineer]

How do you find those two?

 

Both highly praised.

 

 

[AudioGeek]

Enjoying them both, very different sounds. Love the tuning ability of the 64Audio with the apex modules.

Nio reminds me of Magnaplanars. Monarchs have that classic Yamaha NS1000 sound.

[Kevy]

Long time IEM fan.

 

Back when I was a university student, all I could afford (after much saving) was a pair of Shure's 2xx and Etymotic ER4P's ... graduating eventually to the UE5 (which I did not like, was too warm and bass heavy) and Shure 530's. The Shure's were near perfect for me and I'm quite sad I have no idea where they are currently stashed.

 

It wasn't too long ago I did a completely unbiased audition of nearly the entire Campfire range. Without bias. I knew nothing about them. I hadn't googled them. I was just handed IEM after IEM dependent upon my comments for each one. Several auditions and budgetary constraints thrown out the window later, I went home very happy with a pair of Andromeda 2020 cable rolled to the balanced 2.5mm silver super litz ALO Cable. Why CFA  wouldn't bundle a balanced cable with  >$1000 IEM is beyond me. Paired to the SP2000 they remain one of my most enjoyable IEM's.

 

think I'm moving onto sources rather than IEM's now. I can't readily think of someone in WA who stocks the Vision Ears, Empire Ears etc... I'd love to see what the Odin or Erkl's were all about and the 64 U18T's. 

 

The portability and sound quality are always what I love about IEM's. If only they weren't so damn fragile. 

 

Have we ever thought about organising a state or local headphone meet? 

 

After all that... I have a pair of Trailli's on the way.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 3, 2021 by Dr_Kevy

[Bengineer]

Head-Fi meets happen in Brisbane and Sydney couple times a year. Unsure WA !

 

Be sweet to hear some totl IEMs at the next one.

[GiullianSN]

6 hours ago, PassionForSound said:

Nice idea! I'll hopefully have some content to add here very soon thanks to @Bengineer lending me his UM MEST Mk2

I was about to offer my Nio in exchange for that one!

[remyM]

I'm an IEM guy more than anything - picked up my TOTL choice, 64 Nio, about .... 2mo ago now.

 

Not one regret besides the Silver Premium Cable braid going bad then getting a new unit shipped from them. Still got the first one. Top notch service.

[GiullianSN]

Good to know that we have meet ups in QLD and NSW. I haven’t heard of anything in VIC. We may need to organize one @damz87 !

 

I think I can say I started my IEM journey with a 1more Quad, nice IEM, but couldn’t make it fit. A few IEMs later and a bunch of holes in my pockets, I’m currently 90% into Custom IEMs. Everything else is hard to like the fit, but I keep a couple on rotation just to keep trying different things. 
 

Not too crazy into IEMs too pricy, for sure. But I’m happy to try them if anyone borrow me.

[GiullianSN]

11 minutes ago, remyM said:

I'm an IEM guy more than anything - picked up my TOTL choice, 64 Nio, about .... 2mo ago now.

 

Not one regret besides the Silver Premium Cable braid going bad then getting a new unit shipped from them. Still got the first one. Top notch service.

They do have a good customer service. My A12t showed an almost invisible crack around the APEX module after 2y and they got it sorted out in 3 weeks, counting from day day I contacted them to the day I got my IEM back. (Try to find the crack on the picture )

[remyM]

15 minutes ago, GiullianSN said:

They do have a good customer service. My A12t showed an almost invisible crack around the APEX module after 2y and they got it sorted out in 3 weeks, counting from day day I contacted them to the day I got my IEM back. (Try to find the crack on the picture )

Definitely hard to spot. Their service is lovely. 3wks is impressive for customs.

[GiullianSN]

1 hour ago, remyM said:

Definitely hard to spot. Their service is lovely. 3wks is impressive for customs.

Yep, even being out of warranty they were ok to repair for free. Just paid the shipping to them. 

[Kevy]

That's exceptional customer service and makes me more likely to consider the 64 audio range. Are the warranty transferrable?

[Kevy]

@Bengineer

Listening to the Empyreans with the alacantara pads after re-reading the review on Headphonia. With the Silver plated copper Meze cable. 
 

Out of the SP2000 and Effect Audio AK 4.4mm adapter + Woo Audio 4pin XLR adapter. It’s a little messy. 
 

Its such a lovely musical, enjoyable headphone. The alacantara opens up the Soundstage with this transparent airy detail. And pinpoint placement. It doesn’t have the intimacy of the leather pads. But it’s a significant upgrade to the HD800s I had on tonight. And so very comfy to wear. 
 

After all this, considered keeping the Empyreans? They’re the one headphone I don’t think I’d sell for IEM 

Edited May 3, 2021 by Dr_Kevy

[Bengineer]

6 hours ago, Dr_Kevy said:

@Bengineer

. 

 

After all this, considered keeping the Empyreans? They’re the one headphone I don’t think I’d sell for IEM 

If most of us in these threads are being honest with ourselves, I'm not sure we consider keeping any gear. I might buy another pair, I do like them.

 

At the moment I'm not enjoying any over head types, running mostly speakers. Figures I'd have a squiz in the IEM world, see how they compare.

 

My collection is a fluid one, it seems haha.

[aussievintage]

Over the years, I have tried so many over-ear and on-ear headphones, and love the sound, but in the end, could never live with them for long sessions, as they made my ears feel too hot, especially in Qld summers. 

 

However, the sound of iems that I tried was always a bit lacking.   Partly lack of bass, and thin sounding.  I put that all down to limits of a small diaphragm.    Best bass was from the type with rubber plugs that seal the ear canal.     The result with these was better, but was so vairable depending on how hard I inserted them and I wasn't sure I liked the feel when they were pushed in hard (which gave best bass).

 

What has changed for me, since I last tried iems, is a new shape for the type that just sit in the ear.  I saw this new shape in some free ones that came with my Samsung, and later, Oppo phones.  Looks like this...

 

 

 

These feel great.  The sound isn't too bad either,  so I am back experimenting.  

 

Also,  the player that I use in my phone now,  Poweramp,  seems to have very good sound processing, and the equaliser seems to work well without muddying the sound too much.  So,  I am refining some eq profiles for a range of cheap iems and really giving them a good tryout.

 

I have the Oppo iems (above), some Samsung that are similar, and some Samsung of the rubber plug in style,  and also some old-school Sennheisers that just hang a round disc in the ear.  Nothing expensive yet.

 

I am also thinking of maybe Bluetooth types.  I was surprised they have come down in price.  Officeworks sell a pair that look like the Oppos above, starting at $15.

 

My aim is to see if I can be fairly happy with one of the ones I have already, by using the eq to fix the sound,  then consider buying something more expensive.

 

edit:  pictures of the cheap ones I am experimenting with

 

Edited May 4, 2021 by aussievintage

[GregWormald]

While I listen to speakers at least 99% of the time, for travelling IEMs or headphones are the way to go.

I have an old pair of Phonak Audéo PFE 112s that still give great musical engagement for me.

They are a shallow insert IEM and despite the high quality and great sound Phonak went back to making hearing aids only.

[Bengineer]

1 minute ago, GregWormald said:

While I listen to speakers at least 99% of the time, for travelling IEMs or headphones are the way to go.

I have an old pair of Phonak Audéo PFE 112s that still give great musical engagement for me.

They are a shallow insert IEM and despite the high quality and great sound Phonak went back to making hearing aids only.

I remember those. Old now!

[aussievintage]

8 minutes ago, GregWormald said:

They are a shallow insert IEM

 

So, what is "shallow" and presumably, the opposite, "deep".   Can you tell just by looking at them?

 

8 minutes ago, Bengineer said:

for travelling IEMs or headphones are the way to go.

 

Indeed, that's the main reason I want them.  For me, it's while I am away in our caravan, mostly.

[GregWormald]

11 minutes ago, aussievintage said:

So, what is "shallow" and presumably, the opposite, "deep".   Can you tell just by looking at them?

Shallow means (to me) that they only go in a bit further than standard earbuds, like enough to seal for the bass and to not fall out.

I can tell by looking, yes. Compare the deep insertion Etymotics with the image in my post.

[aussievintage]

15 minutes ago, GregWormald said:

Shallow means (to me) that they only go in a bit further than standard earbuds, like enough to seal for the bass and to not fall out.

I can tell by looking, yes. Compare the deep insertion Etymotics with the image in my post.

 

Oh yes.  I see.  In fact, I didn't know things like that deep insert one existed.  Thanks

[GregWormald]

If I was towing a caravan I'm sure I could find room for a pair of full sized headphones and probably an amp as well. There's certainly more room in a 'van than an airline carry-on bag.  The music would be on my 'phone.

 

The IEMs are very good at blocking out noise as well, and they have sound quality that beats all but the very best of the noise-reducing headphones. Blocking the aircraft environment noise was a major factor for me.

[Bengineer]

The Etymotic are the deepest universal. They touch your soul.

 

When done right, they also offer the best isolation, up there with proper sealed customs.

 

I used to wear them in the office, force people to tap me on the shoulder.