Is there an iem on the market for a picky basterd like me?

Discussion in 'IEMs and Portable Gear' started by rhythmdevils, May 3, 2020.

  1. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Is there a wired universal iem on the market that a picky bastard like me would be happy with for about 500$ ish? I looked through Shotgunshane’s big thread and saw some that looked like possibilities but I don’t know his tastes and he didn’t mention much about horrible resonance or FR peaks. I know I’d probably hate most of the iem’s mentioned in that list. Last time I listened to full size headphones (about 8 years ago) I hated everything on the market. :/

    I’m posting a thread because I have no experience with iem’s and because I think a lot of you have a sense of my preferences. Pretty close to Marv I think we hear close to the same but he cares more about microdynamics/macrodynamics and detail retrieval while I care more about perfectly flat FR and super clean decay and tonality. Can’t be thin in the lower mids (most full size are) or peaky.

    Marv’s write up about the Andromeda has me drooling it sounds perfect. But I can’t justify spending that much right now.

    I’ll probably try to buy used so that factors into the price range.

    Need iem’s for reasons I won’t go into.

    Thanks for any advice.
     
    Last edited: May 3, 2020
  2. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    Hey @rhythmdevils , are you looking for a Wired IEM or a Wireless one? How about the JVC + Drop HA-FDX1 for a wired one? That hits almost all of my requirements for a good price. On the Wireless front I been happy with the Sony WF-1000XM3.
     
  3. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Definitely wired. f**k Bluetooth!
     
  4. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    I think the current wireless solutions aren't bad at all. Yeah, still Bluetooth but freedom of cables can be useful.

    Look up the JVC + Drop HA-FDX1. @shotgunshane and others like me mostly use this IEM for our day to day stuff. There's other IEMs that's better than the JVC, but the JVC hits so many good points on naturalness on treble and excellent bass response (plus three different nozzles you can swap out so you can turn the sound to your liking, the Blue one is @purr1n liking while I prefer the Green nozzle). I do think the Andro is better than the JVC, but the JVCs keep bringing me back to it all the time. In matter of fact, I haven't touched my Andros that much since getting the JVC.

    Also, I think they sell them new for $280.
     
  5. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    I second FDX1 with the filter of your choice and a bit of EQ to attain your personal "flat" FR.

    I think they're not being sold at the moment. (I have an extra set, no filters, PM me if you're interested. The OG @james444 homemade filters are pretty easy to make.)
     
  6. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    According to Drop, JVC is in an area with mandated shelter in place until mid May and they have previous orders to fulfill, so it will be a while before we see another FDX1 run.

    Drop currently has the FD01 active for $225 but you would need to mod it yourself or have someone do it for you.
     
  7. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Sounds really great except for Purrin saying “a touch of upper-mids”. Ahhhhh! Run!!!! IME anytime ANYONE says there’s even a bit of upper midrange emphasis it translates to a big deal to me.

    Also, @shotgunshane I didn’t mean to diss your epic iem roundup. Huge help to the community and probably avoided a lot of annoying recommendation threads like this one. I’m just a really picky basterd and need specific info plus with all my time on head-fi and changstar I think a lot of people here could give me accurate recommendations.

    thanks everyone!

    PS I added my name to the drop request list for the JVC’s because of the price of these, but the request list is 2.5k long :0
     
    Last edited: May 3, 2020
  8. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    It does have a little bit of shout. If you’re really sensitive to that, I’d recommend the Noble X (also a Drop exclusive) or the Noble Savanna. Marv has some Noble X impressions on here. The Savanna will be a little more neutral with smoother top end. On the downside the Noble uni housings kinda suck. They tend to push themselves out of the ear, depending on ear shape. I’d also throw the Unique Melody Martian out there but I’m not sure if they still make it.
     
  9. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    The Noble X is interesting but I don’t think the behind the ear cable would work for me. Laying down most of the time.

    the Martian is discontinued.
     
  10. hellwhynot

    hellwhynot Friend

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    IIRC your preferences from the HF/CS days, I'd second the Noble X (it's also stupid cheap on Drop now). Were you in the LFF Paradox camp? Not saying they sound alike- just trying to recall. What was your "least hated headphone" back then?

    Cable down only will narrow your search quite a bit. For linear tonality, I hate to sound like an Etymotic ad; but I think their ER4XR really nails it in that department. Compared to my older ER4S, they're bit less forward. Of course you'd have to be okay with the deep insertion thing.
     
  11. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Ok behind the ear is fine never mind. I’ll give it a shot.

    people so far have recommended the Drop JVC’s and Noble X. But the JVCs have an upper midrange bump or a bit of a “shout”. Ahhhh!! And reading muppetfaces’ impressions of the noble X have me convinced a midrange recession would bug me. IME we adjust volume for the mids/vocals so the experience of turning them up too loud then back down tells me recessed mids.

    I intentionally never listened to the Paradox. I was working on my own mod which was going quite well until I got really sick with a chronic illness which is why I disappeared from changstar. Favorite would be that (which doesn’t help you at all I know) or my modded Yamaha YH3’s up to 10k where I rolled them off because the treble is gross. 3 posts down on this page https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...and-yahama-yh-1-yh-3-orthodynamic.9208/page-2


    I can’t think of a production full size headphone I liked. I guess the Joe Grago HP1000 but in spending a lot of time modding orthos I got more sensitive and heard upper midrange issues that bothered me.

    I’m kinda cursed I’m so sensitive to FR, resonance and tonality. Blarg
     
  12. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    How about the CA Orion? It was suggested to me by a friend via pm.
     
  13. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Is that it? Funny my price range was 400-600 or so and all recommendations are about half that. Too bad there aren’t more neutral iem’s. I guess the iem market is the same as the over ear market. Figures. Bunch of technically proficient products that are tuned like ass.

    looks like CEE TEE is the only one with a clue.
     
  14. JellyRhino

    JellyRhino Facebook Friend

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    That's like 3dB around 4k according to @La Cenric measurements with the blue filter. These days, I prefer the FDX1 (blue filter) to the HD650 and the Verum one. They seem to possess the qualities those are missing with my setup, tight bass (HD650 is the culprit) and smooth upper lower treble/high mids (that's Verum issue to me, but some nice people on SBAF told me to get something else than Vali 2, will look into it).
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2020
  15. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    So I’ve completely whored myself out and bought a whole bunch of iem’s.

    Orion
    EDC3
    Final Audio E1000
    Zero Audio tenor which will break but I want to hear it even for just a week.
    Brainwavs hm400 is out of stock which stopped my whorring

    so far I think I’m figuring out how to wear iem’s because my impressions aren’t as solid as with full size headphones, which I usually only need a minute with to hear their signature, they’re all so far off. Sometimes less because they’re just God awful. Marv can attest to this. At meets we both rip headphones off our heads with horrified looks on our faces very frequently.

    so far I like both the edc3 and Orion (others still coming in the mail) Both are pretty neutral but the EDC3 can have a kind of plastic-y tonality and the Orion seems to have a metallic tonality. Both tonality issues are mainly in the upper frequencies.

    but I can sorta get used to both. The Orion is more detailed than EDC3 but the detail sounds exaggerated or pushed somehow. I feel like I have to turn the volume down. Things like fingers moving up the strings on a guitar between chords are shoved in my face in an uncomfortable way. Doesn’t really seem like a peak Though it could be I don’t know what it is yet.

    maybe I’m figuring out balanced armature drivers. Never listened to them before.

    EDC3 is way more comfy

    I’ll have to give them more time I don’t want to have to eat my words.
     
    Last edited: May 29, 2020
  16. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

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    EDC3 sounds more correct to me than E1000 or Orion, for what it's worth. Metallic tonality is just... not good for my ears when it comes to IEMs.
     
  17. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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  18. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

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    Yeah, I even hear the HD650 as being slightly metallic from time to time. It's rare but it can happen.

    In general, most BA IEMs spell "death" for me. I think I'm okay with some sharpness but not when it's super excessive.
     
  19. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Sharpness is a good word for it because it reminds me of an over-sharpened photograph.
     
  20. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

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    Yeah, to be honest, I have actually been meaning to coin the term "glarity" or "flarity" to describe "fake clarity" brought about as an effect of internal driver resonance/ringing that I can hear with most BA IEMs. They tend to have this "over-sharpened" effect to the sound, even when they have a dark-tilted FR. This kills me more so than something with an upward-tilted FR like a large headphone.
     

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