shotgunshane’s IEM (custom and universal) recommendations, favorites and classics

So this is a thing: https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/...lessing2-dusk-1dd-4ba-in-ear-monitor-earphone

A Crinacle tweaked Blessing 2 (Dusk) for a few bucks more ($10 or so?). Basically it looks like you get a bass response that slightly rises into sub bass. Perhaps this will give it some better texture, as wells as greater rumble.

It also appears to have slightly less upper midrange gain but pushes its peak to ~3k.



For those unaware, this is his second collaboration; the first being the TOTL Fearless Dawn. Hopefully I can hear them both at some point, but the Moondrop seems more likely since it’s fairly affordable.

 

There's a tour unit going on in NA right now, but I should be able to divert it as an SBAF tour unit after it's done if anyone's interested.

 

That would be awesome. I think there are a few here that would/should be interested.

 

Some new higher end single dynamics are getting announced.

Dunu Zen with msrp of $700. Seems to address the frequency response issues with the Luna. Manufacturer measurements look pretty good. Fingers crossed on this one: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/zen...driver-platform-eclipsƎ.949689/#post-16038040

Fiio FD5 with an msrp of $300. This one looks like it’s going to be too warm but it’s hard to tell from the stretched manufacturer graph. Still, looks like a lot of iem for the money:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fiio-fd5-1dd-flagship-from-fiio.949578/

 

Do a compare between the two for us, if your son doesn’t mind.

 

You are chasing the big man here. There is no such thing as resolving (on the scale of headphones, say a HD600 or modded T50RP with an appropriate amp) when it comes to IEMs. The Shure stuff is just estat resolving, fake resolution via overshoot on transient response, and limp dick attack. Balanced armatures are just that, balanced armatures. Fast decay, odd order "squared" distortion when pushed, but doesn't get any of the fine details. Maybe, maybe Ken's drivers and xover approach eeks out a bit more plankton, but I wouldn't bet my life on it in a blind test. Maybe DDs in the future will have some hope, but IEMs DDs are so problematic in respect to peaks in the highs, and quite frankly, I don't really think anyone is pushing the edge here.

IEM folks generally run craptastic sources (portable or ASR approved shit) and listen to shitty new recordings or anime soundtracks and are more than willing to spend their money on more and more shit costing thousands of dollars. They aren't exactly a demanding bunch. Hence, most of the IEM manufacturers just feed them what they want: more variations of the same - of mostly garbage.

 

Early impressions of the Fiio FD5 on HF read like a bust. Too bright and peaky up top seems to be the gathering consensus. Good new for modders and tweakers is that RHA nozzles fit it and offer better sound profiles over the Fiio stock nozzles. Also wonder if Moondrop Starfield filter stickers would make positive changes?

In other news, SBAF will be getting tour units of the new Dunu Zen, as well as their fairly new all armature based SA6 soon.

 

So, uh, apparently Etymotic is planing a multi-driver in-ear with a more uni-come-custom housing...

 

Still going to have brain tickling fit. Those nozzles. Really would like to see them develop something more comfortable and shallow with a horn style nozzle ala the FitEar F111. But I suppose it would sacrifice too much deviation from their house target.