Been a lurker for about 1 month and I’ve learned so much reading through these forums.
Been an audiophile for a long time, but only as a hobby and I haven’t had many equipments over time.
Sources:
LG QUAD-DAC phones
Some old Sony DAPs.
Headphones:
HD558
Audio-Technica ATH-M50X
I currently own a LG G8 and I’d like to buy my first IEM. I mostly listen to indie rock, rock, punk, pop, jazz and OST. I prefer a cohesive timbre and a neutral/slightly warm sound. I’m not a basshead at all, but I play bass guitar and I appreciate a precise bass sound.
Budget: around 200 USD/ 250 CAD
There are so many options with Chifi! Here are some IEMs I’m leaning toward at the moment:
HANA 2021
BQEYZ Autumn
Yanyin Aladdin
See Audio X Crinacle Yume: Midnight
S12
Upcoming Olina
Any recommandations? Are there other possiblities/better options ATM?
Honestly I’d start where quite a lot do with the Tin T2…just to get a feel for sound signatures and fit etc…then you’ll have a decent reference point without spending lots.
You’ll be surprised how good they are.
It’s rare (very rare) to get the correct IEM, the 1st time out of the gate. Also, there isn’t one IEM that covers all your genres well. But if you want to shoot for gold on your 1st attempt, look for the Mangird Tea, in the used market; it currently goes for $250ish (USD), new.
I would advise against any Tin HiFi Tx product line; they’re anything but warm and lack good low end.
The iBasso IT00 was a hot pick when it 1st came out. Very clean, but authoritative low end, neutral mids and good attention to the upper bands. The U.S. Amazon has it for $69 USD
I have heard the Hana 2021 and own both the Midnight and S12, so I can compare those three to each other. I still need to listen to both a bit more though to give a proper comparison/review. But, they all definitely are great IEMs and worthwhile purchases.
Since you mentioned that you prefer a neutral-warm-ish sound the Moondrop Aria or Moondrop Kato might suit you. They are tuned somewhat to Harman (their VDSF target) and have a pleasant, coherent tonality to them. Timbre sounds nice and very natural. The Aria is relatively inexpensive for the sound quality you get out of them; the Kato is more refined with a step up in Technical performance and speed/impact.
Interesting suggestion and I kinda have to agree. Was one of my first and I still use them, great all rounder(music, games, movies). Can be worn a few different ways and with a good seal or EQ the low end can be made more present.
T2 was my first IEM too and I didn’t like it (granted I didn’t know about tip rolling at the time) but I like my bass… And i didn’t buy another IEM for a year after that because I thought that’s how IEM sounded.
If I was giving myself this advice knowing what I know now I would be really happy with Dunu Titan S and GS Audio GD3A. That’s about $200 for both of them and you get to try a few different tonality and driver type. And both of these iems have good accessories so if you are done then you are set.
sorry for stealing the topic, I’m also looking for something that is warmish not too bassy, not too flat. and I care about soundstage & imaging. which one do you suggest under $200?
waiting for your comparison S12 VS Hana VS Midnight
I’m really curious about planar timbre. From what I understand, it might be a good fit for rock and punk. I don’t know about jazz though.
Still debating and I’m not in a hurry. I did not consider buying 2 sets for the same budget but that might also be an option to test different tonalities.
The problem with buying a single IEM can be: Even if it is the perfect one for you, if you didn’t try any other IEMs, you don’t know if it is perfect for you and you may keep wondering what other IEMs sound like. So it depends…
If you just want an IEM that sounds good and go on with your life: Buy the S12 and stop thinking about IEMs.
If you want to find the best IEM suited to your ears/preferences: Better to split your budget and buy multiple IEMs. (My humble suggestion: Buy something like S12, Mele and CCA CRA… this gives you not only an idea how IEMs sound different, but also how they sound different at different price points). Oh, and of course: If you get a chance to testdrive IEMs without buying them, do as much as you can of that, even if the IEM in question isn’t interesting to you. Not to learn about the IEMs, but to learn about your preference.
I would start off with the CCA CRA just to make sure you can get a good seal with your ear holes or find some ear tips that provide a good seal and comfort. If you like them, you can toss in a cheap upgrade cable to see how the extra weight feels.
Best to have a few different pairs of IEMs for whatever music you feel like listening to anyway.
