Hi, I’m looking to buy some IEMs during this discount fest. I listen mostly to electronic/EDM and sometimes classical/jazz.
I have here some IEMs I think I’d choose from or feel free to mention any others. My question is how would you rank these from best to worst? I’m thinking of getting 1-2 (or 3), like a (low,) mid and higher budget possibly, to max around ~200$. Which have good build quality (ie. wire, connectors, drivers, etc.) and sound good at the same time, and are suited more for EDM listening if that makes sense? Thanks
Agreed. I think if you’re willing to go up to the $200 price bracket, a second hand Fan 2 might be the way to go + the Olina SE. With that being said, I too listen to some EDM/Electronic + some jazz and the Timeless has always done me well. However, a lot of reviewers have complained about the planar timbre and the uneven lower treble. If you have access to EQ and you can stomach the so called “Planar Timbre” the Timeless might be a good all-arounder as well for the $200 asking price.
I’m not as picky with audio as some others so YMMV. Enjoy the journey!
That’s good insight, obviously I haven’t heard either but as I progress in this hobby, I think I’m starting to prefer more mature tuned sets and it seems that the Fan 2 might have a more mature, more cohesive tuning.
I think you just have to try a bunch of budget sets with different styles of tuning to get a sense of what’s enjoyable to you. There are so many out there now a days with drastically different flavors to their sound. Hell, they even have the Celest if you want to try out a driver similar to a planar, this way you can kind of? get a sense of that so called “Planar timbre”. Which to this day, does not bother me in the slightest.
If you’re in the budget sector, 2022 was a fantastic year for you. All the options in the world to suck you in, get you addicted and drain your bank account
Hey thanks for the suggestions guys. I never heard of Fan/2, by Penon Audio? So it’s better than anything on the list I mentioned? I was for a while gonna go for the Legacy 3 or S12 as my top picks, so Fan is better u say? My taste in electronic is mostly (progressive) house from like 1-2 decades ago and some trance, tech.
And Olina for jazz and classical music mostly right? Olina vs SE version is a big jump or? Cuz I like the look of the non SE one better, bummer…
Ya this hobby seems similar in effect to the mechanical keyboard scene, also a wallet drainer that I got into last year lol So I’m gonna try to keep it on the down low for starters
I don’t have the fan 2 nor have I heard it, but from what I can gather from the community, it’s a solid pick on the 2nd hand market for under $150. I think @rattlingblanketwoman has his for sale for a ridiculously low price. Maybe send him a PM if you’re interested? And the I would say the Olina SE is more refined, listenable set with reduced energy up top and a little more at the bottom end. Should be enough for Jazz.
I have absolutely no interest in Mech keyboards and I am grateful my friend, trust me!
I can’t speak for your list, I’m just going by stuff I know and recommendations I’m aware of. Olina SE is a great option for the non-bass genres, across the board. OG Olina has more energy in the upper-mids so I suggested SE because it’s less likely to come off as harsh or “Too Much”. Fan 2 is a better version of what Olina does (more mid-bass and more balanced sound overall) but it’s pricier and some people have had issues with Penon’s QA/QC. I specifically suggested @rattlingblanketwoman’s OG Fan because he wouldn’t sell a lemon forward, and he would vouch for the sets’ ability to handle all your EDM needs. I personally think S12 is highly overrated unless you only listen to balanced sources, so I wouldn’t recommend that
Do not miss the Blon Bl 03 for electronic music. They are fantastic. The budget bracket has been great this year, but I don’t remember any specially good for electronic music. They all seem more neutral, which sometimes for electronic makes them feel shouty, because you need to push up the volume to feel the bass, but then the mids and highs are too intense.
I think that you should consider the 7hz Zero from Crinacle collab, but I have not tried them.
Regarding the Blon bl 03, they do improve with proper tips, and they get more comfortable with a different cable, but maybe you can try them with stock and then you can look for tips and cable.
I have much more expensive iems (Clairvoyance, Sony IER-Z1R) , and I am still amazed at how good the BL 03 are. Give them a try.
Let me just say that when looking at the ~$200 and under IEM market I think it makes all the sense in the world to pick one of the affordable planar IEMs out there new or used because they offer technical performance you’re just not going to get with basically anything else for the money. I personally also think the S12 in particular does EDM pretty well as it has a good powerful low end and plenty of detail through the mids and treble. My favorites of the planars I have tried thus far (and I have tried a lot of them) are the S12, the Hook-X, and the Timeless in that order. My advice would be to grab one of those and then fill out complementary roles with others as your budget allows.
I’m also a pretty big fan of the Tinhifi T3 Plus. I think it gets a little overlooked, but what they did with the tuning on the 10mm LCP driver is actually very impressive. It has this lovely punchy and articulate, but still silky smooth character that I really like and don’t hear matched in any other IEMs around its price. I have owned the T3+, both versions of the Moondroo Aria, the Dunu Titan S, and the OG Tripowin Olina and I prefer the T3+ out of that group.
Just food for thought, but really think hard about picking up one of the planar options. That’s my best advice. Happy hunting and happy listening!
Edit: Spelling because big thumbs and smartphone keyboards don’t mix…
Maybe the Z12 is a good option too, the Zeos collab of the S12. They are basically the same withe a small (some people say too small to notice) increase in the bass…
You’re probably right. I haven’t heard the Z12 and for me the S12 has plenty of bass, but for a basshead or EDM fan the added bass will probably be an asset.
