For games - IE900 
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Should be noted that Fresh focuses on IEMs for competitive FPS games, not so much atmospheric, singleplayer games. The Yanyin Canon 2 isn’t far off the EA500 (in terms of FR graph). Currently Fresh’s number 2 pick for gaming 
While I don’t doubt that the Goldplanar is great, if it is stretching your budget, getting multiple cheaper options, each suited for their own specific task, is always an option. I have my gaming IEMs, and more genre specific IEMs
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Thats actualy not a bad idea. For the same price of Goldplanar i have somthing like xenns top for gamming and sennheiser ie600 for music.
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as instruments play and their sound wave decays, you get to the short wave lengths of 20khz until you can’t hear a thing past 20k(cymbals can go up to 120 khz actually 
) so for example imagine a snare hit, The primary tone (the main frequency) that snares tend to create is about 200 hz but it actually produces harmonics that can be as low as 30 hz or as high as 20k but the upper harmonics aren’t really pronounced so people assume snares have nothing to do with treble or even sub bass, but those upper harmonics do have a massive effect of how you hear that note or instrument. so the last edge and sharpness of the instruments or notes reside in the upper harmonics of the frequency response and thats the same for lower frequencies( their body and fullness is based of lower frequencies). so look for something that has good air and treble extension for that “micro detailed” sound.
if money was not a problem and i wanted portability, i would save for the upcoming monarch mk3. just look at that smooth extension
well thank you my good sir. Money is a problem 
Im betting they will be around 1500$€ or more.
But they really look impressive.
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LMAOOO bonk* 
KZ is stepping way out of their league here. I’m not saying their incapable of producing a good IEM, that’s far from the truth, but with the countless times they’ve screwed over the community #1 and #2 their reputation of being a “budget” IEM based company, who in their right mind would choose a KZ over literally anything around the mid tier of the market?
They done lost their minds on this one.
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Right!? Like it just seems like they are throwing away money trying with the bad will they currently have. I would not be surprised if they trick is all and this IEM ends up being $100
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30 BA set calling it
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We don’t know where they are pricing it, based on that statement. They’re simply claiming it will be the best UNDER $1000. They could charge $999 or $500 or $200.
Don’t know what any of it means (other than):
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“we’re sparkling wild fires”. sparkling dumpster fires maybe 
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If they really want to venture into kilobiuck territory, the smart move would have been to create a new brand for high end audio.
I’m sure we all know plenty of brands that lost money by trying to go way above their league with a product, just because the consumers didn’t understand (lexus LFA, VW Phaeton W12,…)
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There’s already lots of OEM/Rebranding going on with sets using identical components that charge up to 10x their counterparts. It’s odd how the whole hobby ignores this. Must be related to the addiction??
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That’s a valid point, however, they somewhat tried with the brand JoyAudio, silently, and the community saw right through it and often bundles in the name KZ when it comes to reviews so psychologically, you’re buying a KZ, they’re reviewing a KZ… it becomes a KZ product.
They would need to be extremely sneaky creating a completely separate division and brand dedicated to high end audio without someone, somewhere in the community spilling the beans that it’s actually a KZ product.
Also side note because I saw you mention the LFA, It’s funny how the LFA just did not sell in the dealers in its time, some even being left over and discounted and now, it’s considered one of the best driving and the best sounding V10 of all time, with prices rising to over half a million for a nice example with low miles.
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You have a point here: when anyone learns the new brand is from kz, everyone will associate it to kz. But then, softears is associated with moondrop and that doesn’t really bother people, right? So there must be a way to manage that; though it can be tricky for a brand so linked with cheap stuff as kz.
When I think about it, the others examples I have of sister companies in chi-fi go mostly from top to bottom (kinera - Celeste, audiosense - tingker, …) It must be easier for companies to go that route, I guess.
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Yeah, definitely. I guess the difference is that at this point, Moondrop reputation is still pretty high throughout the community. While their most popular sets like the Blessing lineup may not be for everyone, they’re still widely regarded as benchmark IEMs in their respective price point. So Moondrop moving up, rather than down using Softears makes sense. Not to mention, pretty much all of the IEMs from Softears have garnered acclaim, I can’t think of a single one that isn’t at least a good IEM. Not even decent, but good with some literally legendary sets in their catalog. RSV & Twilight come to mind immediately.
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Probably because Moondrop hasnt done the shit that KZ has done to piss off people.
The list of sister companies is pretty big actually, afaik.
Fiio = Jade Audio
Audiosense = Tingker = (using Audiosense as OEM or sister company, FLOAudio)
Kinera = Queen of Audio = Celeste
KBEAR = TRI
KZ = CCA = Joyodio = (and some other I forgot, not QKZ afaik though)
Final Audio = ag
Sony = JustEar
Penon = ISN
Moondrop = Truthear (afaik)
Tin Hifi = TKZK
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Haha it’s nothing like that Audio Technica, which seems like an obscure model no one’s crazy about replicating anyway? I could be wrong.
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