Hey, umm, this might seem somewhat off-topic, but do you think Ikko OH10 is still relevant/worth it nowadays?
I’m looking for an IEM with quality bass without breaking the bank, and after much research I’m still ending up on a 2 year old set. I guess good sound doesn’t get old, but I’d have thought the industry would have moved forward in the meantime.
Yet, for $150 it’s still OH10 I’m finding as the best bet for a fun and somewhat technical sound.
Any other ideas? Cheers!
My OH10 is the only set below $300 I own, that is still in my normal rotation. It has a great bass and I just overall like it for fun listening, where I don’t listen for every detail.
I rec it a lot, especially at the price.
I still see a lot of people recommending the OH10.
On a similar price bracket and somewhat to consider, would be the FHE from Fiio (Crinacle’s version of the FH3).
I have given my impressions in the FHE Hifiguides post, and I agree with Super* Reviews in how he describes the sound, except that he considers that it is too much bass and I still consider that it could have a bit more a keep the good tuning.
I agree. Drop selling it at 149 and i think that’s excellent deal & value for OH10
I need some serious help. I am stuck in between so many IEMs at the moment, I can’t decided. I can’t make a new topic because my account is so new. Right now, I’m in between the Monarch Mk2, Clairvoyance, the UPs, or a used MEST mk2 for around $1,000.00. My cap is $1,000.00 and I’m just trying to figure out - Is the Monarch MK2 worth the extra few hundred over the other options? My most important aspects I’d be looking for is resolvability and a good, thick, punchy mid bass response. Warmth isn’t an issue, I tend to prefer it and my ears are not too sensitive to high end. Any input from someone who’s tried all of em? Or maybe another set i’m not mentioning?
Thanks in advance!
Has anyone gotten the Tanchjim Ola yet? I’m very curious about it.
Instead of Clairvoyance, take 07m Kinda Lava. Or go straight to Mon mk2 or Mest.
I totally forgot to mention the Kinda Lava, that is also in the running as well. Considering Chris Tuned it and his library and preferences are similar to mine, I’d be happy to buy blindly. Thanks, man!
If you’re looking for “thick”, Monarch mk2 or the MEST MK2 aren’t it, which seems to be the aggregate opinion across most reviews. Resolving and tactful, yes, but for being thick/punchy they may not top the list (someone with hands-on experience with these could likely give a better explanation.) The Clairvoyance is supposedly a bit better in that regard, but I find the one I own, the XENNS UP, to be one of the thickest/punchiest in my collection. The EST implementation is something I like with clear-but-subdued highs, but some might take issue with its perceived resolvability.
If the MEST MK2 is in good condition, I would be tempted to grab that with its technicalities. The XENNS UP I can give a huge rec., but the EJ07m variants would be something to check out as well.
@comfylife Hmmm interesting. Thanks, man. This is definitely something I have to take into consideration. I’m currently driving the Timeless as a daily and while it is by far the best sounding IEM for me to date, I do wish the Mid bass was a little less rolled off, almost blunted if that makes sense? Everything else is pretty much perfect for me. $1000 is a huge chunk of change for me, I doubt I’ll ever spend this amount on an IEM ever again so I really want to choose the right set.
I sold my Timeless, but if there’s anything I liked definitively, it was how fluid it was with bass gradations. I get that experience with my over-ear planars, so having something portable was a huge plus. I ultimately let it go because of fit and having lackluster staging and imaging compared with my other sets. The MEST MK2 is also known for its fluidity in that region, but also faults in the exact same area when it comes to slam/punchiness.
I’d take a look at the EJ07m Kinda Lava and XENNS UP and gather some opinions/ask before making a final call, imo.
One interesting suggestion, if you ever found it at sub $1k like I did, was the qdc 8SL. It’s my literal endgame set (unless something planar in the sub $2~3k range comes along with godlike tonality) and shares a lot of similarities with the UP, while also being incredibly resolving (at or around the qdc Anole VX level or performance.) Showed me not to underestimate BA bass, but I wouldn’t suggest the blind-buy.
@comfylife that is true, the bass response on the timeless could be defined as fluid for sure. I appreciate your breakdown, man, really. I’ve been going back and forth, tons of research for hours and actually hearing from a real person helps a ton.
I’ll definitely check out that QDC, haven’t really done any research on them, besides hearing about the VX.
I have both the Mest MkII and the Monarch MkII and they are both great IEMs. For me they both have a bass that is hitting hard enough and clearly over most of my other IEMs, but there are for sure IEMs with more hard hitting bass.
If your library are similar to BGGAR, then look at his IEM chart, it will guide you a lot.
For me the Monarch MKII is fantastic, but very detailed and can be difficult in lengthy sessions. The Mest MKII is for me an easy listening and also for a long period of time. I find it the best of the two, but depending on type of music and length, the Monarch can be a better choice.
You can’t go wrong with either IMO.
@SM_Music I appreciate that, man. I think the added techs of the Monarch might be my way to go. I was thinking to go towards the monarch for my daily, but then maybe rock with a cheaper set for my bass needs. Like, Ikko OH10 for example. I see it’s on sale for $150.00 right now and it’s tempting.
If anyone’s interested I’ve put together a review for the BQEYZ Autumn. I tried to take on board feedback from my first review, and I happily welcome more advice.
I certainly don’t have time to add a “comparison” section ,so I apologize in advance for that lack / inability to sate curiosity there. If you liked the NF Audio NM2+, you’d probably love this too, although it wouldn’t be that huge of an upgrade.
I have the Clairvoyance, in my opinion they are very neutral, even if I have to admit that they are bass boosted, the bass boost doesn’t affect as much to consider them more neutral than bass boosted. In fact, when Thieaudio released the Clairvoyance they said that they wanted a sound signature similar to a studio monitor with an added subwoofer, and I certainly could agree with that definition.
I wouldn’t say that they have good mid bass. It is just ok in terms of quantity. Rock, acoustic, jazz, sounds really great with them, but the OG Monarch was very extreme in that part (low mid bass), and a lot of people considered it too thin for some music (rock), but sub bass was great for electronic music… Electronic music, instead is not bad with the Clairs, but it’s not as strong as with other genres.
Monarch MKII was somewhat in between the OG Monarch and the Clairs, which makes me think (without having tried the MKII) that probably they still don’t have a lot of punch.
If I had to buy now, I would probably go for the Xenns Up, or even Campfire Vega. A lot of people shits on the Cascades, and the sound like heaven to me…
@Baku_Baku Admittedly the Clairs were so high up on my list. Them being $300 cheaper than the monarch’s I am still thinking to my self, could I just live with not hearing the Monarchs? But I think I’ve just come to the conclusion to buy the Monarchs as well as a pair of Meles, juuuust in case I want a bassy set that I can throw on in a pinch.
The Xenns up also has been on my radar since forever ago. Mainly because I originally planned to upgrade from my Timeless into a set in the $500-600 mark. But now, my budget has increased. I’d much rather just go for the big dog once and for all instead of buying mid-tier sets and always wondering what flagships are all about.
I understand “more money” doesn’t necessarily mean better either, different sets are targeted for different listeners that’s for sure.
No, no. No need to justify. I was 100% in the same boat as you.
I had some experience with headphones, but on IEMS I only had the Blon BL03 and the Tin T2, and I decided to go straight to the Clairs. I can totally understand why you want to avoid more mid-tier price gear. Diminishing returns are real, but still, at mid-tier, you will wonder how much better you can go.
In my case, the Clairs are way over my needs in terms of technical performance. In terms of tuning, they are amazing for almost anything (classical, jazz, rock, acoustic, voices) except for electronic, where I enjoy them only when I play with Wavelet.
The Z1R are my dream end game. But I can not justify their cost considering that I don’t use IEM as much.
Monarch MKII are also end game worthy. I think that you are doing a safe purchase. Take care of them, worst case scenario you end selling them with a small loss.
Kinda Lava will be much more technical than Clairvoyance. I do not understand why someone will buy Clairvoyance and not Lava? If you want a small Mon MK2 buy EJ07m. That is all. 
If they fit then a used pair of Z1R’s…best quality bass in the business…
