Hi, I’ve been away from this hobby for a few months now and wanted to get back in with an IEM purchase.
Current Gear:
I currently use the XENNS UP & R6 Pro II for my portable needs and have been happy with this setup which sounds like a good warm-neutral set to my ears. From what I understand, a true upgrade from this would be to jump up to Monarch MKIII or similar IEMs so I’m looking for a side grade, something a bit more energetic and wider sounding in the Mid-Fi price range.
IE 600:
The last purchase I made in this price segment was the IE 600 a couple of months back which was a good IEM but ultimately, I sold it cause I thought it was a bit too spicy/sharp in the higher frequencies even after trying +10 different tips which is weird cause I’ve been happy with the Edition XS which is considered as bright by some but it has the perfect amount of treble for me.
BTW, Edition XS is why I’m here now, for the first time in years, I used XS portably and thought to myself it sure would be nice to have a similar energetic and open sounding IEM. I’m sure open part is difficult for IEM (Hook-X came a bit close) but atleast the first part should be achievable.
Pre-Owned:
In my country, there are 2 options in the used category that seem interesting to me. ThieAudio Hype 4 & Fiio FD7. There’s also FH9 but I’m worried it maybe too bright. Are the above 2 options good? New recommendations are also welcome.
Other:
Penon, Ziigat & Kinera IEMs are not available here.