you honestly cant really compare headphones to iems.
It would be like comparing a car and a plane. Completely different things.
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Pretty much, just like trying to compare speakers to headphones, you typically don’t get anywhere doing so. Speakers, headphones and iems all have unique experiences that the others can’t replicate, and while there will be some similarities with each other, overall generally they tend to be different enough that it’s hard to draw comparisons that are meaningful
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Would be my choice of playback if I had the 
and space, HP’s do a good job at emulating speakers but fail in my experience, IEM’s don’t try to either they just do thier best at plugging the source directly in to your ear/brain…So Speakers, IEM’s then HP’s 
In terms of realistic sound reproduction I think speakers easily take the cake, but that being said not everyone is going for nor wants what speakers have to offer, iems do offer an experience that can be more enjoyable than speakers and headphones at times, so honestly while I would argue that speakers > headphones > iems in terms of lifelike reproduction, all three are equally valuable and viable options once you figure out what you like, I know people who have abandoned speakers for iems and people who abandon iems for speakers, it’s all about finding what you like and what is best suited for your preferences tbh
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I think as we all well know a good HP set up will reproduce an awesome sound for a fraction of the price of a good speaker system…but this’s where IEM’s (as long as you’re comfortable with them) deliverers a curveball and offers the best play back and detail retrieval bang for 
?
I would say if you don’t mind the unnatural presentation iems do offer more sound per dollar than headphones imo (to an extent, moreso in the budget and midrange imo)
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I agree with this. I know I am still riding the hype train on IEMs at the moment, but from my limited experience, I found an IEM that surpassed any headphone experience in regards to sound stage and imaging.
I was closer to being tricked that I was listening to speakers more so than any headphone I’ve used so far (noting that I haven’t been to summit-fi headphone tier yet)
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i was waiting to find u in this thread lol
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Again, I’m still on a hype and perhaps some overhype, but it’s enough that my next upgrade with be another pair of IEMs.
Originally, my future goal was VC or LCD24
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There are lots of users here who have tons of gear and are very knowledgeable. I crave learning as much as I can about my hobby. I enjoy sharing my experiences and how better do that then with all of you who enjoy this hobby as much as I do or more.
The reason I created this thread (I think I stated it in the first post) was because all my life, I had horrible experiences and could not understand why anyone would want to stick things in their ears that sounded as IEMs always did for me. I wanted nothing to do with them, until I heard Resolve review the Moondrop Starfield. I highly respected his expertise when it came to headphones, so to hear him talk about the Starfield with such praise, I was faced with the reality that I obviously haven’t given IEMs the chance they deserved. For 110 bucks, I thought I’d give IEMs one final shot, and if they sounded as horrible as Tin T2s did to me, I’d just return them.
The Starfield included enough tips that I was able to find tips that sealed and everything changed. At first, they were incredibly uncomfortable but I couldn’t deny what I was hearing. It was so different than the headphone experience I was shocked. The more I listened, the more I realized that I may very well enjoy what IEMs have to offer me more than over ear headphones. This coming from someone who has spent a lot of time and money on a large headphone collection hit me hard. It was a real eye opener.
Since then, I’ve been enjoying collecting IEMs, learning as much as I can and sharing with others what I’ve learned. Coming from years of experience collecting and discussing over-ear headphones has allowed me to jump right in and be able to explain better what I hear when listening to an IEM.
I agree with Goku, earphones and headphones both get audio into your brain, but they do it differently and it’s a different experience. More different than even open back headphones to closed backs. I still love my headphones, but experiencing something new for the first time and becoming obsessed with it is addicting. As I’ve said, I’m still very new to the IEM chase, and I really appreciate everyone’s expertise, advise and friendship discussing their experiences that have helped me in my search for knowledge and understanding of our hobby. You guys rock! Thank you!
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I am really lucky that my father got me into iems quite early. So getting a good seal is like second nature and not something I think of lol. 
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Ha ha! Same. But I already have a heavily Lawton modded TR-X00 that I spent over a year making into my perfect closed back. I was about to pull the trigger on a VC when the IEM craze hit me. Now I have zero gas for any new headphones.
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UGH! I’m still struggling with it. Those Final tips didn’t do the trick. They work with the Final IEMs because I can push them into my ears until they seal, but with other IEMs that control the insertion depth, they don’t seal in my ears as good as Spinfits.
Currently, I’m really struggling with the ISN H40 & Mangird Tea because of their fit and suction issues with my ears. They sit a little too far into my ears and force me to use smaller tips. I can get a seal, but I have to constantly re-seat them due to comfort. The Fiio IEMs fit me like a glove and instantly seal and become invisible even for hours of listening.
I might just be forced to use foams on them but they just do not sound as good as with silicone.
Sorry, they work great for me. But at least you know that the Sony hybrid tips won’t be much better then.
No problem. I want to be able to speak from experience on any topic so they aren’t wasted. The whole IEM and tips were 30 bucks! Amazing. The tips are really nice though and could very well work with other IEMs in the future. I am constantly tip rolling my IEMs to find the best sound and comfort possible. It appears my ears change size so a tip that I think I have a perfect fit with, sometimes might not seal the next day. Very frustrating.
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Adapt and… destroy?
Lol.
I’ve actually had good luck with Symbio hybrids. I feel they have a great seal without needing to jam them into my ears. They can sit snuggly on my ear canal with a light press.
Speaker rigs are fun…and infuriating. What I LOL about however, is guys spending tens of thousands of dollars on gear, but zero on room treatment. If your room sucks, you’re just throwing money away. My 2 cents.
I just bought a new pair of headphones (ATH-WP900); first time I’ve had hp on my head in 6 years
I missed how hp present sound after so many straight years being IEM-only. Now, just need to see if these can stick around for the long haul. I tend to get tired of weight & clamping force (not an issue for the WP900) and warm/sweaty ears. Early returns are promising.
I was deadset on buying mid-priced (up to $750) IEMs by end of the year. But, truth be told, I got intimidated by what I didn’t know after being away form the hobby for 5+ years until recently. I still have zero clue which Chi-fi companies to trust, and the non-Chi-fi outfits don’t have anything in my price range I’m interested in.
Thus, here I am with a beautiful pair of AT woodies. Weird how shit works out, and why.
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Just hang out here for a while. We’ll hype something so hard you won’t be able to resist. 
Enjoy the new cans!