Kind of just curious to get your take on this: Excluding fit based considerations, will IEMs render closed backs obsolete (/have they already done so)?
Depends on what you want, iems usually arent as big as closed-back headphones with their soundstage. So if that is a high priority, then closed-back is still valid (although in that case, probably better to go with an open-back). But all the other factors to me are generally better in iems, its why the value for iems are decimating headphones.
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Closed back =
IEM =
Nuff said 
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Lots of people (including me) prefer not to have things sticking in their ears. On the street I’ll still use IEMs for the convenience, but sitting at a desk in an office I’d much rather have closed back headphones.
I still enjoy the tuning on my closed backs.
The fd5 made me question why do I keep going back to big cans when iems can be so good but I realized I like the variety and havent heard a pair of iems that would keep me away from closed backs and the kind of sound presentation im wanting for the day.
However, I stopped buying closed backs after finding my favorites. Iems played a part in that due to my use cases. Im on my feet, out and about for work, so having a lightweight iem is pretty great.
So its a use case for me. Iems for the spring and summer, closed backs when its cool enough to wear them.
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As opposed to heavy, hot sets cooking your noggin?..I’ll take the sticking in my ear thing every time lol…
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I understand that cheap IEMs>cheap headphones and mid fi IEMs>mid fi headphones. Does anyone here have experience with flagship IEMs and flagship headphones to compare the two?
I think you can enjoy them all. I own open back headphones, closed back headphones, active noise cancelling headphones, active noise cancelling earbuds, and a few pairs of IEMs. They all have times each are the right answer.
So you don’t find IEMs will eventually be able to do everything a closed back can?
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I am tempted to say we are already there, and the IEM is usually less money too.
If I had to pick only one for my setup, it would be an IEM, but I would need a decent microphone to go with it. I tend to use the VModa BoomPro mic on my headphones.
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Interesting, wasn’t thinking of how iems might fuck with someone’s coms setup.
Edit: grammar
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I am pondering a Samson Q2U. For about $70 you get a pretty solid setup, pop filter, stand, etc., and they sound pretty nice, it is a dynamic cardioid pattern ( less background noise ). I figure that with a comfy pair of IEMs would be a good setup.
I tend to run my IEMs or headphones plugged into a Fiio BTR5, mostly for the wireless features, but it also lets my phone and work PC connect at the same time. If I want an upgrade on the mic, I could mount a boom arm to the desk.
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The other option would be to use a lavalier mic. There are some really good options for not a lot of money with some nice features depending on your needs.
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What I’m doing now lol
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Great minds think alike.
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I have a lavalier mic, but I have a nasty habit of forgetting to unclip it when I get up. I used one in my old home office. I clipped it to lanyard, since I almost always wear t-shirts, which are not ideal for lav mics. I used to remember about the point I got to the door and would hang the lanyard on the door knob.
The pop filters did become cat toys, but that is always a risk.
Lav mics are usually condensers that pick up everything in the room, and I don’t have a dedicated room in my current dwelling. I could probably do some settings stuff, or post processing, but an affordable cardioid would be a better out of the box solution for the shared space problem.
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In those circumstances a lav would probably not be the best of solutions. I have been using RTX voice with mine which is great for background noise like fans and stuff but not in a shared space with other people talking.
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I have heard good things about RTX voice, but I am not always working on Windows, so hardware solutions are always preferable.
Being an embedded engineer and sometimes web developer, I sometimes have some odd setups for work. I am most likely to run MacOS and virtualize Windows and Linux for work.
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But all the other factors to me are generally better in iems, its why the value for iems are decimating headphones.
This has been one of the strangest experiences. I’ve been using bigger/enthusiast headphones for years and years, and while I dunno if i’m about to throw out my LCD2s or Auteurs, below ~$800-1,000-ish range the advantage for over ears gets more and more fuzzy. IEMs are crazy fun tbh. IEM’s also seem to enjoy really rapid advancement year over year.
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