Any thoughts on the Edition X V2 vs other Hifimans like Arya/Ananda?
I will add that budget IEM’s likely sound better than budget headphones, but competition gets tougher as the budget goes up.
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My personal take is that (open back) headphones sound more natural and have a wider soundstage at every price point.
However, IEMs have better technicalities like resolution and instrument separation and general clarity especially in the lower and mid price points until about $1000 where you’ve got something like the Focal Clear.
And my controversial opinion is that IEMs are better than closed-back headphones at all price points.
So to summarize, my thoughts are you either want to spend a small fortune to get a really nice open-back headphone which will have the best timbre and excellent technicalities but will also be much more limited in its use cases or get some IEMs.
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An older thread, but much has changed, especially in the world of IEMs just in the last few years. I’d like to offer my 2 cents when it comes to the high end / TOTL market.
I think it definitely depends on what you prioritize and what your preferences are. I’ve learned through trial and error that I think high end IEMs are better than any headphone currently available. For headphones I own the Susvara, Elite, Empyrean II, Atrium, Clears, and HE1000 V2. For IEMs I’ve owned the U4S and U12T, and now the newer Grand Maestro. So all very high end comparisons.
With high end IEMs, the level of detail is unbeatable. The U12T makes the Susvara sound muddy in comparison, and the Susvara is known as one of the best for detail. For this reason alone I struggle to go back to headphones when there is just so much detail and clarity.
Bass quantity with “bass canon” IEMs is also just unbeatable compared to headphones. It’s so much bass quantity that it’s actually shocking when you first experience it. It took some time to get used to such a different tuning, but once you do it’s hard to go back. U12T and Grand Maestro makes open back headphones sound bass deficient in comparison.
IEMs can’t really compete on sound stage and openness, because physics, but they are getting better and better. It’s actually shocking how much sound stage you can get from the Grand Maestro. I wouldn’t say it’s as wide as most open backs but it’s really impressive for what it is. To the point where it’s not something I miss.
One complaint I have with IEMs is the way treble sounds. I don’t mean frequency response. But it sounds… how do I describe it… a tad tin-y? A little metallic? It doesn’t bother me most of the time but it does have me sometimes reaching for my Susvaras to see if maybe I’d prefer them but because of all the other qualities I like from my IEMs I always go back.
One other issue with IEMs is because they are so detailed and so close to your ear, they reveal any flaws in recordings like crazy. Even compared to the Susvaras or the sibilance revealing Elites I have never before been so turned off of certain recordings that have distortion or microphone peaking. IEMs really highlight it like nothing else.
So with all of that said, it all depends on your preferences. Do you want a flatter frequency response with wide soundstage and realistic trebles? Well you’ll probably prefer headphones. Do you want lots of bass, detail, clarity, punch, and fun? IEMs all the way then. Of course, there’s always going to be outliers to this. Not all IEMs are bass canons, and not all open back headphones have a big sound stage I.E. Atriums. And I’m really only comparing TOTL headphones to TOTL IEMs which is a different market. I’ve heard horrible IEMs at all price ranges and the same goes for headphones. And if you don’t get a perfect deal with IEMs you’ll never enjoy them no matter what. So your mileage may vary.
Lastly, when it comes to practicality, IEMs win hands down. Noise isolation, portability, low power requirements, being able to use them on the go or when exercising… no comparison.
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I enjoyed this read. I will have to take your word for it, for as curious as I am about them, I can’t wear IEMs because my ear canals are too messed up to support therm. I have been told by my surgeon not to do it, so that is that. That said, I have always thought that sticking those things in your ear canals would not be comfortable. My big brother is a bass player, and he can’t stand them. So I reckon I’ll be sticking to headphones! 
… not recommended by any doctor in the universe because they stick into your ear canal… no comparison. 
Also they can never do ‘real’ sub-bass that slams against your skin, because again physics.
Jeez, can’t say anything anymore without some smart alec coming around with comments like this. I tried to write something that might help someone with the sound differences between headphones and IEMs, not to discuss what doctors think about them or to debate what “real sub bass” is.
No offense to whoever you are, just tired of this pattern. I won’t be commenting again so if you just want to roast me knowing I won’t respond go ahead.
They can…
Nopes, nopes, nopes. Or maybe you are using IEMs with your preferred sound signature and Over-ears with something else.
I would call it preference based, I would always go with Headphones for sound quality and iems for portable sound quality.
How about outside of the ear canal earbuds. Many here luv em for an alternative to IEMs that give an open sound.
For entry level $15 Qian39, NiceHCK EB2S PRO was recommended as an upgrade $40, for much better in addition to sound signature selection check member Rikudou_Goku buds.
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I own both, and I like the Qian39 way more than the EB2S PRO. I found the NiceHCK EB2S PRO to be a bit thin on bass, and it needs a bass shelf added in EQ to sound good. The Qian39 is one of my favorite flatheads, it does everything well.
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Caster 3
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I got to hear a couple of your buds thanks to Goober, and the Grand Alter Rider really impressed me!
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You mean the Grand Rider 1? (no Grand Rider 1 exists.)
Probably this!
The titling is lost on me as I don’t know anything about the show it’s based on. 
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Without understanding the reference, the different classes simply classify what tonalities/goals the specific model is aimed at, making it easier for you to pick what you like.
Rider lineup is aimed to be around the neutral area.
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Sure, I have no way to remember which word goes with which signature after a week away reading about them though.
But 
erzerker is assy, even I can remember that!
Listening to that and the Caster 3 without knowing what was what, the Caster sounded more bass focused than neutral to me - maybe just due to being extra smooth.
I remember liking the Grand Archer (I just memorize that it abbreviated the same way as Georgia (GA)) an awful lot.
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Caster (3) is its own special/unique lineup.
I like to think that the bassy bois are the ones that are close-range fighters, so Berserkers (vikings/barbarians), Sabers (knights, swordsmen, samurai,etc…). While Archer (well…archers, bowmen, etc…) is long range and isnt a bassy boi. Lancer (spearmen mostly) have a longer reach than swords but still melee so not as bassy as sabers/berserkers. Riders would be the ones using stuff like chariots and is more versatile. Casters = mage = unique
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