Looking for an IEM around $300

IEMs / Other In-Ear Monitors (IEM)
1

Hi all,

I’m looking for a new IEM for max $300. Right now I have the T2 and the FH3 and this new IEM would be replacing the T2, so I think that what I’m looking for is something mid-centric and brightish.

The music I need it for is classic rock and acoustic music:
Pink Floyd, Queen, Mark Knopfler, Dire Straits, Fleetwood Mac, YES, “Vincent”-Don McLean, etc

What I don’t need it for is what I use my FH3 for:
Yosi Horikawa, Arctic Monkeys - AM, anything with bass

So what I have been considering / am still considering ordered by likelihood I’m getting it ATM:

ThieAudio Legacy 5: If I understand it correctly, it’s like the Mangird Tea, except that it’s in stock and cheaper. And god do they look sexy, that red-purple one especially.

Mangird TEA: On paper this seems to be exactly what I need, however I’ve heard problems with “suction” and that’s a huge turn off for me. My girlfriend bought me the FA1 last year, but I can’t wear them because of the suction/vacuum and I will get ear-pain that doesn’t go away for a week after I’ve worn them for too long.

Tanchjim Oxygen: I have heard very good things, but not too sure yet about the Harman tuning which I don’t particularly like.

Thieaudio L4: BGGAR seems to like them and his library seems to be a great match with what I’m looking for. However the absence of vents on the inside worry me for the same reason as the Mangird TEA.

Thieaudio L3: Also looks very good from certain reviews, but unit variation along with rather bad reviews from people who got “the other” unit are a turn off. Especially since I can’t send them back easily.

FiiO FD5: Love how they look and the cable, but I fear they are more of an upgrade over the FH3 and not necessarily the best for this particular usecase. Suspicions confirmed.

Basically: the FH3’s bass shakes stuff loose inside me that has been stuck for years, now I’m looking for something that will hurt me on the other side of the spectrum. I want the guitar during “Bijou” by Queen to really make me feel stuff, or the moment in “Shine on you crazy diamond pt.1-5” where the guitar comes in @7:34 to hurt me in a good way.

If you have thoughts, recommendations or think I should really just save up and shoot for something more expensive, please let me know.

Thanks :smiley:

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Tanchjim Oxygen :+1:

3

Those look gorgeous and quickly reading some reviews seem to check a lot of boxes. What scares me a bit is the Harman signature that I read multiple times. I had the Starfield which was also Harman tuned and I sold it because I found it very boring.
How do you find male vocals with the Oxygen? I’m thinking Freddy Mercury mostly and some Don McLean.

4

Clean and very detailed. Although for hip-hop vocals it might lack some thickness and warmth. But otherwise for something mid-centric and bright leaning it is perfect.

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I guess for hip-hop, which I don’t listen to too often anymore, I would grab the FH3 anyways. I have a medium large case where I can store 2 sets of IEMs and a BTR5 which I plan to take to work when the office is open again, so I need two IEMs that complement each other so I don’t need one perfect IEM.

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6

Yes, exactly. With the FH3 and the Oxygen you are pretty much covering everything. They complement each other very well.

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7

Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll go listen to some reviews. But I must say going by Crin’s measurements they look scarily like the Starfields.

image
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graph (93)
graph (93)2400×1038 284 KB

I got both. The KXXS Is a lot peakier and unrefined than the Oxygen. They sound different despite the graph similarity.

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9

Okay I’ve put them on the considerations-list. In your opinion, do the FH3 and FD5 complement each other or is the FD5 an upgrade over the FH3, making the FH3 obsolete? So I know whether I should take the FD5 of my list for now.

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The FH3 and the FD5 are definitely closer to each other than the Oxygen to either of them.

So yes, it is more of an upgrade rather than a complement. (I myself use the FD5 over the FH3 for the genres they are good at.)

Although, I will make it clear that the FD5 is NOT the DIRECT upgrade to the FH3. Its just that they both play similar genres.

2 Likes
11

It’s basically Harman.