Hey everyone, I’m new to the IEM world of audio, but I’ve been playing with car audio for over a decade. I share my passion for SQ car audio with my brother and a couple friends, and recently demoed a pair of FiiO FH7 (my first experience with IEMs that aren’t free with your phone. lol)… Needless to say, it broke me. Now I’m looking for a setup of my own, as they will get a lot of usage with my new routine at work and in the gym.
I’ve been watching some of Z’s reviews on YT, and reading some of the posts on here. I feel like I haven’t began to scratch the surface of the different possibilities with IEMs. This is where I hope some of you with more experience can chime in. I have always loved a great sound stage and clear imaging in car audio. I love good bass, but definitely prefer the ‘tight’ punch you feel in your chest from a kick drum over the loose/sloppy shake you get in some music. I’ve always preferred a soft tweeter over metal tweets in cars, because they tend to be smoother without getting ‘sharp’ with all the reflections. As for mids, I guess I would say I prefer them to be ‘warm’?.. I don’t like when a driver is so neutral that the music seems to lose it’s texture and emotion.
With that being said, what IEMs should I be considering? Obviously the FH7 is on my list, but I would like to pickup something different just to compare with my bro’s FH7, if I can find a set that fit my preferences. I have a Note S20 Ultra that will be my primary source with Tidal and local FLAC files. I plan to pick up a BTR5 to pair with my phone, and maybe a set of the UTWS3 in the future (for gym use). I could run 3.5 or pickup a 2.5 balance cable for the BTR5, depending if the IEM could use the power bump.
Thanks for helping the newb on the block!