Interesting opinion from a sound engineer on YouTube:
THE SONNY TACKETT SHOW
преди 6 дни
" I’m sure I use and evaluate iems differently than you guys do. I’ve been a live and studio engineer since 1973, and I was there when artists started using iems. That’s how I can say how outrageously priced they are by the so called “major cos”. The first ones were rentals, at about $3000 -$5000 for each performer. They supplied the iems, a rack full of transmitters and limiters, and an engineer to run it all. After this Sennheiser, AKG, Ultimate Ears, etc , came into the came with lower prices, although they were still way too high for most working musicians. We provide Iem systems to local acts, opening acts, and occasionally upper end artists, and our road case hold 100 sets, in all ranges. Many artists and engineers have not been happy with the customs(Crystal Shawanda had a custom set made,$3500, and threw them away, hated them) or the Senns, AKGs, etc. we now have None of these in our road or studio case. My last statement about the ie200 was a fact, it sucks and the build quality is terrible; it lasted one night. The cable is horrible and uncomfortable ( comfort is a must as most of these cables go down the inside back of the performer’s shirt.) I can buy 5 pair of the QKZ-HBB Kahn for the same price as one ie200, and my clients love it. Is the ie200 5 times better? And that’s my point; no it’s not, it’s nowhere as good as the Kahn. As far as the Sony goes, my point once again is price versus value. It’s $1500. Is it 15 times better than the Olina SE? No, onstage the Olina is an awesome Iem for female vocalists. Is it 60 times better than the BLON 03? No, drummers and bassists love the 03, and I can buy 60 pairs from Linsoul for $1500. And then you have the typical rowdy band. If I lose one of the Sonys on a stage and it gets stepped on, I’ve lost $1500. If it’s the 03 I just grab another from the case. So if you had $1500 to spare would you buy one set of Sonys that’s a little better in certain areas for 10 -60 the price, or would you buy 15 or more pair instead. Here is a sample list, there are many others you could add or take away, and all of these have satisfied studio and stage musicians who actually make the music you’re listening to. Crystal, the female blues artist I mentioned before has an album that is currently at #8 on the worldwide Billboard Blues Charts, has been nominated for two Juno Awards ( her 18th nomination) and two Maple Blues Awards. I have two songs on it including the title cut, “ Midnight Blues “, so these are the kind of artists I deal with just for perspective. So would you purchase the Sonys, or …… Tin Hi Fi C3 Hexa Aria Olina SE Heart Mirror Zero Heart Mirror Pro Tangzu Wu Zetian BLON 03 7hz Timeless QKZ-HBB Kiwi Cadenza 7Hz Dioko Ola Bass Moondrop Starfield Tin Hi Fi P1 Dunu Titan S BLON Prometheus So…, That is 18 !!! Iems that you could purchase with a huge assortment of sound signatures and uses. Or you could buy 1 Sony. ??? Or you can go high end and get…, Letshuoer EJo7M SeeAudio Bravery Moondrop Variations? Is the Sony better than owning these three awesome pair? Or. Moondrop Illumination Mangrid Tea 2 Both for the price of the Sony Or…. Kinera Nana 2.1 Ztune Zen s Mangrid Top Both or the Sony? Or maybe you’d like to try some planars…. Raptco Hook x HBB 7hz Timeless SE Letshuoer S12 pro Tangzu Wu Zetian Heyday Toneking P10 7hz Dioko Moondrop Stellaris Tin Hi Fi p1 plus That’s 8 of the best selling planars or 1 Sony. As far as a one to one, same price, I’d take the Unique Melody Mest any day over the Sony, Same $1500 price. If I had a $1500 budget just for me to perform or film, or live or studio mixing, these are what I would buy instead of the Sony. SuperTFZ Force King AFUL Performer 5 Moondrop Variations Moondrop Blessing 2Dusk Tangzu Zetian Wu Heyday Moondrop Kato Tanchjim Oxygen These are all great units , and I can buy all 7 for under that $1500 price of the 1 set of Sonys. I will say to end this out, in 50 years of engineering hundreds of live concerts, venues, theaters, film and recording studios, and building personal rigs for artists, not one time have I ever been asked to supply a Sony Iem for anything. I can also say that not one time has any artist said no to any Chi-Fi Iem, and many have purchased the units after using them. All of these brands such as Moondrop and others are blasting right by the established brands in quality and price. I know my use is very different from yours, but my clientele are professionals, and I’ve been proving this point to them for a few years now. The keyboardist for Soul Asylum, Drivin n Cryin, Georgia Satellites, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger and many more is my lifelong friend Joey Huffman. He just left the studio after a week here, and he had custom iems here with him. He tried the 7Hz zero; that’s all he used and he took two pair home with him. He put the customs up and I never saw them again. These are real world applications, and I’m getting real world results . "
I agree with most of the thoughts, but not with everything 
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