Recommendations for an all rounder IEM with $700 budget

IEMs / Other In-Ear Monitors (IEM)
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The only IEMs I own is Tin Hifi P1 (main driver) and Fiio FH5 (I find the bass a little too bloomy for my taste). I drive them using Fiio BTR5 and Ifi Hip Dac.

I listen mostly to pop and acoustic. I may lean slightly towards warmer sound signatures, I enjoy good instrument separation, good dynamics and rich vocal.

I’ve read great stuff about thieaudio oracle and mangird xenn up. Any recommendations and opinions are welcomed! Thanks in advance.

Ps im located outside USA but location is not an issue for me as I often use freight forwarder to get my gears overseas

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@hawaiibadboy up to 700usd tribid shoutout

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Have you tried both oracle and xenn up? Which do you prefer?

Yes I’ve seen the review, that for me interested in the above 2 options

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No, I havent tried any of them. I went a different route, but i had your doubts a week ago.

In my personal opinion, and judging by reviews, my list was:

  1. Oracle if you can wait 2 months
  2. Variations
  3. ISN est50
  4. Shouer EJ07m
  5. Xenns up

This is my personal opinion without testing any and acording to my library. As I said, I got a completly different set.

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As I don’t intend to purchase multiple pairs of IEMs for different sound signatures. So from your research, you think that oracle sounds the most all rounder?

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In my opinion (take it with a grain of salt, im in new territories myself), the list goes this way and according to music:

  • Prog metal/mids/bass/edm (opinion taken from @Resolution as i dont listen to metal): i’d take Variations.
  • Bass slam/hip hop: xenns up.
  • classical rock/rock n roll/library close to @hawaiibadboy/balanced allrounder that doesnt bothers anyone/good timbre/sub bass focus: i’d take oracle.
  • tune switches/vocals especially female /mids/treble head/energetic and detailed/eletric guitars, pianos, cymbals, hi hats enphacised with bass slam (bass switch on) : I’d Tansio Mirai Land.

Honorable mentions: ISN EST 50 (balanced allrounder but warmer than oracle), Shouer EJ07m, Clairvoyance (very similiar to oracle, very big shell, 200usd more), Monarch (sub-bass king, but I’d take Variations over this due to price and shell size).

In the end of the day, its all about the music, keep that in mind. There’s no bad choices with this sets, just preferences. For instance chris didnt like the lands and I bought one and Im very fucking happy with them. He loves xenns UP and a lot of people didnt. Take reviews and opinions with a grain of salt and see what works for you!

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Actually, the Variations would not be my choice for metal. There’s way too much sub bass for the genre. I’m actually preferring the DUNU EST 112 or Fiio FH3. None of the other hybrids have the tuning and bass performance (speed) needed to properly portray metal. DUNU Zen is another IEM that works well with the genre but it is not as well extended in the treble but slams harder than all of the options.

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Any recommendation for pop and acoustic music?

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Moondrop Variations.

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I’ll be the devil advocate and say TSMR Land if you like your mids and trebles :stuck_out_tongue:

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I know nothing about IEM’s, but your budget is good for some of Campfire Audio products and it seems everyone of their products have been winners.

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If you can stretch up your budget a little more, look for Mest OG or MK ii. @Resolution can describe this one for you. Is my end game, prolly

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That’s more like doubling the budget.

EDIT: for the MKII. If you’re going to start spending that much, you may as well just go straight for the MKII and nothing else since it is a clear upgrade.

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OG was 1k last time i saw, up is 800 :stuck_out_tongue:

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OG at $800? Where did you see that?! I always thought Mest is at least double of my budget

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Sorry i meant 1k for OG, 800 for xenns up (i think)

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I would not rec Xenns Up and I think Up is 700?

Again, I would not rec the OG Mest. They made the MKII because of direct feedback of the OG. You’d always be wishing you saved a bit more and just got the MKII. It’s clearly better.

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Oh thought it was 800. Just confirmed its 700. I dont rec it as well but he was considering it.

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Mest mkii at 1.5k is completely out of my budget. I don’t think I’ll be considering it. I’m hoping to stick to $700 budget

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I got pulled into this thread but I just read the OP’s original message. I think the safest bet would be the Oracle or Excalibur. They are the best all-rounder tribrids available today and they are safer bets because of their smaller size vs the original Theiaudio tribrids. They both sound fantastic and won’t break the bank as much as some of the other tribrids.

Oracle if you want more of a neutral/monitor sound and Excalibur if you want a little more fun. Both sound extremely similar to one another. The Excalibur has a little more mid energy.

I’m going to be selling both of mine if anyone is interested and doesn’t want to wait 1.5-2 months.

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