For me it would be Timeless+Hipdac combo.
These days the 64Audio N8. I love listening to powerful drums and funky basslines on these bad boys! I’ve been going through a big prog/neo-prog/prog-metal phase lately and the N8s are so sick on that stuff.
Edit: I also have a pair of 600ohm Beryllium buds made by my friend FranQL on head-fi named the Blue Voodoo 600 that are very fun and have been dominating my earbud rotation since I got them a couple weeks ago.
I bought the Hook X partially off your praise of it and I love it, Just ordered the SA6 Ultra…but prior to that, the Fatfreq Maestro was on my shortlist.
So I now will have the Hook X, a modded S12, and the Dunu SA6 Ultra… do you think the Fatfreq would be a good compliment to those I have already?
So far I’ve been pretty consistently similar to your reqs.
Thanks for all your shared info and opinions.
Most fun for me would have been the mmr thummim + ibasso dx300 max, amazing slam and punch, very grand presentation, spatially more open and spherical reminiscent of focal staging, and warmer richer lean that never felt overpowering or overly sweet, dynamically very lively. Really just engaging for whatever you put though it, and always an exciting listen.
Yanyin Canon 110
I always go back to the XENNS UP. I’ve been in the IEM journey a year as of next month. Of all that’s come and gone it’s the one that has remained the longest. There’s just something so warm, welcoming and pleasant about it. It doesn’t necessarily wow me as a whole but, man it’s the one IEM I completely get lost in and just soak in music for hours on end.
The canons are versatile kings in my ears opinion
KBear Dumpling and THHifi Chracter found its way to my FUN list. It was Ausiosense AQ4 prior to that.