Ok since I gave an update on the main IEMs that I am using, time to give my top 5 on the budget sets that I currently have.
Kiwi Ears Belle: The newest budget and pretty much dethroned my main favorite set from my collection which is the Tanchjim Bunny. A chill set overall, warm and surprisingly has capable technical capabilities for a budget set, therefore my go-to set right now when I need to go outside and not worry about too much on anything when it comes to audio as a beater set.
Tanchjim Bunny: Pretty much the 2nd best right now, still no slouch though for I previously stated that this one is basically a Tanchjim Origin-lite, both have the same tuning but nerfed on some aspects for it is after all a budget set. The stock cable of it has unfortunately oxidized therefore it is currently using the Queās stock cable, an another cable that I am not a fan of but it works.
GK Kunten: I have to admit, I hate that I like this set right now for it is being freaking hyped and given a lot of praises on every platform relating to this hobby. I was skeptical about it at first but decided to give it a fair chance, and what do you know? It is really good. For the price, this is a good set but the misinformation and overhyped traction that it gained about it, are the only things that makes me grumble along with its crappy tips and cable.
Twistura Sigma: I am not sure if this can be considered as a budget set for its MSRP is way above for it to be a budget set. Anyway this set, I got it for free, yes for FREE from a new friend that Iāve met on a local audio meetup last year and boy it was a fun one. Unfortunately since this set is free, he was transparent about it for the Sigma has a QC issue on the left piece, meaning the volume is a bit lower on the left side, itās audible but not as the same as the right side. A warm set as well but I cannot really give it a full review fairly due to a faulty left side, and I have yet to find someone to repair it.
7Hz Salnotes x Crinacle Zero 2: This was the last set I used to have but Iāve decided to give it away to my little brother who needs it more than me, plus I already have a lot of sets that I use more than this one. Still good though, but in the end I still prefer the original 7Hz Zero due to its treble right on my preference target. Also I barely use this set anymore, so giving it as an early Christmas gift to him makes more sense.
5 sets in use. My ears are a bit buggered so take all this with a pinch of salt.
Campfire Andromeda 2020. When it clicks itās got a beautiful midrange.
Campfire Holocene. Itās not better than Andromeda but I prefer it. Dredges up some interesting sounds.
Yanyin Canon. The original one. Iāve had some problems with pressure on these. They are vented but act like a plunger in my ear. Impactful bass, pretty raw sound, not the best at tonality.
FONO Ref01. Single Ceramic DD. Comes in a massive box. Very cold clinical sound with icy āartificialā low bass and a sound sphere that seems to drop sounds that exist outside of the stage.
SonicSeer āFlowersā. A tribrid, 2dual Sonion BAs, dual DD and 4in1 Sonion EST. This was a real shot in the dark buy. A very immediate vivid presentation across the frequencies but also quite beautiful at times.
Ziigaat Arcanis - Vocals are just about perfect. Everything else is good to great too. Every time I put these in I just want to keep listening.
BGVP Solomon - Traded my monarch mk4 for these recently. Mmk4 is a phenomenal all rounder , but just lacked a little special sauce (good chance I grab again). Solomon is quite the opposite. I love the treble. Bass is light on impact and weight, but with a little eq and/or tubes it becomes a strength. Doesnāt quite match the stage of the Glacier, but imaging and placement feels more correct. Vocals and where they sit in the mix are just right (for me). Definitely not an all rounder and a little picky on sources. Took me a bit to find the right tips too (keepfi coffee). Deeper insertion helped with the bass. Probably the most detailed set I have.
Ziigaat x HBB Jupiter - It does what it does so well. Detail, stage, and vocals are just right too.
Yu9 Que - Recently grabbed this off head fi and the more I listen, the more I really enjoy it. The bass really is *chefs kiss. Male vocals every once in a while sound a little thin, but only really compared to the Arcanis. Could probably be higher on this list
Dunu Glacier - probably the closest thing I have to an all rounder atm. Not kind to poor recordings, but handles my library well on almost everything.
Honorabe Mentions: Ziigaat Luna - Vocals, especially female vocals get pretty close to the Arcanis. Iāve had the Cayin N6iii for quite a while, but I recently picked up the t201 and man that motherboard is good. I still enjoy the r202 and c201, but the t201 pulls more detail than the either and the tubes do what they do. The Solomon sounds best on the t201 on classic tube of all my sources. The Jupiter sounds okay on the c201, and a bit subdued on the r202. It shines on the t201 in transistor or modern tube (still sounds best on my desktop setup). As per usual on the n6iii, battery life is phenomenal.
Quick update since there are many things have changed this month.
Unique Melody MEST MK. II - I legit teared up for joy when I finally got this set and to this day I cannot fathom to myself that Iād be able to get a legendary IEM like this and actually owning it. I am broke as hell right now after getting, and right now I am recovering/saving up again, but my god itās freaking worth it. The overall tuning especially the treble for me is unique and special, and my god the technicalities are so good. Mindblowing soundstage as well, for that aspect of the MEST MK. II that made me said to myself āYeah, this is gonna be my pausegame.ā
Elysian Acoustic Labs Pilgrim - I said what I have said previously to this IEM. Sure itās now the 2nd best set from my collection but dammit there is a reason why it remained number 1 on the list for a long time ever since buying it. A versatile IEM, really works for every genre and its charming point for me is its detail performance for itās still great on every nooks and crannies on getting many details on each tracks. Hell, Iāll consider this as the 1B to my MESTās 1A.
Kiwi Ears Astral - Wow, just wow, you have impressed me a lot Kiwi Ears and so far you never have disappointed me, for the original Cadenzas, Belle and now this? This makes me want to see Kiwi Ears dwell on the higher price bracket, at least 500USD for they have that potential to do so. I gotta agree this is really great for gaming but the music performance is no slouch either for every detail, imaging, soundstage is right there and overall tuning is perfect for me despite the overall clean sounds, and some clean sounding can spell boring to some but not for me.
EPZ P50 - Still the 4th best and yes I was able to do a comparison between this and the Crinear Daybreak, and I must say, my opinion still stands that I find the EPZ P50 much better than the Daybreaks imo. Why? I just find the Daybreaks a bit thin sounding on the highs while I donāt have that problem with the P50s. And yes, this set is still my go to sleep IEM due to its size and comfort being great.
Leteciel Magiris - I find myself still charmed to this underrated gem of an IEM. 2 Drivers only that consists of only a 1DD and 1BA but man the overall tuning is still good. Sure itās not the most impressive in terms of technicalities but it can do that, and sure the overall tuning is safe but the overall presenation is clean, but this is such a relaxing set that I just find myself just wanted to chill all the time. There are just those days that you just wanna listen and not pay attention to the nuances that every set that I have produces in a sound aspect.
Original Yanyin Canon. I get weird pressure build up with these. Stuck a needle through the core of the eartips which helps relieve it. Fun set.
Night Oblivion Butastur. Odd. Sometimes everything sounds tightly packed together and my brain canāt untangle it. Not lacking in detail or definition, just space. Likes a good source. Donāt we all.
NiceHCK NX8 SE. Iāve got the alternative titanium nozzles on these. Iāve the original NX8 which I prefer. Iāve got a soft spot for metallic piezo highs. Not much difference between the sets really. But the originals are ugly sods.
YU9 Que. Good. Great tonality. No complaints.
Lastly a nameless tribrid apparently by SonicSeer. Got quad Sonion ESTs. At least I hope it has. It does have that smoothness of ESTs in the treble. A wing and a prayer buy from AliExpress.
Oh yeah and the Penon Serial. Thatās 6. But fuck it.
Iām not sure theyāre still being manufactured. Apparently Penon didnāt make much on them as theyāre difficult to mass produce with consistent sound. Multiple DDs covering different frequencies never really did catch on, maybe for that reason. Anyway these need power to really bring out the body. They work without it but are best treated like a planar. I donāt think older sets age badly. Maybe the price does, but not necessarily. And thereās less homogeneity in tuning the deeper back you reach. The relentless turnover of products and churn of marketing (your favourite YTer) demanding the new is always the pinnacle or the āmetaā. For a month or so until the next one.
In the process of rebuilding my IEM collection so will have less than five (favorites) to list, but more coming in the future. Currently, the following are in rotation and depending on the mood (as I similarly do with my vacuum tubes)ā¦
Thank you so much for mentioning that your IEM choices (and tube choices) really does depend on your mood. This is a very significant thing for me. IEMs which sound really nice when I am wide awake may not sound as nice as other IEMs when I am feeling tired or when I am feeling that I need to relax.
Hello people, it has been a long while since I posted my Top 5. Letās say a lot of things have changed to my collection. They are much fewer now, but the quality has risen up at least for me.
1.) Unique Melody MEST MKII - Yeah, I cannot stop using this IEM still and probably still best from my collection. Perfect blend of a musical set and a technical set for my library just gotten better ever since getting this. Comfortable IEMs as well and natural sound isolation from this one is top notch.
2.) Xenns Top Pro - I think this one is a price point where most people within reason can finally stop with this set. This is a 500USD set but I got this one for around 300USD which is an absolute steal for the price point. Iām glad I got this for this one is a keeper for the overall sound presentation and technicalities of this set, punches above its weight. Yes, this one and the Mest MKII goes neck in neck in sounds.
3.) Letshuoer Ember - The total opposite of my tuning preference, for it is a Planar set that is a dark but lush musical set. Itās the opposite of my preference for I prefer more of a sound that does not have too much coloration but I am in need of that impressive technicalities of the sound, for I want to hear every detail, nuances, small things and the real track what it is meant to be. Took a while for the tuning to grow on me and it did, and for real this is a musical set.
4.) Elysian Acoustic Labs Pilgrim - This former IEM king from my list is now at the 4th. To be honest I was going to sell this as an additional fee for my Top Pro back then, but no one wanted to get it. So for now, itās in my collection and yes itās still being used until there is someone interested to get it.
5.) Leteciel Magiris - 1DD+1BA set of just the right tuning. It does not impresses or exaggerates the tuning of the track, it just plays how the said track was meant to be played in my opinion, and that would be natural. Fifth at the moment since I find myself using the MEST MKII and Xenns Top Pro more often than I should but I still do remember the relaxing vibes that I get from the Magiris.
Yeah if I own these sets, it would be a tough time having an appropriate top 5, for all of these are just way out of my range lol. Awesome collection by the way.
