Colour me surprised! I was half-expecting people to have forgotten the DUSK since it was released back in April (you see recency bias all the time in GOTY awards for instance). Thank you all for the support, and here's to an even better 2025!
Definitely recency bias is a factor. I think with regard to People's Choice, it's counter-acted by the fact it takes time for people to get ahold of things and hear them. Gawd you mentioned GOTY awards, the recency bias with that used to drive me nuts back when I cared 😩
@@SuperReview People's Choice is influenced by affordability + popularity (+ sound) so it makes sense. It's a cheap mid-fi IEM (affordability) and a Crin collab (popularity) which also sounds good, which = many ppl owned it, which = many votes. For example, I wouldn't be surprised if the PMG Apx SE got 0 votes on some polls. Any random mid-fi IEM could beat any $3k+ flagship IEM on People's Choice purely for this reason. It's also why on HBB's poll (where his stuff is more expensive), the kilobucks beat the flagships, simply because more of his viewers bought kilobuck IEMs but few of them bought flagship IEMs.
Congratulations Crin, and am glad that mu Dusk from The Hangout should be delivered by tomorrow, I can see it's already around Cape Town, my city. It seems I will really have fun with it.
Thanks for choosing my comment on the Dusk. Having bought 21 IEMs this year, I really like both the vocal forward tuning (anolog), and the more balanced tuning (default DSP) of the Dusk. Its like having two great tuning (for me) in one IEM.
The DSP controversy is funny because the speaker circle has more widely adopted DSP and EQ, especially for correcting speakers for the enbironment they are in.
Yeah I'm not very in touch with the speaker community, but there seems to be more understanding of the influence of room on the sound vs. headphones/IEMs understanding of HRTF. I will say, EQ on portables is also more of a pain in the butt because of switching devices and headphones.
@@GoufinAround_ Is this like the Ron Popeil school of criticism, "Don't you hate it when your DSP functionality doesn't work?" < plays video of a many clumsily tripping over a touch screen and breaking his phone >
when i first saw the Brain Dance i was like "thats too much treble, is it even that good?", then i had the chance to test it and then i understood that Dunu wasnt playing when they did the Brain Dance, you have all the detail, the clarity, the open sound, the crisp resolution, without blasting your ears with harshness, it does get fatiguing sooner or later, but you get a kind of clinical sound that is also pretty energetic and lively, somehow.
Bought the Dusk after this video! I'm completely satisfied with both the DSP and the analog tuning! and the Dusk IEM also looks amazing! Thanks for this video!
Hello, thanks for quoting me for the Hype 4! Obviously, not everyone is able to test many of the products that came out this year. The most important thing is for everyone to find the one that suits their music tastes.
Honestly i was going to buy the dusk as a little present for myself. I mostly listen on my phone though, which is an iphone 13, so no usb c. So in order to use the dsp tuning i'd have to get a qudelix or something similar. Ended up getting the braindance and couldn't be happier. One of the best IEMs i've heard.
Thank you Mark for getting me back into 'music' (not just iPhone and Airpods as it has been for many years) Recently got the Activo P1 DAP and the Meze Alba (after seeing your review) and have been thoroughly enjoying the experience (I fear IEMs are going to be a Rabbit Hole for me haha). Great review and you are on the money with My Method Actor - album is amazing (Ready for Sun being my favorite)
Wireless iems are generally considered not as good as similarly priced iems. The best rated tws wouldn't even be in the same conversation as a blessing 3 or hype 4
@@vianhoho19 Not sure if directed at me, but I'll answer for myself: I use multiple devices and multiple headphones, not all devices support PEQ, and even with the ones that do I find it too tedious to use EQ every time I connect, and hate forgetting that I left a PEQ profile on when I switch to a different headphone that the profile wasn't made for. It's just annoying to use.
@ I agree that, in terms of sound, wireless IEMs do not compete with their wired counterparts. Most of the time anyway. This is more for the DSP vs no DSP debate. I know Crin has mentioned that he believes DSP is the future of audio. And I can see that happening at some point. Once the kinks have been ironed out.
The Dusk is my favorite as well. I am looking at it as an end game purchase. I use the DSP cable on my Android phone, and I find I can use USB Audio Player with Morphit PEQ to add a couple of bass shelves on top of the default EQ (+2 db at 200 hz and +1 db at 50 hz) to fully take advantage of the dual bass drivers. I also found using squiglink, I can take the default DSP tuning and devise PEQs to have the Dusk emulate other IEMs, and I feel confident doing this b/c of the quality of the drivers. My favorite emulation doing this is the Thieaudio Monarch Mk 2 which is a bit more vocal centric than Dusk Default, but still has a clean, uncluttered, full-range presentation.
I got my dusk on preorder, but I haven't used it much really. I just like my Hype 10 so much more so I use them way more frequently. I also bought the Tanchjim Origin after the Shenzhen show, so that's 2/5 of the top 5😂. I just got the Moondrop Meteor a few days back and it sounds amazing, but I needed to tweak the tuning a bit with EQ to suit my preference. It's still too early to say if the Meteor is a contender for my favorite of the year due to recency bias. So I would say the Hype 10 with Effectaudio Eros S and Spinfit omni is still my favorite. The neutral and clear vocals, the rich and punchy bass, and the detailed and exciting treble, it's the complete package.
Sitting here with my DCA E3 & Noire X, Dusk and Mega 5 EST. I was so blown away by the Noire X that I immediately ordered the E3 (this coming from someone who said he'd never buy another Dan Clark Audio headphone after owning an Ether which I hated). For me, the Mega 5 EST is the better fit for me vs the Dusk. It literally fits me much better and sounds fantastic to my ears. I love it. IEM of the year for me. It's nice to see the majority agreeing on the best gear of the year. Thanks for the video.
I passed on the dusk for the DSP and quality issues you mentioned. The brain dance was my favorite of the year. A more exciting dusk, if you will. Great video I like all the picks!
Excellent summary of 2024 best IEMs! thank-you. I feel Crin's tuning of the Dusk, (the analog) *is* so very good. It's no surprise the Moondrop Dusk is your favorite of the year.
Love the music you listen to. My favorite iem of 2024 is the Penon Fan 3 that came out this summer, would love for you to have a listen. Also, after long listening, my Origins get HOT.
Mega5EST, DUNU DK3001BD, Tanchjim Origin, some solid competition you got yourself into. Interesting to see the Dusk comes out a winner. Happy New year mate.
Hi Mark! I always enjoy your videos! My first 3 iems were kz zsx, earsonics es-3 and moondrop/massdrop kato i believe. My fave is penon 10th ann. I like iems on the warm/bassy side but not overly so. I want an iem with a BCD; what have you heard about the Apevoix Grit? Can't afford something like the tansio shock or thieaudio origin. Thanks Mark!
Enjoyed this video. Finished up and thought I’d go buy the dusk but all Google is full of is reviews saying they’re thin on 3.5 which makes me doubt them. Only have a m300 to drive them
here's my hot take: if an earphone is capable and good enough, any eq and dsp won't make it (a lot) worse or better. personal tuning preference shouldn't be as big of a factor since that's highly subjective. if dusk can appeal with both dsp or analog tuning each to its own audience then that's a good earphone.
My earphone of the year is.... soundcore aerofit pro... Not a great sounding set but one that has spent the most time on my ears... extremely comfortable, I can wear it while I'm out and about or cycling and has seemless mulitpoint bluetooth. It's been months since I heard my 7A Supernova and I rarely use my EA Gaea. Most of my other IEMs have been loaned or given away to friends and family. 2024 is the year I truely feel I've exited the hobby, with my final purchase being the Sennheiser HD490 Pro... finally feel that I didn't need anything better.
@SuperReview I still enjoy your videos though despite no longer having the urge to buy anymore iems! I'm waiting for the day you review something that clicks with me again...
Thank you Mark❗️☀️ My album of the year is also Method actor I enjoy to this album the most for some reason with Symphonium Helios 😊 So I will probably have to have The Dusk in my collection...✌️ 😁 ❤️
To be honest, the Dusk aren't my favorite iems, but they certainly are on of my favorite iems ever, along with the Variations and the Monarch Mk III. The Dusk just have that pleasant airiness that not even the kilobuck Monarch Mk III have. Truly an outstanding set of iems among my collection.
Dusk! Well, I thought Brain Dance had it in the bag with an *exciting* last minute victory. Hat tip to Crinacle for making a dent in 2024. Agreed on Dusk’s looks too, a nice twist on Dark Saber. Not too shabby for Origin. Especially liked how that set never felt claustrophobic and performed well on space and instrument separation. Fun year.
@@SuperReview Still great, though can't go back to stock tuning. After your PEQ suggestion cooled off Kadenz in a good way, I'm loving it even more. It's been holding its own in a Battle Royale with a special set. The 3.5k region adjustment must've cooled things off. Hat tip to you for that advice. This experience is making me consider a Hiby R4/R6MK3 for their Global PEQ + Global MSEB under one hood. Attractive to have a tuning tool like that going forward, since it doesn't look like Fiio will add Global PEQ to M11 Plus.
I get your top pick, but I am an admitted basshead, and my top 3 are the Arcadia, Explorer, and Doscinco ( honorable mentions to Deuce and Sivga Que ).
I ordered the dusk today. I hope I will like it. I listened to the Sennheiser IE200 today and I liked it. But it wasn't comfortable for me at all, more precisely the cable was rubbish. A friend of mine told me that i should buy the Dusk because it should sound way better than the IE200. Do you listen to the Sennheiser IE200. And would you agree? I hope i did the right choice for me 😅👍
Hey Mark, are there any IEMs that are direct upgrades to the Zero 2? I like the tuning on that one and was looking for a subtle upgrade at $30-50, or even around $70-80 for an upgrade to my upgrade (haha) if you could give me a few recommendations. Thanks man!
At 300 dollars, the timsok ts-316 impressed me more than the origin, that set was fine, rare flat sounding single dd, my dad even preferred the ea500lm to it
For anyone looking for some creative indie pop, here's my pop album of the year: Imaginal Disk by Magdalena Bay. Enjoy! I'm off to check Nilufer Nanya.
I love the Dunu DK3001BD so so so much i don't wanna use anything else BUT unfortunately i have my second IEM of those here and the right one had both times a Buzzing noise. I cant explain it other than DUNU having a production issue on this IEM. EDIT: Yes i made many tests different outlets, testing back and forth with other IEMs on same outlets and so on.
Nice vid. I don't understand how using DSP can be considered controversial. When you consider all the "manipulation" that goes into the engineering of any audio track, why would using DSP to refine or improve the sound be objectionable? In the end, what matters is what comes out of the speakers and bounces off your eardrum. Everything else is processing, digital-to-analog conversion, amplification, etc.
I think some of it comes down to the "purity" misunderstanding you're pointing to, but I think it's more nuanced than that. If DSP is fair game in pursuit of an ideal sound, it kind of negates the point of the hobby -- since you can use DSP with any IEM and make it sound how you want.
2024 was the year I got into iems, I have both the truthear zero and zero red, but my dad got me the DUSK for christmas and those are my new favorite iem. my current list is as follows: 1. moondrop dusk (I only use analog btw), 2. truthear zero, 3. truthear zero: red. I've also heard many good things about the aful explorers and they are a good price, so might be getting those.
Dusk ftw. I actually prefer dusk without dsp the vocals sound better to me. Plus the dsp sounds a lot like mega5est and I have both. I prefer dusk over the mega5est too so I agree with y’all on that one.
@TheMmau100 Hey there, the reason Dusk and Da Vinci were sold is due to the Ziigaat Odyssey existing. Cheaper by far and more natural tonality, on par or greater technicalities. And did I mention cheaper?
If the Dusks check all the boxes we should all order a pair asap I would but i got the FIIO FT1 sailing on the Pacific Ocean or at the San Pedro shipping port; but i would absolutely order a Dusk and if i had two grand ill snag the Dan Clarks for sure!
Hi! Between Aful explorer and P7, which one should i buy if i am treble sensitive? I still want warm but detailed sound, though. I have Yu Xuan Ji from TANGZU, and they are neutral and were uncomfortable for me but i can wear them for 2 hours or more with spinfit cp145 eartips.
Oh wow you got the Moondrop Dusk as your winner, I see this year the fight was really tough, I am currently editing my best audio find of 2024 video as well. Hope to post it soon.. BTW Happy New Year Mark, hope you and your family have a great one.
Thanks for doing this list! Looking to upgrade from my Hexas to something more premium with a bit more bass. Have been shopping the Mega5est, Dusk and now the Brain Dance. What would you suggest? :)
Im new in this hobby,I just got tanchjim origin after the tangzu waner its great so far. My next one is gonna be explorer i hope its gonna be fun and relax but i heard 5+2 is its upgrade. Any recommanded (sry my english)
Same get explorer has sub bass to midrange sauce + smooth details then dynaquattro dd are very good eq / dac / amplifiers + vocals like origin + endgame bass then mega5est for end game overall with meta tuned + etherial est sauce🤞✨️
@@JkV-t7r I listen to Jpop and Kpop, Supermix is slightly shouty and too sparkly for me. But if you like treble, there's no other set with more air and detail at that price
What's the cable he used for the Aful Explorer? I've been trying to find extra cables for my other pairs but I found the 2-pin part to be very tall on most replacements online
It's on the ThieAudio Hype 4's cable at the moment. I used to have the Truthear Gate cable on the Explorer, but stole it for the white+white match on the Hype.
Haven’t watched yet, but I would guess Dusk for you Mine would be the Pilgrim or maybe even the KE4 Just a quick question: what happened to the Bokeh video?
I was intrigued to find out where the Dunu Glacier was going to rank in your top 5, only to find it’s not there. Is that mostly because of the price? Do you like the sound of all 5 of these a lot more than the Glacier?
Glacier is really nice. I think because it's a little contrasty and the ear pieces are physically heavy, I didn't listen to it as much as these others.
19:24 Think people could have problems with the smooth nozzle of the Explorer, surely in this day and age a lip or step isnt that hard to impliment, imo this could impact sales.On the moondrop, no doubt its a descent set,but qc, is an issue, forums, reviews, reflect this, too risky in my opinion.Out of your picks i would get the braindance, i like the Dunu, multifit system headphone ,just get the Audioquest Nightowls most comfortable headphone ever made.
IMO New Dusk is less contrasty / vee than B2:Dusk, and the bass is less distracting so even though it's fairly subtle changes I like the new one a lot more.
I also like the Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk with and without DSP. Something I think maybe late to the party is the 7hz Timeless 2 IMHO. I know you didn't care for the OG Timeless . I went with the AE version and liked it. I think the V2 is better than both of them.
Although I miss my SL-41 for the overall best Build + Tuning + Value iem ever there is no denial than the Hype-4 was my most impressive sound upgrade ever (not that much from the SL-41 but still). Last year I would have said Pula-02 but the QC with the pin ruined the value. That issue is still present in the Hype4 mind you.
The Hype 4 for me is great. Fit, sound, it's the total package. The Thieaudio Origin is an upgrade from it. I absolutely love them. The Dusk for me was really bass light I had to and like 10db of bass, it may just be my unit.
2024 was in interesting iem year but was a pass year for me in general. I have my ie600, meteors, and hexas from prior years. At some point I will ditch them but prob a few years out before getting the itch.
This channel for me great if i wanna check the fits of iems! We have kinda same earshape and nice check in for the fits!But for the rest….👎🏻!I sorry for those whos cant here changes between 3.5 and 4.4 specially at dap’s and dongles!But like dusk what is tuned for a dsp dongle….and its on a “normal” wired cable……come ooooooon!!!!
Here's my two cents: We need more price to performance representation in end-of-year lists. The cheapest set here is 120usd, and that is still big money for most working people around the world
Does Mega 5 even count as releasing in 2024? It's been rebranded so many times; The original is an old IEM by now. Even the bass edition is just a rebrand of a variant that already existed.
It came out in 2023 I believe, but I didn't hear it until 2024. For me, anything is eligible for Yearphone if it wasn't eligible in a previous year -- and since I didn't hear Megafest in 2023, it wasn't eligible that year.
Great video. You should try the new DCA noire X. It is so close to the level of E3 now and in some ways it is better than that (airy treble) but it differs from person to person. Improvements to the aeon 2 noire.
Colour me surprised! I was half-expecting people to have forgotten the DUSK since it was released back in April (you see recency bias all the time in GOTY awards for instance).
Thank you all for the support, and here's to an even better 2025!
Definitely recency bias is a factor. I think with regard to People's Choice, it's counter-acted by the fact it takes time for people to get ahold of things and hear them.
Gawd you mentioned GOTY awards, the recency bias with that used to drive me nuts back when I cared 😩
@@SuperReview People's Choice is influenced by affordability + popularity (+ sound) so it makes sense. It's a cheap mid-fi IEM (affordability) and a Crin collab (popularity) which also sounds good, which = many ppl owned it, which = many votes. For example, I wouldn't be surprised if the PMG Apx SE got 0 votes on some polls. Any random mid-fi IEM could beat any $3k+ flagship IEM on People's Choice purely for this reason. It's also why on HBB's poll (where his stuff is more expensive), the kilobucks beat the flagships, simply because more of his viewers bought kilobuck IEMs but few of them bought flagship IEMs.
When you gonna release those collabs?
Well all know SWK was robbed
Congratulations Crin, and am glad that mu Dusk from The Hangout should be delivered by tomorrow, I can see it's already around Cape Town, my city. It seems I will really have fun with it.
duy
I shouldn't understand this but I do.
busk
kubs
B U S K
busk
Great list, Mark! We definitely think Crin deserves the nod here :) Excited to see yr thoughts on the Volume S, whenever that comes out!
Thanks for choosing my comment on the Dusk. Having bought 21 IEMs this year, I really like both the vocal forward tuning (anolog), and the more balanced tuning (default DSP) of the Dusk. Its like having two great tuning (for me) in one IEM.
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Its means he can hear differencen somehow 🤙😂😂😂😂
End of the year videos are the best, Thanks for a great year in reviews 😃
The DSP controversy is funny because the speaker circle has more widely adopted DSP and EQ, especially for correcting speakers for the enbironment they are in.
Yeah I'm not very in touch with the speaker community, but there seems to be more understanding of the influence of room on the sound vs. headphones/IEMs understanding of HRTF. I will say, EQ on portables is also more of a pain in the butt because of switching devices and headphones.
If the dsp functionality worked, it wouldn't be a big deal
@@GoufinAround_ it works fine, the app is a little wonky. i use my dusk almost exclusively with my phone and i don't have any issues.
Exactly, what?? It's the fact that it doesn't work properly. Otherwise, it's good.
@@GoufinAround_ Is this like the Ron Popeil school of criticism, "Don't you hate it when your DSP functionality doesn't work?" < plays video of a many clumsily tripping over a touch screen and breaking his phone >
when i first saw the Brain Dance i was like "thats too much treble, is it even that good?", then i had the chance to test it and then i understood that Dunu wasnt playing when they did the Brain Dance, you have all the detail, the clarity, the open sound, the crisp resolution, without blasting your ears with harshness, it does get fatiguing sooner or later, but you get a kind of clinical sound that is also pretty energetic and lively, somehow.
Bought the Dusk after this video! I'm completely satisfied with both the DSP and the analog tuning! and the Dusk IEM also looks amazing! Thanks for this video!
Also, what cable are you using on your Dusk here?
Hello, thanks for quoting me for the Hype 4! Obviously, not everyone is able to test many of the products that came out this year. The most important thing is for everyone to find the one that suits their music tastes.
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Honestly i was going to buy the dusk as a little present for myself. I mostly listen on my phone though, which is an iphone 13, so no usb c. So in order to use the dsp tuning i'd have to get a qudelix or something similar. Ended up getting the braindance and couldn't be happier. One of the best IEMs i've heard.
Just buy a USB C to lightning adaptor
I bought the Explorer this year as my first hybrid IEM, and I love it! Its relaxed and bassy but at the same time has plenty of detail and clarity
Thank you Mark for getting me back into 'music' (not just iPhone and Airpods as it has been for many years) Recently got the Activo P1 DAP and the Meze Alba (after seeing your review) and have been thoroughly enjoying the experience (I fear IEMs are going to be a Rabbit Hole for me haha). Great review and you are on the money with My Method Actor - album is amazing (Ready for Sun being my favorite)
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Funny how DSP is such a debate on whether it’s good or not for wired IEMs when wireless IEMs have been using DSP for years in some way or another.
My only issues with DSP are practicality / UX.
Why do you think that is, though? I have some ideas but I wanna know what you think first.
Wireless iems are generally considered not as good as similarly priced iems. The best rated tws wouldn't even be in the same conversation as a blessing 3 or hype 4
@@vianhoho19 Not sure if directed at me, but I'll answer for myself: I use multiple devices and multiple headphones, not all devices support PEQ, and even with the ones that do I find it too tedious to use EQ every time I connect, and hate forgetting that I left a PEQ profile on when I switch to a different headphone that the profile wasn't made for. It's just annoying to use.
@ I agree that, in terms of sound, wireless IEMs do not compete with their wired counterparts. Most of the time anyway. This is more for the DSP vs no DSP debate.
I know Crin has mentioned that he believes DSP is the future of audio. And I can see that happening at some point. Once the kinks have been ironed out.
Fantastic video to end the year, Thanks! Now you got me thinking bout the Dusk...
It's worth thinking about 😎
The Dusk is my favorite as well. I am looking at it as an end game purchase. I use the DSP cable on my Android phone, and I find I can use USB Audio Player with Morphit PEQ to add a couple of bass shelves on top of the default EQ (+2 db at 200 hz and +1 db at 50 hz) to fully take advantage of the dual bass drivers. I also found using squiglink, I can take the default DSP tuning and devise PEQs to have the Dusk emulate other IEMs, and I feel confident doing this b/c of the quality of the drivers. My favorite emulation doing this is the Thieaudio Monarch Mk 2 which is a bit more vocal centric than Dusk Default, but still has a clean, uncluttered, full-range presentation.
I got my dusk on preorder, but I haven't used it much really. I just like my Hype 10 so much more so I use them way more frequently. I also bought the Tanchjim Origin after the Shenzhen show, so that's 2/5 of the top 5😂. I just got the Moondrop Meteor a few days back and it sounds amazing, but I needed to tweak the tuning a bit with EQ to suit my preference. It's still too early to say if the Meteor is a contender for my favorite of the year due to recency bias. So I would say the Hype 10 with Effectaudio Eros S and Spinfit omni is still my favorite. The neutral and clear vocals, the rich and punchy bass, and the detailed and exciting treble, it's the complete package.
The explorer is a glitch in the matrix, its sound signature is so good that it can compete with almost anything.
You can believe anything. Very little of will be true.
@@En_Joshi-Godrez So you don't disagree with me, cool
@@sssf55 try learning English before you comment in it. To avoid future embarrassment. Just my advice.
Sitting here with my DCA E3 & Noire X, Dusk and Mega 5 EST. I was so blown away by the Noire X that I immediately ordered the E3 (this coming from someone who said he'd never buy another Dan Clark Audio headphone after owning an Ether which I hated). For me, the Mega 5 EST is the better fit for me vs the Dusk. It literally fits me much better and sounds fantastic to my ears. I love it. IEM of the year for me. It's nice to see the majority agreeing on the best gear of the year. Thanks for the video.
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I passed on the dusk for the DSP and quality issues you mentioned. The brain dance was my favorite of the year. A more exciting dusk, if you will. Great video I like all the picks!
1000th upvote.... thanks for the nice video and comparison.
This made me smile a lot since I've rocking the Moondrop Dusk for a while.
Excellent summary of 2024 best IEMs! thank-you. I feel Crin's tuning of the Dusk, (the analog) *is* so very good. It's no surprise the Moondrop Dusk is your favorite of the year.
Love the music you listen to. My favorite iem of 2024 is the Penon Fan 3 that came out this summer, would love for you to have a listen. Also, after long listening, my Origins get HOT.
How does the Xenns Mangird top hold up today?
Thanks Mark. Appreciate your videos❤
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Mega5EST, DUNU DK3001BD, Tanchjim Origin, some solid competition you got yourself into. Interesting to see the Dusk comes out a winner. Happy New year mate.
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great video, thanks a lot
guess someone is happy with his Hiby Dap.
Hope you a have a great 2025.
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Hi Mark! I always enjoy your videos! My first 3 iems were kz zsx, earsonics es-3 and moondrop/massdrop kato i believe. My fave is penon 10th ann. I like iems on the warm/bassy side but not overly so. I want an iem with a BCD; what have you heard about the Apevoix Grit? Can't afford something like the tansio shock or thieaudio origin. Thanks Mark!
Enjoyed this video. Finished up and thought I’d go buy the dusk but all
Google is full of is reviews saying they’re thin on 3.5 which makes me doubt them. Only have a m300 to drive them
Bro, your opinion. Campfire Moon Rover or FEBOS MEGA5EST ?
Megafest.
@ 🙏
Happy new year Charlie :)
Nice, unfortunate to have missed a live session. Hope this year was good for you and the discord crew!
Cheers Kelvin, how've you been?
here's my hot take: if an earphone is capable and good enough, any eq and dsp won't make it (a lot) worse or better. personal tuning preference shouldn't be as big of a factor since that's highly subjective. if dusk can appeal with both dsp or analog tuning each to its own audience then that's a good earphone.
Im saving for the ThieAudio Prestige Ltd
Totally worth it
Smooth airy treble. The way that thing stages and replays music is insane. But I stuck with the Mk3. The bass is more than enough too. Trust!
My earphone of the year is.... soundcore aerofit pro... Not a great sounding set but one that has spent the most time on my ears... extremely comfortable, I can wear it while I'm out and about or cycling and has seemless mulitpoint bluetooth.
It's been months since I heard my 7A Supernova and I rarely use my EA Gaea. Most of my other IEMs have been loaned or given away to friends and family. 2024 is the year I truely feel I've exited the hobby, with my final purchase being the Sennheiser HD490 Pro... finally feel that I didn't need anything better.
Nice! Funny enough, my Shokz bonephones are my most-used audio product for the past 5+ years, don't tell anyone.
@SuperReview I still enjoy your videos though despite no longer having the urge to buy anymore iems! I'm waiting for the day you review something that clicks with me again...
Thank you Mark❗️☀️ My album of the year is also Method actor I enjoy to this album the most for some reason with Symphonium Helios 😊 So I will probably have to have The Dusk in my collection...✌️ 😁 ❤️
The best part of doing this video is smoking out all the other Nilufer fans.
Happy New Year Mark ❗️☀️🎇♥️ Thank you for all the reviews in 2024 and all the best to 2025✌️💯🙏😇
Nice year end wrap up! Looking forward to a great start to the NY.
What's the Ducbloke Yearphone?
@@SuperReview Actually would love to hear your thought and PEQ the Dusk if you have the chance @Ducbloke !
@SuperReview I'm going with the Alpha Omega Ra. $700 of S-Tier goodness.
To be honest, the Dusk aren't my favorite iems, but they certainly are on of my favorite iems ever, along with the Variations and the Monarch Mk III. The Dusk just have that pleasant airiness that not even the kilobuck Monarch Mk III have. Truly an outstanding set of iems among my collection.
Dusk!
Well, I thought Brain Dance had it in the bag with an *exciting* last minute victory. Hat tip to Crinacle for making a dent in 2024. Agreed on Dusk’s looks too, a nice twist on Dark Saber.
Not too shabby for Origin. Especially liked how that set never felt claustrophobic and performed well on space and instrument separation.
Fun year.
How's Kadenz treating you? Mine's out on loan.
@@SuperReview Still great, though can't go back to stock tuning. After your PEQ suggestion cooled off Kadenz in a good way, I'm loving it even more. It's been holding its own in a Battle Royale with a special set. The 3.5k region adjustment must've cooled things off. Hat tip to you for that advice.
This experience is making me consider a Hiby R4/R6MK3 for their Global PEQ + Global MSEB under one hood. Attractive to have a tuning tool like that going forward, since it doesn't look like Fiio will add Global PEQ to M11 Plus.
I get your top pick, but I am an admitted basshead, and my top 3 are the Arcadia, Explorer, and Doscinco ( honorable mentions to Deuce and Sivga Que ).
Kinda amazing when I look at the hobby how it seems more geared toward the trebly crowd. I crave more bass!
omg what's the beautiful cable you are using for the hype 4 sir?
It's the Truthear Gate cable 🤌
My bet on what's getting kicked out on the "Biased" list: S8
Dunu BD is a suprise set for me, the clarity is insane.
I ordered the dusk today. I hope I will like it. I listened to the Sennheiser IE200 today and I liked it. But it wasn't comfortable for me at all, more precisely the cable was rubbish. A friend of mine told me that i should buy the Dusk because it should sound way better than the IE200. Do you listen to the Sennheiser IE200. And would you agree? I hope i did the right choice for me 😅👍
Nice year with the IEM reviews. Somehow I could tell that was Explorer with part of the cable poking out. AFUL Cantor would be my pick.
What if I said... the Explorer is on a ThieAudio cable
@@SuperReview
thank u very much...😊
Hey Mark, are there any IEMs that are direct upgrades to the Zero 2?
I like the tuning on that one and was looking for a subtle upgrade at $30-50, or even around $70-80 for an upgrade to my upgrade (haha) if you could give me a few recommendations.
Thanks man!
At 300 dollars, the timsok ts-316 impressed me more than the origin, that set was fine, rare flat sounding single dd, my dad even preferred the ea500lm to it
For anyone looking for some creative indie pop, here's my pop album of the year: Imaginal Disk by Magdalena Bay. Enjoy!
I'm off to check Nilufer Nanya.
Imaginal Disk is great too 👍
Niice
I love the Dunu DK3001BD so so so much i don't wanna use anything else BUT unfortunately i have my second IEM of those here and the right one had both times a Buzzing noise. I cant explain it other than DUNU having a production issue on this IEM.
EDIT: Yes i made many tests different outlets, testing back and forth with other IEMs on same outlets and so on.
Oof, interesting -- 2-pin or MMCX version?
Favourite iem reviewer is also a nilufer yanya fan, what a cool surprise
Nice vid. I don't understand how using DSP can be considered controversial. When you consider all the "manipulation" that goes into the engineering of any audio track, why would using DSP to refine or improve the sound be objectionable? In the end, what matters is what comes out of the speakers and bounces off your eardrum. Everything else is processing, digital-to-analog conversion, amplification, etc.
I thought the controversy was more to do with the noise introduced by the dsp cable as well as poorly developed software, than the use of DSP.
I think some of it comes down to the "purity" misunderstanding you're pointing to, but I think it's more nuanced than that. If DSP is fair game in pursuit of an ideal sound, it kind of negates the point of the hobby -- since you can use DSP with any IEM and make it sound how you want.
excellent. thank-you.
@@SuperReviewI guess we have very different hobbies. I don't get why you wouldn't want your music to sound the best for you it can
@@CookinBeatloaf You could probably find out if you asked nicely instead of making a condescending comment!
What cable and eartip do you use with the Moondrop Dusk?
TRN T tips, and Moondrop KATO cable
@@SuperReview thnx :)
2024 was the year I got into iems, I have both the truthear zero and zero red, but my dad got me the DUSK for christmas and those are my new favorite iem. my current list is as follows:
1. moondrop dusk (I only use analog btw), 2. truthear zero, 3. truthear zero: red. I've also heard many good things about the aful explorers and they are a good price, so might be getting those.
What tips are you using on the Mega5est?
TRN T tips
The Method album sounds mesmerizing on my Monarch mk2, thanks a ton!
Dusk ftw. I actually prefer dusk without dsp the vocals sound better to me. Plus the dsp sounds a lot like mega5est and I have both. I prefer dusk over the mega5est too so I agree with y’all on that one.
I just sold my Dusk after Christmas 😛😁And the Explorer before
Why is that?
@TheMmau100 Hey there, the reason Dusk and Da Vinci were sold is due to the Ziigaat Odyssey existing. Cheaper by far and more natural tonality, on par or greater technicalities. And did I mention cheaper?
One of the best year phone: 2024 ❤️❤️❤️
Hey Mark (or anyone else), do you have an amazon/aliexpress link for the storage boxes for your iems?
I use Tap Plastics FT-33 boxes. www.tapplastics.com/product/plastics/plastic_containers/flex_hinge_polypropylene_box/229
@@SuperReview 🙏
Oh, wow! I'll just say that my MTH Awards is going up on Monday and, in a way, this video acts as a spoiler 😂
LOL
If the Dusks check all the boxes we should all order a pair asap I would but i got the FIIO FT1 sailing on the Pacific Ocean or at the San Pedro shipping port; but i would absolutely order a Dusk and if i had two grand ill snag the Dan Clarks for sure!
Hi! Between Aful explorer and P7, which one should i buy if i am treble sensitive? I still want warm but detailed sound, though. I have Yu Xuan Ji from TANGZU, and they are neutral and were uncomfortable for me but i can wear them for 2 hours or more with spinfit cp145 eartips.
Explorer is definitely warmer.
Oh wow you got the Moondrop Dusk as your winner, I see this year the fight was really tough, I am currently editing my best audio find of 2024 video as well. Hope to post it soon.. BTW Happy New Year Mark, hope you and your family have a great one.
Happy new year 🤙
Totally agree on the Yanya album. It's brilliant.
Thanks for doing this list! Looking to upgrade from my Hexas to something more premium with a bit more bass. Have been shopping the Mega5est, Dusk and now the Brain Dance. What would you suggest? :)
Look out for a review next week of something that sounds to me Hexa + a bit more bass.
Surely the Softears Volume S @@SuperReview
@@lokrj 😉
Thanks! Will keep an eye out! :)
Does tea pro compare to the mega5est?
Great video!
🤙
can you measure the Kefine Klean?
If they come through the studio, for sure.
if u don't mind, what is the cable u have on the "hype 4"..?
Truthear Gate cable
Explorer best bang for the buck!!
Im new in this hobby,I just got tanchjim origin after the tangzu waner its great so far. My next one is gonna be explorer i hope its gonna be fun and relax but i heard 5+2 is its upgrade. Any recommanded (sry my english)
I prefer the 5+2, more all rounded than the Explorer. If you want to rock all the time then maybe the Explorer is better for you.
Same get explorer has sub bass to midrange sauce + smooth details then dynaquattro dd are very good eq / dac / amplifiers + vocals like origin + endgame bass then mega5est for end game overall with meta tuned + etherial est sauce🤞✨️
100 to 150 dollar segment explorer or supermix 4 which one is better sir
Do you want warm and relaxed or bright and spicy?
@SuperReview I want energetic and smooth enjoy the different genre songs like a south indian songs and kpop ,jazz, etc...
@@JkV-t7r maybe supermix 4 it is. Explorer is laidback and not energetic at all
@@JkV-t7r I listen to Jpop and Kpop, Supermix is slightly shouty and too sparkly for me. But if you like treble, there's no other set with more air and detail at that price
can you please do a review of ziigaat odyssey?
9:26 is this the one with harsh treble?
I think the treble is quite smooth.
To some yes.
What's the cable he used for the Aful Explorer? I've been trying to find extra cables for my other pairs but I found the 2-pin part to be very tall on most replacements online
It's on the ThieAudio Hype 4's cable at the moment. I used to have the Truthear Gate cable on the Explorer, but stole it for the white+white match on the Hype.
Haven’t watched yet, but I would guess Dusk for you
Mine would be the Pilgrim or maybe even the KE4
Just a quick question: what happened to the Bokeh video?
It's coming, just spacing things out.
@@SuperReviewokok, thanks! Just watched the video and I was right hehe 😂
Check out the song “Melt” from her first album Miss Universe. Great album overall but I replayed that again and again when it came out
Great track.
the best iem for me is i didnt buy any iem this year so money in bank lol
but interested at kiwi ears punch, bassy set is always fun
I was intrigued to find out where the Dunu Glacier was going to rank in your top 5, only to find it’s not there. Is that mostly because of the price? Do you like the sound of all 5 of these a lot more than the Glacier?
Glacier is really nice. I think because it's a little contrasty and the ear pieces are physically heavy, I didn't listen to it as much as these others.
Gotcha. Thank you for your response, and thank you for another amazing year of audio reviews
19:24 Think people could have problems with the smooth nozzle of the Explorer, surely in this day and age a lip or step isnt that hard to impliment, imo this could impact sales.On the moondrop, no doubt its a descent set,but qc, is an issue, forums, reviews, reflect this, too risky in my opinion.Out of your picks i would get the braindance, i like the Dunu, multifit system headphone ,just get the Audioquest Nightowls most comfortable headphone ever made.
The QC memes on forums are empirically fake news. There is data from thousands of IEMs on Squiglink, Moondrop QC is normal.
Well Dusk analog is B2: Dusk tuning, so if you loved the old one...
IMO New Dusk is less contrasty / vee than B2:Dusk, and the bass is less distracting so even though it's fairly subtle changes I like the new one a lot more.
My music of the year: The Code - Nemo
In my opinion Forte Ears Mcbeth is best all rounder IEMs
I also like the Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk with and without DSP. Something I think maybe late to the party is the 7hz Timeless 2 IMHO. I know you didn't care for the OG Timeless . I went with the
AE version and liked it. I think the V2 is better than both of them.
It’s just a refinement of og timeless not worth the asking price
The ones i decided to get didnt make your list. I have a pair of xenns magird tea pro on the way.
I've heard good things about it, but haven't heard it myself.
Although I miss my SL-41 for the overall best Build + Tuning + Value iem ever there is no denial than the Hype-4 was my most impressive sound upgrade ever (not that much from the SL-41 but still).
Last year I would have said Pula-02 but the QC with the pin ruined the value. That issue is still present in the Hype4 mind you.
How did the SL41 compare to the hype 4?
21:30 lmaooo 😂 what's this about the Dunu Dusk? Secret collab between Dunu and Crin?
is that the stock cable on the origin? looks very premium
No, it's a TRI Grace Pro or something.
Thieaudio Origins is the next best Mest. To me is the winner of 2024
2024 was the year of JM1. What will next year bring? I believe more meta tuning and dsp
Ziigaat Odyssey probably trumps all in retrospect.
The Hype 4 for me is great. Fit, sound, it's the total package. The Thieaudio Origin is an upgrade from it. I absolutely love them. The Dusk for me was really bass light I had to and like 10db of bass, it may just be my unit.
The Dusk isnt particularly heavy in the bass but what it does have is incredibly tight and precise, definitely not an iem for bass heads
2024 was in interesting iem year but was a pass year for me in general. I have my ie600, meteors, and hexas from prior years. At some point I will ditch them but prob a few years out before getting the itch.
It's nice to feel satisfied with what you've got. Maybe check out an audio show as another way to enjoy the hobby!
This channel for me great if i wanna check the fits of iems!
We have kinda same earshape and nice check in for the fits!But for the rest….👎🏻!I sorry for those whos cant here changes between 3.5 and 4.4 specially at dap’s and dongles!But like dusk what is tuned for a dsp dongle….and its on a “normal” wired cable……come ooooooon!!!!
Hexa for me
Here's my two cents: We need more price to performance representation in end-of-year lists. The cheapest set here is 120usd, and that is still big money for most working people around the world
@@miscwork-qb7pd just get a kefine klean.
Anyone can help. Im looking for an iem for tencho and Trance under 100 bucks with a good amount of bass and good clarity in the highs.
Does Mega 5 even count as releasing in 2024? It's been rebranded so many times; The original is an old IEM by now. Even the bass edition is just a rebrand of a variant that already existed.
It came out in 2023 I believe, but I didn't hear it until 2024. For me, anything is eligible for Yearphone if it wasn't eligible in a previous year -- and since I didn't hear Megafest in 2023, it wasn't eligible that year.
Great video. You should try the new DCA noire X. It is so close to the level of E3 now and in some ways it is better than that (airy treble) but it differs from person to person. Improvements to the aeon 2 noire.
Yeah I'm interested to check it out.