Unrelated to my marriage, could you also do a video on why audio gear is a better investment than a college fund or retirement savings? Please and thanks.
I think it would be interesting to see a video talking about when diminishing returns hit for both iems and headphones, and at what price points headphones start to supercede iems and for what reasons.
Imo it’s $1200 USD for both. Sure there are minimal gains going from $500->$1000 or say $200->500, but there are still gains that are noticeable. Whether that’s 10% or merely 5%. However to me, you have to start looking for differences past $1200.
There really isn't any, at least not when I last saw this brought up a year or two ago by someone on Reddit. Oratory1990 actually made a post on reddit talking about it. There is like a 1% correlation between price and measurable quality in the IEM and headphone space. There are $80 powerhouses as well as $2000 weak offerings that don't even outperform $80 options.
For me the next big (and almost certainly final) step up will be getting custom iems - fit and seal is a big issue for me on universal IEMs, i just have ear canals that quickly twist upwards, which blocks up rubber ear tips, or makes them fall out and despite having very decent hearing, i notice it just doesn't matter if the FR of iems is not even that amazing. I like to listen to stuff while on the go, while working on other stuff and surrounded by noise, so that will spoil the pristine sound of any high-end IEMs.
I live in a warm climate...IEMs are way better than headphone ear muffs! All my headphones have been collecting dust since I got in to CHI FI. Even during our very mild winter its been IEMs. Always enjoy your videos, Thanks!
The insides of my ears get sweaty and ear wax becomes softer and more liquid/oily (pardon me) in warm temperatures. This makes me highly anxious about moisture related damage to my IEMs. Doesn't that happen to you?
I sweat at the drop of a hat! I can't comment on ear wax problems as I have no problems so far. As far as wearing them when I do outdoor activities, that's where my budget IEMS come into play.
i watched that video in its entirety and i learned a lot from it. I am an IEM guy, and i when i first saw the title, instead of feeling offended, i thought "ok, let's hear what he has to say...". And i thought you made very good and valid points because it was all based on factual stuff such as the structure of the human ear. But also, when you got to the part where you started discussing the advantages of IEMs over on-ears, i'm like "cool". In a hobby that is mostly subjective, i think people who have become too subjective(even to the point of being hyper-sensitive about it) and too "preferential", miss out and lose out on the few objective things of this hobby that they can really learn something from, which would actually help them enjoy this hobby more. Bottom-line is , IEMs and head-phones each have their own pros and cons, their own limitations, strengths and weaknesses, and whatnot. It's an objective fact. One just has to accept that and learn to appreciate IEMs and headphones for what they each can do; just appreciate each for what it is. It doesn't have to be a "Vs" all the time; it doesn't have to be a competition. It doesn't need to be. This hobby is about enjoying music, and not "This Vs. That". And instead of throwing hissy fits and temper tantrums, why don't we, the community, instead keep an eye and call out the brands who try to sell "snake-oil" products, and are just trying to screw the hobby community out of their hard earned money; this issue, which we have a good number of, with IEMs. Good videos, by the way, Andrew 👍 👍 i learned a lot from the first one, and enjoyed watching that; just as i did this one too.
I bit the bullet last year and bought some custom fit IEMs and I will never go back. I never liked IEMs because I could never get a consistent fit! But custom IEMs and a friggin revelation! The fit is almost always perfect and they sound sooooooooo good. Cannot recommend more!
@@Size10Solesmany companies offer custom IEMs. You will just need to get either physical ear impressions or STL 3D scan files and send them to the place your purchasing from.
@@bmacaulay18 My KZ ZSN Pro Xs sound infinitely better with foam tips, it's like a completely different IEM. If I'd known how much better they sound with them, I might not have bought the Moondrop Mays lmao. They arrive today through and I'm super excited
GM ☕️❄️ They EACH bring something to the party 🎉 IEM’s are intrusive..not everyone likes ( or takes time to get used to them) Headphones are more “approachable..ease of and instinctual usability . As for sound ..IEM’s beat headphones. Good headphones cost more that IEM’s to match performance. Great video and honest take .
As one person pointed out, in hot countries like mine, headphones are so inconvenient unless I have the AC on the whole day, which is too expensive in my country. The headband, ear pads peel off , and it just startd looking way too old way too soon. Iems look as good as new since 2 years since I've been using them.
@@k3six That's not a lie. It is impossible to me. That's enough. I don't know anything about farenheit, but I'm sure I could not handle it, since I start to feel dizzy and weak even before reaching 35 celsius
I saw a few comments, and OMG... Some people genuinely don't watch a video, immediately comment, and then probably leave as well. What are they there for? Getting up votes, in a need of approval kinda way? Anyway... Recently I've become more of an IEM person simply because I'm quite easily satisfied when they have a good tuning, and my preference is more towards imaging than sound stage. And since I'm neurodivergent, I realize that sound isolation helps far more for me than open backed headphones, in regards to sensitivity of overstimulation. At a cheaper price point too. Without getting any other sensory issues. Including when it comes to immersion. Since I can't filter sound, the less I hear outside noise, the more my mind shuts off and can focus entirely on the media at hand. The only true downside of iems, in my opinion is earwax management. And I call it management, as it's inevitable
You mention headphone hair, but left off that they trap heat. I got into IEMs when I lived in LA. For all day wear, you are nuts to do that with headphones in anything but cold weather. The value for entry level IEMs is insane.
And long IEM use throughout the day, day in day out, will trap the ear wax in your ear canals. Perhaps that is not that much of a problem for people living in hot and dry places though. Gotta be diligent about cleaning out your ears and asking your doc to occasionally look in there and maybe clean em out
Thank you for the suggestions. I have tried a range of tips and sizes. Most of my IEMs (but not all) have been chi-fi but I do intend to try the Sennheiser IE range soon.
Just spent 2 x 2 hour visits to E-earphones in Tokyo! Listened tovevey IEM they had there. In my opinion, The fitup of the ear tips is paramount to the Sound of an iem given its state of tuning! What I heard at e-earphones tell me that IEM price does not equate to better sound . Some IEMs were 300,000 yen to 600,000 yen and some 150000 yen iems bettered the more expensive iems Preferetial tuning appeal to different people .. reviews are only good as guidance!! U hv to test drive the iem personally to know its Sound
My biggest problem with iems is the sound stage and sound accuracy esp in video games. Footsteps sound terrible compared to headsets. Can't pinpoint exactly where they are. Only time i use iems is if i listen to music and if i have to switch back and forth for gaming audio to music audio i might as well just get better headsets. I've only used moondrops and shure for iems if you got any to recommend but I'm probably not going to get my hopes up.
I think the different between IEMs and Headphone depend on the price bracket. you can get $20 IEMs that sound amazing out of the box, you can't do that with headphone. even at $200 most Headphone would be 'alright' rather than 'amazing'. so when you really put your money for sound quality IEMs are budget friendly option, also easy to drive so you don't have to spend another $300~500 on a system just some dongle or Fiio BTR5 is good enough.
@@mikafoxx2717 true as a consumer it is only right to do research for the best product that fit you, that being said too much people believe reviewer too much these day. For me I settle on the truthear zero red, very nice bass and mid perfect for most music.
I'm mostly interested in staging, so iem's will never satisfy me, unfortunately. I will say that due to the tiny physical dimensions of iem drivers and their extremely low MMS.. it is not difficult to design the waveguides to have extremely low levels of higher order modes and the drivers themselves, to be extremely fast. The theoretical resolution of such tiny drivers is way above that of your average over ear driver. Excellent vid! as per usual😉. Thankyou dude xx
Good video mate. I'm looking for IEMs (a term new to me today) for walking etc, but will stick with headphones, and their longer charge, for home use. I wear headphones for at least 14 hours per day, and very few IEMs can match that time. I can wear my headphones over multiple days before recharging. That's where they win for me. Makes sense, larger device = lager battery = longer time between charging. I'll go and watch your other video now :)
Yeah, it's great to have at least 1 pair of each because both iems and headphones have their advantages. Also, tell DMS I'll bake him cookies if we get that 490 review soon
I would wear IEMs only if I have to, never because I want to. Also, I own the Audeze Maxwell (wifi/BT closeback planar magnetic) and they are great as a complete package, not just great sound.
2:09 You jest, but I do appreciate when, for a change, a personal amusement device has at least some more individuality than a box of nails. I may agree that their designs could be less superficial, and more actually thematic and thought-out (anthropomorphic mascots are a massive genre in itself), but... child steps, child steps.
My Hexa arrive tomorrow after weeks of watching videos and researching. Thanks to you and others I feel I have made an informed decision and will experience little to no buyer's remorse.
How about a Resolve / Super Review collab on a product called the Chimearian which has an over ear headphone for the right ear and an IEM the left? In a year or so they could release the Chimearian SE with would have the respective ears reversed. 🙂
I am no part of any HD600 cult, but despite them being *relatively* affordable, I find that even good dynamic driver IEMs cannot match its sound-not talking graphs, but the way it sounds outmatches many of our very good sounding IEMs. Even much pricier ones. So better measurements are possible at a lower budget, but not necessarily a better ultimate sound (not being contrarian, I think the gentleman would agree.) However, IEMs have their own "headsound" I also enjoy-and I have plenty of both. I do not mind BA or planar timbre at all, but they all do sound different, so I feel the old dynamic driver headphone can still be amazing even if more cumbersome/less portable. In short, many ways to enjoy one's music. Not one must be better than the other. No offense intended.
@@DrinkWater713 Prove it (do not accept-it can't be proved.) Also try to do it apples for apples if possible. Wages in Ireland are also higher than in some countries as well-never forget that. By chance was listening to the HD600 yesterday after weeks using a great and more expensive IEM, and it reminded me of how lovely and uniquely special the old classic sounds. It really is timeless, and still hard to beat. I do not use it all the time, but outdated it is not.
@@classicalthrasher I don't think the HD600 is outdated as a headphone, just that IEMs are cheaper to make and have improved MASSIVELY in the last few years due to the chi-fi market. BTW, what do you mean by better? Because we can even just take, for example, an objective criteria such as sub-bass alone as evidence that plenty IEMs can beat the HD600.
FL1: (Fixed minimum phase fast roll-off) FL2: (Linear slow roll-off) FL3: (Apodizing Apodization Filter) FL4: (Minimum phase fast roll-off) FL5: (Minimum phase slow roll-off) FL6: (Linear fast roll-off) FL7: (Brickwall Mixing Filter I play pubg on pc I have xenns mangird top and the smsl c200 what one would be best
I love IEM and speaker. I kinda find it hard to find a good budget headphone(bad frequency response, bad sound, bad build quality, uncomfortable after 1 hour++). But i can find very good budget IEM and speaker which is worth it price.
Pretty much HD600's or something for just good headphones, but yeah. At higher price points headphones eek out more, but for 20 or 60 bucks no headphone can beat an iem..
@@mikafoxx2717 Yeah, chinese companies tried to make some budget headphone(moondrop, thieaudio, fiio), but their headphone not worth the money. The sound still 'mid'. Below average sound quality
Congrats :) hello I need some advice please! I’m from the UK, I use Apple Music and just brought the Fiio KA17 and need a list of good iems, I listen to mostly hip-hop, rap and dubstep what ones would you recommend?
Some of my issues are likely specific to me because of sensory issues and an abnormally large head, but DCA headphones are basically the only headphones I have found to be comfortable for long periods of time. That's not necessarily a problem, but they all use leather pads and they definitely get warm over time. You'd think IEMs would be a perfect choice then, and I do like my IE300s, but I find the process of inserting an IEM annoying and they always seem to be slipping out. That plus I hate how I can really hear myself breathe when wearing IEMs, the cable on my ear gets uncomfortable over time, and at least with the IE300s the way they are ported leads to specifically irritating outside sounds leaking through. I may try some others, but the first two issues don't leave me a lot of hope.
My right ear canal has never been able to be fitted so that it doesn't lose the seal...custom made IEM fitment is too expensive and after an hour or two IEM's are uncomfortable for me.
I use both types, and although I see positive points in each of them, there is something that has never made me entirely happy with IEMs: In my case, they resonate low frequencies in the skull. If Im walking, or even chewing something, there will be quite annoying resonances. With different esr tips, different models, this problem is always constant. Does anyone else face this problem?
You won't find any hair on me Andrew, none on my head 🤣. Yeah I'm more on IEM use for the points you make, more refined sound at lower prices, etc. The most for me is that in my house we need to keep the noise down for the kids to study, and since I have no hair, in winter I wear a beanie so IEMs are a natural tool for listening under these conditions, besides their being extremely portable for when I take a walk or exercise.
Maintenance is also a thing. Good headphones' earpads, headband foam, etc. are a lot more costlier and don't last as long as for example good silicon eartips. (foams is a different story though). imo right now iems are the way to go. Chifi has so many very good options and the value is becoming increasingly good. Maybe soon headphones will follow as there are more brands (chifi) coming into the game like Moondrop, Fiio, etc. but right now iems rule. The other side of the coin is that the problem is really where to start and what to choose. There are so many of them, and so many being launched at a ridiculous pace... Maybe just wait for sales season (there are a lot) and go for the one that offers the better value at that point.
While there are no consumables for iems in accessories. There is one thing to mention for IEMs. Eventually, a good chance people will need a Hearing Aid earwax vacuum to clean the IEM nozzle when it ends up getting plugged by earwax. Sellers like to sell that lil brush for such things, but a good chance if may push in the wax further than brush it off. What I mean to say is, there is some level of maintenance for IEMs.
@@TareqASamra i didn't actually mean the level of maintenance but more the cost. It's true that happens, but not that often. Much like lots of people who wear glasses don't use headphones, if you produce a lot of wax or have alergies maybe you want to scratch the iem option. I wouldn't say that's very common though. Some people also complain about some iems accumulating sweat. I use iems for quite some years now and haven't had either of those issues.
Which one is better? I accually have the airpods pro 1 but now is consumed and i want an iem.I fall in love with ibasso it01 i bought and the broken chord i change it with airpods pro, But now i compare betwen the Truthear X Crinacle Zero Red, hexa, kz12pro x , which one you sugget? thks
What is your objective? If you plan to set a few hours aside for some attentive listening? Then a pair of premium headphones connected to a premium headphone amp/dac is likely to be your best friend. If you are multi tasking, but still desire a less intrusive premium audio experience, then maybe, IEMs are the way to go.if I had a budget of 2000 to invest in headphones and/or IEMs, I would invest that 2000 in a pair of superior headphones, rather than 1500 on headphones and 500 on IEMs.
The Truthear Hexa honestly comes pretty much as close as you'd get to that description for under 100€. (We use €, too where I live, so I'm familiar with pricing.) Just be aware that a somewhat common point of critique for the Hexa is the lack of bass impact, being a lot less pronounced than other sets. Though, that may be in favor of the balanced tuning.
Thanks for the video. I am a total IEM noobie here and i did try an IEM which sounded far better than through my wireless bluetooth Bose headphones. I listen to music via my samsung galaxy note 9 mobile , using spotify to stream. Is there any advantage in buying a portable DAC to use in this set up please ? thanks in anticipation.
I have bought a DAC but I see no noticeable difference even after playing some super high resolution Audio. There is no point in buying a portable DAC.
Dude...!!! I hate to be the one who tells you, but... the last thing you need to worry about is 'headphone hair'...!!! I enjoyed both of your headephones vs. IEMs reviews...!!! I will stick to my personal mantra - Headphones for home... IEMs for 'on the move'...
They're good, but still not as cohesive as say HD600's. But I think that's just IEM bypassing the ear.. Etymotic sounds more natural to me as well, er2sr is probably the most neutrally tuned of the bunch. The studio editions.. they're actually less neutral sounding.
Wow, my experience is exactly the opposite. My experience with IEM is constantly messing with the fit and if lucky 10% of the time it finally sounds right and then I get interrupted and have to take them out. My headphones sound amazing 100% of the time.
Headphone hair? what about headphone headache? I´m bald and I stopped using headphones because every single one gave me a serious headache after using them for extended periods of time. Perhaps it puts pressure on some vein on top of the skull or something? go figure. Anyway, I´m happy using earbuds and IEMs these days, no more headaches.
Honestly i agree with this, i bought an expensive sony headphones previously and it aounded good but when a tried entry level iem 1/8 of its price, it sounded better 😢
I’ve never yet found any iem that is comfortable, doesn’t have annoying microphonic cables and - most annoying of all - hearing my heartbeat all the time.
You missed that headphones can overheat your ears, and with wired headphones you have to deal with a heavier cable or two. You have a much thinner/lighter single cable with IEMs or no cable with Bluetooth IEMs.
I am not a IEM user but will assume that they are superior with artificial head recordings,(because we only want pinnae once) and over ear headphones are superior superior with other types of recordings. Greetings from Denmark
Iems can subjectively suck more than headphones... the insertion depth or even angle can effect soundstage,certain frequency sensitivity, resonance .. just change nozzle direction and see how much difference you see.. i like bullet type earphones more than iems.. on top headphones..
@@DrinkWater713 either itching or excess pressure in my ear canals depending on the set. In order to get a fit that is tight enough to seal outside sounds it seems like I never quite can forget about them. Maybe I have small ear canals, but even the small tips are difficult for me and I haven't found any medium or large tips that work. Even though they are larger, I find it far easier to 'forget' that I am wearing headphones than iem's. Second issue for me is I'd like something with good ANC for sleeping that is tiny enough not to notice, I sleep on my side and haven't found any that don't put extra pressure into the ear laying on a pillow. I've even had a few where the touch controls would activate from pressure on the pillow.
@@traildoggy Not a good idea to sleep with IEMs. You may destroy them accidentally. Look, as I see it, your problems come from the tip material (your skin may be sensitive to some materials) and the venting (it eliminates the pressure inside your ears) of your IEMs. You need to try different tip materials, such as foam, and buy an IEM with good venting, then there should be no itching and no pressure inside your ears. Also, a part of it may just simply getting used to using them for a long time.
I'm one of those individuals cursed with a weird ear canal. *Any* IEM with *any* tip works its way out in 2-3 minutes tops. They sound fantastic until they don't.
For absolute sound quality and affordability , usd $1k buys you almost endgame or satisfying IEMs, for headphones you may have to spend $1.5k to $2 k plus for endgame headphones , of coarse there are more expensive ones that in general not most people would spend on i.e. $5k-$50k............Thank You.
With IEMs i found that finding the right tips was key. I use IEMs away from home due to portability and comfort. When home i use Maxwell audeze ultraviolet with wicked cooling pads, love them.
iems itch my ear after 20 minutes, this has been a problem for the past year with different sets. The rubber thingies are never perfect and they make my ear sweat and itch.
The MASSIVE issue with off the shelf IEMs (for me at least) is that the supplied foam/rubber/plastic tips are always round, but the holes in your ears are oval! I've tried many makes and models, and can't get a proper seal with any of them... apart from Bose, their oval tips with the built in 'stay hear' things on are perfect straight from the box. For stage use, I've had custom moulded IEMs made, but the costs of even mid range (sonically) pairs are eye watering compared to your off the shelf IEMs or over the ear cans!
One more point: I don't wear headphones during summer times because it's so hot here that, when I finish listening, both pads will be drenched with sweat.
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 88 | คู่เอก "ป้อมเพชร vs อัสลามจอน"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1ZqTVVbMgbo/mqdefault.jpg)
I don't have any issues with "headphone hair" because u know...
Username checks out
You have cancer and lost all your hair?
I’m sorry for your loss. Unless you don’t care in which case, hell yeah lol
@@GoufinAround_ oh I don't care, just tried to make a bad joke by leaning on Resolve's joke form the video. Maybe I should've have added a "😂"
@@NoHairMan I got what you meant I did the same bad joke thing lmfao
Unrelated to my marriage, could you also do a video on why audio gear is a better investment than a college fund or retirement savings? Please and thanks.
I think it would be interesting to see a video talking about when diminishing returns hit for both iems and headphones, and at what price points headphones start to supercede iems and for what reasons.
I agree, for example for me I just feel like when I hit kilo buck level then I might as well move to headphones.
Imo it’s $1200 USD for both. Sure there are minimal gains going from $500->$1000 or say $200->500, but there are still gains that are noticeable. Whether that’s 10% or merely 5%. However to me, you have to start looking for differences past $1200.
There really isn't any, at least not when I last saw this brought up a year or two ago by someone on Reddit. Oratory1990 actually made a post on reddit talking about it. There is like a 1% correlation between price and measurable quality in the IEM and headphone space. There are $80 powerhouses as well as $2000 weak offerings that don't even outperform $80 options.
For me the next big (and almost certainly final) step up will be getting custom iems - fit and seal is a big issue for me on universal IEMs, i just have ear canals that quickly twist upwards, which blocks up rubber ear tips, or makes them fall out and despite having very decent hearing, i notice it just doesn't matter if the FR of iems is not even that amazing. I like to listen to stuff while on the go, while working on other stuff and surrounded by noise, so that will spoil the pristine sound of any high-end IEMs.
the point of diminishing returns tends to happen at the price you can longer afford or justify to yourself. That's the area you are going to land on.
I live in a warm climate...IEMs are way better than headphone ear muffs! All my headphones have been collecting dust since I got in to CHI FI. Even during our very mild winter its been IEMs. Always enjoy your videos, Thanks!
The insides of my ears get sweaty and ear wax becomes softer and more liquid/oily (pardon me) in warm temperatures. This makes me highly anxious about moisture related damage to my IEMs. Doesn't that happen to you?
I sweat at the drop of a hat! I can't comment on ear wax problems as I have no problems so far. As far as wearing them when I do outdoor activities, that's where my budget IEMS come into play.
2:10 clearly the best feature that IEMs have over headphones
i watched that video in its entirety and i learned a lot from it. I am an IEM guy, and i when i first saw the title, instead of feeling offended, i thought "ok, let's hear what he has to say...". And i thought you made very good and valid points because it was all based on factual stuff such as the structure of the human ear. But also, when you got to the part where you started discussing the advantages of IEMs over on-ears, i'm like "cool".
In a hobby that is mostly subjective, i think people who have become too subjective(even to the point of being hyper-sensitive about it) and too "preferential", miss out and lose out on the few objective things of this hobby that they can really learn something from, which would actually help them enjoy this hobby more.
Bottom-line is , IEMs and head-phones each have their own pros and cons, their own limitations, strengths and weaknesses, and whatnot. It's an objective fact. One just has to accept that and learn to appreciate IEMs and headphones for what they each can do; just appreciate each for what it is.
It doesn't have to be a "Vs" all the time; it doesn't have to be a competition. It doesn't need to be.
This hobby is about enjoying music, and not "This Vs. That".
And instead of throwing hissy fits and temper tantrums, why don't we, the community, instead keep an eye and call out the brands who try to sell "snake-oil" products, and are just trying to screw the hobby community out of their hard earned money; this issue, which we have a good number of, with IEMs.
Good videos, by the way, Andrew 👍 👍
i learned a lot from the first one, and enjoyed watching that; just as i did this one too.
I bit the bullet last year and bought some custom fit IEMs and I will never go back. I never liked IEMs because I could never get a consistent fit! But custom IEMs and a friggin revelation! The fit is almost always perfect and they sound sooooooooo good. Cannot recommend more!
Where to buy custom iem?
@@Size10Solesmany companies offer custom IEMs. You will just need to get either physical ear impressions or STL 3D scan files and send them to the place your purchasing from.
Do you mind sharing which custom iems you bought?
That and some good ear tips.
@@bmacaulay18 My KZ ZSN Pro Xs sound infinitely better with foam tips, it's like a completely different IEM. If I'd known how much better they sound with them, I might not have bought the Moondrop Mays lmao. They arrive today through and I'm super excited
GM ☕️❄️
They EACH bring something to the party 🎉
IEM’s are intrusive..not everyone likes ( or takes time to get used to them)
Headphones are more “approachable..ease of and instinctual usability .
As for sound ..IEM’s beat headphones.
Good headphones cost more that IEM’s to match performance.
Great video and honest take .
IEMs are very intrusive when you don't have a good fit & seal, because you have to then mash em' into your ear canals
As one person pointed out, in hot countries like mine, headphones are so inconvenient unless I have the AC on the whole day, which is too expensive in my country. The headband, ear pads peel off , and it just startd looking way too old way too soon. Iems look as good as new since 2 years since I've been using them.
How hot is it where you live?
How much do you need to spend?
@@benjamenYTDeadTheGamer Doesn't have to be THAT hot. 30 celsius already makes it impossible to wear headphones
@@DrinkWater713 that's such a lie. 30 celsius aint even that hot. good luck living with 120 Fahrenheit.
@@k3six That's not a lie. It is impossible to me. That's enough. I don't know anything about farenheit, but I'm sure I could not handle it, since I start to feel dizzy and weak even before reaching 35 celsius
I saw a few comments, and OMG... Some people genuinely don't watch a video, immediately comment, and then probably leave as well.
What are they there for? Getting up votes, in a need of approval kinda way?
Anyway... Recently I've become more of an IEM person simply because I'm quite easily satisfied when they have a good tuning, and my preference is more towards imaging than sound stage.
And since I'm neurodivergent, I realize that sound isolation helps far more for me than open backed headphones, in regards to sensitivity of overstimulation. At a cheaper price point too. Without getting any other sensory issues.
Including when it comes to immersion. Since I can't filter sound, the less I hear outside noise, the more my mind shuts off and can focus entirely on the media at hand.
The only true downside of iems, in my opinion is earwax management. And I call it management, as it's inevitable
You mention headphone hair, but left off that they trap heat. I got into IEMs when I lived in LA. For all day wear, you are nuts to do that with headphones in anything but cold weather. The value for entry level IEMs is insane.
And long IEM use throughout the day, day in day out, will trap the ear wax in your ear canals. Perhaps that is not that much of a problem for people living in hot and dry places though. Gotta be diligent about cleaning out your ears and asking your doc to occasionally look in there and maybe clean em out
Also the moisture from your ears gunks up the filters on IEM nozzles, cleaning and eventually replacing those is a bother
I have still not found an IEM that I can wear for long listening periods but I don't have any comfort issue with my headphones.
I'm in a similar boat, but the IE200/300/600/900 form factor is the best I've found, if that helps at all
Also plus one on the ie200/300/600/900 form factor. I can't wear most iems to bed, but I can with these.
Lol I see others have had same experience as me, my ie200 iems are the only ones that are truly comfy for me
Have you tried changing the eartips? It could be that the ones you're using are too big for your ears
Thank you for the suggestions. I have tried a range of tips and sizes. Most of my IEMs (but not all) have been chi-fi but I do intend to try the Sennheiser IE range soon.
This video nailed the biggest key point no on talks about. Headphone hair is real.
Just spent 2 x 2 hour visits to E-earphones in Tokyo! Listened tovevey IEM they had there. In my opinion, The fitup of the ear tips is paramount to the Sound of an iem given its state of tuning!
What I heard at e-earphones tell me that IEM price does not equate to better sound . Some IEMs were 300,000 yen to 600,000 yen and some 150000 yen iems bettered the more expensive iems
Preferetial tuning appeal to different people .. reviews are only good as guidance!! U hv to test drive the iem personally to know its Sound
My biggest problem with iems is the sound stage and sound accuracy esp in video games. Footsteps sound terrible compared to headsets. Can't pinpoint exactly where they are. Only time i use iems is if i listen to music and if i have to switch back and forth for gaming audio to music audio i might as well just get better headsets. I've only used moondrops and shure for iems if you got any to recommend but I'm probably not going to get my hopes up.
I think the different between IEMs and Headphone depend on the price bracket. you can get $20 IEMs that sound amazing out of the box, you can't do that with headphone. even at $200 most Headphone would be 'alright' rather than 'amazing'.
so when you really put your money for sound quality IEMs are budget friendly option, also easy to drive so you don't have to spend another $300~500 on a system just some dongle or Fiio BTR5 is good enough.
Yeah, the blon 03 was that for me. That being said, there's a lot of junk IEM's.. with jank tuning. Gotta do your research
@@mikafoxx2717 true as a consumer it is only right to do research for the best product that fit you, that being said too much people believe reviewer too much these day. For me I settle on the truthear zero red, very nice bass and mid perfect for most music.
I'm mostly interested in staging, so iem's will never satisfy me, unfortunately. I will say that due to the tiny physical dimensions of iem drivers and their extremely low MMS.. it is not difficult to design the waveguides to have extremely low levels of higher order modes and the drivers themselves, to be extremely fast. The theoretical resolution of such tiny drivers is way above that of your average over ear driver. Excellent vid! as per usual😉. Thankyou dude xx
Could you make a list/ranking of your favourite IEMs like the one you already have for headphones?
"[IEMs] even have cartoon children on the boxes." Amazing, truly incredible.
They do!? Sold!
Good video mate. I'm looking for IEMs (a term new to me today) for walking etc, but will stick with headphones, and their longer charge, for home use. I wear headphones for at least 14 hours per day, and very few IEMs can match that time. I can wear my headphones over multiple days before recharging. That's where they win for me. Makes sense, larger device = lager battery = longer time between charging. I'll go and watch your other video now :)
Yeah, it's great to have at least 1 pair of each because both iems and headphones have their advantages.
Also, tell DMS I'll bake him cookies if we get that 490 review soon
He's working on it! Get the cookies ready!
Yay! I'm on it
Could you do a video on many drivers vs less drivers? Pros and cons ? Are many drivers better overall?
I would wear IEMs only if I have to, never because I want to. Also, I own the Audeze Maxwell (wifi/BT closeback planar magnetic) and they are great as a complete package, not just great sound.
2:09 You jest, but I do appreciate when, for a change, a personal amusement device has at least some more individuality than a box of nails. I may agree that their designs could be less superficial, and more actually thematic and thought-out (anthropomorphic mascots are a massive genre in itself), but... child steps, child steps.
My Hexa arrive tomorrow after weeks of watching videos and researching. Thanks to you and others I feel I have made an informed decision and will experience little to no buyer's remorse.
How about a Resolve / Super Review collab on a product called the Chimearian which has an over ear headphone for the right ear and an IEM the left? In a year or so they could release the Chimearian SE with would have the respective ears reversed. 🙂
This is a good idea.
I sweat a lot and just can't wear headphones at all. So iems it is, also portability of the items is a big reason.
do you find closed backs provide better isolation than iems in very loud enviroments?
Clickbait is genocide.
Do you still like the hexa ?
I am no part of any HD600 cult, but despite them being *relatively* affordable, I find that even good dynamic driver IEMs cannot match its sound-not talking graphs, but the way it sounds outmatches many of our very good sounding IEMs. Even much pricier ones. So better measurements are possible at a lower budget, but not necessarily a better ultimate sound (not being contrarian, I think the gentleman would agree.)
However, IEMs have their own "headsound" I also enjoy-and I have plenty of both.
I do not mind BA or planar timbre at all, but they all do sound different, so I feel the old dynamic driver headphone can still be amazing even if more cumbersome/less portable.
In short, many ways to enjoy one's music. Not one must be better than the other. No offense intended.
How dare you suggest any gear sounds different from the measurements! 😉
Yeah.. closest might be Etymotic er2sr or something.. but it's hard to get perfectly neutral and natural in an iem.
Even a sub $100 IEM can easily sound better than the HD600. The thing is decades old...
@@DrinkWater713 Prove it (do not accept-it can't be proved.) Also try to do it apples for apples if possible.
Wages in Ireland are also higher than in some countries as well-never forget that.
By chance was listening to the HD600 yesterday after weeks using a great and more expensive IEM, and it reminded me of how lovely and uniquely special the old classic sounds. It really is timeless, and still hard to beat. I do not use it all the time, but outdated it is not.
@@classicalthrasher I don't think the HD600 is outdated as a headphone, just that IEMs are cheaper to make and have improved MASSIVELY in the last few years due to the chi-fi market.
BTW, what do you mean by better? Because we can even just take, for example, an objective criteria such as sub-bass alone as evidence that plenty IEMs can beat the HD600.
FL1: (Fixed minimum phase fast roll-off)
FL2: (Linear slow roll-off)
FL3: (Apodizing Apodization Filter)
FL4: (Minimum phase fast roll-off)
FL5: (Minimum phase slow roll-off)
FL6: (Linear fast roll-off)
FL7: (Brickwall Mixing Filter
I play pubg on pc I have xenns mangird top and the smsl c200 what one would be best
I love IEM and speaker. I kinda find it hard to find a good budget headphone(bad frequency response, bad sound, bad build quality, uncomfortable after 1 hour++). But i can find very good budget IEM and speaker which is worth it price.
Pretty much HD600's or something for just good headphones, but yeah. At higher price points headphones eek out more, but for 20 or 60 bucks no headphone can beat an iem..
@@mikafoxx2717 Yeah, chinese companies tried to make some budget headphone(moondrop, thieaudio, fiio), but their headphone not worth the money. The sound still 'mid'. Below average sound quality
I own a pair of meze audio Advar and I prefer them over any headphone. Incredible
Congrats :) hello I need some advice please!
I’m from the UK, I use Apple Music and just brought the Fiio KA17 and need a list of good iems, I listen to mostly hip-hop, rap and dubstep what ones would you recommend?
Some of my issues are likely specific to me because of sensory issues and an abnormally large head, but DCA headphones are basically the only headphones I have found to be comfortable for long periods of time. That's not necessarily a problem, but they all use leather pads and they definitely get warm over time. You'd think IEMs would be a perfect choice then, and I do like my IE300s, but I find the process of inserting an IEM annoying and they always seem to be slipping out. That plus I hate how I can really hear myself breathe when wearing IEMs, the cable on my ear gets uncomfortable over time, and at least with the IE300s the way they are ported leads to specifically irritating outside sounds leaking through. I may try some others, but the first two issues don't leave me a lot of hope.
My right ear canal has never been able to be fitted so that it doesn't lose the seal...custom made IEM fitment is
too expensive and after an hour or two IEM's are uncomfortable for me.
After I saw your first video …
I absolutely knew there would be blow back!
The truth is IEMS are becoming real contenders, no way around it.
I use both types, and although I see positive points in each of them, there is something that has never made me entirely happy with IEMs: In my case, they resonate low frequencies in the skull. If Im walking, or even chewing something, there will be quite annoying resonances. With different esr tips, different models, this problem is always constant. Does anyone else face this problem?
You won't find any hair on me Andrew, none on my head 🤣. Yeah I'm more on IEM use for the points you make, more refined sound at lower prices, etc. The most for me is that in my house we need to keep the noise down for the kids to study, and since I have no hair, in winter I wear a beanie so IEMs are a natural tool for listening under these conditions, besides their being extremely portable for when I take a walk or exercise.
I personally like the isolation of IEMs as most good headphones are open back.
I have pc38x are iems better then them? I play call of duty only
Maintenance is also a thing. Good headphones' earpads, headband foam, etc. are a lot more costlier and don't last as long as for example good silicon eartips. (foams is a different story though). imo right now iems are the way to go. Chifi has so many very good options and the value is becoming increasingly good. Maybe soon headphones will follow as there are more brands (chifi) coming into the game like Moondrop, Fiio, etc. but right now iems rule. The other side of the coin is that the problem is really where to start and what to choose. There are so many of them, and so many being launched at a ridiculous pace... Maybe just wait for sales season (there are a lot) and go for the one that offers the better value at that point.
Agreed.
True but some iems like etymotics or moondrop arias require filter maintenance as well
While there are no consumables for iems in accessories.
There is one thing to mention for IEMs. Eventually, a good chance people will need a Hearing Aid earwax vacuum to clean the IEM nozzle when it ends up getting plugged by earwax.
Sellers like to sell that lil brush for such things, but a good chance if may push in the wax further than brush it off.
What I mean to say is, there is some level of maintenance for IEMs.
@@crispiestcrouton1643 haven't had issues, but even still filters are much much cheaper.
@@TareqASamra i didn't actually mean the level of maintenance but more the cost. It's true that happens, but not that often. Much like lots of people who wear glasses don't use headphones, if you produce a lot of wax or have alergies maybe you want to scratch the iem option. I wouldn't say that's very common though. Some people also complain about some iems accumulating sweat. I use iems for quite some years now and haven't had either of those issues.
Which one is better? I accually have the airpods pro 1 but now is consumed and i want an iem.I fall in love with ibasso it01 i bought and the broken chord i change it with airpods pro, But now i compare betwen the Truthear X Crinacle Zero Red, hexa, kz12pro x , which one you sugget? thks
What is your objective? If you plan to set a few hours aside for some attentive listening? Then a pair of premium headphones connected to a premium headphone amp/dac is likely to be your best friend. If you are multi tasking, but still desire a less intrusive premium audio experience, then maybe, IEMs are the way to go.if I had a budget of 2000 to invest in headphones and/or IEMs, I would invest that 2000 in a pair of superior headphones, rather than 1500 on headphones and 500 on IEMs.
Hi. Is in ear monitor different from in ear earphones?
What’s the best IEMs for highly competitive gaming?
What is the best EQ Software u would recommend?
Whats the best iem under 100€ with a balanced frequency response?
The Truthear Hexa honestly comes pretty much as close as you'd get to that description for under 100€.
(We use €, too where I live, so I'm familiar with pricing.)
Just be aware that a somewhat common point of critique for the Hexa is the lack of bass impact, being a lot less pronounced than other sets.
Though, that may be in favor of the balanced tuning.
@@Sherolox thank you!
7hz sonus
Thanks for the video. I am a total IEM noobie here and i did try an IEM which sounded far better than through my wireless bluetooth Bose headphones. I listen to music via my samsung galaxy note 9 mobile , using spotify to stream. Is there any advantage in buying a portable DAC to use in this set up please ? thanks in anticipation.
I have bought a DAC but I see no noticeable difference even after playing some super high resolution Audio. There is no point in buying a portable DAC.
Dude...!!! I hate to be the one who tells you, but... the last thing you need to worry about is 'headphone hair'...!!! I enjoyed both of your headephones vs. IEMs reviews...!!! I will stick to my personal mantra - Headphones for home... IEMs for 'on the move'...
I really love the Hexa's tuning i might consider getting another pair
They're good, but still not as cohesive as say HD600's. But I think that's just IEM bypassing the ear.. Etymotic sounds more natural to me as well, er2sr is probably the most neutrally tuned of the bunch. The studio editions.. they're actually less neutral sounding.
Wow, my experience is exactly the opposite. My experience with IEM is constantly messing with the fit and if lucky 10% of the time it finally sounds right and then I get interrupted and have to take them out. My headphones sound amazing 100% of the time.
Headphone hair? what about headphone headache? I´m bald and I stopped using headphones because every single one gave me a serious headache after using them for extended periods of time. Perhaps it puts pressure on some vein on top of the skull or something? go figure. Anyway, I´m happy using earbuds and IEMs these days, no more headaches.
Ayyyy! You made the other side of the coin! 🤟🤟
Truthear hexa or Simgot EA500 LM?
Honestly i agree with this, i bought an expensive sony headphones previously and it aounded good but when a tried entry level iem 1/8 of its price, it sounded better 😢
I think we all know what I’m about to comment…
Meteor the GOAT fr fr no cap ong
straight up bus drivin'
nocapcansfrfr.com/
I’ve never yet found any iem that is comfortable, doesn’t have annoying microphonic cables and - most annoying of all - hearing my heartbeat all the time.
Aune AR5000 review when ?
When's Delta airline earbuds are god tier?
Im looking to get some IEMs because i cut my live streams into videos and the headphones are ugly.
You missed that headphones can overheat your ears, and with wired headphones you have to deal with a heavier cable or two. You have a much thinner/lighter single cable with IEMs or no cable with Bluetooth IEMs.
Which headphones use electrical filter for bass shelf?
Auribus Acoustics uses them.
I want to know your take on denon d7200 please
You were the chosen one! It was said that you would destroy the sith, not join them!
It's much easier to find great basshead IEMs than great basshead over ear headphones.
I was wondering for a while, what microphone he's using?
If it's the same from other videos Electro-Voice RE20
@@subbybass1432 Thanks.
@@subbybass1432 Appreciate it.
If my budget is unlimited i would go for headphones, but sadly i dont have that 😢 so iem is the way to go
I am not a IEM user but will assume that they are superior with artificial head recordings,(because we only want pinnae once) and over ear headphones are superior superior with other types of recordings. Greetings from Denmark
I have the truthear hexa , they are amazing.
the fact that so many people call those girls on the box like waifus, and this guy just straight up calls them cartoon children ☠☠☠
Thank you a very informative video.
Iems can subjectively suck more than headphones... the insertion depth or even angle can effect soundstage,certain frequency sensitivity, resonance .. just change nozzle direction and see how much difference you see.. i like bullet type earphones more than iems.. on top headphones..
Still trying to solve the comfort issue. I can rarely wear an iem for more than 20 or 30 minutes without it becoming extremely uncomfortable.
What do you mean by uncomfortable? What do you feel?
@@DrinkWater713 either itching or excess pressure in my ear canals depending on the set. In order to get a fit that is tight enough to seal outside sounds it seems like I never quite can forget about them. Maybe I have small ear canals, but even the small tips are difficult for me and I haven't found any medium or large tips that work.
Even though they are larger, I find it far easier to 'forget' that I am wearing headphones than iem's.
Second issue for me is I'd like something with good ANC for sleeping that is tiny enough not to notice, I sleep on my side and haven't found any that don't put extra pressure into the ear laying on a pillow. I've even had a few where the touch controls would activate from pressure on the pillow.
@@traildoggy Not a good idea to sleep with IEMs. You may destroy them accidentally.
Look, as I see it, your problems come from the tip material (your skin may be sensitive to some materials) and the venting (it eliminates the pressure inside your ears) of your IEMs.
You need to try different tip materials, such as foam, and buy an IEM with good venting, then there should be no itching and no pressure inside your ears.
Also, a part of it may just simply getting used to using them for a long time.
"They even have cartoon children on the boxes!" 😂
Can't stand things stuck in my ear.
Agreed...weird and uncomfortable
IEMs in the warmer 6 months, headphones in the colder 6 months. That's my rule.
I'm one of those individuals cursed with a weird ear canal. *Any* IEM with *any* tip works its way out in 2-3 minutes tops. They sound fantastic until they don't.
Headphone hair is actually "the" reason I decided to try out IEMs and stick with them.
So just to get this straight… no fistfight with Super Review at CanJam?
Both videos super controversial titles, but super informative content 👍
I like headphones on gaming for fps it has better imanging and soundstage I can pinpoint much easier
The real dealbreaker for me with IEMs is earwax buildup. It's #$%&ing disgusting, and there's really no way around it.
Oh man! You caved to super asterisk reviews reaction video so quickly 😂 Click bait fight! Click bait fight! Click bait fight!
For absolute sound quality and affordability , usd $1k buys you almost endgame or satisfying IEMs, for headphones you may have to spend $1.5k to $2 k plus for endgame headphones , of coarse there are more expensive ones that in general not most people would spend on i.e. $5k-$50k............Thank You.
There is no better or best. Just personal preference!
With IEMs i found that finding the right tips was key. I use IEMs away from home due to portability and comfort. When home i use Maxwell audeze ultraviolet with wicked cooling pads, love them.
Captain obvious. That's true of all gadgets and electronics.
And headphones can get hot. Wearing headphones in the Queensland heat and humidity just gives you a sweaty head and ear infections.
Unless they are KSC 75
and you think that blocking ear canal by sticking IEM there keeps ear healthy? keeping all the heat going thru ears out blocked 🤣
iems itch my ear after 20 minutes, this has been a problem for the past year with different sets. The rubber thingies are never perfect and they make my ear sweat and itch.
The MASSIVE issue with off the shelf IEMs (for me at least) is that the supplied foam/rubber/plastic tips are always round, but the holes in your ears are oval! I've tried many makes and models, and can't get a proper seal with any of them... apart from Bose, their oval tips with the built in 'stay hear' things on are perfect straight from the box.
For stage use, I've had custom moulded IEMs made, but the costs of even mid range (sonically) pairs are eye watering compared to your off the shelf IEMs or over the ear cans!
One more point: I don't wear headphones during summer times because it's so hot here that, when I finish listening, both pads will be drenched with sweat.
The tension between headphones and IEMs is the audio materialist’s dilemma.
april fool video idea. Present that you will now do measurment of headphones with different wigs.
Tune my IEMs??? Crazyyyyyy
5. you have no idea how far comfortable IEM is than headphones in tropical climate, it's significantly hotter while you're using headphones without AC
Reinger Plaza
IEMs will never be better than over ears for me because IEMs always give me an ear infection. I have dodgy ears so I'm aware that's a problem for me.
Nowadays IEMs have advantage of bigger market choice
I have yet to find an iem that fits my ears ... so big nope :/