100% I recently sold all my wireless audio stuff (except for linkbuds for on the go convenience) and went full wired. Running HD6XX at home, Moondrop SSR and CHUs for IEMs.
I'm using IEMs since years for gaming, even though I own some HD800S. IEMs are just more immersive and makes me concentrate on the game way better than open backs
This is one of the most consumer-friendly breakdowns of IEMs as a whole that I've ever seen. It was a super overwhelming, jargony space when I first got into it and you answered so many of the questions that I had at that time in such an easy to understand way. You've always been able to distill complicated topics down in a consumer-forward way, but this really hit the nail on the head. Those Blessing 2 Dusks might end up being a pickup for me after all Awesome vid, more of this please
I think part of the reason is that IEMs themselves are starting to become friendlier to the average consumer as well, with products like the CCA CRA+, the Truthear Zero (the one in the video), the Salnotes Zero (not the one in the video), and the Moondrop Chus (despite the QC issues) all coming in at $50 USD or less and sounding WAY better than IEMs in this price bracket even just a few years ago
@@mfo7611 I think this is a personal decision. Dusk is the most competitive sub 1000$ option, MOST COMPETITIVE not the best. Variations is a tribrid and definitely interesting but also more expensive
THE man for IEMs *if you like flat, bright or sometimes ear piercing sound signatures. Otherwise. There's Bad Guy Good Audio Reviews for those who want to enjoy the music or Z Reviews if you want the "it makes me feel good" sound signature. Find the reviewer who has similar taste to you and you'll be golden.
BadSeed is the perfect channel for getting a taste of slightly more niche hardware sectors like keyboards and audio. And as someone who is familiar with some sections he's covered, I can be confident in the research and level of detail he provides in areas I'm not as familiar with. Great stuff!
“Vanguard, in addition to being trash”…. Lmao that caught me off guard. Still need to point out how clean and well produced your videos still are with every upload. Lifetime sub man keep it up.
Bryan, a massive, MASSIVE thanks for one of the best vids I’ve seen on youtube! You absolutely hit the nail on the head with this line up and translated it from audiophile to a more consumer level. Just wanted to say thank you and keep up the awesome work! Cheers from a big fan from the Netherlands
I'm not an audiophile but got intrigued with IEM's a couple years back. The ones I use are the Tanchjim Hana 2021. They go for $180 and sound great with good imaging and staging with a tuning close to the harman curve. The biggest reason I have them though is that they're super comfortable which is one of the most important aspects for gaming imo .
The Raptgo Hook X is definitely something worth taking a look at especially for gaming. Seems to be one of the only Planar IEMs that work well for competitive. Sound staging, imaging, and depth perception are top notch. For under $50 the 7hz zero and QKZ x HBB are very popular budget choices.
@@jagason7494 Fresh Reviews did a full comparison of all planars for competitive, and his pick is the raptgo for it. I still would love to pickup an S12 pro myself in the future though, since I do prefer brighter sets for my library.
I chose the Linsoul Tin Hifi T3 Plus over the Aria, details and sound stage are really great for competitive shooters, build quality is great and it's also less than 100$, I highly recommend.
I've been using the Moondrop KATOs for some time now and was ready to upgrade to the Blessing 2 / Dusk, but despite a lot of research, you're the first person to point out the problem with the tips staying in your ear due to no lip. That sounds like a huge deal breaker for me, so thank you for pointing it out.
After watching a few reviews now I’ve got the £50 Crinacle Zero. As someone who owns quite a few headsets and headphones, I have to honestly say that the Crinacle Zero easily beats all of them for directional audio and footsteps. Even just plugged into the PS5 controller it was very good, but I’ve plugged them into my old Turtle Beach Superamp and it makes the Crinacle Zero even better and with Turtle Beach Superhuman mode turned on, omg it makes the Crinacle Zero literally a wallhack IEM. I literally can’t say how amazing it makes this IEM for competitive gaming with the Superhuman hearing mode on this superamp. It makes the IEM also much louder. One downside is, they become very harsh, but I’m ok with that as it extracts so much detail from the frequency. You can’t go wrong for £50 and I highly recommend it
Sheesh the timing of this video is great. I didn't realize this was made 3 days ago and today I just got into researching about IEMs. Thanks for the video! :D
The moondrop chu is honestly incredible for less than $20 with shipping. Nothing crazy ofc but a solid introduction and they come with the spring tips which are $10 on their own.
The QKZ x KBB is my favorite $20 range IEM. Way more fun than the Chu and the 7Hz Zero (which I also love.) It's not great as a reference, but I listen to music to enjoy it. There is plenty of stage and imaging, especially at this price. No need to EQ these.
I have the Chu and honestly it's fine for 20€. But to be honest, I prefer every kind of galaxy buds I've ever used over it. The tinhifi t3+ was a lot better for me too. But for its price it's good.
The under $100 category has been quite a blood bath this year, I would definitely watch a budget IEM roundup for gaming video from you. People looooooove the Dunu Titan, so that might be worth checking out, then there's stuff like the Moondrop Chu for a measly *TWENTY DOLLARS,* and plenty of other stuff. There's also a re-tuned Aria called the Aria Snow that has the bass dropped just a tad. Plenty of other stuff to look at as well, those are just a few off the top of my head.
Dont get the chu's i had 2 pairs that both failed withun a month. I have been rocking the truthear hola for the past few months they go for 20 bucks and i can recommend them
Don't forget to add SA6 to your list in the 300-1000 range. I spent a lot of time with a B2D on a loaner tour and while it was ok on comfort that nozzle is just seriously thicc and isn't going to work for everyone. Now the Dunu is my office music daily
Yeah, I love the SA6. It's my goto travel IEM. Use them at the airport and on the plane. Then at the hotel I set the DAP to DAC mode on my laptop and use it for movies or playing games.
That was on my original wishlist as something at the $500 tier but they’re perpetually oos. I’ve heard nothing but good things. I have made contact w Dunu though so 🤞🏼🤞🏼
@@badseedtech knowing the tuning that you love. I think you would LOVE the moon drop Variations. We like a lot of the same stuff. Think a more detailed blessing 2 none dusk with a built in xbass from ifi built in but twice the control. They thump hard but Never ever bleed great treble. But never shouty. Blessing 2 extremes. Definitely worth the extra 200
@@badseedtech You should also take a look at the Thie Audio Oracle MK2. It just came out and @Fresh Reviews review said they were great for gaming. A good comparison in that range would be Variations, Oracle Mk2 and Dunu SA6. Last thing, please reach out to @Fresh Reviews and do a colab. If you combine his ability to BUY EVERYTHING and his great info with your editing humor and style. You would go together be like a DT1990 and EQ.
I will not claim to be an expert about iems but I am an avid gamer. Switching to iems a while back was one of the best decisions I made. Love my kz zs10 pros, have been looking into the truth ear zeros to give a try after seeing glowing reviews
Always appreciate videos like this where you go into something you're not entirely familiar with. Cause I'm extremely curious about using IEM's for gaming and when you look up reviews, or suggestions and they start going into the audiophile jargon and IEM enthusiast speak it just gets confusing and I lose interest cause it feels like there's a crash course I gotta take before I can even understand what someone is saying to me. Your ability to do your research and make comparisons of what you're talking about it a clear and concise way that most people can understand is what puts you up at the top
Yo, thank you for making this vid. Most of us were waiting for a vid like this, where someone would go through a bunch of IEM's that we have preferences for.
The Truthear Zero are so fun to listen to. I absolutely love them! They are now my 100% go-to suggestion for friends/family looking for good sound that isn't wireless/ANC. I really want to try the B2Dusk, though quite a jump in price while I'm still in love with my Aeon Closed X!
Ive been using the Truthear Zeros for the last few months and I love them. I haven't finished the video but I feel like they are amazing for the price.
I love how 10 years ago I had to pay 1300 bucks for iems and a transmitter when I joined the band I still play in because they had a Shure rack unit that was the same size as my Marshall half stack. 10 years later we all you sub 30dollar in ears from Amazon and then every one has their own system that for the entire 5 members cost 30 times less than the 14k they paid for the shure system. A tip from a guitar player for gamers….. get a headphone preamp for your computer so u can dial whatever amount of bass mods and highs. Especially if you’re sensitive to certain frequencies (aka perfect pitch)
I believe the ER2SE and ER2XR deserve a look. And not just for the fit, but for how well it performs overall. I haven't seen an in depth look at them in the context of gaming yet, so that'll be much appreciated for sure.
Same. I researched IEM's for competitive gaming quite extensively for the past 2-3 months. There aren't many resources on how the Etymotic ES2SE/XR perform at that from someone that actually plays a lot of multiplayer games. My latest purchase is the 7HZ Salnotes Zero, which Brian should totally check out for the sub $25 category.
ER3XR crush them both in terms of performance for gaming. Esp fps like CSGO. Playing competitive in faceit and fastcup I must credit the ER3XR for my advantage in being able to hear footsteps and small details that other IEMs lack. Still haven't found a better replacement.
The ER2XR are the best value in IEM's period. They are $99 dollars and are comparable to the $220 dollar 7Hz Timeless Planar Magnetics. They blow anything in the $50 dollar range away. As far as the ER3 and ER4, I talked to someone with all three, and he says the ER2's are still the better value of the three and that the ER2XR has better bass than the other two higher prices models. Some people still really like the ER4SR (that's the one without the added bass response.) Are they good gaming headphones? Not really. They don't have a mic. And they are very uncomfortable to wear at first. You need to get used to them. They are MMX, but they are proprietary. I do game with them often, but only if I don't need a mic. I will say this, don't buy 2 or 3 $50 IEM's. Just get these. They are pretty much all you need from an IEM. They can actually be an end game.
I've seen a bunch of iem and headphone reviews and this is "the" video to watch when it comes to comparison between price points and use cases, thank you!
I’ve been running my Moondrop Starfields for about a year now and absolutely love them. Warmer sound signature, but the imaging is so, so good for competitive games, even compared to something like my He-4xx or dt770s. Also the design is gorgeous and they aren’t too much more expensive than the arias
@@ondesk9943 I use a wave xlr interface as my source most of the time, but as long as you have a clean source, anything will drive them fine. Phone dongle, schiit stack, and laptop jack have all worked just fine with no real difference
Have to agree, the Arias were amped up for bass, and are not bassy. The one thing I love Aria for is that any IEM you ever think about buying, someone will compare them to the Aria. For $200ish Ikko OH10 is by far my favorite. Bassy, clear, and insane soundstage (and directional awareness). Though, I prefer different tuning to Crinicle. Dan's Audio Reviews is more the kind of person I like the tuning of. Z Reviews is pretty good in my book too, and also loves the OH10.
As a bassist I have been running custom molded Alien Ears IEM G8's since 2015, they have been great. They were a little over $500 back then, but again they are custom molded IEM's.
Came to mention this. At $20 these are tough to beat at least in terms of IEMs. (For headphones the KSC75 is also a major value prop and probably games better given the wider soundstage.)
I switched over to IEMs after my neck surgery and it's been quite a journey learning new things coming from a robust audiophile world. I have tried quite a few while a lot sound great, as a gamer they don't really all fit the bill. I tried quite a few, I have kept a bunch that I enjoy and what I found and settled with surprisingly was a $79 pair of IEMs from final audio called the vr3000. The build is very cheap, all plastic all black, even the ear protectors have to be put on, the cable is non-detachable but all that being said it's honestly the best sounding and performing in-ear monitor with really the best sound stage and layering I've heard for gaming and they're basically throw away. Worth trying out if someone is looking and don't want to spend a lot of money.
I really appreciate these iem videos but I think that it was more focused on music than gaming. I know it is earbuds for music but I would lovet if you make another video for gaming ONLY and the best iems for ex: Pinpoint accuracy, vertical, 360 view and soundstage. Both for casuals and sweats
Using the Arias in RS6 Siege Plat 2 currently, you can literally pinpoint everyone and everything all the time - the bass is so subtle and "nice" that it never overwhelms you
If you haven't already done so (and you get a chance to), Sennheiser's IE300 is one of my favorites for gaming audio. A lot of audiophiles poo-poo them because they're kinda V-shaped, but they have better imaging than some open-back headphones I've used. They're also super light and comfortable.
@@liam0985 honestly strictly for gaming they're unfortunately the best Ive tried of below 500. the sound stage is awesome and the balance between highs and lows in most shooter is very pleasant.
@@Definitely_Melnyx The lack of mid range makes them a poor choice for fps games since gunshots and explosions cloud over the midrange footsteps and details. My dunu sa6 crushes my ie300 and is still better than my ie600 for comp games. Blessing 2 non dusk is probably the best choice for price to performance. The ie300 does have a good stage and imaging though and sounds great but it’s not optimal for fps games imo
@@xRealUzz yeah I’ve got a pair of the new airpod pros and they sound good but I only use them at the gym. Honestly an iem like the Aria outperforms airpod pros, I have a kz zs10 pro and that is nearly as good as the airpod pros for $40 but would be much better for gaming
Tin T3 plus, I love it over the Aria personally. I used Aria before, but I prefer T3 plus because of it fits perfectly in my ear and the soundstage to me is just right. Aria's soundstage, I find it unnaturally wide for gaming.
I used to sit with a headset on for up to 12 hours a day for work (often followed by 3 to 4 more hours on my home pc) 5 days a week. This led me, after many years of using Sennheiser cans, to switch to IEMs full time. I wear glasses, and between the eventual discomfort of having them pushed into the side of my head by cans, to breaking out with zits on my ears, I eventually had enough and made the switch. For work I use the MEE audio M6 PROs. Nothing to write home about, with pretty poor bass, but I'm primarily using them for Teams/Zoom/VOIP applications for which they are more than adequate, especially at a $40 price point. Completely comfortable for all day use with a good stiff over the ear wire the keeps them securely in place (which is replaceable). For play I have a set of the Arias, and I like them for all the reasons you described. Having permanent tinnitus, high fidelity is lost on me, but I find these to be excellent to use for gaming, listening to music and watching videos on my PC. My main gripe with them comes not from the sound, but in the wire that goes over the ear. I find it to be too pliable, and it doesn't hold it's shape well, which leaves me having one of them come off of the top of my ear if I move around much. I've gone through some other cheaper, not worth any money IEMs as well, that aren't worth mentioning, but what I have found with all of them is that replacing the tips with something like the SpinFit CP360 Medical Grade Silicone replacement ear tips greatly increases the comfort, fit, and the seal necessary for the best sound, than most of the stock tips packaged with the IEMs, particularly the Aria, which I found to be too soft and slid out of my ears frequently unless my head is pretty still.
The camera work in this video is on point. The way that you cut away to b-roll shots in between talking to the camera really helps break up the video and kept me engaged the whole vid. Excellent job man. Even though it's a little longer than your normal vid it didn't feel that way at all. Also I've been looking to get a pair of IEM's and this helped so much! Thanks for putting in the work!
Second, thanks for not making me feel like a complete audio idiot. Your explanations of what factors to consider when selecting an IEM were clear and easy to understand.
Glad you had the 7Hz Timeless in there and gave your honest impressions. I don't play many shooters so for me the Timeless have been absolutely phenomenal for 250 bucks I feel like I never have to buy a pair of headphones or IEMs ever again (although I definitely will). I've been daily driving them for almost a year now with a Fiio K5 pro Dac/Amp and a small headphone attenuator from Fiio. From music to gaming I don't feel like I'm missing any detail when i'm using them. I don't think I'll ever use over ears again.
Got the 7hz and other IEMs, didn't live up to the hype. The s12 pro sounds better. But at the end, I returned all of them and ordered the dunu sa6 ultra. Hopefully it's good.
@@eyang7 is it? Been curious on which if the SA6 would suit me best as I have the Titan S and was amazed how life-like they sound, but I don't like the fit; to get a flush and comfortable seal I had to borrow the flexible black tips from the Kinera Idun packaging, but it doesn't provide the same separation..so that upper midrange boosting kinda starts screaming at you with the vocals and guitars blaring. Been recommended some Flexi eartips by Honest Audiophile Reviews, and they might favor well- but I'm now I'm mainly concerned if I can do any better than the original Kinera Idun (not the overhyped 2.0 versions). To get the right seal for those it did mean using the tips that pushed the most amount of bass, and at first I didn't like that as someone who prefers a natural/neutral sound, but having worn the regular tips that cut back on those lows- I need the complete seal back. In regards to the SA6, they have a very similar body style to the Idun and I've been told at least the original ones (simply the Sa6 with the number written on one of the faceplates) is good for laid back classic rock (like Deep Purple they said). However, I am a funk metal head with an occasional taste for Thrash and Glam, so the mids and highs are top priority. Still, bass dynamics matters to me for those bands or songs that give bass players like myself a sense of appreciation (consider any song from the "Time's Up" album by Living Colour or anything by PRIMUS). Just the different styles and possibilities within the bass frequencies ALONE with my playlist mostly representing the mainstream music of 3 decades (70s, 80s, 90s mostly) are enough for to me need bass that performs similarly to the Titan S as I felt those iems are pitch perfect across the board (but could probably benefit from having a BA...maybe-- i dont know i just agree with The Honest Audiophile guy that they lack "soul"). Of course, the SA6 just had to be $500 - and it's not like I can rely on a Deep Purple fan alone to feel certain about such an investment. So uh TLDR: How good are the SA6-- do they even need any EQing to sound neutral? I might end up slapping the ief target on top of them regardless, but it wouldn't hurt to finally have a sound product that is perfectly balanced on its own. More info because I feel like it: Snare drum hits are among the first things I pay attention to (since TWS are usually horseshit at reproducing even electronic percussions adequately, and I make beats every now and then), then it's guitar timbre and fullness, then bass dynamics, then how they all perform simultaneously. Usually EQing the mids and bass to being flat stops all of that subbass bleeding over that bass boosted tuning usually does- almost like a blanket being yanked off the guitar and drum sounds. I mean, with a good enough seal-- and assuming you've got DDs that perform like the Titan S-- that bass can be completely flat and I love it that way. I'm okay with the bass from the Idun being "meh" since that ideal seal allows the bass to still be fulfilling anyway. There's also just less of that tonal mushing together stuff that the Titan S are still somewhat guilty of at times. Anyways, that's my info dumping done with. And for me IEMs > Headphones because I can take them anywhere assuming they're as snug and well-sealed as the Iduns. And if you couldn't already tell, imperfections distract me- I will never not notice a lack of crunch to the opening riff of Scorpions' "The Zoo".
@@jakefoxx7978thats a long comment. But I advise you to get the aful performer 5( since you considered Titan S and this kinda fit in the same price tag)
You have to try the 7hz salnotes zero @ 20 bucks. They are stupid good and what I personally use for music/gaming over my blessing 2 because of the comfort.
@@ralphsantos6251 tonality/tamber, they sound nearly identical. The only thing I’d give to the blessing over the Salnotes is separation of sounds. However, it’s super negligible. I mean you’d need to be really listening critically for it. Then when you factor in the price and comfort it’s just not even fair.
@@ralphsantos6251 Best value IEM on the market currently. The blessing are the highest priced IEM I personally own. However I own a handful between the Zero and Blessing and it's crazy how well the Zero compete with them all.
@@melantusou’re making me reconsider my potential iem upgrades from the 7hz zeros. Using them I already knew there wont be any iem that blows it away, but someone might say a $300 iem sounds much better. However I am willing to pay a small premium to a tiny improvement and see how it goes. Return policies mean trying them and returning cause no harm (maybe a bit if time and work but worth if youre spending in the hundreds dollars range
My Setup is currently SoundBlaster X4 + Shure MV7 + DT 900 Pro X and/or Hifiman Sundara. I used to have an interface also, for side-tone mix of my XLR mic, but when you use Open-Back Headphones there is no need for that, as you can hear your own voice with headphones on. And so you are free to use the more "gaming oriented" SoundBlaster DAC which supports up to 600ohm and can even go to 192khz, which happens to be the maximum quality on Apple Music also, meaning i also dont feel like i need to buy a DAC that goes to 384khz or some other nonsense. Most tracks are 96khz anyway and I also tried Qobuz at 192 but you really can't hear a difference going back and forth between them. Also different dongle DACs made no groundbreaking difference. IEMs, which are shutting you in, start to become uncomfortable after a while, and which you can't really put down quickly when the door or phone rings, or you just want a coffee break, loose against Over-Ears that i can simple take off and hang over my boom-mic, ready to grab when i return. Also sound quality, staging, etc. are going head to head, while open-backs are wining in staging and imaging, which is important for 3D games, imho. Also there is a risk of getting an infection in the ear canal if you are too careless and have a messy desk (most gamers have messy desks..) which the eartips can come in contact with whatever. The benefits of IEM start to diminish in day to day use, once you are done with "critical listening" and comparing specs. For Gaming and Music i would always recommend a good pair of headphones and a hi-res audio interface over anything.
If you are interested in competitive gaming, here is my list : 1. Dunu Vulkan 379.99 2. Raptgo Hook-X (Planar) 239.99 3. Ikko OH10 199.99 4. QKZ HBB 19.99 5. Tin T2 Plus 55.99 6. Crin Zero 49.99
Haven’t tried the blessings, but from what I’ve heard they aren’t the best for gaming. They are killer for music though. OH10 is a killer deal for the price. Good detail, imaging, soundstage is good for the price, a bit on the bass side although
@@kimjongpoontv69 Just bought Truthear Zero on sale 11.11, but still waiting for shop shipping's. Should I get worry with the bass for competitive gaming? Ty ; )
Using iem for gaming for the first time, first week my ear canals are sore as hell, second week its not as sore as before, third week my ears finally getting used to. Sound stage aer meh, but at least its not messing your hair like headphone does.
Would love to hear your thoughts on the Moondrop Starfields! Used those for about a year until the right driver quit on me. Ended up trying the Aria's but their directional audio just wasn't as good to me for gaming. Love the videos, keep em coming!
I just got my first iems which are thruthear x crinnacle zero iems and I'm in love with them I love the sound especially in gaming and love the design sick
I ran into the same problem with my Blessing 2 tips after a few months of wear. Replace the stock tips with the Moondrop Spring Tips! It will seem like they don’t fit on the larger nozzle at first, but with a little finagling, they were great. No more issues with the tips sliding off and I find them much more comfortable.
Also worth noting that the spring tips are $13 but they’re the stock tips that come with the $20 Moondrop Chu. So if you’re getting the tips, might as well spend as extra $7 for a “beater” pair of IEM’s
I splurged on a pair of the IE300s a month or so ago when they went on sale for 200 and love them to death. I was thinking of snagging some Aria's to pair with one of those bluetooth adapters for a wireless option (also cheaper for a second pair) but you made those Truthear's sound really enticing.
I am an avid audiophile. Bought bunch of iems but the one that has stuck with me is the shure aonic 4. Smooth sound with no fatigue, great comfort can wear it for hours. Basically an all rounder iem that made me stop my search….for now
The og blessing 2s are my daily driver for gaming and music. I use them at my desktop for competitive gaming, and on the go with a fiio btr7 for music. I've been in love since I got them
Check out the $20 QKZ x HBB. Just get wide bore silicone tips to open up the treble a bit. The tips may cost more than the iems but it's worth it. I found my sweet spot with the $425 Fatfreq Maestro Mini bass kings. I rec comply foam tips to help tame the treble, then they're insane. If you need that bass...and I do.
Hard disagree on the "no bass" earphone for gaming. No bass means you can barely hear muted sounds like footsteps through walls. The low spectrum is still important for spatial audio.
i have the truthear zeros. I use them for gaming. do you recommend that i get a DAC amp or just settle for a software to change EQs to boost footsteps for better directional awareness? i'm using steelseries GG utilizing the sonar feature. basically what im asking does this do justice instead of having to buy a dac amp. and if i do need to get a amp does the dongle do just as good. kinda trying to save money lol. thanks for the vid btw!
100% agree on the "Pervy waifu shit", sadly few iem companies seem to care about having a premium or elegant "non anime" branded presentation in their packaging (only Final, Sennheiser & Raptgo come to my mind right now)
I got the iBasso IT03 about 6 years ago for €120 and they are very nice to me. The cable itself is already great, and they are quite comfortable for longer sessions.
@@joemorgan9801unc has beef with cute fictional girls that's crazy. If these IEMs made by Asians bother then just stick to non-Asian made ones, it's that easy surprisingly. Idk if you somehow don't know but Japan, Korea, and China has a huge "anime" culture
i have a bunch of iems and headphones, including Focal Clears, Fiio Eclipse, Timeless 7hz, etc. My recommendation for anyone getting into iems, is to get the Quedelix 5K as step one. This wireless dac/amp has ridiculously good parametric EQ possibilities via an app, and you don't need to rely on anyone else "tuning" iems for you. If you have the Quedelix, my favourite iem (out of a dozen pairs) is the BQEYZ Spring 2, played with a huge 10db bump in the sub bass region (this iem can take it) and the top end rolled off very slightly. I've never heard anything like it. It almost replicates the feeling I get listening loud on my JBL4429 studio monitors, paired with a Krell 400xi and a Kreisel dxd808 sub. Highly recommended.
So I haven't seen anyone mention this in the comments and incase you haven't reached out to Crin about this I wanted to clarify why (probably) the Monarchs sounded like they were less controlled on the Audient. Every headphone output has a parameter called output impedance. The general rule is that output impedance should be at least 8 times lower than impedance of the headphones to ensure that the frequency response is not changed. It's especially important for headphones (or rather IEMs in this case) with multiple drivers, as such configuration often leads to impedance varying significantly over the frequency range. Audient Evo 4 has a measured output impedance of around 22 Ohms, while both the Apple Dongle and iFi Zen DAC V2 are under 1 Ohm.
your photography is PERFECT. i would really like to know your camera and lens setup. loved this review with the music/gaming contrast, really helped me parse the audiophile concepts i'm just starting to learn.
Recently started using my Tin Hifi T2 Pros for gaming. Was using the Philips Fidelio X2HRs but wanted to try the IEM route. And I agree with the perv comment. Not sure why so many people are into that. Great information and quality content!
I am amazed my new IEM $380 Thieaudio Hype 4 just replaced my old $1,400 UM MEST MK2 but without the sibilance that the MEST have so now I am selling my older expensive IEMs because these new mid rangers beat them
Use earbuds maybe if you feel like using IEM feels like your claustrophobic kicking in. open back, good soundstage (because of them being open back), good details. K's LBBS (budget) Yincrow RW-1000 Yincrow RW-2000 Yincrow RW-3000 Yincrow X-6 (super budget, V-shaped sound profile like a lot of IEM) Toneking TP16 (super budget set) Toneking Dendroaspis VIridis As for IEM, I've been hearing/reading that some mid level cihifi is really good at soundstage for gaming and being neutral: - Tripowin Olina SE - Dunu Titan S These are around the price of Arias
On the Blessing 2 Dusk eartip problem, I used the eartips of the Samsung ehs64 (the free earphones of older samsung phones). The tips are short and allow the end of the Dusk's nozzle to sit a mere 1mm from the edge of the eartip. This lets the iem sit deeper in the ear canal. For retention, i just tied some thread 3-4 times around the stem of the eartip to help it grip the nozzle. They have never slipped off since then
*Recurring thing about too much bass being a bad thing for competitive* -> Anyone who wins tournaments uses some bassy logitech, razer or hyperx's. As someone who plays Apex Legends competitively and has regularly played in the same lobbies as pro players, If I'm using any earbuds with Balanced armatures or too much "detail" (treble boost), I have trouble distancing where enemies are due to the lack of tactility (?) of the sound. This means on corner peeks, I cant tell as easily if the enemies close (so I need to slide around on them) or slightly further (so quick peek then retreat) Also the question needs to be begged at some point of which is more accurate, sounds having their natural impact and therefore masking over other unimportant parts of the mix, or having completely flat tuning with that "crazy precision" (Different sounds being masked) Also, to be very clear, While you hear "more detail" in the highs, I have actually went from my sennheisers to my gaming headsets and noticed *entire low/mids sounds* that I cant hear due to the excess treble. It's not as simple as "Oh my audiophile headphones give me more sound". It's "My audiophile headphones give me a different *balance* of sound"
Have two pairs of moondrop arias. Sound awesome until one of them breaks and the sound is half volume compared to the other side, and no help from tech support. Very disappointed that they didn’t even last a full year
I have some experience with iems, I'm not an audio snob as I haven't broke the 400$ range but to me the best iems I have owned so far are the moondrop kato. Good clarity and the sound stage is pretty damn good.
@@badseedtech Personally not a fan but a lot of people disagree with me on that one. I haven't bought foam tips in a few years since I got my custom A12t but so long as it's a foam tip you need to squish to put in, you should be good!
I’m looking to switch to IEM’s. The only thing holding me back, is audio playback. I’m currently using Arctis Pro Wireless. Having my voice playback into my headset is a make or break for me. Is there software or hardware that will provide this?
I spent nearly all of my cash savings on the Monarch MK IIs and the fiiO M11 ESS plus and I have to say, I only had about 2 hours of buyers remorse in total after about 120 hours of listening. And that's just because of how much of my savings it ate, not because the hardware wasn't up to expectations. Seriously, you haven't heard music right unless you've listened on at least the MK II's level. I have small ear canals but it only becomes uncomfortable after about 3 hours. Plenty of time for a solid listening session. Also I've never had an issue with cable weight like many talk about. Just loop the cables behind ears right and you'll be fine.
i tried basic DD IEM's, honestly they have good bass, not obnoxious. its sweet if tuned well. i used to hear a lot of neckbands and they are horrendous compared to recently bought a Corsair HS50 for PC, a FIIO IEM for mobile. listening to both of them at the same time with same song on both of my devices with 96K 24bit both of the listening device produce very similar result. left channel was my HS50 right ear channel was FIIO. and on same songs with similar perceived set volumes they are Extremely Identical. i purposefully left 31 and 16kHZ out of the sound stage and both speakers were imperceptible.
Great video gets straight to the point and helped me gauge my decision a little bit more. Would be even better if there was a 2024 version with all the new IEMs that have come out.
Great breakdown, love that this wasn’t geared specifically towards audiophiles and you looked at the gaming aspect of things. Punchlines went crazy too lmao
Hi, liked your review and was planning on getting the Zero. I just recently got into knowing about audiophile tech. The Reds come with a 3.5mm TRS plug right. Is that enough for directional audio for gaming? I read somewhere that we need to buy a TRRRS cables for balanced output to both ears.
Warms my heart to see finally IEMs get popular for gaming and gain traction in big channels ❤
and you're still making content for reviews about is the iem gaming worthy so thank you too
100% I recently sold all my wireless audio stuff (except for linkbuds for on the go convenience) and went full wired.
Running HD6XX at home, Moondrop SSR and CHUs for IEMs.
I'm using IEMs since years for gaming, even though I own some HD800S. IEMs are just more immersive and makes me concentrate on the game way better than open backs
occlusion sucks
@@sto-humanfriendly no it doesn't man up
This is one of the most consumer-friendly breakdowns of IEMs as a whole that I've ever seen. It was a super overwhelming, jargony space when I first got into it and you answered so many of the questions that I had at that time in such an easy to understand way. You've always been able to distill complicated topics down in a consumer-forward way, but this really hit the nail on the head. Those Blessing 2 Dusks might end up being a pickup for me after all
Awesome vid, more of this please
I think part of the reason is that IEMs themselves are starting to become friendlier to the average consumer as well, with products like the CCA CRA+, the Truthear Zero (the one in the video), the Salnotes Zero (not the one in the video), and the Moondrop Chus (despite the QC issues) all coming in at $50 USD or less and sounding WAY better than IEMs in this price bracket even just a few years ago
Just get moondrop variations. I have most of the iems he showed and agree with almost all of it.
Get the variations, not the dusk.
My man - I don't say it enough, but your support means a shit load to me.
@@badseedtech always got your back homie. Love seeing you thrive.
@@mfo7611 I think this is a personal decision. Dusk is the most competitive sub 1000$ option, MOST COMPETITIVE not the best.
Variations is a tribrid and definitely interesting but also more expensive
Straight up, your presentation sells authenticity. I will always watch. Thank you, sir.
Tysm! 🙏🏼
Crinacle is THE man for IEMs. Really cool to see his influence in gaming lately, as far as iem peripherals
Yup, in this video theres 2 of his collabs
@@estebanod 3. Truth ear zero, Fiio and blessing dusk
THE man for IEMs *if you like flat, bright or sometimes ear piercing sound signatures.
Otherwise. There's Bad Guy Good Audio Reviews for those who want to enjoy the music or Z Reviews if you want the "it makes me feel good" sound signature.
Find the reviewer who has similar taste to you and you'll be golden.
DCMEKA AO9s are nice compared to his Salnotes Zero
what recomended iem for competitive gaming? like warzone pubg
BadSeed is the perfect channel for getting a taste of slightly more niche hardware sectors like keyboards and audio. And as someone who is familiar with some sections he's covered, I can be confident in the research and level of detail he provides in areas I'm not as familiar with. Great stuff!
Thanks, that really means a lot!
@@badseedtech Salnotes Zero for 20$, Mele for 50$ and T3+ for 70$ outstanding IEM's that punch way above their prices
“Vanguard, in addition to being trash”…. Lmao that caught me off guard. Still need to point out how clean and well produced your videos still are with every upload. Lifetime sub man keep it up.
Thanks a million, man - really appreciate it
Bryan, a massive, MASSIVE thanks for one of the best vids I’ve seen on youtube! You absolutely hit the nail on the head with this line up and translated it from audiophile to a more consumer level. Just wanted to say thank you and keep up the awesome work! Cheers from a big fan from the Netherlands
Thank you so much man! Really appreciate you taking the time.
I'm not an audiophile but got intrigued with IEM's a couple years back. The ones I use are the Tanchjim Hana 2021. They go for $180 and sound great with good imaging and staging with a tuning close to the harman curve. The biggest reason I have them though is that they're super comfortable which is one of the most important aspects for gaming imo .
the Sennheiser IE 300 are also super good for the exact same price
expensive
@@JoseFerreira-zb7wh*bruh*
@@JoseFerreira-zb7wh LOL that is no where near expensive. That is the price of a really good headset.
@@zancrus9629 the video suggests and iem Costing around 50 dollars. Comparing with that, it's expensive. Not saying it isn't good.
The Raptgo Hook X is definitely something worth taking a look at especially for gaming. Seems to be one of the only Planar IEMs that work well for competitive. Sound staging, imaging, and depth perception are top notch. For under $50 the 7hz zero and QKZ x HBB are very popular budget choices.
I already have 7hz Zero and it's a good budget choice for competitive gaming. I need to try qkz x hbb and truthear.
S12 is good prolly better and cheaper
@@jagason7494 s12? What's the whole name?
@@ondesk9943 Letshoer s12
@@jagason7494 Fresh Reviews did a full comparison of all planars for competitive, and his pick is the raptgo for it. I still would love to pickup an S12 pro myself in the future though, since I do prefer brighter sets for my library.
I chose the Linsoul Tin Hifi T3 Plus over the Aria, details and sound stage are really great for competitive shooters, build quality is great and it's also less than 100$, I highly recommend.
I've been using the Moondrop KATOs for some time now and was ready to upgrade to the Blessing 2 / Dusk, but despite a lot of research, you're the first person to point out the problem with the tips staying in your ear due to no lip. That sounds like a huge deal breaker for me, so thank you for pointing it out.
That's a lip problem with the Blessing?
After watching a few reviews now I’ve got the £50 Crinacle Zero. As someone who owns quite a few headsets and headphones, I have to honestly say that the Crinacle Zero easily beats all of them for directional audio and footsteps. Even just plugged into the PS5 controller it was very good, but I’ve plugged them into my old Turtle Beach Superamp and it makes the Crinacle Zero even better and with Turtle Beach Superhuman mode turned on, omg it makes the Crinacle Zero literally a wallhack IEM. I literally can’t say how amazing it makes this IEM for competitive gaming with the Superhuman hearing mode on this superamp. It makes the IEM also much louder. One downside is, they become very harsh, but I’m ok with that as it extracts so much detail from the frequency. You can’t go wrong for £50 and I highly recommend it
Whats better the Crinacle Zero or The truthier Critical
Is it fine if I use it with my 3.5 mm to Type-C convertor . Or should I get a DAC
@@SOHAM_141 It’s really low impedance, so you don’t need a DAC and it works fine with a 3.5 to USB C
@@famezy9103 Sorry bro to ask you and thanks for the help . But my parents decrease the budget to $30 .
@@famezy9103 Do you know any better at 30$ range . I am thinking of 7Hz Salnotes Zero . Not 2 just first one .
Sheesh the timing of this video is great. I didn't realize this was made 3 days ago and today I just got into researching about IEMs. Thanks for the video! :D
The moondrop chu is honestly incredible for less than $20 with shipping. Nothing crazy ofc but a solid introduction and they come with the spring tips which are $10 on their own.
i think the 7hz zero is better because you can change cable
Got these last week and now I am in love with IEMs lol
The QKZ x KBB is my favorite $20 range IEM. Way more fun than the Chu and the 7Hz Zero (which I also love.) It's not great as a reference, but I listen to music to enjoy it. There is plenty of stage and imaging, especially at this price. No need to EQ these.
I have the Chu and honestly it's fine for 20€. But to be honest, I prefer every kind of galaxy buds I've ever used over it. The tinhifi t3+ was a lot better for me too.
But for its price it's good.
@@Milchschndde I hope they're better at 4-6x the price lol but yeah lol.
The under $100 category has been quite a blood bath this year, I would definitely watch a budget IEM roundup for gaming video from you. People looooooove the Dunu Titan, so that might be worth checking out, then there's stuff like the Moondrop Chu for a measly *TWENTY DOLLARS,* and plenty of other stuff. There's also a re-tuned Aria called the Aria Snow that has the bass dropped just a tad. Plenty of other stuff to look at as well, those are just a few off the top of my head.
I actually own a pair of Aria Snows and I actually really like the tuning of them. Sound is pretty good but I don’t have much for comparison.
dunu titan s or moondrop aria, dude? I am undecided for gaming or one with a lower price that is also recommended?
Dont get the chu's i had 2 pairs that both failed withun a month. I have been rocking the truthear hola for the past few months they go for 20 bucks and i can recommend them
Now with Truthear's Hexa there's even more competition at under $100, I'd love to see Bryan revisit the topic of IEM's
super solid guide. thank you for keeping it simple and honest! this will be my first pair of IEMs, pretty stoked to see how it goes!
Don't forget to add SA6 to your list in the 300-1000 range. I spent a lot of time with a B2D on a loaner tour and while it was ok on comfort that nozzle is just seriously thicc and isn't going to work for everyone. Now the Dunu is my office music daily
Yeah, I love the SA6. It's my goto travel IEM. Use them at the airport and on the plane. Then at the hotel I set the DAP to DAC mode on my laptop and use it for movies or playing games.
That was on my original wishlist as something at the $500 tier but they’re perpetually oos. I’ve heard nothing but good things. I have made contact w Dunu though so 🤞🏼🤞🏼
@@badseedtech knowing the tuning that you love. I think you would LOVE the moon drop Variations. We like a lot of the same stuff. Think a more detailed blessing 2 none dusk with a built in xbass from ifi built in but twice the control. They thump hard but Never ever bleed great treble. But never shouty. Blessing 2 extremes. Definitely worth the extra 200
@@badseedtech You should also take a look at the Thie Audio Oracle MK2. It just came out and @Fresh Reviews review said they were great for gaming. A good comparison in that range would be Variations, Oracle Mk2 and Dunu SA6. Last thing, please reach out to @Fresh Reviews and do a colab. If you combine his ability to BUY EVERYTHING and his great info with your editing humor and style. You would go together be like a DT1990 and EQ.
We love you metal
I will not claim to be an expert about iems but I am an avid gamer. Switching to iems a while back was one of the best decisions I made. Love my kz zs10 pros, have been looking into the truth ear zeros to give a try after seeing glowing reviews
Always appreciate videos like this where you go into something you're not entirely familiar with. Cause I'm extremely curious about using IEM's for gaming and when you look up reviews, or suggestions and they start going into the audiophile jargon and IEM enthusiast speak it just gets confusing and I lose interest cause it feels like there's a crash course I gotta take before I can even understand what someone is saying to me. Your ability to do your research and make comparisons of what you're talking about it a clear and concise way that most people can understand is what puts you up at the top
Yo, thank you for making this vid. Most of us were waiting for a vid like this, where someone would go through a bunch of IEM's that we have preferences for.
The Truthear Zero are so fun to listen to. I absolutely love them! They are now my 100% go-to suggestion for friends/family looking for good sound that isn't wireless/ANC. I really want to try the B2Dusk, though quite a jump in price while I'm still in love with my Aeon Closed X!
Unrelated, but how much do you think the difference is in sound quality of a 50usd iem compared to a 50usd TWS
@@volarex5311huge
Do they still work for you? I want to get them but people have been complaining about them not working after a while.
Ive been using the Truthear Zeros for the last few months and I love them. I haven't finished the video but I feel like they are amazing for the price.
are they still good? do you recommend, i have blqckshark razor 2 pros but thinking on buying these
I love how 10 years ago I had to pay 1300 bucks for iems and a transmitter when I joined the band I still play in because they had a Shure rack unit that was the same size as my Marshall half stack. 10 years later we all you sub 30dollar in ears from Amazon and then every one has their own system that for the entire 5 members cost 30 times less than the 14k they paid for the shure system. A tip from a guitar player for gamers….. get a headphone preamp for your computer so u can dial whatever amount of bass mods and highs. Especially if you’re sensitive to certain frequencies (aka perfect pitch)
I believe the ER2SE and ER2XR deserve a look. And not just for the fit, but for how well it performs overall. I haven't seen an in depth look at them in the context of gaming yet, so that'll be much appreciated for sure.
Same. I researched IEM's for competitive gaming quite extensively for the past 2-3 months. There aren't many resources on how the Etymotic ES2SE/XR perform at that from someone that actually plays a lot of multiplayer games. My latest purchase is the 7HZ Salnotes Zero, which Brian should totally check out for the sub $25 category.
ER3XR crush them both in terms of performance for gaming. Esp fps like CSGO. Playing competitive in faceit and fastcup I must credit the ER3XR for my advantage in being able to hear footsteps and small details that other IEMs lack. Still haven't found a better replacement.
The ER2XR are the best value in IEM's period. They are $99 dollars and are comparable to the $220 dollar 7Hz Timeless Planar Magnetics.
They blow anything in the $50 dollar range away.
As far as the ER3 and ER4, I talked to someone with all three, and he says the ER2's are still the better value of the three and that the ER2XR has better bass than the other two higher prices models. Some people still really like the ER4SR (that's the one without the added bass response.)
Are they good gaming headphones? Not really. They don't have a mic. And they are very uncomfortable to wear at first. You need to get used to them. They are MMX, but they are proprietary.
I do game with them often, but only if I don't need a mic.
I will say this, don't buy 2 or 3 $50 IEM's. Just get these. They are pretty much all you need from an IEM. They can actually be an end game.
I've seen a bunch of iem and headphone reviews and this is "the" video to watch when it comes to comparison between price points and use cases, thank you!
I’ve been running my Moondrop Starfields for about a year now and absolutely love them. Warmer sound signature, but the imaging is so, so good for competitive games, even compared to something like my He-4xx or dt770s. Also the design is gorgeous and they aren’t too much more expensive than the arias
What amp dac do you use with moondrop starfield?
@@ondesk9943 I use a wave xlr interface as my source most of the time, but as long as you have a clean source, anything will drive them fine. Phone dongle, schiit stack, and laptop jack have all worked just fine with no real difference
@@Devyn_Eleven ty!
they're actually almost the same as the aria, regarding tuning
is it required to have an amp dac in order to use the inears on pc?
If he spoke to crinacle about it, this list is legit
My dude repping The Beths over here? I knew you were my favorite. I really appreciate the cursory overview and breakdowns, thanks brother.
Have to agree, the Arias were amped up for bass, and are not bassy. The one thing I love Aria for is that any IEM you ever think about buying, someone will compare them to the Aria.
For $200ish Ikko OH10 is by far my favorite. Bassy, clear, and insane soundstage (and directional awareness).
Though, I prefer different tuning to Crinicle. Dan's Audio Reviews is more the kind of person I like the tuning of. Z Reviews is pretty good in my book too, and also loves the OH10.
As a bassist I have been running custom molded Alien Ears IEM G8's since 2015, they have been great. They were a little over $500 back then, but again they are custom molded IEM's.
“I’ve been running a train on my ear canals” I’m dead
Been looking forward to this video for months!
The 7hz zero is surprising value but does lack the layering you'd want when there's a lot going on in-game.
Came to mention this. At $20 these are tough to beat at least in terms of IEMs. (For headphones the KSC75 is also a major value prop and probably games better given the wider soundstage.)
I switched over to IEMs after my neck surgery and it's been quite a journey learning new things coming from a robust audiophile world. I have tried quite a few while a lot sound great, as a gamer they don't really all fit the bill.
I tried quite a few, I have kept a bunch that I enjoy and what I found and settled with surprisingly was a $79 pair of IEMs from final audio called the vr3000. The build is very cheap, all plastic all black, even the ear protectors have to be put on, the cable is non-detachable but all that being said it's honestly the best sounding and performing in-ear monitor with really the best sound stage and layering I've heard for gaming and they're basically throw away. Worth trying out if someone is looking and don't want to spend a lot of money.
I really appreciate these iem videos but I think that it was more focused on music than gaming. I know it is earbuds for music but I would lovet if you make another video for gaming ONLY and the best iems for ex: Pinpoint accuracy, vertical, 360 view and soundstage. Both for casuals and sweats
Using the Arias in RS6 Siege Plat 2 currently, you can literally pinpoint everyone and everything all the time - the bass is so subtle and "nice" that it never overwhelms you
If you haven't already done so (and you get a chance to), Sennheiser's IE300 is one of my favorites for gaming audio. A lot of audiophiles poo-poo them because they're kinda V-shaped, but they have better imaging than some open-back headphones I've used. They're also super light and comfortable.
They are very solid but they really lack a midrange, fantastic imaging though.
@@liam0985 honestly strictly for gaming they're unfortunately the best Ive tried of below 500. the sound stage is awesome and the balance between highs and lows in most shooter is very pleasant.
@@Definitely_Melnyx The lack of mid range makes them a poor choice for fps games since gunshots and explosions cloud over the midrange footsteps and details. My dunu sa6 crushes my ie300 and is still better than my ie600 for comp games. Blessing 2 non dusk is probably the best choice for price to performance. The ie300 does have a good stage and imaging though and sounds great but it’s not optimal for fps games imo
@@liam0985 since you have a so much expensive iem, i guess you tried wireless earbud? For competitive gaming its a no go i guess?
@@xRealUzz yeah I’ve got a pair of the new airpod pros and they sound good but I only use them at the gym. Honestly an iem like the Aria outperforms airpod pros, I have a kz zs10 pro and that is nearly as good as the airpod pros for $40 but would be much better for gaming
We’ve waited and waited and waited and you didn’t let us down at all such banger of a video.
Tin T3 plus, I love it over the Aria personally. I used Aria before, but I prefer T3 plus because of it fits perfectly in my ear and the soundstage to me is just right. Aria's soundstage, I find it unnaturally wide for gaming.
I used to sit with a headset on for up to 12 hours a day for work (often followed by 3 to 4 more hours on my home pc) 5 days a week. This led me, after many years of using Sennheiser cans, to switch to IEMs full time. I wear glasses, and between the eventual discomfort of having them pushed into the side of my head by cans, to breaking out with zits on my ears, I eventually had enough and made the switch.
For work I use the MEE audio M6 PROs. Nothing to write home about, with pretty poor bass, but I'm primarily using them for Teams/Zoom/VOIP applications for which they are more than adequate, especially at a $40 price point. Completely comfortable for all day use with a good stiff over the ear wire the keeps them securely in place (which is replaceable).
For play I have a set of the Arias, and I like them for all the reasons you described. Having permanent tinnitus, high fidelity is lost on me, but I find these to be excellent to use for gaming, listening to music and watching videos on my PC. My main gripe with them comes not from the sound, but in the wire that goes over the ear. I find it to be too pliable, and it doesn't hold it's shape well, which leaves me having one of them come off of the top of my ear if I move around much.
I've gone through some other cheaper, not worth any money IEMs as well, that aren't worth mentioning, but what I have found with all of them is that replacing the tips with something like the SpinFit CP360 Medical Grade Silicone replacement ear tips greatly increases the comfort, fit, and the seal necessary for the best sound, than most of the stock tips packaged with the IEMs, particularly the Aria, which I found to be too soft and slid out of my ears frequently unless my head is pretty still.
The camera work in this video is on point. The way that you cut away to b-roll shots in between talking to the camera really helps break up the video and kept me engaged the whole vid. Excellent job man. Even though it's a little longer than your normal vid it didn't feel that way at all. Also I've been looking to get a pair of IEM's and this helped so much! Thanks for putting in the work!
Second, thanks for not making me feel like a complete audio idiot. Your explanations of what factors to consider when selecting an IEM were clear and easy to understand.
Glad you had the 7Hz Timeless in there and gave your honest impressions. I don't play many shooters so for me the Timeless have been absolutely phenomenal for 250 bucks I feel like I never have to buy a pair of headphones or IEMs ever again (although I definitely will). I've been daily driving them for almost a year now with a Fiio K5 pro Dac/Amp and a small headphone attenuator from Fiio. From music to gaming I don't feel like I'm missing any detail when i'm using them. I don't think I'll ever use over ears again.
Got the 7hz and other IEMs, didn't live up to the hype. The s12 pro sounds better. But at the end, I returned all of them and ordered the dunu sa6 ultra. Hopefully it's good.
@@eyang7 is it? Been curious on which if the SA6 would suit me best as I have the Titan S and was amazed how life-like they sound, but I don't like the fit; to get a flush and comfortable seal I had to borrow the flexible black tips from the Kinera Idun packaging, but it doesn't provide the same separation..so that upper midrange boosting kinda starts screaming at you with the vocals and guitars blaring. Been recommended some Flexi eartips by Honest Audiophile Reviews, and they might favor well- but I'm now I'm mainly concerned if I can do any better than the original Kinera Idun (not the overhyped 2.0 versions). To get the right seal for those it did mean using the tips that pushed the most amount of bass, and at first I didn't like that as someone who prefers a natural/neutral sound, but having worn the regular tips that cut back on those lows- I need the complete seal back. In regards to the SA6, they have a very similar body style to the Idun and I've been told at least the original ones (simply the Sa6 with the number written on one of the faceplates) is good for laid back classic rock (like Deep Purple they said). However, I am a funk metal head with an occasional taste for Thrash and Glam, so the mids and highs are top priority. Still, bass dynamics matters to me for those bands or songs that give bass players like myself a sense of appreciation (consider any song from the "Time's Up" album by Living Colour or anything by PRIMUS). Just the different styles and possibilities within the bass frequencies ALONE with my playlist mostly representing the mainstream music of 3 decades (70s, 80s, 90s mostly) are enough for to me need bass that performs similarly to the Titan S as I felt those iems are pitch perfect across the board (but could probably benefit from having a BA...maybe-- i dont know i just agree with The Honest Audiophile guy that they lack "soul"). Of course, the SA6 just had to be $500 - and it's not like I can rely on a Deep Purple fan alone to feel certain about such an investment. So uh
TLDR: How good are the SA6-- do they even need any EQing to sound neutral? I might end up slapping the ief target on top of them regardless, but it wouldn't hurt to finally have a sound product that is perfectly balanced on its own.
More info because I feel like it:
Snare drum hits are among the first things I pay attention to (since TWS are usually horseshit at reproducing even electronic percussions adequately, and I make beats every now and then), then it's guitar timbre and fullness, then bass dynamics, then how they all perform simultaneously. Usually EQing the mids and bass to being flat stops all of that subbass bleeding over that bass boosted tuning usually does- almost like a blanket being yanked off the guitar and drum sounds. I mean, with a good enough seal-- and assuming you've got DDs that perform like the Titan S-- that bass can be completely flat and I love it that way. I'm okay with the bass from the Idun being "meh" since that ideal seal allows the bass to still be fulfilling anyway. There's also just less of that tonal mushing together stuff that the Titan S are still somewhat guilty of at times.
Anyways, that's my info dumping done with. And for me IEMs > Headphones because I can take them anywhere assuming they're as snug and well-sealed as the Iduns. And if you couldn't already tell, imperfections distract me- I will never not notice a lack of crunch to the opening riff of Scorpions' "The Zoo".
@@jakefoxx7978thats a long comment. But I advise you to get the aful performer 5( since you considered Titan S and this kinda fit in the same price tag)
@@NamTran-xc2ip I get passionate like that sometimes 😅 but thanks for the recommendation.
Brooooo!!! Keep these vids like this going do more videos with price range and explaining in dummy to us bc it helps understand
im a simple man, i see anime girls on things, i buy
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My man
THE WINNER approves 👍
Anime Girls are life THE WINNER says! 🙂😏✋️
Eww
Sounds like my highschool buddy, hes 24 and still like that lmao.
Great, another rabbit hole to jump into. Thanks BST, getting me into mechanical keyboards wasn't enough.
My advice: run. It's a deep, deeeeeeeeeep rabbit hole.
You have to try the 7hz salnotes zero @ 20 bucks. They are stupid good and what I personally use for music/gaming over my blessing 2 because of the comfort.
Can you do a sound comparison between the two?
@@ralphsantos6251 tonality/tamber, they sound nearly identical. The only thing I’d give to the blessing over the Salnotes is separation of sounds. However, it’s super negligible. I mean you’d need to be really listening critically for it. Then when you factor in the price and comfort it’s just not even fair.
Wow that's a great sell for the zeros. $20 vs $200 for similar tuning but slightly less technical? Sounds like I need to get myself a pair
@@ralphsantos6251 Best value IEM on the market currently. The blessing are the highest priced IEM I personally own. However I own a handful between the Zero and Blessing and it's crazy how well the Zero compete with them all.
@@melantusou’re making me reconsider my potential iem upgrades from the 7hz zeros. Using them I already knew there wont be any iem that blows it away, but someone might say a $300 iem sounds much better. However I am willing to pay a small premium to a tiny improvement and see how it goes. Return policies mean trying them and returning cause no harm (maybe a bit if time and work but worth if youre spending in the hundreds dollars range
My Setup is currently SoundBlaster X4 + Shure MV7 + DT 900 Pro X and/or Hifiman Sundara. I used to have an interface also, for side-tone mix of my XLR mic, but when you use Open-Back Headphones there is no need for that, as you can hear your own voice with headphones on.
And so you are free to use the more "gaming oriented" SoundBlaster DAC which supports up to 600ohm and can even go to 192khz, which happens to be the maximum quality on Apple Music also, meaning i also dont feel like i need to buy a DAC that goes to 384khz or some other nonsense. Most tracks are 96khz anyway and I also tried Qobuz at 192 but you really can't hear a difference going back and forth between them. Also different dongle DACs made no groundbreaking difference.
IEMs, which are shutting you in, start to become uncomfortable after a while, and which you can't really put down quickly when the door or phone rings, or you just want a coffee break, loose against Over-Ears that i can simple take off and hang over my boom-mic, ready to grab when i return. Also sound quality, staging, etc. are going head to head, while open-backs are wining in staging and imaging, which is important for 3D games, imho. Also there is a risk of getting an infection in the ear canal if you are too careless and have a messy desk (most gamers have messy desks..) which the eartips can come in contact with whatever.
The benefits of IEM start to diminish in day to day use, once you are done with "critical listening" and comparing specs. For Gaming and Music i would always recommend a good pair of headphones and a hi-res audio interface over anything.
If you are interested in competitive gaming, here is my list :
1. Dunu Vulkan 379.99
2. Raptgo Hook-X (Planar) 239.99
3. Ikko OH10 199.99
4. QKZ HBB 19.99
5. Tin T2 Plus 55.99
6. Crin Zero 49.99
Oh10 or the blessing2 for competitive gaming is better ?
Haven’t tried the blessings, but from what I’ve heard they aren’t the best for gaming. They are killer for music though. OH10 is a killer deal for the price. Good detail, imaging, soundstage is good for the price, a bit on the bass side although
And how about Dunu Titan? For gaming I mean...
@@ondesk9943 id avoid those, just get the Truth Ear Zeros, it’s all you would ever need for gaming
@@kimjongpoontv69 Just bought Truthear Zero on sale 11.11, but still waiting for shop shipping's. Should I get worry with the bass for competitive gaming? Ty ; )
Using iem for gaming for the first time, first week my ear canals are sore as hell, second week its not as sore as before, third week my ears finally getting used to. Sound stage aer meh, but at least its not messing your hair like headphone does.
Would love to hear your thoughts on the Moondrop Starfields! Used those for about a year until the right driver quit on me. Ended up trying the Aria's but their directional audio just wasn't as good to me for gaming. Love the videos, keep em coming!
same thing happened to me with the moondrop arias
I just got my first iems which are thruthear x crinnacle zero iems and I'm in love with them I love the sound especially in gaming and love the design sick
The S12 Pro for $119 is incredibly good and for an IEM is probably all you need.
Gave the iem away because it doesn’t beat my timeless to my preferences. But I kept the cable, best one I’ve ever used.
@@Wingedmagician learn how to use EQ.
@@Wingedmagician yeah i'm tempted to buy the s12 pro just for the cables.
the zero has actually been my main for gaming for months now and i love it.
i mainly play tac fps and i dont feel like im missing any audio queues
Do you have a dac?
@@12fa1 i was using it through my focusrite at the time yes.
I ran into the same problem with my Blessing 2 tips after a few months of wear. Replace the stock tips with the Moondrop Spring Tips!
It will seem like they don’t fit on the larger nozzle at first, but with a little finagling, they were great. No more issues with the tips sliding off and I find them much more comfortable.
Also worth noting that the spring tips are $13 but they’re the stock tips that come with the $20 Moondrop Chu. So if you’re getting the tips, might as well spend as extra $7 for a “beater” pair of IEM’s
Wow, very solid, thanks! Picking up some now.
The moondrop chu is a solid low budget option, for those that want to go lower on the price tag. Perhaps worth a future video.
I splurged on a pair of the IE300s a month or so ago when they went on sale for 200 and love them to death. I was thinking of snagging some Aria's to pair with one of those bluetooth adapters for a wireless option (also cheaper for a second pair) but you made those Truthear's sound really enticing.
I own and love the Aria's but if you already have IE300's and just want some extras for bluetooth I'd get the cheaper Zero's to be honest.
I am an avid audiophile. Bought bunch of iems but the one that has stuck with me is the shure aonic 4. Smooth sound with no fatigue, great comfort can wear it for hours. Basically an all rounder iem that made me stop my search….for now
The og blessing 2s are my daily driver for gaming and music. I use them at my desktop for competitive gaming, and on the go with a fiio btr7 for music.
I've been in love since I got them
Your the #1 tech reviewer
Noice
*You’re
Check out the $20 QKZ x HBB. Just get wide bore silicone tips to open up the treble a bit. The tips may cost more than the iems but it's worth it.
I found my sweet spot with the $425 Fatfreq Maestro Mini bass kings. I rec comply foam tips to help tame the treble, then they're insane. If you need that bass...and I do.
Hard disagree on the "no bass" earphone for gaming. No bass means you can barely hear muted sounds like footsteps through walls. The low spectrum is still important for spatial audio.
i have the truthear zeros. I use them for gaming. do you recommend that i get a DAC amp or just settle for a software to change EQs to boost footsteps for better directional awareness? i'm using steelseries GG utilizing the sonar feature. basically what im asking does this do justice instead of having to buy a dac amp. and if i do need to get a amp does the dongle do just as good. kinda trying to save money lol. thanks for the vid btw!
Running. a. train. on. my. ear. canals.
fast straight to the point no bs no money involved you sir have earned a sub and a like.
No waifu, no buy
That simple
I will say for the Aria for competitive FPS i personally prefer the Snow edition due to the bass not being as harsh
100% agree on the "Pervy waifu shit", sadly few iem companies seem to care about having a premium or elegant "non anime" branded presentation in their packaging (only Final, Sennheiser & Raptgo come to my mind right now)
I got the iBasso IT03 about 6 years ago for €120 and they are very nice to me. The cable itself is already great, and they are quite comfortable for longer sessions.
Why do so many IEMs have weird creepy anime things on, i want to listen to music, not beat off to the boxxx
i think the fact that you made this comment shows more of an issue with you then the sus images on the boxes lol
@@kiten. I do have an issue, I don't understand what the package design has to do with the product
@@joemorgan9801unc has beef with cute fictional girls that's crazy. If these IEMs made by Asians bother then just stick to non-Asian made ones, it's that easy surprisingly. Idk if you somehow don't know but Japan, Korea, and China has a huge "anime" culture
i have a bunch of iems and headphones, including Focal Clears, Fiio Eclipse, Timeless 7hz, etc. My recommendation for anyone getting into iems, is to get the Quedelix 5K as step one. This wireless dac/amp has ridiculously good parametric EQ possibilities via an app, and you don't need to rely on anyone else "tuning" iems for you.
If you have the Quedelix, my favourite iem (out of a dozen pairs) is the BQEYZ Spring 2, played with a huge 10db bump in the sub bass region (this iem can take it) and the top end rolled off very slightly. I've never heard anything like it. It almost replicates the feeling I get listening loud on my JBL4429 studio monitors, paired with a Krell 400xi and a Kreisel dxd808 sub. Highly recommended.
Thank you for calling out the Waifu trash. Everyone can like what they want but quit putting those creepy picture on my headphones.
dont bash my waifus bro
Cope
So I haven't seen anyone mention this in the comments and incase you haven't reached out to Crin about this I wanted to clarify why (probably) the Monarchs sounded like they were less controlled on the Audient.
Every headphone output has a parameter called output impedance. The general rule is that output impedance should be at least 8 times lower than impedance of the headphones to ensure that the frequency response is not changed. It's especially important for headphones (or rather IEMs in this case) with multiple drivers, as such configuration often leads to impedance varying significantly over the frequency range.
Audient Evo 4 has a measured output impedance of around 22 Ohms, while both the Apple Dongle and iFi Zen DAC V2 are under 1 Ohm.
your photography is PERFECT. i would really like to know your camera and lens setup. loved this review with the music/gaming contrast, really helped me parse the audiophile concepts i'm just starting to learn.
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Recently started using my Tin Hifi T2 Pros for gaming. Was using the Philips Fidelio X2HRs but wanted to try the IEM route. And I agree with the perv comment. Not sure why so many people are into that. Great information and quality content!
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I really appreciate you covering this topic on this video thank you
I am amazed my new IEM $380 Thieaudio Hype 4 just replaced my old $1,400 UM MEST MK2 but without the sibilance that the MEST have so now I am selling my older expensive IEMs because these new mid rangers beat them
Take a look at the Blon BL-03, they are a fun, bass heavy $27 IEM that are a great buy!
Use earbuds maybe if you feel like using IEM feels like your claustrophobic kicking in.
open back, good soundstage (because of them being open back), good details.
K's LBBS (budget)
Yincrow RW-1000
Yincrow RW-2000
Yincrow RW-3000
Yincrow X-6 (super budget, V-shaped sound profile like a lot of IEM)
Toneking TP16 (super budget set)
Toneking Dendroaspis VIridis
As for IEM, I've been hearing/reading that some mid level cihifi is really good at soundstage for gaming and being neutral:
- Tripowin Olina SE
- Dunu Titan S
These are around the price of Arias
On the Blessing 2 Dusk eartip problem, I used the eartips of the Samsung ehs64 (the free earphones of older samsung phones). The tips are short and allow the end of the Dusk's nozzle to sit a mere 1mm from the edge of the eartip. This lets the iem sit deeper in the ear canal. For retention, i just tied some thread 3-4 times around the stem of the eartip to help it grip the nozzle. They have never slipped off since then
*Recurring thing about too much bass being a bad thing for competitive*
-> Anyone who wins tournaments uses some bassy logitech, razer or hyperx's.
As someone who plays Apex Legends competitively and has regularly played in the same lobbies as pro players, If I'm using any earbuds with Balanced armatures or too much "detail" (treble boost), I have trouble distancing where enemies are due to the lack of tactility (?) of the sound.
This means on corner peeks, I cant tell as easily if the enemies close (so I need to slide around on them) or slightly further (so quick peek then retreat)
Also the question needs to be begged at some point of which is more accurate, sounds having their natural impact and therefore masking over other unimportant parts of the mix, or having completely flat tuning with that "crazy precision" (Different sounds being masked)
Also, to be very clear, While you hear "more detail" in the highs, I have actually went from my sennheisers to my gaming headsets and noticed *entire low/mids sounds* that I cant hear due to the excess treble. It's not as simple as "Oh my audiophile headphones give me more sound". It's "My audiophile headphones give me a different *balance* of sound"
7hz zero (the 20 buck one) is the real value buy
great video. ive tried some chi fi iems. good for music but i always go back to my DT 1990 pros.
Have two pairs of moondrop arias. Sound awesome until one of them breaks and the sound is half volume compared to the other side, and no help from tech support. Very disappointed that they didn’t even last a full year
I have some experience with iems, I'm not an audio snob as I haven't broke the 400$ range but to me the best iems I have owned so far are the moondrop kato. Good clarity and the sound stage is pretty damn good.
Kato is good but not worth it
Overall a great budget choice for those who prefer a detailed sound signature.
Foam tips with the Blessing 2/Dusk will help with the ear tips not getting deep enough and getting stuck. Definitely the best ones on the list!
I’ve found that the Spring Tips (come stock with the Moondrop Chu or can be bought separately) work great as replacement Blessing 2 tips
Definitely gotta look into some new tips. Ppl keep recommending Spinfits?
@@badseedtech Personally not a fan but a lot of people disagree with me on that one. I haven't bought foam tips in a few years since I got my custom A12t but so long as it's a foam tip you need to squish to put in, you should be good!
An absolutely majestic beard man. Bravo
The $20.00 Linsoul Zero is the best gaming IEM hands down nothing I’ve used is better in Destiny 2 than that IEM.
Would you recommend the moon drop aria 2 for console gaming and for music?
I’m looking to switch to IEM’s. The only thing holding me back, is audio playback. I’m currently using Arctis Pro Wireless. Having my voice playback into my headset is a make or break for me.
Is there software or hardware that will provide this?
Great vid! Definitely check out the Etymotic ER2SE for competitive gaming. The fit can be hit or miss sadly.
I spent nearly all of my cash savings on the Monarch MK IIs and the fiiO M11 ESS plus and I have to say, I only had about 2 hours of buyers remorse in total after about 120 hours of listening.
And that's just because of how much of my savings it ate, not because the hardware wasn't up to expectations.
Seriously, you haven't heard music right unless you've listened on at least the MK II's level.
I have small ear canals but it only becomes uncomfortable after about 3 hours. Plenty of time for a solid listening session. Also I've never had an issue with cable weight like many talk about. Just loop the cables behind ears right and you'll be fine.
i tried basic DD IEM's, honestly they have good bass, not obnoxious. its sweet if tuned well. i used to hear a lot of neckbands and they are horrendous compared to recently bought a Corsair HS50 for PC, a FIIO IEM for mobile. listening to both of them at the same time with same song on both of my devices with 96K 24bit both of the listening device produce very similar result. left channel was my HS50 right ear channel was FIIO. and on same songs with similar perceived set volumes they are Extremely Identical. i purposefully left 31 and 16kHZ out of the sound stage and both speakers were imperceptible.
Great video gets straight to the point and helped me gauge my decision a little bit more. Would be even better if there was a 2024 version with all the new IEMs that have come out.
Fun fact the box art for the Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk is the waifuification of crinacle himself - you can't unsee it once you notice it
Great breakdown, love that this wasn’t geared specifically towards audiophiles and you looked at the gaming aspect of things. Punchlines went crazy too lmao
Dunno what is but you way of explaining things just rocks dude, thanks for such a great info video
The beginning of the video 😂😂 I had to rewind a couple times to make sure I heard correctly
Hi, liked your review and was planning on getting the Zero. I just recently got into knowing about audiophile tech.
The Reds come with a 3.5mm TRS plug right. Is that enough for directional audio for gaming? I read somewhere that we need to buy a TRRRS cables for balanced output to both ears.