Please Recommend Some IEMs

Random Guy Esq. · 14 Nov 2019 at 17:33

Hello Sound City.

So my brother's dog chewed up my Fidue A83s

and I'm looking to replace them. They'll be paired with a Cowon Plenue D. The 83s sounded great to my ears, but I was never 100% happy with the comfort of them - there's something about the cable-over-ear design that I just don't like. So I'm looking for something that either has a solid piece for over/behind the ear, or foregoes that design altogether.

Willing to spend around the £150-200 mark, and hoping for something in the same ballpark as the Fidues, musically speaking. Any suggestions?

ToTheMax · 16 Nov 2019 at 15:02

I think your are going to struggle to find decent IEM's that aren't the over/behind ear wire to be honest as that's the standard design, you're also locking yourself out of some amazing Chifi options.

Random Guy Esq. · 16 Nov 2019 at 15:24

Thanks for the response!

That's a shame. My main issue with the A83s was that the wires would never keep the shape I put them in, eventually losing the bend. Having longish hair coming down over the tops of my ears also makes the behind-the-ear wires a faff to put on or fiddle with when they start losing their shape/coming loose. Is this common with the design? If so, is it possible to easily mod the wires so they're more rigid/comfortable? Maybe some sort of sleeving?

ToTheMax · 16 Nov 2019 at 16:09

Decent IEM wires nowadays are typically sleeved (they have shape memory) and detachable, if they ever become an issue they can be easily and cheaply replaced.

Some of the top Chifi picks right now imo within your budget;

Blon BL03 - super cheap but punches way way above their price range
Z reviews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0tOliKIEyE&t=1s

Tin Hifi T4 - A more refined BL03
Z reviews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VEpGiv82U0

Tin Hifi P1 - Simply amazing but requires more amp than you detailed but the ones I prefer and my daily drivers
Z reviews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ8_D_K6wJQ

Shuoer Tape - An unusual detail orientated set
Z reviews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VEpGiv82U0

KZ ZS10 Pro
Z reviews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEVlD6LHhtk

Ikko OH10 - Great well balanced sound
Z reviews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8nf9jTrW4U

Etc etc, the Chifi scene is exploding with quality products atm because their product cycles are so short and they are constantly innovating, much faster than the headphone market imo.

Random Guy Esq. · 16 Nov 2019 at 18:41

Awesome, thanks so much @ToTheMax - I'll get watching those now!

Slam · 18 Nov 2019 at 16:27

Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro
https://www.soundcore.com/uk/products/variant/liberty-2-pro/A3909011

I got these 2 weeks ago and seriously rate them

Random Guy Esq. · 19 Nov 2019 at 21:07

Slam said:
Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro
https://www.soundcore.com/uk/products/variant/liberty-2-pro/A3909011

I got these 2 weeks ago and seriously rate them

Thanks for the recommendation, but the Plenue D doesn't have Bluetooth.

AndreWright90 · 28 Nov 2019 at 23:50

For me it's the Shanling ME100's , they don't break the bank and sound great.

R3X · 3 Dec 2019 at 14:10

ToTheMax said:
Decent IEM wires nowadays are typically sleeved (they have shape memory) and detachable, if they ever become an issue they can be easily and cheaply replaced.

Some of the top Chifi picks right now imo within your budget;

Blon BL03 - super cheap but punches way way above their price range
Z reviews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0tOliKIEyE&t=1s

Tin Hifi T4 - A more refined BL03
Z reviews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VEpGiv82U0

Tin Hifi P1 - Simply amazing but requires more amp than you detailed but the ones I prefer and my daily drivers
Z reviews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ8_D_K6wJQ

Shuoer Tape - An unusual detail orientated set
Z reviews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VEpGiv82U0

KZ ZS10 Pro
Z reviews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEVlD6LHhtk

Ikko OH10 - Great well balanced sound
Z reviews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8nf9jTrW4U

Etc etc, the Chifi scene is exploding with quality products atm because their product cycles are so short and they are constantly innovating, much faster than the headphone market imo.

thanks that is an impressive list of chi-fi !

Have you owned the Blon BL03 and the Tin T4s ? Just from watching youtube vids the guys are somewhat hyped before they even talk about these iems, I do wonder if what there saying is even true half the time and if the Blon BL03s can beat £300-400 full sized headphones like some of them claim it can.

I have only owned the ER3-XR and Soundmagic E-10s and while decent not as good as my full sized heaphones the AKG K550s, but am tempted to try the Blon BL03s or Tin T4s but I do see P1s on flebay for 115 quid atm

ToTheMax · 3 Dec 2019 at 15:57

R3X said:
thanks that is an impressive list of chi-fi !

Have you owned the Blon BL03 and the Tin T4s ? Just from watching youtube vids the guys are somewhat hyped before they even talk about these iems, I do wonder if what there saying is even true half the time and if the Blon BL03s can beat £300-400 full sized headphones like some of them claim it can.

I have only owned the ER3-XR and Soundmagic E-10s and while decent not as good as my full sized heaphones the AKG K550s, but am tempted to try the Blon BL03s or Tin T4s but I do see P1s on flebay for 115 quid atm

I've got the P1 and BLON, P1 has basically replaced my other headphones I find it's that good. But needs decent amping and base boost to get it where I like it, I'd say it's more suited to desktop usage.

R3X · 3 Dec 2019 at 16:10

ToTheMax said:
I've got the P1 and BLON, P1 has basically replaced my other headphones I find it's that good. But needs decent amping and base boost to get it where I like it, I'd say it's more suited to desktop usage.

Cheers good to know, think I am gonna research the P1 thread on head fi