| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | AA | AB | AC | |
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1 | MY DATABASE | Links are there for convenience sakes (non-affiliated), and Affiliate links from Linsoul helps me cover customs & buy more IEMs to review for you guys :) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | 💎= TOTL 💖= Fav | Scores in each category are relative only to the IEMs on the list, and nothing external/that I haven't heard yet. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | 🌟= Value Rank (Max 3 Stars) | MOST IEMS PAST $1500+ ARE NOT RECOMMENDED UNLESS YOU HAVE SPARE CASH LYING AROUND (diminishing returns) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | Volume | Rank | Out of 10 | IEM | TUNING | TECH | DIMINISHING RETURNS | NOTES | |||||||||||||||||||||
5 | PERFECTION? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | (MID-VOLUME) | S+ | 10 | SUBTONIC STORM (disc) 💖💎 ($5000) | S+ | S+ | ASTRONOMICAL DR | The best IEM I've ever heard. Best timbre. Super natural. TOTL tech. It's just good. That's all. | |||||||||||||||||||||
7 | SUMMIT-FI | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | (MID-VOLUME) | S | 9.5 | LETSHUOER Cadenza 12 ($2200) 💖💎 (PRE-PRODUCTION UNIT DIFFERENT TUNING) | S/S+ | S | Big Diminishing R | Pre-Production Unit with a different tuning. A better version of the U12T vocal/tuning wise, no mid scoop and wonkiness. (#1 or #2 vocals for me). Vocals are sweet, extended, open, airy, but also never fatiguing, and naturally weighted. No BA timbre, very natural. Perfect amount of treble detail and air while allowing it to scale at higher volumes. Super smooth dynamics and incredible coherency. TOTL resolution, detail, layering, imaging, and staging. Bass is fine, but not a basshead set - still has a nice slam to it. 07 still scales better and more 3D, but CAD12 stage is more open and better tech. If you don't blast your brains out like me then this is it (although I'm not sure if they're selling this version - maybe request it specifically/ask Joseph?) | |||||||||||||||||||||
9 | (MID-VOLUME) | S | 9.5 | Thieaudio Valhalla ($2000) 💎 | S | S/S+ | Big Diminishing R | TOTL all-rounder with "endgame" tech across the board, a better tuned U12T with better bass texture | |||||||||||||||||||||
10 | (MID-VOLUME) | S | 9.5 | LETSHUOER Cadenza 12 2024 ($2200) 💎 | S/S- | S+ | Big Diminishing R | Very technical all-rounder, treble air is amazing, bright leaning, a little more treble detail than OG | |||||||||||||||||||||
11 | (MID-VOLUME) | S | 9.5 | LETSHUOER Cadenza 12 ($2200) 💎 | S/S- | S+ | Big Diminishing R | Retail version has more treble energy and less mid-bass vs pre-production tuning. Very airy and detailed, amazing layering, and one of the most resolving TOTL IEMs along with U12T. | |||||||||||||||||||||
12 | (MID-VOLUME) | S | 9.5 | FatFreq Grand Maestro ($3000) 💎 | S/S- | S | Big Diminishing R | The best basshead set. That is all. EXPENSIVE. If you just want bass HBB Punch way better value. | |||||||||||||||||||||
13 | (MID-HIGH VOLUME) | S/S- | 9 | LETSHUOER MYSTIC 8 ($1000) 💖💎🌟 | S/S- | S/S- | Worth it | Vocal benchmark for female vocals under $2000. Clean, airy, sweet, ethereal. Better than Diva and direct upgrade to OG Oracle and OG Mangird Tea. What the Braindamage and Cantor wishes they could be. Great technical performance, and scales decently well. Recommended listening volume is mid to high volume around 75-80dbs. Not for bassy libraries like hiphop, and can be a bit energetic on kpop/jpop/rock stuff with a lot of treble. | |||||||||||||||||||||
14 | (MID-VOLUME) | S/S- | 9 | Thieaudio Monarch MK4 ($1150) 💎🌟 | S/S- | S/S- | Worth it | Smooth, clean, balanced, and slightly airy in the balance switch. Goes from a clean all-rounder to a warm/bassy all-rounder. Great tech. Basically a cheaper Prestige LTD with more tuning options. "Endgame" for most people, but the case is SHIT. | |||||||||||||||||||||
15 | (MID-VOLUME) | S/S- | 9 | Thieaudio Prestige LTD ($1299) 💎 | S/S- | S/S- | Worth it | Clean and natural signature with treble emphasis. LOTS of details with airy treble without going overboard (better treble extension vs MK2/MK3). Bass is not as impactful versus MK3 but has better separation. Overall a technical monster, but can be a bit dry due to less mid-bass. Vocals are further vs MK3 and MK2 (not as forward), giving it that open sense of space. MK2 still the best for vocals, but LTD is an endgame all-rounder. | |||||||||||||||||||||
16 | (MID-VOLUME) | S/S- | 9 | Symphonium Crimson ($1500) 💎 | S/S- | S/S- | Worth it | U-shaped/Slight V/W Shaped. Energetic treble. Great tech. Fun signature. | |||||||||||||||||||||
17 | (MID-VOLUME) | S/S- | 9 | Dunu Glacier $1500 | S/S- | S/S- | Kinda Worth it | Clean, balanced sound, clear vocals, great midrange and tech, would rec if not for the unit variance in the tuning, the unit I got sounds different than the earlier ones which was bass-boosted diffuse field | |||||||||||||||||||||
18 | (MID-VOLUME) | S/S- | 9 | Sony-IER Z1R ($1700) 💎 | S/S- | S/S- | Kinda Worth it | Best of the best in most areas, but vocals and mids can be thin due to fit issues. Insane bass texture/detail and HUGE soundstage. One of the best trebles I've heard. | |||||||||||||||||||||
19 | (MID-VOLUME) | S/S- | 9 | Empire Ears Raven ($3600) 💎 | S/S- | S/S- | Big Diminishing R | V/W Shaped. Energetic treble. Great tech. Fun bass and engaging signature. Overpriced? | |||||||||||||||||||||
20 | (MID-VOLUME) | S/S- | 9 | Kinera Imperial Loki ($3100) 💎 | S/S- | S/S- | Big Diminishing R | Super clean and clear sound. Beautiful vocals. Everyhting is extremely well balanced. No special sauce tho. | |||||||||||||||||||||
21 | (MID-VOLUME) | S/S- | 9 | Thieaudio Prestige OG ($1299) 💎 | S/S- | S/S- | Worth it | Sub-bass boost + treble boost. Similar to Crimson, lots of treble energy, great tech, more aggresive LTD. | |||||||||||||||||||||
22 | (MID-VOLUME) | S/S- | 9 | UM MEST MK3 ($2100) 💎 | S/S- | S/S- | Big Diminishing R | A more neutral/slightly warm MEST MK2, less aggresive, easier to the ears, same technicalities. A little overpriced ngl. | |||||||||||||||||||||
23 | ENDGAME | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
24 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | S- | 8.5 | LETSHUOER EJ07 ($900) 💖💎 | S+ | A+ | Worth it (High VOL) | TOTL mids. Most 3D and holographic staging yet. Imaging, separation, layering, and staging are all S level - only thing that's holding it back is the darker treble which can lead to softer notes vs, Diva, for example.The most immersive set for rock, alternative, ballads, and classical. An 07M that scales better with better staging. Great clarity and seperation. Treble is pushed back but still clear and evident in tracks (at higher volumes). Could use more low-end (but not an issue) and sharper note transients. Takes you on a journey. Needs to be listened to at high volume for the full effect. | |||||||||||||||||||||
25 | (MID-VOLUME) | S- | 8.5 | Softears RSV OG ($730) 💖💎 (unit variance?) | S/S+ | A+ | Worth it | One of the best vocals I've heard on any IEM (especially for male artists). Mids and Treble is TOTL, smooth and well extended and has great naturalness and the perfect bite. Bass has great speed and still slams (even though it's BA? not rumbly), but stage and detail is average at it's price, but once it clicks with a track it's one of the most beautiful thing ever. Ran into distortion issues at high volume, but may be due to my source? (RSV too sensitive?) | |||||||||||||||||||||
26 | (MID-VOLUME) | S- | 8.5 | Thieaudio Monarch MK2 ($999) 💖💎 | S | S- | Worth it | Neutral tuning with one of the clearest mid-ranges. Natural and clean vocals. Great resolution, separation, and detail. Can be a little dry with its analytical presentation. Bass is well-seperated from other instruments, but nothing special especially at $1K. Would've liked more depth, and treble is also a bit unstable and dips, resulting in a lack of air/depth. Mid-bass is just enough for my library, but would've liked more for genres like hiphop and rock. Cable is heavy, and fit may be too big for many (need to shove in deep). | |||||||||||||||||||||
27 | (MID-VOLUME) | S- | 8.5 | Thieaudio Monarch MK3 ($999) 💎 | S/S- | S- | Worth it | Better low-end texture and overall more engaging than MK2, but lacks the mid-range/vocal magic, so depending on your preference either is great. Still TOTL tech like MK2. Great all-rounder. | |||||||||||||||||||||
28 | (MID-VOLUME) | S- | 8.5 | Elysian Apostle ($1800) | S/S- | S- | Big Diminishing R | Clean, neutral, and clear vocals. Reminds me of a cleaner Volume S or slightly better OG Oracle, but very expensive, maybe if you can find one around $1000 since it's more of a sidegrade to RSV, Mystic 8, and Arcanis vocal wise. If you want clean vocals Monarch MK2 does the same thing but for $700 less. | |||||||||||||||||||||
29 | (MID-VOLUME) | S- | 8.5 | Thieaudio Origin ($849) 💎 | S/S- | A+/S- | Worth it | Best bassy set under $1K. Bassy/thicker meta tuning. You can actually feel the reverb and vibration from the bone conduction drivers, great control and low-end texture. Mids and treble are also well extended with no major issues, although it can get sharp at times with the snares/electronic stuff ie, past 3:30 on Time by Hikaru Utada. | |||||||||||||||||||||
30 | (MID-VOLUME) | S- | 8.5 | UM MEST MK2 ($1500) 💎 | S- | S/S- | Worth it (on sale) | TOTL imaging chops/layering. Tons of micro-details. Bass texture and impact second probably only to the Z1R. Wide and 3D staging. AGGRESSIVE, and get fatiguing when cranked up/long-listening sessions. | |||||||||||||||||||||
31 | (MID-VOLUME) | S- | 8.5 | UM MEST OG (disc) | S- | S/S- | Worth it (on sale) | A MEST MK2 with slightly more uppermid/bass. More v-shaped. Even more AGGRESSIVE than MK2. Also gets fatiguing when cranked up/long-listening sesisons. | |||||||||||||||||||||
32 | (MID-VOLUME) | S- | 8.5 | Symphonium Helios SE ($1200) 💎 | S- | S- | Worth it | Best Treble around it's price. Super airy but still smooth. Bass-scoop isn't as bad as I thought, but those who want mid-bass - avoid it. | |||||||||||||||||||||
33 | (MID-VOLUME) | S- | 8.5 | Thieaudio HYPE 10 ($899) 💎 | S- | S- | Kinda Worth it | U-shaped, nice treble extention and dynamics, solid vocals, more low-end emphasis than MK3, dynamic and great all-rounder that doesn't specialize in anything. | |||||||||||||||||||||
34 | (MID-VOLUME) | S- | 8.5 | XENNS TOP PRO ($499) 🌟🌟 | S- | S- | Good Value | Very technical, amazing resolution and detail for the price, treble is slightly crispy and sparkly, clean but dynamic all-rounder. Mid-volume set for the most part as treble can get hot at higher volumes. Easy rec, direct upgrade from Astrals. | |||||||||||||||||||||
35 | (MID-VOLUME) | S- | 8.5 | NICEHCK Rockies ($499) 🌟🌟 | S- | S- | Good Value | Balanced, clean, airy, with a slight treble emphasis, good EST implementation, great overall package and accesories at the price. Similar to TOP PRO but with ESTs and not as vocal centric. Easy rec if you want something balanced and airy. | |||||||||||||||||||||
36 | (MID-VOLUME) | S- | 8.5 | TangZu Xuan Wu Gate ($650) 🌟 ($500 on sale) | S- | S- | Worth it | Clean, neutral, balanced, technical, laid back, very detailed. Neutral tuning done right while being a little dynamic/engaging. Tip wise Azla spinfits for more detail, tangzu sancai regular for smoother. | |||||||||||||||||||||
37 | (MID-VOLUME) | S- | 8.5 | 64AUDIO U12T ($2000) 💎 | A+ | S/S+ | Big Diminishing R | TOTL tech. Mid-scoop can affect mids/vocal texture and placement, recessed midrange, treble is harsh at high volumes. Great bass detail, but could have more impact. | |||||||||||||||||||||
38 | (MID-VOLUME) | S- | 8.5 | Empire Ears EVO ($3000) 💎 | A+ | S/S- | Big Diminishing R | Great bass texture. BC driver actually works. Very well controlled but still impactful. Great resolution. Doesn't scale well because of spicy uppermids. Vocals often gets shouty on certain tracks, also overpriced asf imo | |||||||||||||||||||||
39 | GREAT (POTENTIAL ENDGAME) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
40 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A+ | 8 | ZIIGAAT Arcanis ($399) 💖 🌟 | S | A+ | Worth it (GENRE SPECIFIC) | My favourite vocals under $500 (best imo). A more refined OG Mangird Tea with better resolution and tech. Recommend listening at higher volumes on slower vocal centric tracks. Don't rec hiphop or genres that needs lots of sub-bass. Can get spicy with kpop/jpop at higher volumes/don'r rec blastin with more energetic tracks, but sounds good at mid vol. Pin point imaging and open staging, good for gaming. | |||||||||||||||||||||
41 | (MID/HIGH-VOLUME) | A+ | 8 | Softears RSV MK2 ($699) | S | A+ | Worth it (on sale) | Bassy dynamic all-rounder with great low-end texture that slams hard with good note-weight/body. Slight Hype 4 upgrade. Treble is smooth, and vocals are well-tuned. Overall unboxing/accesories are great... just no ESTs at its price, I'd wait for sale. | |||||||||||||||||||||
42 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A+ | 8 | Yanyin Carmen ($849) 💖 | S | A | Worth it (High VOL) | An OG EJ07 that does vocal scaling. A blast your brains out kinda set. Full, powerful, extended, VERY forward vocals, might be too much for some people. Reveals every last bit of emotion from the artist's voice. Makes the song very intimate and vulnerable. VERY genre depedent, check playlist in the video description. It's basically an RSV that scales at high volume. Super immersive, great centre-imaging (or as good as it gets in an IEM), and mid-bass quality competes with the MMK3 and others. Treble is dark, not for trebleheads or people who like air. Detail takes a hit, and stage is very close, like the artist is singing right infront of you. A truly unique experience, but again, it's gonna be a hit or miss for many people depending on their library and how loud they listen - NOT a mid-lower volume set... and it comes with a $2 pouch at $850 LOL, but hey, I mean they actually get away with it because when it hits, it HITS. | |||||||||||||||||||||
43 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A+ | 8 | MiM Dark Magician OG (disc) 💖 | S | A | Worth it | Weighted and airy vocals but with expansive staging. 3D/ball imaging. Coherency and dynamics are TOTL. Clear - details are "big"/forward, but can use better separation. Super immersive. Could use more sub-bass and resolution. | |||||||||||||||||||||
44 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A+ | 8 | Softears Twilight ($930) 💖 $700 sale | S | A | Worth it (on sale) | Slightly warm/neutral, very well balanced, good scaling, TOTL male vocals, big staging, wait for sale | |||||||||||||||||||||
45 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A+ | 8 | Xenns Mangird Tea OG (disc) 💖 | S | A | Worth it | Discontinued, but one of the best female vocals I've heard on any IEMs at higher volume. Top tier mids under $500. Spring Tips improves vocals and treble clarity. Great around the head imaging, but imaging is less layered than 07M. Treble can be dark at lower/mid volumes, but shines when cranked up. Super immersive. High volume listening recommened. | |||||||||||||||||||||
46 | HIGH-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | ZIIGAAT Luna ($379) 💖 🌟 | S/S- | A+ | Worth it | Airy, smooth, warm, laid-back, balanced, lush and dreamy vibes. Great for rock/metal, scales decently high. Mid-bass over sub. Not as vocal forward as Arcanis and other vocal sets. My Luna graphs very different than HBB's - wait for more reviews. | |||||||||||||||||||||
47 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Thieaudio Oracle OG ($539) | S/S- | A+ | Worth it | Amazing airy and relaxing vocals. Sweet and gentle presentation. Clean, clear vocals - could be too balanced tho. Great separation, but stage size could be better. | |||||||||||||||||||||
48 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | ZIIGAAT Odyssey ($229) 💖 🌟🌟 | S/S- | A | Good Value | A warm/mini Subtonic Storm that scales better and fuller with less tech. A musical odyssey. High volume set, great scaling, a cleaner/midrange focused Explorer with better layering and detail. Takes you on a journey like the OG EJ07. Bass is thumpy and rumbly at higher volumes, vocals are clean and balanced with slight treble emphasis, and very immserive. Highly recommended for slow-rock, indie/alternative, ballads, fits my preference to a T. | |||||||||||||||||||||
49 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Softears Volume S $319 💖 (stock switch/high vol) | S/S- | A | Worth it | Amazing vocals under $500 with the stock switch/clear tips or tangzu sancai regular (no impedance boost) with amazing vocal scaling. Recommended for higher volume listening like ballads, slower indie/bands. Better than Studio 4 vocal wise, but Studio 4 is the better all-rounder. Volume S is more mid/vocal centric than Studio 4, and more immersive and "musical". Other switch configuration offers more clarity and detail at the cost of scaling with uppermids/treble boost (cleaner harman 2019/better at mid-volume). Stock switch tuning can also be neutral and relaxing if you don't crank it up, and overall Volume S has good variety and differentiates itself with the different tunings. Also, well implemented BAs. Passive Radiator effect is questionable. | |||||||||||||||||||||
50 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Kiwi Ears x HBB PUNCH ($449) 💖 | S/S- | A | Worth it | Endgame "balanced-basshead" set. Amazing low-end texutre, rumble, reverb, slam, and more bass than Origin and Titan - goes harder than those. Vocals and treble also still well extended, not congested, or cramped staging. Good balance while giving amazing fun bass. Recommend Azla Sedna light blue tips for more air, or Divinus Velvets. EQ down -3dbs at 250hz, low-shelf, 0.5 Q, and you'll get the Endgame IE target (my all-rounder target). | |||||||||||||||||||||
51 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Punch Audio Martilo ($329) 🌟 | S/S- | A | Worth it | Cheaper, and slightly more energetic HBB Punch with slightly less mid-bass and slam. Endgame "balanced" basshead. Imaging feels sharper than Punch, but treble is not as smooth, aside from that very similar tech and low-end. | |||||||||||||||||||||
52 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | IO Volare ($599) ($500 on sale) | S- | A+/S- | Worth it | Best Harman IEM under $600 (my unit is less harman), smooth and natural, great layering and tech, bass texture could be better/not as good as Oracle MK3, but overall very balanced and great all-rounder, also, amazing unboxing and accessories | |||||||||||||||||||||
53 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | HiSenior MEGA5EST 7th ($549) NEW unit | S- | A+/S- | Worth it | New unit is better tuned/balanced, smooth, good all-rounder, and sounds like adjusted diffusefield. | |||||||||||||||||||||
54 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | 7th Acoustic Supernova ($750) | S- | A+/S- | Worth it | Super smoooth. TOTL dynamics and treble air - dunno how they managed this airy and smooth with only BAs. Very clean, no sharpness, or sudden peaks, endgame separation and detail. Only drawback is that the sub-bass is a bit meh, and that the sound isn't that "unique". Very safe all-rounder, and one of the best under $1000. Endgame set. Aside from the bass, everything else is better than Monarch MK3, MK2 still has better vocals, but the Supernova beats them when it comes to treble extention and smootheness - too bad it's impossible to get one lol. | |||||||||||||||||||||
55 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Thieaudio Oracle MK3 ($589) | S- | A+/S- | Worth it | Great bass texture, much better than predecessors, smooth and slightly airy giving it a sizzly timbre, great layering/separation, vocals are slightly laid back but not gone, very balanced across frequencies, monitor like, great all-rounder, and pretty safe - although not very dynamic and "fun". Azla clear tips gives a detail boost. | |||||||||||||||||||||
56 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | XENNS UP ($699) with AZLA tips | S- | A+/S- | Worth it | Fast and clean bass but still rumbly and punchy. Beryllium DD baby. Well-seperated mids, and vocals still pop and aren't buried like other bass sets. Can use more treble extension (fixed with AZLA sedna tips). | |||||||||||||||||||||
57 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Softears RSV MK1 non-unit variance ($729) | S- | A+ | Kinda Worth it | Clean, balanced, dark leaning, tame bass and treble/needs to be listened at higher-volume. Still a mid-range set, but vocals don't pop as much as OG RSV, aka the sauce is gone. Scales great if you want a clean vocal sound, but very pricey, maybe on sale. This is the RSV MK1 tuning most people will get... guess I got a rare 1 of 1 lol. | |||||||||||||||||||||
58 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Elysian Pilgrim Noir ($799) | S- | A+ | Kinda Worth it | Good but expensive. Recommended if you can find it for around $500. Direct upgrade to the AFUL Explorer. Scales great. Reminds me of the EJ07M but a bit smoother and less dynamic. Prefer it more than the OG pilgrim, but definitely not worth $400 more lol. | |||||||||||||||||||||
59 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Symphonium Titan ($999) | S- | A+ | Kinda Worth it | Most balanced bass set I've heard so far without sacrificing the fun/texture/impact in the low-end. Open staging, full sounding, deep sub-bass, vocals aren't buried either. No big peaky treble, good extension. No real issues aside from the price maybe. A very unique bass experience since usually the low-end overtakes the other fr, but with the Titan you can hear everything while having that impactful/authoritative bass. | |||||||||||||||||||||
60 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | LETSHUOER EJ07M ($600) | S- | A+ | Worth it | Holographic staging with an amazing midrange. Great bass texture and impact. Incredibly immersive and endgame for most. Has more sub-bass and treble air than OG doesn't scale as well. | |||||||||||||||||||||
61 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Thieaudio HYPE 4 ($399) | S- | A+ | Worth it | One of the best all-rounders under $600 (v-shaped harman). Treble quality is smooth and well extended. Great low-end texture with lots of impact. Good vocals. Solid tech, and just solid in general. | |||||||||||||||||||||
62 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | XENNS Tea Pro ($359) | S- | A+ | Worth it | A more resolving Davinci, literally. The Tea magic is gone :( but it's now the most refined and well-balanced. It's the most bassy one with better low-end texture, heavier notes, more details, better resolution, and the better all-rounder pick. Also bassy balanced like the Hype 4, both are just as good to me, and comes down to what I'm feeling that day | |||||||||||||||||||||
63 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Kiwi Ears Astral ($299) 🌟 | S- | A+ | Worth it | Great all-rounder. Slighty airy with good sub-bass extenion. Balanced but still fun. A cleaner, airier, and less sharp & sparkly version of the Meta - vocals pop out more than Meta. Tip rec Sancai regular or Softears Ultra clears. | |||||||||||||||||||||
64 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Softears Studio 4 ($449) ($350 on sale) | S- | A+ | Worth it | Best all rounder under $500. "Correct" and neutral tuning. Perfect vocals, not as forward like RSV but zero faults. Slight Improvement over RSV in-terms of seapration and stage size/treble is same/not as warm. | |||||||||||||||||||||
65 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | ORIVETI OH700VB ($799) | S- | A+ | Big Diminishing R | Replaced by Astral. A more engaging Supernova, cleaner, with better sub-bass, and vocals. Very big stage and fantastic separation and layering. Vocals are airy without being too sharp. Lots of air/reminds me of the LTD. Mid-bass scoop can affect some libraries like HIPHOP and EDM, but perfect for indie/ballads/acoustics/intrumentals and slower songs. | |||||||||||||||||||||
66 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | ZIIGAAT Crescent ($279) | S- | A/A+ | Worth it | Slightly warm, full, and sparkly/crispy treble. A warmer TOP PRO with a step down in technical performance. Treble can get much on kpop/jpop/energetic tracks. Mid-volume set, doesn't scale as well as Odyssey but has better tech. | |||||||||||||||||||||
67 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | EPZ K9 ($300) | A+/S- | A+ | Worth it | All-rounder with slight v-shape tonality. EW300 upgrade. Natural and sweet vocals, nice mid-bass slam, treble is nicely extended, well-balanced with a mix of smoothness and contrast, and great packaging and design. | |||||||||||||||||||||
68 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | DUNU x Precogvision Mirai ($1100) | A+ | S- | Kinda Worth it | Bright leaning set with great tech. Clean mid-range, sharp imaging, sparkly female vocals with decent amount of air. Does get fatiguing and sharp on more energetic tracks and genres like EDM/POP/KPOP/JPOP, aka lower to mid volume set. Sounds very good on slower genres like indie, acoustics, ballads - adds more energy and liveliness to the slower nature of those genres. Mid-bass is lacking and would not recommend for rock or hiphop. | |||||||||||||||||||||
69 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Yanyin Moonlight ($649) | A+ | A+/S- | Kinda Worth it | Balanced, smooth, and clean presentation that scales beautifully with slightly forward/powerful vocals. | |||||||||||||||||||||
70 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | SIMGOT EM10 ($439) ($350-400 on sale) | A+ | A+/S- | Worth it | A more immersive version of the Pilgrim with better mid-bass kick. More airy and slightly more detailed in the treble. Harman vocal gain might be too much for some. Bass might be boomy depending on the tips. Use Tangzu Sancai tips (regular) | |||||||||||||||||||||
71 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | XENNS TOP ($530) ($400 on sale) | A+ | A+/S- | Worth it on sale | What the Variations should've been. Fantastic tehcnincalities. Neutral-bright leaning. Nothing wrong with it at mid-volume, but I can see treble can be too much at highet volumes. | |||||||||||||||||||||
72 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | TangZu Bajie ($599) | A+ | A+/S- | Kinda Worth it | Clean/balanced meta tuning with sharp imaging and transients - an edgier take on the meta tuning, more dynamic. Has great potential for EQ due to its bigger 14.2MM bass. Low-end is more prominent than the graph suggest, great bass texture and impact, although the bone conduction driver is more subtle vs the Origin. Clear sound with great separation, can run into some peaks around 5K, and tonality has more bite vs smooth but not overly sharp or jarring. | |||||||||||||||||||||
73 | (Deep-fit) | A+ | 7.5 | Dunu SA6 ULTRA (disc) | A+ | A+/S- | Worth it | An SA6 with improvement in treble extension, and stage air; better tuned Oracle2 with wider stage. Relaxing tonality but also very resolving. Airy stage with great depth and height. Smooth dynamics and great coherency. Realistic timbre. Great detail and clarity. Mids and vocals may not be forward enough for some genres. Low-end is quick and has great separation form mids but lacks rumble and slam. Tuning A+ to S- depending on your library. | |||||||||||||||||||||
74 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Yanyin Canon Pro ($399) | A+ | A+ | Worth it | Clean, neutral, balanced. Airy treble but smooth, great tech. Recommend UP UP switch with bass boost. A smoother pilgrim basically. | |||||||||||||||||||||
75 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | CrinEar Meta ($249) (sold out) | A+ | A+ | Worth it | Bright-leaning all-rounder with sparkly treble sauce. Great tech for price and great accessories. Good coloration that's not vanilla and safe as other crin collabs. Can be fatiguing at higher volumes, tip dependent, rec sancai wide/regular or Softear Ultra Clear/EPZ clear tips. | |||||||||||||||||||||
76 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Elysian Pilgrim ($399) | A+ | A+ | Kinda Worth it | Clean, clear, all-rounder, similar tuning as the Dusk but with better vocals, bass quality is great as well, aethestically pleasing too. If you want a clean all-rounder, or sensitive in the 3-8K, these are great. | |||||||||||||||||||||
77 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Moondrop Illustrious ($1000) | A+ | A+ | Big Diminishing R | Basically the Softears Twilight with less sub-bass extension, alot more neutral and monitor like, and very pricy since Twilight goes on sale for $700 with a more musical playback. This is just neutral. | |||||||||||||||||||||
78 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | EPZ 530 ($430) | A+ | A+ | Kinda Worth it | Great set for jazz/blues/soul/acoustic. Thick and lush. Warm but with nice treble extension. Solid tech. Vocals can be overly husky and buried in busier songs. | |||||||||||||||||||||
79 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Dunu SA6 ($550) | A+ | A+ | Kinda Worth it | Gorgeous mid range and great dynamics. Good timbre makes me forget it's a full BA set. Good bass texture, but wish it had more rumble. Wish stage and imaging was more 3D. Could use more treble air and staging. Relaxed listening vs 07M's immersion. | |||||||||||||||||||||
80 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | TangZu Tian Peng ($629) | A/A+ | S- | Kinda Worth it | A cleaner more neutral Bajie with less bass and more treble energy. Clean, slightly vocal forward with some bite. Azla tips for more bass and treble energy/bite but can get shouty - Sancai Nobles for a smoother/neutral/montior like sound. Great tech, but wish it had ESTs like its competition. | |||||||||||||||||||||
81 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Effect GAEA ($1299) | A | S/S- | Kinda Worth it | Super aggresive, exciting, v-shape, treblehead. Low-end is also very punchy and rumbly. TOTL technical performance with tons of details and OCD, but gets fatiguing. Shouty. | |||||||||||||||||||||
82 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Thieaudio Monarch OG (disc) | A | S- | Kinda Worth it | Endgame clarity and layering. Great resolution, and open staging. Not holographic but very clean. Rumbly sub-bass but mid-bass tuck can kill some libraries, and affects vocal thinness. | |||||||||||||||||||||
83 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Aur Neon Pro ($720) | A | A+/S- | Kinda Worth it | Slightly edgier Supernova with punchier low-end. Not as smooth and refined, but more engaging. | |||||||||||||||||||||
84 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Moondrop Variations ($520) | A | A+/S- | Kinda Worth it | Very clear with lots of detail. Sub-bass has a nice rumble and texture. Amazing treble extension and stage air. Female vocals are vibrant and shines. Mid-bass cut is real, affecting some genres and male vocals. Note-weight can be light. | |||||||||||||||||||||
85 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Sennheiser IE600 ($700) | A | A+/S- | Kinda Worth it | Tons of detail and amazing clarity. Stage is smaller than most IEMs at/below its price tag but very well defined details and imaging within that space. Bass is detailed, but amount is not as much as graph would suggest. Treble gets sharp and fatiguing at longer-listening/higher volumes. Stage can feel cramped. | |||||||||||||||||||||
86 | (MID-VOLUME) | A+ | 7.5 | Dunu SA6 MK2 ($580) | A | A+/S- | Kinda Worth it | V-shaped SA6 Ultra with more recessed mids and vocals. Sharper and more bass than SA6U but mids are buried in busier tracks. | |||||||||||||||||||||
87 | GOOD | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
88 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A | 7 | HIDIZS MK12 RED NOZZLE ($129 - $209) 💖 | S/S- | A- | Worth it (Vocals) | HIGH VOLUME SET 75dbs+. Insane scaling, better than DX1 scaling wise, amazing musicality, non-fatiguing, warm, but also has powerful/extended vocals. Great for male vocals, husky, but not congested or nasally. Super immersive, intimate but big sounding without feeling congested. Tip rec: TRI Clarions. | |||||||||||||||||||||
89 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A | 7 | LETSHUOER DX1 ($159) 💖 | S- | A-/A | Worth it (Vocals) | Dynamic, vibrant, and contrasty vocals with good balance and scaling. Natural, full, and immersive with scaling and not peaky. | |||||||||||||||||||||
90 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A | 7 | Xenns Mangird Tea 2 ($350) 💖 | A+/S- | A/A+ | Worth it | Slightly more technical version of the OG TEAs. Thumpier low end, and treble is more extended. Less forward presentation. Stage has more depth. Can't scale as well as OG. Vocals are not as "magical" as OG. | |||||||||||||||||||||
91 | NEW (HIGH-VOLUME) | A | 7 | ZIIGAAT ODYSSEY 2 ($249) | A+/S- | A/A+ | Worth it | Balanced all-rounder with a slight vocal/mid-centric presentation. Vocal scaler. Snappy/punchy/tight bass. A cleaner, smoother, and more mid-centric Odyssey aka no more bass sauce and bite. Rec with higher volume for full potential. | |||||||||||||||||||||
92 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A | 7 | Symphonium Meteor ($500) 💖 | A+/S- | A-/A | Worth it | Meaty textured mid-bass, but can be a bit much. VVery warm sound. Library dependent. Airy treble, but vocals are a bit pushed back and buried. | |||||||||||||||||||||
93 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A | 7 | ZIIGAAT LUSH ($179) | A+/S- | A-/A | Worth it | A cleaner more technical AFUL Explorer with a more open sense of space and airier treble. High volume set. Very smooth and balanced at higher scaling - has a "Lush" and full sound. Mid-volume sounds kinda anemic and too inoffensive, wouldn't rec at lower volumes unless you're using as background music while working, but very immersive with scaling like the Odyssey, but less v and more chill. | |||||||||||||||||||||
94 | (MID/HIGH-VOLUME) | A | 7 | ZIIGAAT DOSCINCO ($269) | A+/S- | A-/A | Worth it | Benchmark bass set before the UP. Low-end is impactful, rumbly, heavy, and slams hard with reverb detail. Ideal for hiphop/rap/r&b/rock. Separation & resolution not the best around its price, but enough for what it's going for. | |||||||||||||||||||||
95 | (HIGH-VOLUME) | A | 7 | ZIIGAAT x HBB Arcadia ($200) | A+/S- | A- | Worth it | Niche/high volume set. Great scaling, warm, bassy, thick, comforting listen. A mini MEGA5EST Bass. Initmate and immersive experience. Not the most technical for the price, and vocals can be a bit too husky. | |||||||||||||||||||||
96 | (MID-VOLUME) | A | 7 | Simgot EA1000 ($220) non-bright unit | A+ | A/A+ | Worth it | Bright-leaning with the best bass texture at its price point, and one of the best under $500. Incredible resolution and clarity with stunning female vocals. Timbre is as natural as you can get given its price. There is some masking in the vocals just like most IEMs with a 1.5-2K peak, and treble does get too energetic with certain genres like KPOP/EDM. However, mesh filters+gold nozzle fixes this for the most part. | |||||||||||||||||||||
97 | (MID-VOLUME) | A | 7 | MYER SL224 ($300) | A+ | A/A+ | Kinda Worth it | Same tuning as the EPZ P50 but fancier with a little more sub-bass, and slightly more detailed in the treble but barely noticeable. This is "technically" better, but P50 would be the better value since you can get it for around $160 on sale. | |||||||||||||||||||||
98 | (MID-VOLUME) | A | 7 | EPZ P50 ($200) 🌟 $160 on sale | A+ | A/A+ | Worth it | Clean balanced tuning done right. A better tuned MEGA5EST & MOONDROP Meteor with fuller low-end, and more treble extension, same tech, but more dynamic - also half the price. A Mega5EST with better vocals and dynamics but less smooth and airy. Low-end will be weak to some people and on certain tracks. Not the most unique sound since it's clean/neutral/balanced. | |||||||||||||||||||||
99 | (MID-VOLUME) | A | 7 | CrinEar DayBreak ($169) 🌟 | A+ | A/A+ | Worth it | Here we go again. Very similar tuning as P50 and SL224. Less vocal centric vs P50s, but more bassy and all-rounded. Slightly slightly less technical than SL224. | |||||||||||||||||||||
100 | (MID-VOLUME) | A | 7 | Thieaudio Hype 2 ($299) | A+ | A/A+ | Worth it | Mini-Monarch MK3 with less bass and details. 80% there. Harmanish tuning, and best all-rounder before Studio 4. |