Budget In Ear Advice

[IAR117]

Hi, looking for IEMs under 25 for day to day use. My earpods have just clonked out so now I have an excuse.

 

I am able to get TRN V80s for £25 ish and have short listed the Senfer DT6, KZ ED16, KZ ES4.

 

Looking for a non - fatiguing sound signature but don't mind them being bright, just so long as they aren't too sibilant or piercing. Sub bass is appreciated as whenever I try my friend's planar headphones and go back to my Grados, I feel like there's something lacking that I'd love to be able to hear. A detachable cable would be appreciated and so would it being available on amazon or ali express.

 

Not too fussy with isolation or leaking, just as long as they stay in my ears without falling out.

 

Thanks in advance

[kokakolia]

I have the KZ ES4 and it’s...meh. It doesn’t handle busy tracks too well and the highs can be sibilant. But they’re not fatiguing. I also have the KZ ZSA and I think that they sound better. But they’re a little too bright IMHO, and more sibilant than the ES4. M They’re nowhere as fatiguing and awful as previous KZs like the ED9 and ZS5 however. 

 

I dunno. If you buy the ES4 they’re fine. Just don’t expect too much. Or you can get something very close to perfect around £50. I mean I really like the Marshall Mode. 

 

[rice guru]

I'm also new to the Iem market I'm a headphone guys myself adrecently got a pair of TIN t3's but they are currently really hard to get.  I hear that tin T2's and T3's are perfect for what you are describing but buy at your own availability and budget.and easily be modded just using tape to cover some holes to give it a nice boost in the low end. 

 

[IAR117]

18 hours ago, kokakolia said:

I have the KZ ES4 and it’s...meh. It doesn’t handle busy tracks too well and the highs can be sibilant. But they’re not fatiguing. I also have the KZ ZSA and I think that they sound better. But they’re a little too bright IMHO, and more sibilant than the ES4. M They’re nowhere as fatiguing and awful as previous KZs like the ED9 and ZS5 however. 

 

I dunno. If you buy the ES4 they’re fine. Just don’t expect too much. Or you can get something very close to perfect around £50. I mean I really like the Marshall Mode. 

 

 

16 hours ago, rice guru said:

I'm also new to the Iem market I'm a headphone guys myself adrecently got a pair of TIN t3's but they are currently really hard to get.  I hear that tin T2's and T3's are perfect for what you are describing but buy at your own availability and budget.and easily be modded just using tape to cover some holes to give it a nice boost in the low end. 

 

Although I'd love to spend £50 on in ears, I can't see a real reason as I already have a very nice pair of on ears which are my main pair (KEF M400s.) I just want a cheap pair for say for example when it's raining and i don't want to ruin my KEFs or to just throw in my pocket and forget until I need them when my headphones aren't there. @kokakolia you said that they're too bright, are they constantly sibilant, or just on certain tracks? As I said, as these are a casual listening pair, I don't need ultra detail, but just nice musicality and balance, so I wouldn't want to get anything TOO bright. Mind you, I have been told by many that my Grados are too bright, but I find them natural sounding, however I have little experience with in ears. The experience I do have tells me that my ears become far more sensitive to highs with in ears than over ears.

[kokakolia]

KZ does not do musicality and balance! KZ is anything but smooth. KZ is all about assaulting your ears with excessive often harsh detail in the form of sibilant screaming highs and almost always a bright signature. I hear that you’re coming from KEF headphones. The KZ sound signature of loud bass and treble will clash with the overall mellow smooth sound of KEFs. 

 

If you want musical and balanced you have to spend around £50. Most IEMs around £25 are typically very bright, harsh with a typical V-shape sound. 

 

I am telling you, the Marshall Mode is probably your best bet. 

 

 

[IAR117]

On 3/15/2019 at 12:21 AM, kokakolia said:

KZ does not do musicality and balance! KZ is anything but smooth. KZ is all about assaulting your ears with excessive often harsh detail in the form of sibilant screaming highs and almost always a bright signature. I hear that you’re coming from KEF headphones. The KZ sound signature of loud bass and treble will clash with the overall mellow smooth sound of KEFs. 

 

If you want musical and balanced you have to spend around £50. Most IEMs around £25 are typically very bright, harsh with a typical V-shape sound. 

 

I am telling you, the Marshall Mode is probably your best bet. 

 

 

Thanks for the advice! I hear many similar coments about KZ. I guess I'll have to try and find something in the sale or something. If I could theoretically stretch, what do you think about these for the tonality I'm looking for? (In the sale under £50 at the moment)

-Fidue A73 £29

-Sony EX650AP £35

-Final Design Heaven II £30

-Final E2000 £40

I know it's unfair to assume you've heard these specififc models, but I just wanted to know if you know their company's sound signatures for reference. Thanks!

 

[alittlepeace]

+1 on Tins T2s

If you want to go really cheap and gaudy, there's those Koss clip-ons that have the Portapro drivers that punch way above their price class.
 

[IAR117]

2 minutes ago, alittlepeace said:

+1 on Tins T2s

If you want to go really cheap and gaudy, there's those Koss clip-ons that have the Portapro drivers that punch way above their price class.
 

KSC75s? Yep I've heard they're incredible and I'd love to try them, but at the same time I value not looking like a moron in public How are the T2s compared to the T3s and T2 Pros. I know the T3s are new and around £70, but is it worth waiting for their price to drop, or to just go with the T2s?

[kokakolia]

26 minutes ago, IAR117 said:

Thanks for the advice! I hear many similar coments about KZ. I guess I'll have to try and find something in the sale or something. If I could theoretically stretch, what do you think about these for the tonality I'm looking for? (In the sale under £50 at the moment)

-Fidue A73 £29

-Onkyo E700M£35

-Sony EX650AP £35

-Pioneer CH5TK £30

-Final Design Heaven II £30

I know it's unfair to assume you've heard these specififc models, but I just wanted to know if you know their company's sound signatures for reference. Thanks!

 

Easy Sony EX650AP. Not the most exciting IEM or the best reviewed. And that’s because the Sony has a “dull” tonality according to some reviewers. And that translates to a smooth balanced sound in a contrast to an aggressive and revealing sound. I would personally avoid the Tin T2 actually. It’s quite bright and unforgiving. 

[alittlepeace]

3 minutes ago, IAR117 said:

KSC75s? Yep I've heard they're incredible and I'd love to try them, but at the same time I value not looking like a moron in public How are the T2s compared to the T3s and T2 Pros. I know the T3s are new and around £70, but is it worth waiting for their price to drop, or to just go with the T2s?

I just owned T2s, I haven't owned T2 Pros or T3s to reference

[IAR117]

1 minute ago, alittlepeace said:

I just owned T2s, I haven't owned T2 Pros or T3s to reference

 

2 minutes ago, kokakolia said:

Easy Sony EX650AP. Not the most exciting IEM or the best reviewed. And that’s because the Sony has a “dull” tonality according to some reviewers. And that translates to a smooth balanced sound in a contrast to an aggressive and revealing sound. I would personally avoid the Tin T2 actually. It’s quite bright and unforgiving. 

I've heard that the T2 Pros are more harsh than the T2s, if you say the T2s are "bright and unforgiving," the I'll pass up on the Pros. I don't mind a bright sound, but if it's sibilant and tinny then I won't bother. Would you say they're more bright or more harsh and painful to listen to? I come from Grados which many percieve to be bright, but I don't, so I may be unaffected by their sound.

[IAR117]

The list I made below has been drastically changed since th original one. Turns out half of the ones on sale went out of stock last night Still, some good contenders on here

37 minutes ago, IAR117 said:

Thanks for the advice! I hear many similar coments about KZ. I guess I'll have to try and find something in the sale or something. If I could theoretically stretch, what do you think about these for the tonality I'm looking for? (In the sale under £50 at the moment)

-Fidue A73 £29

-Sony EX650AP £35

-Final Design Heaven II £30

-Final E2000 £40

I know it's unfair to assume you've heard these specififc models, but I just wanted to know if you know their company's sound signatures for reference. Thanks!

 

 

[kokakolia]

22 minutes ago, IAR117 said:

 

I've heard that the T2 Pros are more harsh than the T2s, if you say the T2s are "bright and unforgiving," the I'll pass up on the Pros. I don't mind a bright sound, but if it's sibilant and tinny then I won't bother. Would you say they're more bright or more harsh and painful to listen to? I come from Grados which many percieve to be bright, but I don't, so I may be unaffected by their sound.

Coming from Grado the T2 should be fine. But I like my IEMs dark and mellow. They’re inserted deep into the ear canal so I don’t like sharp treble blasted into the ear. 

[IAR117]

1 minute ago, kokakolia said:

Coming from Grado the T2 should be fine. But I like my IEMs dark and mellow. They’re inserted deep into the ear canal so I don’t like sharp treble blasted into the ear. 

That was my initial thought, even if I am fine with treble on on ears, doesn't mean that when they're up close to my eras in the way iems are I will like them the same. T2s are definatey an interesting proposition.

 

About Chi Fi - Thoughts on TFZ and Revonext? Both about £40 for the T2 Galaxy and QT2s and both have recieved high praise.

[kokakolia]

23 hours ago, IAR117 said:

That was my initial thought, even if I am fine with treble on on ears, doesn't mean that when they're up close to my eras in the way iems are I will like them the same. T2s are definatey an interesting proposition.

 

About Chi Fi - Thoughts on TFZ and Revonext? Both about £40 for the T2 Galaxy and QT2s and both have recieved high praise.

I don’t know anything about TFZ. 

 

I don’t know if this is true but: 

 

- Bright, aggressive & revealing = hype $$$

- Dark, mellow and balanced = nobody cares, bad reviews or no reviews. These types of headphones typically go on clearance sale as nobody wants to buy them. Case in point: anything from KEF or NAD. 

 

 

[IAR117]

Here it is, it keeps on popping up and dissappearing without a trace, but here it is. How is this for the price?

 

https://www.richersounds.com/clearance-bargains/in-store/51/rha-in-ear-mic-headphones.html?instore

 

RHA T20

[pearson]

On 3/16/2019 at 8:39 PM, alittlepeace said:

+1 on Tins T2s

If you want to go really cheap and gaudy, there's those Koss clip-ons that have the Portapro drivers that punch way above their price class.
 

Heard some good compliments about T2s as well. Should worth a try.

[rice guru]

 

On 3/16/2019 at 9:19 AM, IAR117 said:

That was my initial thought, even if I am fine with treble on on ears, doesn't mean that when they're up close to my eras in the way iems are I will like them the same. T2s are definatey an interesting proposition.

 

About Chi Fi - Thoughts on TFZ and Revonext? Both about £40 for the T2 Galaxy and QT2s and both have recieved high praise.

 T2's are the price to performance kings right now. they have a flat response but can be easily bass boosted with some clear tape, they also have pretty good imaging and soundstage. T3's are also great options I own them but they are difficult to buy right now for a shipping period. and seem to be above your budget. every audio reviewer also seem to love the t2. bad guy good audio reviews, zeos just to name a couple

[IAR117]

$35 USD on Massdrop right now + UK shipping... might not be a bad idea. I'd like a warranty, but for that price it's hard to complain

[rice guru]

1 hour ago, IAR117 said:

$35 USD on Massdrop right now + UK shipping... might not be a bad idea. I'd like a warranty, but for that price it's hard to complain

it;s a great IEM. I found it a bit too sibilant for me but I solved it by getting comply eartips off of amazon which gave me a little bass bump and also smoothed out the highs for me. so keep that in mind if you face the issue with the t2. but most people don't have any issues with the t2. I would not reccomend grabbing the pros though they waay too emphasized in the highs sibilance get's insane in that one

[IAR117]

19 hours ago, rice guru said:

it;s a great IEM. I found it a bit too sibilant for me but I solved it by getting comply eartips off of amazon which gave me a little bass bump and also smoothed out the highs for me. so keep that in mind if you face the issue with the t2. but most people don't have any issues with the t2. I would not reccomend grabbing the pros though they waay too emphasized in the highs sibilance get's insane in that one

Is it EQable? And are the T3s worth it over the T2s? £14 difference

[rice guru]

depends on what you want. do you want a narrower more agressive IEM? grab a t3. do you want a more relexed sound with a more wide soundstage? IEM grab a t2,

[IAR117]

Just now, rice guru said:

depends on what you want. do you want a narrower more agressive IEM? grab a t3. do you want a more relexed sound with a more wide soundstage? IEM grab a t2,

T2 sounds right, at least coming from my Grados  thank god i dont have to dish out that extra money for the t3s then

[rice guru]

3 minutes ago, IAR117 said:

T2 sounds right, at least coming from my Grados  thank god i dont have to dish out that extra money for the t3s then

good choise its the best performance per dollar iem right now

[IAR117]

Brainwavz Koel. Speak to me, how are Brainwavz? I know some of you will be irritated that I haven't gone an bought the T2s yet, well it's because I don't know the brand and especially if I'm buying online, I would want to search all possible solutions. They say it's mid range focused and has bright mids, all for £45 with MMCX. Interesting...