Back: Black, Truthear Hexa
Left: Blue, Symphonium Titan
Middle: Red, Symphonium Meteor
Right: White, Truthear Gate
Front: Blue, 64 Audio U4s
I have a Meze Alba on the way as well. I'm still searching for that elusive "endgame" IEM – the one to end it all.
My last pair of over-ear open-backs completely satisfied me, and I'm aiming for the same experience with IEMs. Just one last pair that'll tick all the boxes.
People have recommended the U12t, U6t, or Mega5EST. I'm hesitant about more 64 Audio IEMs though. I love my U4s, but they might be too similar to what I already have.
I adore the U4s and Meteor but there seems to be something missing and that’s what I want to fill.
So, if you've tried and compared any hi-end IEMs that you absolutely loved, I'd appreciate your recommendations! Budget is around the U6t-U12t mark, about 1.2K USD to 2K USD. What's your "endgame" IEM?
Edit: Would prefer non chi-fi, but wouldn’t rule them out completely. I have heard too many horror stories.
Well you didn’t mention what you liked or didn’t like about your collection or what your preferences are, so it’s hard to suggest anything, but I’ve been spamming the MEGA5Est suggestion on this subreddit as well, as I truly do love it, and I think it’s a tuning that many will be satisfied with, as it balances the forward vs recessed mids really well, has a Harman amount of bass, and has safe but exciting treble. It will be a step down in technicalities from your u4s, but in my opinion tuning is much more important than tech
Sorry, posted this at 5AM after a night full of insomnia! So completely forgot about that part.
I have a very clear preference for bassy IEM, so keep that in mind as I describe this! I also have a general sensitivity to spicy treble and I have to stay away from bright IEMs/HPs. It can limit my listening session on some HPs/IEMs to just 30ish minutes.
**Meteors:**
Great all day IEM with a good amount of bass. They lack slightly in the sub-bass region since they don't have a DD sub-woofer, but I still like them quite a bit. The bass is just so incisive, but is missing the physicality. They aren't shouty or in your face, mid-range is perfect for me and sounds like a "normal" mid-range should when you listen to performances live. The treble region is somewhat relaxed, which is also perfect for long listening sessions. Just the perfect IEM for long term wear.
**U4s:**
The bass physicality that was missing inside the Meteors is definitely present in the U4s and I love it! The bass tune-ability is also great. The mids are great, not shouty or in your face. The treble is also relaxed and it has the quintessential 64 Audio tuning and I think I have a clear preference for this tuning. The technicals are so good on these as well.
---
The issue with both of these is that there isn't any special-ness to it. They are both VERY well tuned and good sounding IEMs, but don't give me that sense of excitement that makes me look forward to using my Abyss Diana MR, I don't know what's missing, but its something.
So you like a really recessed midrange with strong bass and relaxed treble as far as I understand it? I see you only have recessed midrange IEMs, but your Alba will have forward midrange, so you can compare and see what you prefer.
Based on what you described I think the **Xenns Up** would be a great fit. Best in class bass, similar midrange to what you like, relaxed treble, fun tuning, but it is chi-fi. Not sure why you’re skeptical about chi-fi, I haven’t had any bad experiences.
I’m not sure if the Up would be the “excitement” you’re looking for, as only you can know what that is. I associate excitement with too much treble generally. The IE600 was one of the best exciting IEMs I’ve heard, with amazing bass, but at the cost of being spicy in the treble, probably too much for you as well.
I’ll give them a look! Thanks for the recommendation.
I guess I might be applying issues from DAC/AMPs to IEMs as well? Have heard so many people’s electronics break and get no support afterwards.
You are right about the IE600 being a bit too spicy for me.
Would the Mega5EST still be a good fit?
Not sure. The mega have less bass than what you seem to like and they have a slightly more forward mids. I think you should avoid them if you know your preferences well. I wouldn’t consider mega5est bass to be very good either, it’s somewhat on the slow side for me
**Meteors:**
They are great! I have a very clear preference for bassy IEM, so keep that in mind as I describe this!
They are small, relatively(very relative) well priced for the performance and are a great all day IEM with a good amount of bass. They lack slightly in the sub-bass region since they don't have a DD sub-woofer, but I still like them quite a bit. They aren't shouty or in your face. Just the perfect IEM for long term wear.
If you're looking for an all day, comfortable, small IEM, two thumbs up. If you want a lot of sub-bass, I would say look elsewhere.
**Titans:**
They have bass for dayssssssss!!! Not a well balanced IEM at all, but a super-bassy derppy IEM that puts a grin on my face when I listen to very particular music on them.
The mid are pretty recessed because of the amount of bass and that effecting the tuning of the treble, but a SUPER fun IEM when you're in mood for some headbanging bass.
Wow, thanks for the write up. I'm a very particular bads head, that wants as much midpunch as possible without ruining the midrange much. I have the xba n3, but have been looking for an upgrade for quite a while. Might demo the meteors soon
Campfire audio atlas is $300 on drop.com right now if you're interested super bassy. It's an old iem around came out 6 years ago so do keep that in mind.
Your collection looks great! I have 7th Acoustics Supernova for neutral tuning and Symphonium Titan for fun listening. A great one-two punch to tackle everything
Thank you!
OMG!!! Okay, okay. This is fucking great!! I've finally found someone that owns a 7th Acoustics Supernova! I've been looking at getting one. Just something different from what I already own.
How do you order one? I can't find a website for their company to contact them or order from.
I'm in NA BTW.
As far as I know, you order through their Facebook page by dm as they are a small scale bespoke iem maker. Lead times vary but I’ve heard usually 2-3 months, but you get to choose the faceplate, color and everything. I personally purchased mine second hand to bypass the wait, but you won’t get that customized experience doing so.
You’re welcome! Another good option to look at if you wanted to try something different is Elysian Diva. I got one loaned out to me recently and have been enjoying it as well. Compared to Supernova, Diva is slightly more technically capable with better sense of depth. Supernova has better timbre (mainly vibrant and lush vocals) and side to side imaging. I prefer Supernova overall (very slight margin), but depending on personal taste, can totally see people preferring Diva as well.
First things first, what's the secret to getting $1600 IEMs on loan. I need the down-low on that part first!
I was considering both, but was leaning Supernova cause of the price and a better focus on vocals. I don't really have a vocal centric IEM right now. NGL, the exclusivity is another reason. Even though the Supernova seems to be lower in price, it seems more exclusive.
Last reasons the cable. I have a lot of 2-pin cables and I would like to stick with that rather than enter the world of the connection that Elysian uses.
See if there are local hifi groups (through discord or otherwise) to join near you and be willing to lend out your equipment as well (most people in this hobby are very gentle with equipment and take good care of things). Especially for iems, trying first helps a lot with purchases since there are aspects that online reviews really can’t convey because of how specific they are to the listener, such as fit. I learned this the hard way with some past purchases.
Didn’t order direct. Direct order still takes 45-60 days.
When I contacted them, they said to order from Bloom since they have a shipment being delivered in a couple weeks. So a different process than usual.
Contacted Bloom to reserve a pair through customer service since it wasn’t listed for order on their website.
😅. I guess, but seeing people post like 20+ IEMS makes me feel like I haven’t truly experienced everything in the hobby. Just a very narrow part of it.
I have 15 right now. Not one of them is over 350$. There are some that are unique but most i have tried are just boring. I would say having a lot of iems is good if you want to experience different tunings and learn how to read graps.
Just to clarify, I haven't used the AKG 702, so I can't really recommend IEMs similar to them. You might want to create a new post asking for recommendations - you'll likely get better responses that way.
~~100% positive recommendation. For the price, they are just so good! That said, there are people who compare them to $500 IEMs or something like that. That is a completely absurd comparison, BUT they do compete with things in the $200 range, easily. I used have a pair of IE200s and I preferred these over that pair.~~
I misread and thought you were talking about the Truthear Hexa, not the Truthear Gate. My bad.
im newly getting into iems and i was going to go with the blon 03. read a lot about it and the qc of the stock cables were keeping me away. i settled on going for the blon x hbb z300, and thats when i got to know about the gate. any purchase advise for a beginner audiophile? budget is around the z300 price point, any recommendations are greatly appreciated!
Sorry, the above comment thought you were asking about the Hexa, not the Gate. My bad.
The Gate is okay, but I don't really have a lot of experience in that price range. The main reason I got the Gate was because of the cable—it's a really nice cable! Overall, I'm not a fan. The noise isolation is bad, and the sound is meh; the bass feels like the drum was hit with a wet pool noodle.
I don't have a lot of experience in that price range, so take my recommendations with a grain of salt.
I would recommend the Truthear x Crinacle ZERO, which is around the same price range as the Z300, I think. I've listened to the Zero, and it sounds good for the price. I would say if you can wait a bit and save up for something like the Truthear Hexa, that could be a much better purchasing decision. It gives you a relatively neutral reference, and then you can build your collection around that, seeing what's missing and going after IEMs that provide that.
PS: I started with the Truthear Hexa for my IEM collection
Back: Black, Truthear Hexa Left: Blue, Symphonium Titan Middle: Red, Symphonium Meteor Right: White, Truthear Gate Front: Blue, 64 Audio U4s I have a Meze Alba on the way as well. I'm still searching for that elusive "endgame" IEM – the one to end it all. My last pair of over-ear open-backs completely satisfied me, and I'm aiming for the same experience with IEMs. Just one last pair that'll tick all the boxes. People have recommended the U12t, U6t, or Mega5EST. I'm hesitant about more 64 Audio IEMs though. I love my U4s, but they might be too similar to what I already have. I adore the U4s and Meteor but there seems to be something missing and that’s what I want to fill. So, if you've tried and compared any hi-end IEMs that you absolutely loved, I'd appreciate your recommendations! Budget is around the U6t-U12t mark, about 1.2K USD to 2K USD. What's your "endgame" IEM? Edit: Would prefer non chi-fi, but wouldn’t rule them out completely. I have heard too many horror stories.
Well you didn’t mention what you liked or didn’t like about your collection or what your preferences are, so it’s hard to suggest anything, but I’ve been spamming the MEGA5Est suggestion on this subreddit as well, as I truly do love it, and I think it’s a tuning that many will be satisfied with, as it balances the forward vs recessed mids really well, has a Harman amount of bass, and has safe but exciting treble. It will be a step down in technicalities from your u4s, but in my opinion tuning is much more important than tech
Sorry, posted this at 5AM after a night full of insomnia! So completely forgot about that part. I have a very clear preference for bassy IEM, so keep that in mind as I describe this! I also have a general sensitivity to spicy treble and I have to stay away from bright IEMs/HPs. It can limit my listening session on some HPs/IEMs to just 30ish minutes. **Meteors:** Great all day IEM with a good amount of bass. They lack slightly in the sub-bass region since they don't have a DD sub-woofer, but I still like them quite a bit. The bass is just so incisive, but is missing the physicality. They aren't shouty or in your face, mid-range is perfect for me and sounds like a "normal" mid-range should when you listen to performances live. The treble region is somewhat relaxed, which is also perfect for long listening sessions. Just the perfect IEM for long term wear. **U4s:** The bass physicality that was missing inside the Meteors is definitely present in the U4s and I love it! The bass tune-ability is also great. The mids are great, not shouty or in your face. The treble is also relaxed and it has the quintessential 64 Audio tuning and I think I have a clear preference for this tuning. The technicals are so good on these as well. --- The issue with both of these is that there isn't any special-ness to it. They are both VERY well tuned and good sounding IEMs, but don't give me that sense of excitement that makes me look forward to using my Abyss Diana MR, I don't know what's missing, but its something.
So you like a really recessed midrange with strong bass and relaxed treble as far as I understand it? I see you only have recessed midrange IEMs, but your Alba will have forward midrange, so you can compare and see what you prefer. Based on what you described I think the **Xenns Up** would be a great fit. Best in class bass, similar midrange to what you like, relaxed treble, fun tuning, but it is chi-fi. Not sure why you’re skeptical about chi-fi, I haven’t had any bad experiences. I’m not sure if the Up would be the “excitement” you’re looking for, as only you can know what that is. I associate excitement with too much treble generally. The IE600 was one of the best exciting IEMs I’ve heard, with amazing bass, but at the cost of being spicy in the treble, probably too much for you as well.
I’ll give them a look! Thanks for the recommendation. I guess I might be applying issues from DAC/AMPs to IEMs as well? Have heard so many people’s electronics break and get no support afterwards. You are right about the IE600 being a bit too spicy for me. Would the Mega5EST still be a good fit?
Not sure. The mega have less bass than what you seem to like and they have a slightly more forward mids. I think you should avoid them if you know your preferences well. I wouldn’t consider mega5est bass to be very good either, it’s somewhat on the slow side for me
Isn't the Titan just a Meteor with more "specialness" in that stacked bass?
Do you still appreciate the hexa's sound quality even tho you have more expensive pairs ?
i wish i had the Meteor and U4s!
How are you liking the titans ans meteors?
**Meteors:** They are great! I have a very clear preference for bassy IEM, so keep that in mind as I describe this! They are small, relatively(very relative) well priced for the performance and are a great all day IEM with a good amount of bass. They lack slightly in the sub-bass region since they don't have a DD sub-woofer, but I still like them quite a bit. They aren't shouty or in your face. Just the perfect IEM for long term wear. If you're looking for an all day, comfortable, small IEM, two thumbs up. If you want a lot of sub-bass, I would say look elsewhere. **Titans:** They have bass for dayssssssss!!! Not a well balanced IEM at all, but a super-bassy derppy IEM that puts a grin on my face when I listen to very particular music on them. The mid are pretty recessed because of the amount of bass and that effecting the tuning of the treble, but a SUPER fun IEM when you're in mood for some headbanging bass.
Wow, thanks for the write up. I'm a very particular bads head, that wants as much midpunch as possible without ruining the midrange much. I have the xba n3, but have been looking for an upgrade for quite a while. Might demo the meteors soon
I would actually give both of them a try. Not just the Meteor.
Campfire audio atlas is $300 on drop.com right now if you're interested super bassy. It's an old iem around came out 6 years ago so do keep that in mind.
Your collection looks great! I have 7th Acoustics Supernova for neutral tuning and Symphonium Titan for fun listening. A great one-two punch to tackle everything
Thank you! OMG!!! Okay, okay. This is fucking great!! I've finally found someone that owns a 7th Acoustics Supernova! I've been looking at getting one. Just something different from what I already own. How do you order one? I can't find a website for their company to contact them or order from. I'm in NA BTW.
As far as I know, you order through their Facebook page by dm as they are a small scale bespoke iem maker. Lead times vary but I’ve heard usually 2-3 months, but you get to choose the faceplate, color and everything. I personally purchased mine second hand to bypass the wait, but you won’t get that customized experience doing so.
🤦 I don't have a Facebook account...I guess I'll be creating one. Thanks for the info! Really appreciate it.
You’re welcome! Another good option to look at if you wanted to try something different is Elysian Diva. I got one loaned out to me recently and have been enjoying it as well. Compared to Supernova, Diva is slightly more technically capable with better sense of depth. Supernova has better timbre (mainly vibrant and lush vocals) and side to side imaging. I prefer Supernova overall (very slight margin), but depending on personal taste, can totally see people preferring Diva as well.
First things first, what's the secret to getting $1600 IEMs on loan. I need the down-low on that part first! I was considering both, but was leaning Supernova cause of the price and a better focus on vocals. I don't really have a vocal centric IEM right now. NGL, the exclusivity is another reason. Even though the Supernova seems to be lower in price, it seems more exclusive. Last reasons the cable. I have a lot of 2-pin cables and I would like to stick with that rather than enter the world of the connection that Elysian uses.
See if there are local hifi groups (through discord or otherwise) to join near you and be willing to lend out your equipment as well (most people in this hobby are very gentle with equipment and take good care of things). Especially for iems, trying first helps a lot with purchases since there are aspects that online reviews really can’t convey because of how specific they are to the listener, such as fit. I learned this the hard way with some past purchases.
Hey. Thanks for the tip yesterday. Ended up ordering one. Should be here by the middle of July.
Nice! Hope you’ll enjoy them. Also thats pretty fast expected delivery. Awesome to see them able to cut the wait time down.
Didn’t order direct. Direct order still takes 45-60 days. When I contacted them, they said to order from Bloom since they have a shipment being delivered in a couple weeks. So a different process than usual. Contacted Bloom to reserve a pair through customer service since it wasn’t listed for order on their website.
Oh cool didn’t know Bloom Audio was distributing for them. A new batch seems to have been listed on Elise Audio as well. Happy listening!
"nothing compared..." don't confuse being humble with putting yourself/your collection down.
Sometimes less is more!
Exactly this 🤑🤑🤑
😅. I guess, but seeing people post like 20+ IEMS makes me feel like I haven’t truly experienced everything in the hobby. Just a very narrow part of it.
I have 15 right now. Not one of them is over 350$. There are some that are unique but most i have tried are just boring. I would say having a lot of iems is good if you want to experience different tunings and learn how to read graps.
Exactly this! I've tried very few tuning for IEMs as you can see from the picture and it feels like my experience is limited.
You ever use akgs 702 And if is there any iem thats like it
Nope. Never used those. I’ve heard about them, but never had the chance to use them.
Would recommend nice ones for the price.
Just to clarify, I haven't used the AKG 702, so I can't really recommend IEMs similar to them. You might want to create a new post asking for recommendations - you'll likely get better responses that way.
I ment id recommend the akgs is all and tnx ima try that again.
how is the truthear gate, ik its more of a budget iem but considering the budget range it falls into, how is the listening experience?
~~100% positive recommendation. For the price, they are just so good! That said, there are people who compare them to $500 IEMs or something like that. That is a completely absurd comparison, BUT they do compete with things in the $200 range, easily. I used have a pair of IE200s and I preferred these over that pair.~~ I misread and thought you were talking about the Truthear Hexa, not the Truthear Gate. My bad.
im newly getting into iems and i was going to go with the blon 03. read a lot about it and the qc of the stock cables were keeping me away. i settled on going for the blon x hbb z300, and thats when i got to know about the gate. any purchase advise for a beginner audiophile? budget is around the z300 price point, any recommendations are greatly appreciated!
Sorry, the above comment thought you were asking about the Hexa, not the Gate. My bad. The Gate is okay, but I don't really have a lot of experience in that price range. The main reason I got the Gate was because of the cable—it's a really nice cable! Overall, I'm not a fan. The noise isolation is bad, and the sound is meh; the bass feels like the drum was hit with a wet pool noodle. I don't have a lot of experience in that price range, so take my recommendations with a grain of salt. I would recommend the Truthear x Crinacle ZERO, which is around the same price range as the Z300, I think. I've listened to the Zero, and it sounds good for the price. I would say if you can wait a bit and save up for something like the Truthear Hexa, that could be a much better purchasing decision. It gives you a relatively neutral reference, and then you can build your collection around that, seeing what's missing and going after IEMs that provide that. PS: I started with the Truthear Hexa for my IEM collection
I wanna hear the Titan and U4S, someday maybe