Article: Inexpensive IEM Roundup

[Josh Mound]

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[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi @JoshM Thanks a ton for a review that I didn't realize I needed to read/listen to, until you sent this one to me. I certainly have my favorite headphones such as the RAAL-requisite SR1a (listening to them now), and the Etymotic ER4SR, but I can't even count how many of my friends have asked for recommendations. This article is perfect for this situation! I now have a definitive resource to which I can turn and send people! Thank you Josh!

 

By the way, listeing in bed every night, is one of my favorite things. I couldn't live without it :~)

[bobfa]

I am dancing in the streets, singing to the stars!  Real IEMs that do not break anyones bank.  I have a set of Timeless 7z that I like but do not use much because they do not fit my ears as well as I would like.  

 

I fall back to the AirPods Pro 2 because they are so convenient.    

 

Now where did I leave my Mojo!

 

Thanks @JoshM

 

 

[DuckToller]

Thanks a lot for this review @JoshM
I need to admit, if I would have read it in January - when I would have still been in the xmas return window for Amazon - I may have returned the Truthear Zero I shot for Christmas. Just for curiosity, and because I use IEM's mostly in the summertime for better convenience during high temperatures.
However, I feel quite satisfield using them with the FIIO K7 DAC/HP amp, where the FIIO may be the driver which soften that sibiliance you've described.

[Josh Mound]

2 hours ago, bobfa said:

I am dancing in the streets, singing to the stars!  Real IEMs that do not break anyones bank.  I have a set of Timeless 7z that I like but do not use much because they do not fit my ears as well as I would like.  

 

I fall back to the AirPods Pro 2 because they are so convenient.    

 

Now where did I leave my Mojo!

 

Thanks @JoshM

 

 

 

The Timeless 7Hz sounds good and are stylish, but I agree that the nozzle diameter and depth can make them uncomfortable.

[Josh Mound]

By the way, another budget IEM that several people have mentioned to me is the $22 Salnotes Zero. I have that ordered, and it'll be a Club TBVO blog post. When it's up, I'll link it here.

[davide256]

Hi Josh, ordered the Kiwi cadenza's, thanks for your review. Hard part I find for IEM's is fit -do they stay put and comfort -they can hurt if the nozzle/tip

is in a bad spot for your ear. But that passive isolation is so much better than noise canceling tech  "digititus" at moderate to loud background noise levels.

[Kalpesh]

would you have a suggestion for noise cancellation bluetooth headphones to be used with an iPhone ?

Main usage would be making the best of time during several hours treatment in an hospital bed once a week : podcasts, music...

Homework (pure reading) led me to Sennheiser Momentum 3 (over the 4 for musical SQ) with Shure AONIC 50 or Sony as contenders...

 

[AnotherSpin]

Are there any inexpensive good IEMs that fit the recent iPhones without adapters or additional DACs?

[Josh Mound]

17 hours ago, davide256 said:

Hi Josh, ordered the Kiwi cadenza's, thanks for your review. Hard part I find for IEM's is fit -do they stay put and comfort -they can hurt if the nozzle/tip

is in a bad spot for your ear. But that passive isolation is so much better than noise canceling tech  "digititus" at moderate to loud background noise levels.

The Cadenza was comfortable for me, even with the $10 Tin tips. The thing that could make that not the case for you is that the Tin tips are dense and don’t squish down much. This is good for cushioning sharp nozzles, but can make your ears feel too full depending on your canal size and the diameter of the nozzle. In that case, the Comply or Spinfit tips are the way to go. 
 

10 hours ago, Kalpesh said:

would you have a suggestion for noise cancellation bluetooth headphones to be used with an iPhone ?

Main usage would be making the best of time during several hours treatment in an hospital bed once a week : podcasts, music...

Homework (pure reading) led me to Sennheiser Momentum 3 (over the 4 for musical SQ) with Shure AONIC 50 or Sony as contenders...

 

 

I don’t use ANC headphones, but others here might have recommendations. Based on people I trust, the Drop Panda ANC headphones are highly regarded. It might be worth trying some IEMs with foam tips first, though, because they usually block out almost all outside noise if the tips are properly fitted and can be had much cheaper than a good ANC headphone. 

 

10 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

Are there any inexpensive good IEMs that fit the recent iPhones without adapters or additional DACs?

 

The USB-C based iPhones? I’ve seen some IEMs with a small DAC/amp built into the cable. But I think buying the cheap Apple USB-C to 3.5mm dongle is a better option, since it allows you to use any IEMs you want. It’s not the most powerful DAC/amp, but it’s good enough for most use cases, and it’s small enough that you can just leave it attached to the IEM cable. That’s what I did for my wife, who wanted things as simple as possible. 

[Kalpesh]

15 hours ago, JoshM said:

The Cadenza was comfortable for me, even with the $10 Tin tips. The thing that could make that not the case for you is that the Tin tips are dense and don’t squish down much. This is good for cushioning sharp nozzles, but can make your ears feel too full depending on your canal size and the diameter of the nozzle. In that case, the Comply or Spinfit tips are the way to go. 
 

 

I don’t use ANC headphones, but others here might have recommendations. Based on people I trust, the Drop Panda ANC headphones are highly regarded. It might be worth trying some IEMs with foam tips first, though, because they usually block out almost all outside noise if the tips are properly fitted and can be had much cheaper than a good ANC headphone. 

 

 

The USB-C based iPhones? I’ve seen some IEMs with a small DAC/amp built into the cable. But I think buying the cheap Apple USB-C to 3.5mm dongle is a better option, since it allows you to use any IEMs you want. It’s not the most powerful DAC/amp, but it’s good enough for most use cases, and it’s small enough that you can just leave it attached to the IEM cable. That’s what I did for my wife, who wanted things as simple as possible. 

THANK you, unfortunately, the Drop does not seem any longer available.

 

 I'm puzzled by your answer to @AnotherSpin. A cheap alternative to a Sennheiser Momentum 3 or like could be the Kiwi or even my good ol' AKG 701 once the cable changed. No noise cancellation, and wire, but why not. But why a cable with a DAC in a dongle? Isn't it possible to use the AKG or the IEM you present with a mere lightning to jack adaptor ?? such as https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMX62AM/A/lightning-to-35-mm-headphone-jack-adapter

 

[AnotherSpin]

3 minutes ago, Kalpesh said:

THANK you, unfortunately, the Drop does not seem any longer available.

 

 I'm puzzled by your answer to @AnotherSpin. A cheap alternative to a Sennheiser Momentum 3 or like could be the Kiwi or even my good ol' AKG 701 once the cable changed. No noise cancellation, and wire, but why not. But why a cable with a DAC in a dongle? Isn't it possible to use the AKG or the IEM you present with a mere lightning to jack adaptor ?? such as https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMX62AM/A/lightning-to-35-mm-headphone-jack-adapter

 

 

In fact I am pretty much content with a default wired iPhone earbuds. But, for a sake of eternal upgraditis urge asked for a replacement advice. Just in case...

[Josh Mound]

On 2/12/2023 at 9:14 AM, Kalpesh said:

THANK you, unfortunately, the Drop does not seem any longer available.

 

 I'm puzzled by your answer to @AnotherSpin. A cheap alternative to a Sennheiser Momentum 3 or like could be the Kiwi or even my good ol' AKG 701 once the cable changed. No noise cancellation, and wire, but why not. But why a cable with a DAC in a dongle? Isn't it possible to use the AKG or the IEM you present with a mere lightning to jack adaptor ?? such as https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMX62AM/A/lightning-to-35-mm-headphone-jack-adapter

 

 

Sorry for the confusion. The Apple DAC/amp dongle I was referring to in my reply to @AnotherSpin is the adapter you linked (the Lightning version or the USB-C version). Even though Apple calls it an "adapter," it's really a small DAC/amp dongle.

[Kalpesh]

13 minutes ago, JoshM said:

 

Sorry for the confusion. The Apple DAC/amp dongle I was referring to in my reply to @AnotherSpin is the adapter you linked (the Lightning version or the USB-C version). Even though Apple calls it an "adapter," it's really a small DAC/amp dongle.

really, a DAC inside ! it's so tiny ! purchased one today, works fine with apple earbuds from mini jack times. lacks power to drive the AKG 701 though

thank you

[Josh Mound]

3 minutes ago, Kalpesh said:

really, a DAC inside ! it's so tiny ! purchased one today, works fine with apple earbuds from mini jack times. lacks power to drive the AKG 701 though

thank you

 

Apple's obviously tight-lipped about this stuff, but this teardown is very interesting:

 

[Kalpesh]

On 2/13/2023 at 6:08 PM, JoshM said:

 

Apple's obviously tight-lipped about this stuff, but this teardown is very interesting:

 

gee ! a DAC that costs just a few bucks...

[Chris Tennant]

Hi Josh,

Thank you for your useful review.

I own KZ ZS10 PRO (and also ZS6 model) and I can only recommend this brand. I previously had Shure earphones, not sure which model, but it costs 3x ZS10 Pro. I was shocked how much better KZ sounds. They are solid built, and they look good too, especially with gold silver upgrade cable.

Now I ask myself do I need Kiwi cadenza? Yeah, I guess I'll order them sooner or later ;-)

[davide256]

Hi Josh,

  got the Kiwi Cadenza's, they are pretty nice. Out of the box kind of forward for treble but a few hours break in was all that was needed.

Kind of falls into a Meze 99 like sound with a little less density and smoothness. but a bit more treble extension. Heck of a bargain at $35

 

Wondering if you have an aftermarket IEM cable that you recommend to improve on the Cadenza  stock cable ?

[Josh Mound]

9 hours ago, davide256 said:

Hi Josh,

  got the Kiwi Cadenza's, they are pretty nice. Out of the box kind of forward for treble but a few hours break in was all that was needed.

Kind of falls into a Meze 99 like sound with a little less density and smoothness. but a bit more treble extension. Heck of a bargain at $35

 

Wondering if you have an aftermarket IEM cable that you recommend to improve on the Cadenza  stock cable ?

Yes, they have just a touch of glare in the lower treble. Beyond let them break in, the iFi IEMatch is a good tool to have. Even on IEMs that don’t need it for hiss purposes, I find that the IEMatch seems to tame treble just a bit subjectively. 
 

Most decent replacement cables will come close to the cost of the Cadenza itself. But I’ve had good luck with Tripowin cables for a budget option. The cheapest stock 2-pin model (“Zonie”) is $20, and the version with the termination adapters (“Amber”) is $30. 

[davide256]

2 hours ago, JoshM said:

Yes, they have just a touch of glare in the lower treble. Beyond let them break in, the iFi IEMatch is a good tool to have. Even on IEMs that don’t need it for hiss purposes, I find that the IEMatch seems to tame treble just a bit subjectively. 
 

Most decent replacement cables will come close to the cost of the Cadenza itself. But I’ve had good luck with Tripowin cables for a budget option. The cheapest stock 2-pin model (“Zonie”) is $20, and the version with the termination adapters (“Amber”) is $30. 

Thanks! Glad you responded, had ordered a cable already only to realize from the Amber options it had wrong ends (CMX?) vs 2 pin 0.78.  iSine  cables also work,

using that at the moment as a sonic improvement over the stock cable and looking forward to the Amber cable and Spin Fit tips when they arrive.

 

 

[Josh Mound]

On 2/23/2023 at 1:15 AM, davide256 said:

Thanks! Glad you responded, had ordered a cable already only to realize from the Amber options it had wrong ends (CMX?) vs 2 pin 0.78.  iSine  cables also work,

using that at the moment as a sonic improvement over the stock cable and looking forward to the Amber cable and Spin Fit tips when they arrive.

 

 

 

I hadn't received them at the time of my last reply, but I'm impressed by the Moondrop Spring silicone tips, which are $13 for three pairs. I actually may prefer them to the Spinfit, though it's a close call. The Spring tips are slightly tackier than the Spinfit tips. So the Springs end up falling between the smooth Spinfit and the very tacky SednaEarfit XELASTEC in texture. (I like the SednaEarfit XELASTEC for shallow-fitting IEMs, because the tackiness does a good job of creating a stable fit and good seal.)

[Josh Mound]

For those following this review, I just reviewed the $20 7Hz Salnotes Zero IEM on my Club TBVO blog:

 

 

[audiobomber]

Good stuff. I wonder if you would consider reviewing a Skull Candy iem? I bought a pair for my grandson, but never heard them. I bought them because.... Skull Candy. ☺️

[Josh Mound]

On 3/4/2023 at 9:11 AM, audiobomber said:

Good stuff. I wonder if you would consider reviewing a Skull Candy iem? I bought a pair for my grandson, but never heard them. I bought them because.... Skull Candy. ☺️

 

I've never heard any Skull Candy IEMs, but I can confirm that they are very popular with my students!

[Josh Mound]

One of the folks over Headphones.com had three of his friends listen to five IEMs ranging from less than $50 through $1k+. All three picked the Cadenza as their favorite.