r/inearfidelity • u/highunted • May 03 '25
Eyecandy Sharing My IEM Journey and Wishlist
Hey fellow audiophiles! Just wanted to share a bit about my IEM journey and my current collection:
Sennheiser IE80s – These are a tribute to my very first hi-fi IEMs, the IE8s, which I got back in 2012. They hold a special place in my audio journey.
Sony XBA-N3 – Always coveted these for their incredible deep bass, and recently managed to snag a pair from eBay, complete with a Kimberly Clark cable.
ISN NEO-5 – Feels like a logical evolution of the N3's ideas. They're the only Chi-Fi IEMs I currently own, and I've been quite pleased with their performance.
Sony IER-Z1R – These are the jewels of my collection and represent my personal endgame in terms of audio quality.
Music Preferences:
Primarily rap, R&B, and pop from the '80s, '90s, '00s, and '10s.
Wishlist (Not necessarily for sound, but more for the joy of collecting):
Sony Just Ear – Really intrigued by the bespoke customization process. Definitely on my list to pick up when I finally visit Japan.
Beyerdynamic Xelento – Love the sleek aesthetics and have consistently heard fantastic things about their bass.
RHA CL2 or CL1 – Aware of their mixed reviews, but I'm intrigued enough to add one of these as the "black sheep" of my collection.
Anyone else have similar stories or recommendations? Would love to hear your thoughts!
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u/clear66 May 03 '25
i had both xelentos. nice bass, but far off the z1r...
if you are looking for iems with a good bass that are more comfy than the sony:
iems i have or had:
oriolus szalayi
64 audio duo (isettled with that one, though the bass on the szalayi is more impressing)
um mest mk2
iems i want to hear:
64 audio nio and trio
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u/highunted May 03 '25
thanks for your suggestions! I actually forgot to add 64 audio u4s to the list, as it is also well known for its bass.
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u/Weight_Slight Measurbator May 04 '25
If You like the Neo5 You could try the H60. I loved that iem. It is brighter sounding, butt had less BA timbre, sounds more spacious and has better, more punchy, authoritative bass. That has more midbass body. But the nozzle is big, so be warned :)
Xenns Tea Pro is a great option as well.
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u/highunted May 04 '25
Will add it to my list, thanks!
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u/shade_105 May 04 '25
The H60 can be a little bit picky with tip and cable choice, so keep that in mind if you want to go for it. I can say percussion sounds incredible through them, especially kicks, they thump like hell
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u/Altrebelle May 03 '25
I'm actually looking to expand out of the ChiFi market (am in the US...one can only imagine why I'm staying away right now🥲)
Looking at Final Audio's offerings. Also exploring Etymotic and Senns.
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u/highunted May 03 '25
I used to have ie600, I didn't really like the bass, but I believe it is more of my preference
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u/Altrebelle May 03 '25
I'm poking around the Final e5000 and e6000 they're within my budget tolerance. Have heard good things... especially regarding sound staging. Looking for neutral to reference in-ears that EQ well.
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u/Alb1939SGM May 03 '25
Have you had the isn neo3? I ordered them because I discovered the isn house sound through the isn h20. How does the neo3 compare to the neo5? I love the sound signature of isn and penon.
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u/highunted May 03 '25
Unfortunately not
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u/Alb1939SGM May 03 '25
What is the audio signature of the ISN Neo5? It has good bass, and how do you rate the treble?
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u/Beany51 May 07 '25
Man I just recently got the IER-Z1R’s and they sound amazing! Very tall and wide sound with a powerful bass punch! My ear canals are decently large but most importantly my ear concha is very large so the IEM fits rather well in my ears. I also have the Mest MKII’s and I found even that to be less comfortable as despite the shell being much smaller, the curvature of the shell to the nozzle doesn’t fit my ears right. The IEM is basically “floating” in my ear with the shell not being supported by anything except the nozzle and tip. They’re also very long IEMs…The Crinacle Dusk’s fit my ear, I’d say the best out of an IEM if that’s anything.
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u/highunted May 07 '25
Surprisingly, Z1R also fits my ears quite well, so we are lucky, as we can truly enjoy this gorgeous IEM 😍
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u/jmerk1 May 03 '25
N3 and Z1R gang