The Ultimate IEM Ranking Hub

PMG Audio Apx SE

• Smirk Audio: Great resolution and layering. Great bass texture and punch. Mids have a small timbral issue. Refined, resolving highs. Analogue tone. Engaging yet non-fatiguing. Cons: Shells prone to cracking.
• Bad Guy Good Audio:  Game changer. Most resolving accurate replay in the hobby. No specific qualifier to wave off potential buyer..nada  Price is extreme but presentation reflects that. No sonic flaws. 1st set in 10 years that gets that.

Subtonic STORM

• Jays Audio: The best IEM I've ever heard. Best timbre. Super natural. TOTL tech. It's just good. That's all.
• Gizaudio Axel: The most detailed IEM I’ve ever heard.  Exceptional resolution, neutral sound signature.  Hard to drive.
• Precogvision: Easily at the top for resolution and dynamic contrast, accompanied by rigid transients and pinpoint layering.
• Tim Tuned:  The most extraodinary normal sounding IEM ever. Amazing all-around  big and heavy shell
• Smirk Audio: World-class resolution and layering. Extreme, almost exaggerated dynamics. Staging is large but not class-leading.
• IEMRanking AI: The Subtonic Storm delivers a balanced sound signature characterized by a generous sub-bass boost, neutral midrange, and an elevated, articulate treble response. Its standout feature is the...
• Shuwa-T: Comment: TOTL tuning with TOTL technicalities to boot.  Perfectly tuned, unparalled detail retrieval, staging, imaging, and proper holographic background as a cohesive package  The price I guess
• Bad Guy Good Audio:  Technical excellence (accuracy). Near perfect tuning. Bass...great  Price. Wait.

Brise Audio Fugaku

• Precogvision: World-class bass with incredible depth and dynamics. Held back by a slightly unrefined treble response.
• Smirk Audio: World-class bass dynamics and slam. Coherent and fleshed out soundstage. Full-bodied notes. Slightly relaxed treble and lower mids. Upper mids slightly forward. Cons: Price, requires proprietary...
• IEMRanking AI: The Brise Audio Fugaku represents a radical departure from conventional IEM design, functioning as an integrated portable audio system rather than standalone earphones. Its core innovation lies in...

Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb

• Smirk Audio: Highly resolving, technical, and balanced across the frequency spectrum. Is shouty/edgy in the upper mids/lower treble. Cons: Price, treble peak.
• IEMRanking AI: The Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tombé delivers a neutrally balanced sound signature characterized by a smooth, analog-like tonality across lows and mids, paired with naturally resolving treble....

Forte Ears Macbeth

• Shuwa-T:  Feels like a remastered VX in terms of clarity and staging  The tonality is too off for regular listening, timbre is also off in general

Aroma Jewel

• Smirk Audio: Demoed on Eletech Victoria cable (not stock). Very fleshed out stage with convincing depth. Strong imaging, layering, and res. Bass can use more body and decay.
• Shuwa-T:  U-shaped tuning that focuses on clarity over musicality  Noteweight in the midrange can be too thin for certain genres

Unique Melody Multiverse Mentor

• Smirk Audio: Immersive soundstage. Euphonic, lush mids, and inoffensive treble. Lacks incisiveness and upper mids can get a little intense. Cons: Price.
• Shuwa-T:  Midrange lush, thick instrument note weight  Price, what else

Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS

• Smirk Audio: Excellent bass dynamics and texture. Cold timbre and driver flex. Otherwise excellent technicalities and solid tuning. Cons: Driver flex, cold timbre.
• Audionotions: Very engaging IEM. Bass extends deep and hits hard and fast, mids are clear and lush with very good weight and tactility. Treble is clear without fatigue. It's a pretty warm IEM but has clarity that...

AME Mousa

• Jaytiss: Energetic Bassy fun set, but so excellent.
• Smirk Audio: Cons: Price, bass bloat.

Oriolus Traillii Ti

Elysian X

• Precogvision: Basically a more sub-bass focused Annihilator 2021 with some trade-offs in technicalities.
• Tim Tuned:  Near excellent timbre, fantastic bass  Slight uppermids uneverness
• Nymz: A more sub-bass focused Annihilator without the same level of technicalities and treble.

Aroma Audio Fei Wan

• Jaytiss: Impressive tech, is even better with EQ. Has a special sauce.
• Smirk Audio: Decent bass and lush, "wet" mids. Has a treble peak that can be pesky to some. Great overall techs. Cons: Price, treble peak, build quality.

Oriolus Traillii

• Precogvision: Dull microdynamics and treble at a not-so-dull price.
• Smirk Audio: Very natural and balanced-sounding set. Exquisite voicing and tuning. Soundstage is somewhat intimate. Bass is plasticky and lacks slam/texture. Cons: Price.
• Bad Guy Good Audio:  Pleasant tonaity, great detail retrieval  polite bass and stupid $$ for nothing evolutionary

Vision Ears Erlkonig

• Crin: Good tonality, high resolution and an overall decent all-rounder.
• Precogvision: Good detail retrieval and tonal balance on settings 3 & 4. Poor midrange micro-dynamics, though, and quite boring.
• Shuwa-T: Comment: Smooth without compromising too much on details.  Warm yet spacious  Might almost sound dark

MMR Thummim

• Crin: More resolving than the Homunculus, but also comes with bass bloat.
• Precogvision: Gives me the impression that I'm hearing things from underwater.