IEMs Reviewed by Drew / Audionotions

Unique Melody MEST mkII

on Linsoul

Unique Melody MEST mkII

Drew / Audionotions: Very engaging. I usually prefer something more balanced and neutral, but this IEM has some special sauce. Very well-tuned from bass to treble - with a little bit of spice on top. Great tonality and...

Warm V 1DD+4BA+2EST+1BC

8.5

S-

$1,500

Sennheiser IE900

Drew / Audionotions: I usually don't like things that aren't all rounders but this might be the exception. Bass is incredible - best in class - great texture, fantastic physicality. Treble response is great too - pretty...

Warm V 1DD

8.5

A+

Softears Volume S

Drew / Audionotions: Natural, rich sounding. Substantial low end that doesn't muddy up the mix and a bass shelf that isn't completely isolated to the subbass (when an IEM has a lot of subbass but no midbass, this can...

n/a 2DD+2BA

8

8.2

A+

Truthear Pure

Drew / Audionotions: The new warm neutral benchmark. Masterclass in a slightly warm tilted neutral. I always thought the Hexa would be an amazing IEM if the bass wasn't so bloomy and uncontrolled. The Pure fixes that and...

Light V-shaped 1DD+3BA

8

8.5

A+

Aful Cantor

Drew / Audionotions: Very well balanced with very good details and separation. Bass is punchy and fast, mids are clean with excellent instrument separation, treble is well extended and airy. Nothing stands out as...

Vocal 14BA

8

8.5

A+

Xenns Top Pro

Drew / Audionotions: Excellent tuning. Jack of all trades. One of my favorite IEM releases of 2025. Great vocals, bright leaning treble that adds a bit more sparkle. Bass that extends deep and doesn't bleed. Could use a...

Neutral with bass boost 2DD+8BA

8

8.4

A+

Kiwi Ears Astral

Drew / Audionotions: "Meta" tuned with subbass and air boost. Neutral/balanced with a bit of fun factor added back in. Phenomenally tuned mids. Bass can be a smidge too much on certain tracks for me but it's generally...

U-Shaped 1DD+6BA

8

A+

$900

Letshuoer EJ07

Drew / Audionotions: Very engaging and very natural sounding. Decent technicalities. Instruments sound correct. Staging and imaging very good for an IEM. Very enjoyable. Leans dark and maybe a bit lacking in treble...

n/a n/a

8

A+

$669

Letshuore EJ07M Kinda Lava

Drew / Audionotions: One of the most solid all-rounders I've tried. Great bass, great mids, good treble extension. Very natural sounding. The only con I can think of is the bright red shells (my KL has the black shells)?...

Mild V-shape n/a

Letshuore EJ07M Kinda Lava review by drew

8

A+

$670

Letshuoer EJ07M

Drew / Audionotions: Nearly the same as the Kinda Lava with very slight differences in the bass. More subbass at the cost of a tiny bit of midbass. Same great mids and treble. Possibly a tad less thick note weight than...

Harman Neutral 1DD+2BA+4EST

8

A+

Ziigaat LUSH

Drew / Audionotions: As of 4/21/25, these are my pick for best value in IEMs and also one of the best implementations of the JM21 meta. Everything sounds right. Bass quantity is just right with decent quality - there is...

n/a 1DD+4BA

8

A+

$299

Dunu x Gizaudio Davinci

on NiceHCK

Dunu x Gizaudio Davinci

Drew / Audionotions: close but no cigar. Sounded great for most genres but bass guitars and kick drums and instruments/vocals that lie the in mid-bass/lower-mids range sound too recessed. Noteweight leans thin and...

bass-boosted neutral 2DD+4BA

8

A+

CrinEar Daybreak

Drew / Audionotions: Slightly V-Shaped take on the JM-1 Meta. Some may find it a bit intense - especially in the upper treble, and perhaps the upper mids - it can sometimes border on being a tad shouty. Clean sounding...

Neutral with bass boost 1DD+2BA+2mPT

8

7.4

A+

$399

Moondrop X Crinacle DUSK

on Aliexpress

Moondrop X Crinacle DUSK

Drew / Audionotions: I came close to writing this off because it relies on DSP to achieve the target tuning. Thankfully my curiosity got the best of me. Putting aside any issues pertaining to the DSP cable, this is a...

n/a 2DD+2BA+2PLA

8

A+

$850

7th Acoustics Supernova

Drew / Audionotions: Some of the best timbre I've heard on an IEM to date with decent technicalities to match. Tonality is really good. Bass is neither too much nor too little - just enough to add the perfect amount of...

bass-boosted neutral 6BA

8

A+

Hisenior Mega5-EST

Drew / Audionotions: Incredibly well tuned IEM that sounds very natural across all frequencies. Nothing inoffensive with good technical chops. Stage is not vast - but it is natural and has depth. Bass is full but it is...

Neutral with bass boost 1DD+2BA+2EST

8

A+

$1,000

Sony IER-M9

Drew / Audionotions: Nice note weight, very balanced, shockingly good at imaging held back by finicky fit and vacuum seal - fit issues can be resolved by changing tips though (for me the stock silicone LL tips eliminated...

Warm neutral 5BA

8

7.5

A+

Sennheiser IE600

Drew / Audionotions: Engaging sound signature with authoritative bass and very good treble. Mids are no slouch either. Can be spicy for some, but for what it's worth, I have no issues with the treble. Pretty impressive,...

V-shape 1DD

8

A+

$550

Dunu SA6 Ultra

Drew / Audionotions: SA6 but better - and SA6 was already a very good IEM to begin with. Retains the same smooth and relaxed tuning and great resolution. What sets this apart is the right amount of treble extension to...

Warm neutral 6BA

8

A

Elysian Pilgrim

Drew / Audionotions: Elysian signature for the masses in terms of price and intensity. Compared to the rest of the Elysian lineup, the Pilgrim loses a bit of dynamics, techs, and separation and imaging, but it does share...

U-Shaped 1DD+3BA

7.5

A

Thieaudio Hype 4

Drew / Audionotions: Very, very solid IEM. Excellent bass response and a well done warm neutral tuning. Great techs for the price. Large stage that is deep and wide. Great separation and imaging. Treble is a bit elevated...

JM1 ish 2DD+4BA

7.5

A

Ziigaat Odyssey 2

Drew / Audionotions: Top notch build quality - I love the metal shell. Linsoul should adopt this shell across the board. U-Shaped take on JM1 with bass lift contained to subbass region and some lower treble spice. Very,...

Neutral with sub-bass boost 1DD+3BA

7.5

A

$1,300

Nightjar Singularity

Drew / Audionotions: I fully expected these to be an overwhelmingly bass heavy set but instead got something quite different. Singularity bass is boomy and somewhat pillowy, extending deep and with almost atmospheric...

L Shaped 1DD

7.5

A

$530

Mangird Xenns Top

Drew / Audionotions: Variation's more fun, twin sibling. Similar technical capabilities to Vari - resolution, instrument separation and imaging are great. Thicker, meatier note weight than Variations and better vocal...

Bassy Neutral 1DD+8BA

7.5

A

Ziigaat Arcanis

Drew / Audionotions: Vocal centric with good bass performance and smooth but well extended treble. Excellent techs. I think they mixed up the names for their recent releases - this is less "neutral" and more "lush" than...

Bright neutral 2DD+5BA

7.5

8.5

A

Thieaudio Oracle

Drew / Audionotions: Love the tuning. Very neutral set with sparkly treble but never unpleasant. Techs are decent but not standout. Timbre and tonality on this set are really great. Mids are great, and vocals are lush....

Bright neutral 1DD+2BA+2EST

7.5

A

Aful Performer 8

Drew / Audionotions: Smooth and balanced with really great detail retrieval. Jack-of-all-trades. If you can swing $370 for this and aren't willing to go up to $530+ for something marginally better, then just buy this and...

Sweet,neutral 1DD+7BA

7.5

A

$86

JUZEAR x Z Reviews Defiant

JUZEAR x Z Reviews Defiant

Drew / Audionotions: Nicely balanced IEM with a tough of warmth. Very pleasantly tuned throughout. Relaxed and lush sounding. Good job Zeos! Personal Unit

n/a 1DD+3BA

JUZEAR x Z Reviews Defiant review by drew

7.5

8.4

A

$239

FATfreq x HBB Deuce

Drew / Audionotions: Easy reccomendation for somoene looking for a basshead IEM that still retains some resemblence of neutrality through the mids and treble. Loaner

n/a 2DD

7.5

A

$560

Ar Audio Aurora

Drew / Audionotions: Balanced (with some warmth) with good timbre. Nicely textured and punchy bass. Rich mids and lush vocals, both male and female. Resolution is decent. Imaging and stage are good. Treble is smooth and...

n/a 2DD+6BA

7.5

A

XENNS TEA PRO

Drew / Audionotions: U-shaped tuned IEM with a lot of energy at both ends. Very visceral bass punch and very exciting treble/upper mids. I can see why this IEM is liked so much. But the bass and treble can both be very...

Warm neutral 2DD+6BA

7.5

8

A

$600

Symphonium Audio Meteor

Drew / Audionotions: Warm U-shaped IEM. Very pleasant to listen to. Bass is pretty good for a BA set with a focus on decay which makes it rumble nicely - perhaps lacks a bit of tactility. Very solid choice for those who...

U-Shaped 4BA

7.5

A

$550

Dunu SA6

Drew / Audionotions: Great all-rounder - does everything very well. I wish the bass was a bit more impactful and perhaps that it had a bit more sparkle up top. Previously Owned

Neutral 6BA

7.5

A

$700

Moondrop S8

Drew / Audionotions: Very resolving and well tuned. Note weight leans thin. First IEM that I can say I definitely hear the BA timbre. Could use more down low. Pressure build is uncomfortable. Previously Owned

harman 8BA

7.5

A

Moondrop Variations

Drew / Audionotions: Very resolving with good sub-bass and good treble. A bit thin and clinical sounding and lacks a bit of note weight. Could use a bit more mid-bass. Otherwise, the resolution is top-notch. Treble...

harman 1DD+2BA+2EST

7.5

7.8

A-

Dunu SA6 MK2

Drew / Audionotions: Like the Ultra, but slightly improved in all technicalities categories except for timbre where the Ultra takes the win because upper-mids/lower-treble are too dialed down for my tastes on the MK2. If...

Warm neutral 6BA

7

A-

$250

CrinEar Meta

Drew / Audionotions: Similar to Moondrop Dusk (the non-Dusk collab with Crin) but a step down overall sonically (tonality and techs) but a step up in ergonomics and build quality. Unboxing experience is excellent and...

n/a 1DD+2BA

7

A-

$800

FATFreq Scarlet Mini

Drew / Audionotions: Holy Bass! Unabashedly colored listen with heathenistic amounts of bass elevation and physicality. Man does this thing punch. Vocals and instruments can sound subdued a little bit unless you turn the...

Bass 1DD+2BA

7

A-

$140

Myer Audio CKLVX D41

Drew / Audionotions: Warm and bright. Thick bass that is sufficiently tactile for the price. Decent mids. Treble elevation is a bit above neutral so cymbals and snaps and clicks can sound a bit prominent. Soundstage and...

n/a 1DD+4BA

7

A-

$600

Oriolus Isabellae

Drew / Audionotions: Beautifully sweet mids, good fun bass - maybe not the most resolving but sinfully enjoyable. Slight weirdness for some female vocals but other than that, it sounds great Previously Owned

Mild V-shape 1DD

7

A-

$240

Audio Lokahi

Drew / Audionotions: Very energetic tuning with excellent bass. Vaguely reminiscent of Hekili but better, in my opinion. Shares the same Foster DD as Gaea - very quick and snappy and impactful. Previously Owned

V-shape 7BA

7

A-

Aful Explorer

Drew / Audionotions: Relaxed and fun. Easy to listen to. A bit darker than my preferrd signature but I enjoyed this quite a bit. Loaner

bass-boosted neutral 1DD+2BA

7

A-

$159

Hidizs MP145

Drew / Audionotions: One of the best IEMS under $300. Shells look large but fit is surprisingly good and very comfy. Tuning nozzles actually work - I like the balanced setting but all of them sound good. Great techs,...

n/a n/a

7

A-

$300

Audio Hekili

Drew / Audionotions: Probably among the most overlooked IEMs I have had the pleasure of listening to. Built by hand using a very high quality 3D-printed shell with excellent QC (channel matching on these is amazing), the...

V-shape 1DD+7BA

7

A-

$180

Tanchjim Hana 2021

Drew / Audionotions: Best single DD in this price tier - a step down in imaging and separation from Origin but it is a more fun to listen to given the bass shelf. Better fit than Origin too but YMMV. Loaner

V-shape 1DD

7

B+

Tanchjim Origin

Drew / Audionotions: Yes, it's expensive for a single DD imaging and separation is top tier with very good layering - frankly, I haven't heard many sets near this price that have done the same. There is a bit of subbass...

n/a 1DD

6.5

B+

$150

Samsung Buds3 Pro

Drew / Audionotions: Slight improvements over Buds2 Pro - slightly more engaging sound, better fit, better tech. Bass is a bit elevated and fairly hefty. Mids are clean. Treble is well extended. Can be a bit upper mid...

n/a 1DD

6.5

B+

$160

LETSHUOER s12 pro

Drew / Audionotions: Improved S12. Previously Owned

n/a 1Planar

6.5

B+

$240

Dunu Falcon Ultra

Drew / Audionotions: Like Kato but better in all ways. Accessory kit is top tier, build top notch, cable is excellent, included tips are plentiful. Bass is punchy with great texture, good clarity, smooth vocals, treble...

V-shape 1DD

6.5

B+

$500

Sony IER-M7

Drew / Audionotions: Warm but not muddy. More dynamic than M9 but a slight step down in resolution and imaging. More fun to listen to than M9. Great build, great kit. Love it. Previously Owned

Warm neutral 4BA

6.5

B+

$250

Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite

Drew / Audionotions: Great tonality - very pleasant, slightly warm tonality, smooth and relaxed character, solid technical performance, and fantastic build quality. Imaging and separation quite good for the price as is...

Warm neutral 8BA

6.5

B+

$259

Tangzu Zetian Wu Heyday

Tangzu Zetian Wu Heyday

Drew / Audionotions: Well-tuned, technical, does nothing wrong. Build quality is much better than OG Wu. Even the driver used is different. They should have renamed it instead of keeping the Wu Zetian name because it's...

V-shape n/a

6.5

B+

$279

Final A5000

Drew / Audionotions: Much improved over the A4000, which actually gave me a headache. Bass is fun and decently textured. Good punch and slam with good tactility. Mids are decent - the delayed pinna gain or recessed mids...

n/a 1DD

6.5

B+

$35

Moondrop Space Travel 2 Ultra

Drew / Audionotions: Packed with features, PEQ built in, cheap, sounds great. The biggest fault is the anime voice that can't be changed or turned off. Some may like this. If this had existed when I first looked into...

n/a n/a

Moondrop Space Travel 2 Ultra review by drew

6.5

B+

$320

Moondrop Blessing 2

Drew / Audionotions: Good resolution. Very well tuned from top to bottom, perhaps only lacking a bit of bass and treble. Previously Owned

Neutral 1DD+4BA

6.5

B+

BQEYZ Winter

Drew / Audionotions: Just the right amount of warmth to have lush mids while retaining clarity. Treble is clear and sparkly but very smooth - not fatiguing at all for me - could be because the treble is handled by BC?....

Bright neutral 1DD+1BC

6.5

B+

$330

Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk

Drew / Audionotions: Close but no cigar. Sounded great for most genres but bass guitars and kick drums and instruments/vocals that lie the in mid-bass/lower-mids range sound too recessed. Noteweight leans thin and...

bass-boosted neutral 1DD+4BA

6.5

B

$230

Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro

Drew / Audionotions: Very well-tuned frow lows to highs. Harman-ish but deviates from Harman in a good way. Very good textured bass, clear mids, and airy treble. It differs from Harman in the slightly toned-down upper...

Harman Neutral 2DD

6

B

$129.99

Kinera Celest PhoenixCall

Kinera Celest PhoenixCall

Drew / Audionotions: Fun. Unique tuning that actually works. The FR looks like it would completely offend but to the ear, it actually never offends. Lots of bass impact, good transients. Worth it just to have something...

V-Shaped 1DD+2BA+2Planar

Kinera Celest PhoenixCall review by drew

6

B

$210

Thieaudio Elixir

Drew / Audionotions: Great natural tuning. Great dynamics and transients. Very enjoyable listen. Not much else to be said, I like this a lot! Previously Owned

Neutral 1DD

6

B

$93.49

LETSHUOER x Gizaudio Galileo

LETSHUOER x Gizaudio Galileo

Drew / Audionotions: Smooth and relaxing done well. Very, very pleasant, mid-focused tonality. The vocals are very good, as you'd expect of something that Timmy concocted. One can definitely hear the treble roll-off, and...

Neutral 1DD+1BA

LETSHUOER x Gizaudio Galileo review by drew

6

B

$100

Tripowin x HBB Olina

Drew / Audionotions: Pretty good for the price but a little bright/shouty stock. Slap a second stock filter on top, and it's much improved! Good vocals-focused set with decently sparkly treble and good bass punch....

V-Shaped 1DD

6

B

$60

Fiio JD7

Drew / Audionotions: Really dynamic. Bass can be a bit much in quantity sometimes (for me) and upper mids can be a bit intense (at that line where things could be shouty but never crosses into that territory). Good note...

n/a 1DD

6

B

$100

Tin Hifi T4

Drew / Audionotions: Like C3 with slightly better technicalities. Fit on C3 is better. Can't really justify the price increase over C3. Previously Owned

Mild V n/a

6

B

$52

TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero Red

on Aliexpress