Best IEMs for Gaming

B+

$300

Jays Audio x ZiiGaat Estrella

• Great soundstage,very V shapped, to those sensitive to those regions.
• A little bit overcooked. It is certainly not a bad IEM. It does a good job in give you a lot of bass and a lot of physicality in the bass and not compromising in separation and imaging.

n/a 2DD+4BA

7.4

9.2

A-

$299

Kiwi Ears Astral

• Great all-rounder. Slighty airy with good sub-bass extenion. Balanced but still fun. A cleaner, airier, and less sharp & sparkly version of the Meta - vocals pop out more than Meta. Tip rec Sancai...
• Deep, textured sub-bass, clean and forward mids, airy treble, and great detail. Upper treble can be a bit much, and the bass tuck isn’t for everyone. Great all-rounder with a bright, airy top end.
• Tonality is fantastic.
• Pros: Clean, techinical v-shape signature with great midrange. Cons: upper treble too much.

n/a 6DD BA

7.6

8.9

B+

$170

Kiwi Ears Aether

• Clean, balanced, with slight air boost in the treble. Bass sounds like a DD with great texture. Cheaper better tuned P5+2. Not as smooth as Timeless 2 with more dynamic contrast with a slight sizzle...
• Not for bassheads, but one of the best planars I've ever heard.
• A little bit spicy in the treble (like the other planars). Relaxed upper mid-range. Warmer tuning than S12. It's a decent IEM

n/a n/a

7.3

8.9

A-

$269

Kiwi Ears Septet

• Bright-leaning with slight warmness - has an unique sparkly/lush, airy, and spacious sound. Great tech for the price, treble is not overly harsh or peaky (at mid volume), pretty smooth with the extra...
• A unique open back iem.

n/a n/a

7.7

8.9

A+

$500

Xenns Top Pro

• Very technical, amazing resolution and detail for the price, treble is slightly crispy and sparkly, clean but dynamic all-rounder. Mid-volume set for the most part as treble can get hot at higher...
• Early, might go up.
• Pros: New meta tuning with boosted bass and upper treble. Cons: BA timbre.

V-Shaped 2DD+8BA

8.6

8.9

A-

$800

Aful Cantor

• LOW VOLUME SET. Clean, airy, and highly resolving at its price with endgame separation and detail. Low-end is quick, but lacks impact and a bit of texture. Notes are on the lighter side, not very...
• Exceptional detail, neutral tuning, and great bass quality. Very revealing. Could use more bass for my taste. One of the most resolving IEMs. It reveals details you’ve never noticed before.
• Maybe best detailed set, fit is extremely difficult.
• It's super impressive but also really difficult to edge on comfort. It's not my favorite sound but good sounding. Competing well at it's price point

Vocal 14BA

7.7

8.8

C+

$99

Moondrop Rays DSP

• A more neutral version of the May with less bass and treble, very neutral sounding, inoffensive and boring, overpriced, many cheaper options with similar tuning and performance
• When People ask me for the best IEM for gaming, I would probably point them to these.

n/a n/a

5.5

8.8

A-

$239

Aful Performer 5+2

• Clean, balanced, neutral sound with good layering and tech. Relaxing vocals, but lacks power and last bit of vocal extension. Bass has good controll, but lacks impact. Has sizzly planar timbre in the...
• Smooth, neutral tuning with a bass boost, excellent bass quality, clean mids, forward vocals, and sparkly, incisive treble. Great detail. I wouldn’t change a thing. A detailed, engaging all-rounder...
• My kind of neutral, improves a lot on my favorites.
• Overall it is sounding more visceral and incisive than the Performer 5.

Neutral 2DD+4BA+1PLA

7.8

8.7

A-

$400

Ziigaat Arcanis

• My favourite vocals under $500 (best imo). A more refined OG Mangird Tea with better resolution and tech. Recommend listening at higher volumes on slower vocal centric tracks. Don't rec hiphop or...
• Lots of good neutral energy here. Interesting set up.
• Not really stand out at the price range. Lack a bit of definition. Decent IEM

n/a 2DD+5BA

7.7

8.7

B+

$180

Ziigaat LUSH

• A cleaner more technical AFUL Explorer with a more open sense of space and airier treble. High volume set. Very smooth and balanced at higher scaling - has a "Lush" and full sound. Mid-volume sounds...
• Mid mid focused set, I dig it.
• Nice take on new-meta tuning. A little bit more relaxed but nice.

n/a n/a

7.2

8.7

A-

$250

LETSHUOER Cadenza 4

• Slightly bright, clean sound, very airy, sweet vocals. Great separation and resolution. Reminds me of the OG Orcales. Follows Harman 2019 but with more air. Needs more low-end, not an all-rounder....
• It's like a better Hexa, it's not bad, but feels lean.

n/a 4BA

7.7

8.7

B+

$249

Juzear 81T

• Clean balanced sound with good punch low-end, but... Harman 2019, just get Supermix 4 or Nova.
• Strong V, but good drivers if you want a V signature.

n/a 1DD+8BA

7.4

8.7

A-

$260

Binary Dynaquattro

• Natural vocals, good treble extension, bass is tight and more resolving vs 61t and Davinci. Overall very well balanced and clean. There are some small peaks at 8-10k and 15-20K which can be an issue...
• Excellent bass, vocal-forward tuning, and natural timbre. Hard to drive, could use more treble extension. Shines when driven properly.
• It has great tuning, but lack serverly in some areas. Very fun.

n/a 4DD

7.9

8.6

A-

$179

Gizaudio x Binary Chopin

• If Harman wasn't boring and had a few drinks
• Harman tuning with excellent bass, clean mids, extended treble, and balanced tonality with great detail.
• Solid set, thin mids. Slightly bright at times.
• Best Collab IEM in years. It's a nice clean tonality. Fantastic vocal presentation. Added low end warmth.

U-Shaped 3DD BA

7.9

8.6

A-

$230

ZiiGaat Odyssey

• A mini Subtonic Storm that scales better and fuller with less tech. A musical odyssey. High volume set, great scaling, a cleaner/midrange focused Explorer with better layering and detail. Takes you...
• Great bass, natural vocals that aren't shouty, and excellent treble extension. The lower treble can be too much. Fun and engaging tuning. It's like a more exciting version of the KE4.
• Great tune, upper trebble is kinda funky, but basically perfectly tuned.
• Pros: Fantastic V-shape Meta Tuned. Cons: Could use a bit less mid-treble spiciness.

n/a 3DD BA

7.8

8.6

7.2

A

$770

FATfreq x Effect Audio: Quantum

• Bright and full sound, very detailed, sparkly, airy, tons of treble extenstion... but it gets fatiguing with the stock filters. Blue filter has the best balance but still doesn't scale too well. 300...
• I don't want to like, but I love.

n/a n/a

8

8.6

B+

$269

ZiiGaat Cincotres

• Great bass texture, vocals, treble, solid all-rounder. Similar to Variations but with a smaller/delayed scoop, more mid-bass, but not as much treble/air. A fun bassy sound but still well-balanced....
• This is a mini Monarch MK , V baby.

n/a n/a

7.4

8.6

B+

$120

CCA HYDRO

• The best KZ so far, tuning swithces allow lots of options. Good tech, all-rounder sound with bass boost, but, KZ.
• When this hits, it's just a treasure. Insane value.

V-Shaped 2DD+8BA

7.4

8.6

B+

$219

Kiwi Ears Quintet

• Great tech and treble detail. Amazing performance to price value, but metallic timbre and peak can be an issue.
• upper air drives me crazy.

Jm1 1DD+2BA+1P+1PST

7.3

8.6

B-

$159

Letshuoer DX1

• Dynamic, vibrant, and contrasty vocals with good balance and scaling. Natural, full, and immersive with scaling and not peaky. One of my fav vocals under $200.
• Fit is odd, but great flat iem at the cost.
• I don't get the point of this IEM. Not offensive sounding. Sound-wise unengaging.

n/a n/a

6.4

8.5

A-

$120

Kiwi Ears Airoso

• A sightly more airy/detailed EW300 with better timbre. Warm leaning all rounder with good dynamic contrast.
• Rich thick, enjoyable. Benchmark for me. Just epic.

n/a 1DD+4BA

7.7

8.5

A

$450

Kiwi Ears x HBB Punch

• Endgame "balanced-basshead" set. Amazing low-end texutre, rumble, reverb, slam, and more bass than Origin and Titan - goes harder than those. Vocals and treble also still well extended, not...
• It basically a cheaper Mega5est Bass. Great basshead set.

n/a 1DD+2BA+2EST

8.2

8.4

A-

$500

Moondrop Meteor

• Neutral, clean and clear vocals, vocals pop out, good tech. Next to no planar timbre - one of the least planar like planars. Treble isn't sizzly and bright, but vocals can get shouty on energetic...
• Forward vocals, super smooth treble. Bass lacks weight, impact, and slam. I need more bass!
• Bright leaning. But very nice when it hits.
• Objectvly great but unengaging. Not a set I reach for often. Maybe I am underrating it a bit.

Moondrop 1DD+4BA+4PLA

7.6

8.3

B+

$150

Simgot Supermix 4

• Endgame Harman, one of the smoothest IEMs I've heard with Tangzu Sancai tips (regular). Some units might be hotter in the treble/pzt timbre
• Harman tuning. Soft bass, bright sound, metallic timbre.
• Way too much upper mids, also gets a little off sometimes.
• Pros: Harman with more treble energy. Cons: Can be too spicy.

n/a 1DD+1BA+1Planar+1PZT

7

8.3

6

S-

$1000

Letshuoer Mystic 8

• Vocal benchmark for female vocals under $2000. Clean, airy, sweet, ethereal. Better than Diva and direct upgrade to OG Oracle and OG Mangird Tea. What the Braindamage and Cantor wishes they could be....
• Lack Bass Richness, but is a beautiful set.
• Surprising in a lot of fronts. Maybe a little bit overpriced but I like it

Neutral 8BA

9

8.3

A

$400

Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk

• Inoffensive safe tuning, less fatiguing uppermids good for jpop/kpop. Vocals lack the last bit of extension, detail, and power. DSP APP is a shit show. Heavy competition from Nova, Cincotres, Hype 4.
• Great bass quality, rich vocals, balanced tonality, sparkly treble, and excellent resolution. I prefer more bass. Excellent tuning and a highly detailed, all-around performer.
• Just so chill with certain music.
• Pros: Balanced tuning with world class timbre decay.
• Overall high engagement factor.

n/a 2DD+2BA+2PLA

8.1

8.3

A

$700

ORIVETI OH700VB

• A more engaging Supernova, cleaner, with better sub-bass, and vocals. Very big stage and fantastic separation and layering. Vocals are airy without being too sharp. Lots of air/reminds me of the LTD....
• This is like a supernova with better Bass, but slightly less technical.

Jm1 6DD BA

8.2

8.3

B

$220

Juzear 61T

• Low-end is good, tight, with good impact, but bass feels low-res. Vocals are too recessed and warm. Treble and air is good, but that's about it. BA timbre. Relaxing listen, but Dynaquattro is just...
• Very strong iem, with a unique tuning at this pricepoint.
• It's on okay IEM. Decent IEM but you can do better.

n/a 1DD+6BA

6.8

8.3

B

$89

Simgot EA500LM

• Very resolving for its price, great value. A warmer EA1000 with a slight decrease in separation and resolution, but warmer with more bass (same bass quality). Not as sparkly and resolving as the...
• It's a good u shaped with nice bass, but be weiry of uppper mids.

n/a n/a

6.5

8.3

B

$400

Yanyin Canon Pro

• Clean, neutral, balanced. Airy treble but smooth, great tech. Recommend UP UP switch with bass boost. A smoother pilgrim basically.
• Not really stand out at the price range. Lack a bit of definition. Decent IEM

n/a n/a

6.8

8.3

A-

$280

Tanchjim Origin

• A cleaner/less warm LM, smoother EA1000 (fermats a little more resolving), very balanced, clean, and neutral sound. Very tough competition.
• Cohesive, vocal-focused tuning with dynamic bass, smooth extended treble, and excellent detail. Could use more sub-bass. Smooth, detailed, and vocal-centric sound.
• Great Clarity, exceedingly tip sensitive.
• Japanese flavor of tuning (mid-bass and upper-mid focus) finally done justice. Strong technical chops and slightly forward.
• Pros: Beautiful timbre and treble. Cons: Bass can use a bit more...volume.

n/a 1DD

7.6

8.2

B

$99

JUZEAR x Z Reviews Defiant

• Another all-rounder with good balance. Doesn't do anything right or wrong, but has qc issues with channel imbalance (and also my case ziper broke within a few weeks), it's ok but there are better...
• Punchy bass, natural vocals, balanced tuning, great detail. Solid all-rounder.
• Fun engaging set!
• Pleasant, neutral warm tuning with good treble extension that wholly belies its price point.
• Pros: Great balanced tuning with a vocal emphasis.
• Exciting and contrasty. Very well tuned. Sub-bass focused. Vocal area pretty well tuned. Treble surprisingly well tuned. Tasteful V-Shaped sound signature.

n/a 1DD+3BA

6.9

8.2

B+

$189

EPZ P50

• Clean balanced tuning done right. A better tuned MEGA5EST & MOONDROP Meteor with fuller low-end, and more treble extension, same tech, but more dynamic - also half the price. A Mega5EST with better...
• For me this has some oddities. It would be higher if those weren't there.
• Pros: Beautifully done tuning all around. Cons: Nitpick: Bass dynamic could be better.
• Bass can be a little bit on the distracting side if you are looking for a neutral sound signature. Contrasty meta-tuning.

n/a 1DD+2BA+2Planar

7.4

8.2

B+

$269

ZiiGaat Doscinco

• Benchmark bass set before the UP. Low-end is impactful, rumbly, heavy, and slams hard with reverb detail. Ideal for hiphop/rap/r&b/rock. Separation & resolution not the best around its price, but...

n/a n/a

7

8.2

B+

$300

DUNU x Gizaudio DaVinci

• Warm leaning with thick, thumpy mid-bass that hits pretty deep and hard. Decent vocal and treble extension, although female vocals are warmer and huskier. Good for hiphop, rap, r&b, but low-end isn't...
• Bass-boosted meta tuning with excellent detail and a grand sound. Bass may be too much for some.
• Bass kind of pops off in the worst way possible.
• A little bit too bassy. imaging is impressive. If you are looking for a bassy set with great imaging, this is a good option.

Neutral 2DD+4BA

7.4

8.2

S-

$6500

Subtonic Storm

• The best IEM I've ever heard. Best timbre. Super natural. TOTL tech. It's just good. That's all.
• Exceptional resolution, neutral sound signature. Hard to drive. The most detailed IEM I’ve ever heard.
• Easily at the top for resolution and dynamic contrast, accompanied by rigid transients and pinpoint layering.
• Pros: The most extraodinary normal sounding IEM ever. Amazing all-around. Cons: big and heavy shell.
• World-class resolution and layering. Extreme, almost exaggerated dynamics. Staging is large but not class-leading.

Neutral 7BA+2EST

9.4

8.1

B+

$239

Dunu Falcon Ultra

• Bassy boy that lacks air and detail.

V-Shaped 1DD

7.4

8.1

B+

$170

Pula PA02

• Just get Odyssey it's better. Dreamy/airy treble presentation with genres like indie, slow-rock, ballads, singer-songwriter. Immersive/forward vocals that scales nicely. Bass is ok, a little boomy....
• Great tuning, fantastic vocals.
• Great tone, lacks dynamic treble, but overall solid for the price and very enjoyable.
• Pros: Great across the board. Cons: Bass decay slightly too short.

Neutral 1DD+3BA

7.1

8.1

A-

$199

Kiwi Ears KE4

• Just get Odyssey it's better. Warm/bassy with solid vocal and treble extension (not buried) that scales really well with good treble air to not sound too intimate. Has a fuller noteweight with one of...
• Great Meta tuning. Could use more detail, not very engaging. Solid reference.
• It's boring. So boring, like mega boring to the max.
• Pros: Almost dead neutral tuning in the best of ways. Cons: Lacks excitement, bass is alright.
• New Meta tuned IEM. This gives you a bass boost and it's not the best bass. If you want the Hexa + Bass this is what you want.

Jm1 2DD+2BA

7.5

8.1

6.5

S-

$1199

Campfire Moon Rover

• It's a littled relaxed in the bass, but has a fun nice tune.
• Not cheap and you can get stuff which sounds better for less to be honest. I like the build quality and form factor. Sound-wise not for everybody, but for me.

chill n/a

9.1

8.1

B

$99

Letshuoer S08

• More uniquely tuned than other planars. Tamer uppermids, not as energetic, but still with great bass separation and tech. Timbre is good.
• Fantastic value product, really strong.
• A little bit thick and poofy in the bass. Aful Explorer is better option.

n/a n/a

6.8

8.1

B+

$249

ZiiGaat Arete x Fresh Reviews

• Clean sound, accurate mids, clear vocals, great soundstage, precise imaging. Bass quality. Great gaming IEM.
• Fantastic simple tonality. Lacks in trebble extension but is a nice earphone.

n/a 1DD+4BA

7.3

8.1

B

$150

Tangzu Zetian Wu

• Pros: Good mild v-shape tuning with little to fault. Cons: Not ideal soundstage for the price.

Neutral with bass boost n/a

6.8

8

S-

$1800

Elysian Apostle

• Clean, neutral, and clear vocals. Reminds me of a cleaner Volume S or slightly better OG Oracle, but very expensive, maybe if you can find one around $1000 since it's more of a sidegrade to RSV,...
• Incredibly textured bass, forward vocals, top-tier EST treble, and insane detail. Exceptional in every way.
• Instrument separation is good, and is a nice darkness.

n/a 2EST+2DD BA

9.2

8

B+

$693

Dunu SA6 EST

• QDC Anole VX tuning, excellent resolution, and great bass. Unvented design, no bass switch, and less airy than the SA6 MK II. I prefer the SA6 MK II.
• Not a bad IEM if you get the right tips. It's a bit disappointing compared to the original SA6.

n/a 6BA+2EST

7.3

8

A-

$359

Xenns Tea Pro

• A more resolving Davinci, literally. The Tea magic is gone :( but it's now the most refined and well-balanced. It's the most bassy one with better low-end texture, heavier notes, more details, better...
• Powerful bass with great slam, open sound, excellent imaging, and detail. Treble is a bit bright.
• Great set, but lacks slam for it's bass level at times.
• Pros: Good warm-neutral tuning with enough details. Cons: Could use a bit more treble refinement.

n/a 2DD+6BA

7.7

8

B+

$150

Truthear Nova

• NEED FOAM TIPS makes the treble smooth and clear. Very clean harman sound with smooth but well extended treble/one of the best treble under $200, no roll-off. The pinnacle of trying not to offend...
• Harman tuning, great detail. Lean vocals, could use more bass. A solid reference.
• Nice set, great bass. Too much upper mids.
• A little bit thin and shrill sounding. Hexa costs half as much and it's the better IEM.

U-Shaped 1DD+4BA

7

8

B

$199

NICEHCK NX8

• An Explorer with better vocals but doesn't scale as well. Odyssey and Arcadia better for clean and bass sound.
• Great tonality, solid bass impact. PZT timbre.
• Nice overall tuning, best thing NiceHack has ever done.

V-Shaped 1DD+6BA+1PZT

6.8

8

B+

$230

7Hz Timeless 2

• Good all-rounder set with solid tech. Good variety with the nozzles that actually changes the sound. Treble is smoother than other planars, and not much "planar timbre".
• Clean, impactful bass, great detail, fast transients. Upper mids are a bit intense, bright treble, planar timbre. Sounds is identical to the Timeless OG.
• It's fine, but it's 230 dollars.
• Pros: A good v-shape. Cons: treble can be a bit too much.

n/a n/a

7

8

B-

$169

Kinera Celest Relentless

• Slight v-shape with good tech and detail, treble can be too much but has that sizzle and sparkliness some people will like.
• V-shaped tuning, powerful bass, great technicalities. Bright treble. Foam tips improve the sound a lot.

n/a 1DD+6BA

6.3

8

A-

$700

EPZ 530

• Great set for jazz/blues/soul/acoustic. Thick and lush. Warm but with nice treble extension. Solid tech. Vocals can be overly husky and buried in busier songs.
• It does some things very well. Very good item.

n/a 5BA

7.9

8

B+

$239

FATfreq x HBB Deuce

• The defacto basshead rec before the more expensive stuff. Super fun sub-bass, textured, heavy, prolonged decay for more reverb in the bass, well-balanced as well, smooth and scales great. Tech is not...
• Hits Hard, and is super fun. Suprisingly great mids.
• This is not my usual sound signature which I like. But it's a lot of fun in a unique way. One-trick pony.

n/a 2DD

7.4

8

B-

$120

Kefine Klanar

• A cheaper S12. Almost identical sound and tuning. Good value. Look for aliexpress deals.
• At $120, I'd still go with the NicHCK F1 pro.
• Pros: Cheaper S12 Pro/ Z12.

n/a n/a

6.4

8

A+

$1350

Dunu Glacier

• Clean, balanced sound, clear vocals, great midrange and tech, would rec if not for the unit variance in the tuning, the unit I got sounds different than the earlier ones which was bass-boosted...
• Exceptional bass, ethereal treble, remarkable clarity, and outstanding detail. The upper mid-range might be a bit too much for some people. Reveals every detail in your music, both the good and the...
• Upper mids kill it for me, but it's a fun set.
• Quite exciting and dynamic, possibly a bit bright in the treble.
• Pros: Less thin harman with amazing tech. Cons: Not very natural timbre.
• Convinces me that the harman target can sound excellent.

U-Shaped 1DD+4BA+4EST

8.6

7.9

9.5

A-

$400

Elysian Pilgrim

• Clean, clear, all-rounder, similar tuning as the Dusk but with better vocals, bass quality is great as well, aethestically pleasing too. If you want a clean all-rounder, or sensitive in the 3-8K,...
• Elysian house sound with a balanced tuning, textured sub-bass, smooth mid-range, well extended treble, and excellent resolution. I prefer more bass. One of the most resolving IEMs under $1000.
• Great little set to consider for those after an Elysian Product.
• Pros: Most technical sounding IEM under $1000.
• Not a bad IEM. Very solid but in this price range it's really competetive. Very safe tuning.

U-Shaped 1DD+3BA

7.5

7.9

A

$899

Thieaudio Hype 10

• U-shaped, nice treble extention and dynamics, solid vocals, more low-end emphasis than MK3, dynamic and great all-rounder that doesn't specialize in anything.
• More detailed Hype 4. Too similar to the Hype 4.
• It leaves me lacking nothing, just a fantastic set.

Jm1 2DD+10BA

8.4

7.9

B+

$500

Dunu DK-3001 BD

• Technical, but thin, and bright tilt with LOTS of planar sizzle and timbre. Needs more low-end (small scoop), noteweight is very light, not peaky, but just artificial. Needs 10hm adapter to be...
• Excellent bass quality, deep sub-bass, transparent mids, and great resolution. Low mid-bass, slightly lean vocals, and bright treble. More mid-bass and less treble would be perfect
• I prefer this with the adapter, but is fine without.
• Not to my taste - treble sounds slightly brittle and harsh - but plenty of resolution and clean presentation.
• My second 5 star IEM in 2024. The Braindance is a very satisfying IEM to listen to.

V-Shaped 1DD+4BA+4P

7.4

7.9

B+

$120

AFUL Explorer

• High volume set, very immersive, scales great with no sharpness, wide staging, enough detail/extension, good bass, just crank it up and enjoy the music.
• Smooth, relaxing tuning, great bass with good slam, rich mid-range, safe treble. Upper mids may be too relaxed for some, treble is a bit dark. Perfect for rock and metal.
• I own two and gave two away. So yeah, I kinda like it.
• Relaxed upper mid-range. Vocals sound a little bit more forward than instruments. Smooth treble performance.

Neutral 1DD+2BA

7.3

7.9

B

$190

Moondrop Kadenz

• Literally a more fancy Tangzu Xuan NV. Sounds basically the same but just with better packaging, cable/case, and build... but for $100 more?? Nah
• Great Cohessiveness and tonality. Upper air is very nice.
• Nice physicality and punch. Better bass as most basy IEMs. Okay technicalities. Image Separation is not the widest but decent.

Crin n/a

6.9

7.9

B

$120

Dunu Kima 2

• Warm-neutral, relaxing set, great cable, build, and accessories. Vocals are a bit soft, not fully extended, could use more air, but overall decent if you want a comfortable listen
• Just fantastic dynamic driver. Hard not to love it.

n/a n/a

6.7

7.9

B

$90

NICEHCK F1 Pro

• A cheaper S12. Almost identical sound and tuning. Good value. Look for aliexpress deals.
• I like this planar the best of all planars, normally I hate them.
• Pros: Cheaper S12 Pro/ Z12.

n/a n/a

6.5

7.9

A-

$850

ThieAudio Origin

• Best bassy set under $1K. Bassy/thicker meta tuning. You can actually feel the reverb and vibration from the bone conduction drivers, great control and low-end texture. Mids and treble are also well...
• Great set, has a lot of positives and is amazing on bass tracks.
• Pros: Mega bass additiveness. Cons: Bass too much.
• Interesting sound. It becomes it's own thing. Fit is not great.

Bassy 3BA+1BC,+1DD,+2EST,

7.8

7.9

A-

$599

NIGHT OBLIVION BUTASTUR

• Overpriced as hell - I don't get the hype. Vocals are way too shouty with masking. Treble peaks around 10K with a dip in the air afterwards. Low-end is "good", but nothing amazing for the price....
• I'd be careful buying it due to QC issues of others. But I enjoyed my time with it.

n/a 6BA

7.7

7.9

9.3

B

$350

Moondrop Harmon

• Clean Harman 2019 sound. Clear and balanced, but can still be shouty in the vocals. New Crossover and 3DD talk is marketing jargon not that much difference vs other DDs. You can just buy Nova or...
• While fun, and a nice tune, it's not the best value to be had.
• Does not actually sound as it graphs. More dominant Bass than you might expect. Warm tilted slightly contrasty sound signature. Kind of a fine IEM.

U-Shaped 3DD

6.9

7.9

B

$140

Shozy P20

• T10 PRO better. Unique tuning with "speical sauce", warm but also sparkly in the treble without the uppermids becoming shouty (tamer uppermids). Great for kpop/jpop/pop and even hiphop and rock....
• The most non planar planar.

n/a n/a

6.9

7.9

B

$70

Intime Sora Light

• Solid little set, could work for you.

V-Shaped n/a

6.8

7.9

C+

$80

TinHifi Dudu

• Least planar, almost doesn't sound like one. 3K gain can be a bit much, tech very similar as the other ones.
• A few minor issues, but still a good value little set.
• Not really good looking IEM and not very much in the sound which I like

n/a n/a

5.8

7.9

B-

$89

Kiwi Ears CANTA

• Bright set with lots of treble detail. Airy, splashy, and shimmery with great extension. Isn't sharp or metallic in the timbre, but not 100% "natural" either, comes down to preference. Mid-volume...
• It's a little too V for me, but not a bad set.

n/a n/a

6.3

7.9

B

$220

7Hz Timeless

• Great details. Good stage in front but lacking in wideness/3D. Imaging is good and speration is great, but uneven treble peaks. Planar timbre. Vocals and notes can be thin. Fatiguing at higher volume...
• Clean, impactful bass, great detail, fast transients. Upper mids are a bit intense, bright treble, planar timbre.
• Easily the best-tuned planar IEM by a country mile, the Timeless is also no slouch on the technical front.
• Has the planar advantage with most of its disadvantages and a reasonable tonality.
• Pros: High details for the price, good fun tuning. Cons: Metallic timbre.

V-Shaped n/a

6.5

7.8

A

$320

Softears Volume S

• Amazing vocals under $500 with the stock switch/clear tips or tangzu sancai regular (no impedance boost) with amazing vocal scaling. Recommended for higher volume listening like ballads, slower...
• Studio 4 with DD bass, great bass texture, tonal accuracy, forward vocals, and natural timbre. High impedance mode sounds bright. A benchmark for tonality and timbre.
• Probably the best iem of 2025 so far...
• Fantastic IEM for the price. Super sharp and standout

n/a 2DD+2BA

8

7.8

A-

$649

Tangzu Xuan Wu Gate

• Clean, neutral, balanced, technical, laid back, very detailed. Neutral tuning done right while being a little dynamic/engaging (unlike the MEGA5EST). Tip wise Azla spinfits for more detail, tangzu...
• Solid mid-bass, natural vocals, and detailed treble. Treble is a bit elevated, and upper mids feel a bit relaxed.
• Pros: Great relaxed tuning. Satisfying subbass and treble. Cons: Female vocal lack a bit of life.

n/a 1DD+4BA+2EST

7.7

7.8

B+

$369

Aful Performer 8

• Good neutral set. Airy and open staging but with forward vocals although lacking in extension. Great layering and details but not 3D and more flat. Vocals could also be more open, and feels "stuck".
• One of the most technical and best air and details iem out there for the price.
• Quite solid technical performance. Good imaging/separation. Good sense of positioning.

Neutral 1DD+7BA

7.4

7.8

B+

$440

Simgot Em10

• A more immersive version of the Pilgrim with better mid-bass kick. More airy and slightly more detailed in the treble. Harman vocal gain might be too much for some. Bass might be boomy depending on...
• Bass-boosted Harman tuning, forward vocals. Overall detail, PZT timbre.
• Very Special set, but the Supermix might be the better value.

n/a 1DD+8BA+1PZT

7.4

7.8

B+

$299

ThieAudio Hype 2

• Mini-Monarch MK3 with less bass and details. 80% there. Harmanish tuning, and best all-rounder before Studio 4.
• Just not right for me, but solid.
• Poor bass performance and sounds like surface-level detailing due to mid-treble recession despite great frequency response.
• Imagin is fantastic and stands out. Hype 2 is a pretty good place to start in the hobby

n/a 2DD+2BA

7

7.8

A+

$1300

Thieaudio Prestige LTD

• Clean and natural signature with treble emphasis. LOTS of details with airy treble without going overboard (better treble extension vs MK2/MK3). Bass is not as impactful versus MK3 but has better...
• The unit I reviewed had wonky bass, expect this to change if I review a unit with proper bass.

n/a 1DD+4BA+4EST

8.6

7.8

A

$1099

Dunu Mirai

• Bright leaning set with great tech. Clean mid-range, sharp imaging, sparkly female vocals with decent amount of air. Does get fatiguing and sharp on more energetic tracks and genres like...
• Expensive for what it is, lean, and bright.
• Pros: Refrence, beautiful timbre, open stage. Cons: Tuning may be boring for some.
• Lot of fun IEM. Is it perfect? No. Treble could use a little work. Harmanish take on low end with relaxed top end.

U-Shaped 1DD+5BA

8.1

7.8

B+

$600

I/O Volare

• Best Harman IEM under $600 (my unit is less harman), smooth and natural, great layering and tech, bass texture could be better/not as good as Oracle MK3, but overall very balanced and great...
• Nice overall quality.
• If you are looking for the most bang for your buck in terms of the costs of materials - this is it. But not the most interesting sound.

n/a n/a

7.2

7.8

B-

$160

LETSHUOER s12 pro

• A less bright timeless/S12.
• It's very similar to the z12.

n/a n/a

6.3

7.8

C+

$110

Moondrop Starfield 2

• Bright harman/DF, great detail, but a bit sharp and shrill

V-Shaped n/a

5.8

7.8

B-

$400

I/O Sogno

• Literally Harman 2019. Inoffensive and good all-rounder. A little sharp in the timbre vs Volare (I'd just save up for the Volare if you want Harman), more low-end than Volare, better bass and timbre...
• It's a fine IEM if you look for something which is Harman compliant. It's a bit narrow sounding but pleasant.

n/a n/a

6.3

7.8

A-

$800

Elysian Pilgrim Noir

• Good but expensive. Recommended if you can find it for around $500. Direct upgrade to the AFUL Explorer. Scales great. Reminds me of the EJ07M but a bit smoother and less dynamic. Prefer it more than...
• Bassier than the original Pilgrim with similar resolution. Sound is similar to the original Pilgrim.
• Way different than Pilgrim OG, less bright. Smoothe.
• Relaxed at the vocal region compared to orignial Pilgrim. Too expensive. Texturing is a little bit better than original Pilgrim
• Cons: Similar to Pilgrim OG at twice the price.

n/a 1DD+3BA

7.5

7.7

A-

$400

ThieAudio Hype 4

• One of the best all-rounders under $600 (v-shaped harman). Treble quality is smooth and well extended. Great low-end texture with lots of impact. Good vocals. Solid tech, and just solid in general.
• Fun, bass-boosted sound with powerful bass, great treble extension, and clear vocals. Treble can be overly crisp at times. A fun and exciting IEM.
• Upper trebble is odd on many tracks, but is a strong set.
• Bass sounds somewhat 'BA-ish' for being DD, but well-tuned, decently technical, and a very solid package overall.
• Great imaging and headstage. Width is outstanding. Even at 400 bucks it's outstanding in this pricerange.

JM1 ish 2DD+4BA

7.7

7.7

S-

$2000

Thieaudio Valhalla

• TOTL all-rounder with "endgame" tech across the board, a better tuned U12T with better bass texture
• Big fan, but lack fantastic air like some other sets.

V-Shaped 19BA

9.1

7.7

A-

$599

ThieAudio Oracle mk3

• Great bass texture, much better than predecessors, smooth and slightly airy giving it a sizzly timbre, great layering/separation, vocals are slightly laid back but not gone, very balanced across...
• It's like a Pilgrim OG with EST. It's kinda cool.
• Pretty detailed but sounds incoherent, particularly in the treble, which also seems exaggerated in a bad way.
• A step in the right direction compared to mk2. I like this as much as the mk1. Solid all-rounder, good sense of separation.

n/a 2DD+2BA+2EST

7.7

7.7

B-

$79

Moondrop Aria 2

• A more engaging Aria SE with more bass, air, and reverb. Feels too smoothed out with a hit in the texture. Bump in tech over the old one, but pricing is an issue vs EW200 and EW300
• Nice package for the price.

n/a n/a

6.2

7.7

B

$65

Moondrop May

• A very enjoyable listen, hard to fault at this price and design. Could be a winner for you.
• The May is the way to go if you have 80 bucks. Standard EQ sounds great. Nice low contrast neutral sound

n/a n/a

6.9

7.7

B-

$150

Aful Magic One

• Balanced and neutral with slight warmth in the mid-bass. Male vocals are great on these, weighted but still has edge and sharpness to the end notes, but can get sharp at higher volumes. Male vocals...

n/a n/a

6

7.7

S-

$3500

Elysian Annihilator 2021

• Agressive listen with excellent resolution and, currently, the only true implementation of the EST drivers.
• Pros: Speediest Treble, well extended, high details. Cons: Midbass a bit too much for me.

U-Shaped 1DD+4BA+2EST

9.1

7.6

S-

$3000

Elysian Annihilator 2023

• Powerful, impactful bass, the best treble I’ve experienced in an IEM, endgame-level detail. The bass might be too much for some people. Hands down, my favorite IEM.
• Treble extension is insane, I always think I'm over it, but I may never be over it.
• More of an all-rounder with better bass compared to the 2021 version, sacrifices some soundstage.
• Pros: More defined bass than 2021 version. Cons: 2021 is cleaner and more open sounding.
• Top-tier resolution with world-class treble. Great dynamics. Could use better bass texturing. An exciting listen.

U-Shaped 1DD+4BA+2EST

9.2

7.6

A-

$899

Dita Mecha

• Great bass, vocal-focused, cohesive sound with excellent detail. Cohesive sound with great detail.
• This is the best Dita iem that I've heard, I dig it. Big and Bold Sound
• Warm laid back and base-forward. competes with other IEMs in it's price range.

V-Shaped n/a

7.6

7.6

A

$1500

Symphonium Crimson

• U-shaped/Slight V/W Shaped. Energetic treble. Great tech. Fun signature.
• Suffers from BA bass, but is exceptional outside of that.
• Colored tonality done correctly with incredible bass and dynamics. Upper-treble can be slightly too zingy depending on source.
• Excellent bass, dynamics, and resolution. Very large soundstage with great imaging. Mid/upper-treble may be too elevated for some.

U-Shaped 4BA

8.4

7.6

B-

$79

Kiwi Ears x Crinacle: Singolo

• Why. If you like Crin just buy the RED, OG Zero, or Khan. Hype and marketing bait. Not actually "revolutionary". Avoid unless you can get these for under $40.
• Sound is fine, packaging and fit are not.

n/a 1DD

6.4

7.6

B

$479

Flipears Aegis

• Slight v-shape, but with less bass and low-end texture than Legion, more "balanced" and less engaging, but my unit was shouty and a bit sharp in the uppermids, also costs alot for what you can get at...
• Shouty, bad, needs EQ, fully MID.

Bassy n/a

6.7

7.6

B

$160

Meze Alba

• Aceptable, but not great value.
• Build Quality and Fit are stand out. Fantastic Fit. Sound-Wise very engaging. Cons: Little bit sharp and contrasty.

n/a n/a

6.6

7.6

B-

$79

Sivga Que

• Warm and engaging set with good energy and extension when it comes to vocals, could use more air, but overall very fun and bassy set
• Nice technicalities, decent tune.

n/a n/a

6.2

7.6

B-

$79

Kiwi Ears Melody

• Fun signature done right. Sparkly and energetic V-SHAPE, but with punchy bass and not bloated for under $100 - how? Can get a bit sharp with certain tracks.
• Not a bad iem, but another planar that needs eq

n/a n/a

6.3

7.6

A-

$599

Hisenior Mega5-EST +Bass

• The Mega5est 7th but with more sub-bass. That's it. Does sound better now, more "musical" and less vanilla and boring. A good comforting and smooth listen that scales well. Bass texture isn't as good...
• Hisenior Mega5est with added sub-bass. The bass might be too much for some people. Great for bassheads or sub-bass lovers.
• Smooth dark, and enjoyable.
• Good sounding IEM. Nice fitting. New Meta tuning with much more bass. But I didn't need that

Bassy 1DD+2BA+2EST

7.5

7.6

A+

$1000

Thieaudio Monarch MK2

• Neutral tuning with one of the clearest mid-ranges. Natural and clean vocals. Great resolution, separation, and detail. Can be a little dry with its analytical presentation. Bass is well-seperated...
• Smooth, balanced tuning with natural vocals, beautiful timbre, and excellent tonality. Detail and could use more bass. Treble depends on ear tips. Outstanding tuning.
• Still a king, more neutral to my ears, than MK 3. Just wow.
• A solid improvement in imaging with slightly more palatable tonality than its predecessor.
• Pros: Cohesive, smooth, balanced, technical. Cons: slight treble wispiness.
• Good treble

Neutral 1DD+6BA+2EST

8.5

7.5

B+

$320

Moondrop Blessing 2

• Very well tuned from bass to treble, perhaps lacking in the last octaves of extension.
• Pros: Very well tuned neutral signature.

Neutral 1DD+4BA

7.4

7.5

B-

$230

Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro

• Very well tuned with slight v-shape. Bass is detailed with good texture and treble has good extension. Soundstage is average and lacks width; less open and expansive than AirPods Pro 2s. Imaging and...
• A less shouty interpretation of Harman with the same controlled yet impactful bass response.

U-Shaped 2DD

6.2

7.5