First IEM purchase in years..
Hi all,
I used to be heavily into headphones, but over the years I sold almost my entire collection because I ended up preferring speakers for music listening.
My current stereo setup consist of a pair of Arendal 1961 bookshelves + 1961 subwoofer + iotavx sa3 . I used a +1.5 to +4 db bass boost ( 30-80 hz) depending on the music / movie.
I’ve also demoed several speakers including the KEF R3 Meta, Dynaudio Special Forty, Buchardt S400 MK2, Triangle BR03, etc. The KEF R3 Meta with a well-integrated subwoofer was probably my favorite overall.
My current headphone is the Philips Fidelio X2. I barely use it for music anymore, but I still love the comfort and it’s perfectly fine for YouTube/videos. In the past I owned: ATH-M50x, DT770 Pro, Fostex TR-X0 and Audeze LCD-2C
The ATH-M50X and DT770 were not for me at all. From memory, the Fostex was probably my favorite. The LCD-2C was technically good, but somehow never really “wowed” me emotionally.
Nowadays I mainly need IEMs for:
- sound isolation during work
- background music during work ( jazz, acoustic )
- Some EDM / upbeat music to counter the afternoon dips
I recently found my old Shure SE215 again and was honestly shocked by how much I dislike them now. I remember liking them years ago, but my preferences have clearly changed. To my ears the bass seems weak / muddy, the male vocals are recessed and thin and the highs are extremely fatiguing and genuinely hurt my ears. Overall they somehow sound V-shaped/muffled at the same time.
I genuinely cannot listen to them above ~30% volume from my M4 MacBook because the upper mids/treble become painful within seconds. The dynamics also feel quite compressed.
I’m not looking for the brightest or most analytical “detail monster.” I think I prefer something smoother, natural and fatigue-free with good vocals and strong yet controlled bass/subbass. The pair doesn't need to compete with my current stereo setup, but it needs to be acceptable enough.
Is this possible under 100 euro's?
Oh yeah, I have a smsl sp200 amp lying around, but I still have to purchase a dac.