MANCAVE REVIEW: In-ear monitors - Better than earbuds?
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Sunday October 29, 2023
David Mellor
David Mellor is CEO and Course Director of Audio Masterclass. David has designed courses in audio education and training since 1986 and is the publisher and principal writer of Adventures In Audio.
@albertbouwer: The Voice of Landmark-Health. Well done.
@rickelijah4270: Most poeple realy seem to like the Dunu S&S tips for the simgot EM6L. So I would recomand to look into those.
@TWidXugA: In modern IEMs, red is always right and occasionally, blue is left. Red is never left. Sometimes the red highlight is in the cable, others the IEM and others the eartip. Some brands prefer to just emboss R and L in each eartips, but with enough practice, IEM users can tell at a glance what side each earpiece is.
@stevenhoward3358: I go for AZLA SednaEarfit Crystal tips, they are expensive but will transform your listening experience.
@Thoughtflux: But how do they sound?
@skyediver: IEMs have definitely been one of the areas of lightning fast innovation over the last few years, some in the audiophile hobby will even suggest the top end IEMs approach the sound quality of high-end open ear headphones. I’m not quite sure about that, but they’re a fun rabbit hole to travel down if so inclined. Be prepared for eye-watering pricing; some models pushing north of $5K (not a typo).
@ianl.9271: I have compliant foam tips. Blue ones for left and red ones for right.😅
@ianl.9271: Would like your opinion on these. https://www.linsoul.com/products/kz-pr2
@isuru221 replies to @ianl.9271: A KZ user here, I have used their ZSN Pro X, ZS 10 pro. Both of their dynamic drivers failed within an year of use, I currently use zs 10 pros, since the dynamic drivers are not working, I can't hear bass. I suppose if I have soldering skills I could be able to replace them. And some times the nozzle would come off too. Since the one you have chosen is a planar one, I can't really comment on the quality and longevity of it since I have never listened to planar magnetic audio gear. Now I'm thinking of getting something like Truthear Hexa
@adamcanterbury: I’m into iems but my favorite “audio device” is the Status Audio Between 3ANC tws earbuds…so far they are the best, most blissful replay of my collection (over 50 iems 10$-$350) 26 tws (35$-375$) and 35 headphones (45$-$550)…Im not an audio expert but i have plenty of devices to compare lol…anyway thanks for the review and other content and many blessings to you Sir….😊
@techcafe0: with RCA cables, RED is Right and White or Black is Left. that convention makes more sense to me than RED for Left and Green for Right.
@skabde replies to @techcafe0: This. I was getting grumpy myself already. Red/green is totally useless for colorblind people, and white/red makes a lot more sense for anybody anyway.
@fernandozegarraaudio8144: I really have nothing more to thank for this Review, however I have some doubts, for now I can only trust your opinions and your knowledge for years on this subject.
But it would be interesting to know if there are measurements of this SIMGOT EM6L and if they are really neutral or if they are based on the Harman curve.
@xujznajit: if you think these are not confortable, try Etymotic ER series in ear monitors. Now that's an "in ear" as you never felt it before :D They sound great by the way, but the fit omg
@nikb6528: Oh no, don't get stuck in this rabbit hole. It started with a 20€ pair for me and now I have 15 pairs and they are all well north of 20€, 5
pairs are also well north of 200€ .. but they all provide something different and, primarily, extraordinary listening joy. Eartips are very personal, but Dunu S&S are my usual rec.
@nikolaki: 50k subscriber reveal of what you do with your IEMs..... or where you going to tell us before?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @nikolaki: Maybe when I get my 100k play button. DM
@nikolaki: I wind my 'IEM's' cables like a microphone cable starting from the jack. Helps to keep them from tangling - most of the time. I store them in a little rubber case I was gifted made by Beats.
I've stuck with KZ. They're so cheap and are great monitoring my bass guitar. They sound great with my FiiO player too.
@raycochrane3971: Where do we start? Not with SO please.
@imqqmi: I still consider these ear buds, IEMs in my book stick into the ear canal giving you a whole new world of uncomfortable. But they never fall out and always fit snug if not painfully so. I use etymotics mk5 with those 3 flange eartips offering about 20db of isolation. It takes a few months to get used to but after that it's great. It comes with foam tips as well. They are a bit light on the bass but the sound overall is very good and detailed.
I've got a chinese pair for 8 euros and isn't as detailed and a bit bass heavy but in a pinch if you forgot or lost your expensive ones not too bad. The ety tips fit on it for a much better fit and sound.
I've bought a pack of 10 tips and even fitted a short piece of 4mm dia aluminium round stock to block the holes and use them as regular ear plugs :)
@AncientEgyptArchitecture: BTW...earbuds of any sort do not work for me because I am one of those unfortunate ( or possibly fortunate? ) people whose ear canals are Lilliputian in scale, and automatically eject any device inserted in them in short order.
@AncientEgyptArchitecture: I would say, that 'unboxing' video segments have little actual value, UNLESS they reveal some unexpected/unusual/unique feature or aspect of the product or it's packaging to either forewarn or entice potential buyers.
@John.Christopher: Love/hate relationship with Etymotic..
@andreassakka3577: Another vote here for foam ear tips. I've been really impressed with my Comply branded tips on Samsung buds. So much better than the bundled silicone tips.
@GodmanchesterGoblin replies to @andreassakka3577: Agreed. I use Comply on my Audio Technica IEMs as well.
@mcpribs replies to @andreassakka3577: The comply tips are absolute game changers.
@rabit818: Pros use etymotic?
@arielcandoleta5347: These Chinese manufacturers are coming out with great IEM's and some of them go for as low as 4 USD's.
@redgopnik2227: Many iems are marked red for right and blue for left, it's unfortunate the EM6L doesn't include this
@onepieceatatime: Could you put some gloves on, ring a bell, and do a boxing video?
@barryhall7: I also struggle to find the correct bud tips.
@polarbear3427: For half the price I bought CCA CA12. I am very satisfied with them.
@taidee: Yes, the ear tips are mostly standardized. We the users of IEMs often do what is called tip-rolling, which refers to changing the ear tips for the perfect fit, even the cable rolling to use ones favorite cable. Ear tips are sold by themselves just like the cables, so you don’t have to be robbed a great sound by poor accessories.
@vincesnetterton5868: I presume the simgot has a crossover circuit. I prefer armatures made specifically for low, mid and high without the need for this
@GrB-M: IEMs have usurped earbuds for recreational listening. Almost all universals are designed for normal consumers with boasted bass etc. If you ever want something to scratch your head or rant about take a look at the “IEM audiophile” reviews etc. That was an over generalization but still.
@Douglas_Blake_579: The one thing I can't stand on YouTube is someone trying to give us a sales pitch of some audio device we cannot (and likely will never) hear. I don't even want to guess how often I've found serious flaws in the products they are hawking ...
AND... make no mistake: subjective reviews are simply clever advertising.
I first joined this channel because the topics were interesting and presented in a fun manor. The weekly mini-controversy was not only fun but also informative. No longer.
Unsubscribed.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @Douglas_Blake_579: Comment readers should know that apart from receiving this item from the manufacturer I receive no payment for this review. DM
@Douglas_Blake_579 replies to @Douglas_Blake_579: @@AudioMasterclass
Sitting here watching a grown man, with impeccable credentials sitting before me, fumbling and stumbling and obviously trying not to say something on his mind is just too painful.
If you are not monetizing your channel, please get back to the fun David... I don't know who this new guy is.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @Douglas_Blake_579: @@Douglas_Blake_579 You need to find a new channel to watch. DM
@frogandspanner: Do in-ear monitors differ from ear buds in their having interconnects?
11:06 What irritates me about headsets/ear-phones/buds is that for decades the left aural appurtenance had the short lead, and any controls. Tank commanders would be assured of consistency. But over the last decade controls have been shifted to the right. Why?
@Chiefelgin: I don't understand all those unboxing. it shows nothing, what you did with vid is better. you explain the product and give a real "user" review.
@nicoras8803: I enjoyed your review. It was informative and entertaining even if I would probably never buy in-ear monitors, this was a nice diversion. Thanks
@verdedoodleduck: I used to cringe at the unboxing ritual but I do find carefully opening the packages is actually somewhat informative for many products - I'm not sure what information I get but it does feel like I get some depending on the product. Besides, it teaches you hand modelling skills. :)
@SteveWille: I’d prefer to see the much more difficult to make but more entertaining reboxing videos. 🙃
@JJ-no2ob replies to @SteveWille: Yes ! Re-box and send them back 😂
@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777: unboxing is ridiculous but just keep it simple you have to try to think like someone who actually enjoys the whole marketing side of things the look of the package you have to 'get off' on all the things that are selling the product inside not just the product inside. I couldn't do it if someone paid me. I think they call the last shot the 'money shot' a reference to porn which is disturbing.
@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777: too many insecure websites out there these days I hope they find the confidence they need. verified by google is a placebo unfortunately.
@dangerzone007: Wow the grumpy old man has discovered tip rolling.
@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777 replies to @dangerzone007: danger zone coming up with the dangerous comments - you get the gold star Corky 🌟 everyone gets the gold star.
@nikolaki replies to @dangerzone007: Do not underestimate the importance of sharing such info far and wide.
@marxman00: ALL earbuds sound massivly better (and dont fall out )fitted with memory foam tips, but weirdly the manufacturers of the foams dont understand that the entire point of the memory foam is that it expands to exactly fit your ears so they just need to be extra large to start with .. they sell them in a set of small medium and large ,so you have to throw away two pairs . cwazy world ... Are not "in ear monitors" just ear buds with a marketing twist? Good ear buds/IEMs are only limited by the users hearing ability. I have some £10 single driver IEMs that sound great when fitted with memory foam tips. (less drivers inside the better IMHO) Ive got HD600s, but my go to all day BT phones are Jbird X3s with foam tips,cant fault them
@rejoiceinthetruth replies to @marxman00: I couldn't agree more about the memory foam! It makes no sense to me that manufacturers cripple the sound quality of their ear buds with poorly fitting silicone tips. I switched to foam tips on my Sony ear buds and the effect was nothing short of transformative!
@dangerzone007: Oh no. As if we need to see another IEM review. Hawaiian Bad Boy has IEM reviews down to a fine art. He doesn't spend half the time waffling. He gets straight to the point.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @dangerzone007: Hint… If you don’t like it, don’t watch it. Simple. DM
@dangerzone007 replies to @dangerzone007: @@AudioMasterclasswell there is some entertainment value in watching a grumpy old man do an IEM review.
@ianl.9271 replies to @dangerzone007: Actually I would like IEM reviews from an audio engineer's point of view than from an audiophile's point of view. Many IEMs that audiophiles have recommended have fallen short of my expections.
@dangerzone007 replies to @dangerzone007: @@ianl.9271 from an audio engineer who can't hear much past 10 kHz? He thinks Yamaha ns10 is a good speaker even though it has a peak in the mid-range.
@NewGoldStandard: You piqued my curiosity. What is your dark, secret use for in ear monitors if not playing out? Yard work, like lawn mowing? Or the missus snores?
@sr3d-microphones: You missed the sounds of the unboxing (very important part!)
Your aversion to "unboxing" is like the "ASMR" to some people, but, it's a really BIG thing, change can be dificult eh?
Us old fogies are rather prone to changes (I'm 60)
@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777 replies to @sr3d-microphones: change? it's a choice to adapt to nonsense.
@frogandspanner: Joe 90 specs and hair.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @frogandspanner: I just need my own BIG RAT to give me better presentation abilities. DM