Question can cheap IEMs really hold up against budget well known IEMs ?
I mainly use wireless earbuds (Samsung Buds2 Pro) purely as the SQ is good with the HiRes Adaptive Codec, ANC is superb, calls, notifications, swift pair to my laptop also.
BUT - i still have an Audioquest Cobalt DAC and I’d say foolishly sold a set of Fiio FA7 a month ago (way better than the Sony), prior to that is sold my Sony IEM XBA-N3AP all low to very little use, but started looking again for some low end sub £200 IEMs, long story short i took a punt at some Linsoul KZ ZS10 PRO X for way less.
From the off the ear tips are poor and seal could be better, the treble is harsh, but aside from that they do seem better than what i remember my Fiio FA7.
I left them running in for an hour (off ear), still some HF shrill which i am sure will make anything more than an hour tiresome, but overall allot more of everything compared to the Fiio or Sony IEMs i’ve owned.
As good as wireless earphones are, a similarly priced pair of wired earphones will still be hard to beat. Provided you don’t mind trailing cables and the lack of features that wireless earphones have (ANC etc).
There’s a review of Sennheiser’s new IE200 earphones over on AVForums that you may find interesting…
I loved Etymotics E4P and E4S for a long time and graduated to Shure in 2014. Never looked back after the Shure 535. They have worked for me for travel and daily walks for almost 10 years. I have replaced the cable but they rock otherwise and sound great for music and podcasts.
I use wireless on my ReSound Hearing Aids but they are sub optimal for sound vs. the Shure.
Loved my 535’s. Unfortunately I lost them in Indianapolis airport last year and v hard to replace because of the fakers.
Now on Aonic 4’s and AQ Dragonfly Red. I preferred this combo to Aonic 5’s and also AQ Cobalt. Aonic 4’s are sub £300 rather than sub £200 but I went through quite a few higher priced IEMs inc Sennheiser and didn’t hear anything I preferred.
