Affordable CIEM/IEMs?

Looking for a list/guide of reasonably priced CIEM options <$500. It seems like the common recommendation trend is:
B2/DBA-02 ($150) -> ER4S ($250) -> UERM ($1000), so there's kind of a big gap around the ~$500 pricepoint. Is this just because there isn't anything overtly better than the ER4S until we get to the UERM? Sick of all the $1k+ IEMs that few can afford (not to mention that nagging fear of losing them)

Heard a lot of talk around here advocating the UE4 as the poor man's UERM, seems like a good option at $399. JH5 is another option that isn't really mentioned around here but seems to crop up on Head-Fi, yet is rarely mentioned here.

 

I can recommend Eartech.

http://www.eartechmusic.com/

I tried lots of CIEMs & IEMs ranging from 2 drivers to 12 drivers during Canjam Singapore last few months.
I used to have a pair of Westone 3, low deep & sparkly high but the mid is always muddy causing very bad vocals.
Same goes to many CIEMs & IEMs i tried in Canjam I always find them lack of clarity...even CIEMs cost more than 1k usd did not do well on me.
I am not sure it is my personal preference or I have weird ear canals i found that 20% out of all of them I tried too muddy and compressed..
Only a few sounds right to me such as DITA the Answer, Aurisonics ASG 2.5, a few models of Unique Melody, Vision Ear Top Model(Too Expensive), Noble K10 (Too Expensive too I think UM is better), and the very affordable Eartech.

I am currently using the Eartech 3 drivers drived by Mojo and it costs only 399USD! What I liked the most on these is the CLARITY. Sound Separation is easily better than those cost few times more. Soundstage is not as wide as those CIEM with >5 drivers. Bass is sufficient though not as deep as those V-Shaped IEMs, boomier than my MrSpeakers Ether but not that tight. Built quality is solid, simple design and very straight forward. So much comfortable than my previously owned IEMs.

Conclusion, the price for Eartech is so competitive that I have no complaints at all. In facts I feel that it beats many CIEM out there that costs alot more. The only problem is they are so underrated and low profile you hardly able to get more details from the web about them.

 

Welcome to SBAF, nehcrow!

The JH5 has a v-shaped sound and is maybe the best in the JH line for value. I'd take it over the Roxanne, for instance, which is kinda terrible for the price.

Smaller companies often have value-propositions, but there are often issues with service, etc. It's a serious issue with something like a ciem, where you can need re-fits as a normal part of the process. Definite caveat emptor.

Generally, a good idea is to buy ciems from big, established companies which have good reputations for CS (e.g. not JH Audio and not Unique Melody, for example), and another key piece of advice is to strongly consider buying from a company which has a dealer in your country. Ideally, the company itself is based in your country. That will lead to the most responsive service.

Here's a low-cost ciem, single, double or triple driver dynamic driver. The triple driver I got was $350. However, there are customer service issues that may or may not have been cleaned up. I would expect delays. In fact, I would email the owner and ask if the back-order list has been cleared. http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...nice-mid-fi-ciem-for-cheap-caveat-emptor.272/
The sound is bassy, but fairly well balanced and natural. Not super-detailed, but otherwise it's a fine earphone and has better treble extension than just about every $1000-2000-3000 multi-BA ciem ever made...

Another fine option is buy your favorite iem and then have a custom eartip made for it if that's what you need. Sensaphonics makes full-custom silicone ear sleeves for shure iems, Future Sonics does the same for their earphones and there are other choices out there. I had a ear-canal only custom tip made for a set of Sony ex-1000s and it didn't work out (the silicone split and a new set would fall off the earphone), so I would recommend going with something like Sensaphonics or FS does, with a more complete design.

 

I enjoy my UE4 lots. Ety hf5 customs also, but they are a little bass light and don't see much use since I got the UE4.

 

At that price you are probably better off looking at universals IMO.

The re-tuned Shure SE535 are really nice.

 

Please, don't buy custom for the sake of being custom. That being said, I believe UE4 will be a nice introductory CIEM.

 

Point taken, title amended. Still the question still stands: no real well-established recommendations (CIEM or not) around the $500 pricepoint. SE535 was okay when I heard, the mids were special though. Bass and detail were kind of lacking

Yeah heard they were good value, anyone care to expand on their thoughts?

Thanks for the warm welcome Kunlun! Seriously piqued my interest in both the InEarCentral 3xDD and the JH5 - have you heard the UE4?
Appreciate the detailed post, have a few questions for you: Now that you mention the caveats (refitting being a major concern for me, don't want to go 1 month+ without IEMs) it seems like UIEMs are just better from a value proposition. So any strong UIEMs at this pricepoint in your opinion?

 

UIEMs are a better value and less CS pitfalls and delays for sure.

My time demoing the ue4 was brief and a while back, so I defer to CeeTee and folks who own them.

If you like warm dark dynamic driver iems, then the JVC and Cardas iems are something to look at. I have the 850s and they are almost for me, but not quite. People love them, though. I'd take a look at the Future Sonics G10 if you want a bassy monitor.

The Sony hybrid iems fall in this range. So, that's a thing. The Fidue I heard were the definition of mediocre sounding, I'd avoid them.

I found the FLC8 to be pretty okay. We had a tour and it was worth hearing. Not bad at all.

A used set of Savants are a fine set of earphones with a warmish but fairly balanced and euphonic iems (mid-fi done right and used will get you the right price point), I think there are Opinions on them on SBAF floating about.

The noble triple driver and quad driver have been mildly retuned and are worth hearing in their universal forms. I haven't heard the new tunings, but it should be a mild improvement on the old ones and those were good.

 

Another hidden gem would be Sony Xb90ex. I love it. Absolute bass monster, but needs amplification. I prefer it over several TOTL IEMS I own(ed) and heard.

 

Has anyone heard the retuned fender/aurisonics models? They would fit the bill.

 

Etymotic is coming out with some newly tuned ER4 variants and Campfire Audio has the Nova and Orion to look at also.

 

Are they? I saw Tyll hint vaguely at something new from Ety coming this year, curious if there's any more concrete rumours than that...

 

They showed them at Axpona this week.

 

If you know anything further about them, please share?

Big 16mm dynamic drivers with 18 armatures, right?

 

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/AXPONA_2016/AXPONA_2016_Show_Report/Etymotic_Research_ER4XR_ER4SR.htm

 

That's some exciting news! Both earphones are welcome.

 

Very interesting indeed, thx for sharing... Cliff's notes: two new ER4 models (seems like they're just milking that moniker at this point, nothing wrong with that tho), one features a bass boost and the other is described as 'studio reference'... Also:

" Both models will be priced at $349 and will feature metal bodies with an anodized finish and a user-replaceable Kevlar cable. "

Looking forward to these.

 

How are the resolution on the current ER4's?