[IEMusic]

I already posted this in the Portable Headphones, Earphones and In-Ear Monitors forum, but to help balance the bias, I’m posting it in this forum as well.

I’m probably in the minority, but I actually prefer the sound of IEMs more than the sound of headphones (open and closed HPs) overall. I know they are fundamentally different, and soundstage from an open HP is far superior to most IEMs, but soundstage is not that big a deal to me personally. I like the more intimate and isolated sound of IEMs....always have. Size, portability, and convenience are added bonuses. I’m not knocking HPs at all, this is just my preference. I’m just curious if this is an rare opinion. Do most people use IEMs as a compromise, when the functionality is needed?

 

[loopfreak]

Well it's hard to give an objective stance since your opening post is heavily biased towards IEMs. I personally think that CIEMs maybe do have a shot to go to the full sized open territory, iems not so much. So to summarize, IEMs and to the lesser degree CIEMs sound atributes are on a distinctive smaller scale when compered to the full size.

 

[IEMusic]

Well it's hard to give an objective stance since your opening post is heavily biased towards IEMs. I personally think that CIEMs maybe do have a shot to go to the full sized open territory, iems not so much. So to summarize, IEMs and to the lesser degree CIEMs sound atributes are on a distinctive smaller scale when compered to the full size.

It is really meant to be a subjective question.

 

[loopfreak]

If it's subjective then it's all ok and personally don't see the point of the thread.

"In general, in a controlled environment, and price no object"

 

[descloud]

What is the point of this poll. Is it for gathering numbers or are you doing some sort of analysis based on people's reasoning?

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

IEMs are convenient when cycling, walking or working out. Also great for transportation purposes as they isolate way better than anything else I’ve tried. I used to be all about iems...and then I got back into headphones again
To me personally there is no competition: speakers first...then headphones....and then waaaay down the list; small things to stuff in my ear...I may even prefer earbuds over iems tbh, but that’s because most earbuds sound ‘open’.

 

[genck]

IEMs are convenient when cycling, walking or working out. Also great for transportation purposes as they isolate way better than anything else I’ve tried. I used to be all about iems...and then I got back into headphones again
To me personally there is no competition: speakers first...then headphones....and then waaaay down the list; small things to stuff in my ear...I may even prefer earbuds over iems tbh, but that’s because most earbuds sound ‘open’.

You should try the Periodic Audio Be, might be an eye opener.

 

[IEMusic]

“...I may even prefer earbuds over iems tbh, but that’s because most earbuds sound ‘open’.”
[/QUOTE]
Interesting....

This is definitely NOT scientific, objective, or for critical analysis. It’s just for fun, for curiosity. For instance, I’ve never heard this opinion about earbuds, though it definitely makes sense if wearing them while needing to make phone calls at times.

“You should try the Periodic Audio Be, might be an eye opener.”
That does seem intriguing. Great deal on blemished items right now. If only it didn’t have a fixed cable...

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Generally at similar price range, control environment, and right set-up, headphone will sound better than iem. The reason is simple, with headphone we listen the sound by using our earlobe, which is what we do every damn time in life. Thus, headphone create more natural wave when enter our brain for processing. In iem case, it's more direct to eardrum.

 

[kdphan]

I'm an IEM guy but prefer headphones in a quiet environment.

 

[cpc93]

I already posted this in the Portable Headphones, Earphones and In-Ear Monitors forum, but to help balance the bias, I’m posting it in this forum as well.

I’m probably in the minority, but I actually prefer the sound of IEMs more than the sound of headphones (open and closed HPs) overall. I know they are fundamentally different, and soundstage from an open HP is far superior to most IEMs, but soundstage is not that big a deal to me personally. I like the more intimate and isolated sound of IEMs....always have. Size, portability, and convenience are added bonuses. I’m not knocking HPs at all, this is just my preference. I’m just curious if this is an rare opinion. Do most people use IEMs as a compromise, when the functionality is needed?

I prefer iems as well

 

[SilverEars]

Generally at similar price range, control environment, and right set-up, headphone will sound better than iem. The reason is simple, with headphone we listen the sound by using our earlobe, which is what we do every damn time in life. Thus, headphone create more natural wave when enter our brain for processing. In iem case, it's more direct to eardrum.

True and iems is just ear canal interactions. How the sound interacts with our ear shape gives us ques on what direction the sound is coming from. With speakers, it's not just ears, but also the upper part of our body effect how we hear the sounds of the speakers. The shape of our head, etc..

So, the imaging out of headphones will be different from iems. Due to no other interactions other than the canal, it maybe easier to tune iems closer to people's preferences or measurements to be more accurate.

 

[asianguac]

While I love my IEMs, I don’t know if there’s a situation where I’d ever pick them over my favorite headphones (within the same environment). There’s most definitely a place for both, but it’s really about my mood and what I’m desiring to hear at the time.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

True and iems is just ear canal interactions. How the sound interacts with our ear shape gives us ques on what direction the sound is coming from. With speakers, it's not just ears, but also the upper part of our body effect how we hear the sounds of the speakers. The shape of our head, etc..

So, the imaging out of headphones will be different from iems. Due to no other interactions other than the canal, it maybe easier to tune iems closer to people's preferences or measurements to be more accurate.

Very well said, because less factor need to be measured.

Speaker is way more complex, because not just our head shape, but room treatment and design are huge factors. That's why so much easier to listen USD 3k iem produce sound like USD 3k iem. While to make USD 3k speaker worth its price is a bit more complicated.

 

[IEMusic]

Very well said, because less factor need to be measured.

Speaker is way more complex, because not just our head shape, but room treatment and design are huge factors. That's why so much easier to listen USD 3k iem produce sound like USD 3k iem. While to make USD 3k speaker worth its price is a bit more complicated.

Exactly. Speakers are the most complex, and often times room treatments/arrangements are as important as the speakers/electronics themselves. Plus ambient noise (screaming kids), etc. all play a role. That’s probably the biggest reason why I like IEMs, despite their limitations. It’s a completely controlled environment. I like a good speaker setup the best by far, but there are so many restrictions.