[NymPHONOmaniac]

Hello headfier, i was seeking for a planar IEMs thread and didn't find any so there it is....since I feel its quite needed with all these new planar release, especially in CHifi market.

Personaly, i own about 15 pairs of planar IEM.

My fav are Letshuoer S15, Hidizs MP145, Raptgo Hook X HBB, Tinhifi P1plus and the now discontinued Tangzu Wu.

To me, P1plus is still the best in term of technical performance, and surely the most unjustly underatted IEM ever, this is probably due to poor fit as well as ear tips issue, or because its neutral.

Worst planar i've ever try is the KZ PR1pro and PR2, Dunu Talos with BA mode ON is quite horrifious too, but its OK when just planar mode...nothing more than OK. Dioko....i don't even know if my pair was defective but it sound super wonky to me.

anyway, i will work on a list perhaps with review link and score...but you can share your planar IEM ranking too, we could make a collection of diversify Ranking.


NymPHONOmaniac ranking list (i will add mini description and review link soon):

TONALITY-MUSICALITY (balanced cohesivness, timbre naturalness, spatial immersivity)

1- Letshuoer S15

2-Tangzu Wu

3-Raptgo Hook X HBB

4-Kefine Klanar

5-Tangzu Heyday

TECHNICALITIES-Driver Performance (fine resolution, micro details, imaging, attack control, macro dynamic)

1-Tinhifi P1plus

2-Hidizs MP145

3-Raptgo Hook X HBB

4-Letshuoer S15


PS: let's agree to disagree about ''the best'' planar or different sound perception, my opinion are my own and I don't want to impose it to anybody. as said, it would be cool to collect and paste different ranking list with short sound impressions.

anyway, let pursue the Planar craze togheter! I feel 2024 will bring us new tech.

i have the Sivga Nightingale right now, need to listen a bit and will make a sound impressions post.

ALL PLANAR AVAILABLE (if their any i forget, plz tell!)

SUB-100$

-Tinhifi Panda (14.2mm planar, price drop great value)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/tinhifi-p1-max-giant-panda-universal-in-ear-monitor.25818/reviews

-Letshuoer S12 (14.8mm planar, price drop, great value)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/letshuoer-s12-planar-iem.25649/

-Artti T10 (14.2mm planar, get some hyping on CHifi Love, seem great value)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/517665269706033/posts/884669673005589/

-KZ PR1-PR2-PR3 (13.2mm planar....not for those sensitive to timbre naturalness)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/knowledge-zenith-pr3.26874/reviews

-CCA PLA13 (13.2mm planar)
https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/xcmnz1/cca_pla_13_impressions/

-TRN Kirin (14.5mm planar)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/trn-kirin.26006/

-Raptdog Hook X (HBB) (14.2mm planar+piezo....very very good but discountinued oddly)
Hook X HBB: https://nobordersaudiophile.wordpre...superior-hybrid-planar-with-engaging-dynamic/
Hook X: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/raptgo-hook-x.25798/

-KiwiEars Melody (12mm closed back planar)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kiwi-ears-melody.26754/reviews

-NiceHCK F1pro (14.2mm planar)

-7HZ Salnotes Dioko (14.6mm planar closed back)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/7hz-x-crinacle-salnotes-dioko-universal-iem.25990/reviews

100-500$

-Hidizs MP145 (14.5mm planar with detachable tuning nozzle )
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/hidizs-mp145.26656/

-Letshuoer S12 PRO (14.8mm planar, an S12 with bass boost it seem)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/letshuoer-s12-pro.26277/

-Tinhifi P1plus (10mm planar, might be discountinued soon)
https://nobordersaudiophile.wordpre...-p1plus-review-cruelly-underatted-planar-gem/

-Kefine Klanar (14.5mm planar, lush and bassy, quite nice and barely made it sub100$ since its 110$)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kefine-klanar-14-5mm-planar-driver.26787/reviews

-Sivga Nightingale (14.5mm home patent planar-very niche tonality with light bass)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sivga-nightingale-14-5mm-planar-driver.26796/

-Goldplanar GL12 (12.5mm planar, seem quite bad but hey!)
https://www.headphonesty.com/2021/09/review-goldplanar-gl12/

-Letshuoer S15 (14.8mm planar (3rd gen)-the hype is real and well deserve, most natural sound planar ive heard)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/letshuoer-s15.26854/

-Obravo Cupid (planar+DD bright agressive V shape)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/obravo-cupid-basic.24154/reviews#review-23187

-Obravo Erib7 (7mmdd-8mm planar.....)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/obravo-audio-erib-7-planar-hybrid-iem.23495/

-Moondrop Stellaris (14.5mm planar-not alot of loving for this one)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/mo...-magnetic-driver-in-ear-monitor.26101/reviews

-Tinhifi P2 (12mm planar-might be great...reviews are rather positive.....underatted like P1plus?)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/tin-hifi-p2.24771/reviews

-7HZ Timeless (14.2mm planar that dominate 2022 planar war)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/7hertz-timeless.25394/reviews

-HarmonicDyne PD1 (10mmDD+10mmplanar....very few reviews....to take with grain of salt)
https://headfonics.com/harmonicdyne-p-d-1-review/

-Raptdog Hook X (HBB) (14.2mm planar+piezo....very very good but discountinued oddly)
Hook X HBB: https://nobordersaudiophile.wordpre...superior-hybrid-planar-with-engaging-dynamic/
Hook X: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/raptgo-hook-x.25798/

-Basn MTpro (14.5mm planar closed back)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/basn-mtpro.26442/

-Dunu Talos (14.6mm planar+2BA with a switch)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/dunu-talos.26040/reviews

-Tangzu Zetian Heyday (14.5mm planar, closed back)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/tangzu-audio-zetian-wu-heyday-edition.26261/

-Muse Hifi Power Planar (14.5mm planar)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/muse-hifi-power.25812/reviews

-Toneking P10 (10mm planar, closed back)

-Toneking BL1 (14mm planar, closed back)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/toneking-bl1-planar-magnetic-iem.23396/

-TFZ Balance 7 (26.8mm open back planar)
https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/dh7ek5/tfz_balance_7_my_new_acquisition/

-PMV PP (14.2mm planar closed back)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/pmv-pp.25268/

-Helm F2 (1DD-1planar, small closed back)
https://www.headphonesty.com/2023/06/review-helm-audio-f2/



500-1000$

-Oriolus Szalayi (14mm planar+10mm DD+1BA tribrid, seem excellent but few reviews here)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/oriolus-szalayi.26026/

-Dethonray Tender (10mm planar....oddly expensive for first planar....might use same driver as P1plus?)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/dethonray-tender-1-planar-magnetic-iems.25295/

-Audeze LCD i3 (30mm open back planar)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/audeze-lcdi3.24203/

-Unique Melody ME1 (18.5mm planar, open back-discontinued)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/unique-melody-me1.22652/

-IMR RAH 2023 (1planar-1DD....need to review it but im not blown away and all those nozzle tuning is annoying)

-Gold Planar GL30 (28mm open pack planar)

-RHA CL2 (10mm planar with mmxc bluetooth cable)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/rha-cl2-planar.23337/




KILOBUCKS

-Audeze Enclid (18mm closed back planar-audacious price for sure!)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/audeze-euclid.25826/reviews

-Audeze LCD i4 (30mm open back, priciest planar IEM ever i think...)
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/audeze-lcdi4-in-ear-headphones.22644/

-Simphonio P10 (14.2mm ultra thin planar)

-Simphonio P-zero (5K$ full range planar (not stated the size))
IMPRESSIONS HERE

 

[SweetCans928]

Great thread idea! I've been wanting to try a planar, but not many of them have been very compelling to me so far. Well, that isn't entirely true, I do have an Obravo Cupid. It is really bad though. Sounds like three cats fighting a toaster inside a mailbox.

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

ok i cant hold myself and give a try to Sivga Nightingale right now....paired with Penon Tail (balanced, high gain)

these sell for 229$ on Amazon, sowe can say its mid tier planar IEM

as well, these are suppose to use self devlopped 14.5mm planar driver, that look like this:

At first listen these sure sound more technical than musicaly colored...i would say Bright neutral with treble focus and boosted clarity. Its crisp, among most sparkly planar ive heard, micor details are very generous, sharply deliver, its vivid on top, upper mids too are a bit edgy. Those aren't for treble sensitive folks i say.

Spatiality is clean and open with magnify sens of depth, highs are quite airry and imaging is very good....overall bass and mids dynamic is lean, timbre is rathe rthin but very transparent, note weight isnt very heavy but attack speed is quite crazy and well controlled...

those are very bass light with near zero sub bass so thats sure a big bummer for alot of us i guess. it make me think about Hifiman RE600

tonality wise its not my cup of tea and i find timbre a bit metallic in timbre but technical performance seem very very good...i need more pairing and some more burn in for proper review so thats it for now (im not very charm, time to go back to smoother S15!!)

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Great thread idea! I've been wanting to try a planar, but not many of them have been very compelling to me so far. Well, that isn't entirely true, I do have an Obravo Cupid. It is really bad though. Sounds like three cats fighting a toaster inside a mailbox.

im happy youy like the idea, i hope we can collect plenty of opinions and suggestion since i havent test all planars IEMs at all!

ahahah the Cupid lmao, very good sound description mate, you nail it: 100% agree! still have them cause i cant give this to anyone and its one of few hybrid DD+Planar still....i wish we have at least other offering than this in sub-200$ hybrid planar market...i mean, there the Dunu Talos but BA mode is absurd.

 

[o0genesis0o]

Hello headfier, i was seeking for a planar IEMs thread and didn't find any so there it is....since I feel its quite needed with all these new planar release, especially in CHifi market.

Personaly, i own about 15 pairs of planar IEM.

My fav are Letshuoer S15, Hidizs MP145, Raptgo Hook X HBB, Tinhifi P1plus and the now discontinued Tangzu Wu.

To me, P1plus is still the best in term of technical performance, and surely the most unjustly underatted IEM ever, this is probably due to poor fit as well as ear tips issue, or because its neutral.

Worst planar i've ever try is the KZ PR1pro and PR2, Dunu Talos with BA mode ON is quite horrifious too, but its OK when just planar mode...nothing more than OK. Dioko....i don't even know if my pair was defective but it sound super wonky to me.

anyway, i will work on a list perhaps with review link and score...but you can share your planar IEM ranking too, we could make a collection of diversify Ranking.


NymPHONOmaniac ranking list (i will add mini description and review link soon):

TONALITY-MUSICALITY (balanced cohesivness, timbre naturalness, spatial immersivity)

1- Letshuoer S15

2-Tangzu Wu

3-Raptgo Hook X HBB

4-Kefine Klanar

5-Tangzu Heyday

TECHNICALITIES-Driver Performance (fine resolution, micro details, imaging, attack control, macro dynamic)

1-Tinhifi P1plus

2-Hidizs MP145

3-Raptgo Hook X HBB

4-Letshuoer S15


PS: let's agree to disagree about ''the best'' planar or different sound perception, my opinion are my own and I don't want to impose it to anybody. as said, it would be cool to collect and paste different ranking list with short sound impressions.

anyway, let pursue the Planar craze togheter! I feel 2024 will bring us new tech.

i have the Sivga Nightingale right now, need to listen a bit and will make a sound impressions post.

Wait, you are saying that MP145 is near at the top of planar technical performance (if we ignore the Audeze LCD i series)?

That’s not very encouraging about the potential of this tech, tbh.

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Wait, you are saying that MP145 is near at the top of planar technical performance (if we ignore the Audeze LCD i series)?

That’s not very encouraging about the potential of this tech, tbh.

this will change, at the top is Tinhifi P1plus for me. for MP145 it might go down...i rush a bit this list to begin the thread, it will evolve and my take is based on my own experience, i havent try Audeze LCD series for ex.

and im not certain planar tech is end game at all, headphones is a whole different potential i feel....this is why i feel this thread is needed, so we can find the great one with diversify listener.

big plus of planar for me is the ''multi layering capacity'', its effortless in its transient response yet not very ''elastic''.

in fact i feel unfair about Letshuoer S15 which is fabulous, but the tuning dont highlight technical perforrmance....i think it should be no2 still.

Planar IEMs i own are:

Tinhifi P1, P1plus, Panda
Letshuoer S12-S15
Dunu Talos (Hybrid)
Salnotes Dioko
Tangzu WU and Heyday
Sivga Nightingale
Hidizs MP145
Kefine Klanar
KZ PR2
Muse Hifi
Raptgo Hook X HBB (Hybrid)
Obravo Cupid (Hybrid)
Tri i3pro (tribrid)
Basn MTpro
Akoustyx S6

and i guess 50% of those use very same planar driver....

have you any fav planar to suggest mate?

 

[o0genesis0o]

this will change, at the top is Tinhifi P1plus for me. for MP145 it might go down...i rush a bit this list to begin the thread, it will evolve and my take is based on my own experience, i havent try Audeze LCD series for ex.

and im not certain planar tech is end game at all, headphones is a whole different potential i feel....this is why i feel this thread is needed, so we can find the great one with diversify listener.

big plus of planar for me is the ''multi layering capacity'', its effortless in its transient response yet not very ''elastic''.

in fact i feel unfair about Letshuoer S15 which is fabulous, but the tuning dont highlight technical perforrmance....i think it should be no2 still.

Planar IEMs i own are:

Tinhifi P1, P1plus, Panda
Letshuoer S12-S15
Dunu Talos (Hybrid)
Salnotes Dioko
Tangzu WU and Heyday
Sivga Nightingale
Hidizs MP145
Kefine Klanar
KZ PR2
Muse Hifi
Raptgo Hook X HBB (Hybrid)
Obravo Cupid (Hybrid)
Tri i3pro (tribrid)
Basn MTpro
Akoustyx S6

and i guess 50% of those use very same planar driver....

have you any fav planar to suggest mate?

I … don’t like the current planar tech. Hyped myself up due to Crinacle video about Timeless 1, got a S12, was impressed for like a week, before I switched to critical listening mode and that IEM crumbled. Got myself hyped up again for the MP145. Same story.

It’s not that these are bad IEM in any way. It’s more about “why tho?”. They have timbre issues like BA sets, and they (arguably) don’t out do newer DD sets in technical performance. For similar money (Aud $300 ish), I can get a DD set if I priorities timbre and coherency and bass, or I can get a hybrid set if I prioritise midrange tech. So to me, these 14.x mm planar drivers are unfulfilled promises. Maybe the ones just around the corner might change the situation.

 

[PeacockObscura]

I have a love hate relationship with planars something about the timbre seems a bit off
My favourites are the TinHifi P1+ and the og raptogo Hook X
Others in my collection
Dunu Talos
TinHifi big panda
Timless
S12
Nicechk F1
TinHifi P1
Gold planar GL20
KZ PR2
As you can see I have tried to love Planars. My most success has been with hybrids with DD+Planar+Bone Conduction or ba/peizo I just need the bass to be DD leaving the planar to mids with treble handled above alternatives

 

[mochill]

Hi

 

[emdeevee]

I own two...Audeze LCDi4 and 7hz Timeless. Also, my CA Fibae 5 has planar drivers for its high end, but also DD and BAs.

Audeze LCDi4 is the TOTL planar at this time, IMHO.

 

[kesobie]

So far, I've tried a decent amount of Planars ranging different price segments and platforms (IEMs and Headphones) and I think planars have their ways to go.

As genesis said, planars are plagued with having a metallic and thin timbre which might be fine if you intend to listen to music specifically so dissect the mix of a song, but not very enjoyable over longer listening sessions.

The best so far that I've heard to blend the speed of planar with a relatively natural timbre is the original Zetian Wu. It wasn't a detail monster like other planars at the time, but it was also the most enjoyable to listen to.

The only area right now that I think planars can dominate in is the budget mostly because the competition is more concerned with tuning than technicalities, so a technical-oriented set could offer a different listening experience to those that don't have a big budget.

Here are the planar IEMs that I've tried
Tangzu Zetian Wu
Tangzu Zetian Wu Heyday
Muse HiFi Power
Moondrop Stellaris
Audeze iSine 20
KZ PR2 (revised)
KZ PR3
Audeze Euclid
7hz Timeless
Letshuoer S12/Pro
Simphonio P0

 

[odnimusic]

Hey Eric, Thanks for creating this thread so there is some form of community archival place to compile a lot of the planars that has recently been rejuvenated by I think none other that Tin P1 (correct me if I'm wrong).


Anyhow, currently there are 3 sets of planar I currenly own. I'll order it in the list of which I first purchased to last

1. Letshuoer S12 Pro
2. Tin Hifi P1
3. Moondrop Stellaris

Each of them does have their own shortcomings with Moondrop Stellaris being particularly the most niche sounding of them all. And as surprising as it may be, Tin Hifi P1 currently sit atop as the set that I would want to reach for and just get excited by how a track will sound while S12 Pro is just an easy travel choice for its rather all rounder sound, easy to power while on the go.

 

[PeacockObscura]

Hey Eric, Thanks for creating this thread so there is some form of community archival place to compile a lot of the planars that has recently been rejuvenated by I think none other that Tin P1 (correct me if I'm wrong).


Anyhow, currently there are 3 sets of planar I currenly own. I'll order it in the list of which I first purchased to last

1. Letshuoer S12 Pro
2. Tin Hifi P1
3. Moondrop Stellaris

Each of them does have their own shortcomings with Moondrop Stellaris being particularly the most niche sounding of them all. And as surprising as it may be, Tin Hifi P1 currently sit atop as the set that I would want to reach for and just get excited by how a track will sound while S12 Pro is just an easy travel choice for its rather all rounder sound, easy to power while on the go.

Ha Thanks for reminding me I have the Stellaris too and to be frank I really like this one for being so different from the usual ones. Not sure why I forgot it... Too many iems too little time

 

[odnimusic]

Ha Thanks for reminding me I have the Stellaris too and to frank I really like this one for being so different from the usual ones. Not sure why I forgot it... Too many iems too little time

Hahaha, to me, it's the most misunderstood planar iem I currently owned. Was completely destroyed and torn by reviewers since they took the angle of Moondrop VSDF and Harman tunings as the starting point which tbf is the closest thing to the comparison.

But alas, it is one of the set that represent my stands this hobby as I'm a composer myself and my ideas are often misunderstood by the general public (not that I'm trying to see from Moondrop perspective but more from the lence of what Stellaris turned out to be as a product). I will give credit to Zeos where his video about the iem opened my eye to see it in a different light intentionally or not.

It is okay to be different, but do it well. And I think Stellaris is at the very least a rather interesting iem as a lesson about perspective for me. It is not a set I would reach for most stuff my library, but I would do so on more electronic or experimental tracks. It is pretty fun set and not many people mentioned how amazing Stellaris handle bass-subbass region for a planar. Simply superb.

 

[o0genesis0o]

Hahaha, to me, it's the most misunderstood planar iem I currently owned. Was completely destroyed and torn by reviewers since they took the angle of Moondrop VSDF and Harman tunings as the starting point which tbf is the closest thing to the comparison.

But alas, it is one of the set that represent my stands this hobby as I'm a composer myself and my ideas are often misunderstood by the general public (not that I'm trying to see from Moondrop perspective but more from the lence of what Stellaris turned out to be as a product). I will give credit to Zeos where his video about the iem opened my eye to see it in a different light intentionally or not.

It is okay to be different, but do it well. And I think Stellaris is at the very least a rather interesting iem as a lesson about perspective for me. It is not a set I would reach for most stuff my library, but I would do so on more electronic or experimental tracks. It is pretty fun set and not many people mentioned how amazing Stellaris handle bass-subbass region for a planar. Simply superb.

When the reviewers who have been “Moondrop fanboys” turned on that IEM (and the Blessing 3 as well), the company needs to seriously sit back and take the feedback seriously rather than positioning themselves as misunderstood genius, IMHO.