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EmilMR t1_ixtv25i wrote

Don't fall into flavor of the month FOMO crap. There is so much marketing bullshit in this category. You often see people ending up with 10 pairs of 'affordable" IEMs. What's the point? you are just throwing money away. Buy one good pair instead. Newcomers are very vulnerable to falling into this trap and just hoarding junk. Set up a budget first, be pretty strict with it, and buy within that category with the expectation that you will be using it X years. Know what you want and what will satisfy you. You can go someplace and try things before buying if possible.

The best bang for buck for IEMs are in the under $200 category. Above that it gets into snake oil and diminishing returns with dubious claims at best. Products below $100 often have obvious shortcomings that can leave you wanting. It's better to buy something in $150 range that is good than hoarding cheap stuff because you are not happy with what you got imo.

You also get good accessories with these products usually while you don't with cheap stuff and you might end up buying them anyway so might as well save up there as well. Going budget isn't necessarily going to end up budget if you FOMO it and keep buying stuff. There is no point in hoarding IEMs. You will only use like 2 pairs at best, the rest will just sit there.

Right now imo, the planar IEMs are very legit and affordable. The flaws can largely be rectified with EQ much much more effectively than dynamic drivers of similar cost. They sound so effortlessly clean and fast and likely will impress newcomers easily.

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thehunchonguyen OP t1_ixtvgfp wrote

Great advice! I also agree with you on the fact that the $200 price point is a sweet spot. I would honestly recommend exploring headphones once you past that price point!

I preferred my hifiman sundara to my blessing 2 dusk so I ended up returning it! The moondrop Kato's are my ideal iem at $200 for now.

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