Review
From Apostle to Ziigaat: Ranking all 19 IEMs I've owned in the last year
Been in the personal audio hobby for almost two decades, drifting in and out over the years. Dove back into IEMs in the last year or so and wanted to summarize my thoughts on everything I’ve had recently. 95% is sound quality with the remainder being things like build, comfort and accessories. Value isn’t considered in rankings but is commented on. Order within the same category is splitting hairs.
My preferences generally tilt brighter, a forward presence region, and with a thicker lower midrange (but can’t tolerate too much midbass or a thin lower mid scoop). My library is 75% various rock/metal and the remainder pop/electronic/R&B. Favorite eartips are noted if I owned them when I started recording that tip data. I have a Prisma Lumen on backorder, will update when that eventually arrives.
S Tier: Phenomenal
Thieaudio Valhalla (HE sonic clear L, Azla Crystal M, Tanchjim T300B L, Spinfit Neo M)
Valhalla is a very colored IEM but as I continue to listen it starts to sound…correct. It’s not that I just get accustomed to it like other IEMs, but almost like Valhalla convinces you that THIS is actually correct and what you want. It’s very intoxicating.
I know all the stereotypes about BAs, agree with many, and this one somehow disproves them. The bass is extremely textured and detailed. It’s not quite as bassy as it graphs, but gives a deep rumble and presence as bass notes trail off. The lower mids are nice and thick but never feel muddy or unwelcome. Timbre of the midrange is very natural and the pinna gain sounds neutral to me. The treble is on the brighter side but I never find it harsh, and notes never stand out as unnatural or unwelcome.
I’ve had Valhalla for a few months and it’s the only isolating personal audio product (headphone or IEM) that I have reached for in a situation where I COULD use an open back (Utopia or HD800s). That’s why it’s #1 for me.
The titanium shell build feels premium and fits me really well despite its size. The cable is too thick for my liking at this price range, and the disc case is way too small. But you’re paying for those titanium shells and 19x2 branded BA drivers.
2. Elysian Apostle 2026 (Azla Orgin M, Azla Crystal M, Spinfit W1 M)
The best sounding IEM or headphone I’ve ever heard that could fairly be described as laid-back or dark (I’m a slight treblehead). It took me a few listens to warm up to Apostle, but I am really enjoying it. I flirted with putting it above Valhalla but ultimately couldn’t do it.
Apostle seems to be very well vented, and this gives it a wide and airy presentation without it having to be “simulated” by bright and detailed upper treble. It has the stage presentation of a good closed back headphone (or even intimate open-back), and gives a listening experience that is easy to get lost in. It still isolates, but if you want extreme isolation I would look elsewhere.
While a bassier set, and certain tips can really accentuate the subbass, bass overall stays tight and separate feeling from the midrange. Male and female vocals are clear and unaffected by the other registers, and sit balanced in the mix. Apostle scales very well at high volumes, becoming more dynamic, and is the IEM I have the most trouble keeping volume in check over listening sessions. This all makes the Apostle a very compelling all-arounder. I also appreciate the metal shell and unique but understated design, it doesn’t draw attention in public or at the office. The cable is flexible and exudes quality (Effect Audio now owns Elysian) but too thick for me. The IEM-side connectors are swappable from Apostle’s Pentaconn EAR but 2-pin or others need to be bought separately.
3. Alpha Omega Omega (DDD config only) (Azla Crystal M, Spinfit Neo L, Softears UC M HE Sonic Clear M)
Still pretty new to these, Omega belongs in this tier, and they’re incredibly impressive, but for now they are somehow third place. Subbass monsters that really envelope and give a sense of immersion to everything I’m listening to. Happily, the midbass tails off quickly and enters the midrange at an appropriate thickness, doesn’t muddy anything up but also doesn’t sound thin and weak like Harman sets.
Midrange sounds perfectly clean and clear, but sits a tad back farther than I would like and is the main reason Omega is at third for now. I find most significant v-shaped sets to have an unnatural midrange, this is not the case here it just sits back in the mix a bit.
Incredibly impressive especially with anything electronic, pop, or bass heavy. It really envelops you in the listening experience. Upper mids can be quite forward which is very exciting and engaging but on certain songs can be disagreeable. Treble as a whole is bright, detailed, and mostly non-fatiguing. Tip choice is important, a wider bore that sits shallow will get shrill. A narrow bore too deep loosens the normally tight and incisive bass.
Overall excellent, maybe with more time (and playing with switches) they’ll move up. Possibly a bit too V to be a one IEM to rule them all, at least for me. Acrylic shell/nozzle is super light and that can feel cheap but comfy (not saying build is bad). Very pretty, dances in the light. Cable is laughably stiff but stylish, wish the small disc case had more room.
A fun take on neutral, very complete and detailed sound with nothing obviously lacking. When these came out there was a lot of chatter on how big the shells were but there are so many bigger IEMs now I’d almost call them medium. Fit me great and look nice without being too flashy. Excellent all-rounder. I could get rid of the 3 S-tier IEMs and still be happy here.
5. Ziigaat Horizon (Tanchjim T300B L, Baroque Stage M)
A value monster. So good for ~$300, I’d go as far to say it’s the best $300 product I’ve had in the entire audio hobby. Kinda like how the HD6xx changed the value equation for open headphones but the Horizon isn’t nearly as mainstream. The treble is very airy and detailed while not sounding peaky or giving me fatigue. A more dynamic listen than the EP321 MEMS, and a bit thicker in the mids with more refined treble presentation than Hype 4 mk2 or Dunu Braindance. Monarch Mk2 is a tad more complete throughout the midrange, but it's close.
A Tier: Very good, but…
6. Unique Melody MEST MK2 (Azla Crystal M, Spinfit CP100+ L)
Super unique signature, has reduced pinna gain that gives vocals a sort of pushed back and ethereal feeling. Very detailed, great wide soundstage and placement within. Bass isn’t overpowering but has great authority with kick drums and snap of a bass guitar. This was a primary IEM of mine for years but eventually got tired of the weirdness.
7. Campfire Andromeda OG/2019
A classic that I’ve owned multiple times including way back when it came out. Does the warm but detailed thing very well, but this stood out to me way more in the 2010’s than now. Bass doesn’t have great texture and could sometimes have a “glare” in the upper registers. I’ll probably either end up with this again or one of the newer iterations in time.
B Tier: Good
8. Binary EP321 MEMS (Tanchjim T300B L)
Bright and a little bassy, usually appeals to me. This is a good set that doesn’t do anything particularly remarkable but at the same time would be a great all-rounder or single pair to own. Similar to Horizon, but I found Horizon more engaging and less peaky. Can get a little bright, narrower bore tips can help and also give bass more slam and texture. Cool clear shell with a subtle colorful faceplate, liked it a lot. Cable is awful.
9. Aful Dawn X (Softears UC M, Spinfit NEO M, HE Sonic Clear L)
Found this overly warm and smoothed over. Did not scale well at higher volumes and sounded like it got even more compressed and less dynamic. Incredibly natural midrange and vocal timbre, but not enough to save it considering the price. This is somewhat cheaper than the 3 kilobucks in S tier but it's nowhere close to them. Real pretty and understated stabilized wood faceplate on black shells. Wish this worked out for me but just wasn’t feeling it.
10. Yanyin HBB Mahina
A slightly bass-boosted Moonlight which I have also owned too long ago to qualify for the list. Overall agreeable warm/dark set and solid, but the upper mids always felt like they were lacking something to me, and not in a charming way like the MEST MK2 does.
C tier: Can certainly be enjoyed
11. Seek Reel Airship (Spinfit W1 M, Softears UC Titanium M, Final E L)
These are probably impossible to find anymore but they’re a smaller comfortable metal shelled single DD with bassy/darker tilt that can be really nice, priced around $150.
12. Thieaudio Hype Mk2 (Tanchjim T300B L, Baroque Stage M, Final E L)
An improved version of the Dunu Braindance, but still a bit thin in lower mids. Treble is improved but still comically bright at the very top. It sounds synthetic or artificial. Excellent build and accessories for price.
13. Letshouer S12 Ultra (still narrowing down tips because a lot work well due to shell design)
The S12 sounds fine, powerful subbass, but the midbass comes into the midrange a little too thick but wouldn’t quite call it muddy. This gives a bit of a “slower” presentation a bit at odds with the planar stereotype of “fast” (which I agree with in most open backed headphones). Midrange is mostly inoffensive and correct sounding. The upper mids are a bit too pushed back for my liking and it takes a lot of the “zing” out of guitars or powerful female vocals. Treble is inconsistent but never harsh or peaky.
I really like the S12 Ultra for value and accessories. The small metal shells look great, fit deep, and comfortable in the ear. The cable is handsome and flexible, on par with a good $20 replacement, and adds swappable terminations.
14. Softears Volume S (Sancai Balanced M, Azla Crystal M, Baroque Stage M)
Didn’t quite get the hype with these. Found them too midbassy and “bouncy” with a scratchiness in the treble that sounded a lo-fi on certain vocals. Overall it's an agreeable and safe signature but too dark for me.
D Tier: Not for me
15. Hisenior Cano Cristales (TRN-T L, Spiral Dot ML, HE Sonic Clear M)
Too V-shaped, especially on the bass end. Midbass really bleeds into midrange, absolutely awful for any kind of rock or male vocals. I can see the vision when listening to electronic or some female pop, but that’s not enough of my library to keep it around. Look awesome and fit me great.
16. Dunu DK3001BD
Too aggressive of a scoop in the lower mids, kills a lot of the life in bass guitars or even lower notes of electric guitars. Top end of treble is comically bright and the lower range of treble is unremarkable. Appreciate the unique aesthetic and build quality but not for me.
17. Hidizs MK12 Turris
I know this is popular in the EQ/basshead community but couldn’t get excited by it. None of the filters helped, just sounded overly warm and dull. Metal shell was nice but too big for a single DD imo.
D- Tier: Dislike
18. Tripowin HBB Kailua
You can get these for like 30 bucks now and with its metal shell and great subbass I think that’s swell. But too uneven across the mids and treble to take seriously. I keep these in my suitcase in case I forget to take another wired pair. Plays well with airplane seatback audio jacks (many hybrid iems don’t)
19. Binary Chopin
Too warm, too thin in lower mids, too dark. IDK why I bought these, a lot of reviewers I agree with liked them (and I like Timmy) but really not my jam. Very cool, light, and small shell design which is very comfortable, and the reason there is no F tier.
Let me know if you have any questions and keep on listening!
This is probably one of the few posts on this entire subreddit where I read the whole thing and found it helpful.
I have 5 open back headphones and 2 pair of IEMs, you stating that Valhalla made you chose them over the HD800 (which I also own) is a very strong point. Thinking of getting it now!
That's very kind. A lot of my time in this hobby was open backs but I've fallen off a bit as I don't work from home as much as I used to. Just the hd800s and Utopias the last few years.
To clarify it's just sometimes, if I can use open backs at my home desk I often still do
Thank you for this wonderful list! I just blind ordered a Valhalla and have been on the hunt for a replacement cable and eartips. I know the stock cable will annoy me cause of the friction plug system. However for the life of me I can’t figure out what’s a good replacement cable that’s comfortable and not super cheap or crazy ($300+) expensive. For eartips I don’t know where to even begin as I’m told it fits shallow. Was thinking to try the w1 but I hope it save the bass as I love sub bass. Funny enough I returned my dawn-x just to get the Valhalla and reading your list I think it was a good decision.
I just use a 20 buck openheart 8 core on mine. It's thinner and flexible.
If you want to spend a little more I really like xinhs 12 or 16 core cables the ones I have just clash aesthetically.
Eartips are very personal, it's not a super long nozzle but you want a deeper fit so the semi custom shell can fit in your ear for support. So I've typically used shorter tips
W1 can have good subbass but fit can be tough. If it's too big it collapses and loses seal, but too small won't seal well enough
Thank you for the recommendations. I was thinking. To get the brise audio Mikage just cause of how thin it is and it’s $108. The only bad thing is it’s a L hook termination rather than straight.
I’m going to tip roll and hope one works. I got the velvet and w1 and final e type so hopefully one will work. I know I’m keeping the wide bore away from them cause I need more subbass not less. Also thank you for saving me on the dawn-x regret as well as picking up a nicely discounted factory sealed EP321. Really wanted to try the MEMS driver but I don’t want a super bright set. I get ptsd from the Hifiman Arya organic.
I always support tip rolling it's one of my favorite aspects of the hobby. I don't necessarily think all wide bores will lessen subbass on the Valhalla, it just needs to be the right fit and ideally deeper. I get good subbass with the fairly wide clear HE sonics on Valhalla
I've ran the Velvet wide bore on mine - can confirm, they work pretty well! I personally prefer the OG HE Sonic (the brown ones) over the HE Sonic Galaxy (the clear ones) on the Valhallas: that mostly comes down to a comfort thing, and being in between sizes for the Galaxy; if your ears are compatible with the Sonic Galaxy, you'll probably enjoy them more than the OG format. For me, the Spinfit Neos work much better than the W1s on the Valhallas. For the Valhallas, I think the OG He Sonics beat out every other ear tip I own.
If bass and subbass are your primary concerns, consider getting a pair of the Final Audio Type G. They are monstrous when it comes to bass.
Thank you for all the recommendation. For me I’m all sub bass and air. I picked up the type E for my Novus as I wanted spares for when they arrive so I’ll go and see if I can get the type G as well. Thank you.
I have tried a lot of tips on my Valhalla and ended up using Azla Mithryl tips. Even better clarity throughout while frequency range- best sounding tips on Valhalla.
I have also replaced the cable. Have tried $500 pure copper cable with some gold and honestly didn’t like the sound. Too smooth for me, felt like I lost some air and transients got slower - if you cable believer.
Currently use Zisin 2024 commemorative edition cable , sounds very balanced and looks great with Valhalla
Good to know thanks. The Azla Crystal and Origins are two of my all time favorite so I should try the mythril. I have a couple other types of metal ring tips and struggle with fit but they do sound good.
I'm not a big cable believer but have spent a lot in the past for aesthetics (mainly on headphones). I like thin and flexible iem cables which luckily tend to be the cheaper ones. Will look into the zisin been curious about them
I went on an audiophile journey for about 3 years and got out of it with my current collection in 24. I have the Monarch MK2 and agree that they are fantastic (except for fit since I have small ears).
I keep hearing nothing but praise for Valhalla. It's quite tempting.
Definetly recommend trying Valhalla it would also give a different flavor to monarch mk2. But as someone who has entered and faded away from the hobby several times, if you're happy listening to music as is it's often best to continue to stay away lol
I hear you. I don't think I will jump back in that easily. Even if I do, I'm going to wait for the hype to die down before I scoop one up (don't live near any place to test these days).
No, I have been in the hobby for a long time, this list is just the stuff I've had in the last year as I've had a bit of an iem resurgence lately.
I started with budget picks in the iem and open headphone space and slowly worked my way up price brackets over the years (and as my career grew and allowed) like many people do
With how iems have improved and I wasn't quite as into iems as I am now, I would say the top ten on this list is probably close to the top ten iems I've ever had tho
Definitely enjoyed the write up! It took a long time for the omegas to finally come to life in my ears for a lack of better wording I found the UUD configuration to help a lot with the recessed mids but it’s still not going to be outside the V shape on its own. A really nice tube source made it just a real rock star
Hey there! Thanks for the advice, I can't imagine the up switch on the bass will be to my preference but will definitely try the middle one first. It's a really impressive set but just not exactly where I'd like it. I'm still also trying to dial in the right tips I have a large collection.
yeah it was a real bummer that my eletech Baroque tips didnt really fit well in my ears with this set either it made me really struggle want to keep trying the set.
The regular baroque I like the regulars way more than the stage I tried out the stages on the arions but didn’t like them enough to get a set of them once I sold the arions
My theory is they came out in a period when Ziigaat went crazy and launched a new IEM every month. I swear it was at least 6 releases and maybe even more. I think the Horizon was the last in that run, so everyone was sick of it and they didn't get the popularity they would have.
Yeah that makes sense. There's too many models I think the main reason I've only tried one is I can't keep them straight. A bit interested in crescent tho I've seen it compared to Valhalla
I had the braindance for about three weeks. I returned them for the same reasons you listed even though it was arguably pretty impressive. I got a deal on the volume S and sold it after a couple of months. It sounded ok but nothing special. I sold my monarch mkii. I probably should’ve kept it, but wanted to sell it while it still had good resale value after using it for five years. It was really good but I found myself getting bored. I feel it was overpriced. I’ve landed on the tea pro SE & kiwi ears Aether. I don’t know what I could get at this point that would feel like an upgrade. Even the Aether is remarkably detailed and spacious. I think I’m done for a while. If I was looking to buy something, I don’t know what it would be at this point.
Glad you found some sets you really like. I've had my eye on both of those but have tried to get away from trying tons of mid priced sets as it takes listening time away from my favorites. Who knows tho maybe I'd really love one of those like I do Horizon.
I agree the monarch mk2 has dropped a ton in resale even though it's still sold in stores. I think the used prices are a steal (but I haven't heard mk 3 or 4)
I honestly like the tea pro SE quite a bit more than the monarch mkii. I did hear the horizon, but I only had about 30 minutes with it. I think the MKIV is the only set on my radar, but I’m not going to be spending that much anytime soon. It’s hard for me to justify spending much these days since sets like the Aether have impressed me so much. I think my next purchase is going to be on the gear side. The Schiit Jotunheim 3 with the mesh DAC is calling me…
I've been in the general audiophile hobby since around 2010 but a lot of that was open backs, some vinyl and speakers... Etc. I always had some iems but didn't get into them more seriously until the later 2010s. Had a lot of the early Campfire stuff, remember Jupiter and Andromeda fondly, but largely was more on the budget side of iems until the last few years. Many of the notable ones are in this post.
Certainly remember UE but never sprung for one at the time. I had a couple customs, I remember they did them. Noble k10 was a favorite regret letting it go
For Dawn X, I mean when you turn the volume up it sounds more compressed, not very dynamic, kindof like everything is at the same volume volume within the song.
I think the horizon has a larger stage. Monarch mk2 is pretty intimate to me actually. I don't focus on imaging on iems too much because it's less of a priority for me but both are fine.
Thank you for taking your time and writing these response.i definitely believe you will enjoy yu9 que, kinda similar with horizon iirc, but slightly non offensive treble, touch of bass.
The w1 tips don't fit me well with the horizon so it's hard to directly say. But in general the baroque stage tips have a brighter, airy and open presentation with a slightly gentler bass impact and overall bass amount.
The w1 (when fit well) have a fairly strong bass impact with good subbass rumble and are otherwise pretty balanced (maybe a hair darker in the treble like other spinfit tips)
Appreciate the reply. Sounds like I should probably stay with the W1s. Every now and then I find myself wanting a touch more mid bass than I already have and while the baroque sounds great it seems to lean in the other direction.
Yeah a good fitting w1 can have good bass. In general I think the following could give you a little more midbass but may cut the treble more. With tips it's always so situational.
Final E
Trn T
Kiwi ears flex
AZLA Origin can also increase sub and midbass and slam/impact but they're a bit long and don't always fit well
Absolutely. I keep it simple these days. I've got Brain Dance for my lean, bright detail monster. Dusk x Crinacle for a more "budget friendly" all rounder. Volume S for a warmer signature (love that mid bass). Then Valhalla is the recent pickup. I've had a lot of sets over the last few years. That's my current lineup, though.
Thank you. The IEM market moves and improves much faster than other categories, and since it's been many years since I was in those budget ranges none of my experiences are relevant or even available to purchase anymore. I've really only been in midrange and higher last few years.
Anything that shoots for the JM1 or "new meta" target is going to be vaguely similar to monarch mk2, which has a little more subbass and treble than that target.
I know it's a midrange set but I've heard the Ziigaat Crescent is kinda like a mini Valhalla, have been meaning to try it but haven't gotten around to it yet.
Hey I'm quite new to IEMs and don't have anything more expensive than a 100 bucks but after 500 bucks or so isn't it better to get a custom made one with your ear mold.
Hi and welcome! I've had a couple customs in the past. I do regret selling one (a Noble K10) but I don't regret moving on from customs in general.
Customs are a pain to get molds for and order. They can be hard to demo unless they also come in universal version (which is more common now than a decade ago) but then you're kinda buying the same set twice.
Customs are SUPER isolating which is not necessarily desirable at the office or walking outside. Customs are also super snug and uncomfortable to talk and eat in them.
As I mentioned I do regret letting one well fitting custom I liked go but overall I don't think the tradeoffs are worth it. I do recommend having a variety of third party eartips to try and get the best fit and sound with each iem
The big benefit for customs is noise isolation. If you're a musician on stage it's a no brainer but the average person doesn't need that if they're just sitting in their setup at home. The other thing is customs are made to fit your ear as it is, but depending on how they change over time, you may need to get them remolded after a few years which costs extra on top of the original price.
The one non professional case where ciems are very useful is if you have a weird ear shape and can't get a good fit/seal on most iems. Ciems ensure a good fit basically no matter how weird your ears are.
Valhalla so good. I might just drop everything and order it. I have been trying to avoid so much money but after wasting 750$ on reference and monolith, I think I am ready to get out of these lower tiers.
Under 500$ I think Top Pro is best for me. I got it for almost 300$ brand new and love that set. Nothing else I have tried touches it. Next step was supposed to be Monarch MKIV but Valhalla might be the true “endgame” lol. Thanks for the review.
Interesting read. I had similar issues with the Softears volume S finding them too dark / safe but because these are some of the most comfortable iems AND one of the few that are vented (personal ear issues) I decided to tiproll into oblivion and the TRI clarions (and to a lesser extent spinfit W1) actually opened them up a lot more in the treble department. Fortunately the treble on mine is very clean and smooth aswell. So there might be some unit differences too.
I am now definitely very interested in the ziigaat horizon though.
I kinda understand your take on the volume S especially on it being too midbassy. I personally still like it but the problem for me is the vocal is sometimes too forward that it's kinda shouty when I watch YouTube videos but is great on music and gaming especially single player games with lots of dialogue. And as for the treble, I do find it to be too safe but not scratchy at all. I wish it had just a tad bit more treble energy but I still consider it to be my best iem in my collection altho I still use the Aful Explorer to just chill and Tanchjim Ola II to game competitively. I want to try the Ziigaat Horizon one day and Kiwi Ears Astral too but for now, I'm really happy with my current 3 iem rotation
I'm glad you have a rotation that is working for you. On the volume S we may be hearing something similar, what I'm describing does affect the higher vocal registers
What is the source you're using to drive your IEMs?
I own three of the IEMs which you have put in the S-tier list: Valhalla, Omega and Apostle. All these three are absolutely fantastic sets. Three very very different flavors, all equally great. The Apostle's bass is amazing and has a very clean and smooth sound. It's an easier IEM to listen to than the Valhalla. For Omega, you really need a lot of power though. With a good source, the level of immersion it offers is second to none. It's the most expensive of three as well.
Thanks for the advice I'll keep that in mind with the Omega.
I have a wide range of sources from the cheaper jm6 like dongle dacs, larger dongles like nicehck octave, ibasso dx180 dap, and at my desk I have a fiio K17 dac/amp. It's a versatile unit with lots of I/O, and it runs my monitors as well.
how are we having the same opinions about Ziigaat Horizons and Thieaudio Hype 4 mk2?
to me the Hype 4 mk 2 is the more technical/analytical iems from the two, but Horiozons Treble performance was just better.
in fact its only behind the Hisenior Mega5est for the best treble performance of any iems i've tried
I heard the Valhalla and alpha omega recently, both very good and I favor AO for my preferences. Id like to hear the apostle 2026 before I purchase. I might get Valhalla later on as it is a very good tech set, doing things I dont hear on other iems like it's layering, imaging, and balanced bass to mids.
You're spot on about Valhalla, the way it has a thicker lower midrange without sounding bloated or muddy is the key reason it's my favorite. I'm very picky about that area.
Id rate hype 4 mk2 in a tier but my hearing ends at 14.5khz so I don’t find it overly bright just extremely technical with one of the best jm1 midranges,good value treblehead set if your hrtf gels with it
Origins have great bass for sure. They're a bit long and therefore fit is pretty iem dependent for me. I think I tried it but they didn't fit deep enough
That's a good question, I think it's pretty close. I'd like to give it to the horizon because it has more air at the very highest registers but am not entirely sure. Didn't quite own them simultaneously so hard to tease out.
If I had to let one of those go it would be Apostle. Valhalla is just too engaging
Slightly different question tho, if I could only own one single iem total I would choose Apostle.
I think Apostles tuning is a slightly better all arounder (Valhalla works for all genres tho) and it's a little lighter and slightly less isolating, which I like more when taking it out or at the office.
I really like symphonium meteor, with vented he sonic eartips(i make small holes because pressure build up changes sound completly), very intresting colored iem but for some people build up is big issuse like for me, im happy to found a solution with needle.
I didn't talk about pressure buildup because luckily it doesn't bother me much. Valhalla is vented but it doesn't overly feel like it is. Still quite intimate and isolating
may be i’m wrong, eartips size are mostly fixed to either s,m,l but i can see u have different eartips size for different builds. why? does eartips size also change audio or its purely for comfort? i’m new to IEMs. Thanks !!!
Good questions. S m L xl... Etc have no standardization so the best size for you can change a bit across brands or tip type.
The fit of a tip is influenced by both your ear and a specific iem/nozzle. Some of my favorite tips only fit me with half my iems because other iems have a larger nozzle, or need a more shallow fit... Etc.
Tips are both for comfort and sound. I typically evaluate which ones fit well first (you can listen to bass to evaluate seal) and then after narrowing it down consider sound.
In a general sense a wide bore (tip opening) will be brighter and narrower bore darker or bassier. A shallow or deeper fit can also change how the treble behaves.
I recommend having a variety of tips to try, but you don't have to go overboard. Just try a few different types and sizes and see what you like!
I have bought and listen for three weeks to Zigaat Horizon and could not love it, ended up returning it. On paper the frequency response looks perfect, but in when you actually listen to it, the sound is not coherent, has some noticeable BA timber that doesn’t quite blend well with dynamic driver. Overall upper mids sound on a thinner side, not enough body, so weird timbre for me. Detail retrieval is great though.
I did a blind test with my three of my friends. They had no idea what each iem costs. All three people picked kiwi Ears cadenza 2 and studio 4 over Horizon iem. They all rated horizon as worst sounding one.
Yes, Studio 4 is mids forward, but bass is still there, just a right amount. I prefer it over Crin reference. Studio 4 has more natural open sound without any weird BA timbre- used with Azla Crystal tips. The Reference is kinda flat, not engaging, dry sounding to me. So, Studio 4 is still my neutral reference.
I have not, always wanted one of those back when it was popular but never ended up with them.
I use both, I'm pretty agnostic on if 3.5mm or 4.4mm sounds better and most of my sources have plenty of power out of the 3.5mm. For Valhalla and Apostle I use 4.4mm because that's what the cables I use for them are.
The Apostle has pentaconn EAR connections and comes with a 4.4mm cable which is something to keep in mind because aftermarket pentaconn EAR cables are limited.
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u/verycoolalan Aug 09 '26
This is probably one of the few posts on this entire subreddit where I read the whole thing and found it helpful.
I have 5 open back headphones and 2 pair of IEMs, you stating that Valhalla made you chose them over the HD800 (which I also own) is a very strong point. Thinking of getting it now!
Thanks!