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There is no question that the wireless earbud category has taken a huge slice out of the market and relegated wired earbuds to two very distinct options; affordable entry-level models that consumers use in a pinch at the gym or on the train, or high-end models aimed at the Head-Fi crowd who still put a lot of value in sound quality and are willing to pay for it.
As a result, it is a rather difficult task to select the Best In-Ear Monitors (IEMs) because there are so many to consider and evaluate.
There are also a wide selection of IEMs that never make it to North America and unless you are willing to order them from an online store in Hong Kong, Singapore, or Japan — you are unlikely to see them here. Your local Head-Fi event or one of the regional CanJam events in NYC, Orange County, Dallas, or Chicago are your best opportunity to try them.
Many of the best IEMs fall into the CIEM (Custom) category and whilst we are big fans of those products — they require having impressions done and the wait time really depends on how busy the manufacturer is and the complexity of what you are ordering.
For that reason, we are limiting our choices to universal IEMs to help level the playing field.
Methodology
Eligible products must be currently shipping whether or not they were released in the current year. At least one eCoustics staff member must nominate a product within the category that they feel offers best-in-class performance at its listed retail price before it can be voted on by our Editors.
Best IEM Under $100
Final VR3000 ($79)
Final offers so many IEMs, it’s hard to find one that really stands out below $200, but we think the Final VR3000 has too many good features to let it languish in the endless sea of affordable IEMs that you may never hear or read about.
The VR3000 is being marketed as a gaming IEM with a built-in mic, but we think its rather even tonal balance, clarity, and durability make it a good option for those looking for an affordable wired IEM that they can use whilst commuting or just working at a local cafe and using an inexpensive Dongle DAC. These are a really good value for the money.
Pros:
- Same drivers as more expensive models
- Excellent value for the money
- Solid sonic performance
- Supplied ear tips make it easy to find a good fit
- Built-in mic for gaming and phone calls
Cons:
- Fixed cable
- Limited accessories aside from the ear tips
Where to buy: $79 at Amazon
Best IEM Under $1,000
Campfire Audio Supermoon ($899)
The Supermoon was $1,299 (USD) at launch and a very impressive offering from the U.S. manufacturer. We have covered and reviewed a number of their products over the past 4 years and they deliver solid performance and build quality for the money.
Not only are these well made, but they offer a rather accurate and pleasing tonal balance, combined with excellent speed and a surprising degree of bass impact from a universal IEM with planar magnetic drivers.
Campfire recently dropped the price by $400 making them a much better deal; even though $899 is still on the pricey side for IEMs.
Pros:
- Engaging sound without departing dramatically from neutral tuning
- Great transient speed and clarity
- Larger soundstage than expected in a closed back IEM
- Strong bass impact from a planar magnetic driver
Cons:
- A little bright in the upper mids/lower treble
- Cable quality does not match high build quality of the earpieces
- $899 is still a lot of money for universal IEMs
Where to buy: $899 at Campfire Audio | Amazon
Best Cost-no-object IEM
Noble Audio Ronin ($3,900)
$4,000 is a huge amount of money for any headphone or IEM and it would make greater sense to invest that amount in something like the Meze Audio Empyrean II or something from Audeze or Dan Clark Audio which are state-of-the-art headphones, but there is a specific type of listener who desires a 12 driver model that is a fully CNC machined, handcrafted resin matrix IEM.
Noble’s proprietary blue glitter resin matrix complements a rather expensive Eletech’s custom-designed 7-wire shielded copper-silver matrix cable specifically designed for the Ronin.
The driver selection is also unique and it should be for the asking price. Its 5-way crossover consists of:
- (4) Sonion Balanced Armature Drivers (sub bass/mid bass)
- (4) Knowles Balanced Armature Drivers (mid/high range)
- (4) Electrostatic Sonion drivers (high/super high range)
The tonal balance is certainly not on the warmer side and those who demand accuracy and presence will be rather pleased with the overall tuning. The electrostatic Sonion drivers deliver a somewhat bright presentation with a rather airy treble range, but it never becomes fatiguing.
The bass range is definitely more accurate than impactful, but the trade-off is a well defined low end that is clear, detailed, and very quick. One can certainly alter the overall tonal balance with a DAP like the Astell&Kern SP3000T that earned our Editors’ Choice Award in 2024.
Pros:
- Extremely clean, detailed sound
- Reference level sound quality and resolution
- Superior upper midrange and treble performance that never becomes fatiguing
Cons:
- Lacks some impact in the bass range compared to dynamic driver models
- Requires high-end DAP or smartphone with Dongle DAC to even make sense
- $4,000 price tag
Where to buy: $3,900 at Headphones.com
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