I get that IEMs are a great option under a 150 bucks and also convenient for traveling, I own two pairs myself and they are decent. But I’ve tried two open back headphones now and they both eclipse the IEMs in a way that can definitely not be replicated by IEMs. The sound is really “outside your head” and airy, whereas IEMs sound exactly like you’d expect them to sound. Often they can’t even get omnidirectional imaging right and have blobs, and soundstage is very constrained.

So, why are there people spending tons of money on ©hifi IEMs when they only listen to them at home anyways?

  • TanachipBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    I don’t disagree with you. But as an owner of both the Focal Clear og and Sony IER M9, I still find myself reaching for the M9 even when at home.

  • Rhinemann_UltraBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    I guess it’s about preference. I don’t think iems are inferior at all. I actually prefer my Noble K10U over my HD800.

  • nelisteBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    My i4 sounds better and more open than most headphone I tried.
    But then I use speaker at home anyway when I want the actual “outside my head” experience, so really no place for headphone for me.

    Did purchased grado though for office, mostly just for call meetings.

  • TURBO_SCROTUMBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Only place I can use an open back headphone is at home, and I dont even like them there because my neighbors are noisy. IEMs I can use anywhere.

    Plus, this post reads to me like you havent tried a TOTL IEM. I’ve tried a bunch of TOTL IEMS back to back with open and closed back TOTL headphones, and the IEMs were just as good. Better even in some aspects like detail.