I got new IEMs today
I stumbled upon these on a local used goods marketplace, but they were a new and still sealed, $20 which seems to be the going price on other online stores. Looked online for reviews, found a few on this subreddit. Others seem to like them, even more than other more expensive IEMs they have. I decided - why not? They arrived today and indeed the box and the contents were factory sealed. Nice.
I want to point out that the only other IEMs I had until now were a pair of KZ EDX Pro X which I bought two years ago for like $1.50 with some welcome deal on Temu. I expected these to be better, or in a worst case on the same level sound quality wise.
First immediate impressions: Box looks nice and definitely more premium compared to KZ packaging. I opened the lid - damn, these are tiny! That's cool, they're very shiny, if you're into that. The cable feels nice, I like it, maybe a bit on the thin side, I think I definitely have to be careful with it. Ear tips are nice, they feel tacky and indeed no problems with getting a good seal and staying in place. Jack is 90 degrees angled, which I personally don't prefer, but whatever. With the thin and light cable and small shell size I think they're great for easily carrying around, they don't feel like the "workhorse" studio equipment type.
Ok, but how do they sound, is this going to be an upgrade from the KZs? I plug in. Immediately I notice the cymbals just hit different, like more... sparkly? Not sure how to describe them yet but there's something I like in there. But something feels off. Maybe I'm just used to my old IEMs, lets give them some time. I listen to two whole tracks. Ok, something's off. Switch back to the KZs and do some A/B testing. Yeah, the KZ EDX Pro X definitely has more clarity and fullness. The mids are better the bass feels tighter. I am kinda bummed out. I wanted these to sound as great as they look and feel. But then I think - $20 bro. Maybe I expect too much.
Ok, I have to go outside, now's the time to test if burn-in (or break-in?) is a real thing. I put the music on and leave. I still think about them while I'm outside, I somehow like them and yet dislike them. I'm confused. I'll definitely give them more time. I listen to another few tracks later, yeah, these definitely aren't bad. Worth the price, in my opinion. Probably not the best sounding though, but feel a lot more expensive than they are.
What is your experience with them? Are my ears deceiving me?
Posted Nov 14, 2025, 1:48 PM UTC