u/EgyptianSong

Hey everyone,

I’m looking to step into the IEM world for the very first time and honestly I’m completely overwhelmed. There are so many models out there and it feels like a massive rabbit hole when you're a beginner.

My budget is around $1500 max. (but would like for my first pair to be < §1000)

I’m looking for warm, immersive, and highly physical. I mostly listen to heavy R&B, modern pop, soul and electronic stuff (Janet Jackson, Kelela, Miguel, Prince, Björk, Beach House...)

I want a heavy sub-bass capable of moving some serious air on modern productions. I love thick note weight and lush, liquid vocals, wrapped in a 3D holographic soundstage. On the flip side, I absolutely hate thin, dry, or analytical tuning, and I have very little tolerance for sibilance or sharp treble when I turn the volume up.

After filtering through a lot of reviews, I’ve narrowed it down to a list that seem to fit the bill:

• FatFreq Scarlet Mini
• Symphonium Titan
• Campfire Audio Bonneville
• 64 Audio Nio
• 64 Audio U4s
• Noble Audio Spartacus
• THIEAUDIO Monarch MKIII
• Penon Turbo
• FatFreq Maestro Mini
• ZiiGaat Doscinco
• Empire Ears Legend X (LX)
• THIEAUDIO Hype 4
• Softears Twilight
• Symphonium Meteor
• Kiwi Ears x HBB Punch
• JVC HA-FW01
• THIEAUDIO Origin
• Meze Advar
• Symphonium Crimson
• Silver Flash CX3-02

Which of these would give me that ultra-creamy, heavy, and enveloping sound without killing my ears with treble? O do you have any other recommendation?

Appreciate any help or comparisons you can throw my way!

I've had the Focal Clear MG for a while now and I love it, the precision, the detail, the openness. But I'm increasingly craving something that hits differently emotionally. I want to be wrapped in the music, not just observing it. My listening is mostly R&B, pop, soul and some rock, EDM and classical.

What I'm after: rich, thick, enveloping sound, warm mids, deep present bass, no treble fatigue. The opposite of dry and analytical.

I've been looking at the Empyrean OG and it seems to tick all the boxes on paper, but I tried the ZMF Atrium (open and closed) and they weren't what I expected them to be. It felt a bit veiled and not really less dry than the Clear MG, which killed my expectations. So now I'm nervous the Empyrean OG might do the same thing. A few specific questions: - Is the Empyrean OG genuinely lush and enveloping or is "warm" overselling it? Would it make a good companion to the Clear MG or do you have another recommendation?

My amp is an Icon Audio HP8 MK2 Signature (tube amp, plenty of power) and my DAC is a ifi ZEN DAC V2, so driving it shouldn't be an issue.

Thanks!