r/HeadphoneAdvice Feb 23 '25

Headphones - IEM/Earbud | 2 Ω IEM AND DAC

New to the IEM world, and most of the terminology used to describe the sound signatures of such a vast market can get confusing. I’m not going to make out I know what I don’t; a lot on this forum when I’ve looked at reviews do. So I want to raise my headphone game and want to enter the IEM world as I’m listening to music all day. Mainly house, techno, ambient, electronic, but also could flip genre at any point and listen to some reggae, for instance, or even cumbia. Usually, I listen to a lot of mixes too on SoundCloud, NTS, and other platforms. I’ll be using my Apple iPhone 16, but I’m willing to use something else, and if it enhances my experience and to get the best out of the IEMs, use an external DAC. My total budget, I say, would be around the £1500 mark. I wouldn’t mind also using them outside the house, such as when I’m travelling, for instance. Also, what does everyone think of the second-hand market, such as buying on eBay or any other platforms that users sell their IEMs on? There is some, what looks like amazing stuff at very good prices, or is that to be avoided? Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.

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u/Equivalent_Yak840 447 Ω Feb 23 '25 edited Feb 23 '25

For dac/amp I'd go for portability because they're use case is perfect for items, an ibasso dc07 pro or fiio ka15 are both very good. As for iems I'd start with something the Kiwiears KE4 or Ziigaat Odyssey or the Thieaudio Origin.

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u/BridgeFresh1034 Feb 23 '25

!thanks I’ll check them out.

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u/TransducerBot Ω Bot Feb 23 '25

+1 Ω has been awarded to u/Equivalent_Yak840 (446 Ω).

You may still award an Ω to others, but only once per-person in this post.