Best iem or headphones under 2000?

[GenZphile]

I am tight on a budget and an looking for iems or headphones or earphones under 2000 to go with my ipod classic. Please recommend me some!

 

[Passive_audio_enthusiast]

internet says 7hz salnotes zero!

 

[ZzZzZ]

I am tight on a budget and an looking for iems or headphones or earphones under 2000 to go with my ipod classic. Please recommend me some!

Try CCA CRA.

 

[rraghuram]

Rocking the Salnotes Zero with iPod Classic 160gb Here. Very, very good sound! The first budget Chinese IEM I feel is worth the money, amidst an ocean of trash! Solid build quality and sound with a kickass braided cable. For context I also own the Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X, Audio Technical ATH M50X, Bose NC700 and the Salnotes is no slouch.

Also look at Truthear Zero, Truthear Hexa in the budget line.

Upping the budget takes you to
Dunu Titan S
Moondrop Aria
Tin hifi T3 Plus

in that order…

 

[ZzZzZ]

Salnotes Zero for brightish neutral tuning and CRA CRA for "V" shaped tuning.
Zero is also available in direct type c connector ending cable so could be used directly with type c connector mobiles.

 

[ZzZzZ]

Rocking the Salnotes Zero with iPod Classic 160gb Here. Very, very good sound! The first budget Chinese IEM I feel is worth the money, amidst an ocean of trash! Solid build quality and sound with a kickass braided cable. For context I also own the Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X, Audio Technical ATH M50X, Bose NC700 and the Salnotes is no slouch.

Also look at Truthear Zero, Truthear Hexa in the budget line.

Upping the budget takes you to
Dunu Titan S
Moondrop Aria
Tin hifi T3 Plus

in that order…

Why so closed back ?

 

[rraghuram]

Why so closed back ?

ah! The M50x was a gift, Bose NC700 was bought for my partner, she allows me to use it sometimes ! The DT 700 Pro X was the only impulse purchase of the lot. If I could turn the clock back, I would have bought the DT 900 Pro X semi-open back. Not that there is anything wrong with the DT 700 Pro X. It is fantastic, better than any budget to midrange closed backs I’ve tried so far. I enjoy it a lot. Just that I had the opportunity to buy an open back and I chose to buy a closed back! Shit happens! Such is life ‍♂.

The Salnotes was bought for use while cycling/hiking/travelling which I often do.

 

[ZzZzZ]

ah! The M50x was a gift, Bose NC700 was bought for my partner, she allows me to use it sometimes ! The DT 700 Pro X was the only impulse purchase of the lot. If I could turn the clock back, I would have bought the DT 900 Pro X semi-open back. Not that there is anything wrong with the DT 700 Pro X. It is fantastic, better than any budget to midrange closed backs I’ve tried so far. I enjoy it a lot. Just that I had the opportunity to buy an open back and I chose to buy a closed back! Shit happens! Such is life ‍♂.

The Salnotes was bought for use while cycling/hiking/travelling which I often do.

I too have a DT700 PRO X along with other cans, it's best closed back in 25k budget

 

[ZzZzZ]

@rraghuram do you have the usb c version of Salnotes Zero?

 

[rraghuram]

Naah man, I have the 3.5mm version. Didn't know they did USB-C when I bought it. I didn't research the versions thoroughly, I got the iem just a day before I was due to leave for a hiking trip! Hmm... I might get the USB-C version just in case.

While I am at it, I might also get the Truthear Hexa & the DT 900 Pro X just for kicks . Down the rabbit hole I go, where there is no bottom!

 

[TheSeeker]

i recently bought the salnotes zero off of a forum & after initial few seconds of plugging them in & thinking "bah! what did i buy! money wasted!", i realized their brilliance only after replacing the eartips to another, appropriate size !
would concur with others' opinion here about it. funnily i watched/read its reviews AFTER i had purchased them (for the same use-case as of @rraghuram), and then felt even more glad about it!

 

[ZzZzZ]

Naah man, I have the 3.5mm version. Didn't know they did USB-C when I bought it. I didn't research the versions thoroughly, I got the iem just a day before I was due to leave for a hiking trip! Hmm... I might get the USB-C version just in case.

While I am at it, I might also get the Truthear Hexa & the DT 900 Pro X just for kicks . Down the rabbit hole I go, where there is no bottom!

From whatever little knowledge i have gained in hi-fi world, i feel headfi is relatively easier & cheaper to enjoy, for similar quality of music as compared to hi-fi 2 channel world.

 

[rraghuram]

From whatever little knowledge i have gained in hi-fi world, i feel headfi is relatively easier & cheaper to enjoy, for similar quality of music as compared to hi-fi 2 channel world.

Absolutely dost! Having experienced both sides of the coin, I agree. Headfi takes the room acoustics, and to some extent, speaker placement out of the equation!

 

[rraghuram]

i recently bought the salnotes zero off of a forum & after initial few seconds of plugging them in & thinking "bah! what did i buy! money wasted!", i realized their brilliance only after replacing the eartips to another, appropriate size !
would concur with others' opinion here about it. funnily i watched/read its reviews AFTER i had purchased them (for the same use-case as of @rraghuram), and then felt even more glad about it!

Agree. You gotta change the ear tips to realise how good they are. 1st budget Chifi iem that gets tonality & timbre right for me. Mostly they throw a bunch of curves at the wall and see what sticks, and then manufacture the hell out of it. No wonder they break so easily. This one is still singing, fingers X :-D

 

[TheSeeker]

No wonder they break so easily. This one is still singing, fingers X :-D

some (not me) would disagree with this point, as i know a few people whose sole purpose behind ditching the regular in-ear earphones from even the likes of sony, jbl etc., and to explore the world of (detachable-cable) IEMs & stick to them was/is the latter's durability-factor (they vouch for it!) against the former's, which tend to usually break down in every few months of purchase and usage (the sub-1k ones especially).

 

[rraghuram]

I too have a DT700 PRO X along with other cans, it's best closed back in 25k budget

@ZzZzZ - What has been your experience with it like? I mean we agree that it is a good set of cans. Specifically anything that stood out for you?

I read a review (can't find the link now) which said the DT 900 Pro X is a little more coherent and 'together' while the DT 700 Pro X has bit more bass. No right or wrong - just different preferences and associated choices

 

[rraghuram]

some (not me) would disagree with this point, as i know a few people whose sole purpose behind ditching the regular in-ear earphones from even the likes of sony, jbl etc., and to explore the world of (detachable-cable) IEMs & stick to them was/is the latter's durability-factor (they vouch for it!) against the former's, which tend to usually break down in every few months of purchase and usage (the sub-1k ones especially).

We agree to disagree :-D

 

[ZzZzZ]

@ZzZzZ - What has been your experience with it like? I mean we agree that it is a good set of cans. Specifically anything that stood out for you?

I read a review (can't find the link now) which said the DT 900 Pro X is a little more coherent and 'together' while the DT 700 Pro X has bit more bass. No right or wrong - just different preferences and associated choices

I couldn't find any other closed back in the range of 25k which could beat beyerdyanmic DT700 PROX in musicality, the treble peak in DT770 series were ear piercing for me, while Audiotechnica M50x and Sony MDR-7506 were too analytical for me, Meze classic/Neo 99 were too warm for my taste. But when it comes to open backs vs closed backs i would any day pick my hfm Sundara or Audiotechnica ATH R70X over any closed back in this price range for their sheer musicality, basically if you could manage to find a peaceful corner without much ambient noise in your home for enjoying music, open back headphones are the way to go, but if ambient noises are present then, the isolation offered by closed backs is unparalleled, so you could listen to music even in little noisy situations. Both of them have their own use case scenario, but i would suggest you to check out Hifiman or Audiotechnica or Sennheiser openbacks in similar price range before buying DT900 PRO X.

 

[deep_blues]

Agree. You gotta change the ear tips to realise how good they are. 1st budget Chifi iem that gets tonality & timbre right for me. Mostly they throw a bunch of curves at the wall and see what sticks, and then manufacture the hell out of it. No wonder they break so easily. This one is still singing, fingers X :-D

Planning to get the type c version of this. Which eartips do you recommend?

 

[rraghuram]

Planning to get the type c version of this. Which eartips do you recommend?

Funnily enough, I experimented with generic tips from other iems I have and they work fine. Silicone tips from old "Rock Zircon" iem seem to work ok. If you want to go pro then Spinfit for silicone tips.

I would do this - use the included tips first to see how it goes for you.