2022 is about to draw to a close and the IEM scene isn't about to slow down any time soon. On the contrary, it seems like companies have picked up the pace on creating well-tuned, value for money products that are both wallet-friendly and attractive for people looking for quality, portable sound. That said, the number of collaboration units that have been released in 2022 is astonishing. If we just talk about major reviewers and their units, here's a non-exhaustive list:
1. QKZ x HBB Khan (BGGA)
2. Letshuoer EJ07M Kinda Lava (BGGA)
3. Seeaudio Yume Midnight (Crinacle)
4. Tripowin Olina (BGGA)
5. Tripowin Olina SE (BGGA)
6. TRI x HBB Kai (BGGA)
7. Yanyin Mahina (BGGA)
8. Truthear Zero (Crinacle)
9. Salnotes Zero (Crinacle without the branding)
10. Dunu SA6 Ultra (Zeos...?)
11. Letshuoer Z12 (Zeos)
12. Tangzu Heyday (BGGA)
13. 7Hz Dioko (Crinacle)
14. Raptgo Hook X HBB (BGGA)
You get the idea. The collaboration fatigue is real when literally a new product gets announced every month to the point where collaborations no longer feel like a special thing. Don't get me wrong, collaboration products tend to sell better since the community generally trusts reviewers with producing better-tuned sets, and this is indeed true for so many chifi companies which release loads of products only to have half of them become instantly irrelevant due to poor or quirky tuning choices. Going into 2023, this trend is probably going to continue, but I do hope that more reviewers can be involved with collaborations, and create unique products from the ground up rather than adjust a tiny frequency range of existing products and call it a day. Fingers crossed.
Collaborations aside, 2022 has arguably been the year where you no longer need to fork out huge amounts for good tuning, and the market has gotten incredibly competitive that pretty much a new budget killer appears fortnightly. Good for newcomers, horrible for collectors. Much as I question Moondrop's direction of creating products, they're usually the company to introduce a product that alters the market for other companies (e.g. Chu, Quarks DSP, waifus on packaging). From a recent trip to Japan, I was pleasantly surprised at the entry of chifi to the otherwise exclusive world of jp-fi, and it really signaled that chifi is no longer a meme of the past with horrendous quality and tuning, and it will or has already surpassed many older mainstay companies that never really progressed with their development of new products.
Here are some of my predictions for 2023:
- Planar wars will continue, potentially ending up with a true end-game level planar
- Collaborations will continue, with more reviewers involved and with varying price brackets
- DSP technology will improve and appear on more IEM releases, mostly still budget category
- TOTL category will see more additions, and at even more astronomically high price points
- Mid-range category ($250-$500) will see more additions at better price to performance ratios
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| Please can we have Monarch 2 for cheaper please |
Buying Guide for 2022 IEMs
And now, for the buying guide for IEMs released in 2022 based on my experiences and preferences. I will NOT recommend any product that I have not tried, because that'll just be armchair level and really not great for people who require genuine advice. The guide is split according to price point, and only includes IEMs I feel are relevant now. How much I feel an IEM is worth won't be explicitly stated but if they're on the list, then you can somewhat get an idea that the price-performance ratio is alright to me. Also, the prices may vary slightly since there are year end sales nowadays and the discounts are real. As always I feel the need to state that I don't get review units often, and most are either demo units or self-purchased. Special mentions are models that I've heard but personally wouldn't buy, yet seemed to be extremely popular among other people.
Budget Entry Tier (<$50)
1. Salnotes Zero
- Inoffensive neutral tuning with slight improvements in bass response vs Chu
- More detail-oriented at this price point
- Stock tips are horrible, please spend a little more for aftermarket tips
2. Tangzu Wan'er S.G
- More "fun" tuning that leans neutral warm
- Decent bass slam that the Zero lacks
- Trades lower midrange clarity for more emphasis on the low frequencies
- Stock cable is an experience - it makes you not want to use the IEM
Entry Tier (<$100)
1. Tripowin Olina SE
- Cohesive and smooth across all frequencies
- More for music enjoyment over critical listening
- Might not sound exciting to some, and that's the point (refer to turtle)
2. 7Hz Dioko
- Quite the opposite from the Olina SE in terms of tuning direction
- Bass slam and rumble both present in such a budget planar set
- Metallic timbre and treble response not my cup of tea personally
Special mention: Truthear Hexa
- Laid back tuning
- Arguably a Blessing2 with basically less of everything
- I don't like it personally because it really doesn't sound amazing like other people claim, but ymmv
Entering the Triple digit Tier (< $250)
1. Hisenior Mega5p
- Familiar tuning that does not overemphasize upper midrange and treble response
- Natural sounding for instrumentals and vocals
- Lacks some note definition and air
2. Aful Performer 5
- A less conventional mild V-shape that emphasizes more instrumentals than vocals
- Good details, with some treble spice
- Staging is narrow, and imaging isn't the cleanest
3. Seeaudio Yume 2
- Now follows a familiar tuning with better bass texture and treble clarity
- Resolution a step up from the original Yume
- It does not do anything incredible to make heads turn, but it is still a solid IEM
4. 7Hz Timeless AE
- Honestly still one of the best planars to be in the market
- Balanced with bass boost, has some of the best technical performance in this price range
- I don't see a point getting this if you already own the Timeless
5. Thieaudio Elixir
- Purely for people who enjoy lush midrange and organic timbre
- Balance with slight sub and midbass boost, the most natural sounding for strings and horns
- Slower decay speed compared to the abovementioned entries
Midrange Tier (<$500)
1. Yanyin Canon
- Variable tuning that actually works
- High clarity, solid dynamics
- Imaging just alright
2. Xenns Tea 2
- Again, familiar tuning with technical performance like the Canon + better imaging
- Better bass response than the original Tea
- Treble isn't that extended
Pre-4 Digit Hopium Tier (<$1000)
1. Letshuoer EJ07M Kinda Lava
- Laid back warm tuning with good treble extension
- Cohesive, organic, well balanced with good technical performance like staging and clarity
- The IEM driver flexes harder (the entire EJ lineup btw) than the number of collabs that BGGA has
2. Xenns Mangird Top
- Variations but better, especially since male vocals no longer sound dead
- Quality bass slam and rumble, with Variations level of technical performance to boot
- Spicy treble is not for everyone
3. MiM Dark Magician (RV)
- A Dark Magician with more bass impact and treble clarity
- Technical performance is incredible for a single DD
- Some of the midrange magic is traded for overall clarity
4. Yanyin Mahina
- Essentially the Moonlight with a weighty lower end
- Maintains the good technical performance of the moonlight but with a more balanced sound
- Go for this than the Mangird Top if you are treble sensitive
5. Dunu SA6 Ultra
- The poor man's VX
- You get about 85% of the VX's technical performance for about 1/4 the price
- No discount on the BA timbre though
6. AAW ATH
- Variable tuning styles, default is the most natural sounding
- Timbre is surprisingly good, and no sacrifice on the techs
- Stick to the default, the rest are wonkier than Willy Wonka
Can I please call you Daddy Tier ($1000 and above)
1. Thieaudio Monarch 2
- Yes it's $999 but I put it here anyway because it's not fair to the previous category
- Prioritizes timbre over clarity, resulting in very addicting listening sessions for vocal tracks
- Why is shell so darn bulky
- Why is the cable so bulky
2. Elysian Diva
- Vocal and midrange centric set with high clarity
- Max bass setting sounds really off, stick to min bass or default
- Personally my favourite set
- I waited 2 months for mine so good luck with the half-year wait
- It hurts when this is considered a budget offering from Elysian
3. Campfire Supermoon
- 115% of a S12 but at ten times the price
- Currently the best planar IEM I've heard
- The second best thing from CA after the Andromeda
- I might be high but why is the universal more expensive than custom
4. Subtonic Storm
- Hands down the best IEM I've heard
- The closest thing you can get to speakers in IEM form, with incredible staging and clarity
- The only IEM so far to make live recordings sound good
- Requires a mortgage or organ transplant to purchase
Special mention: Symphonium Helios
- Solid tuning that does not emphasize pinna gain, with one of the better BA bass responses
- Honestly really good technical performance and imaging
- Not my cup of tea due to the impressive treble extension
- The fit is also dubious due to the nozzle
Aaaaaaand there you have it, this is my purchase guide for IEMs released in the year 2022. As mentioned, there is a gaping hole to fill in the $250-$500 range, which hopefully does get filled with more tribrids from the price range above. Evidently, this buying guide does not include all the IEMs out there on the market, with very recent additions (e.g. BQEYZ Winter, Tangzu Heyday) which I've not tried yet. Either way, hopefully this list helps with last minute purchase decisions.
Here's to wishing everyone a Happy New Year and happy holidays!
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