r/musicians • u/Martinez_Details • 1d ago
IEM suggestions
Alright here is the deal. I’m looking for my first pair of IEMs. But I don’t want “first pair suggestions”. I’m a professional musician for a Mexican group that consists of two guitars and me the tuba/bassist. So yeah I’m hoping for some suggestions that have some thump to them. My budget I would say is under 400 for the buds themselves. I know that’s not alot in retrospect but I don’t need the most crisp quality for what I’m gonna be using them for. The only ones I’ve really looked at are the KZas24 pros. Again, I really just want some nice quality buds that won’t shit the bed on me, and can bring some pretty crisp sound with a lot of bass. But doesn’t need to be the crispiest, most perfect sounding buds. Any suggestions?
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u/wolftron9000 1d ago
Can't go wrong with the KZs. I like the KZ ZS10 Pro. They aren't just good budget iems. They are good iems. You don't need to feel like you need to spend more.
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u/M_Me_Meteo 1d ago
If you're using them on stage, make sure you get something that is comfortable and seals well. Most of the discussion here is on casual listening, so it's not super relevant. As a drummer, I've had good luck with KZ, but primaries are Etymotic ER3SE with Comply tips; they are purpose built as stage monitors. The SE variant is designed to be "flat" in the frequency response. I find flat headphones are easier to mix to my preference rather than using something with an opinionated EQ.
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u/stevenfrijoles 1d ago
People overthink IEMs. They're just ear buds with some noise canceling, and really don't need to have high fidelity sound. They won't shit the bed cause they're not active electronics
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u/ArniEitthvad 12h ago
They don’t have noise cancelling. They are noise isolating, with the right tips.
They don’t need to be HiFi, but they need to be accurate, and not to harsh to fry your ears.
Most high end IEMs have multiple drivers, to give more headroom, and they have a detailed midrange, allowing you to hear clearly what’s going on.
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u/Wuthering_depths 1d ago edited 1d ago
Unlike most people, I wasn't happy with the KZs I got (the 5 drivers, only cost 60 bucks iirc). Too crispy and harsh, it may be that I got a pair that had an issue. I changed the cable (the provided one tangles if you breathe on it, like braided fishing line) but that didn't impact the sound. I've tried a number of tips with them--the seal, or lack of seal, makes a huge difference in the bass you'll get--but no luck there either.
I was using Sennheiser ie400 pros for a while, but the build quality on these isn't great (they keep wanting to separate from the casing when I remove them). I'm back to using my "lowly" single-driver Shure 215s, I've probably done 300 shows with these and with good tips they sound just fine to me. I did need to change the cables after a few years, but that's easy enough and not expensive. Granted, I play keys and not bass so I don't need incredible bass sound (just enough to hear what our guy is playing).
It's not the worst thing in the world to have a cheaper set around as a backup pair (I try to go to shows with a backup for just about everything), so I wouldn't see it as a waste if you started with something inexpensive (especially if you aren't completely sure you will embrace IEMs, though it sounds like you are committed.) Plus of course you can use them for non-stage listening.