IE 100 Pro with IE PRO BT adaptor, Sony EX800ST, FiiO BTR5. I also got a set of MS/M/ML Azla SednaEarfit Crystals and they’ve been my favourite tips so far. Especially because it’s harder to find in-between sizes for me. M right and ML left on the IE 100, MS right and M left with the EX800STs.

I noticed a difference going from an Apple dongle & 2021 MBP headphone jack (which is pretty awesome for a built-in jack) to a FiiO BTR5 on my EX800ST. Punchier and cleaner bass, more texture in the mids.

9 years ago, I had the Sennheiser IE80 and Aurisonics ASG-1, an iPhone 4, and the FiiO E7. Not much difference with the iPhone out and the FiiO, but I tried an ALO Audio The National portable amp - a lot cleaner output, mids got pushed forward, soundstage grew bigger - basically everything sounded bigger and more detailed. It wasn’t $300 worth of a difference, but my broke college ass would have gladly spent $150 for that difference.

Exactly. I was asking one time for recommendations for a pair of neutral IEMs with a budget of $250-500 that is not Etymotic (have the ER2XR, love the sound and price-performance ratio but not the fit) and I got recommended a yet-to-be-released sub-$100 ChiFi IEM.

I got the MDR-EX800ST and I’m not disappointed at all - hoping to upgrade to the IER-M7 or M9 in the future!

UE Reference Remastered for IEMs. Audeze MM-500 for headphones.

Sony EX800ST - purely listening to music. Sony WF-C500 - when I’m on my phone and in bed. Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless - my old daily driver, relegated to home use. Beyerdynamic DT 770 - office use, casual listening, video editing. Etymotic ER2XR - field monitoring. Sennheiser IE 100 Pro w/ IE PRO BT adapter - backup pair for on-the-go use.

I actually use the EX800ST as a daily driver with the FiiO BTR5. I don’t mind not being completely isolated. Makes me less anxious.