Video summary

The ULTIMATE BUDGET TIERLIST (NEW & OLD 70+ IEMS RANKED/SPEEDRUN)

Main summary

Key takeaways

Product Review

Product/Category Reviewed

A budget IEM tier list + speedrun ranking many in-ear monitors priced ~$50 and under (including some older models). The review is primarily opinion-based, with frequent verdicts like “wreck / rec / pass / wait for sale” tied to perceived value.

Key Features / Common Themes Mentioned

  • Sound signature focus, including:
    • Bass-heavy all-rounders
    • Clean/neutral tunings
    • Vocal-centric tuning
    • V-shape / V-U-shaped tunings
    • Warm/dark vs bright/sparkly
  • Technical performance at budget prices, such as:
    • Layering and imaging
    • Resolution/detail
    • Treble refinement/smoothness
    • Low-end texture/slam
  • Accessories included (tips/nozzles/EQ/DSP), along with:
    • Build quality/plating
    • Packaging
  • Recurring watch outs:
    • QC/longevity risk, especially discussed for KZ/CCA and older KZ models
    • Thin low end or shoutiness/brightness depending on tuning
    • Some units may show higher-frequency sharpness (possible unit variance)

Main Recommendations (Best Value / Top Tier)

“Top tier” highlights (often ~under $20–$50, especially on sale)

  • Tangzu Wan’er Z1 Base
    • “Top tier” accessory-wise; “best under $20”
    • Bass all-rounder with vocal and treble extension
    • Described as a “no-brainer”
  • Tanchjim Zero Optimus (+ Bunny DSP / 3.5 variant)
    • “Top tier” under ~$20 on sale
    • “Shocking” treble refinement
    • Very comfortable, bullet-style fit
    • DSP adds a lot of EQ variety
  • 7Hz Aloa Ultra
    • “Top tier”
    • Slight V-shape; very technical around $20
    • Cheaper alternative to the Defiance
  • Clean SVs
    • “Top tier” value around $35–$40 (and $35 on sale)
    • Versatile, balanced/smoother highs
    • Nozzle variety
    • Similar technical level to Condenser 2
  • Tangem Ola 2 (with T500B tips referenced)
    • Very good all-rounder
    • “Treble like a $100 IEM”
    • Smooth/refined/technical for the price
    • Versatile; “gets a wreck”
  • Kiwi Ears Cadenza 2
    • Clean, balanced, very detailed
    • Strong for vocals and instrument layering
    • Around $40
    • “Gets a wreck,” but with cautions:
      • Thin/tame bass
      • Possible treble sharpness depending on unit
  • Tangzu Four U
    • “Top tier depending on sale price”
    • Top tier if < $50
    • “Wreck” if ~$55–$60
    • Smooth/natural/full sound with refined treble
    • Neutral-to-warm versatile tuning + nozzle options
  • Moondrop Chu 2
    • Slightly better than “Gate/Chu 2” style all-rounders due to smoother treble and improved build
    • Placed slightly above the Gate

Solid “Rec / Good Value” Picks

  • Moondrop Mari Gold (DSP mics)
    • Recommended for calls/meetings due to good mic quality and comfy fit
    • Sound quality is “fine,” but less technical—best treated as a sound-sale pick if buying for audio
  • Kinera Ignit XB
    • Vocal-leaning upper mids; good for gaming
    • Technical/clean
    • May be shouty for rock or low-end heavy tracks
  • EPZ Q1 Pro
    • Similar to Ignit XB but smoother
    • Very clear/vocal-centric with good imaging
    • Could lack low-end “kicking”
  • Truthear GATE
    • Versatile budget all-rounder around $15 on sale
    • “Does the job,” “wreck” for ~$15–$20
  • KBEAR Clean OGs
    • “Rec” (near top of rec)
    • Slightly behind Clean SVs due to technical performance
    • Warmer/smoother laid-back bass all-rounder
    • Uses tuning nozzles for more V-shape
  • Tripowin ZV S
    • “Rec”
    • Similar to Rhombus but bassier and less vocal-centric
    • Good around $25–$30
  • 7Hz Crinacle Zero Bluetooth (with ohm adapter)
    • Recommended specifically as a bass headset
    • Stock is overly bright/shouty
    • Recommendation changes based on use case
  • DUNU Titan S
    • Not recommended (pass)
    • Major tuning flaw: missing range 4–8K
  • Sennheiser IE 100 (older “P” version)
    • “Top tier” for budget vocals (~$20)
    • Vocal clarity praised as standout
  • Sennheiser IE 200
    • “Wreck” for a bright-leaning all-rounder with imaging
    • Not top tier like it was years ago, but still strong

Notable Comparisons (How Models Are Positioned)

  • Tangem Ola 2 vs $100 IEM feel
    • Treble refinement described as “like a $100 IEM” (for budget)
  • Kiwi Ears Chorus vs Bellies
    • Essentially the same; Bellies is Chorus without an open-back vent
    • AB testing hard to tell difference
    • Chorus slightly more airy/resolving (~1–2%)
  • Kinera Lore vs Chu 2s/Gate
    • Same bassy all-rounder family
    • Lore has more low-end impact/quantity and slightly smoother vocals
  • Moondrop LAN vs LAN 2
    • Original LAN better value and better tuned “in my opinion”
    • LAN 2 slightly better technically but LAN gets “wreck,” while LAN 2 goes in the “sale tier”
  • 7Hz Timeless 02 vs GK Contender
    • Essentially the same sound
    • Contender cheaper repackaging but QC horror stories
    • Contender = bottom wreck; 02s should be waited on sale
  • Tangzu Wan’er Studios vs Wan’er 2/Qs, original Wan’er
    • Studios: cleaner/less bass version of the 102/Waner family, with packaging/accessories
    • Original Wan’er: more vocal-centric 102-class but fewer accessories
    • Harmonic Empire “Ta Wan Ji”: higher volume version, needs enough juice, less resolving than Studios/102

Cons / Common Drawbacks Mentioned

  • QC and longevity concerns
    • Newer KZ/CCA
      • Mostly “solid sound,” but placed low due to QC/history of suspicious longevity risk
    • Older KZ (past ~3 years)
      • Strongly discouraged—“hard pass”
  • Tuning flaws
    • DUNU Titan S
      • Huge missing range 4–8K
      • Harmed vocals/clarity/detail
      • Timbre described as hollow/woody
    • Sets with too much brightness/shoutiness
      • Example: stock 7Hz Crinacle Zero Bluetooth
      • Also older 7Hz Zeros and T10s treble “sizzle”
      • TinHiX comparison implied Ru is worse
    • Thin/tame low-end or high sharpness
      • Example: Cadenza 2’s thin/tame bass and possible unit-specific high sharpness
  • Price/value mismatch
    • Some models are good but require “wait for sale” because retail pricing is too high (examples referenced include Moondrop LAN 2, Mari Gold for sound-only, Droplet/Jiu, Tangzu Shuoer Tao, and higher priced Letshuoer models unless discounted)
  • Overpriced accessory/build without matching sound value
    • Some build/plating-focused sets criticized for not delivering technical sound value (examples referenced include certain SCA variants, Kinera Wren Abyss Remaster, and CVJ lineup)

Clear Verdict Tiers (as stated)

Top tier (especially on sale / strong value)

  • Tangzu Wan’er Z1 Base
  • Tangem Ola 2 / (also T500B tips referenced)
  • Clean SVs
  • Tanchjim Zero Optimus / Bunny DSP variant
  • 7Hz Aloa Ultra
  • Tangzu Four U (if < $50)
  • IE 100 P (vocal budget king)
  • Moondrop Chu 2 (slightly above Gate)

Wreck (strong recommend)

  • Many bassy all-rounders and value picks (examples referenced: Z Cat Rhombus, Tangzu Lore, Kiwi Cadenza 2, Tangzu Wan’er Z1 Base)
  • Conditional wrecks:
    • Tangzu Four U depends on sale price
    • Contender depends on QC

Rec (good but not top)

  • Kinera Ignit XB, EPZ Q1 Pro, Truthear GATE (wreck when on sale), KBEAR Clean OGs, Tripowin ZV S, etc.

Wait for sale / price too high

  • Tangzu Shuoer Tao
  • Moondrop LAN 2
  • Moondrop Mari Gold (for sound-only buyers)
  • Various Tangzu/Letshuoer/EarKusik/SCA/older KZ models where discount changes the value

Pass / skip

  • DUNU Titan S
  • Older KZ (past ~3 years)
  • CVJ lineup (bad/quirky tuning)
  • Kinera Celest Ru (intentionally very bad per speaker)
  • Kinera Celest Solos (even discounted: still overpriced)
  • 10HiFi T2s / DLC/Evil (described as horrible tonally)

Specific “Unique Points” Mentioned (List of all distinct product-related claims)

Newer budget picks (~$50 or under)

  • Z Cat Rhombus
    • Bass all-rounder
    • Similar to EDX 300
    • Smoother with stock white tips
    • Less resolution/detail than EDX 300
  • Tangem Ola 2
    • Versatile balanced all-rounder
    • Treble “like $100 IEM”
    • Smooth/refined/technical at price
    • Uses T500B tips
    • “Gets a wreck”
  • Kinera Lore
    • Bass all-rounder
    • Similar to Chu 2s and Gate
    • More low-end impact/quantity
    • Smoother vocals
    • More treble detail than siblings
  • Kiwi Ears Cadenza 2
    • Clean/balanced
    • Good vocals, layering, detail
    • Can be thin/tame in low-end
    • Possible unit-specific treble sharpness
  • Kiwi Ears Chorus vs Bellies
    • Nearly identical
    • Bellies lacks open-back vent
    • Chorus slightly airier and ~1–2% more resolving
    • Bellies: warm bassy smooth, non-fatiguing, good male vocals
  • Clean SVs
    • Top value
    • Nozzle variety
    • Technical on par with Condensa II
    • Slightly more balanced/smoother highs
    • Good for vocals and instrumentals
  • Tangzu Wan’er Z1 Base
    • Top tier under $20
    • Best accessories (per the notes)
    • Bass all-rounder with slam
    • Fun/smooth with vocal and treble extension
    • Compared as a better version than “Zero Twos”

New KZ / CCA segments and older KZ

  • Newer KZ models
    • Generally solid sound/value and smooth tuning
    • Main problem: QC/longevity, placed bottom due to KZ brand history
  • CCA models
    • Tuned pretty well; QC slightly better than KZ
    • Still bottom tier due to brand QC risk
  • Older KZ
    • Past ~3 years: hard pass due to QC and tuning issues

Criticisms / hard passes

  • DUNU Titan S
    • Missing 4–8K, harming vocals/clarity/detail
    • Hollow/woody timbre
    • Not worth it vs cheaper alternatives (Wan’er Z base referenced)
  • Tangzu Shuoer Tao
    • Solid, but too expensive for its technical level
    • Wait for ~$20–$25
  • T10s
    • Bright-leaning, super treble detail
    • Can be sizzly/hot
  • 10HiFi T2 (blue earbuds)
    • “Absolutely horrible tonally”
    • Unnatural timbre; overly bright/peaky
    • Highly pass
  • Kinera Celest Ru
    • Intentionally “very bad” tuning
    • Huge upper-mid and treble darkness gap
    • Details gone; skip
  • TinHiX mention
    • Ru compared as worse than TinHiX sound-wise (implied skip)
  • Kinera Celest Solos
    • Crossover/driver doesn’t work
    • Overpriced; “maybe” only with heavy sale, otherwise pass
  • CVJ anime-plated models
    • Quirky tuning in a bad way; not refined
    • Pass for sound

Wireless / EQ / DSP

  • 7Hz Crinacle Zero Bluetooth
    • Stock: overly bright/shouty
    • With ohm adapter: can serve bass-head use
    • Recommended only for a bass setup
  • Bunny DSP / Tanchjim Zero Optimus
    • DSP provides EQ variety
    • Often affordable on sale

Mid-tier / older-but-still-considered

  • Tangzu Wan’er 2
    • Cleaner/less bass than “102 base”
    • Clean balanced vocal mids
    • Strong accessories; no-brainer-tier like 102 base
  • Tangzu Wan’er Studios + original Wan’er
    • Studios: cleaner “even cleaner version of 102,” neutral smoother monitor-like, better accessories/packaging
    • Original Wan’er: more vocal-centric 102 version but fewer accessories
  • Harmonic Empire Ta Wan Ji
    • Higher volume of Studios
    • Less resolving/detail; needs enough juice
    • Step down in technical texture
  • Tangzu Yu Xuan Er Ji
    • Unique airy/smooth/clean laid-back tuning
    • Solid build/accessories
    • Not a “value monster” like EW100 but still good; wreck tier
  • Truthear GATE
    • Versatile around $15 on sale
    • Natural/smooth/technical enough; wreck
  • Moondrop LAN (original)
    • Better value and tuned better than LAN 2 (though LAN 2 slightly better technically)
  • May / Moondrop SP/3.5
    • Too expensive at stock retail
    • OK only if ~$50 or less; wait
  • Moondrop Droplet & Jiu
    • Good but high price
    • Jiu: upper mids shouty
    • Droplet: diffuse-field-like
    • Wait for sale
  • Letshuoer DZ4 / E20 / DZ02
    • DZ4: good clean high-scaling vocal-centric; on sale recommended
    • E20: neutral/slightly bright; good for EQ; mini Deuce with EQ
    • DZ02: cheaper mini DZ4 with worse technical performance/bass texture; recommend only on sale ($20–$25)

OD (older Dynac / old “OD stuff”)

  • OD T10s
    • Top tier if ~$50
    • Wreck if ~$60–$70
    • Bright and technical
  • OD R1/R2/R3
    • Value picks with tonal preference differences:
      • R1: bassier/smoother
      • R2: cleaner/balanced/smoother
      • R3: V-shape, less refined, cheapest
  • Original Chu 2
    • Slightly better than Gate due to build and smoother treble

Other value clusters

  • KBEAR Delcies
    • Warm/bassy
    • Sale category because alternatives exist with similar performance (Bellay, Wan’er 2 base)
  • In Awakened Dawn MS
    • Bassy warm low-end; great bass texture and slam
    • Male vocals still pop
    • Comfy; improved Wan’er 2 base
  • Rosefinch
    • Basshead wreck; huge bass for $20
    • Compared against Zero 2 + ohm adapter
  • Ziga Nuos
    • Wreck; all-rounder slightly more upper-mid focused than Gates/Chu2 family
  • Tripowin ZV S
    • Bassier, less vocal-centric mini Rumba; recommend around $25–$30
  • SCA / KBEAR “A” series / SCA SPA variants
    • Overpriced; wait for ~$35
  • Wren Abyss Remaster / Chain Pros
    • Sounds fine; very pretty plating
    • Value not competitive at ~$35 due to premium for plating
    • Wait for closer to ~$25–$20

Overall Pros / Cons (Condensed)

Pros

  • Great variety of tuning styles in-budget (bass, neutral-clean, vocal-centric, V-shape).
  • Many models deliver surprisingly strong technical performance for the price (especially when discounted).
  • Accessories/nozzle/DSP value is a major positive on several top picks.

Cons

  • QC/longevity risk is a recurring downside for KZ/CCA, especially for older models.
  • Several “good sound” IEMs are only worth it when on sale (retail pricing often too high).
  • Some models suffer from tuning extremes (missing 4–8K, overly bright stock tuning, shouty upper-mids).

Overall Recommendation (Verdict)

For most buyers under ~$50, the video’s strongest go-to picks (especially on sale) are:

  • Tanchjim Zero Optimus / DSP variant
  • Tangzu Wan’er Z1 Base
  • Clean SVs
  • Tangem Ola 2
  • Kiwi Ears Cadenza 2 (if you can tolerate thinner low-end and possibly sharp highs)
  • IE 100 P (if your priority is vocal clarity)

Avoid or skip:

  • DUNU Titan S (major tuning flaw)
  • Older KZ (past ~3 years)
  • Ru/Celest Ru and the worst older/quirky tunings (e.g., CVJ bad tuning; 10HiFi T2s)

Speaker/Spokesperson Views (End Notes)

Only one main speaker is present in the subtitles (the reviewer doing the ranking). No separate speakers contribute different viewpoints.

Original video