The following Top Reader Voted IEM & Earphone scores are assigned by the readers, (Score) and apply only to all reviews before this calendar year and where a slider voting system exists. This list includes the top 30 universal type monitors only.
Please note the list will change dynamically as readers continue to vote. Higher-scoring IEMs will automatically replace lower-scoring IEMs. They will also continue to change as we progressively work our way through historical reviews and add a voting system.
These lists are not to be confused with our Award Scores which are the top gear as reviewed and scored by our review team in the calendar year. Those scores will form the basis of our Awards at the end of the year. Once the year is completed the Award scores will be deleted and the ‘annual awards race’ will start over again.
Top 30 universal IEMs as voted on by our readers
The Elysian Acoustic Labs Annihilator 2023 is one seriously high-performing in-ear monitor. It is also a benchmark for me regarding just how good electrostatic drivers can sound in a high-end IEM.
More than just speedy sparkling highs, you get power, dynamics, and a bit of 'fun' thrown into the tuning giving it some high energy and excitement to go along with the technical excellence.
The PMG Audio Apx to my ears is probably the most technically capable high-end in-ear monitor I have heard to date. It not only projects a huge soundstage but also a complex and resolving one reinforced by some incredible dynamic range if paired with an equally capable source.
Overall, the PMG Audio Apx Se is the Yin to the original's Yang. It brings a more 'modern' but equally outstanding high-end monitor sound to the table. If you get a chance to hear it, even just for a few minutes, it's a memorable experience.
The Volk Audio ÉTOILE a world-class sounding hybrid universal IEM, but it achieves that by resisting going for the jugular; not too much bass, easy on the treble sparkle, vocals are natural-sounding with top-tier clarity.
The Vision Ears Phönix is a pricey but beautifully designed high-end monitor built for blissful and stress-free listening. Its coherent timbre has an inviting and intoxicating blend of smooth-sounding mids and gorgeously rich vocals backed up by a punchy low-end performance when called upon.
The PLUSSOUND Allegro II is a confident-sounding high-end monitor with a meatier, more decisive modern tuning than its predecessor. It delivers excellent power, strong vocal presence, and a good treble balance courtesy of the new BA/planar implementation.
The hybrid multi-driver Noble Audio AGIS II IEM's refreshing tuning lands exactly where “reference” meets “replay value”: microscope-level detail wrapped in just enough velvet that you never check the clock. Feed the Agis II every genre you own, and it shape-shifts like a chameleon, wrapping each track in exactly the colors it needs.
The FIR Audio Radon 6 is the most complete and natural-sounding monitor I have heard from the company to date. It works wonderfully well with almost everything, especially if you want an open midrange with excellent levels of detail.
I can still see vocal lovers cling dearly to their Elysium but for those who wanted bombastic lows and a much bigger soundstage whilst still retaining the magic of a dynamic driver timbre for the mids then the EXT should answer that and then some.
The Vision Ears EXT MKII is still the company's most bombastic and 'fun-sounding' high-end in-ear monitor in their lineup. It also produces one of the best bass performances in the market today.
The Campfire Audio Astrolith is the company's most impressive planar IEM to date. While I prefer the more neutral tuning of the Moon Rover, neither it nor the Supermoon can match the speed, clarity, staging, or technical qualities of this newer model.
The Kinera Imperial LOKI is a sonically exquisite masterpiece and one that produces a euphoric and captivating listening experience.
The company's first shot at a multi-kilo-buck flagship level IEM delivers a lush and hyper-detailed mid-range and excellent bone conduction implementation.
The PLUSSOUND Allegro looks beautiful on the outside but more importantly, it has the chops sonically to appeal to a wide range of audiophile listening tastes.
The Campfire Audio Trifecta is one of the most unique-looking and sounding high-end in-ear monitors I have reviewed to date. With the right genre and a clean-sounding source, it conveys a very powerful and emotive quality from its triple dynamic driver setup.
The Softears Enigma stands out as one of the most unique-looking and well-balanced high-end IEMs I've encountered. The craftsmanship and attention to detail that Softears put into the Enigma are evident in its distinctive design and thoughtful packaging. If you favor a sound that leans toward musicality with a relaxed tuning, the Enigma is sure to please.
The Noble Audio Shogun is the company's most rounded high-end hybrid in-ear monitor offering to date. It has a lovely tuning balance right across the board, backed by a wonderfully holographic and immersive soundstage that keeps the listener deeply involved without fatigue.
The Rossi&Wing First Light is a debut 'summit-fi' in-ear monitor that delivers a powerful, warm, and dense sound signature. A tuning with a strong focus on broad textured notes that gel beautifully with vocal acapella, bass guitar, and rhythm sections.
The Lime Ears Anima is a balanced yet joyful tuning with a deep resonating bass performance and almost ethereal highs with plenty of headroom from those e-stat drivers. It competes well with other hybrid electrostatic standard-bearers such as the Odin and the EXT but is unique enough to set it apart as a viable alternative on your shopping list.
The Odin is a technical beast bar none with masterful levels of control from the dual subwoofer configuration right up to that nuanced treble tuning. Nothing is overdone, even those forward upper mids are beautifully tempered by a coherent treble tuning.
The Noble Audio Viking Ragnar is probably the company's most high-fidelity in-ear monitor to date. It is also unique from the competition in its spatial grandeur but no less of a technical performer with impressive levels of precise imaging and detail.
The Nostalgia Audio Tesseract is a top-tier competitor with an ambitious internal design and a unique external aesthetic. More importantly, it has the 'audible chops' with a beautiful analog sound backed by a huge soundstage and wonderful imaging.
The Campfire Audio Supermoon has superb low-end weight and body in the performance, with a lack of bloat, and the clear vocal presence making this a stand-out offering from the company.
Whilst I recognize the fun, energy, and technical excellence of the higher-end models, I am more enamored by the balance and flexibility of the Supermoon tuning.
The Noble Audio Ronin is the company's most balanced and detailed-sounding monitor to date. It is also one of their most accessible tunings with a natural tuning that makes it a non-fatiguing pleasure to listen to.
I honestly cannot pick any holes in the Sultan's performance, at least from a personal perspective. It is a vivid and exciting blend of different driver timbres that tease out some excellent power, clarity, and above-average headroom. If you are sitting on the Savant II wondering where to go to next then this is it.
The HIFIMAN Svanar might lack an upgraded accessory package, but they certainly don’t lack sound quality. Their overall sound is addictive, intimate, and inviting, and it will be a hard task if you embark on a search for a better-sounding IEM.
The Noble Audio Onyx is a welcome antithesis to the shimmering sparkle and technical prowess of its sibling IEMs in the company's current lineup. This is a heavy hitter, a basshead contender for the high-rollers, and a definite 'in the travel bag' contender for people like me who want to let rip when patiently waiting in an airport lounge or on a long-haul flight.
The Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon is the most mature offering I have heard to date from the company with a more balanced tuning, improved resolution, and an excellent and very open soundstage.
The hybrid Campfire Audio Grand Luna is perhaps the least planar-sounding IEM I’ve ever heard. You don’t get the typical fast planar bass, sharp treble, or metallic edge. Instead, it delivers a very relaxed presentation with a punchy and deep bass and a tuning unlike any other in Campfire’s lineup.
The FlipEars Artha is a professionally designed high-end IEM with a 'vocal-first' tuning, especially with the stock Eletech Baroque tips.
With the dip switch tuning, it's also very flexible and will appeal to a broad range of enthusiasts looking for strong vocal delivery, impressive bass power, and a smooth midrange timbre.
If you want a more neutral-leaning tune from your god-tier, kilobuck earphone, and don’t mind slightly compromised ergonomics, the PLUSSOUND VOLTA is a charming pick that provides the goods from both visual and auditory perspectives.
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