Using IEMs for Gaming - My Experience 

The "I Don't" single frame popup was a nice touch

I used to wear IEMs a lot back in the day. Mostly Shures and UEs with foam tips. Eventually, after a number of years, I found my ear canals got aggravated by having them in. That said, recent IEMs do seem a bit smaller when it comes to what actually goes into the ear, and I’m sure these problems don’t exist if you get some custom moulds. I also never really used them in a desk environment - always on the go, where cable drag and body movement make them move around in your ear a lot more. Eventually I developed eczema in my ear canals, which I think in part was due to this aggravation. Certainly not everyone will have this experience, but I wanted to chip-in a view from someone who wore IEMs for probably something like 10 years. Good video as always though.

honestly my biggest gripe with using IEMs is just that my ears get super waxy whenever I wear them for a prolonged period of time. I don't know if this is a problem for anyone else, but it definitely keeps me on team headphones

Hate wearing headphones, hate sticking things in my ears even more. Such is life.

Nice video! I used to use a lot of different IEMs, but ever since I switched to open-back headphones I never really use them that much in comparison. The main reason being that IEMs and closed headphones tend to generate more hearing fatigue, specially over long sessions. Open-back are still the best option when you have a comfortable pair and a quiet environment around you, but if you need isolation make sure to take rests every hour or so to avoid damaging your hearing, particularly over high volumes (that drown out any other sounds). Take care of your hearing, folks!

Grade on your footage is top tier on this one mate. Really, really good job, skin tones look amazing, contrast is good. Nice one.

Huge fan of your channel bro, production quality is phenomenal in every aspect! Keep it up 😁

I just bought Shure SE846, their flagship model. Fantastic audio across the entire soundstage My open backs, Hifiman DEVAs, were fantastic at high and mid clarity, sometimes spooking me with how lifelike the sound was, and excellent at pinpointing location, but the weaker bass (a tradeoff you make for planar magnetic technology compared to traditional cans for the superior mid and highs but lacking that sub effect) affected gameplay at times, notably in the detection of soft foot steps.

I used IEMs for gaming exclusively for around 3-4 years, including in competitive and semi-pro tournament play. I also collect some higher end headphones and audio gear, both IEMs and over ears. Here are the opinions I formed over that time period: You really need to sit down and utilize a pair of IEMs for 2+ weeks for the mental burn in to kick in. If you are moving to a new pair of anything after using a different headphone for a long period of time without change, it will sound weird and off to you. I find that 2 weeks is around the minimum point to actually adjust to something new, and over the first 1-2 months you will still be adjusting. Bass can be good, if you like that feedback, but I find that a tighter, controlled, and quick bass is better than having more. AKA, quality > quantity. Of course, this is a preference, and YMMV, so just like all of these opinions, take it with a grain of salt. Comfort is key, so finding an IEM that fits you well, and swapping tips to find one that suits your ears is a huge part of using them for gaming. Sessions can be long, especially during scrims or in tournament play, so finding the right fit is the biggest thing. Do keep in mind however, that changing tips does make a noticeable difference in sound presentation in IEMs, and this change can make or break something. Sometimes trying different tips on an IEM will make you like it a lot more, sometimes it will be a terrible tradeoff. Soundstage is important, but imaging is even more so. IEMs naturally tend to have smaller, more "intimate" soundstages, which actually is not a bad thing. For competitive play, you actually don't want too large a soundstage, as it can get congested with the amount of audio cues you are looking for. What is more important for competitive play is imaging and separation, as you want to be able to pick out the individual sounds and where they are coming from, even if yhou don't have as large a space to place them in. Of course, if you are looking for immersion in something like a singleplayer RPG, you will probably want soundstage instead. Price is not a good representative factor of quality. Some things that cost quite a lot of money may not be the best fit for you, and some things that are cheap may be just right. I have experimented with IEMs from $10 up to around $1000, and my personal favorite pair for gaming costs a nice solid $40. At the end of the day, the best way to find something that works for you is to find the things that don't. When you try something, really give it a go for a week or two, and write down the things you like or don't like. Use these lists to slowly lock down the features and qualities you like, then try the next pair. Is this the cheapest way? Not at all, but start with very cheap budget options to get yourself into this, then if you are wanting to invest in a more expensive pair, do a LOT of research to see what scales up those qualities you find the most important to you. Hope this helps someone!

Yes! I'm contemplating on what type of audio upgrade I need to make for my gaming setup and this is the perfect video!

Yes!!! Finally an IEM video from you. Wooo hoooo!!!!

Love your channel, the quality is phenomenal, and always seem to get my click, especially compared to other tech channels, where some videos may not appeal to me, but your more esports/competitive and production viewpoint really hits the nail on the head for me. Thanks!

Something related to audio finally something that I always wanted

We're entering "Joshua Valour" levels of aesthetic in these vids now that we're taking about audio.

The timing of this upload is crazy. I was considering purchasing some IEMs yesterday, ended up buying some HD6XX’s and a schiit stack. Maybe in the future I’ll give IEM’s a try. Great upload as always 🙏

Great video, and info as usual dude. Thank you for your content.

If you guys like what was said about the comfort of the IE300 but don't wanna break the bank, I'd recommend the SSP, another Moondrop IEM (same brand as the Arias). Those things are honestly insanely good for their $40 price tag (Focusing on a bit of mid-bass thump) and easily the most comfortable headphones I have ever used.

I shifted to IEMs but have them plugged in my HyperX 7.1 Sound Card from my Cloud 2s. Of course I don't use 7.1, but the sound card just really works so well for games.

I really appreciate how you make it easy to understand, using words like directional audio, instead of imaging. In competitive shooters, for reasons other than immersion, a good soundstage is not needed. Imaging is paramount to give you the most competitive edge.

Great video, I have always wondered about iems. Thanks and keep up the good stuff.

Open back headphones are unbeatable in my opinion but you do need a quiet environment and PC.

I have triple driver Shure IEMs that I've used for a while now for music listening. I tried them out for Valorant at one point and was blown away by how much more I could hear. Definitely recommend swapping.

I have a pair of desktop monitors hooked up to my evo 4 for everyday use and work, and then for more sound critical work (I work from home) and gaming I have a headset. You don't get the spatial sound for gaming with desktop speakers, but for music and general productivity I've really appreciated them.

Thank you for sharing your experience !

from where i'm at, the climate and weather always makes me perspire. i'm using the logitech G733, Philips SHP9500 and the moondrop aria from time to time, using the IEM gives me alot more isolation and clarity but it really needs to fit in snug sometimes when it came off without you realizing and suddenly everything sounded awful....

Just recently switched from a headset to earbuds for playing apex. The comfort after long sessions really is a game changer. Honestly just been using the cheap Apple earphones that used to come with the iPhone and they work great for apex and discord. Saw some pro players using them so I gave it a try

Love this, we need more iem options! great review

3:50 loved the touch of "depending on how you go outside". sounds fair

Really glad you came out with this. I've been trying to find some good buds/iems for gaming but didn't want to waste money 3-4 times to find a good product!

I also recently swiched to IEMs after using the Sennheiser HD598 over 6 years. I am using the Sennheiser IE400pro with balanced cable connected into iFi ZENDAC and sound is amazing! Not only the sound quality and confiness but the foot steps on APEX are easier to hear. I dont see myself going back to headphones

I was looking for this kind of video for sometime now

Each of your videos are golden man

Had the Moondrop Starfields for years. The Arias are supposedly the same (very slightyl warmer) for cheaper so def can recc

YAY more Moondrop stuff

i've been using the MoonDrop Aria for last 6 months or so! i can tell you overall gaming or music, it's the best bang for ur buck

love your channel man and that sky nade at 6:28 was chefs kiss

I personally love my IEMs for gaming. I use it for music as well though and its very amazing. I used headsets in the pasts and well its very uncomfortable for a guy who wears glasses (in my experience). So earphones and IEMs work best for me.

I've actually been gaming with moondrop aria's for a while now! I took it one step forward and paired them with the null audio ethos mkIII pro (cable), which gives you a boom mic and combo jack for a real headset/mic for gaming

No matter how matter how many different cans or IEMs I try, I always find myself coming back to my Philips SHP9500s. Comfort in my opinion is a 10/10 and in game audio just sounds right (This could be due to them being my go to gaming pair for a few years now) all for the low price of I think $70 4 years ago

never expect to see aria and ie300 from this channel at all but wow nice touch

I’m a guitar player who plays out live a lot, I use custom molded IEMs when I gig. I started using them for gaming and mixing audio at home and I don’t think I could ever go back to over the ear headphones. Not only do they sound better in games, they are significantly more comfortable and less sweaty lol.

Although I have no intention of buying IEM's, I watched this and comment to thwart the evil RU-vid algorithm. Take THAT RU-vid algorithm!!!! Don't mess wit Mr Optimum! He' the next best thing to a marvel superhero!

So excited to see IEM scene get some love

I have gotten to the point where I have one set of IEMs and they are basically strictly what i use for everything. I use them when i play drums, gaming, listening to music, school, etc. basically anything that involves audio I use a pair of shure SE215 (tho i have been looking into getting some custom molds lately)

The FiiO FH5s is great for this purpose, especially VR. They sound great for music but also have a large soundstage due to being semi-open back.

Considering 99.9% of players use Realtek onboard sound chip i would not spend 300$

I recently did the same experiment after seeing HardwareCanucks post a video about it. It came at a good time because I was using a wired pair of Steel Series Arctis 7 with the included mixer, but they were trapping heat on my ears, and I couldn't stand the sound of the cord rubbing on stuff and coming through the earcups. So, I switched to a pair of kz linsoul IEMs. Budget friendly at like $45. They were half the price of the Arctis 7s and all around better for my use case - no more heat, no more cord sound. I'm keeping my eye though on the wireless IEM scene as it appears to be kicking off, so fingers crossed we get a solid offering that doesn't break the bank.

One of us! One of us! Scale of the soundstage is much less important than the ability to draw a precise sound stage and localize sounds within it. Just wait until you’re tempted into a CIEM, the comfort is significantly better than a universal fit IEM.

I've got HD58X that I use more for music but also HD598's that are always attached to my PC. They're a lot looser and more comfortable in the long term compared to the 58X, at least mine are. Literally never an issue with comfort - more comfortable than IEMs in my experience.

a few months ago i got sick of having "headset hair" so i got a pair of shure 215's and although headset quality is better, i do really enjoy using them. the sound is pretty solid but the only downside is that with the shure 215's the "sss" sounds can be quite harsh (in game example - sound effect when picking up armor in doom). also note if you switch from headset to IEM's you will need a mic of some kind. cool video! unlike a lot of other pc and tech channels you always make vids on some great/interesting topics and of course always excellent quality!

Started using IEMs for 2+ years now, it's great. Amazing sound when listening to music and especially playing games. I agree with you.

I recently started looking into IEM and got the "7hz Dioko x Crinacle Salnotes" which has a planar driver and a more entertainment oriented bass response. They are also just around $100 and great value. I didn't like the bass though, but later found out about the importance of the tips used. You need to get a good seal and therefore investing into a collection of tips at various sizes to find one that fits ($20 or so) can get you the sound to where you want. Often times it is not the driver, so don't give up on them immedietly.

I'm still using a 30€ Headset bought on Amazon five years back. This video comes just in time as I am looking for some upgrade

Aria are an excellent all-rounder, I'm SO HAPPY with them, I seriously just love them

Got the Moondrop Arias cause of this vid and I am extremely happy. Much appreciated and keep up the good work mate.

cheeky lil sky nade and wall jump in that areans clip.

Is the stock cable long enough for desk use? I'd love to see some Optimum Cable Management

I've been using $25 KZ ZST X for 4 months now, couldn't be happier. Heat buildup in headphones made me switch to IEMS.

I use my LZ A7 IEMs for gaming on the go. They have a good soundstage for IEMs and sound great. You can even tune the sound sig a bit.

Awesome video I was thinking about getting some Moondrop IEM as well

Very satisfying videos

I've been contemplating recently about custom IEM's for gaming and I thinka great endgame option would be some hybrid (balanced armature for highs and dynamic driver for lows). I really contemplate going for that although the price for it is gonna reach like $600-650. Nothing will beat the comfort of the custom molded earpieces of the IEM's but you will probably need to EQ them to your taste and break them in and it might take a while.

You've sold me on the Moondrop Arias! Thank you

I use IEMs they're great! Especially if you have a noisy background, Noise isolations on these things are awesome.

hey your video's getting a lot of attention in the audiophile community. awesome! been using Arias and BLO3s myself for sound direction reliant games like R6 and Valorant. You're probably the first western techtuber who dove in Chifi IEMs (not sure if Joshua Valour and DMS are considered techtubers since they're heavily focused on audio and audio only)

my two biggest fetishes being a gamer and an audiophile, thanks for such a great perspective on the topic mate.

I should try IEMs again, sometime. I have a pair of great IEMs, but they were not very punchy in gaming. Even EQing them wasn’t enough to get it to sound good. There’s obviously more to game mixing than EQ and volume, but I’ve been sticking with open-backs for the perceived “space” I feel with them.

It's always cool to see someone with the same gear you have

I suffered sudden hearing loss in my left ear about four ears ago, so sound stage is irrelevant in my case. IEMs allow me to use very low audio levels to protect my right ear, because of its natural sound isolation. I have a pair of Samsung/AKG that are surprisingly good. I wish I could get 50% off for the purchase of new ones though 😅.

I started using my FiiO FH3 IEMs right when I got them, curious to see how they did in gaming. I like soundstage more than anything and they got the job done, almost on par it sounded like with my Philips Fidelios X2HRs.

I've been using iems for so long and even after buying headphones that I really wanted, I still end up using the iems most of the time cause its just do convenient and the sound trade off isn't too bad

Nice video. I use UE5 pro custom IEMs and never looked back. Definitely prefer them for comfort over headphones and especially in summer your ears stay cool. Definitely the way to go with glasses too (used to wear glasses)

I wonder what IEMs they use on pro cs/val stages, as far as I've been told those big bulky headphones are just for noise cancelation and they actually have IEMs for sounds..

holy crap, a tech channel that actually respects audiophiles instead of blowing them off like most other tech channel. kudos!

Love my Sennheiser IEMs maan, I'm so impressed w the directional audio, and I too love listening to music with a punch while I game 😅🍻 I use the ie45 which is alot cheaper but still hits.

I use IEMs from time to time, but usually use Phillips open back headphones for the majority of my time on my PC. The thing with IEMs is the fact that after a while it really starts to irritate your ear canals, something that doesn't happen with headphones. Idk, it could be a case to case scenario.

I am currently using Blon Bl03, it also has a fun sound signature and i use it to Play PUBG PC. Using Equalizer APO and with some tweak in EQ, It is really comfortable and the sound stage is quite good. Footsteps are clear and the direction of gun shots are easy to identify.

I use the ThieAudio Monarch. Can feel the rumble in my chest (weird what the brain can do)

i'd love to see more about iem's! I'm considering getting a pair after seeing this video

I used the Acoustune 1677ss iem with an upgraded 4.4mm cable to my Lotoo paw s1. Great sound and great details, the 500 USD is worth it since it was on sale. I also have an Austrian audio Hi-55x which is also an amazing headphone. Both have excellent detail but the iem is more bassy with a closer soundstage while the headphones have a wider soundstage vertically and horizontally, with a flater response.

Interesting take especially given the HD58X aren't really that wide sounding for Open back headphones.

For me it's the opposite, I prefer headsets over iem because in ear feels way less comfortable to me. I wear in ear all day for music on the go, and switching to headset at home just feels better.

These are really F#%*IN’ GOOD! My setup for these are: IEM: BLON BL-03. Custom Cable: Acid Purple Hart Audio PC-3: Dual Angled 2-pin (QDC) Balanced IEM Cable w/ a female 4-pin mini XLR and a male 4-pin mini XLR to a 90 degree 3.5mm TRS interconnect line. Custom Ear Tip: Midnight Purple Eartune Fidelity Custom IEM Ear Tip Altogether for me is the ultimate band for your buck in an IEM!

Been looking for this.

For some reason IEMs always hurt my ears after about a day of usage and it takes like a week to recover. I've been thinking about getting some on-ear headphones like the old Koss everybody loves

I just started chifi IEMs for gaming last week too, actually im surprised how greatly it performs (KZ ZSN PRO)

I guess i need more headphones/headsets/earbuds content from you..much love

I personally use my Moondrop KATO IEM's for EVERYTHING including gaming and they are AMAZING. I WAS using my sennheiser HD 598sr and my KATO's just give me that immersion of being right in the action.

Yo I've been wanting this review for so long

FINALLY SOMEONE DOES A VIDEO ABOUT THIS THANK YOU!!

I always like Sennies. Very versatile sound for games and for music. Ergonomic German design is the cherry on top. I don't mind the extra price because they last a long time and are high quality.

I ended up picking my model of Sennheiser's entirely off the cup and strap comfort, 20+ hours without discomfort; i used to literally get raw ears from my headset

Bought a pair of KZ ZSTx for like $20. It sounds insane. Perfect for gaming too! Footsteps are clear and soundstage for gunshots are pretty good too!

How did you grow these bear arms sitting 12 hours on the desk???

I did the opposite and do miss the light weight and in ear experience, however the experience and sound stage of over-ear cans due to being high priced one were just better. thanks for the recommendations I want to give some good in-Ear a shot again

I also recently swapped to iems. I have IKKO oh10 for gaming they’re great and I love em. I also have a FIIO FH5 on the way as well. Running a schiit stack as well. It’s been a fun time.

for low budget, some chi-fi IEMs are pretty good, I tested the KZ EDX which are incredibly good for how cheap they are but mostly use Blon 03 which are a little bit pricier but still far less than moondrops

I have splurged on many high and low end iem’s over the years including the IE 300. That said, when it comes to gaming nothing beats open back headphones. That said, a IEM in the 300 to 500 dollar price range or less is all that one needs when it comes to gaming at the high end. The trick is finding the right IEM in that price range. Here is my experience on both the low and the high end iem’s that I have owned over the years as far as sound and directional 3D imaging is concerned Bose QuietComfort 20 (excellent) 5 Sennheiser IE 300 (good) 4 Sennheiser IE 400 pro (okay+) 3.5 Campfire Andromeda (good) 4 Optoma NuForce HEM6 (excellent) 5 beyerdynamic Xelento (good+) 4.5 Final VR3000 gaming (very poor) 1 Audio Technica ATH-IM02 (poor) 2 Rose Mini3Pro (okay) 3 etc..

I agree I also found IEMs to be the best for me. 1. Compared to over and on ear headphones, my ear doesn't get warm and sweaty. 2. The clamping force of headphones always hurt my head after extended period of time 3. I tried ANC but ANC is expensive, the isolation of IEMs also works to reduce background noise even when I am not playing anything. The pressure feeling of ANC also becomes fatiguing. 4. I'm a heavy user, I break roughly a pair of earphones every year, Apple Earpods, Samsung AKG, JBL, I broke them all. IEMs have replaceable wires, way cheaper to replace the wire and allows me to invest in higher quality drivers. 5. The fact that I can use IEMs everywhere means I get the same great sound quality anytime. My first pair of IEM is the KZ EDX, very good sound quality (better than AKG, JBL) for less than $10. Buy something cheap like this to see if the earhook style IEMs is comfortable for you or not. Currently I'm using KZ DQ6, the triple dynamic drivers produce very nice bass and the high is not fatiguing. I don't feel the need to upgrade any further for now because high quality audio equipment is only as good as the content you listen to it with. Half the time I couldn't distinguish the difference my EDX and DQ6

Using my custom IEM for gaming for a while. There's a bunch of details, more than every flagship headset I've used before.