Genres I Use to Evaluate IEMs

• KPOP: This genre is often very energetic, with forward, sometimes saturated vocals. If an IEM can handle KPOP well, I feel confident it will perform across other genres for my tastes.

• Jazz Fusion / Acid Jazz: This genre can range from high-energy to calm and smooth, with a natural feel. Depending on the recording, it might sound either vibrant or subdued. IEMs that excel here usually offer exceptional clarity and help me gauge the overall tonality.

• Live Sessions: While not a genre, live recordings let me assess the IEM’s technical capabilities, especially soundstage, imaging, and instrument separation.

• POP: If an IEM handles KPOP well, it usually also performs well with contemporary POP, so I use it as a general reference.

I feel like these genres cover most of what I’m looking for in an IEM: a natural, warm, and organic sound with good weight in the lower mids and vocals, without harshness/shoutyness in the upper mids or highs. If an IEM handles these genres well, it generally “sounds like it should” across the board, while keeping its own signature.

I also enjoy genres like Metal, Rock, Boleros, and Drum & Bass, and I find that if an IEM perform well with the genres I mentioned earlier, it typically does well with these too. Overall, I look for versatile All-Rounders rather than IEMs for specific genres.

Genres I don’t often listen to but recognize as popular include Rap, Hip-Hop, Latin Urban, Country, and Folk (to keep in mind).