Before You Buy IEMs - The SUPER NOOB Guide
Summary
TLDRIn this beginner's guide to in-ear monitors (IEMs), Tim from Giz Audio offers essential advice for newcomers. He emphasizes the importance of sound signature, distinguishing between 'exciting' and 'normal' options, and advises against relying on brand marketing. Fit and comfort are crucial, with personal ear differences affecting the choice of shell size and nozzle dimensions. Accessory quality, especially ear tips and cables, is highlighted as important for sound and user experience. Lastly, Tim stresses the value of purchasing from reputable sellers and brands for reliable customer service and quality assurance.
Takeaways
- π§ The first consideration for a beginner in the IM (In-Ear Monitors) world is the sound signature, which can be either 'exciting' with boosted bass and treble, or 'normal' with a balanced sound profile.
- π Ignore marketing claims about sound quality and instead research through reviews and personal trials to understand the true sound signature of an IM.
- π Fit and comfort are crucial, with shell size and nozzle dimensions varying greatly among IMs, affecting individual comfort and sound quality.
- π Nozzle size can be a problem for some, especially if it's too wide for smaller ear canals or if the length is unsuitable, causing an uncomfortable or poor fit.
- π When considering accessories, a good selection of ear tips is essential for achieving an ideal fit and sound, and a decent quality cable that doesn't tangle or retain its shape is also important.
- ποΈ Look for brands and stores that offer a variety of ear tips and have a reputation for quality assurance to avoid the need for purchasing aftermarket accessories.
- π Quality of the cable can significantly impact the user experience, so pay attention to reviews that discuss cable performance in detail.
- π‘οΈ Consider the service and quality assurance provided by the store and the brand, especially for handling potential issues like channel imbalances or faulty units.
- π« Be cautious of purchasing from non-reputable sources, such as unknown used markets or stores without a solid reputation.
- π Choose brands with a good track record and reputation for quality to ensure a better likelihood of receiving a high-quality IM.
- β For further questions or clarifications, engage with the community through comments on review sites or forums to gain more personalized advice.
Q & A
What is the main purpose of the video script provided?
-The main purpose of the video script is to provide a beginner's guide to the IM (In-Mold) world, helping newcomers understand what to consider when choosing an IM and what to avoid.
Why is the sound signature important when choosing an IM?
-The sound signature is important because it determines the listening experience. Different IMs have different sound signatures, such as v-shaped, u-shaped, or Harmon, which can affect the bass, mid-range, and treble.
What should a beginner avoid when considering the sound signature of an IM?
-A beginner should avoid relying on the brand's marketing claims about the sound signature. Instead, they should research from multiple reviews and try out the IM themselves if possible.
What are the two main sound signature options mentioned in the script?
-The two main sound signature options mentioned are 'exciting sound' and 'normal sound'. Exciting sound has extra bass and sparkly highs, while normal sound has a balanced frequency response without significant boosts in any area.
Why is fit and comfort important when choosing an IM?
-Fit and comfort are important because they affect how well the IM stays in the ear and how it feels during long-term use. An ill-fitting IM can cause discomfort and may not provide the best sound quality due to poor seal.
What are the two aspects of fit and comfort discussed in the script?
-The two aspects discussed are shell size and nozzle size. Shell size refers to the overall dimensions of the IM, while nozzle size refers to the width and length of the part that fits into the ear canal.
Why is it recommended to have a variety of ear tips with an IM?
-A variety of ear tips is recommended because they can significantly affect the fit and seal in the ear, which in turn influences the sound quality. Different users may require different sizes or types of ear tips for a comfortable and optimal fit.
What are the key aspects to consider when evaluating the quality of an IM's cable?
-Key aspects include the cable's resistance to tangling, its memory (how easily it retains its shape), and overall durability. A good cable should not affect the user experience negatively.
Why is it important to consider the store and brand's service and quality assurance when buying an IM?
-It's important because if you encounter issues like channel imbalances or faulty units, you'll need a store and brand that can handle returns or replacements efficiently and without hassle.
What is the advice given for a beginner who is unsure about the quality of an IM's cable?
-The advice is to watch reviews on platforms like YouTube, where you can visually assess the cable's quality and performance, as this can be difficult to determine from text descriptions alone.
What should a beginner do if they are unsure about the sound signature of an IM?
-A beginner should use search terms like 'v-shape', 'u-shape', 'Harman', 'jm1 meta' on Google or review sites to find reviews of IMs with those sound signatures and listen to them if possible to understand their characteristics.
Outlines
π§ Navigating the IM World: Sound Signatures and Fit
This paragraph introduces the listener to the world of in-ear monitors (IMs), highlighting the overwhelming options and decision fatigue that newcomers may face. The speaker, Tim, from Giz Audio, provides a beginner's guide focusing on the importance of sound signatures, distinguishing between 'exciting' and 'normal' sound options like v-shaped, u-shaped, and Harman targets. He advises against relying on marketing claims and suggests doing personal research or trying out the IMs for the best fit. The paragraph also emphasizes the importance of fit and comfort, discussing shell size and nozzle dimensions, and how they affect individual comfort and sound quality.
ποΈ IM Accessories and Purchase Considerations
The second paragraph delves into the importance of accessories that come with IMs, such as a variety of ear tips which are crucial for achieving an ideal fit and sound quality. It also touches on the quality of the cable, which can impact the user experience, and the importance of choosing a good cable to avoid tangling and other issues. The paragraph concludes with advice on considering the service and quality assurance of both the store from which you purchase and the brand of the IM. It warns against buying from non-reputable sources and emphasizes the value of a brand with a solid reputation for quality assurance.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘IM World
π‘Decision Fatigue
π‘Sound Signatures
π‘V-shaped Signature
π‘Meta Tuning
π‘Fit and Comfort
π‘Nozzle Size
π‘Accessories
π‘Ear Tips
π‘Quality Assurance
π‘Channel Imbalances
Highlights
A beginner's guide to In-Ear Monitors (IMs) is introduced, focusing on the essentials for new enthusiasts.
The importance of sound signature in choosing IMs is emphasized, with two main options: exciting or normal sound.
Exciting sound signatures include v-shaped, u-shaped, and Harman, while normal sound is akin to the 'meta tuning' of the JM1 Target.
A warning against relying on marketing claims about sound quality, suggesting research through reviews and personal trials.
Fit and comfort are highlighted as crucial factors, with individual ear differences affecting the choice of IMs.
Shell size variations in IMs are discussed, advising against purchasing those that are too large or small for individual ear sizes.
Nozzle size and length are identified as common issues affecting fit, with personal testing recommended to find the right fit.
Accessories are considered an important aspect, with a focus on the variety and quality of ear tips provided with IMs.
The role of ear tips in achieving an ideal fit and sound quality is explained, underscoring the need for a good seal.
Cable quality is highlighted as a factor affecting the overall experience, with a preference for cables that do not tangle easily.
The value of watching video reviews for a visual assessment of cable quality is suggested for those unable to test in person.
Service and quality assurance are identified as the last considerations, with a focus on the reputation of the store and brand.
The potential for receiving a faulty unit is acknowledged, with a recommendation to choose stores with hassle-free return policies.
A caution against purchasing from non-reputable sources or unknown sellers is given to avoid service issues.
The guide concludes with an invitation for questions and a promise to reply, fostering engagement with the audience.
Transcripts
so you're new here in the IM world and
already on day one you're getting
bombarded by so many options on the
market that you're getting decision
fatigue and since you're so new you
don't know what information is actually
important what's not important what you
should consider and what you shouldn't
consider but fear not in today's video
I'll clear that confusion for you hey
friends Tim here welcome back to another
video on giz audio and today's video is
a super Noob guide to IM The Beginner's
Journey if you will the tutorial stage
to the IM World starting off with the
first thing you should consider is of
course the sound yes surprise now what
you might not know is that IM IMS have
different sound signatures they don't
all sound the same or else we wouldn't
really have a hobby now would we now
this topic itself can be an entire video
on their own but for the sake of this
video I'm going to boil it down to only
two different main options do you want
exciting sound or do you want normal
sound exciting sound are signatures like
BC Signature v-shaped signatures
u-shaped signatures Harmon and normal
sound is something like the jm1 Target
or as we enthusiasts like to call it the
meta tuning now if you don't know what
any of these means don't worry about it
is kind of pretty self-explanatory the
normal sound is normal there's no
significant boost in any area like no
extra base not a lot of extra treble
everything just kind of sounds normal
and the the exciting sound signatures
are signatures that has extra bass extra
sparkly highs and so on and so forth
v-shape u-shape Harman jm1 meta these
are Search terms you can use to search
on Google or on review sites if you will
when you're looking for IMS that you
know have these kind of signatures now
the one thing not to consider that's
relating to sound signature is the
marketing yes whatever the brand says
that the IM IM sounds like is most
likely wrong don't listen to any of it
because of course they're going to say
the bass is amazing the mid-range is
amazing the treble is amazing the sound
is amazing they're never going to say
it's bad all right so whatever the brand
has on their page about the sound or
anything relating to it don't listen to
it research from a lot of reviews out
there on YouTube and on forums or on
some websites or if you have the chance
just try out the IM yourself next thing
you should consider before buying an IM
is the fit and comfort now there are two
things to talk about here first one is
the shell size some IMS are big some are
wide some are tall some are thick and
chunky it really depends on what your
ears can handle because everyone's ears
is different it's really hard for me to
say that hey don't buy IM IM if it's
this big or don't buy IM IM if it's too
small it's not that easy maybe if you
know you have smaller ears don't get an
IM that is obviously massive but again
the best way to to figure this out for
yourself is to try now the second thing
is the nozzle size now where a lot of
people have problems with the nozzles
are in two different areas number one is
the nozzle width or the girth how wide
that nozzle is some people with smaller
ear canals might not be able to handle a
girthy nozzle but again this is
something that you have to test out
personally I don't have a problem with
nozzle size my my ear canal is big
enough to be able to handle pretty much
anything that I've ever put on the one
thing I have problems with sometimes are
the nozzle length now this is a rarer
problem than nozzle size because most
im's nozzle length is perfectly fine
anyone can fit it but there are some
Fringe cases where it's either too long
or Too Short too long resulting in an
uncomfortable fit or Too Short which can
result to a not ideal fit next is the
third point to consider and that is the
accessories now accessories comes in all
ranges of quality depending on theem
that you purchase of course if you buy
an IM at $20 you can't really expect too
many accessories to be in there but in
any case there are some Basics that I
myself look for when buying an IM number
one is a generous selection of ear tips
whether it's in the different sizes of
the same ear tips or various different
types of ear tips and the reason this is
important is because ear tips play a big
role in how an IM am fit in your ear and
an IM im's fitting plays a role in how
it sounds in your ear you want an ideal
fit with a good seal which requires the
previous point like I said with the
shell size nozzle but you also need good
ear tips now if an IM doesn't come with
good options of ear tips and the ones
that it comes with doesn't really fit
you guess what you're going to have to
spend more money buying aftermarket ear
tips so it is nice if an IM has various
different types or at the very least
various different size of ear tips now
most of them do but you know good to
look out for brands that have even more
options than the rest the second piece
of accessories I look for is the cable I
want a relatively decent quality cable
that won't tangle as easily that doesn't
have a lot of memory now I do realize
that since you guys are so new you guys
won't know the context behind like you
know what's good cable what's bad cable
now the easy way to combat this if
you're not near an IM store that you can
go and try these stuff out yourself is
to watch a lot of the reviews that are
available on YouTube now videos is
really good here because you can
actually see how the cable you know is
in visual rather than a description in
text now the reason I care so much about
the cable is because bad cable just give
you bad experiences and you don't enjoy
using the that you just purchased even
if you like the sound even if you like
the fit if the cable sucks it kind of
ruins the experience for you which may
lead you to have to swap out the cable
for an aftermarket cable which cost you
more money and the last thing you should
consider before buying an imem is the
services and quality assurance of the
store you're buying from and the brand
that makes the IM now since you're new
here I'm going to save you the
disappointment that may or may not
happen to you depending on how lucky you
are with IM there are chances those slim
that you will get a unit that has
Channel imbalances which means the left
and right side don't really sound
exactly the same or a unit that is just
faulty and when that happens you want a
store that is able to handle the return
replacement process without any hassle
now all the major stores that you see
being recommended it online tend to do a
pretty good job at this so don't worry
about that this is more to caution you
from buying from non reputable places
like used Market from someone you don't
know or stored that's not really
reputable no one knows it etc etc and on
the brand side of things it's pretty
simple try to pick a brand that has a
good track record or good reputation for
quality assurance all right that is it
for this super new beginner Guide to the
world I hope you guys enjoy all those
information there are a lot more to go
into but since this is the super Noob
guide I'm going to keep it at here for
now and of course if you have any
questions ask that down below I'll try
to reply to as many as I can and with
all that being said I'll see you guys in
the next one peace out and bye
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