Kiwi Ears - Cadenza

I don't game so I can't speak to that piece but I own the Kiwi Ears Cadenza and they are super comfortable and sound great for the price.

How are these so good?!?! I was using Sony wh1000mx4 for 5 years... Then a couple of months ago I found out about IEMs. I went and tested all of Noble and Kinera IEMs up to 3000$+. I wanted to like something to buy something but I didn't like anything. Then I saw everyone recommending Cadenza. 35$? I just blindly bought them. No expectations, I would just give them away to my kid if I didn't need them. Heck no, I'm not giving them away now. I'll just buy him another set. And my wife also because she wanted to take mine after listening XD. Why so good? Why so much better then 300$ Sony and a bunch of more expensive stets? And How? I mean I'm really curious how did they do it? What should I try next? And it has a bunch of black, white, and grey-red tips. What's the difference?

Appreciate the tldr rec for the Cadenzas, ordered a pair to check them out.

They sound fine. My ears are not really compatible with IEMs tho

My ears get sweaty and itchy if I leave things in for too long

Everybody talking about everything but nobody … nobody is suggesting you to check the iem rankings on thus community …. Which is pretty great …. Its KIWI EARS CADENZA … thank me later … it is best iem regarded under 50 dollars

I dont want to force your buying decision : Though I had wanger S.G , kefine klean , chu 2 and kiwi ears cadenza …. Chu 2 and kiwi ear cadenza are great … why you ask that metallic shell iems are not placed at the top … because they absorb moushire and can maybe end of clogging one of the sides in long run ( if you dont of take a good care of iem ) but kiwi ears cadenza are absolutely steal at 35 bucks

Nx8 looks pretty cool. Compared to my Cadenza it’s quite similar in taste.

Up until now I've been listening to 7HZ x Crinacle Zero:2, they have a lot of bass and might be tiring for long sessions. So I ordered Kiwi Ears Cadenza for myself. They are quite similar to Tangzu Wan'er. In any case, Tangzu Wan'er or Moondrop Chu II will be a very great option for any ears.

I also have tinnitus and jumping into this hobby has been a real awakening. I cannot recommend the Kiwi Ears Cadenza enough for this problem. I own about 7 sets of iems and the Cadenza so far I found had been the best reproduction at lower volumes, and even when raising the volume a little bit they haven’t made anything worse or uncomfortable actually quite the opposite no fatigue whatsoever. Hope this helps!

I just got them and I am incredibly impressed.

I have them both and enjoy both of them but to my ears and tastes I do prefer the Cadenza. Cannot beat them for the price and they punch waaaayyy above their range.

this IS, the kind of post that should be put here, don't ask based on price, ask based on musical taste, so you can give a recommendation 7 times better than the average truth. double recommendation, tripowin vivace, kiwi ears cadenza. either one will be exactly what you are looking for.

also...Kiwi Ears Cadenzas are worth a look. I have these as well...and they fit between the Zero2s and the Chu2 for bass (again for my taste) One other thing to consider...these 3 IEMs vary in size. Chu2 are significantly smaller than the Zero 2. Also...don't despair when you first try any of them. Make sure the ear tips and sealing properly. If the fit isn't good...you'll lose bass response right off the jump

whoa! for my ears and my preference. The Cadenzas ranks in-between the Chu2 and Zero2. There's no better or worse...Chu2 being brighter...and Zero2 being more bassy. Again...I EQ...so your mileage may differ. Whether the difference is worth the money, that's up to you

did you roll tips on it? They were flat for me on first listen...once I got the right eartips fit...it got fun

ok, they were fun to me😅

OP...have you looked at Kiwi Ears Cadenza or KZ Castor Pro Bass Edition? Both respond well to EQ. Cadenza's bass is punchy and can satisfy your sub-bass rumble. The Castor Pro Bass Edition allows the user to tune the IEM with onboard switches. It's bassier than the Cadenzas in my opinion. I own both...and I get a deeper and more satisfying brain rattle from the Castor Pro Bass Edition from Angel by Massive Attack and Interlude by Yosi Horikawa. They both provide satisfying thumps to Billie Eilish's bad guy. Cadenzas lose a bit of mid treble detail (for me) on Starboy by The Weeknd. Both sets are currently under 35 USD (your pricing may vary)

I WHOLE HEARTEDLY AGREE WITH YOUR POINTS: https://preview.redd.it/vwxf7i53neye1.jpeg?width=2377&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9aafdf70e38f01e9e6e88692e4c7f79caca103d8 This is MY collection...and I'm very early in the journey. I don't have the budget, knowledge or experience to blind buy a 500USD+ set of in ears that may or may not fit my ears or my preferences. While my journey doesn't completely fit OP's blueprint...I have/had the same thought process regarding purchasing IEMs. Not pictured are the Moondrop Chu 2 and 7Hz Sonus. I started with the Chu 2, 7Hz Zero 2 and Kiwi Ears Cadenza. From listening, watching and reading reviews...I was able to learn about all the terms, labels, and vocabulary to describe what I like or don't like. I threw money at the Wyvern Abyss...I mean...LOOK AT THEM😂. The Kz Castor Bass was a curiosity buy...want to hear if a set touting bass response was really that bassy. My next steps were the NiceHCK F1 Pros, Kiwi Ears Canta and the 7Hz Sonus. The F1 Pros and the Sonu were on sale at the time of purchase...good value and able to narrow things down more for myself. I knew I liked the planar sound...I have a set of open ear planar cans. The F1s felt disappointing (until I tip rolled) The Sonus was about much for my taste (in the mids) The Cantas were quite nice for me. By this point...I had a good grasp of what I was looking for and the direction (s) I want to go in. AFUL Performer 5+2 is currently my go-to...for all around listening. Sourced from R2R DAC lined out into a desktop tube amp. It's like a warm blanket on crisp bright and snowy winter day. I picked up the Hexa because I wanted to hear the hype...and yes...they definitely fulfill the hype and then some. I've EQed my IEMs... especially the planar. They can mimic the sound...but it's only a part of the equation. I now rotate through 3-4 sets at my desktop listening station. The cheapo ones all have 3.5mm out for around the house or for bed. If they break...ill decide if I want to replace. Tip rolling is a journey of itself. Some tips can dramatically change an IEM and rescue it from the bottom of the pile. My Planars now sport foam tips...easing off the treble was huge. Anyway...long post...if you got this far thanks for sticking with my diarrhea of words. TLDR: I agree with the OP

Simgot has a few under 60. Kinera Celeste Wyvern Abyss and the Kiwi Ears Cadenza are both solid at around 35usd. if you're willing to get up to 80-90 USD mark...that's where you find the Hexa. Bassier and fun can be found with the Zero Red and the Zero Blue 2. Lots of choices tbh. Watch some reviews of the community recommendations and whatever gets recommended in this thread...then make a choice (from consensus) Another's preference may not be your preference.

OP... don't get rid of your Astral. Someone else mentioned it already...but it's a lack.of reference that has you second guessing. EQ (parametric EQ) is a good tool. It can help you fine tune the sound of the IEM to your liking. But...the IEM should sound good to you out of the box. HD550...hmmm... just go for the legend. Save for the HD600. I wrote down my experiences and things I learned as a beginner [Posted here](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/s/u2D7CWFQw9) Go and find all the reviews you can on the Astral. Listen to the terminologies and try to associate what you hear from the Astral. Then pick up a budget set or two (if you want to learn) watch those reviews from the same reviewer. See if you can hear what they are hearing...and establish a frame of reference. Hope that makes sense. Outside of that...you picked a really good IEM. Stick with it. HD

check the community recs for under 50...that's where I started (kiwi ears cadenza, Moondrop Chu 2, and the 7Hz Salnotes x Crinacle Zero 2) There should be enough of a difference between 2 of those sets to start getting a frame of reference. You'll likely hear the differences between those and your Astral

At your budget, being new to IEMs and your use cases...you are better off picking a IEM. There are a couple of issues that you have to figure out. - Fit. I'm one of those people that have ears that can accommodate most if not ALL IEMs that's out in the market. Fit isn't just a matter of size of the ear and ear canal but also the shape of your ear. Some IEMs are "semi custom"...meaning they're contoured and may have a bump for securing the IEM in your ear. - Sound. Assuming you have experience with consumer grade earphones and/or headphones. A V-shaped IEM maybe the easiest transition into IEMs. Most budget sets will likely fit what you're looking for. The Cadenza is certainly a well known set...and a solid choice for a newcomer. The Zero 2, Kefine Klean, Wan'er 2 and the Tanchjim Bunny are all quite popular for a first IEM. I'm personally not a fan of the KZ offerings (not going to say why...don't want that to affect your decision) TBF...all the sets you listed are considered budget sets in the general IEM scene😅

Out of the sets you've listed. I own(ed) The Cadenza and the 7Hz Zero 2. For a first IEM...I can say either one is a good choice. IEM shape and size between those two...the Cadenza is slightly more compact and contoured. The Zero 2 "looks" uncomfortable...but it was actually isn't. If you have concerned with it's angular look and you can't reliably return the product...perhaps stick with the Cadenza. I have had a Castor Pro Bass Edition (the one with switches) I was not a fan...as my unit had driver flex (hearing the driver flex when the IEM is being adjusted in ear due to lack of proper venting) Have since read about various QC issues mentioned...but most seem to be in the past. I choose not to purchase their IEMs...because there are many others to choose from😉 Last thing to mention...ear tips. Aside from the sound and IEM fitment...ear tips is a consideration as well. Most IEMs will come with an assortment of tips. Take your time going through ALL the tips the set comes with. Even to the point of mismatching sizes between left and right. Human anatomy is funny like that as we are NOT symmetrical😂😂 You will want to get a good (eartip) fit and seal into the ear canal. You will know if you're not properly fitted if the IEM sounds "tinny" or "there's no bass" Super*review has many helpful videos if you get deeper into IEMs. This one will be useful when your first set arrives: [https://youtu.be/ZcEzrA2SzbU](https://youtu.be/ZcEzrA2SzbU) He also has another regarding ear tips. I'll let you find that one...it's on the same channel.

Here's what I know from personal experience: 1. The chu 2 suffers from paint scratching issues.  2. The zero:2 had a cable that I hated and even though I think they've changed it, the current one doesn't look amazing. I've also had a freak manufacturing defect on one which was a pain to get replaced under warranty. I'd probably go with the cadenza or the vivace