I’m looking to upgrade audio quality in places where I would use AirPods Pro or noise-cancelling headphones – trains, long plane flights etc.
I’m thinking of some custom IEMs – I had a pair a decade or more ago but they kept failing due to moisture causing issues internally.
I was looking at Ultimate Ear (the UK company not the similarly named US company) “Music SoundEar Pro3”. Any experience of those? Or something else I should consider that’s readily available in UK/Europe?
They sell either a USB3 interface or a 3.5mm plug. I assume the USB3 is analog and I don’t think an iPhone 16 Pro Max has an analogue output through the USB socket – or does it? If not, would something like an Astell & Kern be a good DAC? I’d be wanting portability, not something that needs its own recharging.
One further question. When I’m on a plane wearing IEMs and the cabin crew ask me a question, is there a software solution to hear them? (Yes I know one solution is to downgrade to a middle seat in economy then no one will bother me ). I wondered whether there is an IOS app that uses the phone as microphone and is easier to launch than pulling out a custom IEM.
While I can’t help with the other questions, I can #2 - you can use the usb3 interface to send audio as long as the listening device has an internal DAC… For example, I do this with my Focal Bathys (usb3 out of the iPhone and into the Focal’s). The Focal’s internal DAC processes the audio, you just need an OTG USB cable.
I’m not sure if the IEMs you’re looking at have an internal DAC, but if they do, that should be all you need for listening.
My Focal’s also have a transparency mode with a little button on the side of them, which allows me to quickly go between noise cancelling and transparency. This would probably help out with your third question, but not sure if those IEMs offer such a feature.
I can’t help with 1 or 3 either, but there is a number of very good USB-C “dongle” DACs which will plug into the USB-C port of your phone and give you 3.5 mm unbalanced or even 4.4 mm balanced outputs.
I have the Moondrop Dawn Pro, the previous Mooondrop and a Linsoul Kiwi Ears Allegro. They’re cheap, have impeccable measurements and will easily power any IEM.
As stated by Graeme, if using an iPhone 16 Pro (I use an iPhone 16 Pro Max) you can get an inexpensive USB-C to 3.5 mm single ended output dongle. These dongles range in price from under $10 to several hundred dollars (the audiophile options) and they work great.
Get an IEM that can use an aftermarket cable. These cables usually have a small 2 pin connector. Then get an aftermarket IEM cable that has a built-in microphone. Please note that these microphones are meant to be used for phone and video calls. They are not meant to allow you to hear external sounds while listening to music or videos. To hear someone speaking to you while you are wearing IEMs and listening to music (or videos), you would have to pause the music, and you may even need to remove one of the IEMs.
Another option is to get a set of true wireless earbuds, such as the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds or the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 True Wireless earbuds. both of these earbuds have built-in microphones and active noise cancellation with a transparency mode. Like the microphone cable mentioned above, the microphone in these (and other wireless) earbuds is meant to be used during phone and video calls. To converse directly with someone, you would have to remove at least one of the earbuds.
Price wise an IEM setup could be as inexpensive as around $50 (IEMs, cable with microphone and USB-C dongle) or very expensive, meaning in the $1000 and up range.
True wireless earbuds would be in the $50 to $500 range.
). I wondered whether there is an IOS app that uses the phone as microphone and is easier to launch than pulling out a custom IEM.