Holy cow! Music in your head not in your ears!
I'm not really an audiophile (maybe I'm becoming one LOL), but I do appreciate good gear for listening to music and can generally tell the difference between a decent set of headphones or earbuds and a cheap Walmart set.
Well, my Klipsch x11i ear buds finally gave out after a couple of years of heavy use and were not really repairable. I had thought I might just get another set of x11i, or maybe pop for the newer x12i. However, Klipsch has a new flagship in-ear monitor (high-end ear buds), the x20i. These were selling for $550 when I first saw them online, which I could not bring myself to spend. But recently the price dropped by $110 and, while they were still very expensive compared to the x12i, I decided to try these x20i in-ear monitors.
Wow! That's all I can say. The x11i ear buds sounded great, but these x20i in-ear monitors are on a whole different level, seriously. I have almost 10,000 songs in my High Def library and I usually listen with a FiiO X5 through a FiiO E12 Amp and these things are unreal! There are little nuances in songs that I never knew were there - until now. The music seems to be in your head, not in your ears.
The response is flat and you feel like you are hearing what the artist actually sounded like in studio (or on stage). If you are looking for something with big boomy thumpy thumpy base, don't waste your money on these - go buy a pair of Beats. On these, the base is tight and crisp, but not overwhelming. The mids and highs are just right - not sculpted or over-exaggerated. I.e., the sound is not "molded" towards more bass or more highs, - everything just blends perfectly. You get the feeling you are listening to exactly what the artist sounded like in the studio or on the stage.
I am loving these so far.
So, if you are one who appreciates really accurate, clear, crisp sound I'd rate these Klipsch x20is at 10+
Only minor grip: For the price of these babys, Klipsch should offer more than the standard 1 year warranty, I mean really.
Verified purchase: YesCondition: New