iEMatch

I’m listening to my moondrop starfields for the first time again. you can actually hear it. it’s like the sound is covered in ice cubes or something- it’s very hard to describe.

get this ok- so digital volume just decreases the bits, so turning it to 100 is better.
but also, some amps sound better the faster the electricity moves through it- which means its louder. WAY louder. this baby can max out discrete amps at a very listenable 90-100 decibles (for the fiio q1 mk ii) at high gain on the ultra setting. It has a switch for balanced 3.5mm or single ended 3.5mm, but it will switch automatically to single ended output so you can still get the benefit for balanced input. if that makes no sense, don’t worry- this part is only for us nerds. buy this product.

I use this with my Shure SE846 earphones connected to an iBasso DX220 DAP with Amp9, which has a tube (valve) internally. Without this widget the hiss made the amp impossible to use, and I had to fall back on the (still good) Amp 1 mk2. I don’t know of anything else that can do the job. The sound quality to my ears is not impacted. Lovely.

Andromeda is relatively sensitive and low impedance than others so sometimes noise bothers. This product helped a lot of reducing noise and improving dynamic range.

I liked to set its High adjustment settings than Ultra, so that it didn’t compromise Andromeda’s rich and clear mid range sound.

When I switched to Ultra, I felt it a little bland and more base added.
I tested Raspberry Pi -> HiFiBerry DAC+ Pro -> Vacuum tube amplifier -> iEMatch -> Andromeda.

First, some background on why I had to get this product: I recently purchased a new gaming laptop, an HP Omen 15-dc1062nr. I love the laptop, but unfortunately since it was intended for full-sized headphones/headsets, it has a large amount of background hiss/crackle on my sensitive IEM’s (Fiio FH1’s), which I unfortunately have to use because my full-sized headphones have a cracked headband and won’t clamp down.

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I rarely if ever do reviews; but this little device made such a difference to my setup!

I have a pair of campfire andros and use these with a portable Dac/amp that has a reported output impedance of around 0.9ohms. Prior to using the IEMatch i could barely turn up the volume on my DAC (with my phone at 100% to ensure no resolution loss). The sound was very boxed in with a boomy low end and a very exaggerated forward mid and recessed treble. I was in fact about to sell my andros at this point in all honestly as I only ever use them portably when I’m working away.

I thought I’d trial this as this as any attenuation could perhaps help.

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This made a startling difference in sound quality from my iphone to a Trond bluetooth receiver to my etymotic research hf3 earbuds. I needed only the increased impedance to allow me to listen at a lower volume, but I was amazed at how much clearer the sound is with this attentuator.

I’ve worked with audio engineers and have done radio production, so I have a fairly good ear, though I’m in no way an audiophile. To my ear, however, this device is a simple, relatively inexpensive way to make a huge difference in sound quality.

Does what it says – especially helps on my portable headphone amps – output has never been better. The iEMatch also works great connecting audio (via 1/8) to external speakers.

It also improves the signal and noise floor. Kind of pricey – but worth it to have in your personal audio arsenal / toolbox.

Really helped to protect my sensitive IEMs from overloading…
Well worth the money for the piece of mind it brings…

I got this because the Hidizs MS4 has an impedance of just 12 Ohms, and the volume is loud when used on some DACs, including some USB-C dongles. With this, not only is the volume more useable, but the sound is also cleaner when used in the Ultra setting.

Bass response is reduced slightly, probably because this mode has just 1-ohm of output impedance. On High, there seems to be a bit of bass boost, because of its 2.5-ohm output impedance

The little time I have used it, the sound is excellent!

Simple device that does the job. I can now safely listen to my Shure SE535s with my AudioQuest Red without danger of blowing out my ears and/or the IEMs by accident. Also get better dynamic range by being able to set volume to a normal setting. Wasn’t sure it was worth the money, but after giving a try it was money well spent.

A sensitive IEMs need a correct OI to make sure the sound is not bloated with bass bleeds. This solved my issue with CA Andromeda to separate lows and mids. I pair this with ES100 and it works like charm.

This gets rid of any coil whine or any other weird feedback in the sound signal on laptops and other electronics, allowing me to use high sensitivity drivers on lots of electronics I would otherwise have to use big headphones on. Worth every penny! And the build quality is superb, they don’t feel like they will ever break

Simply amazing for sensitive headphones like AKG K3003

Let’s me run my Andromedas off my galaxy s9+ without hiss so I’m very pleased. Time will tell if the dongle wire holds up but after a few days I’m a happy camper

some sensitive earphones (Campfire Audio Jupiter and Andromeda). I like to listen on tube amplifiers made for full-size headphones. I would get a hiss or an audible tone. I simply plug in this device and that distracting noise is gone. The music is then even clearer – and the earphone/amplifier synergy is now even better. I’m now going to try the iFi Ear Buddy, too, to see if that one works similarly, so I can use it in another room. Worth the price to me – bigger difference to my ears than (say) a cable upgrade.

Makes your iem much less sensitive which in turn helps to eliminate hissing that sensitive iems generally exhibit with smartphones.

This is the item you want to get rid of any audible hiss as well as alter impedance output if necessary.

Fixes the hiss on my m9xx dac/amp and on my phone, however it makes audio from the phone a little too low and should require an external amp.

I was skeptical of this finally solving an issue that I’ve had, which is finding a DAP or DAC/ that wouldn’t hiss using my Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors. Unfortunately, many audiophile DAPs and DAC/amps are designed for full sized headphone power, which doesn’t work well for custom in ear monitors. I have used this little thing on a Herus, my audio interface, and can enjoy a black background with less gain, so I can actually fine tune my volume. Another positive for this device is that it isn’t another impedance adapter, which would affect the frequency response of multi-BA IEMs. iFi did some magic with this, and made the ultra level under 1 ohm impedance!

I would say this is a near required purchase for anyone with sensitive in ear headphones or CIEMs.

In my testing, the iEMatch was a huge improvement in everyday use…This is a dead easy recommendation and I am sure it will find a safe place in your IEM case!

Pros: Eliminates hiss, no significant change in sound.

iEMatch is one of the iFi’s newest units…it removes hiss and provides a more dynamic presentation…It offers a balanced plug that allows using it on sources that have balanced outputs. In addition, there is a switch on the plug for a range of output style from single ended to balanced…iFi offers rich accessories for those who frequently travel via airplane…iEMatch relatively eliminates hiss arising out of the source with a slight change in the sound…iFi iEMatch is a nice travel accessory that can be purchased for $49. It is easy to use and can be considered as a daily unit…it eliminates hiss considerably.