
Looking for professional, affordable IEMs? Beyerdynamic’s new wired earbuds may fit the bill — but after a thorough test, they’re not quite perfect
THE SO WHAT
The IEM market is compressing toward “good enough” sound at low prices—brand equity now has to carry more of the margin than clear acoustic superiority. For audio and peripheral makers, differentiation has to move into software, ecosystem, and creator partnerships, not just driver tuning.
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