For last year’s April Fools article, click here
Week 1 of government-mandated quarantine.
As some of you may know, due to the Covid-19 situation happening… well, basically everywhere, I decided to return back home to Singapore for that extra peace of mind. And of course, being fresh off the plane meant that I was required to self-isolate for a fortnight, so I had a lot of time to my own thoughts, to self-reflect and meditate on my journey, my aspirations and my shortcomings.
And in the time I spent in self-reflection, I had an epiphany. I had hurt so many people, committed so many cardinal sins, some would say that I have destroyed lives. And it happens… every time I say something bad about a product.
I had realised a grand truth: I wasn’t writing reviews for the audiophiles looking to buy something, or the ones who are on the fence on whether or not to purchase that new toy. No, I realised that I was writing reviews for exisiting owners of the product I was reviewing, and so my words dealt a much more personal blow to my readers.
After all, everyone knows that “you are what you eat”. And so by extension, “you are what you buy”. So it only made sense that whenever I criticised a product, I was in turn criticising the buyers as a person, insulting their very being.
Oh how blind could I have been, not realising the bitter truth I had subconsiously avoided for years. I never realised how much negativity and toxicity I was contributing to the hobby by highlighting the flaws of the IEMs I reviewed. The people I’ve hurt by calling a product “generic”, and in turn, calling them the same.
I cannot undo the damage that I’ve caused, and that shall be the biggest regret that will follow me to my deathbed. But I hope that you all can accept my apology, which is a list about as long as my ranking list.
Ahem.
- I’m sorry that I said that the Rhapsodio Zombie was “almost like listening some speakers with a mismatched, over-volumed subwoofer“.
- I’m sorry that I thought the Empire Ears Phantom shouldn’t be considered a “safe pick“.
- I’m sorry that I said that I wouldn’t buy the UE18+ Pro 3rd gen.
- I’m sorry that I said that the MEE Planamic “performs at the same level as what I’d expect a mainstream earphone would“.
- I’m sorry that I called the BGVP DMG’s bass “bad“.
- I’m sorry for the time when I said that I didn’t like most of Elysian’s initial line of IEMs.
- I’m sorry for calling the Whizzer A-HE03 “mundane“.
- I’m sorry for the time I said that the Oriolus Mellianus has a tuning “too similar to much cheaper models“.
- I’m sorry for saying that burn-in shouldn’t be taken seriously.
- I’m sorry that I said that the Tin T2 has “average resolution“.
- I’m sorry for saying that the Tin T2 Pro “doesn’t have a place in the market“.
- I’m sorry that I didn’t do a full review of the Sony IER-Z1R.
- I’m sorry that I “recoiled with disgust” upon listening to the Senfer DT6.
- I’m sorry that I thought that the Tin T2 was a better value pick than the T3.
- I’m sorry for calling the Shanling ME100 “average“.
- I’m sorry for making fun of cable believers last year.
- I’m sorry for saying that the Tin P1 “lacks in other technical merits“.
- I’m sorry for calling the Simgot EK3 “uninspired“.
- I’m sorry for questioning the existence of the 64 Audio tia Fourte Noir.
- I’m sorry for calling some of Fearless’ IEMs “eccentric“.
- I’m sorry for thinking that Campfire’s Polaris 2 and IO were “disappointments“.
- I’m sorry for not gushing over AAW’s most recent lineup of IEMs.
- I’m sorry for saying that Sennheiser’s IE40 Pro is “not competitive” and that the IE500 Pro belongs “in the trash heap“.
- I’m sorry for calling the Meze Rai Penta “meh“.
- I’m sorry for calling the FiiO FA1, FA7 and FH7 “overhyped“.
- I’m sorry for calling the Earfun x Oluv Free muddy.
- I’m sorry for saying that the VSonic VS7 was “simply another Average Joe“.
- I’m sorry for teaching people the proper definition of “power“.
- I’m sorry for thinking that the original Campfire Andromeda is better than the Andromeda Gold.
- I’m also sorry for preferring the Andromeda S to the original Andromeda
- I’m also sorry for liking the Andromeda CK Iceberg’s colour scheme over the rest.
- I’m also sorry for clowning on Campfire’s constant Andromeda refreshes.
- I’m also sorry for liking the Andromeda CK Iceberg’s colour scheme over the rest.
- I’m also sorry for preferring the Andromeda S to the original Andromeda
- I’m sorry for calling the IMR R2 Aten “mediocre“.
- I’m sorry for downranking a bunch of IEMs because I felt that I had to raise my standards.
- I’m sorry for letting Toranku write bad things about the Audio Technica ATH-IEX1 on my website.
- I’m sorry for calling the oBravo Ra C-Cu “a joke“.
- I’m sorry for calling the Empire Ears Valkyrie overpriced.
- I’m sorry for saying that the Empire Ear Wraith’s treble “basically doesn’t exist“.
- I’m sorry for calling the Noble Falcon a “bandwagon cash-grab“.
- I’m sorry for calling the Noble Savant 2 “an earphone that works better as eyecandy than it is actually being in your ears“.
- I’m sorry for saying that the Noble Tux would be “lucky to be competitive at $500“.
- I’m sorry for letting Toranku say more bad things about the Massdrop Zeus on my website.
- I’m sorry for calling the Earsonics house sound an “oddity“.
- I’m sorry for saying that the Advanced Model X is “far too intense to be taken seriously“.
- I’m sorry for giving the Hifiman TWS600 the nickname “The Worst Sound“.
- I’m sorry for calling the Jaybird Vista “uneven, sibilant and fatiguing“.
- I’m sorry for calling the Fearless La Hire “overpriced“.
- I’m sorry for calling the Fearless Roland “a disaster“.
- I’m sorry for calling the Fearless Lancelot “generic“.
- I’m sorry for not thinking that Vision Ears IEMs are worth their price.
- I’m sorry for the observation that the Campfire Solaris SE is virtually identical to the original.
- I’m sorry for calling the following “insignificant“:
- Unique Melody Mason V3+, Lime Ears Aether R, Kinera Nanna, qdc Fusion, Tansio Mirai TSMR-5, CCA C10, Futuresonics MG5HX, Shuoer Tape, Tanchjim Cora, Audiosense T800, BGVP ES12, CCA C12, iBasso IT03w, IMR R1 Zenith, KZ ZSN Pro, Noble M3, Stax SR-001, Tiandirenhe TD1, Unknown Custom IEMs, Venture Electronics BIE, Brainwavz B400, Cayin YB04, Fatfreq Eden, Heir Audio Tzar 350, I-INTO i8, Kinera IDUN Deluxe, KZ ZS3, Meccaudio ME-04, Pai AUdio DM2A, Tin T1, TRN BA5, Venture Electronics Duke, fineEars TSH-HR1000K, KZ AS16, AAW ACH/Kingfisher, Campfire Equinox, CCA A10, and the JH Audio Diana.
- I’m sorry for calling Effect Audio IEMs “daylight robbery“.
- I’m sorry for thinking that the original Dita Dream is better than the Dream XLS.
- I’m sorry for thinking that most of Elysian’s new lineup of IEMs aren’t worth the price.
- I’m sorry for thinking that the BLON BL03 “isn’t a giant killer“.
- I’m sorry for saying that the AUdio Technica ATH-CKR7TW sounds like “a blown out tweeter“.
- I’m sorry for saying that the 1More Stylish is “the first thing that comes to mind when I hear ‘mass-produced, mainstream earphone’“.
- I’m sorry for thinking that the Drop + THX Panda isn’t as good as what everyone says it is.
- I’m sorry for saying that the HarmonicDyne Helios “does not offer anything more than its immediate competitors“.
- I’m sorry for saying that the Kinera KH623 is “just bass“.
- I’m sorry for calling the BGVP Q2’s implementation “nothing special“.
- I’m sorry for calling FiR’s IEMs overpriced.
- I’m especially sorry for saying that the M2 “shouldn’t exist”.
- I’m sorry for saying that the ARC Oculus’ execution “could use a little more work“.
- I’m sorry for calling the Itsfit R3 “dulled and lacking in dynamics“.
- I’m sorry for saying that the Itsfit Fusion “struggles to be an anything-killer“.
- I’m sorry for saying that the DUNU DK-4001 is worse than the DK-3001 Pro.
- I’m sorry for not thinking that the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 is the greatest IEM in the world.
- I’m sorry for the time I called out Campfire for observed QC issues.
- I’m sorry for starting a Discord server because Discord is bad. Not the people; it’s all Discord’s fault.
- I’m sorry for not ranking every IEM as “S” tier.
And of course, my greatest transgression:
- I’m sorry for making my website tagline “if it’s not on the list, it doesn’t exist”, even though it’s clear that not literally every single piece of audio equipment in existence is on my ranking list(s).
So... what now?
Rejoice, for the time for change is upon us.
Self-reflection and apologies are nothing without corrective action. As this website has been steeped in hatred and negativity for years, brewing ill-will and toxicity within the minds of innocent audiophiles, it’s only natural that we address the problem. In essence, In-Ear Fidelity will never say a bad thing about any product ever again.
That’s right, positive vibes only.
I have heard your pleas, IEM owners of the world. I have seen your pitchforks and torches, and now humbly request a ceasefire. For now I shall ensure that every article I write shall be in your service, to make you feel good about the purchases that you’ve already made. The criticisms shall be tampered and deleted, the praises multiplied and shouted to the high heavens, and everything will be recommended as a “must-buy”. A true utopia where everything is great, amazing and worthy of the grandest exaggerations.
After tomorrow, history shall be made. After tomorrow, the following things will happen:
- All negative language in previous reviews will be struck off and replaced from a list of pre-approved descriptors.
- Such descriptors include but are not limited to: great, amazing, wonderful, emotional, transcendent, perfect, flawless, best, giant killer, value-for-money.
- The ranking list will only have 1 rank now: S tier. That’s right, now everything is S tier!
- All future buyer’s guides will now feature every IEM. I’m not sure how I’ll fit hundreds of entries into a single page, but we’ll figure it out when we get there.
- All measurements will hereby be removed from the website. Measurements expose flaws, and we can’t have that here.
- Buy everything I tell you to buy! On a completely unrelated note, I’ll be using affiliate links from now on.
And to celebrate In-Ear Fidelity’s newest metamorphosis, it’s only natural that the name be changed, alongside that hideously inaccurate tagline. A new tagline that brings ease to the insecure, and a new name worthy of the website’s new ideals:

Brings a tear to my eye. What a beautiful start to April.
Support me on Patreon to get access to tentative ranks, the exclusive “Clubhouse” Discord server and/or access to the Premium Graph Comparison Tool! My usual thanks to all my current supporters and shoutouts to my big money boys:
“McMadface”
“Desertscrub”
“Galactus”
Kurt
Man Ho
Denis
Nicholas
Alexander
Andrew
Ted
chisquare
Rene
Just like every IEM out there, you’re all amazing.
25 thoughts on “April Fools 2020: An Apology.”
This guy lol keep being you crin!
ygolopA 01/022
The best april’s fools ever !
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Yolo, that’s awesome. From now on I will also listen to everyone and buy everything they recomend even if they are (not) getting paid to do so. And yes I no longer think that $100+ cables do nothing to the sound, infact I have been enlightened and I know that is Jesus singing into my ears with nightingales from heaven when I get a EA or a PS cable and other sweetly priced silver things that audio waves run through. Oh and I will burn in my AC as well to make sure that the air that comes out of it has a beautiful effect on the audio waves passing through my body to my ears.
I believed, no, I KNEW the Delta Airlines Complementary Headphones were *just as good* as the Sony IER-Z1R! Finally: vindication!
Yez, it is the pinnacle of Audiophilia 😎🎶🎶
It took us guys in the shady hanger back office 20 years to get that frequency range perfect! Finally: Recognition.
Hey Larry! Nice to see you here!
Jejejejejeje
Me encanta la ironía, sigue así!
Just because we were deaf, they said we couldn’t we couldn’t make an IEM! I don’t know where we would be without your ceaseless efforts and the baboon shenanigans back in the summer of ’04. Good times.
Don’t forget our next project – a Delta Airlines Flight Simulator written entirely by blind codes with vertigo – starts tomorrow!
I dunno guy. It’s your opinion. I mean I recently bought the Blessing 2 based off of many opinions, including your take on the blessing (the first one). I would disagree about that hybrid being an all- rounder, but I thought your article really gave some of the best rounded impressions of what to expect.
I used to beef with this Diva/Gawd-of-Review (Bruuks’ Daw was his name iirc), not because of his in depth review, but because of his inflated and condescending ego. I called him out on it. What a cheerleader diva.
You remember Joker? Yeah, that dude was the shit (the really good kind). He was able declare the really nice aspects of the iem, and still balance his subjective taste. You guys have more in common.
Nothing wrong with influencing people. We can shut it off.
Final example? I happen to truly enjoy the LZ-A4. I believe you don’t (I believe you called it an flc8s). The A4 is flattery at worst/ best compared to the 8s, but they tuned quite differently altogether. That’s ok. I still like your work. I’ll be in touch. Stay well.
Look at the date
I sure hope it’s an April fool’s prank! I own iems that you thrashed, and iems that you liked, and iems you didn’t even consider. I know what I like, what I don’t like, I never feel offended by a review that disagrees with my personal taste, in fact I take reviews always with one (ore maybe two) grains of salt. I’ve learned over time who of the many reviewers I can trust more and have a taste closer to mine, and those I do absolutely not trust at all (I won’t mention names). So please, keep doing your work as you have so far, don’t hold back on your impressions because they might displease some users. Unless you use offensive wording, which I don’t think you do, just express your honest, albeit personal, opinion, and we’ll all be fine with that. At least I know I am. Keep up the good work, thanks!
KNZ Sound flux are the only IEM’s I’ve listened to. What have I not heard? It almost took me until 12 noon to read the empathetic apologies. That was some funny shit.
Thanks for saying all those negative things! Somebody needs to do it, and who better than somebody who can write so that I can form an actual impression of the thing reviewed, and can back things up with measurements.
Do not worry.
Audio reviewers are generally clowns on some payroll. I do not think I ever red you but if I did I have clearly valued you as any of the clowns I met in that Headfi sewer or any poor boy bad reviewer kind of video. And I met some.
This said you better change life an cheer up. Find a good mind health specialist. Take an antidepressant, keep it for a year minimum and stay clear from socials and audio review stuff.
Peace
Hsbahabahh happy April first for you too Crin!
Funniest thing I’ve read today. Cheers.
Would it REALLY have been so hard to just give everything an S+? This is not change we can believe in.
Chip on your shoulder?
ROFL
crin’s brains got fried by the covid 19 virus
haha…
Antes lo puse donde no era,
Me encanta la ironía, no cambies amigo.
Sucha loada B U L L S H I E T brotha. But goddamnit loved every line of it.
Just want to say thanks dude, your sight has saved me a lot of time and money