Intro
Hey there, music lovers! If you’re looking for the best IEMs to listen to Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You”, you’ve come to the right place. As an avid music listener, I’ve tested out several IEMs to see which ones are the best fit for this popular song. Keep reading to see how each IEM stacks up against the others with this IEM Song Comparison!
Song
Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” is a catchy, upbeat pop song that’s sure to get you moving. With its strong bassline and lively vocals, it’s the perfect track to test out the capabilities of your IEMs.
Genre
“Shape of You” falls under the pop genre, with a strong emphasis on electronic beats and dance rhythms. It’s a highly produced track, with several layers of instrumentation that require high-quality audio equipment to fully appreciate.
The Challenges in This Song
One of the biggest challenges in “Shape of You” is its strong bassline, which can easily overwhelm lower-quality IEMs. The song also features several layers of instrumentation, which can become muddled if your IEMs aren’t up to par.
Source Chain
To power my listening experience, I used a MacBook Air M1 with Apple Lossless files and a DAC/AMP SMSL M300 MKIII.
Comparison
After testing out several IEMs, I’ve come up with the following rankings for listening to “Shape of You“:
1st Place: Audiosense DT600
With its intense sound and impressive layer separation, the DT600 is the perfect match for “Shape of You”. Its sub-bass can sound a bit synthetic, but overall it delivers a highly energetic and immersive experience.
2nd Place: IKKO Asgard OH5
The OH5 delivers clean vocals and a balanced sound, with a wider soundstage than the DT600. While it’s technically superior, the OH5 doesn’t quite have the same raw energy as the DT600.
3rd Place: 7Hz Timeless
The Timeless has a very clean sound with a larger soundstage but lacks the same energy and impact as the DT600 and OH5. Its sub-bass is also less present in the first part of the song.
4th Place: IKKO Obsidian OH10
While the OH10 delivers great sound effects and a clean male voice, it lacks the intense energy needed for “Shape of You”. Its low frequencies are also less present, resulting in a less immersive listening experience.
Out of Competition
I tried my closed-back Shure1540, which falls shortly behind the IKKO Asgard OH5. The Shure1540 sounds more precise and laid back than the DT600, but less intense. It has a very detailed and dry sound with great low frequencies. However, it falls shortly behind the IKKO Asgard OH5 in terms of overall performance.
Conclusion
After careful listening and comparison, the Audiosense DT600 emerged as the winner for the Shape of You by Ed Sheeran of this IEM Song Comparison. Although the IKKO Asgard OH5 and 7Hz Timeless were technically superior, the DT600’s energy, intensity, and sub-bass performance made it the best choice for this particular song. The IKKO Obsidian OH10 had a more laid-back sound, but it was still an enjoyable listening experience.
If you’d like to check more songs where I did A-B tests with these IEMs, you can find an overview here or you can check my “My Ultimate Guide to Affordable In-Ear Monitors in 2023“.
Try new and different music by yourself, you can find my current heavy stress test for headphones and IEMs here (@ Apple music).
If you have any suggestions or would like to share your own experiences, feel free to reach out to me on Instagram.
