Some really bad info in there… 🫣
For IEMs, Etymotic delivers unparalleled sound isolation and a neutral sound. ER2SE, or ER2XR if you’d like more bass, should be within your budget.
For headphones, check out the SoundCore Q30 by Anker. With Oluv’s EQ, it has a better sound than the Sony’s at less than half the price—and the noise cancelling is almost as good.
Daria, Entwives, and Tamagotchi come to mind. And maybe games like Caves of Qud or Project Zomboid.
Still follow those and a few other subreddits via RSS. Wish more communities would’ve switched to Lemmy. :(
This review and this comparison might help. It's a real shame the newer models ended up being worse soundwise. While the Q30 can't compete with my Sennheiser HD 6XX, it still delivers a solid neutral sound after some equalization―and has become my preferred headphone just because of its ANC feature. It's also very comfy, and you can get two days of continued use before it needs recharging. The only downside I can think of is its tendency to fall off your head if you're running or working out.
SoundCore Q30 with Oluv’s EQ is probably the best you can get if you care at all about sound neutrality. You want the Q30 specifically, all the other models can’t be saved even with EQ.