Yes, you can make IEMs Wireless... With a "Bluetooth Adapter"

 IEMs, or "in-ear monitors", are basically in-ear high-end earphones, that usually look like this:

KZ ZEX hybrid IEM from KZ-Audio

Note the wires. Yes, this has wires. because these are wired IEMs. And most people prefer it that way. In fact, they would even upgrade the wires to monocrystal core, multi-strand, oxygen-free wiring... However, these wires are... replaceable. Yes, you can remove the wires. There are 3 types of plugs, 0.75mm (or 0.78mm), MMCX, and a new one called "S-plug", which seems to be a variation of the 2-pin. 

What if you want a set of wireless IEM? 

You could add on what's commonly called "Bluetooth adapter", or "Bluetooth upgrade wire". And they'd look something like this. This is the split version. You can also get one that's linked together via wire around back of neck. 

KZ AE01 BT 5.4 IEM Adapter via KZ-Audio

See where it connects to the two IEMs? So basically it will turn any 0.75mm or 0.78 mm 2-wire IEM into a Bluetooth wireless version. IEM itself is NOT included, but AE01 itself is available directly from KZ for as low as $25 USD or from Amazon in the US for about $34, which seems to be a bargain. KZ itself also makes a version using several different Qualcomm chipsets for different price points. And you can also find versions made for MMCX and S-plug. 

This obviously, is NOT the only company making such. Prices vary greatly, from $20 to $200. The more expensive ones are from famous maker (such as Shure) and/or using high-end Qualcomm Bluetooth chipset that also support Qualcomm HD audio, AptX, and so on. 

So if you have a good set of 2-wire IEMs, you can turn them wireless with these adapters. 

More Crap from China: A Quick Review of Xiaomi E17 ANC

One of the items I picked up on Aliexpress was a Xiaomi E17 ANC "airpod-like" wireless earbuds. The whole design is obviously a "homage" to Apple's Airpods. I thought I ordered Blue, but I got a black one instead. 

The advertised features are 11db ANC mode, transparency mode (so you CAN hear people near you), and supposedly 20 hours playtime. Clearly, it's counting the battery capacity in the carrying case, not in the buds themselves. There are 2 sets of touchpads along either stem of the earbuds. 

It does come with a small wrist-loop that can be threaded through the opening on the side of the carrying case. There's a cutout in the loop, but no explanation on what it is for. Maybe for hanging onto things? 

To charge it, plug in a USB-C cable into the bottom. When LED over the Mi logo turns solid, the charging is complete. 

To pair it, simply flip open the lid near the device you wanted (recommended distance: 2 inches). The instructions says you should turn on BOTH Wifi and Bluetooth on the device (why?)

As said before, each bud has two control pads on the stem. But all of these work on either pad alone. Swipe up or down controls volume. Single tap is pause/play, double tap is fast forward, and triple tap is reverse. If a call comes in, single tap answers. Once I triggered Google assistant by accident, but there's no documented gesture for that. Touch and hold both touchpads to toggle between ANC and "transparency mode". That's it. That's all the documentation. No explanation on what the button on the charging case back does (seems to control charging of the buds?) 

 After using it a few days, the ANC does work, and yet... it doesn't feel like it doesn't do much. I have an air purifier in my room, and it's like a fan in the background if I turn it up to any setting beyond "whisper quiet". With E17's ANC on, I still hear the fan, just... more muffled. It's similar to wearing an earplug, or wearing over-the-ear headphone with a decent cushion seal. Switching to "transparency mode" just seem to turn ANC off. 

There were no spare silicone ear tips, just one set was installed, and they fit... "okay". I'll try to replace them with foam tips when I find some of my spares. 

It also does not do multi-point. It will pair with only ONE device. And that device had to "forget" about the E17 to allow it to pair with anything else. Maybe they consider that a security feature, heh? 

My MAIN problem with the E17 is its lack of battery life in the buds. I am only getting about 3 hours when one bud or the other starts beeping, indicating low power and needing a recharge from the carrying case. This severely affects my enjoyment of the device and makes me want to bring back out my Lenovo "neckband" or other Bluetooth headsets with far more battery life, even if they don't look as "cool". 

Overall rating: B-