[quartertone]

Americans drive on the right side of the road, and Europeans and others the left side.

 
No one in continental Europe drives on the left, it's just Britain and its former colonies (mostly Pacific and Asian).

 

[IEMagnet01]

  I'm about ready to do a throwdown between the Piston and thr NuForce 770X. One with a Beryllium alloy dynamic driver for $20.00, and one with a wideband dynamic driver for $25.00. 
 
Sources are an unamped Sony NWZ 475, an unamped Rockbox'd Sansa Fuze, an unamped ipod Touch 4 with EQ 10, and the FiiO X3. 
 
Files will be 320 mp3's, since only two out of the four sources can play FLAC. 
 
music will be a shuffled selection of classic rock, pop music, metal, and the debut SKREAM! album. 
 
Comparisons and results coming within the next hour or so...

 

[thatBeatsguy]

 
LoL, you will be surprised. There are A LOT of gearphiles that hops on the newest/ most hot gears regardless of the crazy prices.
 
But if you have cabbages to burn and is within your means i don't see the harm in it, but still it's LITERALLY like enabling these name brands to milk you like a sucka', but some pay that much for cables, etc etc so...... haha

 
Like i be saying cable guys you just can't trust them.

+1
 
     I don't know why some people here get so obsessed with the very cables; it's as if they actually want to spend more on audio that they just buy whatever they want because they're so filthy rich. And there are others who just get so paranoid that they could actually notice the difference between one silver cable and another silver cable. Of course, I actually think that the upgrade from OFC to silver cable might make sense for someone at Summit-Fi looking to finish up their collection and take a step into endgame; but from silver-to-silver...that just doesn't make any sense anymore.
 
/rant

 

[nehcrow]

 

What!? lol
Why are you quoting yourself - thought you were going to give impressions

 

[sfwalcer]

  What!? lol
Why are you quoting yourself - thought you were going to give impressions

My thoughts EXACTLY. Who the hell quotes themselves sheeeesh!!! LMAO

 
C'mon meng basic forum posting etiquette cuz those triple back to back to back............ posts. Nuff said.
 
.... not tellin' ya' how to post and we all do it from tyme to tyme but.... don't go full_retard with it meng.

 
 
edit: Learn to use the edit fool!!!

 

[IEMagnet01]

  What!? lol
Why are you quoting yourself - thought you were going to give impressions

that was my bad. Didn't mean it, but wasn't gonna mess with it after it happened. 

 

[IEMagnet01]

So relax, before I decide to flood this forum with 100 consecutive posts quoting the majesty of the Brainwavz Delta.  
 

 

[peter123]

Double post, typical given the last posts 

 

[peter123]

I've been listening to the Piston 2.0 from my HTC One for the last hour or so. I have to agree with IEMagnet here: they do actually sound better from the phone then they do properly amped. Both highs and lows are more to my liking with the less powerfull amp on the One.
 
Xiaomi have obviously tuned these to have the most balanced sound with a phone (or other mobile device) while giving them a lot of extra power makes both the highs and lows come out a little bit too much.
 
Given that they're developed for phone use this actually makes sense. It's actually more confusing that the MH1C need more power than a normal phone can deliver to sound their best....
 
I'll definitely be using these as my day to day IEM's with my phone.
 

  that was my bad. Didn't mean it, but wasn't gonna mess with it after it happened. 
 

Nah, you're just trying to reach the 1,000 mark faster 

 

[IEMagnet01]

  I've been listening to the Piston 2.0 from my HTC One for the last hour or so. I have to agree with IEMagnet here: they do actually sound better from the phone then they do properly amped. Both highs and lows are more to my liking with the less powerfull amp on the One.
 
Xiaomi have obviously tuned these to have the most balanced sound with a phone (or other mobile device) while giving them a lot of extra power makes both the highs and lows come out a little bit too much.
 
Given that they're developed for phone use this actually makes sense. It's actually more confusing that the MH1C need more power than a normal phone can deliver to sound their best....
 
I'll definitely be using these as my day to day IEM's with my phone.
 
Nah, you're just trying to reach the 1,000 mark faster 

LOL mayyyyyyybe??? and exactly...the bass and treble lose the smoothness with an amp. It sounds a bit harsher than unamped. 

 

[thatBeatsguy]

  LOL mayyyyyyybe??? and exactly...the bass and treble lose the smoothness with an amp. It sounds a bit harsher than unamped. 

Why are our thoughts on the Pistons unanimous? I've yet to find out.

 

[IEMagnet01]

  Why are our thoughts on the Pistons unanimous? I've yet to find out.

Because we're the smarty pants who took the chance and dove in and found a true gem! That and these Pistons sure act pretty consistently?? 

 

[IEMagnet01]

Xiaomi Piston 2.0 v.s. NuForce 770X throwdown!! The battle of the $20.00 dynamic driver IEMs.
 

 

 
To be honest, going into this I was expecting a trounce. I've hardly heard anything from the NuForce company, and my Xiaomi Piston pretty much mopped the floor up with my Sennheiser CX150,  VSonic GR99LE, Samsung HS-330, Philips SHE3580, and Altec Lansing MZX606 (a single BA driver). They also stood toe to toe sonically with my Monster Miles Davis Trumpets, only barely losing out to them head to head. So I didn't have much hope for the Nuforce NE-770X. Well I was quite surprised when the 770X not only put up quite the fight, but exceeded the Piston in a few areas as well. The Xiaomi Piston 2.0 Gold retails on average from $20-25. The 770X retails from $16-25. So each are similarly priced. 
 
Xiaomi Piston 2.0 : Beryllium Alloy Dynamic Driver
NuForce NE-770X : Wideband Dynamic Driver
 
I used four DAPS. All files were 320 mp3s. All unamped. Sony NWZ 475, Sansa Fuze, Fiio X3, and iPod Touch 4. 
 
The complete throwdown playlist as follows : 

Ambrosia - You're The Only Woman
America - Tin Man
Bob Marley - Stir It Up
Bob Seger - Hollywood Nights
Rush - Fly by Night
Rod Stewart - You're In My Heart
Santana - Winning
Wings - Silly Love Songs
The Who - Eminence Front
Toto - Rosanna
ATF - Der Kommisar
George Benson - Give Me The Night
Eminem - Monster
Dark Lotus - And We Danced
Jamiroquai - Cosmic Girl
John Mayer - Gravity
Amorphis - Against Widows
COC - Clean My Wounds
Metallica - Fade To Black
Slayer - Antichrist
Powermad - Terminator
Skream! - Midnight Request Line
Korn and Skrillex - Get Up!
John O'Callaghan - Cruise Speed
Cosmic Pulse - I Miss You
 
Both tips were identical Sony hybrid large. 
 
Fit and comfort was ideal for both. Since both housings are pretty much the same size and bullet shape, they fit in my ears very nicely and tight, and comfort was great for this long listening throwdown. 
 
i went down this list on each DAP, with A/B'ing for the first 12 songs, then strictly the Piston for the last 13, then the 770X following concurrently. 
 
SOUND CATEGORIES :
 
Bass Depth : NuForce 770X - The 770X dug deeper into sub bass. There was good rumble when needed, and great for trance and D&B music especially.
Bass Articulation : Xiaomi Piston 2.0 ...but just barely. The Piston didn't dig as deep, but the bass was presented with clarity and an ability to allow me to hear chords and notes being played on the bass clearly. This was ever present while listening to The Who's Eminence Front and Bob Marley's Stir It Up. While the 770X made you feel the bass, the Piston helped you hear the bass in a mature way. 
Bass Punch : 770X. Again by a hair. The 770X proved just a bit more punchy. You feel that bass slap. The reflex. That snap. The bass is well rounded and present. That thump thump thump is quick and resolving, while never creeping into distortion. The Piston, though providing punchy bass, lagged behind only slightly with speed and did at times distort a bit when the bass was turned up in EQ. 
 
Winner : NuForce NE-770X wins the battle of the lows, but not by much. Still, the wideband driver outpaces the beryllium driver at the low end. 
 
Mid Presence :  770X. The mids have more lushness, and vocals have just a bit less sibilance. Male vocals and female vocals can sometimes have a bit of a harder edge with the Piston. The 770X has a lusher mid presentation, giving a smoother vocal delivery.
Mid Clarity : Piston by a mile. The mids are very clear. They synergize well with the clear highs to present details in spades, with a forwardness that can produce some sibilance on some vocal tracks, but still the clarity on these budget babies is impressive. 
Mid Bite : Piston. The Piston is more forward, and has the timbre and attack that gives guitars and strings bite when needed, and presence when called for. Guitar solos and metal guitars sound strong, articulate, and edgy. 
 
Winner : Xiaomi Piston 2.0 has the better mids. It's not a slam dunk, but metal sounds more natural and aggressive with the Piston, whereas hip hop and pop was a bit better presented with the 770X
 
Highs Presence : Piston. The highs on the 770X are an odd bird. They have the timbre of a BA driver. I'm not sure if this is a result of having a wideband driver? The highs, though present and in no way laid back, have a plasticky presence, as if you were listening to the UE TF10, TDK BA-200, or Altec Lansing MZX606. The Piston has a more natural timbre, sustain, and decay. Roll off is quicker with the 770X, so the highs are a big win for the Piston. 
Timbre and Clarity : Piston. The natural timbre and clarity of the Piston allows you to hear clicks, tings, cymbals, timpani, bells, and percussion with gorgeous detail. This is especially evident on Santana's Winning and America's Tin Man. Both songs feature lots of going ons in the treble area, with percussion and guitar strings, congas, and cymbal strikes. You miss nothing with the Piston. Fast and resolving. 
Decay and Resolution : No surprise here. The Piston. Cymbal strikes decay slowly, and sustain is delicious. It's a pleasure listening to songs withj intricate percussion with the Piston. Now the 770X, on pop, hip hop, trance, and dub step, has a treble presence that makes these genres of music more engaging. Though the highs can sound plasticky, they are by no means slouchy. Tom strikes and percussion hits can still be resounding and fun. 
 
Winner : Xiaomi Piston 2.0. The highs are just more natural, with timbre and decay more articulate, mature, and forward. 
 
Soundstage: NuForce 770X. This surprised me, but the slightly larger driver in the 770X presented a wider soundstage with more depth. Instrument separation was better in the Piston, due to it's greater clarity, but the 770X was no slouch, and spacing of instruments was wider and deeper in the 770X. 
 
Imaging: 770X. Once again, and this was evident on tracks by Ambrosia, John Mayer, Metallica, Rush, and COC, that the positioning of instruments and vocals was better with the 770X. While the Piston suffered from a bit more claustrophobic imaging, the 770X presented left and right voices, center voices, left and right instrumentation, and center percussion with more poise and accuracy.
 
Instrument Separation : Piston wins by a sneak. With more forward and natural treble, and overall clarity, the Piston is able to present detail retrieval and instrument separation much easier. You hear the small details come out, and i actually heard things in songs like Der Kommisar, Give Me The Night, Eminence Front, and Silly Love Song that I had never heard before, and this includes using the UE TF10, AT CK 10, and FA DBA02. It's those "whoa? what was that? wow I never heard it that way" moments that makes this $20 IEM so POTENT and ENGAGING!! A $20.00 IEM shouldn't be this good, and present musical detail this way. It does. 
 
Fun Factor : Xiaomi Piston. The reason? What i explained earier. The discoveries you make, and the clarity in the presentation make the Piston a fun and engaging IEM, though kudos to the NuForce NE-770X for being another budget heavyweight, with many strong suits, and though the Xiaomi Piston wins by maybe a meter in this throwdown as the better all-arounder, the 770X is probably the better IEM for listening to trance, hip hop, or dub step? The bass and treble energy are just stronger and more synergistic for this type of music, with less penchant for distortion at higher volumes, but as the King of this throwdown and the IEM with the best value at $20.00..make mine the Xiaomi Piston. Ok, I'm going to bed listening to some classic rock and the Pistons. 
 
Night. 
 
IEM.

 

[1ofamillion]

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Quote:

  Xiaomi Piston 2.0 v.s. NuForce 770X throwdown!! The battle of the $20.00 dynamic driver IEMs.
 

 

 
To be honest, going into this I was expecting a trounce. I've hardly heard anything from the NuForce company, and my Xiaomi Piston pretty much mopped the floor up with my Sennheiser CX150,  VSonic GR99LE, Samsung HS-330, Philips SHE3580, and Altec Lansing MZX606 (a single BA driver). They also stood toe to toe sonically with my Monster Miles Davis Trumpets, only barely losing out to them head to head. So I didn't have much hope for the Nuforce NE-770X. Well I was quite surprised when the 770X not only put up quite the fight, but exceeded the Piston in a few areas as well. The Xiaomi Piston 2.0 Gold retails on average from $20-25. The 770X retails from $16-25. So each are similarly priced. 
 
Xiaomi Piston 2.0 : Beryllium Alloy Dynamic Driver
NuForce NE-770X : Wideband Dynamic Driver
 
I used four DAPS. All files were 320 mp3s. All unamped. Sony NWZ 475, Sansa Fuze, Fiio X3, and iPod Touch 4. 
 
The complete throwdown playlist as follows : 

Ambrosia - You're The Only Woman
America - Tin Man
Bob Marley - Stir It Up
Bob Seger - Hollywood Nights
Rush - Fly by Night
Rod Stewart - You're In My Heart
Santana - Winning
Wings - Silly Love Songs
The Who - Eminence Front
Toto - Rosanna
ATF - Der Kommisar
George Benson - Give Me The Night
Eminem - Monster
Dark Lotus - And We Danced
Jamiroquai - Cosmic Girl
John Mayer - Gravity
Amorphis - Against Widows
COC - Clean My Wounds
Metallica - Fade To Black
Slayer - Antichrist
Powermad - Terminator
Skream! - Midnight Request Line
Korn and Skrillex - Get Up!
John O'Callaghan - Cruise Speed
Cosmic Pulse - I Miss You
 
Both tips were identical Sony hybrid large. 
 
Fit and comfort was ideal for both. Since both housings are pretty much the same size and bullet shape, they fit in my ears very nicely and tight, and comfort was great for this long listening throwdown. 
 
i went down this list on each DAP, with A/B'ing for the first 12 songs, then strictly the Piston for the last 13, then the 770X following concurrently. 
 
SOUND CATEGORIES :
 
Bass Depth : NuForce 770X - The 770X dug deeper into sub bass. There was good rumble when needed, and great for trance and D&B music especially.
Bass Articulation : Xiaomi Piston 2.0 ...but just barely. The Piston didn't dig as deep, but the bass was presented with clarity and an ability to allow me to hear chords and notes being played on the bass clearly. This was ever present while listening to The Who's Eminence Front and Bob Marley's Stir It Up. While the 770X made you feel the bass, the Piston helped you hear the bass in a mature way. 
Bass Punch : 770X. Again by a hair. The 770X proved just a bit more punchy. You feel that bass slap. The reflex. That snap. The bass is well rounded and present. That thump thump thump is quick and resolving, while never creeping into distortion. The Piston, though providing punchy bass, lagged behind only slightly with speed and did at times distort a bit when the bass was turned up in EQ. 
 
Winner : NuForce NE-770X wins the battle of the lows, but not by much. Still, the wideband driver outpaces the beryllium driver at the low end. 
 
Mid Presence :  770X. The mids have more lushness, and vocals have just a bit less sibilance. Male vocals and female vocals can sometimes have a bit of a harder edge with the Piston. The 770X has a lusher mid presentation, giving a smoother vocal delivery.
Mid Clarity : Piston by a mile. The mids are very clear. They synergize well with the clear highs to present details in spades, with a forwardness that can produce some sibilance on some vocal tracks, but still the clarity on these budget babies is impressive. 
Mid Bite : Piston. The Piston is more forward, and has the timbre and attack that gives guitars and strings bite when needed, and presence when called for. Guitar solos and metal guitars sound strong, articulate, and edgy. 
 
Winner : Xiaomi Piston 2.0 has the better mids. It's not a slam dunk, but metal sounds more natural and aggressive with the Piston, whereas hip hop and pop was a bit better presented with the 770X
 
Highs Presence : Piston. The highs on the 770X are an odd bird. They have the timbre of a BA driver. I'm not sure if this is a result of having a wideband driver? The highs, though present and in no way laid back, have a plasticky presence, as if you were listening to the UE TF10, TDK BA-200, or Altec Lansing MZX606. The Piston has a more natural timbre, sustain, and decay. Roll off is quicker with the 770X, so the highs are a big win for the Piston. 
Timbre and Clarity : Piston. The natural timbre and clarity of the Piston allows you to hear clicks, tings, cymbals, timpani, bells, and percussion with gorgeous detail. This is especially evident on Santana's Winning and America's Tin Man. Both songs feature lots of going ons in the treble area, with percussion and guitar strings, congas, and cymbal strikes. You miss nothing with the Piston. Fast and resolving. 
Decay and Resolution : No surprise here. The Piston. Cymbal strikes decay slowly, and sustain is delicious. It's a pleasure listening to songs withj intricate percussion with the Piston. Now the 770X, on pop, hip hop, trance, and dub step, has a treble presence that makes these genres of music more engaging. Though the highs can sound plasticky, they are by no means slouchy. Tom strikes and percussion hits can still be resounding and fun. 
 
Winner : Xiaomi Piston 2.0. The highs are just more natural, with timbre and decay more articulate, mature, and forward. 
 
Soundstage: NuForce 770X. This surprised me, but the slightly larger driver in the 770X presented a wider soundstage with more depth. Instrument separation was better in the Piston, due to it's greater clarity, but the 770X was no slouch, and spacing of instruments was wider and deeper in the 770X. 
 
Imaging: 770X. Once again, and this was evident on tracks by Ambrosia, John Mayer, Metallica, Rush, and COC, that the positioning of instruments and vocals was better with the 770X. While the Piston suffered from a bit more claustrophobic imaging, the 770X presented left and right voices, center voices, left and right instrumentation, and center percussion with more poise and accuracy.
 
Instrument Separation : Piston wins by a sneak. With more forward and natural treble, and overall clarity, the Piston is able to present detail retrieval and instrument separation much easier. You hear the small details come out, and i actually heard things in songs like Der Kommisar, Give Me The Night, Eminence Front, and Silly Love Song that I had never heard before, and this includes using the UE TF10, AT CK 10, and FA DBA02. It's those "whoa? what was that? wow I never heard it that way" moments that makes this $20 IEM so POTENT and ENGAGING!! A $20.00 IEM shouldn't be this good, and present musical detail this way. It does. 
 
Fun Factor : Xiaomi Piston. The reason? What i explained earier. The discoveries you make, and the clarity in the presentation make the Piston a fun and engaging IEM, though kudos to the NuForce NE-770X for being another budget heavyweight, with many strong suits, and though the Xiaomi Piston wins by maybe a meter in this throwdown as the better all-arounder, the 770X is probably the better IEM for listening to trance, hip hop, or dub step? The bass and treble energy are just stronger and more synergistic for this type of music, with less penchant for distortion at higher volumes, but as the King of this throwdown and the IEM with the best value at $20.00..make mine the Xiaomi Piston. Ok, I'm going to bed listening to some classic rock and the Pistons. 
 
Night. 
 
IEM.

 
Awesome comparison! I've never heard about the NuForce NE-770X to be honest, but my Pistons are more than enough to satisfy my low budget needs. 

 The NuForce NE-770X seem like a great IEm as well though!

 

[BenF]

  I've been listening to the Piston 2.0 from my HTC One for the last hour or so. I have to agree with IEMagnet here: they do actually sound better from the phone then they do properly amped. Both highs and lows are more to my liking with the less powerfull amp on the One.
....

May be it's because the amp on the phone rolls off the lows and the highs, making it less V-shaped?