[bhazard]

Joker posted quick impressions of the Fidue in-ears. They sound like winners.

 

[huja]

Great news on my Moxpad's, they've reached Norway according to the tracking. Now I only need to wait for custom clearance.......

 

[L0SLobos]

From my own personal experience with some of these ear/headphones, a lot of these chinese companies products have poor build quality/engineering when compared to the likes of Sennheiser, Denon, Audio-technica, FAD, Fostex, Stax. But I guess the low pricing makes it acceptable?

 

[bhazard]

  From my own personal experience with some of these ear/headphones, a lot of these chinese companies products have poor build quality/engineering when compared to the likes of Sennheiser, Denon, Audio-technica, FAD, Fostex, Stax. But I guess the low pricing makes it acceptable?

You could say there are poor build quality American brands as well. Lower end Skullcandy sets come to mind. They are built in China anyway.
 
Yes, there are plenty of poor quality Chinese products, yet there are many excellent ones as well. Do you deny that VSonic makes excellent iems?
 
Stax is now owned by Edifier (a Chinese company). Edifier makes a very nice headphone, the H850, that is unavailable in the US. I have one though, and it is a >$50 gem. Is anything Stax a poor product because it is Chinese owned now?
 
We only know of VSonic because of the community and their experiences with it. There just happens to be a lot of unknown quality chinese audio pieces out there, and it would be awesome to know all the good stuff from the bad.
 
The Ostry, Moe, Moxpad, and the Havi are all very good iems I've tried. Joker mentioned Fidue in his latest impressions as well, and they seem like a great new up and comer.

 

[L0SLobos]

  You could say there are poor build quality American brands as well. Lower end Skullcandy sets come to mind. They are built in China anyway.
 
Yes, there are plenty of poor quality Chinese products, yet there are many excellent ones as well. Do you deny that VSonic makes excellent iems?
 
Stax is now owned by Edifier (a Chinese company). Edifier makes a very nice headphone, the H850, that is unavailable in the US. I have one though, and it is a >$50 gem. Is anything Stax a poor product because it is Chinese owned now?
 
We only know of VSonic because of the community and their experiences with it. There just happens to be a lot of unknown quality chinese audio pieces out there, and it would be awesome to know all the good stuff from the bad.
 
The Ostry, Moe, Moxpad, and the Havi are all very good iems I've tried. Joker mentioned Fidue in his latest impressions as well, and they seem like a great new up and comer.

Hmm. Yeah I've had the opportunity to try out the Vsonic gr07 at a local headphone shop, and I can't deny that it is an excellent iem, probably best in class for its price range, but I did have some issues with sibilance~harsh trebles. However, I still couldn't really bring myself to like/buy it. It might be just me, but I value design/engineering quality just as much as audio quality. Which is why I prefer something like the sennheiser hd800 that excels in all fields.
 
Regarding the topic of this thread, I think many of these Chinese products would be more successful here if they advertised more/featured more in NA and have beneficial connections with local headphone stores. And they should bump up their design/material/manufacturing quality even if it means more premium prices.

 

[jekostas]

Regarding the topic of this thread, I think many of these Chinese products would be more successful here if they advertised more/featured more in NA and have beneficial connections with local headphone stores. And they should bump up their design/material/manufacturing quality even if it means more premium prices.

 
You're making the completely unreasonable assumption that these companies even care about serving the North American market with their own brands.  As has been pointed out, they already sell in North America - as OEMs for Western brands.

 

[analogsurviver]

My kz a1 arrived in Norway yesterday. I should get it next week along with the Moxpad's. Also got the Phrodi Pod201, Havi's and the new Piston's on the way. Will arrange a shootout when I get them all

I chewed through this thread today in ONE GO - after searching for smartphone and as collateral damage finding XIAOMI IEMs. I am specially intrigued by the new Piston version with beryllium diaphragm. 
 
Havi M3 Pro version is also something of interest - as I really need IEM monitoring of live recordings and fun and V and U signatures are to be avoided at all costs. On its way to me is a pair of Superlux 381Fs - something that might fit the bill, in fact my way of trying the physical outline of such design and compatibility with intended application, as I am eying Philips Fidelio S1 or better yet, S2, which share the  general physical outline with 381Fs, size, semi open, etc. 
 
I will probably start a new thread on monitoring with IEMs - as I do it always under the mufflers and I have found very little if anything on head-fi in this direction. Please note I record classical/vocal/ACOUSTIC music and any studio type experience is perhaps contraproductive. Preferred "cans" I own and use are AKG K 1000 and Stax Lambda, but these are useless for monitoring live in the same acoustical space with performers ( concert hall, church, etc ). Isolation is paramount, that is why I use OVER IEMs mufflers, to get the overall isolation ( combination of IEMs and mufflers ) of the order of approx 60 dB :
http://solutions.3m.co.uk/wps/portal/3M/en_GB/OccSafety/Home/Products/ProductCatalogue/?PC_Z7_RJH9U5230GE3E02LECFTDQKKT1000000_nid=QBQP479KLXbeN8MT32R3VMgl
 
My current IEMs also fit into this thread - XKDUN CKM-700 http://www.head-fi.org/t/579727/mysterious-focalprice-iems-amazing-impressions-and-comparisons-inside  ; they are nice as long as good midrange is the only requirement, but suffer on loud bass and treble leaves too much to be desired. I had high hopes for Sennheiser IE800, but these seem to be too much fun and too litlle precision oriented, even if one disregards ludicrous price.
 
Your comments on everything you are expecting would be more than welcome. But PLEASE - do give all of them a decent burn in time - out of the box, most headphones/IEMs do not show their true characters. I am most interested in Xiaomi new Pistons.
 
HAPPY NEW YEAR !

 

[analogsurviver]

@Bhazard : THANK YOU for this great thread. Please see the post above this one.
 
Since you are familiar with JVC HA-S500, which I also own and use, I would be most interested in your impression of Havi M3s Professional and XIAOMI Pistons you have in the pipeline.
 
Have a great holliday season !

 

[bhazard]

  I chewed through this thread today in ONE GO - after searching for smartphone and as collateral damage finding XIAOMI IEMs. I am specially intrigued by the new Piston version with beryllium diaphragm. 
 
Havi M3 Pro version is also something of interest - as I really need IEM monitoring of live recordings and fun and V and U signatures are to be avoided at all costs. On its way to me is a pair of Superlux 381Fs - something that might fit the bill, in fact my way of trying the physical outline of such design and compatibility with intended application, as I am eying Philips Fidelio S1 or better yet, S2, which share the  general physical outline with 381Fs, size, semi open, etc. 
 
I will probably start a new thread on monitoring with IEMs - as I do it always under the mufflers and I have found very little if anything on head-fi in this direction. Please note I record classical/vocal/ACOUSTIC music and any studio type experience is perhaps contraproductive. Preferred "cans" I own and use are AKG K 1000 and Stax Lambda, but these are useless for monitoring live in the same acoustical space with performers ( concert hall, church, etc ). Isolation is paramount, that is why I use OVER IEMs mufflers, to get the overall isolation ( combination of IEMs and mufflers ) of the order of approx 60 dB :
http://solutions.3m.co.uk/wps/portal/3M/en_GB/OccSafety/Home/Products/ProductCatalogue/?PC_Z7_RJH9U5230GE3E02LECFTDQKKT1000000_nid=QBQP479KLXbeN8MT32R3VMgl
 
My current IEMs also fit into this thread - XKDUN CKM-700 http://www.head-fi.org/t/579727/mysterious-focalprice-iems-amazing-impressions-and-comparisons-inside  ; they are nice as long as good midrange is the only requirement, but suffer on loud bass and treble leaves too much to be desired. I had high hopes for Sennheiser IE800, but these seem to be too much fun and too litlle precision oriented, even if one disregards ludicrous price.
 
Your comments on everything you are expecting would be more than welcome. But PLEASE - do give all of them a decent burn in time - out of the box, most headphones/IEMs do not show their true characters. I am most interested in Xiaomi new Pistons.
 
HAPPY NEW YEAR !

 
Sorry to say, but I have the Superlux 381 and 386 as well, and neither will work for monitoring purposes. I wasn't a fan of either one. The Havi however is one of the more accurate iems I have heard. Only a frequency response graph would verify it, as I could be wrong.
 
The review of the Pistons also shows a V signature, but a good one. We'll see.
 
I would like to see a monitoring thread. People don't really know how well a flat response with low distortion makes a ton of difference. The Sony V6 is the only truly trusted monitoring headphone out there, and there has never been any mention of a monitoring IEM anywhere to my knowledge.
 

  @Bhazard : THANK YOU for this great thread. Please see the post above this one.
 
Since you are familiar with JVC HA-S500, which I also own and use, I would be most interested in your impression of Havi M3s Professional and XIAOMI Pistons you have in the pipeline.
 
Have a great holliday season !

 
The S500 is another U signature headphone I ended up not liking. Too much sparkle in the treble.
 
I'll let you know how the Havi and Piston compare.
 
I am also not a proponent of burn-in. A driver's signature and characteristic will not change from hour 1 to hour 100. It may possibly "tighten" up over that time, but there is no evidence it will do so. Your perception can vary greatly from every listening session, to every different song though. The Havi has been the same from hour 1 to hour 40 as of now, and I loved it since the first listen. It has not changed since.
 
I may just keep one or two other iems along with the Havi, as I feel I don't need to spend much more money having the HE-500, the Havi, and an exceptional DIY speaker setup. 

 

[analogsurviver]

   
Sorry to say, but I have the Superlux 381 and 386 as well, and neither will work for monitoring purposes. I wasn't a fan of either one. The Havi however is one of the more accurate iems I have heard. Only a frequency response graph would verify it, as I could be wrong.
 
The review of the Pistons also shows a V signature, but a good one. We'll see.
 
I would like to see a monitoring thread. People don't really know how well a flat response with low distortion makes a ton of difference. The Sony V6 is the only truly trusted monitoring headphone out there, and there has never been any mention of a monitoring IEM anywhere to my knowledge.
 
 
The S500 is another U signature headphone I ended up not liking. Too much sparkle in the treble.
 
I'll let you know how the Havi and Piston compare.
 
I am also not a proponent of burn-in. A driver's signature and characteristic will not change from hour 1 to hour 100. It may possibly "tighten" up over that time, but there is no evidence it will do so. Your perception can vary greatly from every listening session, to every different song though. The Havi has been the same from hour 1 to hour 40 as of now, and I loved it since the first listen. It has not changed since.
 
I may just keep one or two other iems along with the Havi, as I feel I don't need to spend much more money having the HE-500, the Havi, and an exceptional DIY speaker setup. 

Thank you for the quick reply.
 
I should (and will) elaborate the whole IEM monitoring thing - in that proposed thread. It does involve a specific amplifier and crosfeed processing of one kind or another, so it is not "business as usual" - in my case, requiring a bit more bassy phones than if they were run off normal output. I had to seal each and every vent on the HA-S500 in order to get "flat" bass with this combo - it is a proper basshead can when used normally ... - but paired with the said amp it is really very good.
 
HA-S500 is perhaps one of the toughest drivers to burn in - I positively HATED it from the box, so bloated and ill defined was its bass, with midbass hump etc.etc. It colured well into the midrange, but biggest failing was to produce anything resembling acoustics of the venue (space) on familiar recordings. After a LONG period it finally gave in - now it is superb in this regard. But generally I agree with you - if I do not like (or hear the potential) on first listen, that can will not improve to my liking regardless of burn in.
 
HA-S500 is a very good high frequency resolver - if it gets too busy in the treble, check what is going in. It can be bright(ish), but will be clean. Save for a resonance within the earcup affecting flute and female vocals - where it can be painfully bad, considering how clean it is otherwise. 
 
Please note the minimum resolution I work with is 48/24 (only for rehearsals), real thing is DSD128. My only device capable of MP3 is Korg MR1 DSD recorder - and I use MP3 capability only to record daily 6 hour classical programme that runs from midnight to about 6 AM, which I listen to then during daytime to see if there are any new interesting musicians/recordings. HA-S500 will mercilessly tell you what CD, let alone MP3, is doing wrong. So, killing the messenger ...
 
I got intrigued by the beryllium material used for diaphragm in new Pistons - knowing what it can do in tweeters. IEMs are notoriously lacking in treble, particularly single driver ones ( which I still prefer over multi driver versions because of coherence these multis usually lack ) - so I am interested in ANYTHING that might help in this regard.
If it does not cost an arm and a leg as with Pistons - better still.
 
FYI - just listened to my baby Stax (SR 001) after a considerable time - and compared to the HA-S500/w above amp they lack in dynamics, bass, treble extension - and above all, have sounstage cramped in the head - to the point of being "unusable" - baby Stax is still in its stock form ( but I might consider modding the amp to get better results ).  Both have far too low isolation for monitoring and are unusable for this purpose, above was just a hint which direction in sound  I am interested in.
 
I find it amusing but not funny that I get so good results with $ 5-12 ( depends where you buy it ) XKDUN CKM-700 ( NOT the CK-700, which can screech on soprano to the point of unlistenability ) - save for the missing treble extension/detail, I get near facsimile sound from the mike feed in IEMs under mufflers as heard live without any gear. CKM-700 is limited in loud bass too, but does that rather gently, by compression and not glaring immediately audible distortion. It is these limitations I would like to improve upon or get rid of altogether, while keeping the midrange/lower treble of CKM-700.
 
And reference is, as pointed above, live acoustic music, where equipment has nowhere to hide - not recording done by other person, in another venue, etc. 

 

[Hal Rockwell]

Got a ton of the newest KZ earphones in today.

Burning the first one in. KZ CKW Pro. Typical AT house sound. Boosted bass, boosted treble. I've come to realize I'm not a fan of the AT sound unless they put out more balanced sets (like the IM50).

Very nice for $30. It easily matches some $100 sets, but the Havi is better and more accurate at $10 more.

Did you get the second pair of a1 from Taobao?

 

[bhazard]

Did you get the second pair of a1 from Taobao?

Yes.
 
They sound mildly more refined over the first a1 I got, but not much difference. Still a pure basshead iem.

 

[bhazard]

KZ has another winner that they just released:
"KZ-professional 5.8MM extreme micro ring ear headphones HD audio enthusiast penetrating vocals"
 
As listed in the description, it looks and sounds like a Balanced Armature iem, but it has the huge bass kick of a dynamic. It is my favorite of the new ones so far.
 
Aluminum alloy, great clarity, big bass, balanced armature type highs, all for $10. Awesome.
 
Description:
 
"When we put this miniature moving coil (dynamic) tuned out with and comparable to the resolution of moving iron (Balanced Armature) headphones, then what does that mean?

Listening habits of traditional moving coil and moving iron tradition of burning faithful can now be replaced consider taste and experience this new type of micro-coil sound.

The newly developed 5.8MM micro dynamic pronunciation unit cell volume is only one-third of an ordinary moving coil, using nanoscale membrane. Refined with deep cavity design can be worn in the ear canal, isolating outside sound to gain a better listening experience.

KZ The micro ring style biased in favor of a balanced, taking into account the relatively chores, pop, music, rock, vocals and so on.

Sufficient resolving power can be comparable to the general moving iron headphones, very human voice is quite distinctive charm.

Wire aspects of the use of KZ custom 32-core enthusiast LC-OFC wire, wrapped inside a bulletproof fiber material. Sound transmission loss of zero, in terms of anti-pull better than those of ordinary headphone cable N times.

Cavity material, aluminum alloy, very sturdy said.

Standard accessories: three pairs of silicone sets.

Reminder: balance, positioning professional headphones are not suitable for heavy flavors enthusiasts. A headset is only one voice style, each and every person is different listening preferences. So please do not sound all requirements imposed on the shoulders of a headset, it's a lot of pressure."

 

[Zelda]

  KZ has another winner that they just released:
"KZ-professional 5.8MM extreme micro ring ear headphones HD audio enthusiast penetrating vocals"
 
 

that's quite a name for just a $10 phone. reminds me of some company...

 

[bhazard]

  that's quite a name for just a $10 phone. reminds me of some company...

Lol.
 
They just call it the Micro Ring. It's a little easier to say I think.
 
Great SQ though. If the Monoprice is the $8 standard to go by, these blow past it by quite a bit.
 
I didn't even realize it, but KZ sent it for free with my order of the 2014 IEM! The Micro Ring I actually ordered is still in transit. Very cool of them