Havi B3 Pro-1 Impressions Thread

[Baycode]

  @Baycode after some extended listening time to O2/ODAC --> Havi B3, I can conclude that the pairing is not up to par with Fiio X3 --> Pico Slim --> B3, GO1000 --> B3 or HDP-R10 --> B3. I tried to give it as much love as I could, but unfortunately the sound was just too sterile for my liking. Midrange and especially vocals suffer because of this.

Regarding what I mentioned about fuzzy imaging, this weird problem still exists, and I don't think it's a fault of the Havi B3 because I ran the exact same tracks on my other current DAPs/DACs/AMPs, but none of them exhibited this character. I also separated the ODAC and O2 and them separately, and I do believe the culprit is in fact the ODAC.

Anyway, I did a bulk of my testing using the R10 as a yardstick of comparison, and I ended up listening to the combination throughout the entire evening and till the wee hours in the evening whilst studying for my exams. I must say, I think it bests both the GO1000 and Pico Slim in synergy with the Havi B3 (I no longer have the GO1000, and unfortunately I did not try the 47Ohm line out to a standalone amp, so I can't answer your query from a few pages back). The HDP-R10 is slightly warm sounding, with amazingly smooth mids, and a rather forward presentation. It is also very accurate, and up there with the O2/ODAC in terms of transparency, clarity and detail. The low frequencies are also accentuated, akin to Pico Slim, but even better IMHO. Sub-bass has rumble, texture, hits hard, and is very well controlled. Mid bass amount is perfect to me as well. The B3 is north of bass neutral as such. I have mentioned countless times what sonic enhancements benefits the Havi B3, and pretty much everything I have typed in this paragraph ticks all the boxes.

I will go out on a limb and say that the R10 --> B3 is synergetically the best pairing of any and everything I have ever owned thus far. There is absolutely zero fault that I can find with how it sounds, and is pretty much the ultimate sound signature that suits my taste. I would not change a single thing about it. I don't find myself missing my SE846s as much as I would expect, and if someone told me that this will have to be my endgame set-up, I would be totally happy with that (for now).

YMMV of course.

 
WOW!  Your feedback is very valuable for the thread @gyx11 !  Thanks a lot! 
 
Since you don't have the GO1000 while doing the comparisons I conclude they are from the memory (for that part)?
 
I'll be adding this on FP as well.
 
Now I want to put the equipments in your comparisons in to numbers (as USD):
 
O2/ODAC (DAC/AMP)= 250+ USD
X3 + PicoSlim (DAP + AMP) =  600 USD
GeekOut 1000 (DAC+AMP) = 299 USD
iBasso R10 (DAP) = 800+ USD
Shure SE846  (IEM) = 1000+ USD
 
So...:
iBasso R10 + B3 Pro1 = 890 USD
 
As I start typing I remember that another user, @Tamirci also commented that he reached his iem-nirvana with the iBasso DX90+NX1+B3 Pro1 combo.
 
At the same time I remember that:
@analogsurviver  commented countless times that B3 Pro1 needs best of the sources to reach its limits. And he did compared the situation of the B3 Pro1 with Extrama Amator speaker and amp setups:
 
Let's remember the Quote of @analogsurviver:

If for any reason you have to decide Havi B3 Pro ( Original Version ) vs some more efficient IEM using a feeble source and no way of adding an amp ASAP - get the efficient one. Mind you, Havi will still probably wow you - but after hearing all it can do with appropriate associated equipment and comparing what of that remains with a feeble source, it is simply too much.  
Reminds me of the Extrema Amator loudspeaker; relatively "inexpensive" loudspeaker say 20 or so years ago - ( if 5000 German Marks, an equivalent of say 2500 EUR ( + inflation)  can be considered inexpensive ). But IT WAS INEXPENSIVE - compared to amps that could bring that beauty/beast to sing. At LEAST three times more money was needed for the first amp I heard to bring Extremas to life. 
 
Still, there are people with Extremas and underachiever amps - they can not part with the speakers yet can not afford to power them properly. They would have been FAR better off with a bit lesser speakers and an amp within their budget that can handle them properly.
 
Think - 20 or so years of having to be constantly remindered ( or at least when these combos are being used ) *what if*...
 
Luckily, here the $ involved are incomparably lower - yet the principle remains the same. 

 
While mentioning these posts ad writing my sentences I don't want to mislead someone to think that "B3 Pro1 can't play music through mid quality sources". No, you can get music from anything else. But the volume level, richness and fullness of the sound, soundstaging capabilities, clarity, freq response gets only better and better with more quality and powerful sources. This character makes the B3 Pro1 a keeper IMO. Because in the future upgrades of your DAP, DAC or AMP there is only one outcome is waiting for you: A better sounding B3 Pro1. Also the music type you listen is important while choosing a player (IMO). From Galaxy S2 (with Voodoo Louder App) I love to listen London Grammar for example... But I feel that the music which needs "punch" doesn't come alive if I don't add an amp.

 

[analogsurviver]

   
WOW!  Your feedback is very valuable for the thread @gyx11 !  Thanks a lot! 
 
Since you don't have the GO1000 while doing the comparisons I conclude they are from the memory (for that part)?
 
I'll be adding this on FP as well.
 
Now I want to put the equipments in your comparisons in to numbers (as USD):
 
O2/ODAC (DAC/AMP)= 250+ USD
X3 + PicoSlim (DAP + AMP) =  600 USD
GeekOut 1000 (DAC+AMP) = 299 USD
iBasso R10 (DAP) = 800+ USD
Shure SE846  (IEM) = 1000+ USD
 
So...:
iBasso R10 + B3 Pro1 = 890 USD
 
As I start typing I remember that another user, @Tamirci also commented that he reached his iem-nirvana with the iBasso DX90+NX1+B3 Pro1 combo.
 
At the same time I remember that:
@analogsurviver  commented countless times that B3 Pro1 needs best of the sources to reach its limits. And he did compared the situation of the B3 Pro1 with Extrama Amator speaker and amp setups:
 
 
While mentioning these posts ad writing my sentences I don't want to mislead someone to think that "B3 Pro1 can't play music through mid quality sources". No, you can get music from anything else. But the volume level, richness and fullness of the sound, soundstaging capabilities, clarity, freq response gets only better and better with more quality and powerful sources. This character makes the B3 Pro1 a keeper IMO. Because in the future upgrades of your DAP, DAC or AMP there is only one outcome is waiting for you: A better sounding B3 Pro1. Also the music type you listen is important while choosing a player (IMO). From Galaxy S2 (with Voodoo Louder App) I love to listen London Grammar for example... But I feel that the music which needs "punch" doesn't come alive if I don't add an amp.

I can add that probably the best price/performance or bang for the buck is Havi B3 Pro 1 ( Old Version ) plus iFi Audio nano iDSD amp/DAC. In numbers, say $70 + $189$(lucky) / 189EUR(a bit less lucky) - depending where you live. Nano iDSD can not power the Havi to full performance - but that limitation only is true for the extreme dynamics in bass. Most recordings tend to avoid this anyway - with anything but these super dynamic recordings, the above combo is much more than needed for permanent hearing loss damage - and should be OK for > 99% of music and listeners.
 
Nano iDSD has been nominated for the best bargain product of 2014 in all of audio - or something to the same effect.
Quite deservedly, I might add. And there probably is no less expensive way to hear what it can do than trough Havi B3 Pro 1 (Old Version).

 

[yalper]

 
I'll be adding this on FP as well.

No more FP adding, it is now full Monsieur, try adding to Second Page instead 

 

[danimoca]

Just ordered the B3's from lendmeurears! 
 
As an amplifier I have a CMOY from biosciencegeek. It's a pretty powerfull amp in my experience, but is there anyone that has already tried it with the Havis?
 
Thanks!

 

[MuZo2]

My first amp was JDS labs Cmoy, it works well with havi. But for some reason Little Dot MK III doesnt work well. May  be some other can try some other tube amps.

 

[Airlight]

I recently got the B3 Pro 1 from LMUE.
 
Since they're quite pretty with the glass faceplate and general shape I figured I'd share a picture of my pair, as I've done with my GR07s over on those threads.
 

 
 
Full resolution: http://imgur.com/2Xiu5H9

 

[rontant]

I recently got the B3 Pro 1 from LMUE.

Since they're quite pretty with the glass faceplate and general shape I figured I'd share a picture of my pair, as I've done with my GR07s over on those threads.





Full resolution: http://imgur.com/2Xiu5H9

Very nicely taken. It is ... hypnotic!

 

[Darner]

Is there a "Thread of the Year" award on HF? If so, this one should get it. If not, maybe they should make one. The old-timers on this thread should nominate it, and BC along with it.

 

[MuZo2]

You can do this by clicking the thumbs up for the first post of this thread.

 

[SkiesOfAzel]

  I recently got the B3 Pro 1 from LMUE.
 
Since they're quite pretty with the glass faceplate and general shape I figured I'd share a picture of my pair, as I've done with my GR07s over on those threads.
 

 
 
Full resolution: http://imgur.com/2Xiu5H9

 
Could you post some impressions and comparisons to the GR07? Thanks for another excellent pic btw!

 

[Eric95M]

How much power can be safely put through these? By "safely" I don't mean hearing damage, I am asking the limits of the IEM's.  I use an e12 and have bad hearing....  I am expecting the replacement pair today.  First ones were defective.
Thanks BTW

 

[analogsurviver]

  How much power can be safely put through these? By "safely" I don't mean hearing damage, I am asking the limits of the IEM's.  I use an e12 and have bad hearing....  I am expecting the replacement pair today.  First ones were defective.
Thanks BTW

Hard to say. You would have to define what "safe" is; that it still works but has altered characteristics, that does not alter permanently, % of distortion , degree of compression of acoustical output vs electrical input, ...., you get the idea. 
 
Although the following video is in German, it DOES give a reasonable explanation of exposure to dangerously high levels of sound - peaks of gargantuan proportions are generally not perceived as loud, as they normally occur in music with high dynamic range, where average level is quite low. But if you listen to compressed music, which has dynamic range below 10 dB, the danger of  damage with resulting permanent altering of hearing is large - because the average level is high.
 

 

[gyx11]

@Baycode

Yes my friend, you are right. My declaration of the HDP-R10 --> Havi B3 being the best pairing is unfortunately but inevitably based on memory. As of present, I have neither the Pico Slim not the GO1000 with me. However, I spent extensive time with each setup, and I say it with confidence that the R10 is still clearly the best. When comparing between the X3 + Pico Slim and the GO1000, it was sometime too close to call, but with the R10, there isn't a shadow of doubt that it is superior to both the GO1000 and X3 + Pico Slim.

Kinda like how I know that Havi B3 Pro 1 is superior to the Xiaomi Pistons. Perhaps I can't quantify exactly how drastic the gap (chasm?) between the two were, but it is clear that I don't need to A/B them directly at the same time to know that the B3 wins out in almost all possible ways by a landslide. 

 

[Eric95M]

My issue is I have had major ear disease when I was younger.  I had a Modified radical mastoidectomy when I was 19.  I am now 58.  I have dual hearing aids.  The reason I am asking how much power I can put through them is I don't want to blow the earbuds.   I have a drawer full of them....
It is an interesting video, thank you.  I Had no idea the effects would be immediate as they apparently are.
I STILL love music and I can tell garbage from great sound

 

[analogsurviver]

  My issue is I have had major ear disease when I was younger.  I had a Modified radical mastoidectomy when I was 19.  I am now 58.  I have dual hearing aids.  The reason I am asking how much power I can put through them is I don't want to blow the earbuds.   I have a drawer full of them....
It is an interesting video, thank you.  I Had no idea the effects would be immediate as they apparently are.
I STILL love music and I can tell garbage from great sound

Let's put it that way - Havi B3 Pro 1 (Old Version ) need - and tolerate - MUCH more juice than "average" IEM - and more than "average" full sized dynamic headphones.
170 mW/ch as delivered by ifi Audio nano iDSD amp/DAC are in no way something that does damage to them - but the micro model that sports 4000 mW+ is something I will have to carefully watch not to overcook it. I would be more concerned with my ears than Havis - with reasonable equipment your ears should give up before Havis - the oly exception extremely loud low bass peaks, loke timpany and big drum from ucompresssed recordings.
 
I am glad you liked the video - I especially wanted to show that even 10 minutes at music played at 100+ dB levels has immediate effect on acuity of our hearing. It bounces back - but if you are exposed to prolonged levels of this magnitude, things get permanently altered. 
 
BTW - reference headphone used was Stax Lamda ( of some sort, most likely Pro - which has been developed at first in Germany for the requirements of Mercedes Benz after normal Labda model failed to reproduce noise levels as measured by dummy head in cars - particularly in bass ).