[samandhi]

Looking for the best 30 dollarish earbuds I can find on aliexpress to help a friend with a YouTube video about deals from Chinese sellers. Ideally having controls on the wire.

Any recommendations?

I don't know any that have controls, but the NiceHCK EB2S sound really good (and have a lot of searchable reviews if you want to read more) for somewhere around $15-$25 and IIRC you can choose to have it w/mic as an option.

Edit: On AE they are here.

 

[1clearhead]

I think the TRN EMAs are a good option and I like them more than my RY4S. The EMAs are built pretty nicely. I also recently got a pair copper shelled mmcx earbuds with an LCP driver from a store on AliExpress called NSC Audio DIY Store that are a little bit more expensive (I think $17) and they're a pretty good bud as well. And Openheart sells a pair of metal shelled mmcx buds for like $13 that are a solid choice as well.

Bottom line though, for a detachable cable option under $10 you'd be hard pressed to beat the EMAs, IMO.

I'll drink to that...cheers!

-Clear

 

[christianfps]

Just had a dream about the FF5, it had sleeker airpod-like structure hahaha! I don't know whether that's a good thing or a bad thing

 

[FranQL]

I need some help. I'm using kbear stellar for 2 years now and i really like the sound signature but i want a upgrade that has detachable cable, right now im thinking of buying either the TRN EMA or the RY4S mmcx, do you have some recommendations in the same price range?

Tingo TG38 SA

 

[christianfps]

Quick question, is it recommended to use the 4.4mm jack of the FF3?

 

[o0genesis0o]

Quick question, is it recommended to use the 4.4mm jack of the FF3?

Do you have any source with 4.4 balance output? If you do, yes. More power is good, unless FF3 is already too loud for you.

 

[fooltoque]

Quick question, is it recommended to use the 4.4mm jack of the FF3?

My understanding is that balanced connectors (like the 4.4mm) are always preferred for the reason that it cancels out the noise floor of the ground. Unbalanced (like the 3.5mm) will have the same noise floor as balanced in the ideal condition that there is no noise in the ground.

The other reason for balanced is that it can provide more power for hard to drive headphones, although I am not sure if the FF3 benefits from that or not. I expect it doesn't, but the folks that own it would know.

 

[fooltoque]

Just had a dream about the FF5, it had sleeker airpod-like structure hahaha! I don't know whether that's a good thing or a bad thing

That's amazing XD.

Wait, are you actually a FiiO employee dropping leaks :O

 

[christianfps]

That's amazing XD.

Wait, are you actually a FiiO employee dropping leaks :O

No man haha just a weird dream

Do you have any source with 4.4 balance output? If you do, yes. More power is good, unless FF3 is already too loud for you.

My understanding is that balanced connectors (like the 4.4mm) are always preferred for the reason that it cancels out the noise floor of the ground. Unbalanced (like the 3.5mm) will have the same noise floor as balanced in the ideal condition that there is no noise in the ground.

Thank you for your response guys, saved me a few bucks haha! I think my 3.5mm setup is still fine. I have a desktop DAC and a type c dongle DAC. Both I think has no noise as far as my untrained ears are telling me and provides enough power to drive the FF3 to and over my desired listening volumes.

 

[fooltoque]

Thank you for your response guys, saved me a few bucks haha! I think my 3.5mm setup is still fine. I have a desktop DAC and a type c dongle DAC. Both I think has no noise as far as my untrained ears are telling me and provides enough power to drive the FF3 to and over my desired listening volumes.

Yup, sounds like good money saved.

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Quick question, is it recommended to use the 4.4mm jack of the FF3?

It's just to give people with balanced DACs/sources the option to used them balanced. That's all. Using the with the regular 3.5mm jack isn't going to be any different with a pair this easy to drive so you're not missing out on anything by running them with one jack versus the other.

 

[JAnonymous5150]

My understanding is that balanced connectors (like the 4.4mm) are always preferred for the reason that it cancels out the noise floor of the ground. Unbalanced (like the 3.5mm) will have the same noise floor as balanced in the ideal condition that there is no noise in the ground.

The other reason for balanced is that it can provide more power for hard to drive headphones, although I am not sure if the FF3 benefits from that or not. I expect it doesn't, but the folks that own it would know.

This is generally true, but only for long cable runs that are likely to generate noise through interference over their length. A short headphone connection won't have any audible difference in noise floor so in this situation with the FF3s the 4.4mm jack is really just an offering for convenience of use with balanced sources so those with them can take advantage of other 4.4mm source properties like double the power, the use of dual or even quad DAC configurations which may offer some benefits depending on implementation, etc. This is what I have always been told by the pro audio and studio engineer guys I know and work with anyways.

 

[fooltoque]

This is generally true, but only for long cable runs that are likely to generate noise through interference over their length. A short headphone connection won't have any audible difference in noise floor so in this situation with the FF3s the 4.4mm jack is really just an offering for convenience of use with balanced sources so those with them can take advantage of other 4.4mm source properties like double the power, the use of dual or even quad DAC configurations which may offer some benefits depending on implementation, etc. This is what I have always been told by the pro audio and studio engineer guys I know and work with anyways.

Thanks for the clarification. I knew that my ears didn't notice any difference, but I did not realize that cable length made a difference.

 

[assassin10000]

Looking for the best 30 dollarish earbuds I can find on aliexpress to help a friend with a YouTube video about deals from Chinese sellers. Ideally having controls on the wire.

Any recommendations?

Depending on coupons, perhaps you can get the LBBs into the 30ish range.

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Thanks for the clarification. I knew that my ears didn't notice any difference, but I did not realize that cable length made a difference.

No problemo! Apparently any electrical cable running over longer distances is exposed to more possible sources of interference and balanced cables are able to suppress the noise much better than single ended. That's how it has been explained to me when I asked years ago and it makes sense if you think about it.