[ttorbic]

I listen mostly to electronic and vocals, I like the warmth and bass extension

Ah, that's quite different to me, sorry! There should be others on this forum who can weigh in!

 

[digititus]

I listen mostly to electronic and vocals, I like the warmth and bass extension

I don't know the IE900, but for electronic and bass extension in a bud try the Fiio FF3

 

[wskl]

Where do you order newbsound from ?

https://www.instagram.com/newbsound/

Or

PM @irv003

 

[shimigg]

I don't know the IE900, but for electronic and bass extension in a bud try the Fiio FF3

Thanks, that's one of my options, any higher quality one ?

 

[digititus]

Thanks, that's one of my options, any higher quality one ?

High quality in earbuds is extremely subjective due mainly to the shape of your ears. Try a few first (different shells) before you spend on "quality." You'll have a better idea of what does and doesn't work for you. The FF3 fit most people well from what I have read and from my own experience, so for your tastes it's probably a good starter. They sound good and are well built.

 

[ttorbic]

Thanks, that's one of my options, any higher quality one ?

Yeah I second what digititus said - you can get some cheap MX500 shells just to see if they are comfy for you.

 

[jeejack]

Agreed, because it won't stop at just one pair

 

[ian91]

I have been really sick, for what seems forever. I started with a sinus infection, then went into Influenza A (the worst case I have ever had), then straight into Pneumonia, and ended up with a topping of (more) sinus infection, all of which I am over now, except the sinus infection. It seems to want to cling to me come hell or high water...

Apologies for not being around much, though I have managed to read most everything since I last posted, I was just not feeling able to post (or even "like" with only half a brain in my head)..

I hope everyone has been doing well, and enjoying all of their toys...

And last but not least for a "return to the fold" post, as opposed to my usual individual congrats phrase, I will just say to ALL: Congrats on your new shiny(s); be it store bought or DIY!

For those that have not yet given impressions on their new stuff, I would love to read about them.

Sorry to hear what you've been through lately, it sounds awful. I'm glad to hear it seems to be going the right direction.

We're lucky to have you here. Keep on truckin'!

 

[samandhi]

I wish you a speedy recovery!

Sorry to hear what you've been through lately, it sounds awful. I'm glad to hear it seems to be going the right direction.

We're lucky to have you here. Keep on truckin'!

Thanks very much for the well wishes!

Hey all, new to earbuds , coming from iems , my daily now is the IE900, what could be a good earbud equivalent or better ?

The problem here, which has partially been explained, also encompasses the fact that IEMs and flathead earbuds are not in the same realm. I would put earbuds more akin to a good set of open back headphones; hence the reason for the questions.

Are you looking for just bass extension, or for overall bass presence. I know you also mentioned warmth, so I assume you are at least looking for upper bass to go along with good mids (since you are also looking for vocals)?! I think that the recommendation of the FF3 might be the best choice for you (maybe not so much the FF3S though you might also like those).

Earbuds are NOT like IEMs in another realm, and that is quality associated with price. Make no mistake, the FiiO FF3 are TOTL earbuds. They just happen to not need a second mortgage to get there. Having said all of that, you will NOT find a set of buds that actually sound like the IE900. I think that part of the reason that more than one person has suggested the FF3 is because, like the IE900, they are unique in the field of earbuds. There really isn't too many out there that manage to sound like them (not to mention they automatically come to mind when talking about bass extension).

Also, keep in mind that unlike the IE900, most earbuds are tuned to have a higher presence region (by quite a bit). Some are fairly inoffensive to the ears, where some are like "ice picks" to the ears. But generally, I have only run across a couple pairs that are NOT offensive at all in this realm. Using the FF3 as an example, it is boosted as well, though it might only get fatiguing after a while of listening but are not immediately upon insertion into the ears.

If you have an amplifier that has power measured in Watts, rather than milliwatts, and still want to go straight to the top (IMHO of course) then you might also consider the Longyao New Yinman 2.0 600. If you can drive them properly, there isn't too many store bought buds that are better (for my ears). They are very hard to drive though, @600ohms and very low sensitivity @87dB/mW. This means that you can drive them from a 2-3W source up to about 90dB or so, but if you listen at louder levels, the requirements steeply rise. In the end, to reach 110dB, you will need something capable of about 10W. Having said all that, and strangely enough, you can reach very loud levels even when underdriven; they just won't sound their best (again IMHO).

Also, keep in mind that neither of these choices are mid-centric, nor are they a W shape sound. The limiting form factor here makes it VERY difficult to tune them into a good W sound (which seems like what you are looking for). I think that you will find that MOST earbuds will have some varying warmth to them. This is because of the lack of sub bass that most have; the warmth (and boosted mid bass) help to compensate for this.

Here are some TOTL suggestions for you that have warmth, and some varying amount of bass extension (keep in mind that while some DO have the bass extension, it is tuned with less quantity in this realm so as not to be as linear as you might be after, but the levels it CAN reach, and quality is there nonetheless). Also most of these have completely different sound from one another as well:

• New Yinman 2.0 600 (best all-rounder and not offensive, warm and smooth, but very resolving, massive bass and extension for a set of buds, sound akin to Senny HD650, or LCD phones with much better technicalities; staging comes to mind here)
• FiiO FF3 (great bass extension, warm, best bass texture, rolled off treble, but boosted in upper mid/lower treble; not offensive at the outset but can become so after a long while of listening for those sensitive to it)
• FiiO FF5 (great treble extension, and mids, especially because of second harmonics from treble, rolled off sub bass but doesn't disappear, just lower level, not offensive in the upper mids at all)
• Yincrow RW2000 (great bass extension and warmth, does have more of a mid centric focus though can be thick, leans more towards dark overall with boosted presence region with a rolled off treble, so not as sparkly as others on the list, could be considered on the dark side)
• Yincrow RW3000 (much like the FF5 but with better overall linearity, except the upper mid boost, which is still livable, but could be fatiguing after a time for those sensitive to it, these are more mid bass focused, but sub bass is indeed there but at much less quantity comparatively)

Those are the only recommendations I can make because any of the other recommendations would not help you as the rest have all since been discontinued; nor have I kept up with nor bought any higher end buds for some time (I have pretty much reached "end game" for me).

Also, don't discount a great set of DIY buds sold here. There are a few guys that will make/tune them to however you want them. Some of these can get a bit salty in price though, but it sounds like you don't have any issues spending money for good stuff. There are also some FANTASTIC people on here that will even teach you how to make your own, should you decide to take that route. You can make some absolutely TOTL with very little money if you make them yourself BTW!

I wanted to promote the other's comments as well; and that is that earbuds are also NOT like IEMs in that if they don't fit you, you really can't make them fit like you might be able to with IEMs. It might be a smart investment to try different shells out (they are NOT all created equal). For instance, all of those that I recced are different in their fitment, and while they all fit me ranging from pretty good to "the best", others have had fitment issues with them and have struggled. You'll notice that none of my recs are using the MX500 shell. That is because that shell does NOT fit me well at all. Ironically, the FF3 have the absolutely best fit of all of my earbuds.

Just my thoughts on the matter, and you may or may not agree (in the end) with any of this. Do let us know what you decide to get?!

 

[sapporo444]

Hi, I'm new to earbuds and I was wondering which of these earbuds would fit my tastes more:

- Fiio FF3s
- Fiio FF5
- RW-3000
- Yinman 600 ohm

I like electronic, trance, jazz and euro-pop.

Apart from music, I sometimes watch movies and play games from time to time, so it would be nice if the earbud had a good airy sound-stage and good instrument separation with enough verticality in the sound (I really don't know if it's possible to mimic verticality). To me, the earbud must have a good punchy bass with good extension, while being very controlled so it doesn't muddle other frequencies. Additionally, I like when the sound is clear, but not shout-y enough to cause me discomfort after a few minutes listening.

My priorities in sound quality would be as follows:

1. Clarity.
2. Bass quality.
3. Airy sound-stage.

According to what I've read, that would put the RW-3000 and FF5 at the top, but I've never tried earbuds, so I'm not sure.

Thanks!

 

[samandhi]

Hi, I'm new to earbuds and I was wondering which of these earbuds would fit my tastes more:

- Fiio FF3s
- Fiio FF5
- RW-3000
- Yinman 600 ohm

I like electronic, trance, jazz and euro-pop. Apart from music, I sometimes watch movies and play games from time to time, so it would be nice if the earbud had a good airy sound-stage and good instrument separation with enough verticality in the sound (I really don't know if it's possible to mimic verticality).

For me, the earbud must have a good bass extension and punchy, while being very controlled so it doesn't muddle other frequencies. Additionally, I like when the sound is clear, but not shout-y enough to cause me discomfort after a few minutes listening.

My priorities in sound quality would be as follows: 1. Clarity; 2. Bass quality. 3. Airy sound-stage.

According to what I've read, that would put the RW-3000 and FF5 at the top, but I've never tried earbuds, so I'm not sure.

Thanks!

I will start by what I believe to be best for the type of music you have listed and eliminate/promote from there.

For jazz, the RW3000 might be the best, but not quite as good for trance or euro pop. They are indeed punchy, but the sub bass doesn't reach as low as others on the list (or at least let's say it is more recessed). Though they might also be one of the best for movies (this is an area where I think all of them do well). For any sort of pop, trance, metal the Yinman are the most versatile (all rounders) and can really fit into any role to be honest, and the FF3 coming close as well (even though they have a bit of a treble roll-off).

FF3 would not have an "airy sound stage" but has great separation. I find the FF3 to be a bit more intimate than others on the list. I don't think any of these are above average for verticality, though they ARE better than IEMs, just not as good as open back headphones can get.

For bass extension the only two that make this list (when comparing to themselves only) are the FF3 and Yinman; Yinman having the deepest reach, and FF3 having a bit more texture. But all on your list are very punchy though. Neither of these muddy the mids at all, so you are safe there. The clarity/shouty comment is going to depend on the volume at which you listen to them. I will assume you are talking about louder volumes and say that the FF5 and the Yinmans are the only two that will most likely never fatigue your ears (the curve is tuned in such a way that there is never anything offensive to the ears IMHO).

When we talk about clarity, please don't mistake treble with clarity. The Yinmans have a very smooth treble, but overall they have resolution and clarity all day long, while the RW3000 are detail monsters as well, but they rely (moreso) on the boosted upper mids to help this (and staging), which can become fatiguing at higher volume levels. All of these have great bass quality, but the FF3 has the very best, followed by the Yinman. As for staging, the Yinman come out on top for most of the technicalities, followed very closely by the FF5.

So going by one requirement leads me to what I would recommend for you. The Yinman. The reason is that while the FF3 also have great bass extension, they don't quite meet your other recommendatioins. None besides the Yinman and FF3 have the best in class bass extension but do tick other boxes. Having said all of this, you really can't go wrong with any of them, and please realize that any negative sounding comment is not actually a negative or detracting from the value of those buds. It was meant ONLY as a comparison to the set(s) I was comparing it to at the time. All of these are still "best in class" as far as I am concerned, and is the reason I still own all of them.

Keep in mind about the power requirements of the Yinman though. But if you listen to them at low levels, then you don't need near as much power to make them sing.

Edit: These are all my (potentially very) subjective thoughts regarding the list you provided, and I felt qualified because I own them all. YMMV, because we don't have the same ears. You may find any or all on the list better for your needs, and generally all of them are overwhelmingly liked more so than they are not. There are those that don't like some on your list, so keep that in mind, and please don't get angry with me if you find them, not to your tastes?!

You might also consider the DUNU Alpha 3 as well. They are very similar to the FF5 and the RW3000, but have a thinner overall sound, which make them seem brighter (but no more fatiguing than the RW3000 could potentially be at higher volume levels, though not sibilant, the potential pain point would be in treble not upper mids). I like them as well.

 

[shimigg]

Thanks very much for the well wishes!

The problem here, which has partially been explained, also encompasses the fact that IEMs and flathead earbuds are not in the same realm. I would put earbuds more akin to a good set of open back headphones; hence the reason for the questions.

Are you looking for just bass extension, or for overall bass presence. I know you also mentioned warmth, so I assume you are at least looking for upper bass to go along with good mids (since you are also looking for vocals)?! I think that the recommendation of the FF3 might be the best choice for you (maybe not so much the FF3S though you might also like those).

Earbuds are NOT like IEMs in another realm, and that is quality associated with price. Make no mistake, the FiiO FF3 are TOTL earbuds. They just happen to not need a second mortgage to get there. Having said all of that, you will NOT find a set of buds that actually sound like the IE900. I think that part of the reason that more than one person has suggested the FF3 is because, like the IE900, they are unique in the field of earbuds. There really isn't too many out there that manage to sound like them (not to mention they automatically come to mind when talking about bass extension).

Also, keep in mind that unlike the IE900, most earbuds are tuned to have a higher presence region (by quite a bit). Some are fairly inoffensive to the ears, where some are like "ice picks" to the ears. But generally, I have only run across a couple pairs that are NOT offensive at all in this realm. Using the FF3 as an example, it is boosted as well, though it might only get fatiguing after a while of listening but are not immediately upon insertion into the ears.

If you have an amplifier that has power measured in Watts, rather than milliwatts, and still want to go straight to the top (IMHO of course) then you might also consider the Longyao New Yinman 2.0 600. If you can drive them properly, there isn't too many store bought buds that are better (for my ears). They are very hard to drive though, @600ohms and very low sensitivity @87dB/mW. This means that you can drive them from a 2-3W source up to about 90dB or so, but if you listen at louder levels, the requirements steeply rise. In the end, to reach 110dB, you will need something capable of about 10W. Having said all that, and strangely enough, you can reach very loud levels even when underdriven; they just won't sound their best (again IMHO).

Also, keep in mind that neither of these choices are mid-centric, nor are they a W shape sound. The limiting form factor here makes it VERY difficult to tune them into a good W sound (which seems like what you are looking for). I think that you will find that MOST earbuds will have some varying warmth to them. This is because of the lack of sub bass that most have; the warmth (and boosted mid bass) help to compensate for this.

Here are some TOTL suggestions for you that have warmth, and some varying amount of bass extension (keep in mind that while some DO have the bass extension, it is tuned with less quantity in this realm so as not to be as linear as you might be after, but the levels it CAN reach, and quality is there nonetheless). Also most of these have completely different sound from one another as well:

• New Yinman 2.0 600 (best all-rounder and not offensive, warm and smooth, but very resolving, massive bass and extension for a set of buds, sound akin to Senny HD650, or LCD phones with much better technicalities; staging comes to mind here)
• FiiO FF3 (great bass extension, warm, best bass texture, rolled off treble, but boosted in upper mid/lower treble; not offensive at the outset but can become so after a long while of listening for those sensitive to it)
• FiiO FF5 (great treble extension, and mids, especially because of second harmonics from treble, rolled off sub bass but doesn't disappear, just lower level, not offensive in the upper mids at all)
• Yincrow RW2000 (great bass extension and warmth, does have more of a mid centric focus though can be thick, leans more towards dark overall with boosted presence region with a rolled off treble, so not as sparkly as others on the list, could be considered on the dark side)
• Yincrow RW3000 (much like the FF5 but with better overall linearity, except the upper mid boost, which is still livable, but could be fatiguing after a time for those sensitive to it, these are more mid bass focused, but sub bass is indeed there but at much less quantity comparatively)

Those are the only recommendations I can make because any of the other recommendations would not help you as the rest have all since been discontinued; nor have I kept up with nor bought any higher end buds for some time (I have pretty much reached "end game" for me).

Also, don't discount a great set of DIY buds sold here. There are a few guys that will make/tune them to however you want them. Some of these can get a bit salty in price though, but it sounds like you don't have any issues spending money for good stuff. There are also some FANTASTIC people on here that will even teach you how to make your own, should you decide to take that route. You can make some absolutely TOTL with very little money if you make them yourself BTW!

I wanted to promote the other's comments as well; and that is that earbuds are also NOT like IEMs in that if they don't fit you, you really can't make them fit like you might be able to with IEMs. It might be a smart investment to try different shells out (they are NOT all created equal). For instance, all of those that I recced are different in their fitment, and while they all fit me ranging from pretty good to "the best", others have had fitment issues with them and have struggled. You'll notice that none of my recs are using the MX500 shell. That is because that shell does NOT fit me well at all. Ironically, the FF3 have the absolutely best fit of all of my earbuds.

Just my thoughts on the matter, and you may or may not agree (in the end) with any of this. Do let us know what you decide to get?!

Thank you for this wonderful write up, I would gladly make my own earbuds! But I don't even know where to start, I do know what I want, I wanna contact someone that can explain about drivers and tuning as soldering is pretty easy.... Would love to contact some people about this

I will order the FF3 as I wanna go from iems to get some relief to my ears, will still use iems but when isolation is needed.

 

[samandhi]

Thank you for this wonderful write up, I would gladly make my own earbuds! But I don't even know where to start, I do know what I want, I wanna contact someone that can explain about drivers and tuning as soldering is pretty easy.... Would love to contact some people about this

I will order the FF3 as I wanna go from iems to get some relief to my ears, will still use iems but when isolation is needed.

Just wait until they log in to this thread. There are many here that can help personally, or by also referring you to the large amount of resources available to you for making your own. You will be a masterclass DIYer before you know it...

 

[shimigg]

Just wait until they log in to this thread. There are many here that can help personally, or by also referring you to the large amount of resources available to you for making your own. You will be a masterclass DIYer before you know it...

Lol , really waiting for that!

 

[sapporo444]

I will start by what I believe to be best for the type of music you have listed and eliminate/promote from there.

For jazz, the RW3000 might be the best, but not quite as good for trance or euro pop. They are indeed punchy, but the sub bass doesn't reach as low as others on the list (or at least let's say it is more recessed). Though they might also be one of the best for movies (this is an area where I think all of them do well). For any sort of pop, trance, metal the Yinman are the most versatile (all rounders) and can really fit into any role to be honest, and the FF3 coming close as well (even though they have a bit of a treble roll-off).

FF3 would not have an "airy sound stage" but has great separation. I find the FF3 to be a bit more intimate than others on the list. I don't think any of these are above average for verticality, though they ARE better than IEMs, just not as good as open back headphones can get.

For bass extension the only two that make this list (when comparing to themselves only) are the FF3 and Yinman; Yinman having the deepest reach, and FF3 having a bit more texture. But all on your list are very punchy though. Neither of these muddy the mids at all, so you are safe there. The clarity/shouty comment is going to depend on the volume at which you listen to them. I will assume you are talking about louder volumes and say that the FF5 and the Yinmans are the only two that will most likely never fatigue your ears (the curve is tuned in such a way that there is never anything offensive to the ears IMHO).

When we talk about clarity, please don't mistake treble with clarity. The Yinmans have a very smooth treble, but overall they have resolution and clarity all day long, while the RW3000 are detail monsters as well, but they rely (moreso) on the boosted upper mids to help this (and staging), which can become fatiguing at higher volume levels. All of these have great bass quality, but the FF3 has the very best, followed by the Yinman. As for staging, the Yinman come out on top for most of the technicalities, followed very closely by the FF5.

So going by one requirement leads me to what I would recommend for you. The Yinman. The reason is that while the FF3 also have great bass extension, they don't quite meet your other recommendatioins. None besides the Yinman and FF3 have the best in class bass extension but do tick other boxes. Having said all of this, you really can't go wrong with any of them, and please realize that any negative sounding comment is not actually a negative or detracting from the value of those buds. It was meant ONLY as a comparison to the set(s) I was comparing it to at the time. All of these are still "best in class" as far as I am concerned, and is the reason I still own all of them.

Keep in mind about the power requirements of the Yinman though. But if you listen to them at low levels, then you don't need near as much power to make them sing.

Edit: These are all my (potentially very) subjective thoughts regarding the list you provided, and I felt qualified because I own them all. YMMV, because we don't have the same ears. You may find any or all on the list better for your needs, and generally all of them are overwhelmingly liked more so than they are not. There are those that don't like some on your list, so keep that in mind, and please don't get angry with me if you find them, not to your tastes?!

You might also consider the DUNU Alpha 3 as well. They are very similar to the FF5 and the RW3000, but have a thinner overall sound, which make them seem brighter (but no more fatiguing than the RW3000 could potentially be at higher volume levels, though not sibilant, the potential pain point would be in treble not upper mids). I like them as well.

Wow, thank you so much for taking your time to write up such a detailed explanation.

Reading your explanation very thoroughly — yes, I was mistaking treble with clarity. Consequently, it was one of the reasons I was so-so about the Yinman's; they seem to be exactly what I'm looking for, but I read they are bassy and "dark" (whatever that means), therefore I thought they lacked clarity in the sense that lower frequencies would "bleed" onto upper ones or, in other words, sound so prominent as to hide details.

So far, I'm thinking about going with the Yinman's or the FF5's, but the former sounds way too good to be true. Additionally, so many people seem to like them, so I'll probably end up buying those. I also want to try out the DIY route later, buying the drivers and other stuff separately.

_____
Anyone knows if Yinman has an official online store, other than buying them from a third-person on Aliexpress?

Oh, I have another question, but about Fiio's offerings: There's a FF3 and a FF3s, is there any difference in sound between both? The FF3 can be gotten for around 60 bucks, which is cheap enough; I could buy a Yinman or FF5 along with the FF3 for the price of the RW-3000 (around 200 bucks).

Some say the FF3s don't have the same bass magic its predecessor has, but is it overblown hyperbole or is it true and it's more like the FF5?