[psykanoc]

Who says IEMs aren't good for gaming. No sweaty ears...

Aurora & Wagnus are a match made in heaven

Aren't you getting noise plugging right into the controller? All IEMs I've tried plugging right into the controller gave quite a bit of noise! So now I use Qudelix via an APTX Adaptive adapter going into the PS5's front USB slot

 

[Leonarfd]

Aren't you getting noise plugging right into the controller? All IEMs I've tried plugging right into the controller gave quite a bit of noise! So now I use Qudelix via an APTX Adaptive adapter going into the PS5's front USB slot

Unless very sensitive most IEMs have been fine for me straight into the PS5 controller, if I use Neon Pro I hear some hiss but its not extreme.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

By the way, Just received couple of IEMs, and going one by one,

Cayin RU6: very tube amp like tonalityLove it!

AS24: the switches are so easy to flip, but hell small to see. Sound is astonishingly good coming out of a KZ, still playing around but so far I’m very happy with it.

Sennheiser Momentum3: adaptive ANC is pretty nice, SQ is good too, but that’s good as a single DD, and the best quality as a TWS, probably B+ to A-, I see Moondrop’s Kato class is still better made single DD in terms of pure sound quality. Slightly better than Bose Quiet Comfort EarBuds 2 and AirPodsPro. Par with 65t and N400 if only driver sonic performance is concerned.

Overall, as a non-audiophile this SQ level (B+ to A-) is sufficient enough to 99% of general public consumers especially when considering this SQ is backed by ANC turned on.

Hmm…

My AS24 has an audible channel imbalance imaging center is tilted toward left by 15 degree.

Ouch KZ, sloppy QC.

The sonic performance is pretty much the best among the past KZ, this is sad


Tried different cables, ear tips, DAPs, and flipped switches, finally identified the source of imbalance.


That’s the upper register gain control switch of left unit is probably soldered with wrong capacitor. Bad QC, KZ, Bad QC.

 

[Jakkal]

....

Let’s say for overall sound output quality

Quality variable from 0.00-1.00
1: Original Recording quality : 15% of weight
2: Replay format (mp3, AAC, lossless, hi-res, DSD) quality : 15% of weight
3: Digital-to-Analog conversion (DAC) quality : 15%
4: Post-DAC adjustments and amplification quality : 10%
5: electronic signal transport quality (Cables/jacks etc) : 5%
6: Earphone quality : 30%
7: Final sonic delivery synergy quality (Eartips) : 10%

That adds to 100% of the weight

....

So, if I take Blon 03 which is connected to Apple dongle and change the cable with a expensive one, connect it to a top of the line DAC and Amp and play hi-res DSD music on it, I will get close to a TOTL IEM? Like Monarch II, but connected to apple dongle and listening MP3?
Earphone quality is only 30%?
LOL
The force is strong with you

 

[o0genesis0o]

So, if I take Blon 03 which is connected to Apple dongle and change the cable with a expensive one, connect it to a top of the line DAC and Amp and play hi-res DSD music on it, I will get close to a TOTL IEM? Like Monarch II, but connected to apple dongle and listening MP3?
Earphone quality is only 30%?
LOL
The force is strong with you

I have the JD3, which a fellow discoverer branded as a “disgusting IEM”. I attached it to L&P P6 Pro (an ultra $$$$$$ that I borrowed for 2 weeks for review) for crap and giggle. And then I got stuck there listening nonstop for more than an hour. And then I return to my micro DAP and throw both the DAP and the IEM to the drawer in less than 1 song from the same SD card.

Hard to put % on these, but good amp accompanied by a good DAC can do wonder. Apple dongle is a decent DAC, btw. Attach it to the line in of a G5 and you would be surprised by the result.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

So, if I take Blon 03 which is connected to Apple dongle and change the cable with a expensive one, connect it to a top of the line DAC and Amp and play hi-res DSD music on it, I will get close to a TOTL IEM? Like Monarch II, but connected to apple dongle and listening MP3?
Earphone quality is only 30%?
LOL
The force is strong with you

well that apple device + apple dongle does 0.75 already, so if you connect 0.95 ish Monarch Mkii, you get pretty decent output.
But if you play bad source like 128kbps mp3 with it, yes. Blon03 could do better with rest of higher standard 70% factors.

I have a strong belief that earphone quality is around 30% of final product of your listening experience.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

I have the JD3, which a fellow discoverer branded as a “disgusting IEM”. I attached it to L&P P6 Pro (an ultra $$$$$$ that I borrowed for 2 weeks for review) for crap and giggle. And then I got stuck there listening nonstop for more than an hour. And then I return to my micro DAP and throw both the DAP and the IEM to the drawer in less than 1 song from the same SD card.

Hard to put % on these, but good amp accompanied by a good DAC can do wonder. Apple dongle is a decent DAC, btw. Attach it to the line in of a G5 and you would be surprised by the result.

yea, even $20 KiwiEars Dolce sounds extremely amusing, I was surprised how well analoguish RU6 pulls the best performance out of LCP single dynamic drivers earlier.

It‘s not too cost effective if someone heavily invest $$$$$ into earphone only, and leave rest of the environment with minimum standards.

Best cost performance shall be obtained from song quality (cheap), ear tip matching (cheap), then probably some of USB DAC dongles or desktop amps (relatively cost effective), than pulling 90% budget into earphones.

The most bad cost efficiency one is cables, I only would put 5% in overall experience weight.

 

[o0genesis0o]

yea, even $20 KiwiEars Dolce sounds extremely amusing, I was surprised how well analoguish RU6 pulls the best performance out of LCP single dynamic drivers earlier.

It‘s not too cost effective if someone heavily invest $$$$$ into earphone only, and leave rest of the environment with minimum standards.

Best cost performance shall be obtained from song quality (cheap), ear tip matching (cheap), then probably some of USB DAC dongles or desktop amps (relatively cost effective), than pulling 90% budget into earphones.

The most bad cost efficiency one is cables, I only would put 5% in overall experience weight.

IMHO, this is the “roadmap”:

1. get a decent IEM, which is not hard to come by nowadays. Aim for $200 to $500, though sometimes, there can be some amusing $100 IEMs.
2. Get a portable amp for stationary use: stick to apple dongle instead of those battery-killer dongles until one can afford an amp. I like G5/NX7 because they are affordable (than other options)
3. Along the way, grab all sorts of fancy ear tips (xelastec, spinfit, whatever strange on linsoul/hifigo/aliexpress). You need to match ear tips to IEM shape and your own ears.
4. When one has all of the above, wait for discount cable to add some bling bling. If there is any “synergy”, consider it a bonus. But the change can easily go the other way, so I wouldn’t rely on cable to do anything with sound. Btw, this is the time to go all in on 4.4mm. Grab a ddHifi 4.4 to 3.5 adapter.
5. After all of these, one can grab a btr5/7 or a DAP if they want more convenient mobile setup.
6. The apple dongle can be upgraded. Maybe a crisp ESS dongle or something R2R/Shanling.
7. And then, you can be confident to go after any IEM, knowing you would pull the most out of them. You should have a drawer full of tips, cables, and a few alternative source setups try with your IEM by then.

 

[r31ya]

Hmm…

My AS24 has an audible channel imbalance imaging center is tilted toward left by 15 degree.

Ouch KZ, sloppy QC.

The sonic performance is pretty much the best among the past KZ, this is sad


Tried different cables, ear tips, DAPs, and flipped switches, finally identified the source of imbalance.


That’s the upper register gain control switch of left unit is probably soldered with wrong capacitor. Bad QC, KZ, Bad QC.

if you bought it from KZTWS.com you could try asking for replacement.
but yeah, its gonna need some time and not sure on shipping cost.

how is KZ new BA sound quality btw?

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

My Fiio FW3 have landed. Problem is, the wife has the mailbox key, and she's on the late shift. Office is closed on weekends, so I won't get a chance to fidget with my first wireless in years until late late tonight. Bummer.

 

[Carpet]

My Fiio FW3 have landed. Problem is, the wife has the mailbox key, and she's on the late shift. Office is closed on weekends, so I won't get a chance to fidget with my first wireless in years until late late tonight. Bummer.

"I need to come in to your work to get the mailbox key!"

"Why do you need it?"

"No particular reason..."

 

[AmericanSpirit]

Love it!

It does sound like a tube amp.

Anyway, I did confirm the noise floor with extremely sensitive SR8 on high gain (4.5ohm /119db), but rest of the IEMs were pretty fine even on high gain mode.

The side slit is so seductice

Dac dongles are so insanely high performing thesedays

 

[AmericanSpirit]

if you bought it from KZTWS.com you could try asking for replacement.
but yeah, its gonna need some time and not sure on shipping cost.

how is KZ new BA sound quality btw?

The right unit is on full gain, which actually sounds pretty good technically…

technically means if linear phasing is bad, the imaging will take a hit, so I can’t really tell the true potential of AS24 with current state. It sounds odd, but technically if both units are aligned, I would find AS24 a breakthrough of KZ into A-grade.

However, the bass BA still belongs to bellsing category while they managed pretty well for mid.

I can see AS24 is a good choice if sold around $70 for someone looking for a detailed and tunable one.


Bad QC is luck dependent and be prepared.

 

[Kumonomukou]

So, if I take Blon 03 which is connected to Apple dongle and change the cable with a expensive one, connect it to a top of the line DAC and Amp and play hi-res DSD music on it, I will get close to a TOTL IEM? Like Monarch II, but connected to apple dongle and listening MP3?
Earphone quality is only 30%?
LOL
The force is strong with you

Well I don't think a DAC or dongle can transform Blon 03 to anything spectacular. It'll be different or possibly better per source.

I like cables, but for aesthetic reason, finding the right eartips combo for your set could yield more significant results.

BTW You probably already know it, tuning on 'Exclusive USB Audio Access' is nice with dongles.

IMO the difference in DAC is a lot like gas with different Octane level, but it's the earphones kept on driving.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

SR7 (0-1)
+
H570 (actually M, once size down from you general pick, this will tone down a bit excessively done bass on SR7)
+
Stock 4.4 soundrhyme cable
+
RU6 (high gain - 385kHz upsampling)
+
Acoustic track with vocals
=

musicality lover may find this near-endgame

Staging = S
Imaging = S-
Engagement=S
Liveliness = S