[fidgeraldo]

I know wallpapers aren't a thing in India (that's for the sissies in the West!) but that could be a solution. But don't become hands-only reviewer; that moustache deserves an admiring audience!

Or, hire a talented kid to do a graffiti/mural for $500. The kid will be happy, and you get a proper thing.
Indian people are talented at making murals...it would be an easy job to find such a kid.

Cheers!

 

[warrenpchi]

The Code 24C looks absolutely phenomenal. The Shiny Purple gives crazy good vibes!!

You're spot on, it looks fantastic!

If it for purple, i would recommend Blon Jojo

I have not heard that yet. Is it better than Dioko? I went with the Dioko because the EXT was just too expensive for a color matching experiment.

 

[gadgetgod]

Or, hire a talented kid to do a graffiti/mural for $500. The kid will be happy, and you get a proper thing.
Indian people are talented at making murals...it would be an easy job to find such a kid.

Cheers!

Hahaha I have currently decided to change the room itself as camera took a lot of budget

 

[Singaravelan]

Tada...



But but @Jaytiss did you get the fit right?!

 

[PhonoPhi]

Waifu box? pffft, thats outdated.
Here's WAIFU FACEPLATE in COLORS



...Night Elf?
i think heard of that name in iem world before.

Wow, that is a bolder IEM to wear than Dioko
The faceplate images also evoke associations with rodents somehow...
I would be really curious of personalities of those wearing such IEMs.

Anyhow, to the recent budget hybrids:
ZS10 pro 2, ST7 and more.

ST7 is again more treble-prominent to me than ZS10 pro 2 (my treble sensitivity is at 5.5-7 kHz).
ST7 feels closer to ZS10 pro X, and competes with the latter greatly with ST7 price and being tuned a bit differently.
The stage and resolution of all three are nice, especially for the price.
In contrast, much praised/hyped Simgot E6ML feel much more timid, and I could never understand how E6ML can be great for $100-120 (??). No more of E6ML hype now, right?

Compared to ST7, ZS10 pro 2 have some tuning genes/traits of Rhapsody and Trio, and is one-generation ahead of 10 pro X and ST7. I will be curious to hear @FreeWheelinAudioLuv2 comparison of ST7 and ZS10 pro 2.

ZAT with the most treble-enhancing switches and the nozzle mesh removed is most to my liking of all my hybrids. Celest Plutus with the freed treble by the nozzle mesh removal is my great "basshead" hybrid.
Phoenixcall required adaptation time, but it was really great different listening experience when ears retuned to its lower pinna gain.
Best treble out of my budget hybrids is that of 1More Penta.
Lastly, I still appreciate old CCA CA16 for its relative forgiveness to the recording quality and seamless DD/BA integration.
In contrast, smooth DD/BA integration can't be the case with the recent praised/hyped Hydro, IMO, due to its 8 identical BAs firing in the same range. The achieved great BA smoothness must be its stellar feature, but not the range and DD/BA transition. So I will wait for the next KZ hybrid hopefully further building upon ZAT.

 

[Singaravelan]

TRN ST7.

5 BA + 2 DD.

$25.00

Initial thoughts :

Played through unamped Sony A17 (haven't listened to it thru any other Sony DAP, but that's coming up)
unamped DX170
unamped Sansa Fuze
unamped Cowon J

Nothing stock used (pure copper cable from Z300 + OG Spiral dots)

V shaped. Not exactly mild, but not severe, like those old KZ or the Shangs or RE800. Soundstage is WIDE and has nice depth. Not tall though. Trio has more height and width. Where these are SPECIAL for the price is in the transparency, spatial information as o0genesis mentioned, and black background. The background is very silent, has really good spatiality, and transparency between instruments. I'd say it's on par with the Trio and the Aures in that aspect, which is why I love those two so much. Treble extension and air is about on par with Trio, so I wouldn't say it's it's strong suit. I'd say it's good (3/5), but the resolution from those BA's is exceptional for the price. It exceeds the Trio, Z300, Lings, NX7's, and VS3 in resolution across the board. Instrument separation and imaging is above average for the price as well and superior to the EW200, and maybe equal in resolution to the EW200, but lacking the treble grain inherent in the Simgot budget. Treble is smooth and controlled, despite the BA's in the nozzle. Treble doesn't extend out like the Simgots though, and is shorter in extension, with blunted shimmer, but making up for that with nice timbre and resolution. This doesn't sound to me like BA timbre, which is something I was expecting.

With the copper cable and the spiral dot tips, the mids are a touch recessed, but male and female voices have thickness and are resolving. There's a hint of mid bass warmth, but not really any bleed, and if there is, it allows for some warmth and heft, which is lacking in the Trio, EW200, and NX7.

The bass is still too early to really judge, as I believe in burning in DD's, but early on, they are ok. There's punch and speed. I'm hearing a lack of true resolution down low, but there's some nice sub bass slam. Gives me a feeling similar to the Trio bass, but not with that incredible resolving power that the Simgot bass has on the EW200, EA500LM and the EA1000, but with burn in, I expect there to be some improvements in that area, so I'll reserve judgement for later. So far though? OOTB? For $25.00, TRN has delivered a hybrid that I already enjoy equally to the Shangs, the NX7, the N5005, with some special sauce that exceeds those much more expensive counterparts.

So far, these things sounds really great on warm DAPS (Sony/DX170), but sound more balanced and clear on the brighter DAPS (Cowon J/Sansa).

Comfort? EXCELLENT. Light acrylic shells with really long nozzles makes for a snug firm fit. Bless TRN for providing really long nozzles, unlike the OD200 or those infernal Kiwi Ears.

Just struck me why I really dig my Trio. I use the prat dynamics plugin (bass, treble, mids) from joebloggs on my source device HiBY M300 and also his 'limit bias' slider. I don't know details of their functioning, but together it does couple of things: that 'thinness' is gone and that oomph slam on how bass slams magnifies.
When you wrote thinness, that pricked my ears and I went to my device and realised I have em on default these days and taken em for granted. A/b ed ( sorry, we don't use compared!) it on and off the plugin, and I can hear what you hear.

Used to use soundstage plugins before but they don't satisfy me for long and so stopped those.

Thanks @Joe Bloggs for elevating the aural experience.

 

[Singaravelan]

. The achieved great BA smoothness must be its stellar feature, but not the range and DD/BA transition. So I will wait for the next KZ hybrid hopefully further building upon ZAT.

I shall also wait for freewheel 's comparisons of Pro2 and TRN.

But wrt above comment... If that "BA/DD transition" is achieved, then how do you expect it to play out in layman's terms? What would be the soundscape projected as compared to how Hydro plays out now?

 

[o0genesis0o]

Just struck me why I really dig my Trio. I use the prat dynamics plugin (bass, treble, mids) from joebloggs on my source device HiBY M300 and also his 'limit bias' slider. I don't know details of their functioning, but together it does couple of things: that 'thinness' is gone and that oomph slam on how bass slams magnifies.
When you wrote thinness, that pricked my ears and I went to my device and realised I have em on default these days and taken em for granted. A/b ed ( sorry, we don't use compared!) it on and off the plugin, and I can hear what you hear.

Used to use soundstage plugins before but they don't satisfy me for long and so stopped those.

Thanks @Joe Bloggs for elevating the aural experience.

@Joe Bloggs ’s DRX10K can breath new life to old DAPs and IEMs. I was surprised that it actually works and works that well when he sent me his personal R5 unit to test. The humble beat up DAP sounded so much more lively and punchy.

 

[Echalon]

Here we go again. KZ x Angelears Libra:

Edit: Apparently it is going to cost around $15.

Edit 2: Pre-orders seem to be ~$90. No idea what the final price will be.

 

[Singaravelan]

Here we go again. KZ x Angelears Libra
Edit: Apparently it is going to cost around $15.

Will they next pay us for using their iems? Love ya KZ.. muaaah

 

[fidgeraldo]

Hahaha I have currently decided to change the room itself as camera took a lot of budget

Don't take it easily. If you do a proper visual thing...you will attract many viewers.

Find someone (a friend?) who knows the visuals and has ideas, who is creative...don't do it yourself; you do your thing, sound and tech.

That's the only way to make it. I guess you want that.
This Sigma you bought is OK for indoor daylight, but it would be better to buy one with a fixed lens, too, with an aperture of 1.4.
Then, you could play with lighting (less light/smooth light).
Good luck!

Cheers!

 

[Singaravelan]

@Joe Bloggs ’s DRX10K can breath new life to old DAPs and IEMs. I was surprised that it actually works and works that well when he sent me his personal R5 unit to test. The humble beat up DAP sounded so much more lively and punchy.

As an aside how is that r5?
Does it stream as well? Is it better than R4?

I see a demo unit is on a generous discount

 

[bithalver]

...Night Elf?
i think heard of that name in iem world before.

WoW ? If you get my point .

 

[PROblemdetected]

Today I learned that there is only one person behind the whole Stardew Valley game, taking care of everything from coding to artworks to music production.

I love the way he constructs the stereo images in his soundtracks. Excellent background sound for work or study.

If that blows your mind... Check this game



Also got a beautiful OST

 

[thaslaya]

From the other end of the price range, I think the Kiwi Ears Quintet measures very close to the Softears Volume (I only know because I've been eyeing both sets myself).

I can say with full confidence after owning both sets, the Quintet is brighter and the Volume sounds way better (at least to my ears)

FAudio Spring: https://shop.musicteck.com/products/faudio-spring

It seems in this case each diaphragm does a different thing. Having tested Project ACE, I would say FAudio seems legit when it comes to single DD

I that dark green color! Might have to look for a used pair as I've always been curious about FAudio