As of now my pictures can't get uploaded to Head-Fi, so here's a link to them until I can integrate them properly. You can head over to my website https://halfnotereviews0.wordpress.com/ for high resolution versions of the photos.

Imgur : https://imgur.com/a/hozeIwA

# Intro/disclaimer :
- This early review sample was sent by Hifigo, but bought with my own money. There is no financial incentive, nor influence from the vendors or manufacturers.

# First Impressions :
- Unboxing : The unboxing experience is similar to that of jewelry, but for the price materials could be better : simple cardboard in a two tone color, a big case covered in faux leather, in fact some very budget IEMs offer a similar or better unobxing experience than this. Which is quite surprising coming from a luxury brand like Elysian.
- The box is way too big for any real life application, not pocketable because of the size of worthy of throwing in a bag because it's not sturdy enough. The cable is also somewhat of a letdown. It's quite reminiscent of the TSMR cable you can buy from Penon, that they ship with pretty much all of their IEMs. In practice it means it's too stiff and heavy for any outdoors application, or even long sessions.

# Sound :
- The tuning of the Pilgrim OG (not the noir version, I haven't tested that version) is very much in line with it's time, following the trend of early 2024 products like the Hype4 or the Dusk2. Good subbass, clean midbass, neutral mids, pushed midrange (less than prior popular offerings like Blessing 2s, etc) and somewhat inoffensive early treble.
- Where the Pilgrim differs from the others is it's recessed midrange. In an effort to create a clean transition from bass to mids, the range from 150Hz to 1kHz is really pushed down, creating a mild V shape tuning.
- what's it capable of in each region :
- The Pilgrim has superb bass. The amount isn't crazy high like a Hype4 or IE600, let alone an IE900, but it's rumble is really rare to find from any IEM. Up to this point, my daily driver has been an IE900 with Custom Comfort Tips which greatly enhance the extension both low and high. I am quite familiar with great bass from IEMs. Yet the Pilgrim feels special. At lower volume, the DD driver feels underpowered for a convincing experience and it sounds quite average, like any other 300-400 IEM. But even at moderate volume, just above talking voice levels, it turns into an addictive and deep reaching machine. I wasn't sold on the marketing for their custom designed DD but I gotta say, they've really done a stellar job.
- My only gripe with the midrange is that it is too recessed compared to the other regions with the Pilgrim. I am really sensitive to any change around the 1kHz region, and the crossover point of the Pilgrim is quite sharp at that point. The flat and recessed mids give way to a much more elevated high mids/early treble, and this makes it quite unnatural in its tonality. It has the benefit of pushing female vocals way forward, and offers quite excellent presentation and detail, but you sacrifice neutrality and tonality for it.
- The Pilgrim has good treble extension, which is my first nitpick on any audio product that lacks in this department, so I am very happy with it. Some, like myself, may be displeased with the 5kHz peak that's present, at least to my ears with large silicon tips (this part will greatly depend on your ears, the shape of your ear canal and the tips you use)
- Overall, I feel like the crossover/tuning is kind of overdone. It stems from a great basis, a good U shaped tuning with great extension both ends of the spectrum, but it's recession in the midrange and sharp transition from bass to mids and mids to treble renders into a less than ideal naturality in the tonality. Still, it makes for a great experience and a fun V shaped tuning that will please those wwho seek a more fun experience rather than clean and neutral orientation.
- Comparing it to other mid fi IEMs, like a Dusk2 or a TSMR Sands which was my prior favorite from that segment of the market, I think this is a significant step up in quality. I could even extend my comment to saying this feels like an upgraded Sands in every aspect. The sound is similar but better, fast in the bass but with much better texturing and speed, the mids are as rich but better detailed, the highs are airy but more linear and better extended.



# Technicalities :
- Soundstage is larger than average, not class leading but a pleasant experience. My reference point in this aspect is the Final A4000, which is yet to be equaled or even surpassed. The Pilgrim is I'd say 2/3 of the way there, which is already great compared to most other IEMs out there. Even my IE900 dont reach this type of staging. Elements are well spread from left to right, with pleasant depth separation thanks to its great sub bass.
- The detail retrieval is way above average and noticeably above most IEMs I've tried. I've had experience with Campfire Audio products at High End Munich, Sennheiser's IE series, and a myriad of others from stores in Paris and salons and there's only a handful of IEMs that I would compare the Pilgrim to. My 900s are good but they now feel like only good in their bass and mids. The treble feels more sluggish, less separated, less able in their presentation. The Pilgrim has dethroned them and the details are mostly the reason why.
- I would still give the transient category award to the TSMR Sands because of the amplitude in the mids, dryness of the bass and off tonality. The Pilgrim are much more accurate and thus controlled, not as harsh and speedy in the end.

Driveability : The Pilgrim is really revealing of any flaw in your source system and require more juice than I would've expected. Running on 1W output desktop amps, or even old amp designs that are quite hissy on low impedance IEMs, the Pilgrim fares incredibly well and are more than useable but will take the best for you to enjoy them to their fullest.

# Conclusion :
- I like to think that I manage to stay quite partial to the products that I review, and that I have agood ability to note them. I'm very confident in the 4.5 stars I give to these, and am really sad that the toanlity isn't as great as the rest of its traits. It's an easy to recommend IEM, that will fit a lot of people (given the nozzle size of 5.9mm isn't a red flag for you)
- The accessories are far from the best, the cable is somewhat unusable but very competent, the Pentaconn connectors will maybe upset some but I am personally glad to see them becoming more common, the shell is a fingerprint magnet but small enough that it doesn't interfere with my ear and I don't think it'll bother anyone (i managed to lie on a pillow with the Pilgrims in my ears without any discomfort).

# Intro/disclaimer :​

- This product has been bought on my own, without any incentive from any party to write this review.
- I write this after writing the main body of the article, brace yourselves folks. It's rare I get this rowdy when writing, and my language will stray from the usual form I try to stick to, but we have some serious work to do.

-Here are the photos, still not possible to embed them for some reason : https://imgur.com/a/QugYXpw

# First Impressions :​

- The KZ unboxing is a meme at this point. Asking twice the price of a regular entry level product like a Tangzu Wan'er or Truthear Hola, you get so little in the box : the worse cable KZ ever made, from horrible outer plastic and connectors (I rate it worse than the old twisted brown cable, that says a lot) to a **single** pair of foam tips too small to be useful. No silicones, no small bore/wide bore choice, nothing.
Finally you get the IEMs themselves, which as you can see through the shell is unnecessarily large. The shell itself is one of the worst constructions KZ made in a long time, the plastic nozzle being the final spit on your face. It only reminds me of the OG ZS10, before the ZS10 Pro came out. So, just to say I'm not impressed. Oh, and there's quite the channel imbalance on my unit.

- You kinda have to change everything to use these. Dunu S&S tips seem to help the most. I went and ripped the cable from the now ancient CRN (one year in the real world is a decade in IEM world). So, even though the PR2 is quite cheap for a planar, plan the extra expenses left and right if you wanna use them. Oh, did I mention you're gonna need an amp ?

# Sound :​

- Stock tuning confuses me to no end. Here I am presented with an HBB logo, so I have expectations. I already reviewed the Kai eons ago, so I know Chris' tastes. But the PR2 is way off from the HBB signature. The sub bass is pushed way too much, and that's coming from someone who daily drives an IE900. The midrange is recessed to an excessive degree, and the treble is is a chaotic mess with excess energy starting from the upper mids, finishing by a huge spike in the ultra highs. Not a pleasant listen, no matter the genre.
- I'll get to the technicalities later, but for the price of the PR2 there are much, much better options out there. Especially if you don't have adequate amplification already, the PR2 is looking even worse for consideration.

# Tonality :​

- There is so much sub bass. Too much sub bass. Way too much. To the point where you loose the midbass, and instead of hearing the note played on the bass you hear the flub of the speaker cone. It's that bad, and overshadows the low mids because of the, yes, 12dB boost @36dB.
- Mids have seemingly been forgotten when designing, producing or anything else you can do when you make an IEM. Even with EQ (more on that later) there's no subtlety to the mids, no warmth or life or nuance, so imagine now if I tell you to listen to these without.
On the stock configuration, god forbid you use the stock tips, you simply lack any midrange characteristics.
- Treble : the root of all evil. Not only for budget sets, not only for IEMs, but boy do we have a combo here. Remember I mentioned a 5-6 years old budget IEM earlier, the ZS10 ? Yeah, well get that instead. It's not nearly as bad as the PR2. More sibilant than the equally old AS16 way back then, but with the new twist of the IEM planar sauce, so now you get a notch at 12kHz so deep you loose most of the nuances and details you expect to hear in music, only to be kicked in the teeth by a massive and unnerving spike at 15-16kHz. This rollercoaster effect does not cause nausea, but "chalk on blackboard" types of discontent, only replace the chalk with steel nails and the board with a sheet of metal. Yeah, seems like paradise doesn't it.

# Technicalities :​

- Soundstage :​

Weirdly enough the stage is diffuse and confused to a degree I didn't think possible. Admittedly this is my first plaanr IEM experience so I didn't know what to expect, but when you have the Timeless being held in such high regards, and Chris stating "here is the best version of a planar IEM the market is able to produce" in his introductory video for the PR2, you'd expect some of the planar qualities to come through. The short of it is you don't. Depth is okay but width is mediocre, and the combination of both is wonky if I'm being polite.

- Detail retrieval :

Again, very letdown when I compare this to even 15 dollars IEMs. This was supposed to be the S12 for 50 dollars, the Timeless on a budget, the Dioko killer or the P1 Max but good ! Save yourself the trouble and go grab a Kiwi Ears Cadenza, there you'll find good details. Hell I just reviewed the Tangzu Chang Le, it had better details than this.

- Transients :
I liked it a lot. For all the mud of the bass region, the hollowness of the mids, the unbearable treble, this is one fast driver. The illusion of speed in audio is just that, an illusion, but I cannot fault the PR2 in this regard. Synth bass, snare hits, washboards, all instruments where you expect challenges have adequate transients here.

# Conclusion :​

- Rarely have I been this casual and punishing in a review, but I feel like I have to if I'm to convey my opinions about this set. I know what KZ is capable of making, and I know of Chris' ideals and standards. This product falls short of everyone's standards. I can't expect anyone having this same set in their hands to publish a good review.

# EQ :​

Preamp: -0.13 dB
PK 800 Hz Gain 1.1 dB Q 0.4
PK 1200 Hz Gain -2 dB Q 1.6
PK 2300 Hz Gain -3 dB Q 2
HSQ 3500 Hz Gain 4 dB Q 0.5
PK 4200 Hz Gain -7 dB Q 0.7
PK 8400 Hz Gain -4 dB Q 3
PK 11500 Hz Gain 2.5 dB Q 3
PK 15500 Hz Gain -8 dB Q 1

Okay, so after much trial and error I've come up with an EQ profile where I can listen to this thing for extended periods of time. This profile is absolutely subject to changes in the future, so whatever you're seeing may be a revision of the EQ.

Once you fix the tonality yourself, it's true that the PR2 can be really enjoyable for its price point. The soundstage and details are still nothing to marvel at, but the fast transients you get on high amplification are unique at this price point, so if you enjoy the "speed" in IEMs, if you listen to a lot of electronic music and have access to EQ, it's a fun buy. The comparisons to the OG ZS10 keep coming back it seems. I'll even raise the rating to 1.5 stars because of this.

​

Intro/disclaimer :​

- The unit was bought on my own, and long before I met anyone at Sennheiser.

I cannot post the pictures the way I used to, integrated int the review as I used to. So, until Head-Fi fixes this issue, here's a Imgur link : https://imgur.com/a/ifXdZXE

# First Impressions :​

- Unboxing : Not as nice as the previous iteration of the 800S, the simple foam and packed cables is kinda sparse for a near two thousand euros product. The product itself is so well made though, it makes up for a big part of the experience. At launch, the box featured a velour pad to hide the foam, which I don't think is superfluous for this type of product.
- Comfort is one of the strongest points of these headphones : the clamp force is never a bother, the weight is so low you're never strained by it, and the pads are the perfect softness to stay put once you've sitted the headphones on your head. The adjustment mechanism for the length of the arms is very finely adjustable, making for a super easy fit. Very well designed through and through.

# Sound :​

- The tuning of the 800S is a reference point for me, and for many others as well. The balance is linear throughout the whole range, with an emphasis in the presence region to stick to the Diffuse Field target. Paired with the outrageously open nature of the headphones (the use of titanium wire mesh feels like there's no material around your head, don't ask it's engineering magic) makes for the best timbre I've heard in headphones to this day, even when comparing with headphones 30x the price. Yes, it's a bold statement. I listened to the HE-1 at Munich during the High End Festival, and yes it was an experience beyeond anything I'd heard previously, I prefer the balance of the venerable 800S.

# Tonality :​

- The bass of the 800S is sometimes refered to as lean, or lacking sub, or else. I totally disagree with these statements. It features a lean**er** amount compared to some other Audezes or Focals, on that we agree. But the Sennheiser approach is one focused on natural replay and accurate timbre. And on that front, it's highly accurate. The extension in the sub bass is brilliant, and I can hear notes as low as my hearing can perceive. If you've ever listened to a studio monitoring setup with multiple small subs, then you know what the 800S bass sounds like. But, substract 2 or 3dB from what you'd assume.

- The midrange. Oh, the midrange. This is by far the best part of these headphones for me. The degree of realism these headphones produce simply astounds me. The intro of the song Golden Age by the band Esprit d'Escalier always gives me goosebumps when I listen to it with the 800S. The replay of the singer's voice, the echoing reverbs, the layers of synth, it all comes together so well. I don't often quote my music choices to justify talking about products, but for this review I simply have to. Another track to seal the deal would be "It happened Quiet - live at The Current" by Aurora. The chills you feel when the vocal harmonies fly up in the register is something not a lot of speakers manage to make me feel, but it never fails to do so with these headphones. The linearity of the frequency response is, I think, the major contributor to this impression because you're solely engaging with the music and never notice and dip or bump in volume throughout the range.

- The treble of the 800S is maybe its most infamous trait, although I think some exaggeration has built up over the years. Without EQ, the presence region can overpower the rest of the mix and I'll agree on that front, given the record features prominent and harsh audio to begin with. I do not, however, agree with the complaints regarding sibilance and artificial timbre in this area. The 800S features exceptional extension in the highs, and never sounds distorted, grainy or artifical when fed quality source files.

It does excel in revealing flaws however, and I suspect that to be the source of all evil. Listening to compressed files such as Spotify music or mp3s is simply not pleasant. The artifacts stand out way too much.

But give it any good lossless material, or uncompressed WAVs, and things smooth out. You gain back the air that was cut off by the mp3 format, and once freed of the artifacts the treble reveals its utmost precision and unforgiving definition.

-> The HD800S will make you love your best recorded albums, and hate your poorly recorded ones. Because once you've enjoyed being part of the audience of a live classical concert, sat among the crowd in a theatre from the comfort of your couch, there's simply no going back.

# Technicalities :​

- Soundstage :
Known for it's spatialization capabilities, I'm happy to say that my unit delivers everything you've read about and more. Take the confines of your skull and expand them way out in every direction, and enjoy the 3D experience. You get to enjoy what feels like limitless soundstage compared to any other headphones, and precise imaging to pair it with. Depth perception is uncanny of realism and verticality very well transcribed.

- Detail retrieval :
For me this is the aspect that should stand out the most and not the soundstage when talking about the 800S. Since its release in 2009, the 800 series has met competition that has tried to rival with its psychoacoustic feats. But the detail retrieval you get with the 800S is almost never matched, and it baffles me why I don't see more people talking about it. Even with busy genres of music, the separation and detail given to each sound cue is of perfect accuracy.

- Transient response is a topic common to most if not all my reviews, because I value it to the same degree as tonality or spatialization. In a sense, it encapsulates dynamics and details, timbre and realism all at once. The perception of "speed" as is often referred to in the hobby comes from how close to real life these recorded transients can be reproduced. I've been a drummer for 17 years now, so I'm going to be bold and assume that I know what drums sound like in real life. I can discern a blunted snare hit from an accurately displayed one. Yes, I know, mixing & mastering engineers have acces to transient shaping tools, but I've been there and mixed too, used those tools as well and have acces to raw recordings of myself.

When I say that I hear exactly my drums, my mics and my preamps **and nothing more** when I listen through these headphones, I really mean it. The cymbal characteristics, the decay and harmonic clashes, nothing's left behind. So far I've only encountered one set of speakers that have the same abilities, even after High End Munich 2023 and the myriad of stands I've been to. So yes, I'm really impressed.

# Conclusion :​

- Final impressions : I've been using these headphones for a full year before writing this review. I may not be the fastest reviewer around, but I take pride in knowing full well what I'm talking about. I've been a musician for almost two decades, have mixed and produced songs, toured many a times and played many a great gigs, and listened to audiophile systems for even longer than that.

So I know the weight of my words when I write that these headphones are a perfect tool for hearing music the way I hear music in real life.
A human voice through an Aston Spirit microphone will come out to you as if the person is speaking directly to you, as if you were standing in front of him/her. It's as simple as that, the headphones are transparent. So, just like in real life, if the instrument is unpleasant to listen to (try standing next to a saxophonist playing full blast, or a bagpipes band without earplugs) then it'll be equally as unpleasant throught these headphones. Which is exactly what I look for, and maybe you don't.
If you prefer your bass louder than the original mix, if you want the harshness of the instruments taken away for you so it's never fatiguing to listen to, you're free to do so with any other headphones. Because the 800S will only do one thing, and whatever's been recorded. And perfectly faithfully so.

Intro/disclaimer :​

- This is the latest offering from Tangzu, targeting a wider demographic than the traditional IEM market, at a lower price. The bullet style in-ear earphones are in a full renaissance at the moment, which is understandable because of the comfort advantage.
- This unit was sent to me directly by Tangzu, and even though my opnions are totally my own it should be taken into consideration when reading the article.

- I still have trouble uploading my photos to Head-fi at the moment, so you'll have to rely on Imgur for now until I manage to fix the presentation : https://imgur.com/a/a5nAgiR

First Impressions :​

- The unboxing experience is sparse. The box itself is an artpiece, containing very little. As in, the IEMs and the tips. That's it. The presentation is somewhat polished, with the cardboard holder and the cutouts for the shells, although they're roughly cut. The tips are in a generic plastic bag, which is to be expected for the price point but still underwhelming the experience.

- The size of the shells is excellent, and the cable nice looking albeit made of cheap outer plastic that is sure to degrade disgracefully in a few years. The flair and design of the shells will suit many, especially if you're inclined to traditional Chinese aesthetics. I like that they're easy to insert in the ear, and the flat outer face helps to push them into the ear canal.

Sound :​

- I enjoy the Chang Le tuning from its lows up to the mids. The bass amount is generous without ever getting bloated, albeit being on the warmer side. Sub bass is noticeable, although dependant on amplification (we'll come back to it later). Midbass is well defined, and transitions nicely into the mids. But the upper part of the spectrum isn't as well executed in my opinion. The upper mids are much too present in the mix, causing a very noticeable glare, or shout. After the 8kHz/sibilance region, which is fairly inoffensive, the treble energy just disappears, which really hurts the timbre of all instruments.

If I had to sum up the sound signature, I'd say it's an A shaped curve aimed at vocal music.

Value :​

There isn't a lot of $ to speak of, but a lot of performance to consider. I've had 80$ IEMs that i didn't like nearly as much as this little one (I have the TRI Kai in mind). So overall, I consider it a good value.

## Tonality :​

- The bass region equal to the mids, not subdued but not forward either. There's no tactility to speak of, no deep rumble that tickles your teeth, but you hear every note on the bass or piano just fine, so it feels very engaging.

- The low mids and mids are just about the same, a tad too recessed for my liking in the 600-1k region but pleasant enough as not to deter from the music. I'll say that even though there is now leanness in the lower mids, the sound signature still feels somewhat dry and lifeless.

- Upwards of 1kHz is where things go south. The ear gain region (or pinna gain, call it what you want) is much too emphasized and hurts the overall replay. This excess energy carries over into the presence region, hurting snare hits and electric guitars quite badly. The upper treble being nonexistent further emphasizes the imbalance, giving no air or harmonics to instruments and giving a "lo-fi" impression to everything you're listening to.

- The timbre is okay to mediocre, and suits genres of music without a lot a clutter. Acoustic, chamber music, choirs, are passable. Anything too energetic like rock or electronic will fall apart quite rapidly.

# On amplification :​

- It feels surprising to end up talking sources and amplification on a very budget IEM review, but the point has to be adressed. These Chang Le IEMs are clrearly not as sensitive as other IEMs, and require a ton of juice. This isn't an impedance problem, at just 16 ohms anything can run them with even low wattages.
The thing is they are rated at 95dB @1kHz, but the curve must be far from linear because it gives a very different impression IRL. The sub bass is very, very much affected by the capabilities of your amp : I've tested the Chang Le on 4 different amps, ranging from 300mW to 2W @16ohms, and it never sounded the same. Faster transients, better low end, I made sure to volume match all sources but the conclusion is there.

For an IEM that is made to be used on-the-go, I highly recommend you pair it with the best dongle you have.

# Technicalities :​

- Soundstage is fairly narrow, which is common to most IEMs so it cannot really be faulted here. Nothing of a wow factor, and is quite diffuse/ping-pongy in nature. The sound cues tend to shift to the hard left or right rather than staying in the middle, or having any degree of placement on the stage. I'll quote my very first notes I took during the first listening session "one dimensional sounding, nothing to marvel at".

- Transients are somewhat blunted, in that the dynamic range is limited, especially on lower amplification. The impression of speed is nonexistent.

- Detail retrieval is frankly poor, mostly due to the unimpressive transient response. The "air region" being cut off (even after EQ there is no sound produced after 16.5kHz) also impedes the impression of space and definition of upper harmonics of instruments.

# Conclusion :​

- My final impressions are that it is a product that is thrown into a fierce market, where some products reign supreme for years now (wink wink Final E500), without much to push the scales into its favour. The main advantage is its form factor, its integrated mic, and the ease of use inherent to bullet style IEMs. But in the same category, we find strong offering like the aforementioned E500, the Tanchjim Ola, KZ Ling Long, and a ton more even fiercer in competition if we look at the traditional IEM shapes. These other products are not flat out better, but many of them have a more balanced tonality (The Ling Long being quite enjoyable) and/or much better technicalities (the E500 still stands undefeated in this domain).
- I cannot give a rating above the average, and I even hesitated to lower the score even more but it's important to keep the price tag in mind when evaluating products. At 15$ without sales, the product makes sense and delivers what it sets out to do. So I'll give it a pass, and nothing more than that.

So the conclusion will be that you have to prioritize aspects other than sound quality for this purchase to make sense.

# EQ :​

Preamp: -10.37 dB
13000 Hz Gain 10 dB Q 0.6
10000 Hz Gain 6 dB Q 1.5
8300 Hz Gain -11 dB Q 2
5900 Hz Gain 4 dB Q 2
4500 Hz Gain -3 dB Q 2
3600 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 2
3600 Hz Gain -11.7 dB Q 1.3
1600 Hz Gain 2.5 dB Q 1.4

This is by far the most agressive EQ I've made. Like, for sure. But these needed it in my opinion. The amount of treble having to put back in, the glare to take out, it was a wild ride.
This EQ profile will surely be hot in the treble at first, in contrast to the OG sound signature, but it helps tremendously both the timbre and spatialization. I would advise against pushing the volume to high though, because you're going to hear that 10dB at 13kHz damn fast.

With this EQ the tonality is much more balanced, and I find it infinitely more enjoyable this way. I listen to a lot of rock, but also jazz and classical, where the treble information either plays a ton of importance or is unlistenable when done wrong. So I couldn't recommend this IEM for anyone with my tastes if EQ isn't an easy option for them.

This product was bought on my own without any contact with any brand, store or else. This is purely a consumer review, void of any bias or incentives. I've already had experience with Sennheiser before, in the headphones domain but this is my first in-ear product from them.

- Photos are yet to come, this line will be deleted once I've had time to shoot and upload the pics.

Edit : Head-fi seems to be precious at the moment, and I can't integrate the pics the way I usually do. So here's a link until I/they fix the image integration :

https://imgur.com/a/xrh4C6M

First Impressions :

The unboxing experience is on par with the price asked. The presentation is nice, although the cardboard sheet to pull out the inner box does look and feel underwhelming. The eartips are all too small for my average ears, which is surprising coming from a German brand. In the Darko.audio podcast on the IE series, Jermo Köhnke explains this release was aimed at the Asian market first, and it makes sense since it's the prime clientèle of the market, but including two or three tip sizes in a 1300€ package that is sold worldwide would seem reasonable. At least the large foam tips provide a decent seal and very good noise isolation, which I'd value immensely on stage as a musician.
My impressions may be skewed because I didn't pay retail price for it, but I think I'd be somewhat letdown by the basic cardboard and foam packaging if I had. Competition has gotten insanely fierce, and the minimality and simplicity of the box and accessories is now somewhat lacklustre.

The IE form factor is ace in the IEM market, and I can't stress that enough. Even well developped products usually end up hurting the ear in some way or another : pushing the concha with a shell too large, hurting the ear canal with a nozzle too large, or too long, or at an uncomfortable angle, etc. None of these issues is present with the IE900, and the result is an in-ear that you can wear for hours on end without any hint of fatigue or pain, which is nigh impossible with any other IEM I've tried.

Using the IE900 daily, it's the culmination of small details that makes it so enjoyable to use : the triangular shape makes for an easy fit, unobstrusive even with hoods, helmets, which is unheard of with any other product. The cable is a single wire and quite light, which clearly goes against the trend of woven flashy (and bulky) multi-strands cables from Asian manufacturers, but outside of your desktop setup the Sennheiser solution is much better to use. The shirt clip is a nice inclusion for musicians who pass the cable down the back, but also useful for everyday commuters that want to keep the wires from tugging on the ears. My only gripe will be that the microphonics that are quite pronounced, even with proper bending of the memory hooks. Overall, it stays in place super well and never budges out which is what all IEMs should do but almost all fail to.



Tonality :

- Tuning is a deep U-shape tuning, kinda similar to Final A series but without the pushed presence, and a ton more air. Mids are cleaner that graphs would show, and while the low mids are abundant they do not hurt the neutrality of the midrange. It's reminescent of a Thieaudio Oracle Mk1, but tilted to a flatter/less bright signature. It lands towards a purely flat signature, but with noticeable boosts in the sub bass and the air region. This isn't evident at first for people purely used to reading graphs who usually prefer seeing Harman inspired readings, but Sennheiser has really done their homework when conceiving this signature. The FR appears to have neutered upper mids, but in practice the amount is well balanced, as they rely on resonances buildup inside the ear to generate the rest of the upper midrange energy resulting in a rather neutral but U-shaped tuning, meaning it's bass and treble are somewhat exaggerated compared to real life/a neutral tuning.

Bass :
- Here's a take from my first impressions notes : "It's a stage monitor sold to audiophiles. The bass sounds like a studio subwoofer, it's very uncanny." I really stand by this definition, because when using a good amp the bass hits are massive. Insanely realistic, the replay feels like being in a studio control room. I've heard IEMs with drivers much larger, tuned with much more bass, and none of these extend as low as the IE900. My hearing's not the best by any stretch, but sine wave generators indicates I can hear down to 31Hz at fairly low volumes with this set, which is really impressive. Not only the depth but the sense of pressure is way different than you'd imagine a device this small is capable of producing. It's not only authoritative but is able to locate this deep rumble accurately in the recording space it presents, somewhat similarly to open back planar headphones, or a good studio control room.

Mids :
- The mids reminds me of my 800S. The timbre at least. In tuning, it doesn't feature the high mids to treble elevation of the 800S, so higher vocals and guitars don't feature the same energy. In that sense it's closer to EQ'ed speakers, the likes of small studio monitors. But the timbre is lovely, not to the level of Triangle paper woofers but it's definitely on par with 800S. The single driver philosophy sure works here, as the rise from low mids to upper mids doesn't feature any crossover or timbre change, as is usually the case with competition's hybrid IEMs. There is no noticeable "driver material signature" as is sometimes discussed, mostly critiques of the recent LCP diaphragm craze in the market. The diaphragm of the IE900 is a plastic polymer blend, of which we only know PU as one of the ingredients (The episode of the Darko.audio podcast on the IE series is my reference here) which isn't anything revolutionary, but yet again Sennheiser shows they can do wonders with ordinary materials, as they've done time and time again (the HD600, the HD800 and 800S, the 560S, all feature plastic diaphragms).

Treble :
- The amount of treble energy is very unique on this set : the early treble is low in amount, not like a sharp drop in FR but just a depression that keeps the energy to the level of the rest of the regions. Going to the higher treble, it features a higher-than-average amount that highlights one of the best features of the IE900, its spatialisation capabilities. The timbre is very good, and details are well reproduced. The finesse in the treble, the nuances in dynamics, the realism in the timbre and depth of the bass all make for an incredibly immersive experience that renders audio cues in space with superb ease, and is convincing to a point I've never heard before. In that aspect, it easily outperforms full size headphones twice its price, and manage wider soundstage with better imaging (I have in mind my experience with Audeze and Focal headphones which underwhelmed me).


Technicalities :
- Soundstage : Huge for a closed back IEM. Really accurate imaging (if you're a gaming person this is your Rolls Royce for sure) and the air amount is great at separating layers of music. The stage is helped by the sub-bass amount, the same way adding a sub to a 2.0 setup helps layering. Amazing in that aspect.

- Detail retrieval : I'm surprised a DD can be so incisive in the highs and treble. The details are not inherent to the microdynamics and the energy of the treble, but much more so in the ability to sound natural in all parts of the spectrum.

- Transients : There is a "tactile" quality to sound, a damn fast transient reproduction and the impact of the bass makes it so every detail is realistic and engaging. Every note I took during my first impressions were about the bass quality and the staging of the IE900, and for a good reason. Here are some examples :
"tricot - potage (live at Audiotree) : headboppin like crazy"
"ElephantGym - Finger (Live at Megaport Festival) : you never loose the baseline even in busy parts, the drums feel more engaging than ever before."
"Everything is so "percussive", the impression of speed is in the most tactile of meanings."
Then again, the DD is wide open and straight in front of your eardrum (you can see the diaphragm and coil when looking down the nozzle) so I'm sure it helps in this regard.

- Synthesis :
The image of being in a control room is the best analogy I can give. From the deep bass to the high end detail, to the natural mids, it's all there. You wear a studio space in your ears.

- Value :
Retail price, it's too close to the 800S to justify not enjoying the headphone experience in my opinion. If you can find a set on sale, or you're already happy with your headphones (or already owwn an HD800S), it's a fun IEM that's really worth getting and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Conclusion :
- Final impressions : 800S, but fun and engaging ? Studio monitor you can fit inside a bike helmet ? Stage monitor with better noise isolation than ANC products ?
Well yes to all of the above. It's the perfect complement to the 800S, as you won't be left wanting more soundstage of the in-ear experience, or feel like you're missing out on details. Both prodcuts are incredibly detailed, but the presentation is different enough to enjoy both. The visceral quality of the bass in the 900 and the "tactility" I was refering to is simply addicting. The openness of the 800S and its mids neutrality will also captivate you and make its way into your brain, so there's no overlap in the two products. There's honestly very little to fault here, the product is exceptional in every way, maybe except the accessories and packaging. It's the first product I rate 5 stars and it easily deserves them all.

Intro/disclaimer :

- This unit was sent to me for review, I didn't pay for anything
- As always don't rely on a single source of info for purchasing decisions


First Impressions :

- Unboxing : The packaging is much better than the previous Shimin Li, mostly because of the inclusion of a pouch : while not as secure as a case, it's easily usable and carryable. The tip selection is generous as always, and the presentation is better than simply throwing in plastic bags filled with tips. As of now I prefer it with the S&S tips, the Final Type E and the stock white tips that are on the nozzle by default (in that order).
- The shell size is nice, small enough to fit most people and the nozzle grips firmly on the eartips. The only drawback would be its weight, it will get tiresome after some time (i can wear them fine for about 2 hours, any longer and the weight becomes a bother)



Sound :

- Stock tuning is good, although overemphasized in the early high mids (2-4k). from 20 Hz to 1kHz it's really nice, linear and coherent but then you get to the zenith at 2kHz and it's at least 3-4dB too much in this region. There's also a minor peak at 8kHz but that is the only disturbance in an otherwise very well done treble region.

- It's surprising to rediscover what the Shimin Li is capable of when its first launch was flawed by reflection issues : the original version had reverberations inside the shell and you could hear the echo which was highly disturbing. Here, you get a very nice set with surprisingly sharp transient response for a dynamic driver, and the acoustic chamber is clearly doing something because this set sounds bigger than anything in its direct competition.

• The bass on the Red Li is damn clean for a 50$ set, in my opinion cleaner than the DLC driver based offerings we got used to in this market recently. Although not as sub-bass focused as those are/were, the tactile sensation is present and this set extends deep and in a clean manner. Its midbass is polite, but lacks definition to fully represent acoustic instruments like cello faithfully.

• The mids are really clean and voices are very well reproduced. Guitars are not as pleasant unfortunately because of the push in the high mids : electric guitars will appear much too shrill and buzzy compared to the original track. No warmth nor clinical approach in the mids, it is neutral in its conception however doesn’t sound the most natural, which I think is due to a lack of details that would render the region more realistic otherwise.

• It takes some time to adjust to the replay of the treble on this set, but this is because it's one of the rare sets in this segment of the market that actually plays back treble to its end, meaning there's no sharp drop after 15kHz like we commonly see in IEMs under 300$. Having information in the air region is nice but it's not the strong suit of the Red Li : information is present in a faint amount, and this set's impression of height is lessened because of that.

Technicalities :

- The Red Li sounds much wider than tall, and its three-dimensionality impression is warped because of that. You don't get a holographic image like you'd want to, but more so a peanut shaped one : two spheres and a central portion that is narrower. Even so, it's much more able than its competition if you stay within the constraints of this space : replay of small rooms and studio setups is excellent for the price point.
- The detail retrieval is on par with most 80-100$ offerings, the likes of the Aria, Kai and Kima. You trade the sub-bass rumble for more coherent mid-to-bass tuning, and better extension overall.
- Transients are much tighter on the Red Li compared to its predecessor. While not BA levels of attack, it's better than the competition and leads to a more realistic feeling overall when pitted against the other single DD IEMS (the aforementioned Aria comes to mind)



EQ :

Preamp: -4.99 dB
PK 10000 Hz, 2 dB, Q 1
PK 8000 Hz, -2.5 dB, Q 6
PK 6000 Hz, 6 dB, Q 3
PK 4400 Hz, -5.3 dB, Q 2
PK 2200 Hz, -4.4 dB, Q 2
PK 720 Hz, 1.8 dB, Q 0.5
PK 21 Hz, 2.42 dB, Q 0.6



Conclusion :

In my opinion this set's validity to be bought comes from its EQed state, with the stock tuning I don't think it's enjoyable enough to justify the 50$. With EQ however it's another story altogether, and it deserves its place alongside the Hexa, Galileo, S12 in the ranks of the "better than the Aria" category which is unprecedented for the money.

# Intro/disclaimer :

- Bought myself, no relation to any dealer/brand. The product is nearing its 2 year anniversary, and this market has been shaken up a lot during these years. It's interesting to compare it against the pack and see how it fares !


# First Impressions :

- Unboxing : I really, really like final's approach to boxing. The stuff is simple, but much sturdier than the chi-fi stuff I get to review. The years of experience really do stand out.
- The case for it is highly usable and pocketable, which is still rare these days, no matter the price bracket. So a real plus for me.

- The cable is awesome, although I see people online complaning because of it's flimsiness. Coming from multi braided, rubberized cables that are way too heavy and common in cheap & expensive IEMs, I find it a breeze of fresh air. It's light. It doesn't tangle. It doesnt catch on any fabric, doesn't twist on itself. It's perfection. However I agree that it's not the most confidence inducing piece of kit ever, being plain plastic and quite thin.
- The eartips provided enjoy so much popularity, I need not to expand on them. Great material, does not make your ear sweat exceedingly like an S&S will, no pressure buildup in the ear canal (compared to foams, or again the S&S for that matter), tonality wise it of course matches perfectly with the A4000. I don't like them so much on other IEMs, but that's outside the topic of this review.
You get 5 pairs of the Final Type E, from much too small to decently large.

- I've been used these since June of 2022, for multiple hours per day. The comfort while wearing the A4k is unmatched in the IEM world, it's that simple. They're lighter than any conventional IEM you've ever seen, and their shape makes it so you don't feel the body of the earpiece at all. Even bullet style IEMs aren't as comforrtable, because of the deep insertion of the tip required with them.


# Sound :

- Stock tuning is quite good, approaching excellent even. There is a lot to like for a lot of people, in all regions. It seems the set was tuned more for Jpop and electronic music though, as suggested by the similarity to the Blessing2 Dusk in their graphs (you can compare both frequency responses on timmyc.squig.link). I find the mids too recessed in relation to the ample amounts of energy both in the bass and the high mids & treble (a 13dB difference between the lowest point @700Hz versus the higheest @8000Hz) which leads to some instruments lacking balance in their replay, otherwise the rest of the experience is very enjoyable. You might find this treble peak (which is preceeded by a high mids peak @3kHz) too much with certain genres of music, otherwise for movies and multimedia it's a perfectly useable set, just a very contrasty one at that.
- The value of this IEM is in my opinion very good, you get a lot of resolution, sound isolation, and comfort for the 150$ it's asking. Compared to the very crowded market of IEMs nowadays though, especially with the latest wave of planars out now in April 2023, it's not the obvious choice anymore. Sets like the TangZu Heyday, for instance, are better tuned and more resolving for the same amount of money. So it's up the the rest of the technicalities to keep up for this set to remain relevant against the fierce Chinese competition. Fortunately, I 'm happy to say that the A4k delivers.

- The bass is so enjoyable on the A4000. No matter how busy your track might be, the bass amount is sufficient and precise enough for you to hear everything happening. It's not the fastest transient response ever in the lows, even compared to other dynamics drivers, but the sense of authority it can produce is very rare, and the rumble it very convincing. The moments you're going to notice it's "slower" characteristic is when listening to synth bass, manipulated samples and other instant midi kicks.
- The midrange is among the most natural you can find, and by far the best at its price point. Although relaxed, it's an incredibly rich and faithful to instruments replay. Orchestrals and chamber music are a pleasure to listen to with this set.
- The treble is kind of the wrench thrown in the engine, there's no better way to describe it. It throws the balance of the set out of whack, and even though the A4k has a lot of qualities up to its upper mids the excess energy makes the lows and the mids appear thin in contrast to the treble. When playing rock, electric guitars will sound much too shrill because of the relaxed mids and the ferocious high mids. It's also too much even when listening to the target genres of pop and electronic music (to my tatstes anyways) as the treble energy overtakes the rest and fatigues the listener after a short while. A shame considering how well extended, well resolved and capable it is.


# Technicalities :

- Soundstage. I managed to write this whole review without mentioning it once. Kind of stupid when it's the ONE thing the A4k is known for, even nicknamed "the baby 800S" on forums. I happen to have an 800S at my desk, and it's my day to day headset for everything. I know its soundstage damn well.
Well this reputation is kinda deserved, but at the same time it's not. The 800S sounds much wider than other headpones, even some twice or thrice the price (the Utopia comes to mind). The A4k sounds much wider than other IEMs, even some 10x the price (use the A8000 as a comparison). But this similarity doesn't mean the A4k has anywhere near the soundstage of the 800S, we're far from it.
It's nonetheless the best experience you can currently get, maybe at the exception of the A5000 (that I have yet to try)
- Detail retrieval was impressive at first with the A4k, and it sure is very capable in this domain, just not to the very-top level anymore. Things like the S12, the Heyday and many others have joined the fray and are giving the A4k a tough battle to fight. In my opinion the A4000 still manages to win out the others because it has many pros and almost no cons where the chinese planars always represent some compromise in their replay, be it closed stage like the Tangzu or the off timbre on the S12.
- Imaging is also top notch. This IEM has earned a reputation among gamers because of its ability to help you during competitive play thanks to the accurate audio spatialisation. And I can definitely attest to that. Discerning the stage when listening to music, placing the instruments, or having objects move around you and accurately track them in games, it excels in these departments. It's not even in the same league as offferings in it's market and you gotta look at IEMs twice as expensive to find something comparable or better, like a Blessing2 or a TSMR Sands.


# final words :

- The standard against which everything should be measured. I think it deserves that strong of a statement, because realistically it's what I always end up doing. "Is it as comfortable as my A4000 ?" If not, then I'm not going to grab that next IEM as much as the A4k I already have. "Is it as light as my A4000 ?" If not, I'm not going to wear it for long, and end up not touching that next thing because of that. "Does it sound as good as my A4000 ?" If yes, then that IEM is certainly special and deserves a review. While far from cheap the A4000 sits at a reachable price point for many and challenges products twice as expensive in many ways (weight, practicality, ease of use) or even any IEM on the market in others (soundstage, imaging, comfort)
- This is not the best sounding IEM in the world. I'm somewhat enthusiastic in this review and I'm aware of it, because during the year I've been using I've never lost the excitement I felt when first using it. But I'm also aware of the competition, of everything I've heard since and the reality is that it's not the most detailed IEM you can get. Not by a long shot. However it's far more detailed than the cheaper alternatives, and significantly so. To the point that I feel the price is totally justified. So it gets a 4 star review, not 4.5 or 5


# EQ :

Preamp: -2.36 dB
LSQ 300 Hz Gain -1 dB Q 1.04
PK 840 Hz Gain 0.7 dB Q 1.6
PK 1200 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 0.8
PK 3400 Hz Gain 5 dB Q 0.8
PK 3400 Hz Gain -7.1 dB Q 2.48
HSQ 7000Hz Gain 1.2 dB Q 0.7
PK 7700 Hz Gain -5.5 dB Q 1.41

This is an optional step as I think the stock tuning is enjoyable by itself, but I've come to love EQ and I now use it on pretty much anything. The goal is just to get things to sound "right" to me, as in the most natural sounding version of whatever device I'm using.
So here it is, a toned down version of the A4k.
Slightly lowered the bass, as I found subbass could get overwhelming pretty fast on genres that didn't benefit from the push in that region.
Slightly raised the mids, so that guitars and voices would sound more even.
Lowered the energy in the high mids and the treble, to enjoy the A4k with balance to its sound.


# Conclusion :

Posting a review on an IEM fallen out of fashion in a market dominated by reviews of Chi-fi is sure to not get me any more visibility, but I think this product is still a worthy choice in the current market, the same way the OH10 from 2019 remains a valid choice today.
If you're after natural timbres, immersive soundstage & imaging, and the best comfort found on any IEM (why would you not ?) then this is a perfectly valid choice for you. If you're after detail/$ only, there are options for you (the Heyday is very good). If you're only after smooth tunings, there are options for you (the Galileo is pretty much unbeatable, but you could argue for the IE200 paired with the right tips). But the A4000 has strong arguments that you will never find anywhere else.

Hi, this is my review of the Tansio Mirai Sands. A very nice but niche IEM, that is made to order and because of that it's basically nonexistent in the collective mind of IEM buyers (looking at you r/inearfidelity) that's occupied (or polluted, your call) by mass marketing, reviews bought by brands and Chinese platforms.

So here is a refresher, as much the experience as the product itself. I bought this myself, I have no link to the brand (no one seems to, they don't have any social media presence AFAIK).

First Impressions :

The unboxing experience is nothing special really, simple but well executed. The box itself isn't pretentious or oversized like some brands like to do, and the accessories are very "utiliaritarian" if you wanna look at it the "half glass full" way. Tips of wide and regular bore variety, different stiffness of the tips themselves, a basic cleaning tool and a sim eject tool to use the dip switches. The box uses faux leather and is small enough, which is a good thing, but still too clunky for any practical pocketability.

If we wanna look at it critically, this is the same experience (or even a lesser one) you have with a TRI Starsea which is half the price, and you can feel it. The redeeming factor in the Sands package is its cable, of very high quality.

But it's also its main drawback in its use. The cable is stiff as all hell and weighs more than the IEMs, more than the case even. In use it means that you can't use it for more than a few minutes, where you'd want to wear it for a few hours. I replaced the cable with a NiceHCK C16-3 and it solved my gripes with the Sands : it got to a point where I wanted to return it because the user experience was that bad with it's stock cable.



Sound :

Most of my listening was made with the 020 tuning (and EQ, more on that later) but because of it's options I'm still going to comment the options the IEM provides :

100 : a relaxed version of the Sands tuning (which isn't relaxed in the least, but for comparison's sake) but that feels noticeably "slower", sluggish even because of it's emphasis on the sub-bass. The mids feel scooped, but it's redeeming factor is the impressive authority it gives to the bass. Would definitely be useful for movie watching.

020 : Stock tuning, the basis you'll see on graphs like squig.link and all other reviews here on head.fi. It's very, very intense. The high mids are so forward, it presents the stage very close to your ears and thus feel very intimate. Hard to listen to for a long time if the music you're listening to is equally intense.

003 : A very flat and even bass to mid curve, but with a hell of a lot of high mids, and relatively harsh treble. Nigh unusable for me, it's useful for using your IEMs as a stethoscope for your gear and listening to.

120 : A very good compromise in the signature. It cuts down on the intensity of the high mids while adding a solid rumble and authority in the lows that isn't present in the stock 020 tuning. While very enjoyable, I feel it takes away from the magic of the Sands' tuning, by cutting a bit from its extension up top. This 120 tuning also feels "slower" than the stock tuning, and the detail retrieval capabilities take a hit.

023 : A very close tuning to the 020, but with leaner low mids and mid bass. Ain't my cup of tea, especially since the high mids are so prominent you loose balance in the presentation.

123 : Also very intense, but noticeably less controlled than the 020 tuning. Details are less polished, imaging is less precise, etc.

Technicalities/Tonality :

I really, really enjoy the abilities of the Sands. It excels at alternating between very intimate presentation and throwing audio effects way out of the soundstage, it's a unique experience that I've never encountered before : It's soundstage is wide and very coherent, but some cues will appear much farther than the rest of the stage with impeccable detail, giving the illusion of a much grander experience.

Its detail retrieval is quite unrivalled, but with clear limitations. The midrange is astounding of richness, reproduction of acoustic instruments on par with thousands dollars headphones (my HD800S being the point of comparison here) which is VERY uncommon for the price point.

I start with the mids because it's the star of the show here, very clearly. Two Sonion mid-drivers are in charge and you can hear the difference of quality vs the bass and treble.
Which is a blessing and a curse in fact, as it's very enjoyable to hear this level of detail at this price point at the cost of the balance and coherency of the complete spectrum.

The treble, although well extended, is a step below the midrange in its replay quality and richness. Not to undermine the Knowles treble drivers, but it clearly lacks the fullness of the Sonions. Cymbals are accurate, yet not as realistic as the rest of the drum set because the contrast in fidelity is that stark. Air is present in recordings, but not to the level where you can hear the whole room being played in. It's more a space around the instruments, that helps in the replay of reverberations, but not the full echo in the concert room.

The bass, being reproduced by a dynamic driver, feels well separated from the BAs and the shift in tonality is well controlled. The difference in "speed", in transient response is obvious but the authority of the bass and its extension in the lower octaves makes up for it. It is very clean, never wooly or muddy, and goes down very low with an accuracy that is on par with its competition, the likes of a Blessing2 but with less texture. It may be the least detailed aspect of the Sands, but at the same one of its most enjoyable traits. It never gets crowded, or messy not matter the complexity of the file you throw at it. When activating the bass dip switch, it gains a boost in the sub bass that makes it very rumbly and fun.

One of the benefits of a well executed set rich in details is that the spatialisation becomes very convincing, adding to the immersion provided by the realism of the instrument replay. The soundstage is not the widest by any means, we have offerings at half the price that sound twice as wide (the Final A4000 are still the widest sounding IEM I've heard) but the Sands has a leg up in three dimensionality, thanks to the depth and height. The bass authority acts as a sub in a 2.1 setup, and helps the layering separation when playing music. The BA timbre, while present, gives this ethereal edge and just beyond real replay because of the transient response, the attack is so fast that elements pop up in your ears : synthesised and electronic genres are among the most fun you'll get with this set, the "ear candy" being exposed that well by the detail retrieval. The clarity inherent to the Sands mean that all the sounds are clearly separated, and at the same time they're exposed equally and it's up to you to decide what you want to listen to among the multitude of sounds in front of you.

The image in the title of "microscope" really sums up the impression I get from the Sands, it's a very special tool that specialises in clarity of sound and by doing so presents all sounds in a very intimate manner, all spread around you thanks to its separation abilities. While not bonkers wide like the Finals I mentioned, you get the impression of space when you need to. You get the intimacy when the singer is upclose and stuck to the mic. If you listen to a studio record with quad-tracked guitars, fast drums edited and sample corrected, you're gonna hear it all. Like, all the tracks present in the mixing session.


Conclusion (and an aparte on EQ) :

The uniqueness of the Sands lies in its performance, and the consequences of that focus on ability are what I remember from this experience. There's note weight in the mids, because of the ability to replay richness of sounds, bass impact creating a better-than-average layering capability, detail retrieval leading to a "zoomed in" effect at all times. You choose what you listen to among ALL that's present in the song, rather than having the IEM choosing for you.

On to the EQ : I'm kind of an EQ freak and if I'm plugging the Sands into a source I can EQ, I'm not going to stop myself from doing so. And there's so much potential on tap with the Sands, it'd be foolish no to.

Everything done with EQ is using the 020 position on the Sands.

The first thing I tried was reducing the energy in the high mids and the presence region, to try and bring more balance to the spectrum. This works a god damn treat, and brings the rest of the mids even closer, now that that huge bump above 2k is levelled somewhat. The bass is also better represented, and what little detail it carries is brought up to the same level as the rest. I really like it, but this gets to the point where your tastes trump what the IEM provides.

I also cut some of the peaks in the treble region, namely @7kHz and 9kHz, but that's most likely peaks due to my ear canal than inherent traits of the Sands, it helps a ton on the sibilance control. While not a major problem, it can be a problem on some tracks and I chose to remedy that.

For those interested, here's my EQ preset :

PK 860 Hz, +1dB, Q 1
PK 2500Hz, -5dB, 1
PK 4400Hz, +1.5dB, Q 1.2
PK 7400Hz, -3dB, Q 3
PK 9100Hz, -5dB, Q 1

While having clear directions in which it could be improved, like the bass texture and the treble richness, the Sands is an incredible performance to value product. Priced against the Blessing2, the Mangird Tea2, or Dunu Vulkans, the detail retrieval and clarity are much superior, without a doubt.



Edit : After discussions and messages it appears as though my review can be seen as critical, borderline negative. Although I have no problems with the "critical" adjective, as critique is a good thing when it is constructive (which I think this one is) I'm certainly not complaining here. This IEM is my #1 at the moment and I think it will remain the case for a long time. I use cheaper stuff, I use dearer stuff, but the uniqueness of the Sands makes it something I always want to have with me, if I discover new songs I wanna know how it's going to react when played on the Sands. I love the details it gives, that speed it has even in its low end is addictive. There, I'm even editing the title to implement that aspect. And I'm bumping it to 4.5.