At first​

Let me thank Keephifi. This was a unit Sent from a friend from Keephifi for my honest review and opinion. Though I’ve got it for free, my opinions are honest. Because self-esteem is much more valuable than free earphones. So, this review will focus on my experience and finding of long-term use of TRI Starshine. So, this is actually my self-opinion. Moreover, I'll publish my video review on my youtube channel which is in Bangla. Your opinion may vary to your listening and circumstances. I believe music is a subjective thing and there is a lot to learn and listen to. So your precious opinions and suggestions are cordially appreciated. I learn every day and today I might understand something different. So flood my post's comment section.



Let me introduce myself

The Brand:​

In the budget category, Kbear has been a strong name lately. TRI Audio is their premium counterpart who is actually focusing on $100+ earphones.
We’ve got several IEMs from TRI. I3, Starsea, Starlight are bright stars among them. Today the star of the show is TRI Starshine.

Tech inside:​

This gem is equipped with a hybrid quad-driver configuration. We are getting two Sonion EST drivers and two Knowles BA drivers.
The MRSP of TRI Starshine is $499.

purchase link: https://keephifi.com/collections/tri/products/tri-starshine-2-electrostatic-drive-2ba-custom-iem

Spec:​

• Impedance: 56Ω
• Connector: 0.78mm 2PIN
• Color: blue
• Frequency response range: 20-20kHz
• Sensitivity: 98dB
• Cable material: copper and silver-plated mixed braided cable
• Drive unit: 2 electrostatic Drive+2BA

Included in the box.​

• TRI Starshine
• 2-pin Cable with 2.5mm jack
• 4.4mm and 3.5mm adapters
• Carry case
• Cleaning brush and cloth
• Manual

I am loving that more and more manufacturers are providing balanced cable in the box with interchangeable modules. Though I praise the mechanism of the Dunu cable system more, TRI is no a slouch. The adapters are practical and obviously a step in the right direction.

Design & Build Quality:​

We all will consider that look and sound are both subjective. But I am 98% sure everyone will love the semi-custom look resin shell of TRI Starshine. Why 98%? 2% can complain about resin and what not. In short, it's a great-looking iem. The smoothed out inside and starry, galactic look, the blueish finish has made me mesmerized. The build and design scream its premium and beautiful. It has a perfect size, and its weight is exceptionally less than the acquired look expectation. There is a translucent black bottom where you can see the drivers easily. The Blue colored Swirl design has the TRI logo on top of the faceplate. Nozzles are on the shorter side. So, tip insertion is a key aspect of TRI starshine.

Cable:​

Stock Cable with TRI Starshine is KBEAR’s Rhyme 2-pin Copper and Silver-Plated mixed braided balanced cable. The final termination is a 2.5mm balanced jack. But it adapts 2 quality, right-angled adapters (4.4mm and 3.5mm). Adapters are made outta plastic and metal but I would appreciate a direct 4.4mm cable more. However, I should add that the adapters work perfectly without adding any extra bulk to the cable. With the MSRP I would crave better cable.
But there are no noticeable microphonic. Overall I like the softness of it. It wraps & unwinds like an ideal daily driver. The cable didn’t get tangled much.

Case:​

There is a case inside the box, which is flex leather. I am sure it's not as practical as others in the market. The TRI Starshine barely fits in the case. I have seen the exact same case with TRI Starsea which is a $130 iem. So, we can demand a better case with a half kilo buck priced iem next time.

​

Fitting and Comfort​

I love the shape of you.. Ahemm. I love the shape of TRI Starshine. It has a semi-custom vibe with it. The shell is extra nice & very lightweight. So comfort is not an issue with average to large ears. But we have to admit everyone’s ear anatomy is different. I gave it to more than 4 of my friends who had no issue with the fit. I’ve used stock Kbear tips (white), Final E series, Final e series clear, Sony hybrid, and a few Spinfit models. My experience was best with the Sony hybrid (black), and Final E series. I used it in a 12 hours journey with sony wm1a, which gave me good comfort, above-average isolation, and an enjoyable listening session.

TRI Starshine needs Power:​

This is a power-hungry IEM for sure. So, to get full-bodied dynamic sound, we need to feed Starshine with quality RAW power. I have used it with Sony Wm1a (it needs 100+ gain in the high mode), ifi idsd black label, Cowon Plenue R2, cayin iha-6 etc.
with power, TRI starshine shows its true potential.

Let’s start the main game “SOUND”​

Tips first, I am recommending an upgrade cable and final E tips for better SQ. But I will discuss the stock performance. Inside the box, there are a few different tips available. The white one gave me the most comfort and isolation. You may or may not believe in burn-in but I used it over 2 months, so that’s that.

My go-to gear was Sony wm1a with walkman mod and Cowon Plenue R2 (could manage to push as hard as i would like). On the dac amp side, ifi idsd Black label and Topping D70s/Cayin IHA-6 stack. Among all, I liked the pairing of Wm1a and Starshine most.

BASS:​

Without Wm1a I missed the bass impact a bit with other sources. But paired with wm1a the bass got textured and felt a bit punchier. Overall it was clean, not boosted, texture and separation were there. It certainly lacks the DD impact and dynamics. Nonetheless, notes felt separated. I would crave a bit more impact and a shy boldness there. Its BA bass, so speed attack and decay were reasonable compared to my DUNU SA6. Bass
It extends deep tho, you can feel the sub-bass rumble in “Massive Attack - Angel”. Mid and sub were fairly separated. If you squint your eyes, you can hear a slight mid-bass elevation from the sub. Overall, It offers clean, extended bass with decent speed and attack.

So it will get 4 out of 5 in the Bass section

The MIDS:​

The mids of TRI Starshine is fun. I think it's the most exciting part of these earphones. The lower mids have a bodied presentation where the instrument gets a particular character. Is it neutral? NO!! But it's fun. It has a minor dip in the upper mid-range, so the vocals become polite and gentle, where a lot of iems nowadays get shouty depending on recordings.
Neither the vocals nor the instruments have a forward presentation. To be honest, it's fun. Clean, textured, and enjoyable for a long period of time. There are no prominent peaks in the sound spectrum. It made the sound quite open, instruments got better separation by containing good layering. In fact, I find it better than my DUNU SA6 in that regard.

I will give it 4.5 outta 5

The Treble:​

Treble is kind of the USP of Starshine. It has the EST goodness in it. The lower treble dip removed any unwanted ringing or fatiguing factor. In 8k and above it rises high. Thus Strashine offers energy. The notes in the treble are colorful and the music becomes emotional sometimes. I can see a few treble-sensitive folks might not stand it. But it's not harsh of piercing by any means. It offers sizzliness, sparkle, and air in the treble. If you call it treble-heavy you won't be wrong. Those who are not sensitive to treble, especially the upper treble, will love the energy and musicality it offers.

It offers details as expected. Sparkle makes the drum snare exciting. String instruments get a different yet enjoyable character.

Though the cymbal attack might feel different and sharp, it doesn’t sound colorless or sterile. Overall it's open, energetic where instruments get unique (a bit different than neutral but enjoyable) characteristics.

And tip rolling helps. I used final E-series tips to get more bass impact and comfort.

I will give 4.25 outta 5

Timbre and resolution:​

I find a great clarity with starshine. You will expect to hear good dynamics, little nuances, and the proper texture of every instrument. So, it's Highly resolving. Pairing with warm or natural sources offers a great versatility and musicality to love these earphones more. But Analytical or bright sources may take it to the fatiguing territory. So the resolution is not compromising in any means. But I found the timbre is a bit different. I neither call it natural nor artificial. It's in the middle. The textures are tailored in a way that I can't hate. There is a slight metallicness in the cymbals, string instruments and acoustic guitars, but it's fun and enjoyable regardless.

For resolution 4.5 outta 5
For Timbre 4 outta 5

Soundstage​

Sound Stage is a strength here. It's wider than the other earphones I have tasted in this price range. Though it's not deep enough, the separation is on point. I found space and air between instruments. It's better than DUNU SA6 and

The soundstage will get 4.5 outta 5

Let's Compare it the competition :​

In the market, it will face high competition with Dunu SA6, UM 3DT, thieaudio legacy 9, kinera norn and so on.
I had a DUNU SA6, UM 3DT, and Campfire Holocene currently at my possession to compare and i can say Starshine is better than kinera norn (coz of its poor value for money situation)

So, lets the battle begin…

Vs Dunu SA6​

DUNU SA6 is right around $500-550. It's been my daily driver since March and I love them a lot. I initially heard both of the iem with my Cowon plenue R2 and I loved the presentation of SA6. I sensed TRI Starshine needs more power. When the Sony Wm1a came into the equation, the scene changed 180 degrees.

I found the bass of SA6 is better with boldness and engaging factors. Starshine shines with better mids, overall instrument separation, soundstage, and treble excitement. Then again, SA6 is a bit more versatile and sounds good regardless of the source or power delivery.
So, SA6 can be an easy recommendation for mass audiences. On the other hand, with the proper gear, TRI Starshine is more fun, open and engaging.


On the cosmetic side, the cable of SA6 is a class of its own. The package of Dunu SA6 has better tips.
The build, look, and comfort for both of the iem are similar and comparable. None wins here.

Vs Unique Melody 3DT :​

UM 3DT is a triple DD earphone that comes under $400, especially if deals are found right you can buy one for 300-320 easily.

Bass on the 3DT has better texture and impact. It's bold and fairly fast despite having a DD there. But Starshine has faster bass. In the mids, Starshine wins with the presentation. Because 3DT lacked the emotion and body of mids. It’s forward, sometimes making a few female vocals shouty a bit.
3DT got more treble emphasis than TRI Starshine which might bring fatigue to the listeners. I couldn't manage to hear 3DT for more than 1-hour max.


3DT was fun too. It has a wow factor that may end up ringing in the ear, a tad on the aggressive side. On the other hand, TRI is clean yet enjoyable with energy and fun. I prefer the dynamics of 3DT but the overall presentation of Starshine was more enjoyable to me.

Vs Campfire Holocene​

Recently the campfire brought some newer models to the scene and one of them is the Holocene. It's currently priced at $649 so I compared both of them.

First of all, the Holocene is very source peaky and sensitive. It can sound good, smooth and enjoyable, or rough, edgy, and harsh depending on the source.
In general, the Holocene is on the technical side. It offers a well-balanced sound with a lot of details and clarity. I can mark it as a natural-sounding iem. Sometimes the vocals can be sharp. It's resolving, a sort of studio reference with some audiophile touch to it.

Starshine falls short with resolution, detail, and aggressiveness. But it's polite, power-hungry, and long-term earphones to conclude.

Conclusion :​

At first, I was confused with TRI Starshine against my DUNU SA6. When properly powered and paired with the right gear, Starshine is fun, exciting, and comfortable. The tuning is tastefully done. But it's not for those who hate or are sensitive to the upper treble section. But who are open for fun, energy, and extra sparkle, TRI starshine will treat with openness, wide soundstage, and comfort. I recommend getting final e series tips and copper CEMA cable (i think they are the best bang for the buck) will do justice with TRI Starshine. Besides, you have to have a mid to strong DAP or DAC/AMP to squeeze the best outta it. Neutral and warm sources complement TRI Starshine
I got great results with Sony Wm1a, Hiby R6 pro (adds good energy to the treble section).

So, will I recommend it? I think I will point to a specific group of folks that I mentioned above.

Is the pricing good? Well, it goes down to 450ish during the sale. But I would rather be comfortable with the 400-420 range.


So, what is the overall score?

I would score 4 out 5 generally, but paired with a good source it will raise 4.25 out 5.

Tracks that I have used​

Incubus - Summer Romance
Dimmu Borgir - Dimmu Borgir
Breaking Benjamin - I Will Not Bow
SOAD - Chop Suey, Toxicity
Eminem - Rap God
Metallica - Fuel, master of puppets, enter the sandman
Massive attack - Mezzanine
Fall Out Boy - Immortals
Green Day - Know The Enemy
Skillet - What I Believe
Slipknot - snuff
Tool - Lateralus, Fear inoculum
And a few of my local audio collections. All are at least 16bit FLAC.

Initials:

At the very first I need to thank Final audio to give me the chance to review the product. The review below is actually a self-opinion. Though Final Audio is kind enough to send the unit for free. My opinion wasn’t influenced by this move. Moreover, I've published my video review on my youtube channel. The link will be embedded soon. Your opinion may vary to your listening and circumstances. I believe music is a subjective thing. So your precious opinions and suggestions are cordially appreciated. In life, I can learn every day and this might be a day to understand something different. So flood my post's comment section.



Let me start

Final is an japanese boutique audio company. They are impressing us with their best sound engineering and craftsmanship with every single of products. After 2007 its introducing many quality planner magnetic wonders and single driver iem(s) to our headfi community. Unfortunately, some of them are for themselves who have tons of cash in their pocket.
As a student like me, who has a love for music, has a bigger dream but a small pocket E5000 is a solid choice to feel and hear how the high-end stuff sound.
By the time you finish my review, you will get two things straight.

1. Though it marked 14 ohms, it sounds alright with portable devices. But good amping really mandatory.
   
   
2. According to my preferences this earphone pairs well with some analytical or bright source.

Who the hell I am

Just on the verge of starting, let me introduce yourself.





Lets start the review...



Build, Design and accessories

Final E5000 is an earphone to remember. The chrome finish, the silver plated oxygen-free copper cable, dense stainless steel housings make the whole item a simple yet elegant design so far. The earpiece has a bit mirrored finish. If you get bored, you can look up to your face and find something unique. The mmcx-connector joint and the nozzle are made of ABS plastic. If I sum up my thoughts, this earphone looks appealing yet being strong to hold up beating, screaming quality build and preserving the beauty of craftsmanship.

Surprisingly I found no visible vent to prevent driver flex. Final designed e5000 in a way that they put a whole acoustic chamber on the back of the IEMs (the ridge between the housing and it’s rear). There’s also apparently another gap between the nozzle and the housing, and thus you have an IEM that doesn’t exhibit driver-flex even with the very deep fit.

Mirrored silver finish will introduce hand smudges and scratches after prolonged use. If you adore the sound of it and want to use it for an extensive period of time, you have to take great care of it just like you do for your newly gained corvette.



For the build, it should receive 4/5

This earphone is priced at around $270-300. I have seen deals like 220 to 250ish with rebates and all. From a $200+ earphone we can expect a sheer amount of accessories and an ornament like packaging. Yet Final delivers totally on spot stuff in favor of practicality and effectiveness.



E5000 came with the same package of e4000. It offers 5 pairs of awesome high-quality eartips. The soft silicon made carrying case, designed with origami touch, offers assurance of keeping the iem safe and unharmed.
As the cable goes, it's one of the well built, designed, and sturdiest looking cables you can get within 300 usd price range. Final may charge you about 150ish if you want to get this cable standalone. Technically it is a silver plated OFC cable which seemed a bit on the stiffer side. So, it engages some microphonics if I wear it straight down. Did I mention it has good quality mmcx connectors?
A pair of soft silicone ear hooks and a carabiner (branded final audio) are in the box too.



For accessories and packaging 4/5



Comfort:

In three words, e5000 is comfortable. Like e2000, e4000 ( I had both of them for review) it has bullet like shell. E5000 has longer shell than the other E series iems. So, e5k offers a deeper insertion. Isolation is average at best. Most importantly it offers leakage. With e2000 i got better comfort as it was smaller in the bunch. I could fall asleep with e2k but not with the e5k.

For comfort: 4.5/5 (its comfortable but e2k has better comfort, so i can't give 5)

Spec

Product code: FI-E5DSSD
Housing: Stainless steel mirror-finished
Driver: 6.4mmΦ dynamic driver
Connector: MMCX
Cable: OFC silver coated cable
Sensitivity: 93dB
Impedance: 14Ω
Weight: 24g
Cord length: 1.2ｍ

For the e5000 technological terms please visit: https://snext-final.com/en/products/detail/E5000



Does it sound too?

If you have a close inspection, E5000 has a sensitivity level of 93dB at 14 ohms it can’t get enough juice with smartphones. I personally used it with a lot of things. For portable tempotec sonata ($25) did fine. My mojo drove it well but it sounded too warm to say. It paired well with Astell&kern SR15 and pioneer xdr300. I am using pinnacle p1 for at least 1.5 years. E5000 shows inefficiency as like the p1 shows. It's no wonder a smartphone iem that you can use outside. But if you have something, as a good portable dac amp/dap setup, you are good to go. According to my listening habits, it paired best with analytical/ bright sources.

I hooked up this with THX AAA 789 this sung well but a bit dry than my preference. So I will mark this as a desktop iem.


Bass:

E5000 overall offers a quality warmth plus sheer bass under $300-400. The bass attacks deep. It will make you listen to the very bottom of bass pit. So, you will feel a subwoofer like attention inside of your head. The sub-bass section has 50% more boost than the mid bass section, where mid-bass is already boosted like 2 db than other frequencies. But this transition is a gradual process. The attack and decay are natural. Bass's presence has a warmth to it. It offers a smooth texture, resolve the bass notes on natural progression. It's not too fast nor too slow. But sometimes i felt like i am covered in a deep thick blanket of bass, I craved for fresh air.
Bass will get: 4.5/5


Mid:

Despite having the insane amount of quality bass, the mids are not lost. Rather it offers the body and thickness which I want most from any audio gears. A tiny amount of bass bleeds in the mid, it's barely noticeable. With the sort dip in the very lower-mid separated the bass and mid almost perfectly.
I am almost sold with the mids it offers. I could hear the vocal texture, the breath, and whatnot. I am very sensitive to vocal shoutiness in female vocal. Whenever I need to check any iem or headphones, I play Ame lee’s voice and check it. Final passed it with flying colors. I expected a bit more fluidity from e5000. But it should be a lie if I say, the mid is dry. E5000 has a totally natural timber that an instrument offers in real life. String instruments, piano etc have the exact figures and exact notes. I have heard a few iem in this range like FLC 8s, oriveti new primacy; which has a force-fitted placement and an artificial timber compared to the e5000 does. Yes, I would love to have a bit more micro detail and a lil bit of edge on the notes. If it happened, these would cost like a fortune.
Mid will get 4.5/5


High:

I am a bit sensitive to treble, yet E5000’s treble didn’t excite me at all. I missed a bit more sparkle on top. The treble is not offensive at all, got a muted tone. As i am a whore for metal and rock music, it felt like I am having a biryani without chill. Yet the upper treble extension should receive an appreciation. It has a bit of crispness when cymbal crashes. But i should appreciate this point that it won't forcefully feed you with tons of treble, sparkle, detail that you can’t process.

I felt the 8–10KHz roll-off is bugging me most for various tracks and genres. When I pair it with some bright/ analytical source, the treble gets compensated and has a bit more balance than the neutral source.
Treble will get 4/5



Soundstage:

The staging is worthy to mention. It has height and a decent amount of width. I would expect to have a lil bit depth. I felt the presence of instrument fairly well. I enjoyed layering. Cause I can hear them laid on top of each other. It's fun and enjoyable
Staging: 4/5


Imaging:

Imaging suffered from the soundstage depth. It has good stereo separation and handled the liner image quite well. I am more habituated with pinnacle’s imaging which is very good with proper amping, so I am a bit more thirsty here.
Imaging: 3.5/5


vs Fiio FH5: I listened to fh5 side by side at my friends place. Fiio FH5 has a tad better detail and sparkle on the top with a bit more imaging presence. E5000 blows it away with the mid and bass section where fh5 was shouty and harsh.


vs pinnacle p1: Pinnacle p1 is the polar opposite of e5000. At least to some extent it is. Pinnacle has better soundstage depth and imaging than e5000. P1 holds micro detail a lot better than e5000 does. But I am afraid some people may find the pinnacle offensive and harsh of upper mid and treble. E5000’s bass and mid is fuller and heavier than pinnacle p1.


Vs oriveti new primacy: Oriveti is sharp. To some extent its too sharp to my taste. Mid is thinner compared to e5000. Oriveti has a tad better layering and air inside. But for the sharpness of the oriveti it lost, according to my preference.




Bottom line:

If you are someone who likes bass, thick mid and musical listening experience, this e5000 might be a great pick up for you. For a metal head like me, don't want to confine myself under a thick bass blanket to be honest. Its a subjective choice that its not upto my preferences, but I have seen a lot of folks around me who are deeply in love with these iem when its paired with good source. And i have no shame for admitting that I am quite surprised to get this type of fuller bass and mid under $300. Just i needed a bit chill on top. I loved it with Oppo ha2, Sr15 and XDR300. I believe any portable/desktop amp with a bit of brightness will serve you like charm.


My brother KMMBD said, “It’s like your first teenage love — it doesn’t make much sense, and yet it gives you the butterflies. You overlook all the flaws for the beauty that lies in the eye of the beholder. It sweeps your feet away, leaving you in a trance”


Happy listening.



Sources and amp

My pc (with creative sound core audio cheap)
Aune m1s
MCTH, thx 789
Chord Mojo, oppo ha2
Astell&kern ak70 mkii and sr15
pioneer xdr300
Phones: iphone 6s plus,


Playlist
Incubus - Summer Romance
Dimmu Borgir - Dimmu Borgir
Breaking Benjamin - I Will Not Bow
SOAD - Chop Suey, Toxicity
Eminem - Rap God
Metallica - Fuel, master of puppets, enter the sandman
Massive attack - Mezzanine
Fall Out Boy - Immortals
Green Day - Know The Enemy
Skillet - What I Believe
Slipknot - snuff
Tool - Lateralus, Fear inoculum
And a few of my local audio collections. All are at least 16bit FLAC.


Thanks for reading this long. Don’t hesitate to share or ask anything. All those photos were captured by me. There supposed to be a lot of mistakes. Hopefully, that won’t bother you much. A long way to go for me. So your kind feedback is much appreciated.

First of all thanks goes to Steve, as well as kinera to send me a pair of their new iem h3 to test it out. I am not told or directed to throw a review here. The following statement is all my honest opinion. Mark that your mileage may vary. Let's step aside of the thanking part and get started.

Just a few head-up about myself


Let's not wait

Kinera
Kinera is a new china bassed iem company that stepped their feet in audio industry with only two iem Bd005 and Now the Kinera h3. You can find their products like H3 here. They are friendly and trying hard to get their everything right. For starting fresh h3 was a great step up. I am pretty sure they are bringing something out of the box next time.


How's the H3

The packaging:

The package has a textured finish and got a professional feeling to it. there is a magnetic flap to open it. Inside there is a perfectly cut foam for the housing of the carrying case, airplane and 1/4 inch adapter. To be frank this was enough to convince someone that "h3 is special"

What's in the box

A big enough hard sell carrying case is presented there to store iem and cable. 3 pares of eartips (s,m,l), airplane adapter and a gold plated 1/4inch adapter were there. But i am impressed with the Thank you card by the kinera. Kinera you are welcome

Build and so on

The shell is CIEM type. I will say i have the most comfortable fit with h3 after this i will mark the pinnacle p1 and flc8s. They blue semi transparent shell reminds me of candy. On the faceplate there is a gold kinera logo printed.



I am sorry for a thing that should be there, A ring at the nozzles for the eartip grip. The lack of it cost me the loss of two eartips. I hope they will notice this and change it in there following iems.



The cable is great, Braided, Silver color. It is soft, the stain relief is good and works just fine. If you think about the micro-phonics, i will say there is none. I hope a mic edition of there cable will help a lot of people in future. Btw kinera adopts the 2pin configuration which is i think better. Because i had issues with the mmcx connection. And H3's 2pin connectors offers a snag compact fit. Its not loose at all like something i found in kz zs5.




Fit and comfort

I can say this is one of the most comfortable iem i have used. its smooth ciem type shell provides the most pleasing fit under 100 usd. I think it fits better than the Shure se215. If you want something more comfortable, i think ciem is the route to go. I can easily sleep wearing this. though I wont recommend this. "Please save your ear"

The Sound

Bass:

The bass is a bit of emphasized but It is emphasized in an enjoyable way. There is tightness. Its fast and the impact is damn impressive for its price range. On the most important note, the bass impact don't mix with mid range or bloat anywhere. There is certainly a noticeable sub bass extension. Not so strong but strong enough to notice it and enjoy your music. Despite of all these things this is not targeted for the bass heads. I noticed with some recording it gets a bit more boomy. I should blame the recordings not the iem for this.



Mid:

The energetic and clear mid of h3 is enjoyable. It may seem a bit of the recessed to some people because of its little bit thinness. To me the less colored mid high the upper mid energy the vocal sounded good. At least at the point of its price range it out forms a lot of iems that i have listened previously. I would like if the mid could be a bit more thick and packed some meat on the bone.

High

Treble at a first glance seemed well extended, airy, detailed, damn good sound separation and well presentation. I have to admit stock H3 sound bright, metal and heavy treble tracks can often be quite fatiguing, If you turn your volume up it gets annoying. But i have to appreciate the clarity of the treble. I wish it had some unforgiving nature. The people who love bright iems will find this a lot enjoyable. I prefered a bit more dark and warm sound with the clarity.



The Isolation

I gave it to my friend. I want to quote one thing that he told me, "I heard music all day long. It seemed if there is any war around me, i wont hear anything".

I know he a bit of overwhelmed. But its true that h3 blocks a lot of outside noice. its comfortable and the noise cancellation is noticeably best in the sub 100 even more priced iems.

In the conclusion of sound i want to mention some following bullet points
I really liked the soundstage and separation of h3. The staging was not that big, but the separation and good imaging will be enough to engage you to your listening and think like the sound is coming around you. It might not be on par of something damn expensive. But its hard to find in sub 100 range.



The verdict

I told all before this review is my self realized opinion. H3 is crisp. Its cleanliness in sound and good amount of refinement to it's signature can make enjoying your music more. I prefer a more thick mid-range and warmth to the sound. Yet the detail and clarity this hybrid turned out that treble loving people gonna enjoy h3's offering. I hope kinera will do the best for their upcoming products.


Rating
Packaging & Accessories: 3.7 / 5 (I expected to get more tips)

Build Quality & Design: 4.5 / 5 - (I would give 5 if there is a eartip ring)
Sound Impressions: 3.7 / 5 - (i preferred a bit more warmth and less bright)
Value: 4.1 / 5 - $99 its a candy for ears.

Overall: ~ 4 / 5

Initials:
 
I purchased the Audeze el8 for personal use. I should thank @Zulkr9 for giving this to me. The review below is actually a self-opinion.  It may vary to your listening and circumstances. I believe music is a subjective thing. So your precious opinion and any suggestion is cordially appreciated. I believe There is many things to learn. So flood my posts comment section.
 

 
 
Let me start
 
Audeze is an American boutique headphone company. It is impressing us with their best sound engineering and craftsmanship with every single of products. After 2008 its introducing many quality planner magnetic wonders to our headfi community. Among themselves LCD2, LCD X, LCD4 are marvels. But unfortunately, those are for themselves who have tons of cash in their pocket. I really appreciate the approach of making the mid-budget planner headphone, that is not just a marketing material, actually includes in the success book of the company.
And as a student like me, who has love for music, has a bigger dream but a small pocket EL8 is a solid choice to feel and hear how the high-end stuffs sound. Thanks, Audeze for these.
By the time you finish my review, you will get two things straight.

• Though it marked 30 ohms, it sounds alright with portable devices. But good amping really brings the best outta it.
• This can will add extra spice and salt to your music, that not only brings the vocal alive but also make your music lovely.

 
 
Who the hell I am
 
Just on the verge of starting let me introduce yourself.
 

 

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Build, Design and accessories
 
 
 
 
First thing first, it is the one of the most well-built, well designed headphone that money can buy. BMW design work designed this for Audeze, and it resembles in every aspect. No cheap element is present there. The outer layer, the headband is made of metal and the frame has wood veneer accents. My open back one has a ‘A’ designed each side. When you hold it to your hand it will scream its premium build to your face. But considering the other production of Audeze line up, it might feel cheap. There is a leather head strap for extra comfort.  And the driver is freaking huge… 100 mm to be specific.
 


 
The large earcups are made out of leather like thing (not leather actually) and enough soft for long listening comfort. As it build like a craft and with wood veneer accents and metal, its on heavier side. Despite of its weight it provides comfort that you deserve.  One may find discomfort while a very long listening session but for me its comfortable enough to carry on. 

 
N/B: I use optics regularly. It provides me comfort with optics on. So if it’s an issue for you, you will be happy as I am now. 
 

 
Here I got the 2016 open back model with white box. The box is big and shows that how premium it is. Though a carrying case would have been handy but there wasn’t any. Inside the foam padded box there are two cables and a quarter inch adapter I got. One cable is music only, another with a mic for apple devices, which works fine with my android smartphone (mic and middle button only works).
 

 

 
Both of the cable is flat and quality is extremely good. But one downside for me that its Zync connectors. It connects to the headphone to an only way. And It’s hard to find. My wanted to work on my diy balanced cable but the connectors were missing.
 

 
Aside the sound department the El8 could be the most beautiful and well-built headphone of your arsenal.
 
Some technical jargons for you

 

Spec

For the El8 technological terms please visit: https://www.audeze.com/products/el-8-collection/el-8-open-back
 

 
 
Does it sound too?
 
It is advertised to use portably. With my smartphone Oneplus one, It gets pretty loud. After I switch to xiaomi the loudness a bit decreased. But when I plugged them into my Amp Fiio E12, oh boy o boy!! E12 had brought the best of themselves. So despite of being 30 ohms it requires a lot to current to shine.  Audeze marked the Optimal power requirement 200mW to 4W. So amp always helps planner to drive.
 
As the full earcup is the driver the different in music signature is huge. You will hear significant differences if you have come from dynamic driver headphones.
Before getting more into audio department let me clear you first. The so called laid back signature is a bit time consuming for a lot of people. Especially when you are from a bright headgear it will seem less energetic.  So It requires a certain time to cape with its signature. If you can give it that importance, I bet you can’t go back.
 
Bass:
The best part of the planner magnetic headphone is the bass department. How? Because they are fast and accurate. In case of el8 that is as true as sunshine. The bass is damn fast and has enough power to love and discover your old music in a new way. I should say, I clearly hear the bass notes, the paddles. Its clear and enjoyable. It has enough depth. As a planner, the layering is outstanding. LCD 2 just offers a little bit tighter and deeper bass than these. And one thing, it doesn’t blend in other spectrum of sound.
 
Mid:
The most coherent and fluid mid I have ever heard. After you get accustomed to this you will feel the micro details of vocals the instruments yet its not analytical at all. Its more musical and the astonishing fluidity will make you love it. For myself Amy Lee from Evanescence is the deepest voice (it’s my opinion). And El8 takes it to another level. Moreover, I hear a lot of metal songs. With the perfect bass notes, the background noise of songs, side vocals, main vocals can be separated damn easily. Its because of its layering by the magnetic diaphragm.
 
High:
Despite of being dark it surprises at the high spectrum. As a metal lover, I love the trash sound and sss on the upper spectrum and it delivers perfectly. Yet no noise or sibilance is introduced. I couldn’t think music could be this lively and lovable until I perfectly listened to them. The transparency, the body the accuracy is on par with its price tag.   
 
Over all, if the planner sounds make you familiar, you are trapped.  The pattern, the texture, the speed, the body are totally worth of every penny that you will pay for it. The instrument separation, the channel switching, imaging is on par with some expensive headphones. I literary can hear the actual bass notes, guitar string plucking, key taps and so on.

“It actually adds meat to the skeleton of music, make it thick coherent and lovable”
One downside is soundstage. It doesn’t offer staging like Philips X2 or AKG k7xx but the depth and accuracy of imaging will make you feel sound is coming from a distant place.
 

 
 
Ready to drive?
 
I should say yes. But if you want to add meat to the bone power is a must. Jotunheim with the balanced output gets everything best outta El8. It sounds better with transparency, handles the power that has thrown at it pretty well.  
Lyr 2 with rolled tube made it more enjoyable and life like. The stage gets deep. The bass has a better body (not boomy) and mid’s fluidity increases to the LCD2’s level.
With Fiio E12 it gets enough power to shine. With e12 it actually gets more air.
 
Bottom line:
 
If you are looking for an affordable planner that can give you the texture of planner but wont break your bank like LCD X, here it is. This is a can that will intrigue you to lay back calm your head and enjoy your music. If you are a bit serious listener, require a highly energetic can; you can choose he400i or something similar like that.  
Just keep one in mind, this can be portable (also has a cipher lighting cable). But with its size and hunger for power I prefer it actually in home. When I feel reluctant, I plug in the puppy lean on my chair.
I wish I just could get a sturdy carrying case and the zync connectors to replace with anything easy to find.   
 
Sources and amp
My pc (with creative sound core audio cheap) + Oppo Ha2+E12
Then I got Monk RA1.0 for a few days, Aune m1s
I heard it with Bimby+lyr2 (tube rolled)
Mimby +Jotunheim
Modi 2 + magni 2
Phones: oneplus one, xiaomi redmi note 4 and various other devices (I don’t have any apple devices)
 

 
 
Thanks for reading this long. Don’t hesitate to share or ask anything. All those photos were captured by me (sorry for being under exposed ). There supposed to be a lot of mistakes. Hopefully that won’t bother you much.  A long way to go for me. So your kind feedback is much appreciated.

 
Happy listening
 

 
I believe the true experience of an audiophile starts from IE80. It was my fortune that I got it as a gift even when i didn't know what a sound standard could be. I waited surfed a lot of iems (5 or more). I looked for dedicated player or dac to play though it. Finally I had time to write about it.

Still though I am not brave or I didn't hear enough to say something about the 320$ earphone.
 
Please keep in mind that sound and music is a personal taste. It varies from men to men. If anything goes wrong, I request give me a chance to make it correct. 
 
 
Packaging:
 

 
After getting the TTPOD T1e and OSTRY I had an expectation to get a lot as it contains a huge price tag. Alas! there is only a sexy carrying case, 8 rubber and 2 foam pairs to be precise. Of those three pairs are double flange tips. The foam tips are softer comfy but I personally don't like foam. Preferences may vary though. With stock tips isolation was good. But with third party (jvc spiral dot) the isolation and comfort it gains <4.5/5> .
The over the ear style is a trouble to wear them quickly but it’s professional. and one thing, perfect fit is an issue that won't allow you to get 100% outta them. so it is a must.
 
 

Comfort:

The housing is on a bigger side of iem than the average IEM size. I somehow don't like over the ear iem for their hassle to put it in ears. But it provide a certain comfort to continue listening for hours.
 
Build quality:

The built quality of these IEMs is very good. though some cheaper iem may provide u with metal/titanium alloy housing instead with ie80 senn focused on their audio dept. but cable, its strain relief is good; really good. A brushed metallic pattern gives it a classy look.The cables themselves feel very strong and sturdy. The 3.5mm pin area is well fortified. And trust me the detachable cable option always help to get updated one or get a new one if it breaks.
The place where the tips are attached , is covered by a metallic mesh, which is pretty much standard in all IEMs.
 
 

 
Case:
 

 
A sexxy hard plastic case with a metallic finish. I think it will offer some protection against dust and water. An ear tip cleaning tool, which will be used to remove the dirt from the housing and ear tips and doubles as a driver screw for the bass knob on the housing.
 
 
Sound: When the mystic signature appears
 
When u insert them into your ear first thing that u will notice is soundstage. Its damn big as an iem. surprisingly u may look here and there to find that audio source. It shows a huge specious area inside Brain.
 
Bass:
This is an all rounder iem with a bass dial. so u think bass is crazy? yes at the highest pick bass will be bond cracking but full bodied. it never blot with a lot of amount rather its well controlled. in normal situation (medium bass position) u will feel sub bass surprisingly amiable.
 
Mid:
Mid portion is clean. Lady vocal sounds as good as they should sound. vocal is clearly articulated from its place. Not emphasized, not recessed. its mid kinda on bright side but damn I love its loving mid. There may some people who can find it a bit recessed. But for me its okey.
 
Treble:
Lets say about Treble which is amazing, with no sibilance even at the highest volume. This is an awesome thing, because you get to enjoy they cymbals and clangs better with absolute detailed sig. Here is one thing. people often think high treble is cleanliness but its not as it is.
 
Its only 12 ohm with a lot of sensitivity. You can drive them even with a calculator. but with dap or dedicated amp the sound stage insanely increases which only can be achieved by a full sized open back can. Though its easy to drive, clarity is maintained even at the highest volumes.
Instrument separation is well expected. And it ticks its price point expectation..
 
Isolation:
 
 

With jvc spiral dots i will mark 4.9/5 for the isolation it provides. As i am in Dhaka the chaotic environment always here to stick with us. With 60% gain on my phone all ambient noise stopped.
 
Conclusion:
 
These earphone introduced me with the audiophile society, How fine sound could be and so on….
Should i say anyone to buy it!
I will say its a big investment. Hear first if possible because sound is subjective issue.

When I saw it online (mostly in amazon) I was attracted by its aesthetic look. I couldnt understand how an in-ear one can be this cheap despite maintaining such beauty. After some digging i found it cheaper and ordered from China through Taobao at almost 9$. Rest of the things are now history
 

 
 
Lets see how it describes it's existence in Musical world 
 
Packaging:
 
Simple hard paper packaging with a plastic window to showoff the in ear which also have a magnetic flap to show some promising effort with a ten dollar in ear. Unboxing was a good experience indeed.  
 
Accessories:
 
Accessories!!! Are you expecting a quarter inch adapter? comply tips? variety of tips? For GOD's sake dont. Its a 10$ artifact. It only comes with 4 different tips and noting! (mark that tips are not that good. I should not say flimsy but not comfortable and lacks sound isolation. **so If you can use third party Tips you will find a gem!
 

 

 
 
Build quality:
 
It comes with a reasonable length braided cable; A bit thin but it shows promise to last longer. Spliter has a metal housing. The in ear itself has ceramic housing yeah sounds right!! has a satisfying ceramic housing with a large (in radius) sound tunnel. A tiny hole to vent air into the drivers, white plastic stain relief with L/R marking (small) but its easy to find Left and Right as both are not symmetrical rather than angled to the ear canal. And yeah it has a in line microphone and a one button remote with metal housing. the Mic and remote works fine with android and Iphone.
 
 

 
 
The Mighty Sound (the mystic opportunity)
 
Bass:
 
Bass lovers people will certainly love what zircon offers. You will surprisingly identify Sub-bass. The tightness of low end it not muffled or rounded of. It will equally treat the bass lovers and normal users as it can be controlled via EQ. when the EQ is off its prominent bass will entertain you with tight thumb.
 
Mid:
 
you read it has tight bass, "oh yeah then as it is cheap it has muffled mid" Sweet Jesus it has a clear mid. No way near muffled or sibilant. though it seems it is a bit recessed but not only a bit which wont make you uncomfortable with listening music rather its clear enjoyable.
 
High:
 
Highs are good. String instruments like guitar sounds good. its really clear but not like crystal clear (a bit grain might be heard if you come from higher end in ear) . But vocal clarity and clear high will amaze you as its a cheap in ear. 
 
Sound stage and Imaging:
 
holly goodness!! this really has decent sound stage. decent doesnt mean "a stage like 100$ iem offers. Decent here stands for a notable one. Notable as you can not expect a decent meal even under 10 bucks. however, the sound stage is sensible and you can sense where the drums is and so on. so it will be a decent experience with the Rock zircon regarding to sound stage and imaging. even it shines in separation too. you can hear individual instruments that are sounding differently.
 
Isolation: 
 
this dont shut all the sounds after you plug it in your ear. but when the music starts outside ambient noise reduces. they really dont offer extreme sound isolation (i didnt expect so but expected a bit better) **note that after changing tips it created a good seal. so changing tips to your personal choice will offer you edge
 

 
 
Comparison
 
First thing first, it throws away most of the in ears that can be found under 30-40$  
 
Vs Xiaomi hybrid: Rock zircon has tighter bass with a lot of details and clarity than hybrid. Hybrid is no way near it. specially for the price distance and SQ.
 
Vs KZ ATZ: Rock zircon is easy to put in ears and also stand upright against KZ with its tight bass and mid high clarity. KZ is more comfortable than Zircon.
 
Vs TTPOD T1e: The bass of Zircon it outruns TTPOD T1e. Though TTPOD's bass is more enjoyable to me to listen (i am not a bass head rather a metal lover and t1e offers as much as i want) TTPOD has serious sound stage and imaging. In mid and high battle Zircon offers sparky ends but T1e smooths with amazing clearity.
 

 
 
Aftermath:
 
"Holly grail" yeah its kinda! because at 10$ you cant even buy a decent shaving razor. With a good in line mic its a no brainer. The Mighty Chinese Artisans crafted their jolly engineering and created this..... 
 

 
 
source:
Oneplus one dacing with fiio e18
Macpro 2015
Fiio x1

It might be one of your favorite cans if you pay an intense listen to them for a few hours. Really its a steal while you might get it for 60ish or 80ish. I got mine for 75 ish. I still wonder why Phillips is selling this amazing can at such a lower price.
 
I have some quality headphone, AKG K7xx massdrop edition, heard sennheiser HD518, hd598 etc. but they aint available 60-100$. None of the headphone is perfect. they are good in different aspects and different point of views and in my favorite list i without any doubt include SHP for their performance and Price ratio. Even if I had to buy it for 150$ i wouldn't  be frustrated.
 
lets dig into the Build quality:
 
Build wise they are moderate.

Firstly, you will notice the L/R marking on the grill of open back. 50mm big drivers will feel nice and provide a reasonable mass to the headphone. the build materiel is mostly plastic and metal but it is 
not cheap (even if you consider it as a 150$ can)
 

N.B. I have painted the L/R marking with permanent marker
 
Secondly, the ear cups are huge (bigger than hd 600 i should say) it tilts just a bit so that you can have a better fit. But it doesn't fold.
 
Thirdly, Low clamp force might create you a lose fit if you move your head too much unnecessarily, otherwise it will just work fine and comfortably.
 

The headband, Its obviously performs well with no issue. the headband is plastic and foam underneath it foam for the comfort of longer listening. Who has bigger head will have no problem as it allows to extend to 1-6 notch.
 
Flaws: Noticeably the ear pad. Sweat magnet; that will swallow your sweat just like a thirsty dog. and non removable state can be demolished if a Mod can be done. I didn't do it. cause I am comfortable with the stock one.
 

Cable: It will come along with around 10 feet cable which is not bad at all (a 1/4inch adapter also). As its cable is 3.5mm to 3.5mm aux cable, there is a lot of quality cable which you can use by your budget. (changing cables no SQ change occurs). I use Anker aux cable and V-moda audio only cable. Gamers might be helped by the Great v-moda boom pro. 
 

My DIY Stand + SHP + V-moda audio only cable
 
Sound where it shines:
 
Low end (Bass): 
 
Warning!! this can is not for bass head. these don't offer head crushing bass. but if you are not a bass head It has enough to make you enjoy music. it listenable and it don't hide too much. but less of edge in bass department. Drums kick sounds chime. If it seems bass kick is absent, EQ will always help.  
 
Mid: 
This is the sphere where these shines. It has much emphasized and clarity. Neat and Clean those words are just nothing but perfect. in the mid range the sound graphs is kinda neutral you can engage yourself with the vocal's voice beauty and find new color of your favorite singers. 
 
high:
Excellent treble, (some might feel sibilant but it can be corrected by  EQing) Classical music and string instruments sounds such a pleasant way that you cant but like it. while at the highest pick it might seems a bit grainy but I am sure you will say, its clear though.
 
Sound stage:
A 50mm Open back will offer such a wide sound stage you cant expect from 70ish/100ish cans. But if you  come from a higher end open back cans it might feel a bit narrower. but you can't go wrong as it costed half, one third, one forth of the high end price. But from the neutral perspective it will shine in gaming along with  v-moda boom pro mic with the big sound stage.
 
Separation: 
This is the word what makes it significantly distinguished than other pairs. It offers an amazing separation. you can feel the lead guitars, vocal, bass and drums are sounding separately.
 
Sound leak:
obviously. Its open back with a huge grill. beware of your roomies 
 
 
Empowering
 
Its a 32+/- ohm can. technically you can drive it with any portable device like mobile, mp3 players etc. Laptop or computers will have no issues of driving it. But if you have a DAP or DAC/AMP it will sound well as expected. And also Flac and high quality audio files sounds with much separation and sound stage.  
 
 
Lets compare
 
Compared with Presonus HD7:
HD7's bass is less in amount but tight and ready to smash with force. thats why it shines in bass department. OTOH SHP blows it away with its majestic clarity of mid and highs. and SHP is more comfortable too.
 
Compared with Sennheiser HD598:
Do SHP sound better? I should say in sound stage and imaging HD598 shines over SHP but SQ wise SHP shines with its clarity and reasonable bass response.
 
Compared with AKG K7xx: 
AKG K7xx fills the spheres where SHPs lacks. It has a really good bass response along with mid and high clarity and smoothness. but I think As per clarity if AKG k7xx scores 90 SHP will get 91
 
Compared with Grado sr80e:
Grado has just a bit tightness in bass and highly emphasized treble with sometimes sounds fatiguing and sibilant as well. but shp shines its all roundness and smooth edged highs.
 
 
Genre
 
i should say shp is kinda all rounder can. it wont make you frustrated if you hear your favorite genre (except for bass heavy genres). But classical, metal, rock lovers will stand out with engaging quality of sound and separation that some people may find new experience to remember while they listen through shps
 

 

 

 
 
Last but not least:
 
70ish Can trust me wont go wrong except for a few flaws. Comfort, clarity and such awesomeness could have been costed more.
 
 
Sources
 
Oneplus one, Fiio X1, Ibasso dx50, Fiio kulnun, Razer blade stealth and macbook pro 15'' retina.