[snip3r77]

Cheapest I'd say Vido

bassiest agree but not airiest

 

[HerrXRDS]

Cheapest I'd say Vido

Cheapest is not the important criteria I'm looking for, if it's under $100 it's good.

 

[Willber]

Cheapest is not the important criteria I'm looking for, if it's under $100 it's good.

In which case it would be a good idea to post in here:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/earbuds-round-up.441400/page-2549

This thread is geared towards buds costing up to about $20.

 

[seanc6441]

bassiest agree but not airiest

I find vido to be quiet airy despite a darker response in the low treble. I think it has a peak in the upper treble which aids that.

Although I agree it's not the most airy of earbuds but definitely has one of the better bass responses and applying thin foams keeps the clarity and tightens the mid bass.

Ry4s is definitely a step up though, but modded it transforms altogether, but im not certain on my mod yet still testing for the best balance.

Needless to say the bass is quite special.

 

[DrBrawler]

Jus got a pair of EZAudio d4's. Highly recommend for $10. I wudda paid 3x that n not been mad haha

 

[Willber]

Jus got a pair of EZAudio d4's. Highly recommend for $10. I wudda paid 3x that n not been mad haha

This one?
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/201...mic-Unit-HIFI-Metal-Earphone/32934835750.html

Sorry, this is an earbuds thread. There are threads for IEMs on the forum but I don't have a link to hand.

 

[DrBrawler]

Yes sir. Sorry to post in wrong thread

 

[Willber]

No problem, easy mistake. Have a read - you might be tempted!

 

[ROPVWV]

I just posted this request in the main earbuds round-up thread, sorry for the re-post if you already saw this!

Hello there guys! I'd like to ask for a recomendation if yall don't mind...
I'm looking for earbuds that cost less than 20$, based on sq, comfort and my sound profile preferences. They can obviously be cheaper than that provided that they are just as nice (if not nicer) than the upper range of my budget.

I prefer an overall "balanced" sound, but leaning towards the warmer spectrum. I like my mids to be present and detailed, they should lead the sound (without becoming too overpowering). I should be able to hear the bass without struggling too much, I like a slight bass upraise from what would be considered a flat signature, but I wouldn't consider myself a bass-head by any means as I hate boomy and overly bloated lows that bleed into the midrange. It'd be nice to hear sub-bass too if present, but I highly doubt I'll get that without sacrificing what i just mentioned, specially with earbuds (in which case I'll have to do without sub-bass). I prefer highs slightly toned down, they should still be fairly represented and audible, but I can´t stand sibilance, so I prefer them to be tamer when reaching the higher frequencies so that they´re easy on the ears.
Other characteristics I look for are high clarity and detail, nice soundstage and separation and lack of muddiness or muffling, although I do realize some of these atributes are not easily attainable at my price point.
I intend to connect them straight to the source (laptop and smartphone), without the use of a DAC or an amp.
Last but not least the housing should be somewhat comfortable for long sensions, eventhough i think this darstically limits my choices, so I might have to be more forgiving in this aspect.

I apologize for the overly long request, If you do have the grace to answer me I shall remain forever grateful. Thanks in advance.

 

[Willber]

Hi @ROPVWV

I would say that there are many buds that fit your sound and budget requirements, but my personal favourite are the FAAEAL Snow Lotus 1.0.

They have decent bass (tight but not very deep), warmish and lush mids (excellent for vocals) and detailed highs that aren't too bright. Separation is excellent and the soundstage is wide with decent height and depth. On top of that, they are excellently made. The cable is braided, flexible and almost tangle-free - it is my favourite out of all my collection. Also, the splitter and plug are machined from what looks like aluminium so are robust and light.

All in all they punch well above their price and they are my go-to buds before many others that are more expensive. They just seem to be 'right', very natural, and greater than the sum of their parts. Here is where I got them from (the clear ones):

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/HIF...445.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.47344c4d6kh1B1

Although others will I'm sure have their preferences, these are mine - and at less than $10 you can't go far wrong.

 

[mbwilson111]

Yes, my Snow Lotus 1.0 is also from there. I love it. I have the grey one.

 

[ROPVWV]

Yes, my Snow Lotus 1.0 is also from there. I love it. I have the grey one.

Nice! how would you compare them to your qian39, qian69, ry4s and ry4s UE? also, have you tried any pod-format earphone that can match that sound quality?

 

[snip3r77]

Nice! how would you compare them to your qian39, qian69, ry4s and ry4s UE? also, have you tried any pod-format earphone that can match that sound quality?

Buy any of this , you’d be fine. From this list I’d pick qian69 OR sender pt15 since you don’t like so much bass.

 

[Azmkml]

Is there difference in sound between snowlotus 2.0 white and gray ?

 

[mbwilson111]

Is there difference in sound between snowlotus 2.0 white and gray ?

Probably no one has both and cannot answer the question. I looked on Aliexpress and the official FAAEAL store has sold the most and only offers the grey. I would stick with that unless you do not like the look of it. The grey does have quite a heavy cable. If you look at the photo of the white one you will see that the plug is straight and the one on the grey is angled. Also the splitters at the Y look different. Which one do you like the look of?