[loomisjohnson]

Well... now you have done it. I have just ordered thie DF-10 from Amazon UK for £20 just in time for it to arrive tomorrow. I keep trying to quit buying more stuff. I thought I had quit buying IEMs. Now I am in trouble!

Probably cheaper on Ali but I am tired of waiting for things from Ali. Our postman must wonder what we are up to getting all these little packages from China. Two small packages arrived today but they are not for me. Having two headfiers in the house is very bad. Very very bad.

at least you don't have to hide the packages from your spouse (like my wife does when she gets shoes). you'll like the df-10--it's a purty thing and actually one of the best for sleeping in.

 

[chinmie]

Well... now you have done it. I have just ordered thie DF-10 from Amazon UK for £20 just in time for it to arrive tomorrow. I keep trying to quit buying more stuff. I thought I had quit buying IEMs. Now I am in trouble!

Probably cheaper on Ali but I am tired of waiting for things from Ali. Our postman must wonder what we are up to getting all these little packages from China. Two small packages arrived today but they are not for me. Having two headfiers in the house is very bad. Very very bad.

i can relate to that. i get little package too often that the mailman remembers my name and always start the conversation with "hello sir, just one (or two) package for you today"... and my son would follow up with "what, another earphone??"

 

[Slater]

Whats the best mmcx cable to get for stound ~$10 or under?

I'd vote for the one labeled as a KZ upgrade cable which can be found on Aliexpress.com.

+1 on the KZ MMCX cable. I have a few of them and they are a good value. I wish they would make a pure copper version though.

 

[Otto Motor]

here is loomisjohnson's view of the law of diminishing returns, headphone edition:
1. you can get such good iems for so cheap these days that diminishing returns kicks in really early, which is to say that the sonic improvements between a good >$20 iem (say the dt-10 or einsear t2) and good $100 models is increasingly incremental rather than acute....

Thank you very much for your assessment. I have always struggled with how high to go with earphones. It is a bit easier with headphones, as standard staples such as the Sennheiser HD 600 etc. exist as reference.

So, how much is the limit for earphones? I hope to find out soon as I have ordered the Logitech UE900S from massdrop, originally priced at $400...my new "ceiling".

My observations - loosely thrown together:

1. Some very expensive earphones have a single driver: for example the Sennheiser ie800 for $800 (some really don't like their "fun" tuning) or the classic neutrally tuned Etymotics for $300 (highly lauded, but certainly not for everybody either). U2's the Edge uses a single-driver iem, Beyonce's has 12 drivers.
2. Are more drivers better? Example: one reviewer loves the Brainwavz B400 with ?4 drivers, another reviewer prefers the cheaper B200 with 2 drivers. How does this pan out in the cheap segment...my multi driver Xiaomis lack coherence to my ears.
3. There is lots of crowding in the $300 - $400 segment which makes a selection difficult. Lots of money wasted when one doesn't like the signature - easier to swallow in the $20 segment.
4. I have usually hovered in the $100 segment and below: but are the Sennheiser Momentum in-ear (super praised, but why?) really better than the Urbanfun Hifi or the DZAT DF-10? I am struggling making up my mind.
5. What will I gain with the $400 Logitechs or similar? Generally asking, what do you expect in terms of sound when going SUBSTANTIALLY higher in price than the iems discussed here.
6. Inhowfar does "listening fun" rely on cost? I cannot see a strict correlation. I really enjoy some of the cheepos.
7. But if $300-400, why not $1000 or $3000? What is the huge difference - other than the credit card statement?

I am presently listing to iTunes/Mac using my Senns HD471 ($80) with the audioquest dragonfly: Barber/Korngold works for violin and orchestra. Extremely enjoyable!

 

[Slater]

I have always struggled with how high to go with earphones. It is a bit easier with headphones, as standard staples such as the Sennheiser HD 600 etc. exist as reference.

I think that is a personal decision that depends on a number of factors - an individual's financial situation/disposable income, priority on discretionary purchases such as this, how much someone is willing to pay for "good sound", source (flip phone vs Astell & Kern SP1000), file quality (128k MP3 vs flac), intended use (gym vs critical listening).

For example, if one is a poor college student living in a van down by the river, a $5 IEM may be the smart way to go. Likewise, if one is an anesthesiologist making $450k/year, a $2000 IEM may be no big deal.

How high I'm willing to go is probably very different than how high you're willing to go.

 

[stryed]

I own the DZAT DF-10, they belonged to my first Chifi batch ever ($12.99 on Singles Day 2016), and I have considered them top notch since. The question is: do you get diminishing return with the DT-10 at 4 times the current price of the DF-10 or the opposite?

I'm happy enough with my dirt cheapos that I still use them when I have the IT01. KZ ZSE do not get a lot of listening however and neither do the ZS3 (too boomy even with the slater mod). The KZ ZS5 and the Swing IE800 hit hard and make a great travelling companion, for less than 15 eu!

The point is that even if you listen to FLAC or MP3, it really depends on the quality of the recording. IT01 is surprisingly forgiving, and can bring out the best if available. KZ5 (I have V2), will have too much sparkle at times but I forgive it as most tracks are enjoyable, to say the least.

I'm skipping the KZR even though the nice fit (KZ3 style-most comfortable & isolating ever) with a touch of KZ5/6 SQ is tempting. I'm sure they'll release something better, or bring the prices down so much that it'd be a no brainer.

 

[DBaldock9]

Well... now you have done it. I have just ordered thie DF-10 from Amazon UK for £20 just in time for it to arrive tomorrow. I keep trying to quit buying more stuff. I thought I had quit buying IEMs. Now I am in trouble!

Probably cheaper on Ali but I am tired of waiting for things from Ali. Our postman must wonder what we are up to getting all these little packages from China. Two small packages arrived today but they are not for me. Having two headfiers in the house is very bad. Very very bad.

For a quick grab-and-go (non-MMCX) earphone, that has good isolation for listening to music when I'm headed out to Lunch, my three favorites, in order of price are:

1.) DZAT DF-10 [$19.99] - (16Ω, 6Hz-20KHz, Red Ebony wood housing, 1x Dynamic, Tethered cable w/Mic)
2.) BossHiFi B3 [$28.49] - (16Ω, 20Hz-20KHz, Ebony wood housing, 1x Dynamic & 1x Balanced Armature, Tethered cable)
3.) HLSX Magaosi MGS-BK50 [$34.35] - (32Ω, 20Hz-20KHz, Wood housing, 1x Dynamic & 1x Balanced Armature, Tethered cable w/Mic)

Yes, I like earphones with wood housings...

 

[bsoplinger]

For a quick grab-and-go (non-MMCX) earphone, that has good isolation for listening to music when I'm headed out to Lunch, my three favorites, in order of price are:…

3.) HLSX Magaosi MGS-BK50 [$34.35] - (32Ω, 20Hz-20KHz, Wood housing, 1x Dynamic & 1x Balanced Armature, Tethered cable w/Mic)
…

Interesting. Only HLSX Magaosi MGS-BK50 I could find on Aliexpress.com were listed as no longer available. But I did find these, which seem to be the same, and they have a version 2 which has MMCX connectors for $4 more. Are they the same?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Christmas-day-best-gift-Original-HLSX-BK50-In-Ear-Earphone-headphone-Driver-BA-HIFI-In-Ear/32783911942.html

 

[Slater]

For a quick grab-and-go (non-MMCX) earphone, that has good isolation for listening to music when I'm headed out to Lunch, my three favorites, in order of price are:

1.) DZAT DF-10 [$19.99] - (16Ω, 6Hz-20KHz, Red Ebony wood housing, 1x Dynamic, Tethered cable w/Mic)
2.) BossHiFi B3 [$28.49] - (16Ω, 20Hz-20KHz, Ebony wood housing, 1x Dynamic & 1x Balanced Armature, Tethered cable)
3.) HLSX Magaosi MGS-BK50 [$34.35] - (32Ω, 20Hz-20KHz, Wood housing, 1x Dynamic & 1x Balanced Armature, Tethered cable w/Mic)

Yes, I like earphones with wood housings...

Great list

How does the DF-10 compare to the other 2?

I don't have the DF-10, but have the other 2. I prefer the BK50 between it and the BossHifi B3, but then again, they have different sound signatures so I can't directly compare them. BK50 is just more fun sounding to me.

 

[loomisjohnson]

Thank you very much for your assessment. I have always struggled with how high to go with earphones. It is a bit easier with headphones, as standard staples such as the Sennheiser HD 600 etc. exist as reference.

So, how much is the limit for earphones? I hope to find out soon as I have ordered the Logitech UE900S from massdrop, originally priced at $400...my new "ceiling".

My observations - loosely thrown together:

1. Some very expensive earphones have a single driver: for example the Sennheiser ie800 for $800 (some really don't like their "fun" tuning) or the classic neutrally tuned Etymotics for $300 (highly lauded, but certainly not for everybody either). U2's the Edge uses a single-driver iem, Beyonce's has 12 drivers.
2. Are more drivers better? Example: one reviewer loves the Brainwavz B400 with ?4 drivers, another reviewer prefers the cheaper B200 with 2 drivers. How does this pan out in the cheap segment...my multi driver Xiaomis lack coherence to my ears.
3. There is lots of crowding in the $300 - $400 segment which makes a selection difficult. Lots of money wasted when one doesn't like the signature - easier to swallow in the $20 segment.
4. I have usually hovered in the $100 segment and below: but are the Sennheiser Momentum in-ear (super praised, but why?) really better than the Urbanfun Hifi or the DZAT DF-10? I am struggling making up my mind.
5. What will I gain with the $400 Logitechs or similar? Generally asking, what do you expect in terms of sound when going SUBSTANTIALLY higher in price than the iems discussed here.
6. Inhowfar does "listening fun" rely on cost? I cannot see a strict correlation. I really enjoy some of the cheepos.
7. But if $300-400, why not $1000 or $3000? What is the huge difference - other than the credit card statement?

I am presently listing to iTunes/Mac using my Senns HD471 ($80) with the audioquest dragonfly: Barber/Korngold works for violin and orchestra. Extremely enjoyable!

i've always like to wax philosophic about this cost/benefit stuff. my wholly subjective thoughts at large:
1. it's all about the implementation, not about the number of drivers--i've heard some truly awful multidriver iems, including failry pricy ones; correspondingly some of my favorites like the mee a161p or simgot are single driver--arguably multi-driver designs create real challenges for engineering crossovers, etc.
2. as you infer, cost is a really imperfect measure of sq in this game, and a lot of our budget faves slay some much more expensive models. coincidentally i was listening to the ($100) senn momentum on the train just yesterday and, while it's certainly not a bad iem, i would rate the ($20) urbanfun or the e-mi substantially higher in all respects--they're more coherent, less artificial tonality, etc. that said, there are some $100 mainstream players like the focal sphear and pioneer 9t i rate even higher, but it's not a foregone conclusion.
3. as you further note, fun is also an imperfect correlation to cost--to use a bad analogy, filet mignon is "better" than hamburger, but sometimes you just want the latter. thus, i still often reach for some of my $5-10 cheapos like the kz hds3 or boarseman kr-49, really enjoy them and can't conceive of getting rid of them even as i accumulate really good higher end models.
4. as you go up the food chain to the $$$$ iems you gain, certainly, better aesthetics, richer materials and status (perfectly valid pursuits, imo); soundwise you'll typically get more "accuracy," which is to say the phone more precisely reproduces what's on the recording and presents more subtleties than consumer-grade phones. for example, i recently listened to my friend's jh layla, which i believe are $2700 and have a dozen drivers, and they were awful impressive--they caught every single nuance and detail. also perfectly coherent and very nicely built, though there's only so much bling you can put into an iem. however, i wouldn't buy 'em myself--they're uncolored and flat to the point of being uninteresting to me--my music craves a bassier, livelier sound, which i can get from my less refined, but much cheaper sets.

 

[DBaldock9]

Interesting. Only HLSX Magaosi MGS-BK50 I could find on Aliexpress.com were listed as no longer available. But I did find these, which seem to be the same, and they have a version 2 which has MMCX connectors for $4 more. Are they the same?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Christmas-day-best-gift-Original-HLSX-BK50-In-Ear-Earphone-headphone-Driver-BA-HIFI-In-Ear/32783911942.html

It looks like most of the BK50 earphones on AliExpress, are now called Pizen, rather than HLSX Magaosi - but they do appear to be the same item that I bought in 2016.
Thanks for the info that there's a new model, with MMCX connectors. That one is about $10 more than mine cost - but I think it would be worth it.

 

[TLDRonin]

IS there any issue with mmcx cables with mics? I would preferably like one in the cable, but if its messes up microphonics, for example, I'd pass


I found this cable that comes with a mic

removed link for banned store

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Infamous TRN-10 just land here....a postal man with a flash light on his head knock at my doors and dive me this:


As my attempt was quite depressive and ultra low, can't say i'm disapointed....cable is nice....and perhaps i'm less treble sensitive, perhaps is worrysome too, but for now it do not pierce as hell my ears, quite in same league of ear piercing than ZS6 IMO but yeah, BA are like stick to the nozzle mesh wich is very strange for conception. I'm quite mitiged about overall soundpresentation, better part is soundstage, VERY impressive,but after being blown away by this your trying to find musicality wich is better with instrumental than vocal based music, wich kind of feel liveless and hissy too (not a good mix), bass do not have lot of body but still is very present, mcirodetails are fowards, but the part that anoy me is upper mids I think....oh, and writing this....it make only 5 minutes I have them and it begin to hurt my left ears. Not a good sign too.I think its due to this strange plastic protuberance that press on pinna (google search this part of ears so I think its that)....hum...and I just ear one little distortion right now, need to investigate this strange IEM but one thing sure:

Not a First look First love affaire here.

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

You boys have piqued my interest in the Zhiyin Z500 however the iBasso IT01 is another similar contender, with the addition of graphene (UiiSii CM5 taught me to respect graphene).

I wonder if they sound similar.. anyone tried 'em both?

Zhiyin Z5000 - 32ohm, 10mm driver with strong "1.2 tesla" magnet
iBasso IT01 - 16ohm, 10mm layered graphene driver with near 1 tesla magnet

Hey man, where do you find info about tesla force of the magnet?
Really feel it lack info about exact driver component and just get very elusive answer from 2 sellers....
Perhaps it right in chinese somewhere....can't find.

If you can copy paste complete specs info about Z5000 it will be very appreciate!

PS: I'm VERY curious about a comparaison too of IT01 & 5000!

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

No more secrets about oversized anatomy of TRN-10....its really a biggy. You can easily see the 2 BA in the nozzle too. I try them with the Xduoo D3 and it was a rather unpleasant experience, I think lush Faudio FA1 sound make them less brighter, now with D3 I begin to feel pain as well as unbalanced soundsignature of TRN-10. Potential is there tough....: