[H47E]

Hello, I have had my eyes on B2 for a while now since they get a lot of hype for the price and Crinacle ranked them very high.

I have Blon03, KZ ZSX,Tin P1, Starfield and KZ AS16 (had Shuoer Tape but sold cause they were too shouty for me) and out of those to me AS16 sounds the most revealing and detailed although they sound very thin, hollow, without body, treble can be shouty at higher volume too which can cause ear ringing after half of hour of listening, the sub bass is almost non-existent. Bumping it up through EQ helps although it still doesn't sound as natural. Very hard to explain. Watching a movie with them doesn't feel as good, the sound feels as if someone recorded a movie with a camcorder in the cinema so the sound is very thin bass is there but its anemic. Gaming is ok and detailed which I love but feels unnatural.

I want an all rounder IEM, that's good for movies , gaming and music. Has a lot of detail but its not too sharp on the ears, and has enough sub-bass. I am usually not treble sensitive since some people reported that Tin P1 has spiked up treble but for me those are fine. Out of my iems As16 are shouty in at higher volumes.

I am also not a bass-head even though I do like Blon03 since those are the bassier out of all which I own, although they lack detail, soundstage etc. so they don't have to be bassy but enough to be fun and engaging, hell, at higher volume even TIN P1 satisfy me with sub-bass, but not in games/music.

Currently, my all rounded IEMs are Starfield and ZSX but like I said they lack detail, or at least I want more detail while being smooth and have a bigger soundstage etc.

I said I should shelve out a bit more on an IEM, or how you say it end-game IEM, since I spent too much money on different IEMs, which they are ok, but only for several stuff. I want to taste something that's more high-end, but at the same time don't spend thousands of dollars and get diminishing returns.

So I was wondering compared to the AS16 how do the Blessing 2 sound like, regarding detail, soundstage, bass, sub-bass, treble, mids etc. since that's the most technical IEM I have. Does it have more bass, more detail etc


Thank you

 

[H47E]

BUMP

 

[surfgeorge]

I have not heard the AS16, but I have the Blessing 2 and had the Moondrop Kanas Pro, the predecessor of the Starfields.

The B2 are very neutral, when coming from a warmer or bassier IEM they sound bright.
The brain adapts after some time but if you look for a good bass foundation and extension, I would look elsewhere.
I have to admit that I also expected more from them in terms of sound stage, they are average IMO, neither particularly wide, deep or precise in their imaging.

Reading your requirements, I think the Sony EX1000 could be good, very clear, open and spacious, excellent and very deep bass (but not boosted). Downside: only available used, hard to find, open design, weird fit, and a 6k treble spike that makes some sounds harsh.

Another option would be a JVC FD02 with a simple mod. (similar to FDX1 but cheaper)
You can buy them from Amazon Japan for around €200 including shipping and import duty.
Needs a better cable and the mod to sound best, but then it's an improved version of the Starfield, better timbre and resolution while remaining smooth and fluid.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/jvc-ha-fd01-class-s-solidege.868414/post-15455206

Sony XBA-N3 is a fun IEM too, smooth and detailed BA mids & treble and a pretty beefy bass.
I'd look for a used one to limit losses if you decide to sell them again.

 

[DenverW]

Do you need an iem particularly? Especially if soundstage is important for movies and gaming?

 

[baskingshark]

Hello, I have had my eyes on B2 for a while now since they get a lot of hype for the price and Crinacle ranked them very high.

I have Blon03, KZ ZSX,Tin P1, Starfield and KZ AS16 (had Shuoer Tape but sold cause they were too shouty for me) and out of those to me AS16 sounds the most revealing and detailed although they sound very thin, hollow, without body, treble can be shouty at higher volume too which can cause ear ringing after half of hour of listening, the sub bass is almost non-existent. Bumping it up through EQ helps although it still doesn't sound as natural. Very hard to explain. Watching a movie with them doesn't feel as good, the sound feels as if someone recorded a movie with a camcorder in the cinema so the sound is very thin bass is there but its anemic. Gaming is ok and detailed which I love but feels unnatural.

I want an all rounder IEM, that's good for movies , gaming and music. Has a lot of detail but its not too sharp on the ears, and has enough sub-bass. I am usually not treble sensitive since some people reported that Tin P1 has spiked up treble but for me those are fine. Out of my iems As16 are shouty in at higher volumes.

I am also not a bass-head even though I do like Blon03 since those are the bassier out of all which I own, although they lack detail, soundstage etc. so they don't have to be bassy but enough to be fun and engaging, hell, at higher volume even TIN P1 satisfy me with sub-bass, but not in games/music.

Currently, my all rounded IEMs are Starfield and ZSX but like I said they lack detail, or at least I want more detail while being smooth and have a bigger soundstage etc.

I said I should shelve out a bit more on an IEM, or how you say it end-game IEM, since I spent too much money on different IEMs, which they are ok, but only for several stuff. I want to taste something that's more high-end, but at the same time don't spend thousands of dollars and get diminishing returns.

So I was wondering compared to the AS16 how do the Blessing 2 sound like, regarding detail, soundstage, bass, sub-bass, treble, mids etc. since that's the most technical IEM I have. Does it have more bass, more detail etc


Thank you

U can read about the LZ A7. It has 10 tuning configs to give different sound signatures and to suit different music genres. From v shaped to neutralish. Very very versatile as such, it is kind of getting more than one iem with a purchase. It is subbass predominant over midbass on some tunings.

LZ A7 also has very good timbre for a hybrid, i am quite particular about timbre and generally multi hybrid types have not as good timbre as single DD. But this set surprised me for timbre. It also has excellent imaging and nice soundstage and fit.

I was considering the B2 but @RikudouGoku told me while they were excellent technically, the timbre was not natural, so i gave it a miss as i would prioritize timbre over technicalities, so YMMV.

 

[surfgeorge]

I was considering the B2 but @RikudouGoku told me while they were excellent technically, the timbre was not natural, so i gave it a miss as i would prioritize timbre over technicalities, so YMMV.

I need to comment on this statement

I have had the B2 for 6 weeks now and that is about the time I really need to understand and judge an IEM.
Timbre is extremely important to me as well, I listen to a lot of classical, acoustic, jazz and alternative music, and I have visited many classical concerts and played the piano myself for years, so I believe my reference is not bad. I have not detected any issue with timbre on the B2, in fact, for the money I do find it really well done. I put it through my test library and it's doing everything very well, from individual vocals to strident and extremely busy orchestral music.

In fact, it shows the shortcomings of my other IEMs in this price range.
The Sony EX1k has more clarity and dynamics, and a tighter, more effortless and extended bass foundation, but the B2 beats it in coherence and the detail is presented more even and maybe slightly more defined throughout the frequency range. That is a great achievement. (And I didn't mention the EX1k's weakness, the treble spike that sometimes comes through)

My long time benchmark, the modded JVC FD02 is smoother and more fun to listen to, with a nice, rumbly sub bass shelf and and an overall fluid presentation, simply enjoyable to me. But again the B2 beats it in coherence, it has more textured bass, more defined detail and the FD02 can't keep up with the coherence and separation of the B2 in busy orchestral passages.

So again, I found no technical issues with timbre whatsoever. No unnaturally fast BA drivers either.
Frequency balance is a different thing. The B2 is simply a neutral, mid focused IEM.
If you take the frequency balance into account I also sometimes wish for a fuller and warmer presentation.
That's why I believe it's not the right choice for someone looking for a present bass foundation and that cinema feeling.

Just what I hear in comparison to my other IEMs, hope it helps

 

[RikudouGoku]

I need to comment on this statement

I have had the B2 for 6 weeks now and that is about the time I really need to understand and judge an IEM.
Timbre is extremely important to me as well, I listen to a lot of classical, acoustic, jazz and alternative music, and I have visited many classical concerts and played the piano myself for years, so I believe my reference is not bad. I have not detected any issue with timbre on the B2, in fact, for the money I do find it really well done. I put it through my test library and it's doing everything very well, from individual vocals to strident and extremely busy orchestral music.

In fact, it shows the shortcomings of my other IEMs in this price range.
The Sony EX1k has more clarity and dynamics, and a tighter, more effortless and extended bass foundation, but the B2 beats it in coherence and the detail is presented more even and maybe slightly more defined throughout the frequency range. That is a great achievement. (And I didn't mention the EX1k's weakness, the treble spike that sometimes comes through)

My long time benchmark, the modded JVC FD02 is smoother and more fun to listen to, with a nice, rumbly sub bass shelf and and an overall fluid presentation, simply enjoyable to me. But again the B2 beats it in coherence, it has more textured bass, more defined detail and the FD02 can't keep up with the coherence and separation of the B2 in busy orchestral passages.

So again, I found no technical issues with timbre whatsoever. No unnaturally fast BA drivers either.
Frequency balance is a different thing. The B2 is simply a neutral, mid focused IEM.
If you take the frequency balance into account I also sometimes wish for a fuller and warmer presentation.
That's why I believe it's not the right choice for someone looking for a present bass foundation and that cinema feeling.

Just what I hear in comparison to my other IEMs, hope it helps

I say try the Tanchjim Oxygen and then see what you think. I didnt think there was anything wrong with the timbre on the B2 before either, but after the I got the Oxygen, the difference was painfully obvious.

 

[H47E]

Thank you everyone for the help and recommendations.
@surfgeorge The sony EX1000 is a bit above my price point as I found it to be 400-500 pounds on Ebay, I will consider that if I will get some extra cash from selling my other IEM.
And I think I will skip anything which I have to mod, I am not brave enough to go into that territory.
From what I read the sony xba-n3 doesn't have high clarity its more smoothed out


@DenverW Yea it has to be an IEM, I don't like headphones as they get very uncomfortable after hours. I tried to listen to my girlfriend's planars but after 20 minutes it got annoying since they're heavy and big.

@baskingshark LZ A7 sounds promising, will see if I can get my hands on them

@RikudouGoku How do they compare in clarity/detail reproduction ?

 

[RikudouGoku]

Thank you everyone for the help and recommendations.
@surfgeorge The sony EX1000 is a bit above my price point as I found it to be 400-500 pounds on Ebay, I will consider that if I will get some extra cash from selling my other IEM.
And I think I will skip anything which I have to mod, I am not brave enough to go into that territory.
From what I read the sony xba-n3 doesn't have high clarity its more smoothed out


@DenverW Yea it has to be an IEM, I don't like headphones as they get very uncomfortable after hours. I tried to listen to my girlfriend's planars but after 20 minutes it got annoying since they're heavy and big.

@baskingshark LZ A7 sounds promising, will see if I can get my hands on them

@RikudouGoku How do they compare in clarity/detail reproduction ?

Which one do mean? The b2? They are very detailed, but they lose to the A7 in technicalities (and everything else).
I would recommend the LZ A7 to you.

 

[surfgeorge]

Thank you everyone for the help and recommendations.
@surfgeorge The sony EX1000 is a bit above my price point as I found it to be 400-500 pounds on Ebay, I will consider that if I will get some extra cash from selling my other IEM.
And I think I will skip anything which I have to mod, I am not brave enough to go into that territory.
From what I read the sony xba-n3 doesn't have high clarity its more smoothed out

There are absolutely crazy inflated offers floating around for the EX1k. I bought mine in Japan, used (mint, only IEMs, cable and box) for around €250. That was a great price, I'd say 300 is a fair price for a good pair, maybe 350 with all accessories.
It's been a while since I heard the N3 and I didn't take notes, so I can't say more than that they impressed me and I have been contemplating getting a pair ever since.

I say try the Tanchjim Oxygen and then see what you think. I didnt think there was anything wrong with the timbre on the B2 before either, but after the I got the Oxygen, the difference was painfully obvious.

I have heard the Oxygen some 1,5 years back and compared it to the JVC FD02 at that time. They were more similar than different in tuning, and technically close too (I preferred the JVC). Compared to the Blessing 2 the JVC sounds a bit more organic, fluid. The B2 is a little drier, a little less emotionally engaging, but also a little more uncolored. I suspect that this is mainly caused by the BA driver's speed and slightly fast decay. The upside is that the B2 holds up very well in very busy music, where the DD of the FD02 starts to smear detail a little. But I can relate to your impression - a good DD sounds just so natural!

Compared using the CHORD Hugo 2 as source.

PS: and it all depends on the music.
Just listening to the Chimarruts, with the IER-M9, B2, and FD02 (mod)
All 3 are great, but at the moment I prefer the B2, because their leaner and clean tuning makes the vocals stand out better than the other 2.