[HiFiChris]

By the way, I have heard that at least 4 versions of the KZ ATE exist.
 
The version with the small vent near the nozzle is the warm, creamy and smooth version (which I have), whereas the version without that vent is clearly bass-heavy.
I'm wondering if some of the different ATE versions are using different drivers. Could be with such an inexpensive product and would not be the first time that an Asian IEM would get new drivers without informing the customers about this facelift.

 

[thanderbird]

HifiChris

I'm new here. You could pass the link that kz ate you like?

 

[HiFiChris]

@thanderbird 
 
The problem is that they are not specifically labelled. It is kind of a game of luck which model you will get, though the one I have (vent near the nozzle, creamy, smooth and warm sounding) seems to be the most common.
I don't remember which AliExpress seller I bought mine from, but I know that other people in Germany who bought from the same store also received a very bassy and v-shaped version of the ATE.

 

[maxnik]

@HiFiChris  any chanse you could post a picture of the ATEs that you have? thanks.

 

[HiFiChris]

  @HiFiChris  any chanse you could post a picture of the ATEs that you have? thanks.

 
Not my picture, but from: http://de.aliexpress.com/item/KZ-ATE-3-5mm-in-ear-Sport-Running-Earphones-Stereo-HIFI-Music-Earphones-Super-Bass-noise/32428139223.html?smToken=a191cf977310432cb45be510b5f8dc46&smSign=ro0eY2iXeuALD71psDSR1A==
 

 
Mine looks just like this one, with that tiny vent where the nozzle begins.

 

[goodluck4u]

VORSON VIM-6012S ...
This is a big supersize! 
 
I get as a OEM product sample for a review on amazon.co.jp from muchar shop, MS-606, a week ago.
 
This is very interesting. and Then I compare VIM 6012S with DZAT DF-10 and Joyroom E107.
I think DF-10 had a widest soundstage around that price range. However, VIM-6012S beats DF-10. IMO: This means 6012s has the widest soundstage below $20 class.
I think Joyroom E107 is good for listening to orchestra. VIM-6012S is also good and has heavier bass like spice  because 6012S has beautiful mid and treble like percussion and piano, guitar.
6012S has heavy bass but this bass does not contaminate mid and treble! 
However I found 6012s on taobao but not found on aliexpress. Perhaps I guess it is $10-15 from its taobao price.
 
This diaphragm uses  生物複合膜 in Chinese (I don't know it in English but I guess it means Bio cellulose diaphragm.). This burn-in bring a great change for its sound. The early stage of the 6012s has nothing on bass and heavy bass. Therefore 6012s strongly requires burning more than 50 hours.
After 2 days, 6012s sounds good heavy bass. 
 
its sound isolation is normal or a little bit better.
 
6012s has wide soundstage and beautiful treble. the 6012s has also excellent response. but As this is light signature, it is not suit for music like Enya.
 
This is my photos.

 

 
the below are from product page.
 

 

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Sorry guys for not being very active these days, will have more free time now and write more because even if I don't write I still listen to new earphones and have now alot of impressions to share but let's begin by the one I have in my ears right now and that BLOW MY MIND because of my very deceiving experience I have with another model that you should avoid: the Superlux HD381B (B!B!B!)
 
Now, let's talk about the SUPERLUX HD381:
 



 
Note that the SUPERLUX HD381 are BLACK and the HD381B are GREY and do not sound at all the same.
 
Really I LOVE this earphones, the soundstage is IMMENSE and the bass is big, round, boomy and energic.
Mids are still very present, way above average of other V shaped sound.
These earphones are a REAL hidden gem and at the price I paid (12$ at gearbest) a real steal, even at the retail 24$ price they sound twice the price.
This is a must for basshead that still want good details retreival and entry-level audiophile experience...sincerly this is a delight with beat driven music, big Trap or IDM like Tipper or Vinces Staples.
The soundsignature is ultra fun, musical and wide, really wide and on the warm side. Vocals aren't fowards but still very present, texture is good too...to be honnest, I think they beat the TENNMAK DULCIMER as well as the PISTONS V2 and even the VSONIC GR06(!!!!!).
 
Hum, yeah, well, that's it for now guys, i'm going to have my breakfast.
 
Go crazy about this one tough!
Tthe HD681F are ultra praised too and I think I will try them for sure in a near futur....just stay away from the B version, they don't even have good bass and sound dry.
 
CHEERS!

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

  VORSON VIM-6012S ...
This is a big supersize! 
 
I get as a OEM product sample for a review on amazon.co.jp from muchar shop, MS-606, a week ago.
 
This is very interesting. and Then I compare VIM 6012S with DZAT DF-10 and Joyroom E107.
I think DF-10 had a widest soundstage around that price range. However, VIM-6012S beats DF-10. IMO: This means 6012s has the widest soundstage below $20 class.
I think Joyroom E107 is good for listening to orchestra. VIM-6012S is also good and has heavier bass like spice  because 6012S has beautiful mid and treble like percussion and piano, guitar.
6012S has heavy bass but this bass does not contaminate mid and treble! 
However I found 6012s on taobao but not found on aliexpress. Perhaps I guess it is $10-15 from its taobao price.
 
This diaphragm uses  生物複合膜 in Chinese (I don't know it in English but I guess it means Bio cellulose diaphragm.). This burn-in bring a great change for its sound. The early stage of the 6012s has nothing on bass and heavy bass. Therefore 6012s strongly requires burning more than 50 hours.
After 2 days, 6012s sounds good heavy bass. 
 
its sound isolation is normal or a little bit better.
 
6012s has wide soundstage and beautiful treble. the 6012s has also excellent response. but As this is light signature, it is not suit for music like Enya.
 
This is my photos.

 

 
the below are from product page.
 

 

 
Thanks for the sharing, I will include it in the best off list. Did the construction look solid because the mesh of earshell tips isn't a metal one?
 
If they beat the DF-10 in sound quality it would be INCREDIBLE for the price because the DF sound darn gooooooood and smoooooth and wiiiiiiiiiiide. I really enjoy them.
 
For the Joyroom E107 I receive them last week and was REALLY impress by the sound they produce especially if we take the size factor in account. They are incredibly small and you can sleep with them without problem (can really be usefull in some noisy environment and save you from insomnia). The soundsignature remind me of Etymotic MC3 and I don't know if it's accurate but I feel the E107 beat them in soundstage and musicality...yes, they cost 5 times less than the Etymotic but are for the same type of music lover: acoustical, jazz, classical, instrumental, rock. The sound is a little bright but really elegant in his presentation, and yes, as the size is microscopical the bass isn't quite big and presented like with the Yamaha EPH100, wich mean, it's there and easily pickable but not feel and do not have sub bass rumble.
 
Anyway, how do the VORSON perform with vocals????

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

-FAST UNFORGIVABLE IMPULSIVE THUMBS DOWN-
 
As I receive and listen to lot of different chinese earphones lately, their some contender that just don,t pass the first test wich is: I want to listen to this earphones MORE.
 
 
This is really subjective but I think it's fair to choose other better earphones with all the choice we have. 
This earphones deceive me:
 
-ROCK MULA  (just stay with the Zircon)
 
-Xiaomi PISTONS V3 (yes....I find the sound veiled and too smooth, bass too abstract and not enough punchy, really prefer the Pistons V2 without a doubt)
 
-SUPERLUX HD381B (simply horrifious soudn tweaking)
 
-KZ ED2 (for the price it sound great, but if I don't use it it's because I don't like them so...can't lie about that. Find the sound unatural and the bass bloat the mids)
 
-KZ HDS2 (Yamaha eph100 wannabe OEM that sound dry and congested like a dollar store earphones with a fancy looking (easily brokable))
 
-KZ ZS1 (This one should not be here if I did not listen to the ZN1 that I feel are more well balanced....they still are great and have enormous soundstage, just not my type of sound)
 
-Awei Q35 (as a headfier say: Stay Awei from Awei)
 
-Plextone X38M (for 6$ it isn't bad, but YES you still can find better like the Tuna X6 wich are millions time better and you don,t need to lie to yourself to enjoy them)
 
-VJJB C1S earbuds (beautifull looking and construction, vain, dry, congested, non musical sound)
 
 
 
That's it for now...sorry if I offend some owner of this earphones, you must take that in the perspective of somebody that have BIG attempt about CHEAP earphones!

 

[audio123]

i would strongly recommend syun mix 1

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

  I've bought three pairs of KZ ATEs : one for me, one for my girlfriend, and one to replace the first pair after I lent them to my mother to wear on her flight home from visiting. I was blown away by the detail and soundstage on a product so inexpensive. 

 
Yes, the KZ ATE are really above average in all aspects for the price! Quite beautiful and pricey looking too!
I own one pair but dont know wich model...
 
...
 
Listening right now to the LETV  Stero Earphones....I think we got a new perfection scale for 10$, really incredible details, bass and soundstage with present creamy mids!


Will review them one day....they are so awesone for the price that even at 30$ the superb sound will be a Top IEM....still, they only cost 10-15$

 
I'm kind of overwhelmed by all the super good IEM at ridiculous price...now, it make sens to have a vast earphones collection!

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

   
Yep, awesome, neutral little hidden gems. Great bass quality imvho - very clean, quick and arid, and overall resolution is really good as well. For the pure sound, I'd be personally willing to spend a three-digit price for those bad boys.

 
Wow, you guys begin to make a legend out of the TE-02....
how the vocals and mids sound?
 
I like clean present vocals with a good roundness given by a well controled bass....
 
 
Any link to a store that sell them around 15-20$????????
 
Cheers!

 

[audio123]

   
Wow, you guys begin to make a legend out of the TE-02....
how the vocals and mids sound?
 
I like clean present vocals with a good roundness given by a well controled bass....
 
 
Any link to a store that sell them around 15-20$????????
 
Cheers!

fostex te-02?

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

LeTV Reverse in ear. $5 shipped. Was a steal of a deal, and I like them better than the Xiaomi hybrid and 3. The LeTV is more neutral.

$15 is still pretty good. They punch in the good $30 range.

 
DUDE THANKS FOR THE SUGGESTION!!!!
DO you know anything below 50$ that can beat them????????
 
I got my pair today and they really blown me away...listening to Nosaj Thing right now and get goosebumps...no joke they hit WAY bellow their pricerange!!!
Soundstage is Immense, texture is superb, mids, bass, sub bass bump, instruments separation, sound feeling warmnest......

Can't put them off my ears even if I receive the Superlux HD381 with them and really really really like them too!
Feel so spoil right now, this cost me the same price than a pack of 6 good beers....or a cheap restaurant meal.
 
Don't give a damn about consumerism in general, but earphones is my exception and the LETV represent the joy of this never ending quest of epicurian sound experience!

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Yeah, the Fostex...
I think it's this one but it look like their other version (perhaps just the colors):
 
https://www.amazon.com/Fostex-TE-02n-water-quality-headphones/dp/B00GBMFZP6?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0
 
Very intriguing. Do you heard or have them??