[Dexter22]

what would be a "good" earphone in that price range (35-50 USD) then ?

criteria are neutral curve (non-recessed mids), decent bass with sub-bass, replaceable cable

And what makes it "good" vs. mediocre ?

Thanks in advance

imo there is no good enough earphone at 30 bucks range if t2 is considered the best. It sucks with treble. Rest is relatively ok. It sounds cheap imo.

 

[BadReligionPunk]

Based on the recommendations here, I am picking up a CNT-1 for $32. I also got this cable for it (in MMCX):

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32934227159.html

because I've heard the stock cables may fall apart.

I selected it because it is reputed to be a 'balanced' cable, and 'balanced' copper/silver apparently does well with the CNT-1. Or should I get something else?

I don't know about the new TRN cables but the old ones were not soldered correctly. For that reason alone I personally would not do business with them anymore. If the new ones are fixed then they need to send me 5 new fixed ones free of charge, since I bought 5 of the bad ones.

I personally use NiceHCK 8 core cables on mine. They have copper and SPC versions and I believe they are selling at $7-$8 each. You can also get them in 2.5 balanced and 4.4 balanced or 3.5 SE. Good cables and they measure really low resistance.

 

[mbwilson111]

I selected it because it is reputed to be a 'balanced' cable, and 'balanced' copper/silver apparently does well with the CNT-1. Or should I get something else?

Balanced in this case refers to the plug termination. If you are using a balanced source you would choose the 2.5mm or 4.4mm option. If your source has normal 3.5mm output then choose that.

 

[Dexter22]

what would be a "good" earphone in that price range (35-50 USD) then ?

criteria are neutral curve (non-recessed mids), decent bass with sub-bass, replaceable cable

And what makes it "good" vs. mediocre ?
You know it , that's why u r here.

I don't know about the new TRN cables but the old ones were not soldered correctly. For that reason alone I personally would not do business with them anymore. If the new ones are fixed then they need to send me 5 new fixed ones free of charge, since I bought 5 of the bad ones.

I personally use NiceHCK 8 core cables on mine. They have copper and SPC versions and I believe they are selling at $7-$8 each. You can also get them in 2.5 balanced and 4.4 balanced or 3.5 SE. Good cables and they measure really low resistance.

I have the nicehck silver cables both balanced and single ended. They both make the treble even harsher as they are more transparent than the stock cable.

 

[mbwilson111]

I personally use NiceHCK 8 core cables on mine. They have copper and SPC versions and I believe they are selling at $7-$8 each. You can also get them in 2.5 balanced and 4.4 balanced or 3.5 SE. Good cables and they measure really low resistance.

I really like the copper 2.5mm balanced one that I bought recently. Three of my DAPs have 2.5mm balanced output.

 

[ShakeThoseCans]

I don't know about the new TRN cables but the old ones were not soldered correctly. For that reason alone I personally would not do business with them anymore. If the new ones are fixed then they need to send me 5 new fixed ones free of charge, since I bought 5 of the bad ones.

I personally use NiceHCK 8 core cables on mine. They have copper and SPC versions and I believe they are selling at $7-$8 each. You can also get them in 2.5 balanced and 4.4 balanced or 3.5 SE. Good cables and they measure really low resistance.

That is good advice. I guess this one might work:

NICEHCK 8 Core High Purity Copper Upgrade Cable 3.5

 

[lgcubana]

what would be a "good" earphone in that price range (35-50 USD) then ?

criteria are neutral curve (non-recessed mids), decent bass with sub-bass, replaceable cable

And what makes it "good" vs. mediocre ?

Thanks in advance

TRN V60 Pro
Depending on your favored genres, the vocals will be spot on, to forward. I find Pandora's Pink Floyd radio to be a perfect match for the TRNs, but early 2000s Hip Hop to be a little on the bright side.
If you have an EQ, you can dial them in.

Don't buy it from Amazon. The vendor that pops up is selling the non Pro, with the product description for the Pro.

 

[lgcubana]

I don't know about the new TRN cables but the old ones were not soldered correctly. For that reason alone I personally would not do business with them anymore. If the new ones are fixed then they need to send me 5 new fixed ones free of charge, since I bought 5 of the bad ones.

I personally use NiceHCK 8 core cables on mine. They have copper and SPC versions and I believe they are selling at $7-$8 each. You can also get them in 2.5 balanced and 4.4 balanced or 3.5 SE. Good cables and they measure really low resistance.

The story goes that TRN's subcontractor for their eight core cables botched the terminations. I believe it was @Slater that verified the 16 core, to be good.

 

[ShakeThoseCans]

The one I bought just now (8-core) was labeled "Newest TRN Copper And Silver Mixed Updated Cable."

 

[zachmal]

TRN V60 Pro
Depending on your favored genres, the vocals will be spot on, to forward. I find Pandora's Pink Floyd radio to be a perfect match for the TRNs, but early 2000s Hip Hop to be a little on the bright side.
If you have an EQ, you can dial them in.

Don't buy it from Amazon. The vendor that pops up is selling the non Pro, with the product description for the Pro.

Got it,

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/trn-impressions-thread.881761/page-51#post-15106258

I have a rather broad pool of genres I'm listening to, so I'm curious how they'd fare with it.

There are rather few search results for the V60 Pro, in fact the link I added in this post appears to be the only reference with a graspable picture

Also there doesn't appear much info on the differences between V60 and the pro variant

Probably would be best to ask the seller if those offered are the Pro or the normal ones

I'll keep them on my queue list

Thanks

 

[lgcubana]

Got it,

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/trn-impressions-thread.881761/page-51#post-15106258

I have a rather broad pool of genres I'm listening to, so I'm curious how they'd fare with it.

There are rather few search results for the V60 Pro, in fact the link I added in this post appears to be the only reference with a graspable picture

Also there doesn't appear much info on the differences between V60 and the pro variant

Probably would be best to ask the seller if those offered are the Pro or the normal ones

I'll keep them on my queue list

Thanks

Image on the left from Amazon. Image on the right from Nicehck, via Aliexpress

 

[radsone]

While front vents to make the bass lean (as it bleeds off pressure), I’m not sure about the 2nd vent hole.

The promotion material says that the 2nd vent hole is a “weatherproof hole”, used to “prevent diaphragm distortions due to temperature changes”. Whatever the hell that means.

I’ve never heard of that in my life. Who knows what effect it will have on the sound (if any).

Hi Slater,
the 'weather proof hole' protects IEM diaphragm against distortions by too much temperature difference between outside air and ear canal during the winter season. Actually, it is not just a hole but a kind of structure to prevent distortions while maintaining sound quality.

 

[Slater]

Image on the left from Amazon. Image on the right from Nicehck, via Aliexpress

Very interesting! I was unaware that the V60 was a quad driver and the V60 Pro is a triple driver. So it's basically a totally different IEM.

 

[baskingshark]

Very interesting! I was unaware that the V60 was a quad driver and the V60 Pro is a triple driver. So it's basically a totally different IEM.

Wow I also didn't realize they had different driver count between the 2. Some of the Aliexpress shops also don't really state properly whether they are selling the Pro version or the normal version.
I mean IMHO tuning trumps driver count any day, but kinda strange that the so called Pro version has lesser drivers LOL.

 

[RvTrav]

Very interesting! I was unaware that the V60 was a quad driver and the V60 Pro is a triple driver. So it's basically a totally different IEM.

I think that was an error on the non Pro packaging. If you look at the Chinese it shows 2+1. I think they both have a 10mm and 3.8mm dynamic plus 1 BA. All the old reviews indicate 2 + 1.