[Slater]

Thanks for the honest reply. TRN V90 is to my liking, but the sound leakage caused due to their vents is what's keeping me away from them. As I mentioned I listen at higher volumes, so I am confident that the music will definitely be noticed by anyone close, especially transport.

If you want extreme isolation, then look at the KZ ZS3E or ZS4. They are literally earplugs that also happen play music.

No one will hear what you are listening to no matter how loud, and you wouldn’t hear a freight train if it was coming right through your living room.

It also easily fits your budget ($8.80 for ZS3E and $8.96 for ZS4).

Good sound for the price - certainly comparable with many of the other budget earphones you’re considering. Removable cables, a nice silver plated braided cable included, the nicest Starline tips (softer than all other Starlines), and fine build quality.

Depending on your exact ear anatomy, it may fit better than anything you own (like it was made for your ears), or it could fit like crap. It’s an extremely ergonomic, ‘CIEM-like’ design. It fits me great, and I have average western male ears.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kz-zs4-knowledge-zenith.23309/

https://www.head-fi.org/search/39236984/?q=KZ+ZS3E

 

[citral23]

Thanks for the honest reply. TRN V90 is to my liking, but the sound leakage caused due to their vents is what's keeping me away from them. As I mentioned I listen at higher volumes, so I am confident that the music will definitely be noticed by anyone close, especially transport. Z05A does seem like a solid option. The cable is a huge turn off but if needed can be replaced in the future.

I still have the BQEYZ KB1 in my head.. smh


TBH it is kind of a big investment, since I am trying to be wise with my money and spend less, buy what is essential, and that is the reason why I am trying to make sure that I buy what will please me the most. I did figure out that it's a pretty intense hobby, and there's nothing wrong with it in my opinion. We all tend to strive for the unreachable perfection and always want something better.

It's going to be difficult to find budget iems that can do everything well. The T2 is great for acoustic music, but leaves to be desired for EDM. The ZS7 is a killer for metal, but sucks for jazz. The BL-03 is only good for slow music.

It's much easier to find a great all-rounder budget earbud, like the BK2, in my experience.

Stretching a bit the budget could also be worth considering maybe, in the end it's often better to get 1 great set than 3 meh ones (I did back then for my active speakers, and they are still going strong 20 years later)

 

[Slater]

It's going to be difficult to find budget iems that can do everything well.

Good point. Many of us have spent thousands and thousands of dollars chasing that ‘perfect’ earphone. It doesn’t exist.

Perfection is a psychological human construct. Even if you think something is ‘perfect’, it can always be better or improved upon in some way (whether real or imagined).

 

[MonoJon]

For $30 it's a no brainer. I think the C12 is further away from the Blon in sound than the V90..... I'm glad I have one out of the two. Either or. Owning both would be a bit pointless IMO.

@Tonymac136 , then I think I have made the right choice. C12 provides better "variety" for me compared to the other IEMs I have, and TBH, the times I am really going to want the strong sub-bass of the V90 are probably going to be few and far between. I can always EQ the C12 or another one if I am at my desk or using my es100 (which I just ordered at the Black Friday sale price).

 

[kukkurovaca]

Is the C12 a significant improvement over the C10?

 

[citral23]

Good point. Many of us have spent thousands and thousands of dollars chasing that ‘perfect’ earphone. It doesn’t exist.

Perfection is a psychological human construct. Even if you think something is ‘perfect’, it can always be better or improved upon in some way (whether real or imagined).

I haven't, but can very well imagine that. My remark was more related to my limited experience, that for example my KPE does everything from classical to EDM well, whereas my budget iems, and I've had quite a bit, and sold most, were fine for some stuff but really sub-par at others.

If I add the cost of a ZS10 pro + cable, KB100 + cable, T2 + cable, and God knows what other crap, it's exploding the budget of a KPE with stock cable. I'm not saying the KPE is perfect, for everyone, or anything like that, just that more often than not, cheap is not cheap and leaves one craving, while spending more can get you set.

Since I have the KPE I've pretty much stopped looking for "more satisfaction" tbh. I kept the T2 for straight down cable for work, and got the BA5 to get more resolving power but that's all in 1 year.

Otoh as I said, you can get 20€ earbuds that could satisfy you for a lifetime if you're not too curious.

 

[zachmal]

There is is no sound leakage from these "vent holes", it's fake semi open design as on the ****.

the **** have a pretty mediocre or even bad isolation from outside noise (had a festival going out here in the summer) and I had to crank up their volume to unhealthy levels to cancel out the outside music (with foam tips)

so there at least must be something to that open design.

The V90 on the other hand are able to seal quite well from outside noise, that probably applies as well towards sound leakage

 

[citral23]

The **** sounds crap until cranked to unhealthy levels anyway vOv

Never had any other iem with the music sounding so far away from me, like oh hey, hello? Is there anybody out there???

 

[MonoJon]

Is the C12 a significant improvement over the C10?

Pretty much everything I have read suggests that it is, but have not compared them myself.

 

[ScrofulousBinturong]

Hello all. This is my first time on this forum, and I must say that it's pretty nice... except there are 1400 pages which I didn't go through. I am trying to make a purchase for the black friday sale on Aliexpress. My budget is 25 USD but if needed it can be stretched to 30 USD.

My music taste: Modern rap/trap, pop, r&b. I have a very non genre based music taste, I enjoy the vocals from The Weeknd, Freddie Mercury, find myself enjoying Michael Jackson, Lana Del Rey... At the same time I more often than not like to listen to what today’s artist have to offer, ASAP Rocky, Labrinth (a very interesting take on music), Travis Scott… I am not expecting anybody to recognize the mentioned artists, however I am pointing out that I can very much go from Aerosmith to Tame Impala or Lana Del Rey.

I don’t consider myself a bass head. However the bass element is one of the most important elements in music to me, it’s the one which I “feel” the most and I guess the one which I most often get goosebumps to (when bass is a good match, the emotions are transferred well to me). Sub bass is something I am very much looking forward to, being able to hear the sub frequency which the average earphones don’t deliver would be something I’d appreciate a lot. More often than not the focus on the low end equals to the compromise of the the mids and clarity. I am trying to avoid harsh and bright sounding IEM’s, however that doens’t mean I want the high end to be cut off where it hurts the sound of female vocals and violin (whose sound I also have a close relationship just like with bass, however I don’t listen to violin often).
This all being said, I need quality low end which digs deep into the sub bass with no bass bleed, but with that I don't want to compromise the mids resolution and separation, or have them recessed. I listen to a lot of vocal focused music with a great low end, so that's why it is important that I dont have a bass which is overwhelming (which would be more suitable for someone who listens to a lot of EDM music and for whom the bass is the only element they care about).

Things I should mention:
-I have a very tight budget so I need the IEM’s to be reliable and last me more than a year. I don’t wan’t an unstable model which is known to have hardware failures.
-I am planning to use them mainly on my Samsung S8 and my Macbook Pro Early 2015. I currently don’t own a DAC or an amplifier which I would use with the IEM’s.
-And this is one of the most important factors: they must not be fatiguing and must be comfortable. I will be using them for well over 3 hours straight, and I should also mention that I never owned or tried an IEM before so the cable going over my ear is a new thing to me.
-I tend to listen to music at very high volumes (which I am aware isn’t good and a valid approach to truly hear the best out of music).

So far I have come across the **** ****, KBEAR KB06 and the CCA CA4 (has a V-shape sound signature and from my knowledge the KB06 is an overall better option). My eyes are on the KBEAR KB06 which would cost me 20.66 USD. The ****'s are amazing from what I hear, they have deep sub-bass, outstanding soundstage, no bass bleed, they retain good texture and clarity. Not everyone feels this way about them, but at around 16 USD it competes with IEMS way above its price point. My problem with ****'s is that they are a victim of some possible QC problems and some complain about their comfort (I am aware of changing the red ear tips which come stock on).
And then there are the Blon BL-03 which are highly praised both on this forum and overall. My problem with these is that they are smaller and don't have the best seal and thus not delivering the deep sub bass which I am looking for.


All this being said, I am aware how picky I am and that I it's going to be hard to find something of the mentioned qualities above: deep sub-bass, good texture and clarity, no bass bleed, no recessed mids, mid-range with good resolution and separation, and a good sound stage. Quite ambitous I am.
Either way I am here to get your opinion and recommendations. I am open to all critics and am expecting them since I am looking for many qualities at the sub 30 USD range. I also want to add that from my understanding the KZ ZSX is one of the best IEMS for its price, and heard that it has the qualities that I am looking for, however it is way out of my budget. I heard good things about the TRN V90 but am not completely familiar with it.

Thanks in advance to all who will help me make my first IEM chi-fi purchase!

For your budget, I'll second the recommendation for the BLON BL-03. The sound coming out of those things is terrific. It's not the most bassy, or analytical, or what have you; but it's one of the more enjoyable, if that makes sense.

It's hard to get a good fit/seal depending on your ears, the stock tips are awful, and some people have had problems with the stock cable (it seems to depend on the batch), so it may be too much of a gamble for you.

 

[PhonoPhi]

Is the C12 a significant improvement over the C10?

C12 feature noticeably more refined treble and nicer high mids owing to new generation BAs.
As a first hybrid IEM or for treble shy people, C10 may do a better job, it still feels very respectable for its price to me.

 

[voja]

There is is no sound leakage from these "vent holes", it's fake semi open design as on the ****.

Well that clears it up by a whole lot, I read that there is slight bass leakage. Okay so, in this case I will keep the V90 in my consideration.

f you want extreme isolation, then look at the KZ ZS3E or ZS4

I am not looking for extreme isolation, my main concern is sound leakage. I am already having a hard time with deciding between TRN V90, BQEYZ K1, and the LZ Z05A. I am aware that buying even both of those could be a plus, but since I am already convinced that these higher budget options are way better, I'll let it be. Either way I only have two more days to make a firm decision.

I will leave out the TinAudio T2 since it would reach my budget top and doesn't seem to be a crazy competitor to other choices, they definitely sound like a great option, but as I am in a conflict it's easier to leave them out. Which may be the wrong option, but hey.

almost vinyl sounding IEM appeals you will love it like you would love no other

I am not sure how vinyl like is, weirdly enough as we live in the digital era, and especially me not having enough money to invest in vinyls, I primarily listen to digital audio, either from spotify or high quality download.
I will leave out the amazing Blon BL03 since they seem to be a love/hate IEM. They are preferred with an amp. It would also consume time to find the perfect fit, so at this time I'll have to pass on these greats. It truly feels bitter to avoid them at 20 USD....
The KB06's are also not in consideration due to their sound leakage.
The ****'s, also not my cup of tea at the moment.
CCA C12's seem pretty impressive, but would I compromise the comfort for sound quality (no major differences)? I doub't it, and it is possibly that I have interpreted it all wrong, it was said that they aren't as comfortable as the V90's.. but again doesn't mean they are uncomfortable.

I do not listen to jazz, punk, metal etc. Ocasionally I will listen to rock and hard rock, but that is like maybe twice in two/three months. Main music is kind of dark r&b with soul like vocals, dreamy and cinematic like, but mid's are definitely something which I don't mind being compromised. Modern rap and trap are on my heavy rotation as well.

Stretching a bit the budget could also be worth considering maybe, in the end it's often better to get 1 great set than 3 meh ones

I am aware of this, but being in the financial situation that I am I am aware that I have much wiser things to spend money on. I know that I will need to buy a bunch of audio equipment for audio production, so the pennies will be much more needed in that section, which is definitely primary. I just want to treat both myself and my ears with something which will be noticeably different than those stock earphones from phones.

Good point. Many of us have spent thousands and thousands of dollars chasing that ‘perfect’ earphone. It doesn’t exist.

True, we are in the endless search for perfect. I know what you mean by that.

So all my picks seem to be easy-drive: (prices with a coupon)
TRN V90 (~25 USD )- very pleasant sounding, even said more energetic than Hibiscus. Pleasant to the ear. That "V-shape sound signature" stamp in reviews gives it a bad look for me
LZ Z05A (~22 USD )- seems like a great option, from a very well respected brand. My problems are the noticeable lack of info about them, and the cable is turning off.
BQEYZ K1 (~19 USD)- also lack in info due to the wireless one being mainly reviewed, and I don't have a clear comparison for that reason. The closest I got to comparison is that it's better than the BGVP DNS1. It was also called the "new K100 with bluetooth cable" which certainly isn't correct and helpful. It was also labelled as a V shape sound signature, but didn't receive as much positivity and attention as the V90. Also clearly stated that it is fatigue-free.

for reference:
BLON BL03 (20 USD)
CCA C12 (~25 USD)

For your budget, I'll second the recommendation for the BLON BL-03. The sound coming out of those things is terrific. It's not the most bassy, or analytical, or what have you; but it's one of the more enjoyable, if that makes sense.
It's hard to get a good fit/seal depending on your ears, the stock tips are awful, and some people have had problems with the stock cable (it seems to depend on the batch), so it may be too much of a gamble for you.

This is what I meant. Some people get an amazing fit with stock tips, for some the cable is good. Overall not the most stable. It feels rough passing them, but I'm running out of time and I'm clearly trying to narrow my search.

 

[usernameisunique]

Thanks for the honest reply. TRN V90 is to my liking, but the sound leakage caused due to their vents is what's keeping me away from them. As I mentioned I listen at higher volumes, so I am confident that the music will definitely be noticed by anyone close, especially transport. Z05A does seem like a solid option. The cable is a huge turn off but if needed can be replaced in the future.

I still have the BQEYZ KB1 in my head.. smh


TBH it is kind of a big investment, since I am trying to be wise with my money and spend less, buy what is essential, and that is the reason why I am trying to make sure that I buy what will please me the most. I did figure out that it's a pretty intense hobby, and there's nothing wrong with it in my opinion. We all tend to strive for the unreachable perfection and always want something better.

I'm surprised you seem to be passing over CCA C12 every time it's mentioned; earlier, I saw you mentioned that you'd get KZ ZSX if it weren't out of your budget, and CCA C12 is almost exactly the same thing (CCA is a sister company to KZ), with many reviewers even preferring the C12 over ZSX.

 

[voja]

I'm surprised you seem to be passing over CCA C12 every time it's mentioned; earlier, I saw you mentioned that you'd get KZ ZSX if it weren't out of your budget, and CCA C12 is almost exactly the same thing (CCA is a sister company to KZ), with many reviewers even preferring the C12 over ZSX.

I understand that. I am very well aware that CCA is a parent company to KZ. So here's my deal with them, their housings/shells are larger then let's say TRN V90, I myself don't have big ears so I am uncertain with that. I did say that I would buy the ZSX if it wasn't out of my budget, I could get it if I stretched my budget, and I praised it based on Nimweth's review, the description that was used on it was something which I relied to find the other options. I hope this clears things up and doesn't offend anybody.
I feel like the options I have come down to are pretty well off, and if I keep stretching my budget I won't get anywhere. So I set myself the limit to 30$ with the exception that the sound of that pair is "drastically" better than the options at a lower price point. So far all the options are below 25, which makes me satisfied.

I am clearly unsure with my choice, and the C12 may very well be what I am looking for. However from what I have noticed the TRN, BQEYZ and LZ do seem to pay more attention to tuning and thus make it easier for me to have trust in the mentioned products.

 

[usernameisunique]

I understand that. I am very well aware that CCA is a parent company to KZ. So here's my deal with them, their housings/shells are larger then let's say TRN V90, I myself don't have big ears so I am uncertain with that. I did say that I would buy the ZSX if it wasn't out of my budget, I could get it if I stretched my budget, and I praised it based on Nimweth's review, the description that was used on it was something which I relied to find the other options. I hope this clears things up and doesn't offend anybody.
I feel like the options I have come down to are pretty well off, and if I keep stretching my budget I won't get anywhere. So I set myself the limit to 30$ with the exception that the sound of that pair is "drastically" better than the options at a lower price point. So far all the options are below 25, which makes me satisfied.

I am clearly unsure with my choice, and the C12 may very well be what I am looking for. However from what I have noticed the TRN, BQEYZ and LZ do seem to pay more attention to tuning and thus make it easier for me to have trust in the mentioned products.

No need to worry about giving offense; just wanted to put in my two cents since I was in a similar position to you a while ago. I was looking for a starter IEM after seeing reviews of the ZSX and ended up getting the C12 since it was a little smaller than the ZSX and didn't have the small ridge on the inside that made the ZSX uncomfortable for some people. I also chose it over the TRN V90 because the V90 seemed too V-shaped for my preferences, and I've heard about the V90 having a venting issue. In terms of size, the C12 seemed to be the same size as the V90 and I haven't read any complaints about its size or comfort; where did you see that it was larger/less comfortable?

Again, I don't want to pressure you into anything, and it's great if you've found choices that you're happy with. Just wanted to share some of the things that I've found in my own search for a budget starter IEM, and give you some more information about why I personally chose CCA C12.