[romasport13]

So I would guess the BL-05s wouldn't be for you either! Pity, because it punches well above its weight and is one of the best single DDs in its price bracket.

BL-05s or Whizzer Kylin HE01?

 

[r31ya]

Seems like I really prefer DD sound, as I'm very much enjoying BL03 and DQ6. Which sub 100 iem with similar tuning to these two would you recommend?

Doubling on one of the sub-$100 gold standard, Ibasso IT00

 

[AmericanSpirit]

For me Moondrop Aria is not a sub100 class single DD IEM, once the outer filter removed, it well knocks NF audio NM2+ off and the technicalities for most of frequency range except mid, is very high. Put aside its wide sound stage, Aria does great job in most of technical aspect such as instrument coordination ( again not vocals), focusing of image, vector and momentum presentation, dynamic range illustration.

As a single DD moondrop Starfield and KXXS is no competition. The bass range control and accuracy is what I’d rate S tier with Azla Xelastec tips. Not many dynamic driver can have accuracy and impact at the same time, only sizable few, like UM MEST MKII, and I believe, pure beryllium drivers would do. Of which I’m still getting KBEAR Believe, and my expectation will be it will par with pure-beryllium driver Believe.

 

[H T T]

Non-fatiguing at any sense, that dip tuning is some masterpiece. Anole VX got similar tuning, because human ear has pinna gain 2.5khz-3.5khz, and its overtones for 5khz-7khz, 10khx-14khz.
I’d suggest try this to find your personal pinna gain, the frequency that your inner ear canal’s resonance point.

I’d suggest using neutral reference like KBEAR Lark (although Lark is much mote bright neutral tunung, for $25 it is one of the best neutral/ish tuned) for testing resonance peaks.

You can find your ear resonance even from sub-bass range, for me it’s 96hz.

if you multiply lowest reaonance point (for me 96hz), you can find your upper mid pinna gain range. 96x2x2x2x2x2=3,072hz (pinna gain) x 2 =6,144hx(concha gain) x 2 = third harmonics 12,288hz.

that 6.1khz and 12.3khz dip will reduce ear resonance thus reducing fatigues but other frequency range remained clear so if will not cost huge sacrifice on total presentation.

I come to notice there are two types of tonality tuner: 64 audio/ qdc are safer tuner that they dip 6khz and 10-13khz

while some like Softears/ Moondrop’s Dusk, they are spot-hitter, they intentionally raise the 3k range to make a euphoric resonance, which if successfully done, will generate one of a kind speciality.

For that Starsea is safer bet spot avoider, thus as far as your resonance point is located near that dip, your ear is safe from harsh fatiguing

My advice to anyone is to find your own resonance point around 3k,6k,12khz, then decide whether you want “spot-hitter” or “spot-avoider” for any IEMs.

I guess the reaons why human got this 3,6,12k resonance on top of any reaonance peaks is that, 3khz / 6khz is mainly alerting acoustic signal which infant/female screaming will be focused on, and 12k for more primitive intuitions for detecting life threatening animal signals. So if this 12khz keeps ringing inside one’s head, it may cause a fatigue in a long run.

That is a good PSA. But a warning to others that this test may tweak your hearing anomolies. I know better than to poke the bear but I went and did the test anyways. My ears are ringing loud. My tinnitus is angry with me.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

That is a good PSA. But a warning to others that this test may tweak your hearing anomolies. I know better than to poke the bear but I went and did the test anyways. My ears are ringing loud. My tinnitus is angry with me.

Good note! Need to pay attention to the volumes, especially for very tinnitus sensitive group

 

[earmonger]

IBasso IT00

Sorry to be contrarian but I tried both IT00 and Tin T2+ based on head-fi recommendations. I really wanted to like both of them.

IT00 had a BIG bass and a plush sound but I found them quite uncomfortable--the bottom edge of the shell is straight (against a curved ear) and has a sharp seam. There was also driver flex, a big CRUNCHY sound when you inserted them using silicone tips (the best seal I had). You could switch to foam tips but it would inflate the bass and further roll off the top end.

T2+ has a great comfortable fit and a pleasant sound. BUT in the midrange where rock and soul live -- guitars and horns -- it's very recessed. Prince, for instance, was nearly offstage. It also somehow brings out the lower end of most instrument sounds, sometimes so much that the song seemed to be in a lower key compared to listening through other IEMs. I used them with EQ for awhile to boost the midrange, but you explicitly don't want to do that.

I sold both of them and got the ISN D02, which is much fatter--you can't lie on your side wearing it--but somehow fits very comfortably. They've been kind of trampled by more recent hype but they are pretty solid. Or you might want to go with one of the more recent (but unheard by me) IEMs like the widely praised Aria.

If you are not a pumped-up bass fan you also should consider Etymotic, one of the OG IEM companies. (Not Chi-fi so not mentioned in this thread.) A lot of people swear by their clarity and precision, though some find them sterile or think they push too deep in your ear.

There are deals at these links--$69, by far the best price--for both the ER3SE--studio edition, flat reference response, might feel anemic in bass--and ER3XR, which has a bass boost. The ER2 equivalents (in head-fi post linked below) are even cheaper. Adorama has a one-month return policy if you're in the USA and haven't destroyed the buds or packaging; it would cost you about $10 to ship them back if they're not for you.

https://www.adorama.com/etyer3se.html?emailPrice=t
https://www.adorama.com/etyer3xr.html?emailPrice=t

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/etymotic-discussion-impressions-index-in-1st-post.956629/

 

[romasport13]

For me Moondrop Aria is not a sub100 class single DD IEM, once the outer filter removed, it well knocks NF audio NM2+ off and the technicalities for most of frequency range except mid, is very high. Put aside its wide sound stage, Aria does great job in most of technical aspect such as instrument coordination ( again not vocals), focusing of image, vector and momentum presentation, dynamic range illustration.

As a single DD moondrop Starfield and KXXS is no competition. The bass range control and accuracy is what I’d rate S tier with Azla Xelastec tips. Not many dynamic driver can have accuracy and impact at the same time, only sizable few, like UM MEST MKII, and I believe, pure beryllium drivers would do. Of which I’m still getting KBEAR Believe, and my expectation will be it will par with pure-beryllium driver Believe.

Technicalities aside, how is the tonality/sound signature of Aria? For someone who enjoys Blon BL-03, it would be good?

 

[G777]

Technicalities aside, how is the tonality/sound signature of Aria? For someone who enjoys Blon BL-03, it would be good?

They're quite close:

The Aria has less bass (and better bass quality) which helps make it sound cleaner.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

Technicalities aside, how is the tonality/sound signature of Aria? For someone who enjoys Blon BL-03, it would be good?

With defualt filter attached, yes. Pretty close mild V-shape harman curve.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

For someone considering Tri Starsea, as when it’s on sale they usually come to around $106. The shop only focuses on their face plate, of which I think the real beauty is actually what’s behind; here is Starsea at night

It’s full resin, and very nicely shaped pseudo-custom full resin shell. Same with belssing 2 and S8 shells.

 

[dw1narso]

Your perception is same with mine!
Wow so it works!

The player is Hiromi. I happened to live in Boston when she was studying at Berklee school of music while as a atudent playing with jazz legend Chick Corea.


Her ablum “ALIVE” was recorded in DSD. Even after compression into youtube format, it’s still impressive!

She upload her whole album for free

it's not easy to really hear it that way , but at least that is quite helpful in someway...

Blessing2 and Lark at least can be detected are in the different class to the others on the batch.
Clean and composed piano... and when the band come along together, each instruments could still be heard each with their own density...

No wonder... Hiromi... I have some of her albums... how come I did not recognize her.
I'll check the You tube link... thanks...

Love Chick Corea too... especially during his Return To Forever era...

 

[AmericanSpirit]

it's not easy to really hear it that way , but at least that is quite helpful in someway...

Blessing2 and Lark at least can be detected are in the different class to the others on the batch.
Clean and composed piano... and when the band come along together, each instruments could still be heard each with their own density...

No wonder... Hiromi... I have some of her albums... how come I did not recognize her.
I'll check the You tube link... thanks...

Love Chick Corea too... especially during his Return To Forever era...

Yes I will continue to record some notable IEMs for my sake And yes Hiromi’s sonic bloom is a great progressive rock x jazz mix too! Love return to forever just as much I do for Keith Jarret’s Koln Concert!

 

[speedfiend]

That is a good PSA. But a warning to others that this test may tweak your hearing anomolies. I know better than to poke the bear but I went and did the test anyways. My ears are ringing loud. My tinnitus is angry with me.

This is where the Starsea got me with it's lower treble emphasis. While the peak is great for many, personally I can't handle it for more than 30 mins.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

This is where the Starsea got me with it's lower treble emphasis. While the peak is great for many, personally I can't handle it for more than 30 mins.

Yup each individual got their own hurting/sweet spots, maybe you better consider some darker one like Mandrid Tea?

 

[earmonger]

Yes I will continue to record some notable IEMs for my sake And yes Hiromi’s sonic bloom is a great progressive rock x jazz mix too! Love return to forever just as much I do for Keith Jarret’s Koln Concert!

This is off topic but everybody who likes these should hear the Paul Bley album "Open, To Love." If you want one track, "Ida Lupino." You can thank me later.