[W1ll1eTheP1mp]

Best chifi IEM for NON vocal music? (Ambient, neo classical,post rock, ECM Jazz , electronic, minimalism etc...)

 

[bryaudioreviews]

KB Ear Aurora / TKZK Wave / BGVP DH5 - Unboxing & First Look​

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Hey guys, just received a few new IEMs not long ago. Here are my first impressions:


KB Ear Aurora - $169usd, 1DD. Warm Harman, amazing bass quantity and quality, smooth. Reminds me of the BLON BL-03, but much better in terms of technicalities. If you are looking for a huge BL03 upgrade, maybe this might be it?

TKZK Wave - $39usd, 1DD+1BA. neutral to neutral bright tuning, pretty lean bass and mids, treble can be a bit bright. Reminds me of the HM, but with metallic BA timbre and the usual BA/hybrid characteristics.

BGVP DH5 - $85usd, 1DD+4BA. A pretty analogue U-shaped sounding IEM, albeit haunted with its 5kHz treble peak... which might be an issue to some. To my ears, I do not find it much of an issue as I find it to add a bit of excitement to an otherwise smooth sounding treble.

Frequency Response graphs for all 3 IEMs are shown below. If you have any questions regarding any of these IEMs, feel free to let me know and I'll get back to you asap.

Full reviews for all 3 IEMs will be out soon. Stay tuned.

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KB Ear Aurora review done!

I compared it with KB Ear BElieve and BLON BL03 and called it the true BLON BL-03 successor.

Click the link below to find out why

link to review - https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kbear-aurora.25392/review/27119/

 

[Nimweth]

Best chifi IEM for NON vocal music? (Ambient, neo classical,post rock, ECM Jazz , electronic, minimalism etc...)

These genres require a large soundstage, good sub bass, mids which are not recessed and extended treble. Here are some IEMs I find suitable amongst my collection:
1. TRI i3 Pro
2. MT300
3. Smabat NCO
4. Geek Wold GK10
5. CCA CKX
I hope this is helpful.

 

[4ceratops]

Beware from Smabat NCO, because that BRUTAL driver flex with silicon tips and unstable fit. Their tight MMCX connector is a cable destroyer. Last price about 120€ was only a joke (i hope), recently unavailable on Ali. I bought them for 46€ and they are nothing so special. For single DD they have a little piercing BAish highs and grainy mids.

 

[Nimweth]

Beware from Smabat NCO, because that BRUTAL driver flex with silicon tips and unstable fit. Their tight MMCX connector is a cable destroyer. Last price about 120€ was only a joke (i hope), recently unavailable on Ali. I bought them for 46€ and they are nothing so special. For single DD they have a little piercing BAish highs and grainy mids.

I have to say that I have not had any of those issues with my NCO. I agree the price is now inflated, though.

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

I really enjoy the KBEAR AURORA...but i wonder if it's worth being in best budget IEM list due to poor imaging and average clarity...anybody try them too? If so, what do you think?

My review is on headfi and here: https://nobsaudiophile.com/2021/10/23/kbear-aurora-review-tactile-density/

To my ears it's like a smoother Whizzer HE01 with better technicalities, timbre is lush and dense, bass is fast and thumpy but warm and a bit rolled off, treble is full, natural yet not very sparkly. It remind me the Dunu Zen too, a less clean version.

 

[baskingshark]

I really enjoy the KBEAR AURORA...but i wonder if it's worth being in best budget IEM list due to poor imaging and average clarity...anybody try them too? If so, what do you think?

My review is on headfi and here: https://nobsaudiophile.com/2021/10/23/kbear-aurora-review-tactile-density/

To my ears it's like a smoother Whizzer HE01 with better technicalities, timbre is lush and dense, bass is fast and thumpy but warm and a bit rolled off, treble is full, natural yet not very sparkly. It remind me the Dunu Zen too, a less clean version.

In my book, the Aurora is kind of an upgraded BLON BL-03. Harmanish with good timbral accuracy, with better technicalities and fit than the BL-03. Similar warmish thick sound signature. Unfortunately, the Aurora doesn't have the most extended treble and lacks a bit in resolution compared to some similarly priced competitors. Bass is actually quite fast for speed considering the copious amounts, without much midbass bleed.

Quite a good set, would recommend this for BLON BL-03 lovers who want an upgrade.

 

[jmwant]

TBH the last few BLON releases (eg BLON MINI and A8 prometheus) didn't do very well. They kind of lost their magic since the BLON BL-03, been trying to capture lightning in a bottle once again. BL-05S is not bad, but most of the other BLON releases after BL-03 were sidegrades at best.

In fact it seems BLON may be following the KZ 2019/2020 footsteps of throwing as much crap on the wall and hoping something finally sticks. I mean the budget CHIFI segment is so super saturated with V shaped/harmanish tuned sets, that almost every weekly release is gonna be a sidegrade or just marginal upgrade. Does the average consumer have cash to go chase every pokemon budget sidegrade release on a weekly basis?

I agree. Since the Bl-03, Blon couldn't release anything that can be considered as a proper successor.

I used to think that having 5 $20 IEMs is better than having one $80-$100 IEMs. Now that I have tried some budget IEMs, I have been slowly starting to realize that getting a $350-500 IEM is a wiser decision. Will keep myself hooked for at least a year and half.

 

[InvisibleInk]

I agree. Since the Bl-03, Blon couldn't release anything that can be considered as a proper successor.

I used to think that having 5 $20 IEMs is better than having one $80-$100 IEMs. Now that I have tried some budget IEMs, I have been slowly starting to realize that getting a $350-500 IEM is a wiser decision. Will keep myself hooked for at least a year and half.

But, it's too much fun collecting the Pokemons!

 

[jmwant]

But, it's too much fun collecting the Pokemons!

Well I try to check for reviews even when I'm buying cookies and Pringles, so it gets very time consuming when I'm getting a new IEM

 

[baskingshark]

I agree. Since the Bl-03, Blon couldn't release anything that can be considered as a proper successor.

I used to think that having 5 $20 IEMs is better than having one $80-$100 IEMs. Now that I have tried some budget IEMs, I have been slowly starting to realize that getting a $350-500 IEM is a wiser decision. Will keep myself hooked for at least a year and half.

I think having a few budget IEMs is good to taste the different sound signatures and see what you like. But once you know what you want, it might be wiser to just move on to something in the midFI segment and stop buying budget sidegrades.

I learnt the hard way, but the costs of multiple budget gear will add up to a midFI or TOTL set soon enough, and most of these sidegrades will end up in the drawer. I know some folks try to sell the budget sidegrades away, but there's not too big second hand market in some places for CHIFI.

 

[r31ya]

I think having a few budget IEMs is good to taste the different sound signatures and see what you like. But once you know what you want, it might be wiser to just move on to something in the midFI segment and stop buying budget sidegrades.

I learnt the hard way, but the costs of multiple budget gear will add up to a midFI or TOTL set soon enough, and most of these sidegrades will end up in the drawer. I know some folks try to sell the budget sidegrades away, but there's not too big second hand market in some places for CHIFI.

Agreed, after few budget and you know what type of sound you like, its better to saved up for a MidFi (or get second hand Mid-Fi if you wanna same some money)
i use to keep hunts for budget iem till i got a somewhat midfi which keep me satisfied and not hunting for replacement for a year and a half.
Now, i prefer keeping 1 budget for a beater and 1 midfi for home use.

 

[Podster]

I think having a few budget IEMs is good to taste the different sound signatures and see what you like. But once you know what you want, it might be wiser to just move on to something in the midFI segment and stop buying budget sidegrades.

I learnt the hard way, but the costs of multiple budget gear will add up to a midFI or TOTL set soon enough, and most of these sidegrades will end up in the drawer. I know some folks try to sell the budget sidegrades away, but there's not too big second hand market in some places for CHIFI.

Howdy Basking, not been in here in a while but thought you may have knowledge on the Blon BL Max? Curious if they have released anything that tops the 03 yet? Maybe I should have checked out your review thread first eh

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Some first impressions for the (not awaited) BLON MAX!!

(i have a pair on the go...but very low hope..so this isnt very surprising...since Mini and BL08 suck)

From NBBA:

Vannak Pech​

ugYepst1ecrd10ayu at 57slot:540 A2M ·

Blon in the house!

Blon Max ( is it max enough?....nah)

Let's start with the nice things
Build is fantastic with quite some weight
Fit (my ears) very secure and comfortable
Stock cable ok
Stock tips like the blon 03. It works just fine
Treble is err well from another drivers. It is ok imo but not very coherent
No need amp ( sound improves alot with walkman)

Now to the not so Max
Bass lack body. The hit not strong enough
Stage is not good as I had hoped
Mid is a disappointment (compared with the blon 03) a bit shouty

since this a borrowed unit I can't open it but I really want to

I want to change the HM drivers in this Max

Anyway mine is arriving hopefully soon
For me, for this price and this build, this blon is not super bad (most folks can eq) but not fantastic either. Yet again, the fit is way way better than the smabat proto ''

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Ok....the 7HZ TIMELESS hype is just OVERWHELMING. Its rare, but both BGGA and CRIN are hysterically praising them...as well as everybody that try them really...

Anybody here have them and can share PROS AND CONS?? Is there ANY cons??

For those that never see them, give a look here:
https://hifigo.com/products/7hz-timeless-14-2mm-planar-in-ear-earphone

The burning question is: will the 60$ cheaper TINHIFI P1PLUS beat this 7HZ??