[Dustry]

You could try the Smabat NCO, it may be available for under $100 with coupons (it was a lot cheaper about a year ago). It has superb sub bass and a good balanced profile, it is worn cable down and is very well made. Soundstage and imaging is excellent, here is my review for reference:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/smabat-nco.24604/

Thank you, Smabat NCO looks super interesting but I can't a single store / seller where it is still available, do you have any tips at all? Thanks!

 

[Nimweth]

Thank you, Smabat NCO looks super interesting but I can't a single store / seller where it is still available, do you have any tips at all? Thanks!

Here is a link to the item on AliExpress:
https://m.aliexpress.com/i/4001094372149.html?gatewayAdapt=Pc2Msite

 

[sutosuto]

Hows TK-2 to be carried around? its seems to be on girthy side.

Too bulky and a bit heavy for me

 

[baskingshark]

Thanks a lot for a full response. Let's say, I am ready to compromise on price, are there any suggestions that come to mind?

The audiosense AQ7 is neutral with a subbass boost. Excellent technicalities but a bit of BA timbre present. It is also quite expensive though and is cable over the ears.

Slightly cheaper, the Moondrop Kato is a balanced set that follows the VDSF curve but is subbass focused. It has tuning nozzles to change the sound slightly. Great timbre, tonality and quite good technicalities for a single DD. It is cable over ears too unfortunately.

 

[Dustry]

Here is a link to the item on AliExpress:
https://m.aliexpress.com/i/4001094372149.html?gatewayAdapt=Pc2Msite

"Sorry, this item is no longer available!"

 

[Nimweth]

"Sorry, this item is no longer available!"

What a pity. I didn't know that.

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Guys, apologies for a question that will seem annoying for people who check this thread regularly.

I was buying chi-fi IEMs in large quantities for couple years but stopped after I discovered Sеnfеr DТ6 in 2018 / early 2019. It was so head and shoulders above anything I have heard that I pretty much stopped searching. I bought few more out of inertia more than anything.

I would appreciate if someone could post some examples of anything that can compete with Sеnfеr DТ6 that was released in the last 2-3 years (under $100 if possible and not over-the-ear if possible)

I like flat sound signature with very deep (sub)bass and outstanding instrument separation / placement. Tin Audio products (T2 and such) do not have deep / thick enough bass and subbass for me.

Thank you!

Your totally right about these..and surely got first batch that wasn't affect as much with QC (by the way,its banned to write this brand I think...or perhaps it change since this S word was in **** automatically before)
Anyway, indeed, im with you about thinking their still nothing in 20$ price range that can compete techicalities of SFDT....

But if you can climb 40ish$, jump on the HZsound HEARTMIRROR right f now! Both tecnicalities and tonality is better, but its sharper sounding and have more lean bass response (way better controled and resolved than DT though!)

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Maaaaaan, it makes sooooo long im waiting for those to arrive. Does it worth the wait? HELL YA!

Simply put, its the most resolved and well-balanced Moondrop i heard yet, if i was impressed by Aria technicalities, I fall from my seat with the KATO.
Attack speed is crazy fast, imaging is crisp, wide open and super accurate, one of highlight of the KATO and something single DD rarely achieve wtv price range...
For once, we have treble bite, to my ears it's the brighter harman target Moondrop too, second being Spaceship, third Aria, fourth SSR, last Starfield.
Is it perfect tough? Nope, cause kick drum lack a bit of presence and weight and timbre isn't thickness one...but it doesnt affect overall tonality and avoid bass bleed...it did have more punch than Aria too, so dat dat.
It make less than an hour im into it, but the fact i never wanna pull them out of their is sure a good sign.
Sure, Moondrop are a bit obsessive about their tuning target, but this one isn't boring at all. Especially with a great pairing like TRI TK2.

 

[SomeEntityThing]

I'd pick the Heart Mirror any day over the SSR. The SSR has slightly better technical performance but the 3 kHz area is very shouty and it has much more sibilance. Heart Mirror has better timbral accuracy, isolation and fit too. Both sets need amping though.

Apologies for the late reply, but thank you very much for your input! I decided to place an order for the Heart Mirror just before the Cyber Monday sale on AliExpress ended. Looking forward to seeing how this will square up against my Tin Hifi T2 for the spot of my favoured neutral/bright-neutral set!!

 

[baskingshark]

Apologies for the late reply, but thank you very much for your input! I decided to place an order for the Heart Mirror just before the Cyber Monday sale on AliExpress ended. Looking forward to seeing how this will square up against my Tin Hifi T2 for the spot of my favoured neutral/bright-neutral set!!

I think other than soundstage, the Tin T2 (original) loses in other areas eg timbral accuracy, technical performance, isolation, fit, accessories. Heart Mirror needs more power though, it sounds meh if not amped. The Tin T2 is also quite anemic in the subbass, and the fit is hit or miss.

Enjoy and look forward to your impressions!

 

[NeonHD]

Not sure about anyone else but I've always kept the boxes of all the IEMs I've purchased. It's a bad hoarding habit I have.

Today I just went through my drawers and did a huge liquidation of all the boxes I've kept. Feels so much better now

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

I feel i didn't talk enough about the TRI METEOR....did you need this Grace S fancy cable with them to shine? Nope, but this quatuor pairing is sure excellent. Grace S isn't typical bright sounding cable, in fact, it give hint of extra dynamic articulation, thighen the attack control and impact, clean a bit the back ground improving imaging-layering and overall attack speed. And keeping the Meteor smooooooth and organic.

Quartet= Meteor+Xelastec wannabe eartipss (included with KATO)+Tri Grace S 4.4mm balanced cable+TRI TK2 DAC-AMP

Meteor has a warm bass response, which normally i'm not afound off but here its so well balanced and it embraces the mids with such fluidity I find it very addictive, as well, it has good ''oomph'' in mid bass punch, which can benefit some synth bass line extraction.
This low end thickens the mids à la Final E3000, but in a cleaner more resolved way and less boost in sub bass, mids are among the most natural I hear for an Hybrid using this very knowles BA, making Thieaudio Legacy 2 sound like a distant transistor radio with artificial and thin timbre.
To be noted it's the first time TRI (KBear) go serious in acoustic design and use proper tubing for its BA, it has 2 holes independant holes for DD-BA.
These are good too for treble sensitive people that still wanna hear good amount of details, cause Meteor is lush, smooth, organic, free of sibilance and harsh highs.

These will go in best budget iem list very soon. Kato too. P1+ too.

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Not sure about anyone else but I've always kept the boxes of all the IEMs I've purchased. It's a bad hoarding habit I have.

Today I just went through my drawers and did a huge liquidation of all the boxes I've kept. Feels so much better now

lol, you do well....i dont even know why i keep them all too....
it becomes such a burden!

 

[lastsd]

My Moondrop Aria from 11/11 sale finally arrived. Initial thoughts:

- IEM looks very nice and feels weighty and solid
- Cable looks serviceable, I don't think I will upgrade it unless it falls apart
- Included case is small and I probably won't use them because I don't want to cause scratches, paint chip putting IEM it in and out of it.
- Comes with 6 sets of ear tips, is it just 2 sets of S, M, L? Couldn't tell if 2 sets of M are different or the same.
- Tried different sizes of ear tips included but it doesn't insert very deep even compared to Galaxy Buds Plus. I think I am getting the seal though just feels a bit different.
- I got so used to my ER2SE that Aria sounds like Bass Canons

 

[brsdrgn]

lol, you do well....i dont even know why i keep them all too....
it becomes such a burden!

It's a good habit if you have place. I also keep all the boxes, all accessories, bags, packages etc. Thanks to that, I can sell them easily when I want. When it comes to Chi-Fi IEMs, it's not that easy to sell or they don't go that quick at least like the mainstream brands like Sony, Sennheiser etc. Takes some time to find a buyer. Having it with all the pacakage is great advantage. People buying my headphones from me usually surprised that it has been used for months.