[BeerLover]

Well i'll keep this thread focused on chinese earbuds and stuff...

I am amazed by your melody of English Nymphonomaniac...where did you learn that poetry style of writing, seriously, it's quite beautifull!

thanks for the good advice all!

 

[Tweeters]

With 80$, you can begin a game of different ''entry level'' chifi DAC-AMP.
Like with a Sabre ES9018 (detailed sound):
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Hot...id=1fb044ac-fcdf-47ad-977f-267983e5ccb7&tpp=1

Or withotu casing their plenty of choice....that offer out of this world sound value. My dear Doukaudio CM108 have the best vocal of all DAP DAC I try....like for real, and a sweet warm analogish soundsignature, and volume controle. Plug and play, it drive well my 60ohm ISK HF2010 I have on head right now. Not super detailed sound tough, easy listening stuff. Really mid centered.
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/252298238894?ul_noapp=true

Will comment this one once I receive it too, inner part look darn serious so amping should be too:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/NEW...phone-Output-Support-for-PCM/32788755737.html

EDIT: I plug ultra sensitive and brightish PMV A01 MK2 on the 16$ Doukaudio CM108...and now these IEM have fowards vocals!! This little thing will never stop to surprise me! The PMV is a complete different IEM, warmish an detailed with sweet foward vocals.

Do you know the output impedance of the first one you linked, the Breeze Audio SE1? Looking to use it with ZS6 and low-impedance cans

 

[Smiped]

Even ZS5 look quite sturdy in my hands IMO so I imagine a metal version of them is even more sturdy
KZ are among best value chifi manufacturer out there, for the moment its impossible to find other 4drivers IEM at less than more or less 60$ (BGVP DM5).
Gearbest have some very nice deal time to time, keep an eye open!

Right that is the thing... It throws me off. How can an IEM of this caliber be so cheap? The appearance screams premium, but the price, especially with the deals, suggests otherwise. I always think there is a catch lol.

I work in a machine shop and these are my daily drivers. Like others have said the aluminum shell and removable cable make these really durable. I've got the upgraded cable and foam tips on them and they're plenty for me sound wise.

Great to hear you enjoy it! Do you have the red, green, or black ones? I am just curious lol because I am leaning towards the red ones.

 

[vector84]

@BeerLover, @Nymphonomaniac
FWIW, I have one of those Douk Audio CM108 + dual TDA1305 too (though it needs some soldering work, one of the caps is blown, but it only effects one channel, so these measurements should still be decent?) - ~4.8 ohms output impedance @ 1kHz (unless I just totally failed to do it right). You can get them in a metal enclosure on eBay too btw. But the optical input on mine (cased version off eBay) doesn't work and the noise floor is a bit high for IEMs imo.

If you want to dabble with budget amps + IEMs and not just get purely random results depending on what IEM used, consider another way to impedance match, like a voltage divider attenuator. (iFi makes nice ones, or make your own)

 

[Slater]

Great to hear you enjoy it! Do you have the red, green, or black ones? I am just curious lol because I am leaning towards the red ones.

I know it's personal preference, but FYI the green is discontinued, so if you have chance to pick up a pair of green ones you may want to do it just for the rarity of it! I have all 3 and the green is really sexy.

The photos don't really do it justice - the green color is much deeper and way looks better in person because anodized stuff is difficult to photograph accurately (an example is a lot of anodized red stuff looks PINK in photos).

Like I said though - get whatever makes you happy. Just giving you some food for thought

 

[ivo001]

Ahah, yeah....this pseudo name...kinda regret it sometime!

Hum, must admit have been a lazy dude about this and don't even care to cover it lol I try one time with a cigarette pack and it look nasty so, yeah, imagination can solve this problem easily, I wait for the right solid box to fall in my hand.

Something VERY interesting too....is that it work for real with my samsung J3..like tadam! But, one day it do not work, I suspect something I do, like an update or a music program change. first was vlc I use, anyway, it never work again....in fact, any usb dac do not work against so I exchange my phone for a older one just to have usb dac...all work but not the CM108. It wasnt really convenient or transportable with long usb cable they give (yeah they give usb cable too of good quality but LONG!) but it sound so good once pluged on my sound system! With my HP laptop it always work flawlessly, no hiss, no clic, plug and play without driver.

Other wise solution, but sometime risky, is to check ebay for used portable dac-amp auction, got my Ibasso BOA+ (cause I miss the WM8740 sound of my Fiio E7 and need a more powerfull amp than this one) for around 50$cad (35usd).

Their DAP with DAC option too, or even both but i'm not sure, like Zishan and Walnut....some research to make there too.

But if you have more question as me PM or to the other member, so this thread will not became too confusing!!

Cheers!

Could probably measure the outer dimensions and the locations and sizes of the holes for the plugs. Then make a nice case cad design and sent it to a 3d printer haha.

 

[Smiped]

I know it's personal preference, but FYI the green is discontinued, so if you have chance to pick up a pair of green ones you may want to do it just for the rarity of it! I have all 3 and the green is really sexy.

The photos don't really do it justice - the green color is much deeper and way looks better in person because anodized stuff is difficult to photograph accurately (an example is a lot of anodized red stuff looks PINK in photos).

Like I said though - get whatever makes you happy. Just giving you some food for thought

True I might get it cause it is rare. That is only if it is on a deal cause I ain't paying full price for it.

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

@BeerLover, @Nymphonomaniac
FWIW, I have one of those Douk Audio CM108 + dual TDA1305 too (though it needs some soldering work, one of the caps is blown, but it only effects one channel, so these measurements should still be decent?) - ~4.8 ohms output impedance @ 1kHz (unless I just totally failed to do it right). You can get them in a metal enclosure on eBay too btw. But the optical input on mine (cased version off eBay) doesn't work and the noise floor is a bit high for IEMs imo.

If you want to dabble with budget amps + IEMs and not just get purely random results depending on what IEM used, consider another way to impedance match, like a voltage divider attenuator. (iFi makes nice ones, or make your own)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was about time to have second impression about these. Have you try it with a smartphone and OTG, if so, did it work?

How much time do you use it before a caps blow? Must admit i'm not really carefull with this little dac...throw it everywhere....but gently. I gently walk on it one time too.

About noise floor, this is what surprise me....none I can hear. Right now the ZS5 are pluged in....I have without case. Don't have bats ears but I consider it to have a black background, not Saber black. PMV are very sensitive....and about sound, how do you find it? Please share more impressions here were its more appropriate,

https://head-fi.org/threads/impress...ac-reference-list.853311/page-3#post-13850228

I will give some time to this thread once I receive the AK4490 DAC-AMP thing.

 

[maxxevv]

Well i'll keep this thread focused on chinese earbuds and stuff...

Its a topic quite close to heart as I have been searching for a similar thing for a while. Bought a Breeze Audio E19 DAC Amp during the 11.11 sale. Its based on the latest ES9028Q2M DAC chip and has changeable op-amp chips.
Its a pure digital DAC / Amp as in it doesn't support line-in. Only input via USB.

It was like US$55/- excluding shipping, you see them now for like US$95~120/- .

The post tracking suggests that I might be receiving them within the next 24 hours. Shall update on my impressions when I get it.

As for choice of format, its really down to your perceived usage. Is it purely desk bound ? If so, there is a few ES9018K2M such as these:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/new...-af24-4479-90de-62ba546b1dff&rmStoreLevelAB=0

Or if you want something even more budget friendly:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bre...-2c7d-4d12-b06d-c5dc9802015a&rmStoreLevelAB=0


or AK4490 based ones that are around the US$60/- mark. ( Edited : Link )

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bre...-01cc-4178-b261-ee9f2f5d9db7&rmStoreLevelAB=0


Caveat here is that I have not used any of them but if implemented right, these chips will sound plenty good and the prices seem to suggest very good value IMO. Shall update on mine when it comes in over the next day or so.

 

[tancg]

Only QCY I try was pure crap.....nice look and kind of revolutionary design, but sound was tin, dry and near audible, wich is a big problem, and BT isn't serious stuffs.....sorry if I look harsh, but I'm very suspectful about Aliexpress positive comments on crappy QCY Q29.
Strangely, Amazon buyers have an opposite view and an average of 2.5stars out of 5. I suggest people to read this instead of perhaps false praising from Ali, wich isn't a new phenomenon.

https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-QCY-Bluetooth-Headphones-Smartphone/dp/B01MSMUSWE

No worries, to be honest, which QCY did you had? I find QY8 was decent, but the rest of the newer models I bought had overwhelming bass that totally muffled vocals.. I was trying to get something better than QCY QY8, clear vocals with good decent bass.

 

[tancg]

I work in a machine shop and these are my daily drivers. Like others have said the aluminum shell and removable cable make these really durable. I've got the upgraded cable and foam tips on them and they're plenty for me sound wise.

How would you compared them to Klipsch r6? Im still enjoying my R6 at the moment but well, my hands are itchy..

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

No worries, to be honest, which QCY did you had? I find QY8 was decent, but the rest of the newer models I bought had overwhelming bass that totally muffled vocals.. I was trying to get something better than QCY QY8, clear vocals with good decent bass.

DO you search BT iem only? Here, its about in ear IEM or best value sound....so....euh, I do not try lot of BT, as its not of any use for me, BT speaker yes, very practical cause so-so-sound isnt a big deal for portable speaker, but I try the Macaw T60 too, wich I find 10X better than QCY. In fact, QCY contact me for free reviews samples poops and I say no LOL

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Its a topic quite close to heart as I have been searching for a similar thing for a while. Bought a Breeze Audio E19 DAC Amp during the 11.11 sale. Its based on the latest ES9028Q2M DAC chip and has changeable op-amp chips.
Its a pure digital DAC / Amp as in it doesn't support line-in. Only input via USB.

It was like US$55/- excluding shipping, you see them now for like US$95~120/- .

The post tracking suggests that I might be receiving them within the next 24 hours. Shall update on my impressions when I get it.

As for choice of format, its really down to your perceived usage. Is it purely desk bound ? If so, there is a few ES9018K2M such as these:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/new...-af24-4479-90de-62ba546b1dff&rmStoreLevelAB=0

Or if you want something even more budget friendly:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bre...-2c7d-4d12-b06d-c5dc9802015a&rmStoreLevelAB=0


or AK4490 based ones that are around the US$60/- mark.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bre...-2c7d-4d12-b06d-c5dc9802015a&rmStoreLevelAB=0


Caveat here is that I have not used any of them but if implemented right, these chips will sound plenty good and the prices seem to suggest very good value IMO. Shall update on mine when it comes in over the next day or so.

Man, please share this on the other thread I link.....it will be precious valuable info and perhpas give life to this utterly interesting quest! cause I really want to continue exchanging about this. Really! Breeze audio intrigue me so much! So, I copy paste this on the chifi amp-dac thread. I REALLY im curious about ES9028q2m sound....Ibasso DX200 got this dac....but it cost 900$ to hear it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your a chifi warrior, we need more feedback about those!

 

[tancg]

DO you search BT iem only? Here, its about in ear IEM or best value sound....so....euh, I do not try lot of BT, as its not of any use for me, BT speaker yes, very practical cause so-so-sound isnt a big deal for portable speaker, but I try the Macaw T60 too, wich I find 10X better than QCY. In fact, QCY contact me for free reviews samples ****s and I say no LOL

Opps, totally forgotten, I was looking and reading on OEM that I honestly forgot and post BT stuff here lol, my bad.. Wired rocks btw

 

[BeerLover]

Its a topic quite close to heart as I have been searching for a similar thing for a while. Bought a Breeze Audio E19 DAC Amp during the 11.11 sale. Its based on the latest ES9028Q2M DAC chip and has changeable op-amp chips.
Its a pure digital DAC / Amp as in it doesn't support line-in. Only input via USB.

It was like US$55/- excluding shipping, you see them now for like US$95~120/- .

The post tracking suggests that I might be receiving them within the next 24 hours. Shall update on my impressions when I get it.

As for choice of format, its really down to your perceived usage. Is it purely desk bound ? If so, there is a few ES9018K2M such as these:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/new...-af24-4479-90de-62ba546b1dff&rmStoreLevelAB=0

Or if you want something even more budget friendly:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bre...-2c7d-4d12-b06d-c5dc9802015a&rmStoreLevelAB=0


or AK4490 based ones that are around the US$60/- mark.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bre...-2c7d-4d12-b06d-c5dc9802015a&rmStoreLevelAB=0


Caveat here is that I have not used any of them but if implemented right, these chips will sound plenty good and the prices seem to suggest very good value IMO. Shall update on mine when it comes in over the next day or so.

That's quite a nice choice. Thank for pointing them out!. Only that AK4490 link seems linking to the same product as the previous link.
Will think about them !