FYI, I tinkered with the C631 tonight. I was going to spray paint them, but in the end this was much easier.
I cut a strip of black electrical tape exactly 7.5mm wide. Wrapped it around the side of the C631. Repeated for the other side.
Cheap, easy, totally reversible, and more than effective to knock down the bling factor to a more stealthy appearance.
From this (bling bling):
To this (dark knight):
I may or may not cut the circular piece required to do the back. Probably not even worth the hassle, as the huge shiny copper sides were way more blingy than the back of the IEM. Now that the sides are blacked out, the shiny copper that remains on the backs really don't bother me at all, and contrasts it rather nicely
So my new TRN cases arrived. All I have to say is wow these are my favorite cases for large IEMs. They were $0.91 each from Gearbest. Worth every penny!!
Here's a comparison of most of the cases we commonly use (I have many others, but these are the ones most of us have), and the OD dimensions. I did NOT measure the ID, so the measurement do NOT take into account foam liners and the thickness of the plastic/foam etc. The measurements are just a guideline only.
The top row, from left to right:
1. The large rectangular KZ black plastic snap enclosure case (120mm L x 70mm W x 35mm thick). AVERAGE price ~$1.50-$2 each.
2. The new TRN oval fabric style zippered case (110mm L x 70mm W x 40mm thick). AVERAGE price ~$1-$2 each.
3. The larger KZ square fabric style zippered case (80mm L x 65mm W x 25-35mm thick ie it bows larger in the center and tapers out thinner at the ends). AVERAGE price ~$1-$1.50 each.
The bottom row, from left to right:
4. Generic round EPS foam zippered case (70mm Diameter x 25mm thick). AVERAGE price ~$1 each.
5. KZ translucent ABS "Pelican-style" plastic snap enclosure case (80mm L x 50mm W x 35mm thick). AVERAGE price ~$5 each.
6. Smaller KZ "carbon fiber style" square zippered case (65mm L x 65mm W x 25mm thick). AVERAGE price ~$1 each.
Here's a comparison of the side views.
From left to right - KZ black plastic case, TRN oval case, KZ large square case.
From left to right - generic round case, KZ ABS case, KZ small carbon fiber style case.
As a test, I used a "ZS6 style" metal IEM, with KZ braided cable and memory wires formed to my ears and intact. I use this as a test because this is a large bodied setup, and when I put them in a case I don't want to disturb the memory wires. So the case MUST be roomy, and must allow both adequate thickness for the IEM bodies not to touch and scratch one another, but for the cable to have plenty of room. The KZ braided cable is the bulkiest cable I own, so any case that fits this overall setup will fit anything you throw at it!
The cases ranked by overall roomiest to least roomiest:
1. KZ black plastic snap case. Plenty roomy enough for large IEMs and bulky cables.
2. TRN oval zippered case (pretty much a tie with the KZ black case). Plenty roomy enough for large IEMs and bulky cables.
3. KZ large square fabric zippered case (roomy enough for large IEMs and bulky cables, as long as you are careful about winding up your cable)
The following cases did NOT fit my test setup, but I will still rank them for use with smaller IEMs because they will work perfectly fine with them (such as Tin Audio T2, KZ EDR1, etc). Again, ranked from overall roomiest to least roomiest:
4. Generic round zippered case. Not a bad case. I wouldn't recommend it with any memory wire IEM, but it provides just enough room for medium and small bodied IEMs with no memory wire.
5. KZ small square carbon fiber style zippered case. Very small and thin, with minimal room inside. Only the smallest IEMs will fit, and even then will require careful winding of the cable.
6. KZ ABS case. While this is the most "tough" and crush proof, it is comically small inside. Only the smallest IEMs will fit, and even then will require careful winding of the cable.
In my opinion the overall winner is the TRN oval case. It is 90% as roomy as the KZ black plastic case, is cheaper, and is more useful overall. The TRN case has the mesh net on 1 side, which is plenty of room for a 2nd set of IEMs, or a spare cable, loads of tips, etc. The mesh netting also helps to hold and stabilize the IEM inside when the case is closed.
The KZ black plastic case is bulky, the latches are flimsy and can be finicky, and while it's a roomy case and foam lined, the contents just bounce around (and scratch one another). The KZ black plastic case IS nice, however, because it has the foam lining. This lining can easily have very small pieces trimmed off and used for mods (BA and nozzle mods), while still allowing use of the case. I think everyone should own at least 1 if not for this purpose alone. It will also store the largest of the large IEMs. It can even be used for other purposes, such as storing items like smaller phones, phone battery packs, cables, etc.
If you want to see what my test IEM setup looked like inside each case, here you go:
KZ black plastic case - loads of room!
TRN oval zippered case - loads of room!
KZ large square zippered case - quite a bit of room as long as you carefully wrap up the cable
Generic round zippered case (sorry, doesn't really fit)
KZ small square carbon fiber zippered case (uhhh, nowhere near fitting)
So my new TRN cases arrived. All I have to say is wow these are my favorite cases for large IEMs. They were $0.91 each from Gearbest. Worth every penny!!
Here's a comparison of most of the cases we commonly use (I have many others, but these are the ones most of us have), and the OD dimensions. I did NOT measure the ID, so the measurement do NOT take into account foam liners and the thickness of the plastic/foam etc. The measurements are just a guideline only.
The top row, from left to right:
1. The large rectangular KZ black plastic snap enclosure case (120mm L x 70mm W x 35mm thick). AVERAGE price ~$1.50-$2 each.
2. The new TRN oval fabric style zippered case (110mm L x 70mm W x 40mm thick). AVERAGE price ~$1-$2 each.
3. The larger KZ square fabric style zippered case (80mm L x 65mm W x 25-35mm thick ie it bows larger in the center and tapers out thinner at the ends). AVERAGE price ~$1-$1.50 each.
The bottom row, from left to right:
4. Generic round EPS foam zippered case (70mm Diameter x 25mm thick). AVERAGE price ~$1 each.
5. KZ translucent ABS "Pelican-style" plastic snap enclosure case (80mm L x 50mm W x 35mm thick). AVERAGE price ~$5 each.
6. Smaller KZ "carbon fiber style" square zippered case (65mm L x 65mm W x 25mm thick). AVERAGE price ~$1 each.
Here's a comparison of the side views.
From left to right - KZ black plastic case, TRN oval case, KZ large square case.
From left to right - generic round case, KZ ABS case, KZ small carbon fiber style case.
As a test, I used a "ZS6 style" metal IEM, with KZ braided cable and memory wires formed to my ears and intact. I use this as a test because this is a large bodied setup, and when I put them in a case I don't want to disturb the memory wires. So the case MUST be roomy, and must allow both adequate thickness for the IEM bodies not to touch and scratch one another, but for the cable to have plenty of room. The KZ braided cable is the bulkiest cable I own, so any case that fits this overall setup will fit anything you throw at it!
The cases ranked by overall roomiest to least roomiest:
1. KZ black plastic snap case. Plenty roomy enough for large IEMs and bulky cables.
2. TRN oval zippered case (pretty much a tie with the KZ black case). Plenty roomy enough for large IEMs and bulky cables.
3. KZ large square fabric zippered case (roomy enough for large IEMs and bulky cables, as long as you are careful about winding up your cable)
The following cases did NOT fit my test setup, but I will still rank them for use with smaller IEMs because they will work perfectly fine with them (such as Tin Audio T2, KZ EDR1, etc). Again, ranked from overall roomiest to least roomiest:
4. Generic round zippered case. Not a bad case. I wouldn't recommend it with any memory wire IEM, but it provides just enough room for medium and small bodied IEMs with no memory wire.
5. KZ small square carbon fiber style zippered case. Very small and thin, with minimal room inside. Only the smallest IEMs will fit, and even then will require careful winding of the cable.
6. KZ ABS case. While this is the most "tough" and crush proof, it is comically small inside. Only the smallest IEMs will fit, and even then will require careful winding of the cable.
In my opinion the overall winner is the TRN oval case. It is 90% as roomy as the KZ black plastic case, is cheaper, and is more useful overall. The TRN case has the mesh net on 1 side, which is plenty of room for a 2nd set of IEMs, or a spare cable, loads of tips, etc. The mesh netting also helps to hold and stabilize the IEM inside when the case is closed.
The KZ black plastic case is bulky, the latches are flimsy and can be finicky, and while it's a roomy case and foam lined, the contents just bounce around (and scratch one another). The KZ black plastic case IS nice, however, because it has the foam lining. This lining can easily have very small pieces trimmed off and used for mods (BA and nozzle mods), while still allowing use of the case. I think everyone should own at least 1 if not for this purpose alone. It will also store the largest of the large IEMs. It can even be used for other purposes, such as storing items like smaller phones, phone battery packs, cables, etc.
If you want to see what my test IEM setup looked like inside each case, here you go:
KZ black plastic case - loads of room!
TRN oval zippered case - loads of room!
KZ large square zippered case - quite a bit of room as long as you carefully wrap up the cable
Generic round zippered case (sorry, doesn't really fit)
KZ small square carbon fiber zippered case (uhhh, nowhere near fitting)
Very interesting idea to do something like this. I actually have 4 of these (not including the first 2 bigger ones). For me the best one is KZ's Pelican, without a close second. It's almost perfectly made and offers much better protection - when it's closed I could probably step on it without any damage to it, feels like a rock. The only issue is space inside which does require some practice getting your IEMs in, but I got quick with it in a matter of days, and I am using a bulky teflon 8 core cable which is quite stiff compared to most. To make it perfect, the case should've been larger by 1cm in every direction except thickness.
Also, I got 2 of these for 3.3 euros, so 1.65 a pop or around 2$.
I'm new on this forum and have a question about the banned ChiFi stuff. I understand the whole situation and everything but can we discuss their products and if they are good or not from a personal opinion standpoint? Like I just ordered one of the newer IEMs based on the fact that another similar lower tier model that just was released got really good reviews and was going to ask people what they thought but then I saw the banned list and decided I would ask this first before talking about it.
The KZ ZS6 is still one of the best deals around especially at 26€. It has a good sense of stage and great separation, and It's dynamics and details makes you get lost in music. Great around all spectrum of frequancies. Better sub-bass, bass and mids than the great ZS5v1. I just love it.
I'm using comply tips and I sense no piercing treble at all. I'm 45 though, so maybe a 20's old ear is different in the treble department.
I tried almost all KZ's and dozens of others IEMs and the ZS6 is still one of the best (the best KZs for me are: ZS10 > ZS6 > ED16 > ED9 > EDR1).
Hello, if it's true, not everyone has the same hearing and the same taste, I guess my ears are fine, I'm 21 years old, very rarely have I gone to places where music is at all that it gives and always music using headphones no more than 40-60% and even less.
Although it is rare, as it can be that a product has so many controversies, one part says that they are very good and others that are bad and uncontrolled.
Very interesting idea to do something like this. I actually have 4 of these (not including the first 2 bigger ones). For me the best one is KZ's Pelican, without a close second. It's almost perfectly made and offers much better protection - when it's closed I could probably step on it without any damage to it, feels like a rock. The only issue is space inside which does require some practice getting your IEMs in, but I got quick with it in a matter of days, and I am using a bulky teflon 8 core cable which is quite stiff compared to most. To make it perfect, the case should've been larger by 1cm in every direction except thickness.
Also, I got 2 of these for 3.3 euros, so 1.65 a pop or around 2$.
I'm glad you like the ABS case and are able to fit your IEMs in it. It is really unfortunate that KZ didn't make these larger. As you mentioned, 1cm larger in all directions would have been great.
As far as the price, for some reason the shipping is what seems to be really out of whack with these. They are only a few dollars each, but the sellers seem to charge as much as the case costs (or more) just for shipping.
I'm glad you like the ABS case and are able to fit your IEMs in it. It is really unfortunate that KZ didn't make these larger. As you mentioned, 1cm larger in all directions would have been great.
As far as the price, for some reason the shipping is what seems to be really out of whack with these. They are only a few dollars each, but the sellers seem to charge as much as the case costs (or more) just for shipping.
I've noticed this as well, but NiceHCK has a free shipping option (China Post Ordinary Small Packet Plus). All other shops charge a lot for shipping for some reason - it's smaller and lighter than most IEMs and is pretty similar to other cases that have free shipping so this doesn't make sense.
FYI, I tinkered with the C631 tonight. I was going to spray paint them, but in the end this was much easier.
I cut a strip of black electrical tape exactly 7.5mm wide. Wrapped it around the side of the C631. Repeated for the other side.
Cheap, easy, totally reversible, and more than effective to knock down the bling factor to a more stealthy appearance.
From this (bling bling):
To this (dark knight):
I may or may not cut the circular piece required to do the back. Probably not even worth the hassle, as the huge shiny copper sides were way more blingy than the back of the IEM. Now that the sides are blacked out, the shiny copper that remains on the backs really don't bother me at all, and contrasts it rather nicely
Thanks Slater! I might just have to do the third Slater mod to my C631s, to de-guadify them. My teenage daughter suggested that I glue rhinestones on them... Since I was over the top anyway
I've noticed this as well, but NiceHCK has a free shipping option (China Post Ordinary Small Packet Plus). All other shops charge a lot for shipping for some reason - it's smaller and lighter than most IEMs and is pretty similar to other cases that have free shipping so this doesn't make sense.
I don’t have the V80, but generally speaking, you try 1 or more of the following:
Use narrower bore ear tips
Artificially narrow the bore of your existing tips with a strip of sorbothane or silicone
Cover the whole nozzle (under the ear tip) with micropore or transpore tape
Cover the whole nozzle (under the ear tip) with some sort of filter material - a piece of teabag, paper coffee filter, dessicate packet, cotton, paper towel, etc
Add a thin strip or 2 of micropore tape over the nozzle where the BA drivers are (such as in an X pattern)
Tuck some acoustic foam in the nozzle under the nozzle screen (you’ll need to remove the nozzle filter for this)
Tuck some acoustic foam in the center of your ear tips
Use the ZST foam mod to 1 or both of the BA drivers in each earpiece (you’ll need to remove the nozzle filter for this)
Adjust treble with EQ
Lower EQ by increasing impedance (an impedance adapter or in line volume wheel)
Some of the above mods may work better than others, and some may not work at all on the V80 (like the impedance mods). Some also may change other frequencies than just treble.
The most “surgical” mods (ie the most exact mods that will reduce treble with as little impact on other frequencies) would be the EQ method and the ZST foam mod.
The most “surgical” mods, meaning the most exact mods that will reduce treble without changing other frequencies would be the EQ method and the ZST foam mod.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
