[Otto Motor]

I understand what you're saying. I use reviews as a guideline to help me decide what to buy or not too.

1. I can say that I've missed out on some gems by giving too much weight to the 'review approach' though....

2. I'm sure you've run into a similar situation with reviews of anything - movies, cars, Amazon products, restaurants, etc.

3. Some reviewers may be great people, and theoretically honest, but I found enough of their reviews to be 'off' for gear that I myself own - and that 'makes me go hmmmm'.

4. I've also learned through the years which reviewers (and HeadFi members) have ears closer to my own (based on their comments, likes, dislikes, same genres, etc). That's been much more helpful than anything to help identify gear that I will more than likely like (or dislike) too.

5. P.S. - @Vidal (Aproear) doesn't sell earphones (for a while now), nor even use affiliate links. His site strictly does reviews only (which he buys at retail with his own money).

1. Yes, me, too, and I also bought lots of redundant crap.
2. Yes, I once lined up at famous San Diego restaurant with a 90 mins wait. People were ranting and raving. Eventually, it was the worst food I can remember. Disgusting
3 and 4. Yep, we tend to learn with time who and what to rely on more and less.
5. I now also know what Vidal likes...which helps me interpret his evaluation.

One other thing: when one also have expensive iems, one may be overly hard on some of the cheap ones. On the other hand, sound should not be judged according to price. I frequently read statements such as "good sounding for the price"...which strictly speaking makes little sense.

What would be a good price for the EMI CI-880 Hybrid? I am afraid from Vidal's review that I could perceive them as piercing...similar to the SEAHF AWK009.

 

[toddy0191]

1. Yes, me, too, and I also bought lots of redundant crap.
2. Yes, I once lined up at famous San Diego restaurant with a 90 mins wait. People were ranting and raving. Eventually, it was the worst food I can remember. Disgusting
3 and 4. Yep, we tend to learn with time who and what to rely on more and less.
5. I now also know what Vidal likes...which helps me interpret his evaluation.

One other thing: when one also have expensive iems, one may be overly hard on some of the cheap ones. On the other hand, sound should not be judged according to price. I frequently read statements such as "good sounding for the price"...which strictly speaking makes little sense.

What would be a good price for the EMI CI-880 Hybrid? I am afraid from Vidal's review that I could perceive them as piercing...similar to the SEAHF AWK009.

Here's a good price:

http://s.aliexpress.com/QRFFbieY?fromSns=Copy to Clipboard

They are balanced with an emphasis on treble. They are very strong with detail retrieval and the mids are quite forward, unlike the ZS5 v1. Nothing hollow here!

 

[paulindss]

What would be a good price for the EMI CI-880 Hybrid? I am afraid from Vidal's review that I could perceive them as piercing...similar to the SEAHF AWK009.

Http://s.aliexpress.com/jqEbeiMf?fromSns=Copiar

Here you got the cheapest emi-ci880 Listed on Aliexpress.

 

[MoshiMoshi]

Http://s.aliexpress.com/jqEbeiMf?fromSns=Copiar

Here you got the cheapest emi-ci880 Listed on Aliexpress.

Would these be a significant step up over the AKG that come with the S8? Is 3x the price worth it for the T2?

 

[Slater]

What would be a good price for the EMI CI-880 Hybrid? I am afraid from Vidal's review that I could perceive them as piercing...

I paid $9.99 shipped from Amazon.

They certainly aren't piercing to me, but I can't speak for others. You're just going to have to try them and see if they are piercing to you or not.

I think the KZ ZST is incredibly piercing in stock form. They sound fine with a foam mod to the BA driver however, and a great value for the asking price.

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Http://s.aliexpress.com/jqEbeiMf?fromSns=Copiar

Here you got the cheapest emi-ci880 Listed on Aliexpress.

Whaaaaaat....look like I will finally give them a try at this price thanks!

To come back about the Pool, in next SUNDAY we will try the 1-10$ one, I really think its interesting and I will include final winner in the end of reference list with the date, now I see Tinaudio and ZS5 (yes, I want to nclude V1 and V2 but decided not...) are the leaders and EMI C1880 have pround third place, intersting but yes predictable, so we will try to make this more precise and less predictable, I want to be surprise too! But as everybody else I did not have heard everything, so I think the pool should be make with 10 contenders that CAN have been heard by LOT of headfier, so t after a month we will have a more valuable result

About another message a read here stating it could be interesting to make more comparaison with major brand and chifi brand, YES, I feel the same, I begin this way but now have mustly chifi stuffs....Phillips and Koss are good example, but kind of follow same chifi price value...what I was more disapointed about is mustly makor brand IEM praised on here, by audiophile, like Yamaha and Shure IEM, wich I really sincerly find mustly overatted. Westone too I feel are overratted, because even if yes I like the 600$ Westone ES2 custom, they were FAR of being perfect and especially of being a good value in term of sound, I think you pay 500$ for the comfort about stuffs like this, its the supreme noise cancelation IEM but not supreme sound at all.

And finally, eternal debate about subjective hearing aspect (subtle sound perception) can be interesting as well as eternal, I really feel its more constructive to talk about new discoveries than old debate like ZS5 exceptional ''haters'' that I feel are more reactive about the popularity than the sound aspect, who know if it was an unknow very obscure IEM what will be opinion about the fews that listen to it....

MUST OF ALL, AUDIO SOURCE INTERFER ALOT with the IEM rendering, as I have now listen to 15 different chifi DAP as well as using dac-amp with smarthphone, I can't repeat enough how much it affect the sound impressions, even good sounding DAP can be negative with some IEM, as I know know with Ibasso DX90 and Faudio FA1....this is really complex but firstly, I don't think smarthphone can be of any real use for sound impression, in fact, any audio source that are ''pre-EQed'' are very problematic. This is a big debate, but I would like to know audio source of people commenting IEM, as I feel its very important, if you have moree than 1 its a plus too because you can heard how much the DAP affect sound rendering and have more relativity about real sound of your IEM.

I'm not at home now, but try to follow the thread, sorry if i'm out of phase here hehe

Cheers!

 

[MoshiMoshi]

I paid $9.99 shipped from Amazon.

They certainly aren't piercing to me, but I can't speak for others. You're just going to have to try them and see if they are piercing to you or not.

I think the KZ ZST is incredibly piercing in stock form. They sound fine with a foam mod to the BA driver however, and a great value for the asking price.

Link? Does it have a different name?

 

[Slater]

Link? Does it have a different name?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y5GG14H

They went quick. Maybe the seller will get more at the same price.

 

[paulindss]

Would these be a significant step up over the AKG that come with the S8? Is 3x the price worth it for the T2?

Man, i haven't received my emi yet, and never heard Samsung AKG, nor tin audio T2. So i can't answer this question. But, looking in the internet, It seems like these Samsungs are good but not that great as Samsung wants them to be. So, given the quality that chi-fi achieved troughout the years, and emi-ci880 being a highly apraised one, you should give It a try. They can be better or Just a side grade. But for around 18$ ? If you may ask me. I Would say go for It. Tin audio are even more apraised then emi, but they are 50$, let them for when you be already in love with your e-mi.

 

[paulindss]

Link? Does it have a different name?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06Y...=QV2MBQBBEDZFXNH3V3ND&dpPl=1&dpID=416Lv9uJZRL

Here, when these 9,99 e-mi 880 appeared here, the silver ones had gone unavailble and peple buyed this one, black. "The word on the Street" was that they are the same, or at least same drivers. But i can't confirm that. Someone here listened to both.

Hope that helps, "blumuze" is one of the names that e-mi are selled. For 9,99 ? It seems like a no brainer. People already apraised them when they was only Found by 25$.

 

[toddy0191]

Would these be a significant step up over the AKG that come with the S8? Is 3x the price worth it for the T2?

They are a lot better than the "AKG" s8 earphones.

 

[wastan]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06Y...=QV2MBQBBEDZFXNH3V3ND&dpPl=1&dpID=416Lv9uJZRL

Here, when these 9,99 e-mi 880 appeared here, the silver ones had gone unavailble and peple buyed this one, black. "The word on the Street" was that they are the same, or at least same drivers. But i can't confirm that. Someone here listened to both.

Hope that helps, "blumuze" is one of the names that e-mi are selled. For 9,99 ? It seems like a no brainer. People already apraised them when they was only Found by 25$.

Blumuze is the Amazon seller i bought from but those were the legit EM-I. I seriously doubt those black earphones are the same; the description doesn't even say hybrid. If you want an Amazon link, these have the proper look albeit more expensive: https://www.amazon.com/Cancelling-T...rd_wg=mCr6G&psc=1&refRID=A605JYNB9DD7Q3RP5GXN



The aliexpress links above don't work for me.

 

[Otto Motor]

\YES, I feel the same, I begin this way but now have mustly chifi stuffs....Phillips and Koss are good example,...

Speaking of Koss, today I received these KPH30i:
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/koss-kph30i

Size: Smaller than expected…Portapro/Sennheiser PX100 dimensions.

Design: reminiscent of early Sennheiser models with the yellow foam pads. Very thin ear cups. Spring as strain relief and nifty remote button.

Fit: Extremely comfortable…low clamping pressure and rubber band in headband. The opposite of the hair-eating Portapros.

Sound: open and airy with good dynamics. I am actually very much surprised by the sound quality. Very enjoyable.

Comparison: Sound slightly flatter than the Koss Portapro but they have good width. Also a bit harder to drive.

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Anybody is curious about new KZ ZSR dual Hybrid IEM?
Yep, lot of gossip and rumors about this IEM (like it will be a 5 drivers IEM), but from what I read its an upgraded KZ ZST with 1 more BA, well, new technologies and housing, not the typical we-use-same-housing KZ model. A 1 dynamic +2BA iem.

There on Gearbest right now at 27usd for preorder.
https://www.gearbest.com/earbud-headphones/pp_1512918.html?wid=21
Anybody interested to try them?
I might give it a try cause i'm obsess by upper price range of KZ (that still are quite affordable).

More info or pictures about these would be very interesting!

 

[Strat Rider]

Have you tried the E-MI C1880's? Worn with Spiral Dot tips these produce some meaty bass that works great for outdoors, isolation is also very good and they're lightweight, comfy, can be worn up or down and are easy to take off/on when needed. For me, these have replaced far more expensive earphones/headphones for outdoor use. If they had a better quality (or replaceable) cable they would be pretty much perfect.

They got my vote anyway...

I have just started using mine @ work. Have not been too successful wearing them up. The only negative to my ears is the lack of bass . It is certainly possible I just haven't found a good fitting tip yet.