[RikudouGoku]

@BadReligionPunk

According to Gareth from Hisenior, the A6 is an improved B5 with more bass. I don't know if it is marketing talk from him though. I asked for a graph but he couldn't provide one 2 months ago. Perhaps he has one now. You could try to contact him.

As i have never listened to the B5 i cannot do a direct comparison. There is just enough bass (for me) on A6 but bassheads will still be disappointed. It is ofcourse a typical BA bass. The mids are really forward and sometimes for me it is too much. Especially with low-res recordings on male vocals. I have to EQ down the mids a bit. The instrument separation and details are great. I would call myself a semi-basshead. I think my current favored FR would be like the Sony MH750.

I haven't spent much time with the Hisenior A6 though (as with most of my gear). I think i have 20-30 hours on them right now. They are fairly easy to drive. I use them on my Shanling M2s on low gain, 25/100 volume and about the same on my Shanling M0. Hope i have helped you a bit.

I asked them yesterday and they still didn't have the graph, they have for their other iems though.

 

[ajohn]

Hi, I'm a new HeadFi user and a newbie when it comes to choosing good earbuds/in-ears/IEMs. I own the Xiaomi Mi Hybrid Pro, KZ ZSN and KZ AS06 and really appreciate the sound on each of these. The problem I have with most earphones is that they don't fit well and that the seal breaks easily. I've bought different kind of foam tips and KZ star tips and they help with the seal, but don't keep the earbuds snugly in place. The best fit for me is the KZ ZSN. I bought the AS06, expecting an upgrade, but they dont fit well and the cable pushes the earphones away from my ear. So, while the AS06 sounds better to me, I don't use them because of the bad fit. The Hybrid Pro's just fall out of my ears if I move a little bit. They are almost useless to me. I use the KZ ZSN most because of their decent sound and especially their easy, comfy fit.

I've read a good part of this thread and am considering a sub 100 upgrade. I'm tempted to order often recommended models like the blon-03, V90, TFZ T2, Semkarch CNT-1, **** ****, etc. but I would prefer to buy fewer sets and spend more on one higher quality set, i.e. the LZ A6 mini.

My worry is that I will struggle again with the fit. Are the LZ A6 mini considered a good fit for most people? Is there anything I should buy in addition to increase the chance they will fit well in my ears, e.g. a different cable?

 

[BadReligionPunk]

The LZ is ridiculous good and I would imagine most people would be blown away by them. I wouldn't call the fit to be good for most people though.

KB100 is a good fit for most.
TRN BA5 is a good fit
For an amazing sounding tube type in ear the Radsone HE100 is really good. Its $80 but I have seen it on sale at $55.
Don't have but V90 looks very comfortable and I have not heard people complaining about it.

 

[dharmasteve]

Hi, I'm a new HeadFi user and a newbie when it comes to choosing good earbuds/in-ears/IEMs. I own the Xiaomi Mi Hybrid Pro, KZ ZSN and KZ AS06 and really appreciate the sound on each of these. The problem I have with most earphones is that they don't fit well and that the seal breaks easily. I've bought different kind of foam tips and KZ star tips and they help with the seal, but don't keep the earbuds snugly in place. The best fit for me is the KZ ZSN. I bought the AS06, expecting an upgrade, but they dont fit well and the cable pushes the earphones away from my ear. So, while the AS06 sounds better to me, I don't use them because of the bad fit. The Hybrid Pro's just fall out of my ears if I move a little bit. They are almost useless to me. I use the KZ ZSN most because of their decent sound and especially their easy, comfy fit.

I've read a good part of this thread and am considering a sub 100 upgrade. I'm tempted to order often recommended models like the blon-03, V90, TFZ T2, Semkarch CNT-1, **** ****, etc. but I would prefer to buy fewer sets and spend more on one higher quality set, i.e. the LZ A6 mini.

My worry is that I will struggle again with the fit. Are the LZ A6 mini considered a good fit for most people? Is there anything I should buy in addition to increase the chance they will fit well in my ears, e.g. a different cable?

I have the Semkarch CNT1, the Blon 03 and the A6 Mini. The CNT1 is a great IEM but is no longer manufactured and too expensive now. For a while they were at clearance price but now an overpriced rarity. Between the Blon 03 and A6 Mini. The Blon 03 is a great sounding IEM. It brings a problem of unpredictable QC, fit problems, and cable problems. You need to be quite dedicated to do tip rolling to find a fit, maybe add a spacer and even replace the cable. If you are lucky to get a good one and do the work it is exceptionally good. The LZ A6 mini (I have the MMCX) is good to go out of the box, but a suitable tip may help fit. It is pretty good through the whole frequency range, but...there always is a BUT.....the treble is quite energetic due to the piezoelectric driver. It is not sibilant but quite forward on the soundstage. I would recommend any of those three but the value of the A6 mini at about $76 is very good. The Blon 03 has the best timbre and organic sound if you are willing to expend effort to set it up right.

We all have different ear anatomy so that side can be a problem when ordering from China. It can be worth ordering from Amazon because of the good returns policy.

 

[ShakeThoseCans]

Hi, I'm a new HeadFi user and a newbie when it comes to choosing good earbuds/in-ears/IEMs.

My worry is that I will struggle again with the fit. Are the LZ A6 mini considered a good fit for most people? Is there anything I should buy in addition to increase the chance they will fit well in my ears, e.g. a different cable?

If fit is an issue for you [and fit is VERY important in IEMs], then there are IEMs with better and worse fit.

Lets start with the A6 Mini. I just received mine 2 days ago, and while it likes to show off various technicalities, the fit is not what I would call ideal. As you can see from photos, the A6 Mini is kind of large and awkward in shape. The way it is positioned on my ears, the eartips and nozzles actually try to push the IEM out-of-my-ears. It's like it resists going in your head!

Now, you can fix most of this problem by using the right eartips. I, and many others, are getting good fit with Final Audio Type E tips (I am using size L). But Spinfits also work, probably CP100 M or L being the best. I tried it with Spinfits and CP100L might have actually given me the best fit, although a little tight.

What I am saying here, though, is that the A6 Mini has pretty compromised fit out-of-the-box and definitely requires what they call "tip rolling." There's also an argument for replacing the cable, as well. I can recommend at least 2 cables if you like, you can see the examples on the dedicated A6 Mini thread.

The A6 Mini is not what I could call a particularly ergonomic IEM, and this is a common issue in the Chi-Fi world.

So what are the ergonomic IEMs?

Ergonomic (for me) IEMs

TRN BA5 > Semkarch CNT-1 > CCA C10 > KZ ZS-10 Pro > TRN V80 > Sony MH755 (with cable extension) > KZ ED9

Mediocre fit:

TFZ King Pro (good fit, but big and heavy) > TRN V90 (good housing, but you need to roll tips), Y*nY*o V2 (needs foams)

Poor ergonomics (but still worth buying)

A6 Mini, Tin Hifi T2, KZ ZS-7 and of course the execrable (in terms of fit) BLON BL-03. Other people say that the fit of the old ****-**** was questionable, especially with the stock tips (which, ironically, may work well on the BL-03). People also complain about the KZ ASxx models.

Those are my personal experiences. So to present a more general picture, most people in general say that the CNT-1, C10, ZS-10 Pro, and maybe V80 have good fit. The ZS-10 Pro has a reputation as one of the better-fitting KZ earphones.

On the flip side, you will find complaints about all of the negative ones I listed, with the BL-03 being the most difficult in terms of fit.

So, what should you do? I am one of the 80% or so of CNT-1 users who found the shell particularly snug and comfortable (a couple people said, alternately, that it was among the worst they had ever attempted. So it's down to ear shape). But you can hardly find a CNT-1 at the good price now. So I wouldn't necessarily look there.

You also mentioned the BL-03. In your shoes, I would wait for the rumoured revision that is coming in a few months, as hopefully they will fix the massive fit issues.

I am not sure that the A6 Mini is the best choice for you. It is one of the my more difficult-fitting IEMs, and requires a definite investment in tips. It literally fights against my ears, trying not to stay in.

In my opinion, you might be best served by the TFZ No. 3. While it is a basshead IEM, it has good technicalities and is known for particularly good fit and isolation. Despite attempts to replace it with various models, it has not really been surpassed. It's so comfortable people take theirs everywhere. It's like a CNT-1 if you can't get a CNT-1.

However, I have a couple of IEMs on the way, and I can let you know about fit compared to the A6 Mini. I have a Tin Hifi T4 on the way (which hopefully improved fit from the T2), and it is a competitor in the price category of the A6 Mini. I also have the LZ A5 coming, which is $29 now, but was about $75 before. It supposedly has nicer fit than the A6 Mini. I also have a CCA C12 on the way, although it's not an extreme upgrade from your existing sub-50 sets.

 

[ShakeThoseCans]

Okay, I just saw the two posts above mine, and can add to the discussion.

The V90 is reputed to have good fit, and the housing design is fairly sensible. However, unlike other TRN models, the standard TRN red-centre eartips don't really work well on the V90. They position the housing in a strange way. I've seen a number of people rolling tips with the V90, and I think they mostly went with the Spiral Dots. I'll have to check my notes, because I have to tip roll my own V90.

So V90 is mostly fine, but you will probably have to tip roll, and you might want to change cables too, because it is easy.

The KB100 is said to be a generally-good IEM, and more 'musical' than most KZ offerings. So for ajohn, I almost recommended it (sans hearing it) and I think it would be a solid choice.

So, fit wise, ajohn might want to be looking at the TFZ No. 3, BQEYZ KB100, and maybe the TRN BA5 (although it seems more configured for Asian music!). I think the KB100 might deliver a noticeable change from the KZ tuning he is used to, and the No. 3 would probably have more bass capabilities than his existing models.

 

[yorosello]

Both TFZ T2/TFZ No. 3 have good fit imo.

 

[Synthy]

Hi, I'm a new HeadFi user and a newbie when it comes to choosing good earbuds/in-ears/IEMs. I own the Xiaomi Mi Hybrid Pro, KZ ZSN and KZ AS06 and really appreciate the sound on each of these. The problem I have with most earphones is that they don't fit well and that the seal breaks easily. I've bought different kind of foam tips and KZ star tips and they help with the seal, but don't keep the earbuds snugly in place. The best fit for me is the KZ ZSN. I bought the AS06, expecting an upgrade, but they dont fit well and the cable pushes the earphones away from my ear. So, while the AS06 sounds better to me, I don't use them because of the bad fit. The Hybrid Pro's just fall out of my ears if I move a little bit. They are almost useless to me. I use the KZ ZSN most because of their decent sound and especially their easy, comfy fit.

I've read a good part of this thread and am considering a sub 100 upgrade. I'm tempted to order often recommended models like the blon-03, V90, TFZ T2, Semkarch CNT-1, **** ****, etc. but I would prefer to buy fewer sets and spend more on one higher quality set, i.e. the LZ A6 mini.

My worry is that I will struggle again with the fit. Are the LZ A6 mini considered a good fit for most people? Is there anything I should buy in addition to increase the chance they will fit well in my ears, e.g. a different cable?

in my experience the biggest factor for fit is large enough tips, and not having improperly shaped earhooks. my way to find the right size tips is to go up in size until you find the size that's actually uncomfortable to wear, and then try that size in different brands until you find one in the same size or 1mm smaller that isn't uncomfortable. often with a good enough seal the seal alone will hold the entire shell in place. as for cable/earhooks, over ear is often better for fit than cable down, but a badly shaped earhook can make it worse, you can use the heat from a hair dryer to reshape earhooks. just some ideas that might help with fit.

 

[Kumonomukou]

LZ A5 is on sale for $110, another $10 off if referral credit is applied.

Despite mixed reviews, I think this will be a good chance to snag them up if anyone was interested in it like I did. The seller LZ HiFi is cleaning out the stocks right now, like what happened with Semkarch CNT1. They might go even lower in the future, or just running out of stock as a result. So yeah, let's rock some Honda wings in the new year!
(Ps. I'm gonna paint the wings black eventually LOL.)

 

[Slater]

Hi, I'm a new HeadFi user and a newbie when it comes to choosing good earbuds/in-ears/IEMs. I own the Xiaomi Mi Hybrid Pro, KZ ZSN and KZ AS06 and really appreciate the sound on each of these. The problem I have with most earphones is that they don't fit well and that the seal breaks easily. I've bought different kind of foam tips and KZ star tips and they help with the seal, but don't keep the earbuds snugly in place. The best fit for me is the KZ ZSN. I bought the AS06, expecting an upgrade, but they dont fit well and the cable pushes the earphones away from my ear. So, while the AS06 sounds better to me, I don't use them because of the bad fit. The Hybrid Pro's just fall out of my ears if I move a little bit. They are almost useless to me. I use the KZ ZSN most because of their decent sound and especially their easy, comfy fit.

I've read a good part of this thread and am considering a sub 100 upgrade. I'm tempted to order often recommended models like the blon-03, V90, TFZ T2, Semkarch CNT-1, **** ****, etc. but I would prefer to buy fewer sets and spend more on one higher quality set, i.e. the LZ A6 mini.

My worry is that I will struggle again with the fit. Are the LZ A6 mini considered a good fit for most people? Is there anything I should buy in addition to increase the chance they will fit well in my ears, e.g. a different cable?

If the seal keeps breaking, and IEMs keep falling right out of your ear, it sounds like you’re using tips that are too small. Especially since it’s happening with multiple earphones.

You might try some different and/or larger tips. If it improves the fit and seal, then there would be no need to buy even more IEMs.

 

[ajohn]

First of all, thank you all for your suggestions. Good first experience with Head-fi it's really nice to get so many and varied responses.

It doesn't seem a good idea for me to get the LZ A6 mini right now. I'll first apply the advice of using larger tips, a different cable and possibly a hair dryer to see if I can get a good fit with my KZ AS06.

I'll also read up on the mentioned eartips, the V90s and other suggestions. Where can I find info on good 2-pin replacement cables?

 

[zachmal]

First of all, thank you all for your suggestions. Good first experience with Head-fi it's really nice to get so many and varied responses.

It doesn't seem a good idea for me to get the LZ A6 mini right now. I'll first apply the advice of using larger tips, a different cable and possibly a hair dryer to see if I can get a good fit with my KZ AS06.

I'll also read up on the mentioned eartips, the V90s and other suggestions. Where can I find info on good 2-pin replacement cables?

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/low-end-cheap-generic-otherwise-bang-for-buck-cable-thread.891911/ Low end. Cheap. Generic. Otherwise bang for buck cable thread!

would be a good starting point

the 4-core high purity OFC cable of the Hibiscus is currently on offer still (today !)

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/low...ck-cable-thread.891911/page-249#post-15391786

 

[sydofne]

Hi all, i would like some recommendations if is there are any for what um looking for. I have Cayin N5iiS and flares pro, however i tend to use headphones more.

I was looking for some alternative IEM that is kind of neutral and can give me acess to detail and sweet moda, it can have U shape, but subtle. The Flares Pro defenitly deliver, maybe Im looking for something different, and that i can wear not as deep and flares and was looking to try chifi, as Ia not looking to spend much to try something else, around 60-70 euros and if worth, no more than 150, as im saving for new headphones

I would like to try BA or hybrid, but it can be single DD as are the flares pro. I also Saw etymotic er3xr for 166 euros, but i dont want deep insertion stuff.

Many thanks and happy new year

 

[Detectit]

First of all, thank you all for your suggestions. Good first experience with Head-fi it's really nice to get so many and varied responses.

It doesn't seem a good idea for me to get the LZ A6 mini right now. I'll first apply the advice of using larger tips, a different cable and possibly a hair dryer to see if I can get a good fit with my KZ AS06.

I'll also read up on the mentioned eartips, the V90s and other suggestions. Where can I find info on good 2-pin replacement cables?

In this thread all about the technical aspects of cables.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/resistance-of-cables-pics-comments-and-links.907998/#post-14985640

Personally I love the Kbear cables has a nice feel and they are flexible. And pricewise it's OK. I don't believe in magical sounding cables. But each their own.
Here a pic of the balanced cable.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kno...essions-thread.698148/page-3217#post-15214612

 

[ShakeThoseCans]

LZ A5 is on sale for $110 ($100 if you take a few minutes to sign up two emails for referral credits).

Despite mixed reviews, I think this will be a good chance to snag them up if anyone was interested in it like I did. The seller LZ HiFi is cleaning out the stocks right now, like what happened with Semkarch CNT1. They might go even lower in the future, or running out of stock as a result. So yeah, let's rock some Honda wings in the new year!

Hmm. Those A5 shells look a lot like the CNT-1. (Not a surprise, though).