[Ruben123]

So I want to thank this thread for the 7Hz Zero recommendations. I think I found my end-game IEM for coming time (not really end-game, but it's so good I don't need to look for something else). I have to say though a touch more bass wouldn't have hurt so perhaps the mark 2 is a little better in that regard.

 

[ExTubeGamer]

Proud owner of a new Arrti R2, these sound amazing! Just use for example JVC SpiralDot to temper the highs just a little bit. Also bought the Ikko oh300 at the same time. Unfortunately these are not so amazing…

Is this transparent In Ear holding tech?

 

[passie42]

Is this transparent In Ear holding tech?

Those are earring holders, I searched the entire internet but IEM holders/displays don’t seam to exist and then I came across these things on AE I think they look great.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EGZWJvf

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Like 8-10 years ago I bought two Rock Zircons to my gf when they were the kings of the sub $10 category. The 2nd one died today, R.I.P.

What's the current Rock Zircon alternative? She'd need something similarly cheap, very small, easy to drive, durable enough. Sound signature can be similar to the Zircons, she listens to some pop while running/workout and some podcasts. Sources she uses are a Benjie S5 and a phone with a VE Abigail. Thanks for the suggestions.

wow....durability isnt bad. maaaaaaaaan...thats some chifi nostalgia here lol...hard to remember exact sound...just know it was bright basshead V shape....

i was quite surprise by how good still are the Whizzer HE01 and now they got intense price drop on some Ali store...like 30$, very very good value! yet its not basshead, its balanced bright V shape with open spatiality, good vocal presence for female singer at least and texture punchy bass...

for plain basshead...perhaps CCA CRA or slightly warmer CRA+....hum, or even better CCA CXS, she will be impress by construction and think yyou spoil her good (20$ lol)

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

QKZ HBB Khan, 7hz legato

Bullet style - Final E2000/E3000, KZ linglong

the Khan are discontinued...at least on Linsoul....have you try them mate?

im not here to convince anybody those are bad...but subjectively speaking, i put them among worst IEM of 2023 personal list...so i feel it might be niche boomy+dry mids-treble IEM....and the size is SO big! biggest nozzle ive ever seen i think..QKZ HBB seem quite good though, warm basshead joy perhaps...

Legato have quite incredible soundstage, its what impress me the must with them.

in term of budget bassy IEMs, i enjoy QOA Gimlet quite alot and find them good looking and well built. QOA seem to tune differently their IEM lately...worth a following....Aviation was very musical to my ears...

KBear ROsefinch is warm dark basshead, itss so cheap now like 10-15$ it worth it but we most not expect incredible technical performance, its pure guilty pleasure....which is refreshing from KB....which they are working on TRI I3 MK3 supposedly

 

[s4tch]

wow....durability isnt bad. maaaaaaaaan...thats some chifi nostalgia here lol...hard to remember exact sound...just know it was bright basshead V shape....

i was quite surprise by how good still are the Whizzer HE01 and now they got intense price drop on some Ali store...like 30$, very very good value! yet its not basshead, its balanced bright V shape with open spatiality, good vocal presence for female singer at least and texture punchy bass...

for plain basshead...perhaps CCA CRA or slightly warmer CRA+....hum, or even better CCA CXS, she will be impress by construction and think yyou spoil her good (20$ lol)

And if I add that I even managed to get one of the two working, it just needed some cleaning lol

It's not that bass head if you drive it with the Benjie S5. There's some elevated bass and an obvious V character, but far from a full on bloated bass, especially with some of the tips that came with the Hifiman RE400.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestion, I'll check it out.

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

And if I add that I even managed to get one of the two working, it just needed some cleaning lol

It's not that bass head if you drive it with the Benjie S5. There's some elevated bass and an obvious V character, but far from a full on bloated bass, especially with some of the tips that came with the Hifiman RE400.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestion, I'll check it out.

oh...sure, basshead is anything bassy iem with more than 10db boost for me...but its not a SuperTFZ Force1 basshead level....thats more radical...20db bass boost bright not so muddy way. but very very fatiguing due to both bass and upper mids-treble intensity....

QOA Gimlet and Reecho SG01 worth the add too.

 

[h8uthemost]

Anyone have the Ruizu A58?

I'm looking for a cheap dap that can do 24/192, if I want to. But also to do compressed Vorbis(my go-to lossy codec).

So anyways, the thing is under $40. So the price is right. Yay or nay? Is there something better for that amount that I'm not seeing? I know the xduoo x2s is about $20 more. But I don't know if it's worth the extra twenty bucks. Since it looks like the A58 can do what it does. I mainly use a dap at night in bed. So that's why I want something cheap.

Thanks for reading, and for any help. Here's a link to the A58: Ruizu A58

 

[bamboostreet]

Like 8-10 years ago I bought two Rock Zircons to my gf when they were the kings of the sub $10 category. The 2nd one died today, R.I.P.

What's the current Rock Zircon alternative? She'd need something similarly cheap, very small, easy to drive, durable enough. Sound signature can be similar to the Zircons, she listens to some pop while running/workout and some podcasts. Sources she uses are a Benjie S5 and a phone with a VE Abigail. Thanks for the suggestions.

Ahhh, Rock Zircon... There is TANCHJIM ONE or ASTROTEC VESNA for cheap bullet style and decent tuning.

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn

have you seen crazy power output of new budget dongle from Fiio?

thats truely insane. finaly a cheap solution for all those planar IEM user! or earbuds users! or demanding headphones users!

now...the question will be how it drown phone battery...we will see.

I have this and KA17 on the go....Fiio is quite exciting dongle wise in 2024. Moar power, mooaaaaar!

 

[passie42]

My Q3 MQA (360mW I believe) is not powerful enough to drive the Sundara. Not even my Ifi hip-dac 3 (400mW) can.

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

My Q3 MQA (360mW I believe) is not powerful enough to drive the Sundara. Not even my Ifi hip-dac 3 (400mW) can.

i can fully understand that. some say lately even a laptop output is enough...i hold myself to comment.
my suggestion is 1W min to achive full dynamic and openess scaling...but it depend of amp, my SMSL SH9 THX AAA make Sundara sound like a cold flat steak...no bass impact suddenly. and its 2W! iFi Gryphon at turbo gain can drive Sundara quite well though, which is a blessing since it can make it portable....

anyway, im confident 200mW of KA11 is enough for planar IEM even capricious one

back about this 30$ KA11, it indeed use an independant amping
not sure to understand the POP sound supression...perhaps to lower impedance output....which would be crazy high otherwise

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

oh i forget to share my BGVP DMA review...its rare i go insane in sound value but its a 10/10 imo. technical performance prowess meet versatile bassy musicality is quite exotic nowaday, especially with bone conduction embracing the macro dynamic cohesion...
I'm bluffed tbh. yet wish their 2 or 4 extra ESTs as well but man, its 300$ for 1 DD+2 (sonion-knowles) BAs and dual sonion BCD

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/bgvp-dma-hybrid-bone-conduction-iem.26975/reviews#review-32751

Pros:
-Excellent technical performance
-Nicely balanced W shape tonality
-Excellent bass quality and flexibility and separation
-Realist and well textured timbre (not thin)
-Good note wieght
-captivating and very clean mid range
-ultra focused and foward yet not agressive male and female vocals (tx BCD!)
-fast snappy treble
-open clean soundstage
-can go fun near basshead when asked for
-very versatile tonality
-singular sound experience
-best BGVP IEM yet
-good modular cable
-excellent sound value

Cons:
-not the most sparkly or crisp upper treble
-bone conduction make presence bright (both prop and con in fact)
-BA treble isn't as generous in sound info as BCD
-construction feel a bit cheap and fragile (especially back plate choice)
-source picky
-big nozzle
-ear tips picky cause of big nozzle with tubed drivers

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Fiio KA11 full specs.

Output impedance is surprisingly low for such output power...

let say it doesnt calm my excitment....so im ready to pay 20-25$cad DHL fees to try it asap. its that insanely ''too good to be true''

 

[passie42]

i can fully understand that. some say lately even a laptop output is enough...i hold myself to comment.
my suggestion is 1W min to achive full dynamic and openess scaling...but it depend of amp, my SMSL SH9 THX AAA make Sundara sound like a cold flat steak...no bass impact suddenly. and its 2W! iFi Gryphon at turbo gain can drive Sundara quite well though, which is a blessing since it can make it portable....

anyway, im confident 200mW of KA11 is enough for planar IEM even capricious one

back about this 30$ KA11, it indeed use an independant amping
not sure to understand the POP sound supression...perhaps to lower impedance output....which would be crazy high otherwise

You are absolutely right. I missed the part where it said IEM and assumed he was talking about headphones my bad.
Yes, my Fiio and Ifi are more than powerful enough to drive my plannars. It’s the plannar headphones that give problems.