[RevPizzaguy]

Any recommendations on IEM's in the $50-$70 USD range? I've gotten out of IEM's and have been in the earbud world. I love my Snow Lotus 1.0+, if that helps with the sound signature I like. Clear, not muddy, good low end response but not overpowering (I'm not a basshead) and some sparkle and spaciousness in the highs. I mostly listen to acoustic, classical, light rock with female vocals, ambient electronica, chillstep, etc.

My source will mostly be my LG V30, but would be nice if I could swap to an APTX bluetooth cable for occasional use.

Been looking at these:

TRN IM2
TRN V90
Tin Audio T3
Blon BL-03
Final Audio E3000
JVC HA-FXH30
NS Audio NS-3
KZ ZSX
CCA C10
CCA C12

Any advice or other suggestions? Thanks in advance!

 

[Ziggomatic]

Any recommendations on IEM's in the $50-$70 USD range? I've gotten out of IEM's and have been in the earbud world. I love my Snow Lotus 1.0+, if that helps with the sound signature I like. Clear, not muddy, good low end response but not overpowering (I'm not a basshead) and some sparkle and spaciousness in the highs. I mostly listen to acoustic, classical, light rock with female vocals, ambient electronica, chillstep, etc.

My source will mostly be my LG V30, but would be nice if I could swap to an APTX bluetooth cable for occasional use.

Been looking at these:

TRN IM2
TRN V90
Tin Audio T3
Blon BL-03
Final Audio E3000
JVC HA-FXH30

Any advice or other suggestions? Thanks in advance!

The NS Audio NS-3 fits the bill pretty well. Review here.

 

[mbwilson111]

Today I've been going back and forth between the BL-03 and the VE Bonus and for me the Bonus is just so much more enjoyable. To the rest of you, that doesn't have any problems with the mid bass, I can easily understand that you're enjoying these.

I am happy to hear you think so highly of the VE. I have a pair on the way. As I already enjoy the Blon, I expect I will also enjoy the VE.

I think the Symbio Peels did bring down the midbass but I will check the Jack Johnson song tomorrow and let you know what I hear. I do believe our individual ear anatomy can influence the sound too.

 

[baskingshark]

I'm halfway kidding.

I'm not going to say that I hate the BL-03 and start a flame war against everyone that does but they're not my preffered signature.

They do most things right but the mid bass just ruins them for me. I've always been very sensitive with too much mid bass in the same way that some are sensitive to sibilance or other issue that a pair of IEM's may have. The mid bass on the BL-03 is just too much for me, it crosses that line that can make or brake any pair of IEM's for me. To my ears the vocals (which has great quality) get pushed back behind the midbass on alot of the music that I listen to. It's really a pity as I like pretty much everything else that they do. My go to track to check this is Better together by Jack Johnson, if I find the mid bass too intrusive on that song on any pairoof IEM's I pretty much always end up not using the IEM's in question and unfortunately the BL-03 does this for me (it does it on quite a few other songs as well). Like I said this is probably exactly the same way some people feels about sibilance or forward upper midrange for example. I don't think people who's got problems with this could ever fully enjoy a pair of IEM's where this is present either. Not much to do about it as it's is personal preference and the ears that hears it that decide.

Actually I'm kind of sad that I can't enjoy the high level of resolution, clarity, soundstage and everything else that they offer. Even the bass does have great quality, just not the amount that I'm happy with.

Today I've been going back and forth between the BL-03 and the VE Bonus and for me the Bonus is just so much more enjoyable. To the rest of you, that doesn't have any problems with the mid bass, I can easily understand that you're enjoying these.

And yes I've tried it with quite a lot of different sources and even more tips

Thanks for your input! The basshead in me personally likes more midbass and I don't mind a bit of midbass bleed to give some warmth to the lower mids for my music. My BLON is on the way and I'm actually anticipating it very much now that u have this feedback about the strong midbass LOL. Guess one man's meat is another man's poison!
But on a serious note, it's good to have everyone's perspective as we all have different sound and music genre preferences.

 

[ShakyJake]

My Blon BL-03 just arrived. What a treat! But it wasn't until I finally found some tips that worked for me (TFZ XL), added a spacer on the nozzle and put on a NiceHCK balanced cable. Then the magic started.

The main quality that I notice is clarity and detail retrieval. On "Jazz at the Pawnshop", I swear that I can "hear" the smoke in the jazz club when I close my eyes or maybe I am just so sure that I am sitting at a table in the club that there must be smoke around me. Another test track, Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley's excellent Leonard Cohen cover) I am hearing details that I haven't noticed before. The good news is that these details are not in my way of enjoying the music. Sometimes too many details come from a dialed up treble, resulting in quick listening fatigue, but not here. Besides clarity, the BL-03 also is very organic. The music just sounds "right" with a natural timbre.

The BL-03 does best on tracks where there is a good dynamic range. This means that some overproduced pop and rock tracks sound a little flat, while more acoustic music or some remastered pop/rock tracks sound absolutely out of this world. For instance, some of the remastered classic David Bowie tracks sound phenomenal ("Young Americans").

I have not done a detailed side by side comparison with my Toneking 9Tails. It is going to be tough. The 9Tails is so organic and smooth, but the Blon adds another level of detail that I have not heard in the 9Tail.

All in all the Blon shouldn't cost only $26. It is simply competing at a different level. Now, it takes some work to get to its full potential. Out of the box, it was meh at best. With the right tips, spacers and a good cable, it is absolutely astonishing.

Since I am late to this party (hype train) I'm probably preaching to the choir

 

[baskingshark]

My Blon BL-03 just arrived. What a treat! But it wasn't until I finally found some tips that worked for me (TFZ XL), added a spacer on the nozzle and put on a NiceHCK balanced cable. Then the magic started.

The main quality that I notice is clarity and detail retrieval. On "Jazz at the Pawnshop", I swear that I can "hear" the smoke in the jazz club when I close my eyes or maybe I am just so sure that I am sitting at a table in the club that there must be smoke around me. Another test track, Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley's excellent Leonard Cohen cover) I am hearing details that I haven't noticed before. The good news is that these details are not in my way of enjoying the music. Sometimes too many details come from a dialed up treble, resulting in quick listening fatigue, but not here. Besides clarity, the BL-03 also is very organic. The music just sounds "right" with a natural timbre.

The BL-03 does best on tracks where there is a good dynamic range. This means that some overproduced pop and rock tracks sound a little flat, while more acoustic music or some remastered pop/rock tracks sound absolutely out of this world. For instance, some of the remastered classic David Bowie tracks sound phenomenal ("Young Americans").

I have not done a detailed side by side comparison with my Toneking 9Tails. It is going to be tough. The 9Tails is so organic and smooth, but the Blon adds another level of detail that I have not heard in the 9Tail.

All in all the Blon shouldn't cost only $26. It is simply competing at a different level. Now, it takes some work to get to its full potential. Out of the box, it was meh at best. With the right tips, spacers and a good cable, it is absolutely astonishing.

Since I am late to this party (hype train) I'm probably preaching to the choir

Wicked stuff!
Yeah from the reviews from the headfiers, it looks like the BLON will excel at acoustic/jazz type genres.
What source are u using for the BLON? Is it hard to drive?

 

[DynamicEars]

My Blon BL-03 just arrived. What a treat! But it wasn't until I finally found some tips that worked for me (TFZ XL), added a spacer on the nozzle and put on a NiceHCK balanced cable. Then the magic started.

The main quality that I notice is clarity and detail retrieval. On "Jazz at the Pawnshop", I swear that I can "hear" the smoke in the jazz club when I close my eyes or maybe I am just so sure that I am sitting at a table in the club that there must be smoke around me. Another test track, Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley's excellent Leonard Cohen cover) I am hearing details that I haven't noticed before. The good news is that these details are not in my way of enjoying the music. Sometimes too many details come from a dialed up treble, resulting in quick listening fatigue, but not here. Besides clarity, the BL-03 also is very organic. The music just sounds "right" with a natural timbre.

The BL-03 does best on tracks where there is a good dynamic range. This means that some overproduced pop and rock tracks sound a little flat, while more acoustic music or some remastered pop/rock tracks sound absolutely out of this world. For instance, some of the remastered classic David Bowie tracks sound phenomenal ("Young Americans").

I have not done a detailed side by side comparison with my Toneking 9Tails. It is going to be tough. The 9Tails is so organic and smooth, but the Blon adds another level of detail that I have not heard in the 9Tail.

All in all the Blon shouldn't cost only $26. It is simply competing at a different level. Now, it takes some work to get to its full potential. Out of the box, it was meh at best. With the right tips, spacers and a good cable, it is absolutely astonishing.

Since I am late to this party (hype train) I'm probably preaching to the choir

crazy right? very detailed yet musical, balanced but engaging, very clear.. and most important very cheap for what you got.

Wicked stuff!
Yeah from the reviews from the headfiers, it looks like the BLON will excel at acoustic/jazz type genres.
What source are u using for the BLON? Is it hard to drive?

that's why the BLON suits me perfectly, like i ordered an IEM based on my custom FR. They are easy to drive, your sonata HD will do that well enough.

 

[alvinlim2010]

Any thoughts on the comparison between the Blon and the VE Bonus IE? I have the BIE on the way, and curious how it would stack up to the Blon.

 

[Markolav]

First Shozy Form 1.1-review:

https://www.antdroid.net/2019/09/shozy-form-11-iem-review.html

Available tomorrow on Massdrop, "official" release later in October.

 

[ShakyJake]

Wicked stuff!
Yeah from the reviews from the headfiers, it looks like the BLON will excel at acoustic/jazz type genres.
What source are u using for the BLON? Is it hard to drive?

My source for The Blon BL-03 is a Pioneer XDP-30R DAP using a balanced cable. I haven't tested it to see if it is hard to drive, but the reviews have not indicated this.

While it is great at Acoustic/Jazz, I would rather say that the reproduction is Hi-Fi in the truest sense of the word: Great source material sounds wonderful, while compressed, over-engineered material sounds flat at best.

 

[Grayson73]

Looking for a recommendation for wireless IEM under $50 for pop music. For reference, I love the sound sig of the LZ-A2, LZ-A2s, and Zero Audio Carbo Tenore. Thanks in advance!

 

[phikr1]

guys quick question but before that fyi i mostly listen to metal and rock.
so the question is ZS10 Pro, ZSX, CCA C12, TRN V90, NICEHCK DB3, which one ??

 

[complete]

First Shozy Form 1.1-review:

https://www.antdroid.net/2019/09/shozy-form-11-iem-review.html

Available tomorrow on Massdrop, "official" release later in October.

hello, thanks for the publication, is GuideRay GR-i the same headset?I read somewhere they're the same

 

[HungryPanda]

guys quick question but before that fyi i mostly listen to metal and rock.
so the question is ZS10 Pro, ZSX, CCA C12, TRN V90, NICEHCK DB3, which one ??

I have been listening to the KZ ZSX playing Queenscryche, Rishloo and Rick Miller and they all sound awesome

 

[CoiL]

I'm halfway kidding.

I'm not going to say that I hate the BL-03 and start a flame war against everyone that does but they're not my preffered signature.

They do most things right but the mid bass just ruins them for me. I've always been very sensitive with too much mid bass in the same way that some are sensitive to sibilance or other issue that a pair of IEM's may have. The mid bass on the BL-03 is just too much for me, it crosses that line that can make or brake any pair of IEM's for me. To my ears the vocals (which has great quality) get pushed back behind the midbass on alot of the music that I listen to. It's really a pity as I like pretty much everything else that they do. My go to track to check this is Better together by Jack Johnson, if I find the mid bass too intrusive on that song on any pairoof IEM's I pretty much always end up not using the IEM's in question and unfortunately the BL-03 does this for me (it does it on quite a few other songs as well). Like I said this is probably exactly the same way some people feels about sibilance or forward upper midrange for example. I don't think people who's got problems with this could ever fully enjoy a pair of IEM's where this is present either. Not much to do about it as it's is personal preference and the ears that hears it that decide.

Actually I'm kind of sad that I can't enjoy the high level of resolution, clarity, soundstage and everything else that they offer. Even the bass does have great quality, just not the amount that I'm happy with.

Today I've been going back and forth between the BL-03 and the VE Bonus and for me the Bonus is just so much more enjoyable. To the rest of you, that doesn't have any problems with the mid bass, I can easily understand that you're enjoying these.

And yes I've tried it with quite a lot of different sources and even more tips

Oh, crinacle has updated his graph tool and added the Blon.




I said baby Oxygen but I think it isn't a baby at all, lol.
It seems closer to Oxygen to me but Oxygens have 2 vents (side vent and front vent) and Blon has only 1 vent (correct?), might that explain the slightly extra bass energy.

Those graphs and my "allergy" to mid-bass (Peter noting it) make me less hyped about BLON BL-03. Hope it isn`t so bad.

My Blon BL-03 just arrived. What a treat! But it wasn't until I finally found some tips that worked for me (TFZ XL), added a spacer on the nozzle and put on a NiceHCK balanced cable. Then the magic started.

The main quality that I notice is clarity and detail retrieval. On "Jazz at the Pawnshop", I swear that I can "hear" the smoke in the jazz club when I close my eyes or maybe I am just so sure that I am sitting at a table in the club that there must be smoke around me. Another test track, Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley's excellent Leonard Cohen cover) I am hearing details that I haven't noticed before. The good news is that these details are not in my way of enjoying the music. Sometimes too many details come from a dialed up treble, resulting in quick listening fatigue, but not here. Besides clarity, the BL-03 also is very organic. The music just sounds "right" with a natural timbre.

The BL-03 does best on tracks where there is a good dynamic range. This means that some overproduced pop and rock tracks sound a little flat, while more acoustic music or some remastered pop/rock tracks sound absolutely out of this world. For instance, some of the remastered classic David Bowie tracks sound phenomenal ("Young Americans").

I have not done a detailed side by side comparison with my Toneking 9Tails. It is going to be tough. The 9Tails is so organic and smooth, but the Blon adds another level of detail that I have not heard in the 9Tail.

All in all the Blon shouldn't cost only $26. It is simply competing at a different level. Now, it takes some work to get to its full potential. Out of the box, it was meh at best. With the right tips, spacers and a good cable, it is absolutely astonishing.

Since I am late to this party (hype train) I'm probably preaching to the choir

Contrary, this impression makes me think BL-03 will be great.

Will have to wait and hear myself.

Any thoughts on the comparison between the Blon and the VE Bonus IE? I have the BIE on the way, and curious how it would stack up to the Blon.

I have BL-03 and BIE both on the transit. Will do comparison to MH755 and KPE too.
Will also measure them all with my gear.