[baskingshark]

Would you say that KC2 is more balanced than HZSound Heart Mirror? I took both.

HZSound Heart Mirror is an upgrade over the KC2 in my opinion, you don't really need both TBH.

 

[baskingshark]

I've definitely come to the conclusion that different people's ears coverage of vents on the Moondrop SSR relates to different sound given the large variants in reviews and both love and hate for it, if I spot a cheap tin t2 plus I'll need to compare it, but overall I find the SSR silky smooth and not sibalent or overly shouty at all I've heard the stafields and it feels to me I get 95% of the quality including amazing soundstage/imaging for a far smaller price, and the fast, detail bass is actually a dream to me, much more fun sounding than the standard t2 (a reason I'm on the fence about trying the t2 plus is my ear canals are physically too small for the thicc T2 nozzles which actually hurt even with the smallest tips, so if anyone could verify the t2 plus's nozzles are thinner, please let me know)

It's actually rather sad to me that reviews don't mention nozzle thickness at all, it can make or break an IEM for me.

Agreed that ear anatomy (which affects pinna gain) and eartips can affect the SSR's sound perception. Plus we all have different hearing health (generally higher frequencies are lost as one gets older), different sources and even cables (for non cable skeptics).

Though my personal take is that the biggest area that the SSR is affected in is the volume we play it at AKA the Fletcher Munson curve. At higher volumes, the ear perceives the sound to be more V shaped, whereas at lower volumes, it is perceived to be more U shaped. I think the Moondrop SSR sounds great at lower volumes, but playing it louder (or in areas with poorer isolation where one needs to jack the volume up to compensate) will make the 3 kHz area overly prominent for some, myself included. As per your mention about most folks not mentioning nozzle thickness, most consumers and reviewers also don't commonly mention the volume they use their gear at. I listen at moderate to loud volumes, so perhaps that's why the 3 kHz area gets to me.

 

[onlyteagan]

U can read about Tin T2, BQEYZ KC2, HZSound Heart Mirror. The Tin T2 Plus is near neutralish, but more of a U shaped I would say, due to the boosted bass.

Tin T2 is a bit bass anaemic at the subbass. I got rid of my set a few months back, but I think the HZSound Heart Mirror is a true upgrade over it and the BQEYZ KC2.

HZSound Heart Mirror is neutralish bright, fast transients and good technical performance for a single DD. Needs amping though, don't get it if u have a low powered source. The soundstage is not that good too, but it has very accurate timbre for vocals and acoustic instruments, one of the best I've heard at sub $100. HZSound Heart Mirror manages to get vocals forward without being shouty, a very difficult thing to achieve for a budget single DD.

Tin T2 Plus is U shaped, quite good timbre and tonality. Technical performance is about average. Very smooth and non offensive. It has issues with MMCX connectors though, best to buy from Amazon or somewhere where u can get a solid returns policy.

Read about the TIN series, do you reckon the T2 Plus, with it's U Shaped Sound Signature, but average technical performance, is it a good idea to just jump up to the TIN T4? or to the TRI StarSeas for it's tunable nature (I can get a U shaped Signature too right?) (read your review a few days ago), If all I am aiming for is better technicalities?

PS: The HZSound looks interesting but it is not readily available in my country

 

[unifutomaki]

Read about the TIN series, do you reckon the T2 Plus, with it's U Shaped Sound Signature, but average technical performance, is it a good idea to just jump up to the TIN T4? or to the TRI StarSeas for it's tunable nature (I can get a U shaped Signature too right?) (read your review a few days ago), If all I am aiming for is better technicalities?

PS: The HZSound looks interesting but it is not readily available in my country

If you're considering the T4, you might as well just save money and get the T2 Plus. For the Starsea, it depends on what source you're intending to use with them as it has a very low impedance of 9 Ohms. Following the rule of eights, your source should have an output impedance of around 1 Ohm or less.

 

[LoryWiv]

If you're considering the T4, you might as well just save money and get the T2 Plus. For the Starsea, it depends on what source you're intending to use with them as it has a very low impedance of 9 Ohms. Following the rule of rights, your source should have an output impedance of around 1 Ohm or less.

Rule of eights?

 

[unifutomaki]

Rule of eights?

Thanks, good catch darn autocorrect

 

[IEMusic]

If you're considering the T4, you might as well just save money and get the T2 Plus.

I have both. I concur.

 

[onlyteagan]

If you're considering the T4, you might as well just save money and get the T2 Plus. For the Starsea, it depends on what source you're intending to use with them as it has a very low impedance of 9 Ohms. Following the rule of eights, your source should have an output impedance of around 1 Ohm or less.

It will most likely be used on a Fiio M7 DAP whose output impedance is stated to be <2 Ohms, but I guess it's not 1 Ohm? Do you think I can "trick" the DAP by using an impedance adapter like DUNUs?

 

[unifutomaki]

It will most likely be used on a Fiio M7 DAP whose output impedance is stated to be <2 Ohms, but I guess it's not 1 Ohm? Do you think I can "trick" the DAP by using an impedance adapter like DUNUs?

I have no experience with those, so perhaps someone else can advise. As far as I can tell though, those seem to increase output impedance rather than decreasing it.

 

[baskingshark]

Read about the TIN series, do you reckon the T2 Plus, with it's U Shaped Sound Signature, but average technical performance, is it a good idea to just jump up to the TIN T4? or to the TRI StarSeas for it's tunable nature (I can get a U shaped Signature too right?) (read your review a few days ago), If all I am aiming for is better technicalities?

PS: The HZSound looks interesting but it is not readily available in my country

Haven't tried the Tin T4, the esteemed friends in this thread that have both have advised Tin T2 plus over T4, so I'll listen to them.

TRI Starsea, as a few have mentioned, is a very source picky IEM due to the 9ish ohms output impedance, so something < 1 ohm or even close to zero for source output impedance is ideal. TRI Starsea's FR sounds skewed if u use higher output impedance gear, I feel it becomes a bit bass lite and shouty.

As per comparing single DD types to multi driver types at the budget segment, TRI Starsea is a multi driver set, it beats the T2 Plus (single DD) in clarity, instrument separation, details and imaging. The single DD Tin T2 Plus has better timbre and tonality though as per its single DD roots. So depends whether u go for technical performance over timbre and maybe also the music genres u listen to. TRI Starsea has a BA timbre for acoustic instruments in the mids/treble frequencies like for woodwinds and brass instruments, whereas Tin T2 Plus sounds quite natural for these acoustic instruments, but technical performance isn't as great. If isolation is of importance, the TRI Starsea has shells like semi customs, super good fit and isolation, Tin T2 Plus' isolation is below average.

I read lots of good things about the NM2+, a single DD midfi set, seems to be neutralish bright with very good technical performance, I think that is a set u can consider too, if u are looking for something neutralish at the higher end.

 

[onlyteagan]

I have no experience with those, so perhaps someone else can advise. As far as I can tell though, those seem to increase output impedance rather than decreasing it.

what I aim to do is to actually increase the IEMs impedance,, is that even possible?

 

[RikudouGoku]

what I aim to do is to actually increase the IEMs impedance,, is that even possible?

That is exactly what an impedance adapter will do, such as these:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32839680827.html

It adds to the already existing impedance in the iem, so if you have an iem with 16 ohms and you connect it with the 200 ohm adaptet, it becomes 216 ohms.


You could also try the Ifi iematch: https://ifi-audio.com/faqs/the-iematch-is-not-an-impedance-adapter/

 

[baskingshark]

That is exactly what an impedance adapter will do, such as these:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32839680827.html


It adds to the already existing impedance in the iem, so if you have an iem with 16 ohms and you connect it with the 200 ohm adaptet, it becomes 216 ohms.


You could also try the Ifi iematch: https://ifi-audio.com/faqs/the-iematch-is-not-an-impedance-adapter/

I haven't tried these brands before, but I think I used a cheap impedance adapter before, some no brand one from a local shop, it made the sound quality degrade. Maybe it was a cheap set so that's why, but would be interested to see if others have tried the Iematch and these DUNU ones, and whether it affected the sound?

 

[IEMusic]

I’ve used a couple impedance adapters from Penon, and they work great. The 75 Ohm adapter makes the Etymotic ER3 sound more like the ER4, as is well documented. The 20Ohm adapter in the Mangird Tea increases the bass and overall warmth w/o any obvious penalty that I can tell, other than the expected change in tonality. Soundstage, transparency, imaging all remain excellent.

 

[ShakeThoseCans]

Read about the TIN series, do you reckon the T2 Plus, with it's U Shaped Sound Signature, but average technical performance, is it a good idea to just jump up to the TIN T4? or to the TRI StarSeas for it's tunable nature (I can get a U shaped Signature too right?) (read your review a few days ago), If all I am aiming for is better technicalities?

PS: The HZSound looks interesting but it is not readily available in my country

As several others have said, it is probably better to pick up the T2 Plus instead of the T4.

The T4 has greater detail retrieval and microdetail, but I don't know if that really enhances the musicality of a track. I don't think it's more coherent. The T2+ is pretty coherent. It lacks the faux-leather carrying case of the T4, but it's $40 cheaper.

[Fit is way better on the T2+ and that clinches it for me].

Another option is to wait for upcoming TinHifi models that use 2-pin or something instead of MMCX. That's the build weakness of both T4 and T2+. The counterpoint to all this is that that T4's superior technicalities might make it better for classical music, although I haven't necessarily found that to be the case. Maybe I'll have to give both a listen today.