[Ziggomatic]

A $139 earphone should work well out of the box. Basta! When a company has to be shown by a bunch of amateurs like us how to make their iem sound best, that's not good.

Totally. It's a weird hobby. The Spring1 is currently one of my favorite sets to listen to, maybe my second favorite behind the Flares Pro 2 HD. But would I recommend it? Not without a ton of caveats, no. Go figure.

 

[citral23]

Totally. It's a weird hobby. The Spring1 is currently one of my favorite sets to listen to, maybe my second favorite behind the Flares Pro 2 HD. But would I recommend it? Not without a ton of caveats, no. Go figure.

My favorite earbud isn't one I recommend Not that it needs tweaking, but it's really not very versatile, we can separate our recommendations from what we personally enjoy most, if the intent is really to help the other person instead of pushing for our own taste/purchases.

 

[Otto Motor]

Totally. It's a weird hobby. The Spring1 is currently one of my favorite sets to listen to, maybe my second favorite behind the Flares Pro 2 HD. But would I recommend it? Not without a ton of caveats, no. Go figure.

Another point: the western and eastern ear has different sonic preferences. My Singaporian friend claims Chinese (Asians in general) like "sawtooth"...that is a forward upper midrange. For example, the "screaming" NiceHCK NX7 sold very well in Japan.

But the Asian market is the biggest for Chi-Fi and the American and European markets are relatively small. That's why we are assisting with the tuning of a few models especially designed for western preferences. These models won't sell in Asia and they will be released in small badges of 250 or 500. That's very kind by the manufacturers because I don't see much money in that, considering their R&D cost.

I am at a loss why the Japanese like screaming earphones (their home stereos are rather mellow) and will test them by releasing an earphone review of the forthcoming KBEAR Diamond i1 in Japanese...let's see whether they bite.

 

[dharmasteve]

If anyone is interested the Semkarch CNT1 seems to be back down in price.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y87YR2C?ref=em_1p_1_ti&ref_=pe_27541390_456869190

 

[FastAndClean]

Grab the Semckarchy, it is fast and clean

 

[chinmie]

Another point: the western and eastern ear has different sonic preferences. My Singaporian friend claims Chinese (Asians in general) like "sawtooth"...that is a forward upper midrange. For example, the "screaming" NiceHCK NX7 sold very well in Japan.

But the Asian market is the biggest for Chi-Fi and the American and European markets are relatively small. That's why we are assisting with the tuning of a few models especially designed for western preferences. These models won't sell in Asia and they will be released in small badges of 250 or 500. That's very kind bey the manufacturers because I don't see much money in that, considering their R&D cost.

I am at a loss why the Japanese like screaming earphones (their home stereos are rather mellow) and will test them by releasing an earphone review of the forthcoming KBEAR Diamond i1 in Japanese...let's see whether they bite.

eastern ears, western ears.. that categorizations are a bit loose, and i think i would depends on the music, genre and recording took place more.

nashville and LA mixed songs differently (even in the same genre of rock, for example). even two different guys from tokyo might mix the same material differently.

an era also defines sound differences..different recording tech, consumer stereo system and the medium they are listening to at the time.

I'm Indonesian, but listens to lots of american and european artists, so what ears am I?

 

[mbwilson111]

so what ears am I?

International of course.

 

[Toastybob]

International of course.

"World."

 

[Otto Motor]

eastern ears, western ears.. that categorizations are a bit loose, and i think i would depends on the music, genre and recording took place more.

nashville and LA mixed songs differently (even in the same genre of rock, for example). even two different guys from tokyo might mix the same material differently.

an era also defines sound differences..different recording tech, consumer stereo system and the medium they are listening to at the time.

I'm Indonesian, but listens to lots of american and european artists, so what ears am I?

Agreed! It is just a crude distinction. French company Focal tunes differently compared to British manufacturers.

 

[Slater]

Agreed! It is just a crude distinction. French company Focal tunes differently compared to British manufacturers.

You should hear Kazakhstan - now they tune their audio stuff in a very unique way vs anyone else!

 

[chickenmoon]

Agreed! It is just a crude distinction. French company Focal tunes differently compared to British manufacturers.

What is the "British" sound? I've got IEMs from Atomic Floyd, Bower & Wilkins, Cambridge Audio, Flare Audio, KEF, IMR, Musical Fidelity, RHA & Rock Jaw and I can't figure out at all that they are all tuned by people from the same country when I listen to them...

 

[Otto Motor]

What is the "British" sound? I've got IEMs from Atomic Floyd, Bower & Wilkins, Cambridge Audio, Flare Audio, KEF, IMR, Musical Fidelity, RHA & Rock Jaw and I can't figure out at all that they are all tuned by people from the same country when I listen to them...

I was more referring to loudspeakers: the famous unique 2-way speakers by Wharfedale, Mission, Heybrook etc. in the 1980s. That combined with NAD, Mission, Cambridge Audio etc. amps, and a, sigh, German Dual CS 505 turntable on top of it. Or a Thorens with a Lynn Sondek tonearm. The two British iems I have (B&W, KEF) are generic bassy monsters.


@Slater: the manufacturer thinks the KBEAR Diamond won't do well in China because they don't like that tuning there.

 

[mbwilson111]

"World."

Human

 

[yorosello]

Another point: the western and eastern ear has different sonic preferences. My Singaporian friend claims Chinese (Asians in general) like "sawtooth"...that is a forward upper midrange. For example, the "screaming" NiceHCK NX7 sold very well in Japan.

But the Asian market is the biggest for Chi-Fi and the American and European markets are relatively small. That's why we are assisting with the tuning of a few models especially designed for western preferences. These models won't sell in Asia and they will be released in small badges of 250 or 500. That's very kind by the manufacturers because I don't see much money in that, considering their R&D cost.

I am at a loss why the Japanese like screaming earphones (their home stereos are rather mellow) and will test them by releasing an earphone review of the forthcoming KBEAR Diamond i1 in Japanese...let's see whether they bite.

Maybe because of the asian's pop song differ from westerns?

 

[CYoung234]

Another point: the western and eastern ear has different sonic preferences. My Singaporian friend claims Chinese (Asians in general) like "sawtooth"...that is a forward upper midrange. For example, the "screaming" NiceHCK NX7 sold very well in Japan.

But the Asian market is the biggest for Chi-Fi and the American and European markets are relatively small. That's why we are assisting with the tuning of a few models especially designed for western preferences. These models won't sell in Asia and they will be released in small badges of 250 or 500. That's very kind by the manufacturers because I don't see much money in that, considering their R&D cost.

I am at a loss why the Japanese like screaming earphones (their home stereos are rather mellow) and will test them by releasing an earphone review of the forthcoming KBEAR Diamond i1 in Japanese...let's see whether they bite.

Well, compare the sound of a Yamaha grand piano to a Bosendorfer.... Or Yamaha trumpets to the classic Bach or Monette....