[Slater]

Except that the QC of the urbanfun is really questionable and you don't know of you are getting the beryllium or noble metal version.

As long as it's white box, it's beryllium

 

[RikudouGoku]

As long as it's white box, it's beryllium

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/urbanfun-ybf-iss014-impressions-thread.921709/page-75#post-15918663

Doesn't seem like that is 100% the case.

 

[RicHSAD]

Except that the QC of the urbanfun is really questionable and you don't know of you are getting the beryllium or noble metal version.

The QC issue is definitely a concern but it's still the exception rather than the norm. I wouldn't let that stop me from getting a great IEM, especially if you can get them from somewhere that will take care of you in case of issues. As for the whole beryllium vs noble metal version thing, I just think people care too much. I know someone on here had both and apparently they sound nearly the same. I personally have no idea which version I got (bought them just before the big hype) and all I know is that they sound awesome.

 

[RikudouGoku]

The QC issue is definitely a concern but it's still the exception rather than the norm. I wouldn't let that stop me from getting a great IEM, especially if you can get them from somewhere that will take care of you in case of issues. As for the whole beryllium vs noble metal version thing, I just think people care too much. I know someone on here had both and apparently they sound nearly the same. I personally have no idea which version I got (bought them just before the big hype) and all I know is that they sound awesome.

All I'm saying is that people should know there can be issues with it.

And personally I would not support a brand like that, when they constantly raised the price and claimed they fixed the QC issues and taking months to do so. But still having issues is unacceptable.

I rather not spend my money on something so uncertain.

 

[RicHSAD]

All I'm saying is that people should know there can be issues with it.

And personally I would not support a brand like that, when they constantly raised the price and claimed they fixed the QC issues and taking months to do so. But still having issues is unacceptable.

I rather not spend my money on something so uncertain.

All fair points, but when per your own ranking they compete with IEMs costing 2-3 times as much (despite the price increase), I'm willing to cut them some slack. I'll pay $70 (which is still very cheap let's be real here) and risk QC issue if that could save me $200 over a competing product that might not even be as good to my ears. I'm not saying there's an excuse for QC issues, but it's not like they are the first to have issues and they won't be the last either. In the end, at $70 they are still a hell of bargain.

 

[Makahl]

My biggest issue with Urbanfun despite the QC concerns is the silent revision on tuning for the new white box models. You can have exactly the same driver, but if you change the tuning parts/material it'll lead to a change in the final sound as well.

I could spot a different damper material for the front-vent from different models. In the black box white-ish damper, I could point a LED flashlight at the front-vent and I'd be able to see through the mesh grill in a dark room whereas with the black damper (white box) it absorbs all the light and you can't see through the mesh grill. That tells me this material is thicker. As far as tuning goes, more dampening on the front-vent results in more bass, so the YBF white-box bass is a bit too much to my taste compared to what I got previously and the magic was gone to me.

Not even to say, when I opened the grill to check my driver's coating, just 1 side had a white cloth tuning part behind the grill (pic). I heard from another user who did the same, the cloth tuning was black in his unit.

So, IMO either Be or Noble metals is pointless in this case when you have already totally different tuning parts for different batches.

 

[RikudouGoku]

All fair points, but when per your own ranking they compete with IEMs 2-3 times as much (despite the price increase), I'm willing to cut them some slack. I'll pay $70 (which is still very cheap let's be real here) and risk QC issue if that could save me $200 over a competing product that might not even be as good to my ears. I'm not saying there's an excuse for QC issues, but it's not like they are the first to have issues and they won't be the last either. In the end, at $70 they are still a hell of bargain.

Yeah, that is the sad part. They do perform on a high level.
(Although the Fiio FH3 surpassed it in almost everything.)

 

[tgx78]

Left unit

Right unit


Check my urbanfun... no so fun!
Metal specks on diaphragm yay

 

[Slater]

Left unit


Right unit


Check my urbanfun... no so fun!
Metal specks on diaphragm yay

That’s noble metal.

Did yours come in a black or white box?

 

[tgx78]

That’s noble metal.

Did yours come in a black or white box?

Black. Took 5 months to get here. (Covid + got lost in transit and then resurfaced)

 

[IEMusic]

Thanks mate, I don't need isolation or easy drivability and my budget is around 40 usd. It's a damn shame everything is sooo v-shaped these days

I’d seriously consider the Jade Audio EA1, if it’s available where you are. It has good, but not overpowering bass, with good definition (beryllium coated driver), the upper midrange is a bit pronounced, but I don’t find it harsh, the treble is smooth, but not really well extended. It is a good all-purpose IEM IMO (if it truly sounds the same as the FiiO FD1).

 

[Lokiiami]

Technicalities: soundstage/imaging, detail, instrument separation and timbre

Tonality: note weight (how thick or thin it sounds), sound profile (V-shaped, L-shaped, U-shaped....)

Better technicalities would have bigger soundstage, more precise imaging, more details, better separation betweeen instruments and how close to the real thing the sound is (timbre).

Better tonality is more subjective, where rock/metal for example would be better with a thinner sound rather than a thick sound. And hip-hop being better with thicker sound.
For example, the Final Audio E5000 is the thickest sounding iem I have and it isnt very versatile in what it can play, same with the opposite - the Moondrop Blessing 2 is my thinnest sounding iem. (they are basically polar opposites.)

I like the way you describe very clear and easy to understand.
I started this hobby two months back seems to hear the difference for most of it by now especially tonality and timbre after listening to more varieties of iems and notices how the instruments and vocals sounded different although still pleasant.. However something I am still struggling with is the soundstage as the thing is inside the ears.
I'm also learning to listen to texture which I still dunno what it is.. such as bass mid and high textures...

 

[Lokiiami]

Deleted

 

[lgcubana]

I like the way you describe very clear and easy to understand.
I started this hobby two months back seems to hear the difference for most of it by now especially tonality and timbre after listening to more varieties of iems and notices how the instruments and vocals sounded different although still pleasant.. However something I am still struggling with is the soundstage as the thing is inside the ears.
I'm also learning to listen to texture which I still dunno what it is.. such as bass mid and high textures...

Soundstage: I too struggle with reviews that reference "Holographic" & "3D". I can pickup width easily enough, but until recently I struggled to discern height. Until I was doing an A/B between two sets that are noted to have an above average soundstage (KZ ZAX & KB Ear Tri i3). It's much easier to define a nuance, when one set has that attribute and the other, not so much. Depth is still a mystery for me

 

[RicHSAD]

One thing I find really influences the soundstage and imaging is the eartips you are using. Narrow and wide bore eartips don't present the sound the same way for example.