Very well said ! Totally agree!
DIY Earbuds
- Thread starter gwompki
- Start date
I still have a problem !!!
Money today is very hard to earn. From my point of view it is not normal to charge $ 150 for a $ 10 driver. At least make the splitter and the jack from gold. Can I say this is called deception and not business? Or is it stupid who pays the money not who asks for the money?
I hope I didn't bother or upset anyone!
Thanks !
Money today is very hard to earn. From my point of view it is not normal to charge $ 150 for a $ 10 driver. At least make the splitter and the jack from gold. Can I say this is called deception and not business? Or is it stupid who pays the money not who asks for the money?
I hope I didn't bother or upset anyone!
Thanks !
I hope i didn't offend anyone by saying that
What i meant is that a lot of branded and expensive earbuds usually are nothing more than a "drag and drop" or they aren't tuned to their full potential so any earbuds with a decent tuning will sound exceptonal to most and i'm sure from all the feedback that Irv003 did a great job with it!
I'm happy that so many people enjoyed the 32pro because it showed everyone what DIY earbuds can achieve with such a little budget.
I hope that many more people will join us in the following months, that's why i'm working on a guide to introduce more people to the hobby. I'll publish it very soon, it will be my Christmas gift for all of you.
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BotByte
Headphoneus Supremus
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Audiophilia and such hobbies are hobbies where there are big money holes. No one is forcing you to pay a ton of money for gear, that's your choice. So I say, push the "money is hard, this is expensive" argument to the side.
I think as we're in the DIY sector, we understand more of the profit-margins in consumer audio gear.
Consumer audio gear has some of the biggest profit margins at certain points. The cheap stuff have to be sold in bulk, but the more expensive stuff has wider and wider profit margins.
We understand this, but it's two-fold.
First, we pay single-sale pricing. Our $4-5 a pair drivers can be found for under $1 as wholesale. We pay like 3-10X as much for individual parts.
Second, we don't see the work, labor and expertise put in some products. We're pretty much copying proven designs, or other people have experimented at the cost of their time and money. A (good) big company might test extensively, work with manufactures, and have to put up the money to get a product on the market. China makes this easy, and 'crowdfunding' helps curve some issues. Now, bad companies that just smash things together and throw it on the market aren't good, but I think consumers are getting wise to this.
For small DIY companies, I don't have much of an issue so long as they're cool. Newbsounds seems like they put in the work and don't charge stupid prices, and their service seems good. Also, big props for being open about which driver they're using--they could just perma-glue the driver in place and say "it's a sekret".
I've seen far, far worse companies on HeadFi and other audio boards. One (unnamed) notable company uses some of the cheapest parts on the market and charges 1,000X the price of parts for that stuff to be dressed up, on a pretty website, with BS terminology to stroke their buyer's ego. This company was on the home page of an audio site. What an embarrassment.
I apologize if I offended anyone as well but my post wasnt meant to be condescending. It was more to question why some people judge an earbuds sound before having heard it themselves just because of the type of driver used.
For those that haven't tried properly tuned earbuds, it just doesn't sit well with me when I see them buy multiple overpriced models of a certain brand and are never satisfied, yet some people who have never heard it are still eager to defend the pricing.
This is a DIY thread right? I would guess most of the fun comes from being able to share experience, the costs, how to, and most of all how to get the best value when DIYing as a community. If a tuner has done a great job with a normal n52 driver, I'd say that should be congratulated! instead of calling it mere hype.
Again, this is not directed at anyone, but I do wish more people would give smaller makers a chance.
For those that haven't tried properly tuned earbuds, it just doesn't sit well with me when I see them buy multiple overpriced models of a certain brand and are never satisfied, yet some people who have never heard it are still eager to defend the pricing.
This is a DIY thread right? I would guess most of the fun comes from being able to share experience, the costs, how to, and most of all how to get the best value when DIYing as a community. If a tuner has done a great job with a normal n52 driver, I'd say that should be congratulated! instead of calling it mere hype.
Again, this is not directed at anyone, but I do wish more people would give smaller makers a chance.
You're right but you can't hype some buds in the DIY thread. Believe me, most of the active members of THIS thread tried all the drivers on the market! You can hype in Earbuds thread for buds that you like but it's hard here because we know all the builds, prices and tunings.
It was no problem, for example, to praise the N52 driver.
I have all the respect for Diyers for all their hard work but once again I say that it's hard to make hype here in the DIY thread.
I hope I made myself clear.
Thanks !
It was no problem, for example, to praise the N52 driver.
I have all the respect for Diyers for all their hard work but once again I say that it's hard to make hype here in the DIY thread.
I hope I made myself clear.
Thanks !
Oh you're definitely right! I wasn't trying to hype anything. If only some people in earbuds thread were as open minded as the DIYers here.
You have great collection of buds, and I think that you need to start with DIY ASAP
Totally agreeYou have great collection of buds, and I think that you need to start with DIY ASAP
BotByte
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2010
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Ok folks, here's my impression of the new 15.4mm 300ohm DLC carbon nano tube drivers.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003536966575.html
The short: TOTL right out of the bag. Best bass I have, a little warmth in mids, highs are articulate without being piercing. Good soundstage, accuracy, positioning, while staying smooth and detailed. "L-shaped" sound, maybe? Bass with neutral mids and highs.
I was curious of these drivers so I grabbed a pair. The 300ohm, because for a few bucks more, why not?
Tuning: Swapped these into some stock MX500 shells. RY cable with proper air, shell with just horseshoe foam, nothing special. The drivers on NSC have foam behind them, other stores like Chitty's show no foam. Haven't adjusted this yet.
Bass: MASSIVE SURPRISE. I swapped these for my 64ohm composite Ti drivers, and I'll say they match the bass output. Good power, articulate. And -- dare I say it -- the bass reaches DEEPER. 64ohm comp-ti reaches low already for earbuds, but these reach just a touch lower. My deep-sub-bass test song is Phantom by Justice. There's some absurdly low <30hz rumble in this track that even many IEMs can't hit. 64ohm comp-ti touches some of that rumble; DLC 300ohm hits it, like dead on. No bloat like Fiio FH3s or Mangird Teas; just solid rumble. Mid-bass has good power, but doesn't bleed into the mids too much. Now, I think 130ohm berry has better defined bass, at the cost of less power behind them. The DLC 300ohm remind me of a mix between 64ohm full ti rivet mod with their bass and soundstage, and 64ohm comp-ti with their depth and accuracy. @Rary get these!
Mids: The mids are rather similar to the 64ohm comp-ti. Good presence, articulation. There's a good amount of space and soundstage with the mids, maybe at the off-set of making guitars and vocals seem a little soft. But I say this as someone who likes peaks in the mids, so from a neutral standpoint, I'd say these drivers have a great tonality throughout. Nothing offensive, not veiled, but smooth and a good amount of space without feeling distant. Compared to the 130ohms that just throw details at you, these DLC 300ohm are an easier listen. I found myself enjoying female vocals more on these compared male vocals--maybe a touch more in the upper-mids versus lower mids. Pianos sound amazing on these!
Highs: Similar to the 64ohm comp-it as they're unoffensive, but have nice definition and sparkle when it's called for. Not as much extension as 130ohm berry, but those drivers can have offensive treble for treble-sensitive folks due to their extension. Cymbals still strike well, high hats and whatnot. For the most part, the highs carry the same as the mids: Smooth and present, with some width and depth, but maybe not as detailed as more aggressive drivers out there.
Soundstage/detail/staging/accuracy: These rather remind me of red-dot 19/21 with (as stock) very good soundstage and positioning. Good width and expansion. Accuracy is on-point. Something about the soundstage and smoothness lends them well to not-so-well recorded music, and easier listening. 130ohm berry, in comparison, force detail on you and can feel a bit aggressive and badly recorded songs just sound bad due to them revealing EVERYTHING. The DLC 300ohm are a bit more laid back, doesn't throw the faults as much.
Closing thoughts: I still have some time to spend with these, driver burn-in or brain burn-in. But from the bag, I'm really enjoying these drivers. These are going to become my go-to earbuds for bassy, easy listening. They're an easy recommendation for folks wanting TOTL bass drivers. I'd recommend these over 64ohm comp-ti in a heartbeat.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003536966575.html
The short: TOTL right out of the bag. Best bass I have, a little warmth in mids, highs are articulate without being piercing. Good soundstage, accuracy, positioning, while staying smooth and detailed. "L-shaped" sound, maybe? Bass with neutral mids and highs.
I was curious of these drivers so I grabbed a pair. The 300ohm, because for a few bucks more, why not?
Tuning: Swapped these into some stock MX500 shells. RY cable with proper air, shell with just horseshoe foam, nothing special. The drivers on NSC have foam behind them, other stores like Chitty's show no foam. Haven't adjusted this yet.
Bass: MASSIVE SURPRISE. I swapped these for my 64ohm composite Ti drivers, and I'll say they match the bass output. Good power, articulate. And -- dare I say it -- the bass reaches DEEPER. 64ohm comp-ti reaches low already for earbuds, but these reach just a touch lower. My deep-sub-bass test song is Phantom by Justice. There's some absurdly low <30hz rumble in this track that even many IEMs can't hit. 64ohm comp-ti touches some of that rumble; DLC 300ohm hits it, like dead on. No bloat like Fiio FH3s or Mangird Teas; just solid rumble. Mid-bass has good power, but doesn't bleed into the mids too much. Now, I think 130ohm berry has better defined bass, at the cost of less power behind them. The DLC 300ohm remind me of a mix between 64ohm full ti rivet mod with their bass and soundstage, and 64ohm comp-ti with their depth and accuracy. @Rary get these!
Mids: The mids are rather similar to the 64ohm comp-ti. Good presence, articulation. There's a good amount of space and soundstage with the mids, maybe at the off-set of making guitars and vocals seem a little soft. But I say this as someone who likes peaks in the mids, so from a neutral standpoint, I'd say these drivers have a great tonality throughout. Nothing offensive, not veiled, but smooth and a good amount of space without feeling distant. Compared to the 130ohms that just throw details at you, these DLC 300ohm are an easier listen. I found myself enjoying female vocals more on these compared male vocals--maybe a touch more in the upper-mids versus lower mids. Pianos sound amazing on these!
Highs: Similar to the 64ohm comp-it as they're unoffensive, but have nice definition and sparkle when it's called for. Not as much extension as 130ohm berry, but those drivers can have offensive treble for treble-sensitive folks due to their extension. Cymbals still strike well, high hats and whatnot. For the most part, the highs carry the same as the mids: Smooth and present, with some width and depth, but maybe not as detailed as more aggressive drivers out there.
Soundstage/detail/staging/accuracy: These rather remind me of red-dot 19/21 with (as stock) very good soundstage and positioning. Good width and expansion. Accuracy is on-point. Something about the soundstage and smoothness lends them well to not-so-well recorded music, and easier listening. 130ohm berry, in comparison, force detail on you and can feel a bit aggressive and badly recorded songs just sound bad due to them revealing EVERYTHING. The DLC 300ohm are a bit more laid back, doesn't throw the faults as much.
Closing thoughts: I still have some time to spend with these, driver burn-in or brain burn-in. But from the bag, I'm really enjoying these drivers. These are going to become my go-to earbuds for bassy, easy listening. They're an easy recommendation for folks wanting TOTL bass drivers. I'd recommend these over 64ohm comp-ti in a heartbeat.
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During the last sale i was undecided between the 300ohm DLC and the Super One drivers and in the end i decided to buy the latter because i was afraid that the rigid carbon membrane couldn't do bass well enough for my taste ( + they are being sold for way too much on Ali since you can find them for close to 5$ in other Asian stores...)
I kinda regret it now since the Super one drivers required an incredible amount of work to convert to MX500 and they turned out to be fairly disappointing albeit very good looking!
Great first impression. Be sure to post your build (beauty shot) and link for the driver.Ok folks, here's my impression of the new 15.4mm 300ohm DLC carbon nano tube drivers.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003536966575.html
The short: TOTL right out of the bag. Best bass I have, a little warmth in mids, highs are articulate without being piercing. Good soundstage, accuracy, positioning, while staying smooth and detailed. "L-shaped" sound, maybe? Bass with neutral mids and highs.
I was curious of these drivers so I grabbed a pair. The 300ohm, because for a few bucks more, why not?
Tuning: Swapped these into some stock MX500 shells. RY cable with proper air, shell with just horseshoe foam, nothing special. The drivers on NSC have foam behind them, other stores like Chitty's show no foam. Haven't adjusted this yet.
Bass: MASSIVE SURPRISE. I swapped these for my 64ohm composite Ti drivers, and I'll say they match the bass output. Good power, articulate. And -- dare I say it -- the bass reaches DEEPER. 64ohm comp-ti reaches low already for earbuds, but these reach just a touch lower. My deep-sub-bass test song is Phantom by Justice. There's some absurdly low <30hz rumble in this track that even many IEMs can't hit. 64ohm comp-ti touches some of that rumble; DLC 300ohm hits it, like dead on. No bloat like Fiio FH3s or Mangird Teas; just solid rumble. Mid-bass has good power, but doesn't bleed into the mids too much. Now, I think 130ohm berry has better defined bass, at the cost of less power behind them. The DLC 300ohm remind me of a mix between 64ohm full ti rivet mod with their bass and soundstage, and 64ohm comp-ti with their depth and accuracy. @Rary get these!
Mids: The mids are rather similar to the 64ohm comp-ti. Good presence, articulation. There's a good amount of space and soundstage with the mids, maybe at the off-set of making guitars and vocals seem a little soft. But I say this as someone who likes peaks in the mids, so from a neutral standpoint, I'd say these drivers have a great tonality throughout. Nothing offensive, not veiled, but smooth and a good amount of space without feeling distant. Compared to the 130ohms that just throw details at you, these DLC 300ohm are an easier listen. I found myself enjoying female vocals more on these compared male vocals--maybe a touch more in the upper-mids versus lower mids. Pianos sound amazing on these!
Highs: Similar to the 64ohm comp-it as they're unoffensive, but have nice definition and sparkle when it's called for. Not as much extension as 130ohm berry, but those drivers can have offensive treble for treble-sensitive folks due to their extension. Cymbals still strike well, high hats and whatnot. For the most part, the highs carry the same as the mids: Smooth and present, with some width and depth, but maybe not as detailed as more aggressive drivers out there.
Soundstage/detail/staging/accuracy: These rather remind me of red-dot 19/21 with (as stock) very good soundstage and positioning. Good width and expansion. Accuracy is on-point. Something about the soundstage and smoothness lends them well to not-so-well recorded music, and easier listening. 130ohm berry, in comparison, force detail on you and can feel a bit aggressive and badly recorded songs just sound bad due to them revealing EVERYTHING. The DLC 300ohm are a bit more laid back, doesn't throw the faults as much.
Closing thoughts: I still have some time to spend with these, driver burn-in or brain burn-in. But from the bag, I'm really enjoying these drivers. These are going to become my go-to earbuds for bassy, easy listening. They're an easy recommendation for folks wanting TOTL bass drivers. I'd recommend these over 64ohm comp-ti in a heartbeat.
Anyway... keep up good work
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