[ClieOS]

Are Sennheiser MX 980 still a top contender compared to modern offerings?

Any ideas on where I should start/look?

MX980 has been discontinued for 6 yrs now. It was replaced by MX985 which is also discontinued for about 4 yrs now.

Here are a few ToTL earbuds for you to research that are still in the market and not very difficult to get: Moondrop Liebesleid, Shozy BK (or better yet, BK Limited), Simphonio SW-Dragon 2+ (aka SWD2+), Blox TM9, Rose Mojito (classical music only), K's Earphone Black Ling.

 

[DBaldock9]

MX980 has been discontinued for 6 yrs now. It was replaced by MX985 which is also discontinued for about 4 yrs now.

Here are a few ToTL earbuds for you to research that are still in the market and not very difficult to get: Moondrop Liebesleid, Shozy BK (or better yet, BK Limited), Simphonio SW-Dragon 2+ (aka SWD2+), Blox TM9, Rose Mojito (classical music only), K's Earphone Black Ling.

Unfortunately, the Mojito seems to be out of stock, everywhere except one listing on Shopee.

 

[blackberriesandthinkpads]

MX980 has been discontinued for 6 yrs now. It was replaced by MX985 which is also discontinued for about 4 yrs now.

Here are a few ToTL earbuds for you to research that are still in the market and not very difficult to get: Moondrop Liebesleid, Shozy BK (or better yet, BK Limited), Simphonio SW-Dragon 2+ (aka SWD2+), Blox TM9, Rose Mojito (classical music only), K's Earphone Black Ling.

Thanks, I'm guessing ToTL means top of the line? And so it begins...

I know the MX980 are discontinued, but I may have found a NOS pair, wanted to know if they're still relevant?

Also, why classical only with the Rose Mojito? I listen to everything, also use my headphones for movies, shows and video games a lot too, probably more so than music.

 

[jogawag]

MX980 has been discontinued for 6 yrs now. It was replaced by MX985 which is also discontinued for about 4 yrs now.

Here are a few ToTL earbuds for you to research that are still in the market and not very difficult to get: Moondrop Liebesleid, Shozy BK (or better yet, BK Limited), Simphonio SW-Dragon 2+ (aka SWD2+), Blox TM9, Rose Mojito (classical music only), K's Earphone Black Ling.

Did K's 500, Cygnus LE, Rose Masya get down of "the champion level"?

 

[40760]

The dragon has landed... how many hours of burn in would do these SWD2+ their best?

 

[dhruvmeena96]

I was searching blox tm7 and I discovered that it us a monk + with @slappypete mod and the plastic holes all open and then increased impedance to turn it darker yet mini LCD

LoL.....

Almost all diy earphones have same driver until or unless they mention graphene and sort.

Monk+ with foam at back sounds like Vido and paper damper makes it sound like Faeal.

It all started with monk+.

I auditioned Zen Black and all I was able to tell was a way mature tuning compared to Zen.

The specs were also sort of same, nearby dB....some have higher impedance but I cannot see the change on driver overall topology and diaphragm topology.

Diaphragm has the same pattern design on all mx500 diy as monk(original mx500 diaphragm didn't had any pattern, just the concavish lens type transparent diaphragm with coil attach at center).

They are just selling the tuning and nothing else impressive. I modded my monk+ smoke as @slappypete with 2 vents at driver open for some relaxation from extreme damping. Outshines zen and most of the earbuds.

Now I will source some sound damping 1mm foam and replace my blutak

 

[Danneq]

Thanks, I'm guessing ToTL means top of the line? And so it begins...

I know the MX980 are discontinued, but I may have found a NOS pair, wanted to know if they're still relevant?

Also, why classical only with the Rose Mojito? I listen to everything, also use my headphones for movies, shows and video games a lot too, probably more so than music.

MX980/985 are still good. I would say that they are champion level (if I go by ClieOS terminology), but they are nowadays outdone by many newer earbuds. I have owned MX980 and 985 and still own a pair of OMX980 (with ear hooks). I won't sell those for a while, but I rarely use them.

Chinese makers have really improved in the last 5-6 years.

Indonesia has got some great smaller earbud makers. I have only heard earbuds from Cypherus (my favorite maker the last 2-3 years), ABnormal, Bengkel Macro and De'mun and they are all great.

I would add anything from Cypherus to the list of ClieOs TOTL earbuds. Cypherus only makes TOTL earbuds that range in price from $200-400 with the rare custom made pair exceding $600. All of them are made in relatively limited batches. Currently Cypherus offers CampFred 2 ($199) and ZoomFred ($249) as well as White CampFred which is based on CampFred 1 but fine tuned and with better cable etc. I think that one is closer to $400 but only 5 or so pairs will be made. I think both CampFred 2 and ZoomFred will not exceed 100 pairs made. Each pair is made after order and the buyer can choose single ended or balanced connector and some other customizations.
Most of the small DIY makers use the same housing that the old Sennheiser MX400/500 earbuds about 15 years ago used. It might not be the best fit for everyone.

Rose Mojito is very detailed and revealing but highs are quite sharp. I sold my pair because of that. I listen to a lot of metal and rock and it doesn't work at all with those genres.

 

[Danneq]

I was searching blox tm7 and I discovered that it us a monk + with @slappypete mod and the plastic holes all open and then increased impedance to turn it darker yet mini LCD

LoL.....

Almost all diy earphones have same driver until or unless they mention graphene and sort.

Monk+ with foam at back sounds like Vido and paper damper makes it sound like Faeal.

It all started with monk+.

I auditioned Zen Black and all I was able to tell was a way mature tuning compared to Zen.

The specs were also sort of same, nearby dB....some have higher impedance but I cannot see the change on driver overall topology and diaphragm topology.

Diaphragm has the same pattern design on all mx500 diy as monk(original mx500 diaphragm didn't had any pattern, just the concavish lens type transparent diaphragm with coil attach at center).

They are just selling the tuning and nothing else impressive. I modded my monk+ smoke as @slappypete with 2 vents at driver open for some relaxation from extreme damping. Outshines zen and most of the earbuds.

Now I will source some sound damping 1mm foam and replace my blutak

Blox TM7 was released in 2012, about 4 years before VE started making earbuds...

 

[dhruvmeena96]

Blox TM7 was released in 2012, about 4 years before VE started making earbuds...

Thanks...I correct myself...

But then blox started it

Ohhg just wait.mm

I m sure Monk is older than 2012

Dont know monk+

But veclan was turned into company later, monk was present on aliexpress etc. My dad bought it in 2010.

 

[dhruvmeena96]

And the best earbuds I have listened to were sony e262 and Sony e484.....they are pinnacle on my list.
If a chi fi can reach the stage of these, then that would be my last earbuds purchase.

 

[Danneq]

Thanks...I correct myself...

But then blox started it

Ohhg just wait.mm

I m sure Monk is older than 2012

Dont know monk+

But veclan was turned into company later, monk was present on aliexpress etc. My dad bought it in 2010.

Blox's first release was TM5. That must have been in 2010 or something. I started following Head fi around 2008/2009 and registered in 2010. Unfortunately I missed TM5 but bought TM7 in 2012.

I think Blox was the first smaller earbud maker that made earbuds using the old Sennheiser MX400/500 shell. At the time, around 2010 and earlier, there was also Yuin and Crossroad who used a smaller shell that is today called "Yuin shell". Today Shozy and also Simphonio uses it for their TOTL earbuds.

VE might have released the original Monk in 2015 or even 2014. They might have been active in the Chinese market only before that time. But I think that Monk was originally released internationally around 2015/2016. Monk sounded quite different from Monk+ and at first many people complained when Monk+ was released. I actually prefer Monk+ to the original Monk.

VE has done a great job with Monk and Monk+ to make people aware that earbuds can sound great and be cheap.

Edit:

I used to own Sony MDR E252, 282 and 484 as well as Aiwa HP V99. All of them are quite amazing and shows that TOTL earbuds could be made over 30 years ago.

But I have sold them. Many TOTL earbuds in 2018 can beat those old Sony and Aiwa earbuds in most areas.

 

[jogawag]

Blox's first release was TM5. That must have been in 2010 or something. I started following Head fi around 2008/2009 and registered in 2010. Unfortunately I missed TM5 but bought TM7 in 2012.

I think Blox was the first smaller earbud maker that made earbuds using the old Sennheiser MX400/500 shell. At the time, around 2010 and earlier, there was also Yuin and Crossroad who used a smaller shell that is today called "Yuin shell". Today Shozy and also Simphonio uses it for their TOTL earbuds.

VE might have released the original Monk in 2015 or even 2014. They might have been active in the Chinese market only before that time. But I think that Monk was originally released internationally around 2015/2016. Monk sounded quite different from Monk+ and at first many people complained when Monk+ was released. I actually prefer Monk+ to the original Monk.

VE has done a great job with Monk and Monk+ to make people aware that earbuds can sound great and be cheap.

Recently Earbuds called "Docomo Earbuds" has being become popular in Earbuds Anonymous etc. It was Earbuds developed by Docomo (actually Panasonic) in 2006, and that Shell was copied and used also by Yuin and Crossroad.
So, in the near future it may be called "Docomo shell" instead of "Yuin shell" and "PK shell".

 

[ClieOS]

T...
I know the MX980 are discontinued, but I may have found a NOS pair, wanted to know if they're still relevant?

Also, why classical only with the Rose Mojito? I listen to everything, also use my headphones for movies, shows and video games a lot too, probably more so than music.

MX980/985 are still excellent earbuds, but as said by @Danneq, there are better option out there now. Also, I don't want to recommend NOS Sennheiser's top end earbuds because their cable are known to crack over time. You might get a NOS pair now but the cable could crack after couples of months and you won't have warranty to claim.

Mojito is a great earbuds, but the tuning really only works best with classical music. Even the maker is listing Mojito as a classical only earbud on his own Taobao store.

Did K's 500, Cygnus LE, Rose Masya get down of "the champion level"?

They are not. I just thought I'll suggest the absolute best of the best first so he'll have a place to start. Cypherus would have made my list as well but they are not the easiest to buy.

 

[ClieOS]

Unfortunately, the Mojito seems to be out of stock, everywhere except one listing on Shopee.

Still available on Rose's Taobao store, so it is probably those resellers haven't restocked it yet.

 

[dhruvmeena96]

somebody try Blue Ever Blue model 328R......
it seems to me like the driver is effortlessly moving and creating scape and stage. didnt expected that HDSS will hit the earbud like a bus. i dont know how to explain that but it was a total enjoyment. i think it sounded better than YUIN PK3 to me....