[boblauer]

Just about everything is coming out of China these days, and the cost of running a business there is significantly higher now than it is a decade ago. I have been there 3 times already over the last few years, and things changed so fast it can make your head spins.

Truer words never spoken. I traveled to China to help setup a manufacturing plant for my current employer, IT wise, @6 years ago. Fast forward to a couple months ago and we were sold to a company that has huge manufacturing facilities in China and in conference calls over the last couple months I honesty cannot fathom how much the cost to run a plant there has changed.

Anyhow on topic Mario is pretty happy with this setup today, I drug my Candy's out of mothballs and they sound so good with Odyssey.

 

[RuFrost]

Ok thanks again! Out of curiosity, for reference, what would you consider a 'hi-fi' option?

Thx!

I have responded in my previous messages to you))
take careful look at them. Aks1305p is an absolute winner - sound for the price. Easily compete with much more expensive devices like xDSD, micro BL, mojo, Hugo, Centrance m8, mini-m8 etc...
DAPs just sucks in comparison with dac\amp in terms of sound quality they provide. if dac\amp cost 400-600$, the same sound quality of the DAP starts from 1400$ and more. If dac\amp cost 200$, the same sound in the dap will be found among DAPs starting from 600-900$. In many cases, DAPs just do not have enough power and authority to drive hi-end earbuds, full-size cans, difficult iems. Amps in many really sucks what especially can be felt on DAPs with switchable amps or the one which have LO. Sometimes their dac chips just not reveal their full potential due to technological limitations for the price included. Sometimes battery do not provide needed energy for the capabilities of built-in amp. I'm not even talking about OS and firmware in some daps, especially in android ones which can and usually do change sound a lot to the worse side.
I, personally, after years in the industry of sound, long time ago switched from DAPs to dac\amps.

 

[toear]

I have responded in my previous messages to you))
take careful look at them. Aks1305p is an absolute winner - sound for the price. Easily compete with much more expensive devices like xDSD, micro BL, mojo, Hugo, Centrance m8, mini-m8 etc...
DAPs just sucks in comparison with dac\amp in terms of sound quality they provide. if dac\amp cost 400-600$, the same sound quality of the DAP starts from 1400$ and more. If dac\amp cost 200$, the same sound in the dap will be found among DAPs starting from 600-900$.
I, personally, after years in the industry of sound, long time ago switched from DAPs to dac\amps.

Ah yes thank you! I did see your suggestions but your comparison between stacks and daps is now much clearer to me... I was trying to avoid stacking as a matter of function/portability. I do not want to go back to using my phone as a transport.... ever....

As for the AKS1305p I was not able to find much information on it in English... perhaps you could pm me details if you have a chance. I see you are selling/trading yours...

Thanks again!

Much appreciated!

 

[groucho69]

Fortunately that in my coutry there is (are) a DIY earbuds maker who can produce a hand-made driver, unlike buy an instant driver and tuning. So the result is significantly impressive. The successor of Miracle Ref1 names "Miracle Diamond". And his upgraded cable names "Cold War".



P.S. this is a picture from other. It is not my hand.

Is it possible to purchase from NA?

 

[doggiemom]

by the way @doggiemom which samsara do you have? the black cable and the white cable? because if im not mistaken you have two of them. do they sound different at all?

I only have the black one. I bought a second one during a sale to have a backup. Because I am paranoid.

if dac\amp cost 400-600$, the same sound quality of the DAP starts from 1400$ and more. If dac\amp cost 200$, the same sound in the dap will be found among DAPs starting from 600-900$. In many cases, DAPs just do not have enough power and authority to drive hi-end earbuds, full-size cans, difficult iems.

Some of the higher-end DAPs available drive almost everything just fine...... I would guess that anyone with difficult to drive earbuds or cans would have a home amp setup anyway. But I do agree with you about the performance:cost ratio. There is a convenience factor to an all in one device that is worth some amount of money, at least to me. I ended up cancelling my order for the McIntosh portable DAC/amp and putting the cost of that plus some additional $ towards the KANN......... got tired of carrying around multiple devices and dealing with fragile cables.

 

[bhima]

With some TOTL earbuds part of the cost is for the material, mainly cables, used. That was the case with Diomnes Lv2, which used drivers from the $5 VE Monk (first version) and expensive Cardas litz cables. Together with some tuning of the drivers they sound completely different from the Monk. So I think they were worth the price of around $180 excluding shipping if I look at how they sound.

Cypherus also uses expensive cable with the more expensive earbud models. I think the main part of the cost of the $600+ CAX Red Dragon is the cable (the lower part of the cable is thick like a small fire hose, not very good for portable use).

The tuning is also a part of the price. The only headphones I have now is Audio Technica ES10. It's far from the most high end earphones and they are for portable use, but still my best TOTL earbuds completely crush the ES10 in every area except for bass slam. And I paid around $300 for them.

When it comes to most smaller earbuds makers, and definitely to DIY maker in Indonesia etc, there is no way they can do any R&D on housings. They have to buy what's available and then they probably use the cheapest and most easily accessable housings and focus on cables and tuning.

It would be great if small earbud makers outside of China such as Cypherus, ABnormal & Blox could work together with Chinese earbud makers who design and make their own housings. Something like a Toneking housing with a Blox sound would be awsome.





I have been thinking about it but decided to keep them for now. Fit is not a problem for me with the RW-777. Are they too small for your ears? The circumference is smaller than on MX500 housings and about the same as on Yuin housings but without stems.

Hehe im not surprised your buds crush AT headphones. I have never been impressed by their sound.

The yincrows are a bit too big, as are the monks that i have. But the monks dont suffer much in the frequency response feom being a bit loose. Same goes for my graphenes. The Yincrows lose way too much SQ if they cant be shoved into your ears.

 

[chaiyuta]

Is it possible to purchase from NA?

Please contact Mr. Ssp Sutipong via Facebook.

 

[chinmie]

I only have the black one. I bought a second one during a sale to have a backup. Because I am paranoid.

yup looks we have the same one. my friend told me the black cable (bassier) differ slightly to the white cable (more treble) but the difference is really small. can't back that up personally, because although he did once lend me both, i didn't remember that difference.

well at least I'm happier because I'm looking for a bass earbuds anyway

 

[kurtextrem]

Is here someone who can contact ToneKing? @ClieOS maybe?
Because of the following: If you search for ToneKing TO600 on Aliexpress, there a different offers. Two cost around 130$ and mention they're graphene buds. The other offers are all around 100$ and don't mention graphene at all. Are there two different versions? Or what justifies the higher price?

 

[rkw]

I have done the unthinkable: ordered an unreviewed earbud (**** PT25). I also succumbed to the EB2 hype train.
Jim at NiceHCK gave me a good price for the two combined — $53. To get the discount, do what golov posted.

1. buy now
2. use another payment method
3. cancel, Item for status waiting payment ... waiting ... price change. pay, ready

I can't wait to see the pink puffs. Seriously though, I'm happy to see a fresh new approach.

 

[ClieOS]

Is here someone who can contact ToneKing? @ClieOS maybe?
Because of the following: If you search for ToneKing TO600 on Aliexpress, there a different offers. Two cost around 130$ and mention they're graphene buds. The other offers are all around 100$ and don't mention graphene at all. Are there two different versions? Or what justifies the higher price?

First of, there is only one version of TO600. Secondly, TO600 doesn't use graphene diaphragm at all (TO400 however does). It is a combination of multi-layer bio-cellulose diaphragm with beryllium dome. Lastly, the official Taobao price of TO600 is about $95.

I have done the unthinkable: ordered an unreviewed earbud (**** PT25)...

I actually bought it one day before it was released...

 

[Danneq]

Hehe im not surprised your buds crush AT headphones. I have never been impressed by their sound.

The yincrows are a bit too big, as are the monks that i have. But the monks dont suffer much in the frequency response feom being a bit loose. Same goes for my graphenes. The Yincrows lose way too much SQ if they cant be shoved into your ears.

Well, I'm not sure if ATH ES10 has got that ATH house sound. I was thinking of buying ATH A2000X a few years ago, I liked those. If I remember correctly they are a bit analytical but in no way sharp or sibilant.

I sold my Sennheiser HD25 II since they could not compete with my TOTL earbuds or ATH ES10. HD25 has got nice aggressive mids but not much more than that.

TOTL earbuds should be compared to full size headphones instead of portable ones, but portable is what I am familiar with. I've only tried different full size headphones in stores when I've been in Japan. I mainly listen to music while on the go so that's why I skip non portable headphones.

The best $150+ earbuds are good enough for critical listening. If you AB them with lower tier earbuds there is a definite difference in soundstage width and depth, instrument separation and layering etc. So it is mainly an improvement in sound that you pay for.

About the RW-777 I have not found any info on the size of the driver, but aren't they a bit smaller than Monk+ and other earbuds that use the old Sennheiser MX500-type housing?

 

[McCol]

Couple of new arrivals from Mr Postie this morning

 

[theoutsider]

I can't wait to see the pink puffs. Seriously though, I'm happy to see a fresh new approach.

 

[kurtextrem]

First of, there is only one version of TO600. Secondly, TO600 doesn't use graphene diaphragm at all (TO400 however does). It is a combination of multi-layer bio-cellulose diaphragm with beryllium dome. Lastly, the official Taobao price of TO600 is about $95.

Thank you! If only someone had impressions on the TO600... Big fan of TO400s, but not sure if TO600 can compete with the Black Ling I'm saving for