[Willber]

everyone needs a K's right?

Oh dear, is that true?

 

[buddies]

Don't forget, these have nothing to do with Sony. They are a very nice Chinese bud that just happens to use the name

The things that ship from China do not always take as long as you think they will I have had things arrives in as quickly as 6 days... or take as long as 6 weeks (rarely though). I would say that 10 to 20 days is pretty average for us. More expensive things usually arrive fastest.

yo, i am just gonna wait for my datura-x to come, also i may try and get those K LBB's from seanc some how. maybe gift him giftcard for him 2 get them for me on aliexpress cus i know him from previous msg's. those k lbb's look so AMAZING and the earbud god on this website said something good about them for their price.

 

[rkw]

Hey guys so far ive been recommended the Svara L the most, anyone else have other recommendations preferably on ebay? Looking for EMX500 style sound but better, SUB 100 price. The Svara L are right at 100 so cheaper may persuade me! THANKS

You can wait for a 10%-15% off site-wide discount promotion code on eBay, which happen regularly (maybe a couple of times a month). There was one this past Friday for 15% off and I got $52 off a $350 IEM. They are flash promotions that last one day and not announced in advance. You have to watch for it by opening the website or app (basically daily) and it will be advertised in a banner. Also here on Head-Fi people post when it happens in the Deals Thread. Sometimes electronics are excluded from the deal and you have to read the fine print. Here was the one for last Friday:

 

[DBaldock9]

On another note I made the switch from spotify premium 320kbps to flac 16/24bit files after downloading all my favourite albums over the last few days.

I'll still use spotify for new music, and UAPP app on android for the lossless files.

The difference for me is more than subtle on some tracks, to just a slight improvement on others. I think the masters are better in some cases.

I've noticed a better sense of space and accuracy in soundstage/imaging of the better masters. Also the sound is less harsh and bright. Fuller and smoother but retaining all or more detail.

Needless to say I'm very happy to make the switch and now I can use a parametric EQ if I desire.

FYI all these files came from Tidal so some are 24 bit MQA while others are 16 bit flac. All sound excellent (haven't noticed a huge difference with MQA on or off but the 24bit files are nice.

I've been using Spotify Free for a couple of years (w/Ad muting apps on my devices), and was considering Spotify Premium or Google Play Music, after I dropped my paid Hulu TV subscription.
Ended up going with Google, since I could upload up to 50,000 tracks of my own CD rips (so far, I've only ripped ~210 of several thousand CDs).
Since I don't really listen to current Pop / Rock / Country music, I didn't even consider Tidal.
The Google Play Music app has turned out to be less than convenient, so I've ended up subscribing to Spotify Premium.

Either of these apps, and Radio Streaming apps (TuneIn Pro, AccuRadio, UAPP "Other Radio Stations") have quite a number of music tracks - and with the lowest bit rate streams, I can definitely hear an artificial sheen (unnatural hardness) in the Treble, when listening with any of my earbuds or earphones.

 

[buddies]

You can wait for a 10%-15% off site-wide discount promotion code on eBay, which happen regularly (maybe a couple of times a month). There was one this past Friday for 15% off and I got $52 off a $350 IEM. They are flash promotions that last one day and not announced in advance. You have to watch for it by opening the website or app (basically daily) and it will be advertised in a banner. Also here on Head-Fi people post when it happens in the Deals Thread. Sometimes electronics are excluded from the deal and you have to read the fine print. Here was the one for last Friday:

maybe ill do this when i save up for an expensive earbud or a DAP. right now im not buying anything over 50 really. Thanks for tip tho, just got on this website so i can start to use it for that deals page or w/e, THANKS R K W

 

[mbwilson111]

@seanc6441 which color of the K's LBB did you order and why? Seems the cable color is different ... not just the shells.

 

[Themilkman46290]

Happy New year's guys, hope you all have a good year and find your perfect buds!!

 

[purplesun]

My son's collection of damaged white E808+ I made back in late 2016/early 2017.
Tell him to put them in small ziplock bag, but he never listens, "Dad can always fix them". Sigh.



Transducers from "good" E808+. Bought the white casings (rare find) and cables on taobao as well.
Cost less than USD$10 per earbud, not counting the sacrificial "terrible-sounding" E808+ thrown away in pre-testing.

 

[seanc6441]

im the guy who was spamming u for earbuds,

No worries at all!

I have no K's buds but you probably know that my husband has several. I thought I had stopped buying buds now that my husband has been making some for me... I have been listening to his creations for the past few days.

What if that K's LBB were to be my last bud purchase... hmmmm... everyone needs a K's right?

Right!

@seanc6441 which color of the K's LBB did you order and why? Seems the cable color is different ... not just the shells.

The all black one. It looks... Nicer... To me anyway.

 

[mbwilson111]

The all black one. It looks... Nicer... To me anyway.

I would probably go with that too. My bell shaped EB2 has a white cable. All black on this would be good.

 

[seanc6441]

I've been using Spotify Free for a couple of years (w/Ad muting apps on my devices), and was considering Spotify Premium or Google Play Music, after I dropped my paid Hulu TV subscription.
Ended up going with Google, since I could upload up to 50,000 tracks of my own CD rips (so far, I've only ripped ~210 of several thousand CDs).
Since I don't really listen to current Pop / Rock / Country music, I didn't even consider Tidal.
The Google Play Music app has turned out to be less than convenient, so I've ended up subscribing to Spotify Premium.

Either of these apps, and Radio Streaming apps (TuneIn Pro, AccuRadio, UAPP "Other Radio Stations") have quite a number of music tracks - and with the lowest bit rate streams, I can definitely hear an artificial sheen (unnatural hardness) in the Treble, when listening with any of my earbuds or earphones.

Agreed. The tracks that are mastered in 24 bit and anything from 96khz and above sounded quite phenomenal. I mean its hard to describe and some people simply don't hear a difference but to me its a worthwhile improvement.

You're right there's a certain smoothness to the upper frequency, it's detailed without being harsh (unless your earbuds are really harsh. But it sounds just a tiny bit more alive and natural. Plus the feeling of owning the physical files is kinda nice too.

320 spotify sounds great don't get me wrong, but there is an undeniable something extra going on when using the absolute best mastered flac and possibly MQA stuff too.

For example this is sounding phenomenal

 

[Blueshound24]

Debateable. Not sure if any 'standard' dynamic driver in plastic pk shell is worth that amount. Even if the tuning is god like!

At $199 it's a consideration, but $320 is completely ridiculous IMO.

And I'm saying this from a position of bias towards earbuds (owning a few $200+ pairs) they are rarely worth the price. We over pay because its niche and we are a little crazy lol

I appreciate your comment. It brings a sense of sanity in this sometimes way overpriced hobby of ours and it's kind of wake-up call back to reality. Things that cost more are not always better.


I'm kind of sorry to re-hash this cause I've asked before. But... In the vein of not overspending on the SD2+, what buds would be somewhat similar to my fav full size cans, (I know, apples to oranges. buds to cans), Elear and AH-D7000?

I think what was recommended was something like the TO400s? Any other recommendations? Maybe Svara L? OURART ACG?

It's not a deal breaker, but I do like a smaller shell like the Yuin. If it had something like that it would be a bit better, and easy to drive... but if not - no big deal.

I really would like TOTL sound.

 

[rkw]

Since I don't really listen to current Pop / Rock / Country music, I didn't even consider Tidal.

Music genres shouldn't be considered. I subscribe to Tidal and listen almost exclusively to classical. Except for independent record labels, the music catalog between the different streaming services are pretty much the same. Sample Tidal with their 30 day free trial, or currently they have a promotion of $1.99 for 3 months of HiFi subscription.

I find that lossless and hi-res streaming really do make a difference in sound quality. For lossless, look at Tidal, Deezer, and Qobuz. I have subscriptions to Tidal, Spotify, Google, and Qobuz (a free preview subscription — they haven't officially launched in the US yet). I have family subscriptions to Spotify and Google and they are worth it to us. Google Music automatically includes ad-free YouTube Red (now called Premium) which is great. Really hard to go back to watching YouTube with ads. I may drop Tidal when Qobuz officially launches in the US.

 

[seanc6441]

I appreciate your comment. It brings a sense of sanity in this sometimes way overpriced hobby of ours and it's kind of wake-up call back to reality. Things that cost more are not always better.


I'm kind of sorry to re-hash this cause I've asked before. But... In the vein of not overspending on the SD2+, what buds would be somewhat similar to my fav full size cans, (I know, apples to oranges. buds to cans), Elear and AH-D7000?

I think what was recommended was something like the TO400s? Any other recommendations? Maybe Svara L? OURART ACG?

It's not a deal breaker, but I do like a smaller shell like the Yuin. If it had something like that it would be a bit better, and easy to drive... but if not - no big deal.

I really would like TOTL sound.

Thing is the SWD2+ might be worth it for you at $199 simply because you want something very good in earbud form factor, my complaint was with its outlandish retail price, and those of recent releases in the $300-500 range.

I will take one thing back, the swd2+ is not a standard plastic driver come to think of it if I recall correctly... Seeing an image it appears to be some unique composite type matieral.

So that's a little different than most earbuds? But if you consider what $320 can buy you in the headphone or speaker world it's a hard sell. But as I'm not a big headphone guy I cannot really say how the TOTL buds I've heard will compare to the headphones you own.

But as I said before at $199 I would consider it (if I was looking for new earbuds). But I've decided to be happy with what I have currently and am modding some cheaper buds with decent success which im using atm.

Myself I still consider the Ks ling the earbud with the most potential that I own in terms of great effortless extension, consistent frequency response and slighty better transients compared to my other earbuds. But issues in its tuning without componsating with EQ will stop me from rec'ing it.

Interestingly enough most of its issues completey disappear if i angle the driver towards the ear canal. It seems to settle down the midrange resonance and the low mid body is fuller. I find the direct firing sound more natural too. I just need to find a way to keep it at that angle.

I guess what I'm saying is so far out of the high end earbuds I've heard none of them are flawless or even particularly neutral across the board. That's why its usually safer to choose budget earbuds and just mod or EQ them to your liking. As I'm doing with a bunch of RY4s, Vidos and EMX500s.

 

[DBaldock9]

Music genres shouldn't be considered. I subscribe to Tidal and listen almost exclusively to classical. Except for independent record labels, the music catalog between the different streaming services are pretty much the same. Sample Tidal with their 30 day free trial, or currently they have a promotion of $1.99 for 3 months of HiFi subscription.

I find that lossless and hi-res streaming really do make a difference in sound quality. For lossless, look at Tidal, Deezer, and Qobuz. I have subscriptions to Tidal, Spotify, Google, and Qobuz (a free preview subscription — they haven't officially launched in the US yet). I have family subscriptions to Spotify and Google and they are worth it to us. Google Music automatically includes ad-free YouTube Red (now called Premium) which is great. Really hard to go back to watching YouTube with ads. I may drop Tidal when Qobuz officially launches in the US.

Just found out that Tidal has some sort of scam going on - the front page of their website was advertising a Special ($1.99 for 3 Months of HiFi), good through 1/2/2019. So I clicked on the link, and signed up. After entering my credit card info, I then had to select a Subscription, and the Special rate wasn't even listed as an option.

This is the last of my OT posts - although I am listening to Cuban Jazz from Tidal to my LG V30, on my Wong Kuan Wae modded Vido earbuds.