[HungryPanda]

The Toneking TO600 is a solid, comfortable metal earbud, the K500 are standard MX500 shell. TO600 wins

 

[seanc6441]

To be honest Sean I'm happy with just about any earbud if I'm enjoying my music, last 2 days spent with the Faaeal Snow lotus 1.0+ and today I'm using K's K300 and couldn't be happier

Can't argue with that. Half of the time I listen to enjoy and the other half im analysing earbuds or any mods im doing and I gotta say the former is a hell of a lot more fun and relaxing. I find you cannot enjoy music when your modding earbuds and testing them, you listen but don't chill out. So i definately appreciate just letting the music flow sometimes

Just read a post from ClieOS that the TO600 is both beryllium and Biocelluose, two of the luxury driver matierals. If either is true it might be worth the buy just have it in my collection as ive never heard either in a driver. But I'm really doubting the beryllium part, isnt that stuff hella expensive??!!

 

[HungryPanda]

Well the TO600 were cheaper than K's 500 by over £20

 

[seanc6441]

Listening to Gorillaz - The Fall in MQA on my LG V30 with my modded Mojito. Really found it hard to appreciate this album when it released years ago but listening to it now and it's fantastic. The production quality is amazing too, everything sounds crisp and spacious. Pretty sure this album was mixed on an Ipad I believe I read that before.

Very different sounding but I really think it sounds phenomenal haha.

 

[jogawag]

Docomo stock earbud might fit the bill. It's below your budget but it's got a nice analog tonality, balance and is fairly well resolving with thin foams, or smoother/buttery with thicker donuts.

Buy the original better ones they are NOS/New old stock but i can get you the contact info of someone I just bought one off of. Shipping is like $5 and the bud cost like $6-12 depending on the options chosen.

@jogawag

May suggest you get the DIY PK SR2 version instead, i suggest you pick up both. It'll still come in at under $35.

I strongly recommend to you "diy SR2 16ohms TPE wire" as smaller shells earbuds.
It has strong bass and wide sound stage.
Please try it.

Perhaps you can discount it to $12 by negotiation.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item//32801646835.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/item//32801265552.html
Choice 2nd color on eigther page.
This need 1-200 hours burn-in.

 

[waynes world]

To be honest Sean I'm happy with just about any earbud if I'm enjoying my music

I'm afraid I have that same affliction

 

[kkl10]

Docomo stock earbud might fit the bill. It's below your budget but it's got a nice analog tonality, balance and is fairly well resolving with thin foams, or smoother/buttery with thicker donuts.

Buy the original better ones they are NOS/New old stock but i can get you the contact info of someone I just bought one off of. Shipping is like $5 and the bud cost like $6-12 depending on the options chosen.

@jogawag

May suggest you get the DIY PK SR2 version instead, i suggest you pick up both. It'll still come in at under $35.

Snow Lotus 1.0 would be my suggestion. Large soundstage, warm and natural signature, great detail. My favourite of all my phones, including some costing 20x more.
But if you don't like it you will have enough left to try something else. My DIY PK SR2 is still on the way so I can't comment on that. It has a slightly smaller shell which you might prefer.

I appreciate the feedback. I guess I could get one Docomo or SR2 and one Snow Lotus 1.0+ limited edition (already added one to my shopping cart actually). Hopefully, they won't sound to similar and will have some variety. I'm not familiar with the Docomo, but have been reading interesting things about the Snow Lotus 1.0+. But there's so much stuff like emx500, ry4s UE, auglamour rx-1, HE150 something somethings, etc.. too many options and many conflicting reports. I'll go for the safest route then (hopefully).

Are there any specific or higher quality foams that you guys recommend or it's all about the same and one can just get any?

I would say just get K's K500 and let the music flow

That's my sort of plan. Just trying to make it easier for my wallet while I can...

 

[Willber]

I strongly recommend to you "diy SR2 16ohms TPE wire" as smaller shells earbuds.
It has strong bass and wide sound stage.
Please try it.

Perhaps you can discount it to $12 by negotiation.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item//32801646835.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/item//32801265552.html
Choice 2nd color on eigther page.
This need 1-200 hours burn-in.

I forgot to mention, I messaged the seller to ask which is the best version for a large soundstage. He confirmed that it is the 16ohm so that is the one I ordered (with the red cable).

 

[Willber]

For those who have trouble with AE tracking (I do occasionally), this is worth trying:

http://parcelsapp.com/en

I find it is often more reliable and it shows all delivery steps to your door. It works for ebay and other suppliers as well. My link is to the English version but you can change the language. Another good thing is that it stores your tracking numbers so it is easy to check multiple orders.

 

[waynes world]

I have been listening to the Snow lotus 1.0+ commemorative edition for the last two days and it is an excellent earbud, I actually prefer it to my Snow Lotus 2.0 as it is not as dark sounding

Excellent to hear

 

[seanc6441]

I appreciate the feedback. I guess I could get one Docomo or SR2 and one Snow Lotus 1.0+ limited edition (already added one to my shopping cart actually). Hopefully, they won't sound to similar and will have some variety. I'm not familiar with the Docomo, but have been reading interesting things about the Snow Lotus 1.0+. But there's so much stuff like emx500, ry4s UE, auglamour rx-1, HE150 something somethings, etc.. too many options and many conflicting reports. I'll go for the safest route then (hopefully).

Are there any specific or higher quality foams that you guys recommend or it's all about the same and one can just get any?



That's my sort of plan. Just trying to make it easier for my wallet while I can...

One of those is mx500 shell and one is pk/docomo shell. So you will certainly do well to get both and see which fits best. Of course mx500 shells open up much more variety of choice but some with smaller ears much prefer the pk size shell.

As for foams, stock foams we consider 'full foams' or 'donut foams' which are medium density medium thickness and they are the standard choice. The difference is one has a cut out middle and lets through more high frequency. Both have roughly similar bass quantity.

Then there's thick foams like hiegi full/donuts or VE donuts. They work better for slightly bigger ears or to make a better seal. Whether these will add more or less bass really depends on your ear anatomy, results vary from person to person. One constant though is that the add slightly more space between the driver and ear. So this in theory can help add more soundstage at the cost of some low midrange fullness.

Finally there are thin foams like the VE ex pack thins and the aliexpress black thins. These are the most open sounding letting more highs and only barely adding some bass quantity. I find these work best on warm bassy earbuds, they keep the 'no foam' clarity whilst adding a slight seal and comfort, keeping the earbud anchored better in your ear.

Here's the links to foams. I suggest you buy them all.

Thin foams
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cg6plESy

Heigi donuts
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cSFhvxDW

Heigi fulls
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/bVPYwhZe

Various colour regular donuts and full foams
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cOfllfwY

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cXn81rGy

The whole lot will set you back like $10-15. It's worth it. Imagine headphone earpads were that cheap to roll

 

[mbwilson111]

One of those is mx500 shell and one is pk/docomo shell. So you will certainly do well to get both and see which fits best. Of course mx500 shells open up much more variety of choice but some with smaller ears much prefer the pk size shell.

As for foams, stock foams we consider 'full foams' or 'donut foams' which are medium density medium thickness and they are the standard choice. The difference is one has a cut out middle and lets through more high frequency. Both have roughly similar bass quantity.

Then there's thick foams like hiegi full/donuts or VE donuts. They work better for slightly bigger ears or to make a better seal. Whether these will add more or less bass really depends on your ear anatomy, results vary from person to person. One constant though is that the add slightly more space between the driver and ear. So this in theory can help add more soundstage at the cost of some low midrange fullness.

Finally there are thin foams like the VE ex pack thins and the aliexpress black thins. These are the most open sounding letting more highs and only barely adding some bass quantity. I find these work best on warm bassy earbuds, they keep the 'no foam' clarity whilst adding a slight seal and comfort, keeping the earbud anchored better in your ear.

Here's the links to foams. I suggest you buy them all.

Thin foams
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cg6plESy

Heigi donuts
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cSFhvxDW

Heigi fulls
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/bVPYwhZe

Various colour regular donuts and full foams
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cOfllfwY

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cXn81rGy

The whole lot will set you back like $10-15. It's worth it. Imagine headphone earpads were that cheap to roll

All of those links just take me to the main page not the items.

 

[Willber]

All of those links just take me to the main page not the items.

Strange, they go to the items for me. I'm using my laptop.

 

[HungryPanda]

home page for me

 

[seanc6441]

All of those links just take me to the main page not the items.

I know aliexpress mobile app on android is getting really dumb with its link sharing :/

Not only do you have to have the app to use them, but also you have to press 'open link in new tab' or it will just open a dead end link on the browser.

If there was another way to post ali links on the app that wasnt messed up id use it. I'll fix them all later.