Think it turned out pretty decently. Cable is just salvaged from a VE Monk Plus so nothing special but looks nicer than the original and it was messed up anyways so needed to be done. Fresh donut foams too, of course!
Now you have made me want to get mine out. I have never put foams on mine. I wonder if I should. I cannot use donut foams at all... they always shift in weird ways... so it is full foam or no foam for me... usually full foam.
Finally got some time to compare the DIY SR2 16ohms (is this how it's called??), the Edifier H180 and Snow Lotus 1.0+ CE. All with donut foams.
I'd rank the H180 slightly below the other two. Sounds boomy and slightly muffled in comparison. The roughest and most fatiguing sound, but it's not a huge difference.
The other two are roughly on pair and it's tricky to decide which one I prefer. I'm able to somewhat enjoy the SL and the DIY on their own. I prefer the tonal balance and presentation of the DIY 16ohms by far, but the SL's smooth and sweet-sounding treble is so much better. Both have a relatively linear FR to my ears. The DIY 16ohms has perhaps a very slightly downward tilting tonal balance while the SL emphazises the upper mids/treble. I hear an annoying peak around 7k on the DIY and the SL has a bit too much energy around 3k. The DIY's neutral and laid back presentation sounds the most natural to me; the SL is more upfront, in your face. Despite this the SL sounds the least fatiguing/flat and maybe slightly more spatially resolving.
The DIY's almost perfect balance is spoiled by the 7K peak that makes it sound not entirely right and/or unremarkable up there. Not a huge flaw or difference, I'm just very intolerant of oddities up there because those are the most distracting to me. If I listen to the SL on its own, my only complain is the excessive emphasis at 3k. Just needs to be toned down a bit. Directly compared to the other two, the SL makes me crave a little more bass. Rolls off too early, but it's fine on its own. I find the SL to sound the most accomplished (the least compromised) at what it's trying to do. Somewhat sweet and engaging. Perhaps the most resolving, I think I hear a bit less grain. The DIY and H180 offer similar presentations. The DIY sounds tighter and cleaner than the H180. But I find the DIY to sound ever so slightly tinier than the other two... Not sure if it's down to driver size or the housings. It has the smallest housings.
SL sweet sound, treble and overall coherence + DIY 16ohms natural tonal balance and bass = happy kkl.
Now you have made me want to get mine out. I have never put foams on mine. I wonder if I should. I cannot use donut foams at all... they always shift in weird ways... so it is full foam or no foam for me... usually full foam.
Well you gotta try different fittings too...for me I have put them in sideways (speakers facing forward) to really get good sound out of them. If I put them in how I normally would (say with my Camp Fred 2's) they're very lacking in bass and a little too tinny.
Weird as hell and fitment:sound quality and just completely whack quality standards is why I stopped recommending them and pretty much talking about them in general. I got a good pair, I found a good fit, I get great sound...that's all I can say anymore lol.
Finally got some time to compare the DIY SR2 16ohms (is this how it's called??), the Edifier H180 and Snow Lotus 1.0+ CE. All with donut foams.
I'd rank the H180 slightly below the other two. Sounds boomy and slightly muffled in comparison. The roughest and most fatiguing sound, but it's not a huge difference.
The other two are roughly on pair and it's tricky to decide which one I prefer. I'm able to somewhat enjoy the SL and the DIY on their own. I prefer the tonal balance and presentation of the DIY 16ohms by far, but the SL's smooth and sweet-sounding treble is so much better. Both have a relatively linear FR to my ears. The DIY 16ohms has perhaps a very slightly downward tilting tonal balance while the SL emphazises the upper mids/treble. I hear an annoying peak around 7k on the DIY and the SL has a bit too much energy around 3k. The DIY's neutral and laid back presentation sounds the most natural to me; the SL is more upfront, in your face. Despite this the SL sounds the least fatiguing/flat and maybe slightly more spatially resolving.
The DIY's almost perfect balance is spoiled by the 7K peak that makes it sound not entirely right and/or unremarkable up there. Not a huge flaw or difference, I'm just very intolerant of oddities up there because those are the most distracting to me. If I listen to the SL on its own, my only complain is the excessive emphasis at 3k. Just needs to be toned down a bit. Directly compared to the other two, the SL makes me crave a little more bass. Rolls off too early, but it's fine on its own. I find the SL to sound the most accomplished (the least compromised) at what it's trying to do. Somewhat sweet and engaging. Perhaps the most resolving, I think I hear a bit less grain. The DIY and H180 offer similar presentations. The DIY sounds tighter and cleaner than the H180. But I find the DIY to sound ever so slightly tinier than the other two... Not sure if it's down to driver size or the housings. It has the smallest housings.
SL sweet sound, treble and overall coherence + DIY 16ohms natural tonal balance and bass = happy kkl.
I am making a double pad with a thin foam pad on the DIY SR2 and a donut pad on it.
This adjusts the size and makes the sound a little mild.
Of course, 100h burn-in is necessary!
Of my Edifiers ( 180, 185, 190) I like my H190 the best. I have not had the E180 long enough to burn it in though. Need to give it some time. Love the shell though.. could always put in different drivers at some point...if my modder is willing... lol.
I am making a double pad with a thin foam pad on the DIY SR2 and a donut pad on it.
This adjusts the size and makes the sound a little mild.
Of course, 100h burn-in is necessary!
I'm not sure this will help with the peak, but I'll try. I felt full covering foams slightly muffled the sound in all the earbuds; don't know if those were thin or thick foams I tried. Don't think the sightly tinier sound is a fit issue either, but I might be wrong.
@DBaldock9 ouch, that suprised me...I have just sold silver recabled Asura 2.0 to collect money for buying ZEN 2.0...I start doubt that was good idea. I thought that ZEN is significally step up in sound quality.
Or maybe you wrote only about quantity of low/mid/treb and quality will be better ?
As far as quality of sound, the ZEN 2.0 ZOE is great - and probably has a better overall balance.
The ZEN Sound Stage is a bit closer and more intimate than the Asura.
So I've been listening to my Baldoor E100's and my Cypherus Audio Camp Fred 2's (which are 2.5mm balanced) through my Sabaj DA3 and I'm starting to sort of doubt earbuds audio prowess. My Shockwave 3 IEM's just seem to crush both pairs in nearly every way outside of sound stage (though I suspect if I made them balanced that might change a bit).
And when I say crush I mean I can pick up subtle sounds and nuances that neither pair of my buds can muster...even WITH equalization bringing up the mids and highs in the buds.
Is this just me? I feel like my ear shape and all hold the buds really well and give me the "best" audio I can get from them...I've played with foams to a satisfying degree as well to determine what sounds best. Yet, at the end of the day both pairs are just sort of alright in comparison to the IEM.
Now, granted, the Shockwave 3's are a 5-driver hybrid (single 11mm dynamic for bass and four armatures for mids/highs) so maybe I'm being a bit unfair to the buds and the IEM's really are just THAT good but something like the Camp Fred 2 is touted as having a strong high-end but the only thing I've heard so far is a very warm and slightly muddy sound...nothing I do changes this.
Thoughts? Are buds just lacking and unable to match an IEM or do I just need to try something else? What's a genuinely BRIGHT and AIRY bud because the Camp Fred, despite its description and reviews ain't it.
The RW-9's sound fantastic. A bit more presence in the mids which sounds really nice (along with great bass and highs). Very engaging. For $15US. Sheesh.
So I've been listening to my Baldoor E100's and my Cypherus Audio Camp Fred 2's (which are 2.5mm balanced) through my Sabaj DA3 and I'm starting to sort of doubt earbuds audio prowess. My Shockwave 3 IEM's just seem to crush both pairs in nearly every way outside of sound stage (though I suspect if I made them balanced that might change a bit).
And when I say crush I mean I can pick up subtle sounds and nuances that neither pair of my buds can muster...even WITH equalization bringing up the mids and highs in the buds.
Is this just me? I feel like my ear shape and all hold the buds really well and give me the "best" audio I can get from them...I've played with foams to a satisfying degree as well to determine what sounds best. Yet, at the end of the day both pairs are just sort of alright in comparison to the IEM.
Now, granted, the Shockwave 3's are a 5-driver hybrid (single 11mm dynamic for bass and four armatures for mids/highs) so maybe I'm being a bit unfair to the buds and the IEM's really are just THAT good but something like the Camp Fred 2 is touted as having a strong high-end but the only thing I've heard so far is a very warm and slightly muddy sound...nothing I do changes this.
Thoughts? Are buds just lacking and unable to match an IEM or do I just need to try something else? What's a genuinely BRIGHT and AIRY bud because the Camp Fred, despite its description and reviews ain't it.
for picking up details, yes, usually the iems have upper hand because of the isolation and design. unless you listen the earbuds on a really quiet place.
earbuds are more a substitute for open headphones or speakers.
if you want bright and airy, the Edifier H185, Moondrop VX Pro, Liebesleid, Mojito, and maybe SWD2+ might fit the bill
Hi
I'm after all your expert advice. I'm after some earbuds for work. Earbuds are better than iems for me so I can still hear my colleagues. They will be amped as I use a fiio A5 with an ibasso dx120. I mainly listen to black metal but also loads of reggae, hip hop, jazz, classic rock etc. I can spend up to £150. What would you all recommend?
Despite me talking negatively above I would say the Cypherus Audio Camp Fred 2 is PRETTY good if you don't mind a warmer sound. Sound stage and bass really is some next-level stuff.
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