RikudouGoku
Member of the Trade: RikuBuds
yup, thats correct. You are definitely not getting the same "seal" feeling as on iems.
With iems you are more isolated, but with buds you feel more exposed to the world.
Earbuds Round-Up
- Thread starter ClieOS
- Start date
-
- Tags
- akg akg-k-319-in-ear-bud-headphone-dark-charcoal audio-technica-ath-cm707 baldoor-earbell-e100 bang-olufsen-a8-earphones blox-anv3 blox-m2c blox-tm7 blue-ever-blue-328r creative-aurvana-air-headphones-over-the-ear crossroads-hr1 dunu-alpha-1-hybrid-earbuds-dynamic-balanced-armature-high-fidelity-headphones earbuds hifiman-electronics-es100-vintage-style-earbud-with-15mm-driver-blue rose sennheiser sennheiser-mx-580-stereo-headphones-with-intergrated-volume-control sennheiser-mx-581-stereo-stereo-headphones-with-intergrated-volume-control sennheiser-mx-760 sennheiser-mx-90-style-series-in-ear-headphone-with-volume-control sunrise-audio sunrise-audio-charm venture-electronics-ve-zen yuin-pk1-earphones yuin-pk3-earphones
With iems you are more isolated, but with buds you feel more exposed to the world.
jestercow
100+ Head-Fier
I can't wear IEMs, they really mess with my ears. I'd concluded that I was stuck with full-sized headphones for the rest of my life until I recently rediscovered earbuds. So far I've only got the Monk+ and Snow Lotus 1.0 but they just sound so different when compared to headphones - in a good way. The soundstage, even on these $10 buds, is just completely addictive. Looking at your list, I may have to save up for a pair of Toneking Dendroaspis Viridis if just for that gorgeous green!
RikudouGoku
Member of the Trade: RikuBuds
If you want the best combination and with as few buds as possible. I would go for the Yincrow X6 and the Toneking Dendroaspis Viridis. They are polar opposites and complement each others weaknesses very well.
jestercow
100+ Head-Fier
That will take some time... I got a little carried away and have already ordered the "Earbuds Anonymous" and Smabat ST-10S from Penon, as well as a pair of Blurs. It seems there's always another rabbit-hole in audio...
Oh yes. At least get the X6. I'm pleasantly surprised when I received them last week.
RikudouGoku
Member of the Trade: RikuBuds
Alright, since we cant create polls directly here. I made one here: http://www.strawpoll.me/42665519
It is about bringing back the NiceHCK ME80 since it is discontinued right now.
Please vote and if a lot of people wants it then I will ask NiceHCK to bring it back (and show the poll to them).
It is about bringing back the NiceHCK ME80 since it is discontinued right now.
Please vote and if a lot of people wants it then I will ask NiceHCK to bring it back (and show the poll to them).
jestercow
100+ Head-Fier
If you only get a few votes, maybe you could ask him to make a few more pairs for us
RikudouGoku
Member of the Trade: RikuBuds
I believe with most of these budget stuff, they produce them in large batches, so thats why they are so cheap.If you only get a few votes, maybe you could ask him to make a few more pairs for us
Voted. Might be smart if Jim made a version with a mic as well.
RikudouGoku
Member of the Trade: RikuBuds
I want it to have an mmcx connector. But I take it as it is, if they just bring it back...
Danneq
Headphoneus Supremus
MDR-E SERIES INTRODUCTION
Sony debuted it's first "earbud" type ear receiver the MDR-E252 in June 1982 and thus began the earphone line we now know as the "MDR-E Series". However, there was an even earlier, and little known, "on-ear" model line that came before the MDR-E252 in June 1981; the Ear Hook Ear Receiver series which was composed of two models, the MDR-E3 Mono Ear Hook and MDR-E33 Stereo Ear Hook. There was also a mono earbud "Side Earplug" model line that debuted later in 1985. So the MDR-E Series Earphone Product Line is actually composed of three (3) different headphone types: the "Ear Hook" ear receiver, the "Earbud" earphone, and the mono "Side Earplug" (see all the model series and numbers down below in the "MDR-E SERIES MODEL NUMBERS" section).
MDR-E SERIES NAMING NOMENCLATURE
The MDR-E Series adhered to the following naming convention system from 1981 until about 2005/6...
MDR-E252B
"MDR" is the universal prefix designator for all Sony headsets since October 1978 when Sony first introduced the iconic Walkman "H-Air" compact on-ear headphone series (MDR-E3 and MDR-E5). Previously, Sony headset products used the "DR" designation (e.g. Sony's first headphone, the DR-4A, released in July 1968). "E" means "ear receiver" aka "earphone". "MDR-E" is typically followed by three (3) digits and then followed by various alphanumerics. The first digit "2" identifies this as being of the "2 Series" and is an overall indicator of the date of manufacture by series order (2 being the earliest in the series and 9 being the latest); the second digit "5" is for "status/model type" (a higher number being a more advanced higher-end model and a lower number a more basic low-end type); the third digit "2" if the same as the first digit (as in this case) means it is of the "mainstream line" (as in being of the same base model line) but if it is a different digit from the first digit it would then indicate that it is part of a "collateral secondary model line" running parallel to the base model line of that particular series. Following the three digits are the alphanumerics of varying combinations representing different versions usually related to shell color, plug type, cable type, etc. In this case, the "B" is for black shell color.
MDR-E SERIES NAMING KEY
MDR-E Micro Dynamic Receiver Earphone NUDE Natural Unequalled Dynamic Ear B Black C Bone Conduction (e.g. MDR-E140C Mono Side Earplug) D Gray or Metallic DM/DM1 Sony Digital Media proprietary plug; remote control compatible with Discman D515/311/302 EX Extra Edition (may be an upgraded cable and/or carrying case) G Gold or Golden Limited Edition (e.g. MDR-E888G) G Gray for some series lines like the MDR-E222G I White Green (only used for MDR-E265I) L Blue LC Long Cord/Long Cable LP L-Type Plug M Micro Plug MP Micro Plug aka "Black Pin" (Made in Japan Only) MP1 Micro Plug (Version Made in China) N Green P Pink R Red RD Red RV Remote Volume Controller (In-Line) RVF Remote Volume Function Controller (In-Line; e.g. MDR-E472RVF) S Silver SP Straight Plug aka Standard Plug V Volume Adjuster/Control (In-Line) V Violet Y Yellow (usually waterproof "Sport" models) XL Light or Dark Blue (depending on series) XN Light or Dark Green (depending on series) XO Orange XP Light Pink or Hot Pink (depending on series) XR Dark Red (e.g. MDR-E222XR) XY Yellow W White ZL Dark Blue / Light Blue (depending on series) ZN Dark Green
MDR-E SERIES MODEL NUMBERS
"Ear Hook" Ear Receiver Series; 1981-2007
E2/3/5/22/33
"Earbud" Earphone Series; 1982-2005/6
Series 2XX; 1982-1991/2
E211/212/213/214/215/222/225/228/232/238/242/245/248/252/255/262/265/268/272/275/278/282
Series 4XX; 1987-1997
E414/424/434/444/454/464/472/484
Series 5XX; 1989-1998
E505/515/525/535/545/551/552/555/557/560/562/565/575
Series 7XX; 1992-2000/1
E717/727/737/741/742/743/747/755/757
Series 8XX; 1995-2001/2
E801/802/803/805/806/807/808/809/811/817/818/819/821/823/827/828/829/832/837/838/847/848/868/888
Series 9XX; 2003-2005/6
E930/931/0931
Mono "Side Earplug" Series; 1985-1997/8
E121/122/123/140C/141/142/143/148/152/165/195
This would have been a great post to get information from when I was collecting vintage earbuds a few years ago.
E484 are great, as is E282. Somehow I kind of prefered E252. Now the prices of vintage earbuds have shot up even more than around 5-10 years ago when I was trying to find all the best Aiwa and Sony buds.
Then it might be better to bring the original EBX back to life. You have my voteI want it to have an mmcx connector. But I take it as it is, if they just bring it back...
Last edited:
RikudouGoku
Member of the Trade: RikuBuds
Haven't heard that one lol. They seem to be discontinuing a lot of stuff that people consider good?Then it might be better to bring the original EBX back to life. You have my vote
OG EBX is their previous flagship. If they bring it back, it will probably jeopardize the sale of the current favorite. But in my estimation, OG EBX could be in the range of $50-70 and ME80 < $15
Last edited:
The tonality is similar between the 2 earbuds, but EBX 21 kills the ME80 in technicalities by a lot. And of course it is detachable, unlike the ME80. Does that explain a more than 10 times price differential? Probably not, but as usual in this audio hobby, there's huge diminishing returns the higher one goes up the ladder.
SMABAT ST10S (assuming it is the black gold version) will need an amp, hope u have a good source to power it.
As for the earbuds anonymous, if you could cancel your order, I hope it is possible to do that. I found it very anonymous as per its namesake. L shaped bassy set with missing treble and it is quite muddy. Non detachable cable too at $50 USD. One of my worse earbud buys in recent times.
Ya I actually asked them on Aliexpress if they could remake the ME80 again.
But the sellers say, for economies of scale, the various China factories produce many pieces of drivers and shells at one time, and it is cheaper to get it in bulk. They need a bare minimum order of perhaps a few hundreds to thousands. So if only a few die hard earbud fans like us ask for it, but it doesn't even cross a hundred folks, they will most likely not even entertain the idea.
The other issue is that some parts are kind of limited edition. For example, factory A only produces the driver, factory B only makes the cable, factory C only makes the shells. Even if they wanted to restart a new production line for the ME80, sometimes one of these factories has closed permanently or the moulds are lost or something. So perhaps the same shell or driver cannot be obtained anymore. And so if a different shell or driver comes in the new remake, perhaps the sound will be different too.
There's lots of forum reports that the new Tingo TC200 sounds different from the old version. Probably the hype made the old one get sold out, and the factories are rushing to make new stock for more orders, but probably something is different internally in the new batches.
