[jao29]

Spoiler: Pictures

ShoonTH ESEP-01BL mini review:

Rank: A

Non-sound: Microphonic cable, plastic/metal shell, inferior to MX500 shells in comfort/fit for me.

Sub-bass: poor extension and lack of rumble, doesn’t have much quantity and lacks texture, not particularly fast or tight despite the low quantity.

Mid-bass: A little bit elevated, decent texture is on the tighter/faster side.

Mids: Warm vocals, good tonality with both male and female, forward as well. Pretty clean as well.

Treble: warm vocals but is airy, not peaky but well-tuned.

Technicalities: Average soundstage, but impressive imaging and separation. Detail is average.


Overall: I don’t really think it is worth the price of around 30 usd. Its only a bit better than buds around 10 usd technically, and tonality wise at least for my library is inferior to those buds (Yincrow X6 & Faaeal Iris 2.0 for example). You are better off getting the K´s LBBS instead or sub 10 usd buds.

Are the Faaeal Iris 2.0 worth getting? I have the Snow Lotus 1.0 and I love them. And I warmed up to the Iris Ancestor as well. Is the Iris 2.0 worth getting if I already have those 2? Thanks!

 

[Ronion]

mac os users. I'm happy to report that sound source has been in continual, active development with improvements and updates. Would be great if there was something like wavelet for iphone!

Sound source is fantastic BTW. You can even do binaural augmentation to any/every track.

 

[baskingshark]

***Just curious, has anyone heard of movement regarding the smabat ST20 development? I know at least a few of us in this thread funded that "pre-order."***

Seems Smabat just made a post on FB today about the SMABAT ST20 hitting the crowdfunding targets:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/135840535288493/posts/231912322347980/

I didn't get any news since paying for the ST20 crowdfund though, but I think it was advertised to be released in jan/feb 2022, keeping fingers crossed.

 

[FranQL]

Seems Smabat just made a post on FB today about the SMABAT ST20 hitting the crowdfunding targets:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/135840535288493/posts/231912322347980/

I didn't get any news since paying for the ST20 crowdfund though, but I think it was advertised to be released in jan/feb 2022, keeping fingers crossed.

FYI

De: 服务 <service@smabat.com>
Enviado el: viernes, 19 de noviembre de 2021 1:47
Para: FranQL
Asunto: Re:Crowdfunding ST20

Hi Fran, thank you very much for recognizing our headset. The sound of ST20 is very good. It will definitely surprise you. Delivery will start from January to February 2022, please wait patiently, thank you

 

[RikudouGoku]

Are the Faaeal Iris 2.0 worth getting? I have the Snow Lotus 1.0 and I love them. And I warmed up to the Iris Ancestor as well. Is the Iris 2.0 worth getting if I already have those 2? Thanks!

Iris Ancestor is A
Iris 2.0 is A+

Since you already have the Ancestor, maybe its better to save up for something like the K´s LBBS instead, less redundant and much better.

 

[Nool]

Looks like smabat is selling just the M2S pro shell, for $25 https://a.aliexpress.com/_mN3xkDG

The 150ohm ST-10S driver also sells for $25, so now you can get the black gold ST-10S for ~$50 USD.

The M3 pro uses the same 150ohm driver and bass-vent design.. for ~$65. I wonder if they'll come out with a M3S pro with the same modular driver setup. It seems that these shells could be a universal solution for testing drivers off AliExpress. Having a bass vent seems to make a huge difference in my experience, I'd be interested to know what others have accomplished with these shells.

 

[FranQL]

Looks like smabat is selling just the M2S pro shell, for $25 https://a.aliexpress.com/_mN3xkDG

The 150ohm ST-10S driver also sells for $25, so now you can get the black gold ST-10S for ~$50 USD.

The M3 pro uses the same 150ohm driver and bass-vent design.. for ~$65. I wonder if they'll come out with a M3S pro with the same modular driver setup. It seems that these shells could be a universal solution for testing drivers off AliExpress. Having a bass vent seems to make a huge difference in my experience, I'd be interested to know what others have accomplished with these shells.

It is more common for people to use smabat drivers in mx500 shell than to use universal drivers in smabat shell.

 

[RikudouGoku]

For you guys that are using my PEQ X6 simulation preset for the LBBS, you might want to give this a try. This is tuned to my preference target instead and is better IMO.


Low-shelf: 50hz, Q: 1.0, Gain: 3db
Low-shelf: 80hz, Q: 1.0, Gain: 13db
Low-shelf: 150hz, Q: 0.6, Gain: 1db
Low-shelf: 250hz, Q: 0.6, Gain: 1db
Peak: 3000hz, Q: 2.0, Gain: -1.5db
Peak: 5000hz, Q:3.0, Gain: -1.0db
High-shelf: 10 000hz, Q: 1.0, Gain: 3.5db
Preamp: -15db

 

[gazzington]

My lbbs arrived only a few days ago. So far I’m quite impressed. A very relaxed listen. I need to spend longer with it though

 

[Heat1]

is there a bud u guys would recommend for about 150$ CAD? I'm not super versed in the earbuds sphere but I've had a Kaiser 10 iem for a couple years now that i love the sound of but I cannot stand the fit so I almost never use them. No matter what tips I use from foams to spin fits it just irritates the inside of my ears so bad after just a little while of listening regardless of shallow or deep insertion. most IEM's I've tried from the Klipsch x10, Weston 3umx/4, Shure 535, Aurisonics asg 2/2.5 did the same but that Kaiser 10 has made it such a point that I have basically lost all interest in trying to use IEM's anymore.

As a result I just want an earbud that sounds pretty decent so I could listen to music away from my desk without my ears hurting. obviously even the best earbuds wont be able to even compare to the iems I'm familiar with but at this point comfort is worth about 100x more then sound for me which is extremely weird to say as an audiophile. anyways my only real reference points for earbuds are those 10$ Sony buds they sell at Walmart which are probably the worst things I've ever heard and the original apple buds which sounded pretty decent in my memory but I haven't listened to them in like 9 years, so hopefully a 150$ CAD earbud would be slightly better then those. for music i listen to everything besides country but I have a soft spot for female vocals and enjoy forward Mids. thanks.

 

[waynes world]

is there a bud u guys would recommend for about 150$ CAD? I'm not super versed in the earbuds sphere but I've had a Kaiser 10 iem for a couple years now that i love the sound of but I cannot stand the fit so I almost never use them. No matter what tips I use from foams to spin fits it just irritates the inside of my ears so bad after just a little while of listening regardless of shallow or deep insertion. most IEM's I've tried from the Klipsch x10, Weston 3umx/4, Shure 535, Aurisonics asg 2/2.5 did the same but that Kaiser 10 has made it such a point that I have basically lost all interest in trying to use IEM's anymore.

As a result I just want an earbud that sounds pretty decent so I could listen to music away from my desk without my ears hurting. obviously even the best earbuds wont be able to even compare to the iems I'm familiar with but at this point comfort is worth about 100x more then sound for me which is extremely weird to say as an audiophile. anyways my only real reference points for earbuds are those 10$ Sony buds they sell at Walmart which are probably the worst things I've ever heard and the original apple buds which sounded pretty decent in my memory but I haven't listened to them in like 9 years, so hopefully a 150$ CAD earbud would be slightly better then those. for music i listen to everything besides country but I have a soft spot for female vocals and enjoy forward Mids. thanks.

You're in for some happy discoveries. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with what you can get for $30CAD, let alone $150CAD. Have fun!

Edit: some easy recommendations:

Yincrow X6, $14US, https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32807226027.html

Temperament (Ksearphone) LBBs, $54US, https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32983779232.html

Purebsound Newbsound 32pro, $75US + $15US shipping to Canada, contact @irv003 (I don't have these yet, but someday!)

 

[Heat1]

You're in for some happy discoveries. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with what you can get for $30CAD, let alone $150CAD. Have fun!

Edit: some easy recommendations:

Yincrow X6, $14US, https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32807226027.html

Temperament (Ksearphone) LBBs, $54US, https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32983779232.html

Purebsound Newbsound 32pro, $75US + $15US shipping to Canada, contact @irv003 (I don't have these yet, but someday!)

cool thanks for the recommendations! think ill pick up a pair of those Newbsounds and an X6 just as a backup and to give me a comparison point for 4he newbsound.

 

[waynes world]

cool thanks for the recommendations! think ill pick up a pair of those Newbsounds and an X6 just as a backup and to give me a comparison point for 4he newbsound.

Yer welcome. I'm sure you'll be getting plenty of other recommendations soon as well (there are a lot of really great earbuds out there).

 

[Heat1]

Yer welcome. I'm sure you'll be getting plenty of other recommendations soon as well (there are a lot of really great earbuds out there).

im sure, tho the newbsound seems like a pretty safe choice in my price range based off the 20 or so pages of this thread I've read (4000 pages is daunting). the blur and em5 also look good but they are a little pricy for me to go straight too given my lack of experience in this section of head-fi.

 

[waynes world]

im sure, tho the newbsound seems like a pretty safe choice in my price range based off the 20 or so pages of this thread I've read (4000 pages is daunting). the blur and em5 also look good but they are a little pricy for me to go straight too given my lack of experience in this section of head-fi.

You've obviously been playing this game for a while lol. Wise of you to stick with a few initially. The two that you're getting are pretty great for their respective prices, so if you're lucky, they will slow your descent into the earbud rabbit hole. Or, they will only accelerate it!