Earbuds Round-Up
Jul 29, 2022 at 9:08 AM Post #62,206 of 75,467
These days VE ZEN SU has fallen into my hands, I think there must be a reference to this Venture Electronics flagship in this thread, a bud that in my scheme of things I never thought I would have the opportunity to hear, mainly due to its price (which I will not go into to value more in this mini opinion) that is very far from my goal to spend on the hobby. Just thank @Charlyro222 that he sent me his game, just because he thought he had to listen to them, I am so impressed by this fact that I can only thank him.

I'm not good at describing sound so it's not a review, my personal taste is quite special so my opinion is just that, my opinion.

I tried SUN DICE, which is quite close or at the same level of the sound that I am looking for, I quite like it. But with this ZEN SU the impressions are quite different. I will not describe anything related to how the construction is, better a photo that looks much clearer than anything I can say (wow, the cable is wonderful, the connector is for the use that it is manufactured in theory, I have used it in equipment humble laptops with the 4.4mm connection).

001.jpg

I measured it with my equipment as a simple way to see what I hear, take it with a grain of salt.

002.png

Measured also gives 308 Ohm.

How do they sound? A couple of times while I'm working they've talked to me, and I've tried to take them off like I take off a headphone, just anecdote.

I usually just mark the bad things when I talk about a bud, always, here I have it very difficult, really.
There are no veils, and weaknesses are obscured by the "effortless" feel of this bud, luscious highs and mids, and a truly exceptional low end providing just the warmth needed so it's not boring (which it isn't). at all), the Subbass is the weakest point, it is perceptible and it moves enough air so that we know that it is there, it is not the protagonist. The stage is somewhat above average, there are no tricks or sacrifices of other frequencies to achieve that sensation, and the details appear from all sides of the head, it is a surprising sensation and the brain has to process, very good laterality as well.
I have no problem admitting that it's incredibly good for my ears.

Tuning that is far from the usual low mids, but that does not raise my alarms, nothing is out of the pleasant here IMO, sharp protagonists but they are pleasant in every way, perhaps someone very sensitive may have problems here. The pinna gain that may seem high but is what is necessary to, for example, “feel” the pulsation of an electric guitar string, as if you were playing yourself LOL.

Little more to say, I do not go into complex analysis, I hope it will be useful
 
Jul 29, 2022 at 11:54 AM Post #62,207 of 75,467

Today I bring you something different. Instead of IEMs or sources, I'll be covering the best earbud I've ever had the chance to try and I figured it would match this thread.

In fact, stratch that. Serratus is one of the best transducers I've ever heard and everyone knows I'm a picky one. Oh and did I mention that it is built by one of our own head-fiers, @tgx78?

Hope you enjoy the reading as much as I enjoyed hearing these.

Excellent review. Your tastes in music, or at least test tracks, have always mirrored my own and the way you talk of the technical aspects on this one is incredibly enticing - so much so that I've placed my order already.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts when it arrives.
 
Jul 29, 2022 at 12:05 PM Post #62,208 of 75,467
our tastes in music, or at least test tracks, have always mirrored my own

Thanks for the kind words!

Yes, the test tracks are also stuff I regularly listen to or some of my favourites. I'm not a fan of using tracks I don't particulary like since I will have to listen to them over and over again. That means you have great taste too! :beerchug:

Congratz on your purchase, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Looking forward to your impressions!
 
Jul 29, 2022 at 12:25 PM Post #62,209 of 75,467
Thank you for following up on this! You've already gone above and beyond, and really I was just curious about how this would sound on the LBBS, which was my gateway drug into earbuds. I still listen to them mostly at night as my indestructible sleep/comfort set. Your visual does confirm that I'm using Peace in the right way, but even your second set of values cuts the volume down significantly. I have to then crank the volume back up (and I mean crank), and that's where I get the buzz on the BTR5. Interestingly, I don't get the buzz on the Dragonfly Red, and double-interestingly, the cranked up result actually sounds pretty good!

So still a puzzle but it's all good. As I said, most of my daytime listening is on other sets, currently the @RikudouGoku Grand Archer 1 (better than anything I've ever had in or around my ears for string music), and I will soon be a @tgx78 customer, too. I've written about my unexpected detour into buds for Classical music over on the hifi forums, but as long as I'm here, I'll say that I've gone back and read this entire thread from the beginning and I really appreciate everyone here!
tgx78 earbuds are TOTL with regard to classical music, even the models (some are experiments) that have been tweaked slightly -- everything he makes is phenomenal for classical music. Every time I rotate between different iems, buds, headphones and come back to a tgx78 model, I am in awe of what I'm hearing. I expect the "novelty" will wear off at some point, but it hasn't so far (after 4 months).

In my opinion, this achievement is not solely technical -- I think there are plenty of people in this forum who are making technically fantastic buds. But for classical music, it's important for the tuner to know what classical music sounds like, live and in recordings. tgx78 is a classical instrumentalist (violin and I suspect piano as well.) He might deny the proficiency with multiple classical instruments, but don't believe it. He's Korean and Koreans think you have to go to Juilliard before you can claim that you play an instrument. =) Or, have gotten into Juilliard and passed because the career path is medical school by route of an Ivy league university.
 
Jul 29, 2022 at 12:40 PM Post #62,210 of 75,467

Today I bring you something different. Instead of IEMs or sources, I'll be covering the best earbud I've ever had the chance to try and I figured it would match this thread.

In fact, stratch that. Serratus is one of the best transducers I've ever heard and everyone knows I'm a picky one. Oh and did I mention that it is built by one of our own head-fiers, @tgx78?

Hope you enjoy the reading as much as I enjoyed hearing these.
Excellent review and mirrors my conclusions with @tgx78 's work. I've heard a couple others moved to tears with the serratus or tantalus, while I didn't cry, I was transfixed for the entire 2nd mvmt of the brendel/rattle rendition of Beethoven's 5th piano concerto. ok... maybe i did shed a tear.
 
Jul 29, 2022 at 1:26 PM Post #62,211 of 75,467
Excellent question(s)!

In fact, Sony was not the first company to launch flathead earbuds. They missed it by around five to six months to Trio-Kenwood Corporation who first debuted their KH-0.5 in Tokyo in early December 1981 (they were widely available for sale worldwide by the Christmas & New Years holiday period). Although it must be admitted that Sony's mini on-ear clip-on earphones the MDR-E22 and MDR-E33 (the world's first on-ear clip-on earphones and they were tiny!) launched in June 1981 (unofficially previewed and teased as far back as December 1980) must have been highly influential on Trio-Kenwood's KH-0.5's flathead earbud creation and design.

These are the first three (3) earbuds released upon the world:
Trio-Kenwood KH-0.5 Petitphones; 32Ω (World's 1st Earbud; debuted December 1981)​
Sony MDR-E252 Nude Fontopia; 18Ω (World's 2nd Earbud; debuted May/June 1982) *
Teac HP-30 Stereo Cutie Headphones; 32Ω (World's 3rd Earbud; debuted June 1982)​

All of these early Golden Ear earbud models from 1981 until 1983/4 were sold separately as stand-alone accessories (products). Audio devices at the time were only bundled with on-ear headsets... you know those terrible hair-pulling, ear-nipping, razor thin metal and plastic head bands that would break if you even looked at them the wrong way.

If I am not mistaken, the first bundled earbuds were Sony's 1984 MDR-E242 Nude Turbo (18Ω) which were bundled with a few of their very top-tier audio devices as an option. However, mainstream earbud bundling didn't go into full effect until 1985 after Sony released and bundled the Sony MDR-E222 Nude Turbo 12 (16Ω) with a good number of their Walkman and radio devices across all pricing tiers. Other audio companies quickly followed suit immediately thereafter with their own bundled models.

* Although Sony's first stereo flathead earbud ear receiver, the MDR-E252, debuted in May/June 1982, it was actually Sony's highly influential predecessors, the monaural/stereo clip-on ear hook ear receivers, the MDR-E22 and MDR-E33 (the world's first clip-on on-ear earphones utilizing 23mm diameter dome-type drivers), that officially launched the MDR-E Series a year earlier in June 1981.​
Trio-Kenwood, as in what we know as just "Kenwood"? Interesting. It seems as though Sony might have already been working on the flathead and was simply beat to the market with those (given how close they were released)? It seems as though Sony is always battling someone for some new innovation (VHS vs. Beta, .mp3 vs .wma, SACD vs DVD-Audio, +many more).

Yes, I remember those clip-ons very well. They were popular for a time. They remained popular even when BT was a new thing (I still have my "Best buy" house brand of the BT clip-ons).

Excellent explanation and thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge on the subject! :)
These days VE ZEN SU has fallen into my hands, I think there must be a reference to this Venture Electronics flagship in this thread, a bud that in my scheme of things I never thought I would have the opportunity to hear, mainly due to its price (which I will not go into to value more in this mini opinion) that is very far from my goal to spend on the hobby. Just thank @Charlyro222 that he sent me his game, just because he thought he had to listen to them, I am so impressed by this fact that I can only thank him.

I'm not good at describing sound so it's not a review, my personal taste is quite special so my opinion is just that, my opinion.

I tried SUN DICE, which is quite close or at the same level of the sound that I am looking for, I quite like it. But with this ZEN SU the impressions are quite different. I will not describe anything related to how the construction is, better a photo that looks much clearer than anything I can say (wow, the cable is wonderful, the connector is for the use that it is manufactured in theory, I have used it in equipment humble laptops with the 4.4mm connection).

001.jpg

I measured it with my equipment as a simple way to see what I hear, take it with a grain of salt.

002.png

Measured also gives 308 Ohm.

How do they sound? A couple of times while I'm working they've talked to me, and I've tried to take them off like I take off a headphone, just anecdote.

I usually just mark the bad things when I talk about a bud, always, here I have it very difficult, really.
There are no veils, and weaknesses are obscured by the "effortless" feel of this bud, luscious highs and mids, and a truly exceptional low end providing just the warmth needed so it's not boring (which it isn't). at all), the Subbass is the weakest point, it is perceptible and it moves enough air so that we know that it is there, it is not the protagonist. The stage is somewhat above average, there are no tricks or sacrifices of other frequencies to achieve that sensation, and the details appear from all sides of the head, it is a surprising sensation and the brain has to process, very good laterality as well.
I have no problem admitting that it's incredibly good for my ears.

Tuning that is far from the usual low mids, but that does not raise my alarms, nothing is out of the pleasant here IMO, sharp protagonists but they are pleasant in every way, perhaps someone very sensitive may have problems here. The pinna gain that may seem high but is what is necessary to, for example, “feel” the pulsation of an electric guitar string, as if you were playing yourself LOL.

Little more to say, I do not go into complex analysis, I hope it will be useful
Those look very nice. I have a couple of cables (for headphones) that have that modular connector, though I think the XLR is MUCH smaller (mini XLR) made by a wonderful company here in the US called Hart Audio Cables

HartAudioCable.jpg

Excellent mini-review!
 
Jul 29, 2022 at 1:42 PM Post #62,212 of 75,467

Today I bring you something different. Instead of IEMs or sources, I'll be covering the best earbud I've ever had the chance to try and I figured it would match this thread.

In fact, stratch that. Serratus is one of the best transducers I've ever heard and everyone knows I'm a picky one. Oh and did I mention that it is built by one of our own head-fiers, @tgx78?

Hope you enjoy the reading as much as I enjoyed hearing these.

Beautiful review, but for my tastes, a more mid centric vocal music, the way to go is without doubt, his last creation, Tantalus.

On my Top 5.
 
Jul 29, 2022 at 1:43 PM Post #62,213 of 75,467
Trio-Kenwood, as in what we know as just "Kenwood"? Interesting. It seems as though Sony might have already been working on the flathead and was simply beat to the market with those (given how close they were released)? It seems as though Sony is always battling someone for some new innovation (VHS vs. Beta, .mp3 vs .wma, SACD vs DVD-Audio, +many more).

Yes, I remember those clip-ons very well. They were popular for a time. They remained popular even when BT was a new thing (I still have my "Best buy" house brand of the BT clip-ons).

Excellent explanation and thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge on the subject! :)

Those look very nice. I have a couple of cables (for headphones) that have that modular connector, though I think the XLR is MUCH smaller (mini XLR) made by a wonderful company here in the US called Hart Audio Cables

HartAudioCable.jpg

Excellent mini-review!
More support for Hart cables - I use them on most of my full sized headphones. They have a MMXC connection option, too. I don't like it for most IEMs I've tried, but they work with buds better as long they're not pulling with too much weight and the buds aren't already poorly fitting.

PXL_20220729_174223911.jpg
 
Jul 29, 2022 at 1:47 PM Post #62,214 of 75,467
Beautiful review, but for my tastes, a more mid centric vocal music, the way to go is without doubt, his last creation, Tantalus.

On my Top 5.

That's coming next. I find Tantalus a bigger puzzle to solve and will spin it during the weekend!
 
Jul 29, 2022 at 1:59 PM Post #62,215 of 75,467
More support for Hart cables - I use them on most of my full sized headphones. They have a MMXC connection option, too. I don't like it for most IEMs I've tried, but they work with buds better as long they're not pulling with too much weight and the buds aren't already poorly fitting.

PXL_20220729_174223911.jpg
I think they have pretty much all options covered, and if they don't you can go to their "custom" section and have it made... I really like that they are fairly cheap. I am not one to pay $1k for a stinkin' cable... :)
 
Jul 29, 2022 at 2:10 PM Post #62,217 of 75,467
Jul 29, 2022 at 2:14 PM Post #62,218 of 75,467
Hi. I listen to lot of classical music and would love a flat head earbuds in my collection of IEMs and headphones. What would be the recommendations? Anywhere between 50 and 300€/$.
IMHO (and not counting DIY) for sound quality alone the Moondrop Chaconne are hands-down the classical music king. Honorable mention goes to the Rose Technics Maria II, and DUNU Alpha 1. But keep in mind, there are all sorts of different shapes and sizes, some have detachable cables, There is a questionnaire that you could answer, and that might help others help you better.
'THE CHECKLIST' FOR FLATHEAD EARBUD RECOMMENDATION REQUESTS
For those looking for a flathead-earbud recommendation from the Earbuds Round-Up thread gang, the following data is extremely helpful:
  • budget (what are you willing/looking to spend? e.g. price range)
  • source (e.g. Smartphone, DAP, AMP/DAC, PC, Streamer)
  • preferred connection (termination type, single-ended or balanced e.g. 3.5TRS, 4.4TRRS, 2.5TRRS)
  • listening level & session length (volume level and for how long?)
  • listening environment (e.g. mobile, office, home desktop, home listening room)
  • preferred music genre (to include podcasts and audiobooks)
  • preferred shell and foam-cushion type (e.g. please see here and here)
  • preferred sound signature i (e.g. bright, dark, warm, aggressive, bassy, neutral, L/U/V/W-shaped)
  • preferred sound signature ii (optional; offer a comparative non-earbud transducer model)
  • preferred brand (optional; only applicable for a model recommendation within a single brand)
  • any special need and/or consideration (e.g. mic/no mic?; fixed cable vs. mmcx?)

My defunct (no-longer updated/supported) Earbud God-Tier List can be found here.

My 2¢! :)
 
Jul 29, 2022 at 5:08 PM Post #62,220 of 75,467
Right now my Top 10 earbuds ranking could be

1.- Ve Zen Su
2-3. Ve Asura Pure White Shinning - Ve Sun Cooper (Tie)
----------
4.- Ve Zen shinning
5.- Ve Sun dice
6.- FranQL Blackhole 500ohms
7.- TgXear Tantalus
8.- LRey R-09 Forest
9.-Ve Asura Omega Edition
10.-Blur 266R mx150 Special Tuning


------ means a big leap in quality above here

Think that my library is mainly midcentric focused, smooth jazz with female vocals.
 
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