[samandhi]

Good for you. I've just seen and succumbed to some hype in this thread -- with Ali orders following -- and have not been impressed, to put it mildly. Yincrow X6? Qian39? Pathetic and unlistenable. I may just give them away in Classifieds because they are so disappointing.

Well, what did you expect for $5? Flagship sound? That is like buying some cheap Walmart gummies and saying that I hate all IEMs because those really sucked...

Anyhow, you could try and be less rude, and you would probably get further. But if you want to "troll", go ahead. At some point, you will either get "edited" or ignored by all (like you are now by me)... Good night!

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Unfortunately not. Leaning on your experiences to decide if I should also get the 3k!

I'll let you know what my ears tell me when the RW3Ks come up to bat!

 

[rkw]

Knowing that foams affect the sound, wouldn't double foams increase the bass / make the highs sound really rolled off?

You say "increase the bass" like it's a bad thing . For the highs you can do a donut with a full foam.

 

[samandhi]

Nice! I love it when a manufacturer takes the initiative and includes a great cable. It makes the whole experience from opening to using through the life of the product a much better experience. I like it when I don't feel the need to recable or replace a cable with something aftermarket. The RW2Ks I tried were a friend's and he bought them used with a Tripowin Zonie cable on them so I have no idea what their stock cable is like until I open them when I pull them out of the stack of boxes and packages lol!

OH! You are in for a treat with that cable. If I decided to get rid of either one of them, I might keep the cable for my other IEMs... LOL And also you could probably run over the Yincrows and they would still work...

The Maria II also have a very nice cable (if a bit stiff) FYI....

Edit: Oh BTW, I think the stock cable on both Yincrow is better than the Zonie cable (quite a bit IMO).... Someone did just what I mentioned earlier (probalby).

 

[WoodyLuvr]

The thing I found about the Kaei Tap-1s is that you need to feed it a nice strong signal to start off with. If you don't then you can turn the volume to max and still have low output volume. I've input line level (approx 1.2volts) audio and that was a good starting point. I've also fed it lower level audio and output sounded good, but not loud. The real charm of the Tap-1s is the tubey 2nd harmonics sound which is pleasant to listen too. If you're going to use it for measurements, it would be better to bypass the tubes with the bypass switch. It is a hybrid amp, tube and solid state like many of the DAPs that have Nu-tubes on board, but it's only an amp. As part of its output stage it uses dual MUSES02 op-amps, one for each channel. The MUSES02 amps actually don't have the very best specs, but they are designed / tuned for good musicality. The op-amps can be swapped out, but the height clearance is sort of low between the board and housing, so you couldn't use a Burson V5i op-amp (too high). You would be stuck with using only flat dual inline package (DIP) op-amps.

Thank you for sharing that is now two or three very good reviews I have read about it on this thread. May have to give it a listen soon!

You might try the AD827SQ... the MUSES02 is a good opamp (and an exceptionally good one from certain manufacturers) but I found the Analog Devices AD827SQ to be much better for earbuds across the board in a few different devices that I have rolled them through. Something to consider and/or try if you get the itch to.

Spoiler: Pic of Analog Devices AD827SQ

 

[yaps66]

LOL and I also found that one of the stores I ordered from included a pair of Toneking TO400s as a thank you for my business. I have been buying IEMs, DACs, and all things ChiFi from them for a few years and the proprietor always throws in something extra when I put in a decent sized order with him. It's a cool little extra surprise to see what I gey each time. And he's generally pretty thoughtful about picking something that's useful and fits with what I have in the order.

That’s a really nice touch and a sure way of your repeat business! Appreciate that!

 

[yaps66]

Bottom line (IMHO) is that the RW2000 is more musical and an all-rounder, and the RW3000 is more analytical in nature, so depending on what you are after one could be better than the other. They aren't really the same signature at all (to my ears).

Sounds to me like they are complimentary and therefore worthwhile having both in your collection!

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Thank you for sharing that is now two or three very good reviews I have read about it on this thread. May have to give it a listen soon!

You might try the AD827SQ... the MUSES02 is a good opamp (and an exceptionally good one from certain manufacturers) but I found the Analog Devices AD827SQ to be much better for earbuds across the board in a few different devices that I have rolled them through. Something to consider and/or try if you get the itch to.

Spoiler: Pic of Analog Devices AD827SQ

Gotta love swapping OPAmps!

 

[yaps66]

which one, if either,

another option is “or both”

 

[samandhi]

Thank you for sharing that is now two or three very good reviews I have read about it on this thread. May have to give it a listen soon!

You might try the AD827SQ... the MUSES02 is a good opamp (and an exceptionally good one from certain manufacturers) but I found the Analog Devices AD827SQ to be much better for earbuds across the board in a few different devices that I have rolled them through. Something to consider and/or try if you get the itch to.

Spoiler: Pic of Analog Devices AD827SQ

WOW! Plug and play op amps. Technology is amazing!

Sounds to me like they are complimentary and therefore worthwhile having both in your collection!

Yes, exactly my thoughts! I like the RW3000 for home when it is quiet, and the RW2000 when I'm out and about (being warmer the bass comes through much better with background noise).

 

[yaps66]

OH! You are in for a treat with that cable. If I decided to get rid of either one of them, I might keep the cable for my other IEMs... LOL And also you could probably run over the Yincrows and they would still work...

The Maria II also have a very nice cable (if a bit stiff) FYI....

Edit: Oh BTW, I think the stock cable on both Yincrow is better than the Zonie cable (quite a bit IMO).... Someone did just what I mentioned earlier (probalby).

+1 on Yincrow cable. The cable on the RW2K is very nice!

 

[WoodyLuvr]

Damn, did I just receive a volley of cannon fire from the rear?! Be warned ye' IEM pirates, I am a very well-armed flathead privateer!

Yeah, well, there's a reason that musicians use bass. Wish your earbuds came even close to carrying that to you.

I'm not a "fanatic" but I do want to hear what musicians have worked so long to generate and mix. I tried a few oh-wow budget recommendations here and was not impressed, to put it mildly. It's not just details (above); it's punch (below). Give me IEM irritation over earbud tinniness/rolloff anytime.

Attacker... parley?

Welcome to the rabbit hole! We are all a bit mad down here!

“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked.​

“Oh, you can’t help that,” said the Cat: “we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”​

“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice.​

“You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.”​

You are mistaken good person... there are a good number of currently available earbuds with excellent bass presentations... Smabat has a few bass savvy models (if you can handle the highs ala pinna gain)... there are RikuBuds @RikudouGoku's Berserker 1 & Grand Berserker 2... the Longyao-Yinman 2.0 600 LE... and not so current Blur Wraith and White Face Limited Editions... etc. etc. etc. All of these flatheads will knock your socks off with their solid bass performance.

You simply came in at the budget level and although as well-regarded those earbuds you purchased may be they are not known for good sub-bass presentation... most especially the Qian39 which is a sleeping earbud known for it's super laid-back and relaxed fatigue-free tuning... again not a performer by any means.

Although not known for deep chest-thumping, heart-pounding, impactful bass... flathead earbuds when fitted correctly can and do offer a fast, extremely detailed, open-sounding, and low bass presentation that rivals a many IEM, full-sized headphone, and even small monitor speaker setup. One must simply adjust their expectations a little to really appreciate what is being offered instead. Of course, due to their smaller driver size they simply can't move air to create that slamming bass like larger headphones or speakers nor can they by their open design sitting outside the ear canal create that sealed bass happy resonating chamber as seen in IEMs. But what they do offer is an unique speaker-like bass presentation that is both intimate and airy while still being exciting and well-timbred. Bass isn't all about punch and slam.

I may just give them away in Classifieds because they are so disappointing.

Free earbuds!!! You are hereby automatically made a lifetime earbud member ! Welcome to the fold!

Good for you. I've just seen and succumbed to some hype in this thread -- with Ali orders following -- and have not been impressed, to put it mildly. Yincrow X6? Qian39? Pathetic and unlistenable.

I honestly think you didn't give flatheads a fair shake and/or may have come in with some unfair (unrealistic) expectations.

You definitely need to give it more than a few days for your ears and brain to adjust as it can take a good week, two, or longer for one's ears & brain to fully adjust to a new sound signature; new transducer medium; and/or new set-up (in cases of loudspeakers with repositioning and/or added room treatments). It is further highly recommended that you refrain from even trying to compare earbuds to either headphones or IEMs for at a least a good week or so to really allow your ears & brain to adjust and understand what is being presented. Yes, certain frequencies may seem at first to be over-exaggerated; missing; distorted (excited); and/or veiled but they typically will balance out and settle down with time as your ears and brains adjust accordingly. Therefore, nailing down the true sound signature of a transducer, is extremely difficult to initially-quickly ascertain... especially with certain models and particular brands with unique house tunings.

Also experiment with fit... earbuds have their own fitting requirements... not nearly as critical as with IEMs (getting that 'seal') but nonetheless do require a proper fit in their own right as do all head/earphones really. This has been discussed, at great lengths, throughout the history of this thread (here are two examples that you might find helpful regarding "earbud fitting": Post #26,082 and Post #22,897. I, and many others here on this thread, would highly encourage that you to try various foam combinations to see if that improves the experience for you. Finding that perfect earbud is highly dependent on "the fit". Earbuds are prone to fitting issues due to mostly ear size but also anatomical variances between individuals. The use of foams to improve "the fit" can and does change the sound signature... sometimes drastically for better or worse and thus needs to be seriously factored in as accordingly

Personally, I always found it much easier to go between my earbuds and open back headphones than to an IEM or a closed back and vice versa. Once you figure out the best fitting/setting, with or without foams, you'll soon see that earbuds although with less bass than IEMs do offer a much wider soundstage with improved timbre and separation... and via a much more comfortable, cooler, and long listening package.

Good luck and please do report back your findings if you do decide to give flatheads a second try... from there we might be able to give you some solid recommendations and better guidance to eek out that performance you seek.

 

[o0genesis0o]

Not directly related, but I gave away a pair of modded KZ IEM to my friend who cannot a new pair. After a week, he told me his ears are annoyed and he wants the usual earbuds again.

Maybe I can make a pair for the guy using some bass heavy driver. (my first guinea pig )

 

[samandhi]

+1 on Yincrow cable. The cable on the RW2K is very nice!

IIRC the RW3000 is the same cable with different coloring (if it ain't broke, don't fix it)...

Damn, did I just receive a volley of cannon fire from the rear?! Be warned IEM Pirates, I am a well-armed privateer!

Priceless! LOLOLOLOL

I honestly think you didn't give flatheads a fair shake and/or came in with some unfair (unrealistic) expectations.

You definitely need to give it more than a few days for your ears and brain to adjust... it takes a good week, two, or longer for ears & brains to fully adjust to a new sound signature; new transducer medium; and/or set-up (in cases of loudspeakers and their repositioning and/or added room treatments). Certain frequencies may seem at first to be over-exaggerated; missing; distorted (excited); and/or veiled but they typically will balance out and settle down with time as your ears and brains adjust accordingly. Therefore, nailing down the true sound signature of a transducer, is extremely difficult to initially-quickly ascertain... especially with certain models and particular brands with unique house tunings.

Also experiment with fit... earbuds have their own fitting requirements... not nearly as critical as with IEMs (getting that 'seal') but nonetheless do require a proper fit in their own right as do all head/earphones really. This has been discussed, at great lengths, throughout the history of this thread (here are two examples that you might find helpful regarding "earbud fitting": Post #26,082 and Post #22,897. I, and many others here on this thread, would highly encourage that you to try various foam combinations to see if that improves the experience for you. Finding that perfect earbud is highly dependent on "the fit". Earbuds are prone to fitting issues due to mostly ear size but also anatomical variances between individuals. The use of foams to improve "the fit" can and does change the sound signature... sometimes drastically for better or worse and thus needs to be seriously factored in as accordingly

Personally, I always found it much easier to go between my earbuds and open back headphones than to an IEM or a closed back and vice versa. Once you figure out the best fitting/setting, with or without foams, you'll soon see that earbuds although with less bass than IEMs do offer a much wider soundstage with improved timbre and separation... and via a much more comfortable, cooler, and long listening package.

Good luck and please do report back your findings if you do decide to give flatheads a second try... from there we might be able to give you some solid recommendations and better guidance to eek out that performance you seek.

You, my friend are a rock, and thank you for being that way!

 

[samandhi]

Not directly related, but I gave away a pair of modded KZ IEM to my friend who cannot a new pair. After a week, he told me his ears are annoyed and he wants the usual earbuds again.

Maybe I can make a pair for the guy using some bass heavy driver. (my first guinea pig )

No, that sounds fantastic if you ask me. Do keep us informed?!