[samandhi]

Once you get a taste of what outstanding earbuds can sound like, you can't unhear that experience. I think that's what drives people here. Like most of head-fi, this is definitely an enthusiast's thread where people are looking out for buds with exceptional sound foremost. If there are bargain priced buds that perform very well, than that is all the better, but it's not unheard of for people to spend a few hundred dollars or more (or equivalent in other currencies) for some exceptional sounding buds as well. The other end of the spectrum is making your own (DIY) or buying buds from our established DIY maker / sellers that can exceed or get very close to performance of some of the top commercial buds. I don't have or have even listened to music with the VE Monk Lites, but I will say that VE created a "gateway" earbud that are probably acceptable to many people. I'm sure VE would love for every owner of Monk Lites to step up to their better tuned higher tier buds.

Very well said! Even though earbuds are a niche hobby, there is really a huge variety when you really think about it.

 

[mt877]

Very well said! Even though earbuds are a niche hobby, there is really a huge variety when you really think about it.

Almost too much variety in a (good?) way. Most of my bud purchases have come from AE and just looking through AE you're smothered with buds from established to no-name brands. With all that temptation, you could easily dump a lot of money on buds of unknown sound quality to find a few that really shine. And I'm only talking about AE. Other people venture out and buy stuff from Taobao and other venues as well, though I'm pretty sure the same sellers are on multiple marketplaces. Anyway, with all that variety it can definitely be hard to separate the good buds from the poor performers so thanks to the brave ones here who make blind purchases, share their impressions and best buy advice.

 

[baskingshark]

Almost too much variety in a (good?) way. Most of my bud purchases have come from AE and just looking through AE you're smothered with buds from established to no-name brands. With all that temptation, you could easily dump a lot of money on buds of unknown sound quality to find a few that really shine. And I'm only talking about AE. Other people venture out and buy stuff from Taobao and other venues as well, though I'm pretty sure the same sellers are on multiple marketplaces. Anyway, with all that variety it can definitely be hard to separate the good buds from the poor performers so thanks to the brave ones here who make blind purchases, share their impressions and best buy advice.

Speaking about this, what do our earbud aficionados here vote as the best ever earbud (assuming cost is no concern), in terms of sound quality?

An end game earbud so to speak? Is there such a mythical unicorn?


It might actually save money in the long term getting one end game TOTL earbud, and we stop getting stuck in sidegrade earbud purgatory?

 

[o0genesis0o]

An end game earbud so to speak? Is there such a mythical unicorn?

Wild guesses:

• TGXear buds
• One of those holy cows 600ohm buds
• Fiio FF3
• Perhaps Zen 2.0?

Edit: forgot to add Rikubuds.

 

[digititus]

Speaking about this, what do our earbud aficionados here vote as the best ever earbud (assuming cost is no concern), in terms of sound quality?

An end game earbud so to speak? Is there such a mythical unicorn?


It might actually save money in the long term getting one end game TOTL earbud, and we stop getting stuck in sidegrade earbud purgatory?

The earbud gods love all of their children equally. Variety is what makes the world (and AE Vendors) a richer place.

 

[Danneq]

Speaking about this, what do our earbud aficionados here vote as the best ever earbud (assuming cost is no concern), in terms of sound quality?

An end game earbud so to speak? Is there such a mythical unicorn?

I don't think anyone has heard them all. When I was into vintage earbuds a few years ago it would have been Sony MDR E484 or Aiwa HP V99. But there are Chinese earbud makers and DIY maker that beat those legendary earbuds.

Moondrop Chaconne beats all vintage earbuds in SQ. Blox TM7 was my first taste in TOTL earbuds from smaller makers and they are still great. I did like Sennheiser MX980/985 but ended up selling both. I never liked Zen 2 and think Zen 1 was far superior.
I've been a fan of Indonesian one man earbud maker Cypherus since I first bought CampFred. For me nothing can beat Red Dragon, which sounds like actual full size headphones and make every other earbud I own sound like tiny earbuds. But it is a custom made pair (I am the second owner) so not for a mass market. If anyone ever is in the Stockholm area you are welcome to send me a PM and we can have a listening session with different earbuds.
I keep checking out TOTL earbuds since I want to find something that comes close to Red Dragon. Nothing does, but sometimes there are nice surprises. Sometimes you get a lemon. Sometimes you grow tired of something that you like and sell it (and then perhaps buy it again).
I really like Chaconne and SWD2+. Am really curious about Rose Martini and Yincrow RW-3000 (didn't like Rose Mojito too much. Kind of liked Yincrow RW-777 but sold it).

I remember when ClieOS removed his earbud ranking in the first post after people were complaining to him that they did not like an earbud that he put high on his list. Different strokes for different folks. Some like a lot of bass. Some like sweet mids. Some like detailed treble...

 

[o0genesis0o]

I remember when ClieOS removed his earbud ranking in the first post after people were complaining to him that they did not like an earbud that he put high on his list. Different strokes for different folks. Some like a lot of bass. Some like sweet miss. Some like detailed treble...

True that. I think very few IEMs / headphones / earbuds achieve widespread and durable acclaim. For instance, I have seen U12t being praised as one of the best IEMs on the planet by many, yet I have heard one of the customers at a local hifi store telling the store staffs that U12t is boring and mediocre. I think 64 Audio Trio's tuning trick is very clever, others think it sounds unnatural and uneven. When it comes to technical performance, everything is even mushier. I think Letshuoer S12 is one of the most resolving IEMs out there, my friend thinks it is wonky and meh.

Perhaps the folks at Campfire Audio do make some sense: there is unlikely a universal taste, so let's try to at least satisfy some listeners out there. (I still don't understand how people can like Solaris, Dorado, and Vega )


Anyhow, waiting for a meeting at work, so I entertain myself by going shopping for my next DIY projects. I feel like a child in a candy store. I want them all

 

[christianfps]

There's been a few people posting to this thread about how they have small ears, that they have a hard time fitting IEMs, can't stand over ear headphones and they want to go with earbuds but also have problems with fitting buds as well.

Maybe this is a solution? I was browsing the Walkman blog and this was posted: Sony Off-Ear headphones, WI-OE600. True wireless Off-Ear headphones. According to the Walkman blog, the crowdfunding at indiegogo was a big success and maybe Sony will release them for sale as well?

Here's a couple pictures.

This reminds me of the KOSS KSC75 has anyone tried them here?

 

[ian91]

Wild guesses:

• TGXear buds
• One of those holy cows 600ohm buds
• Fiio FF3
• Perhaps Zen 2.0?

Edit: forgot to add Rikubuds.

@baskingshark I've not heard every earbud under the sun but TGXear has my vote, especially if you listen to any classical/jazz/blues/acoustic. I'm currently driving the Alpha (an early version) from the Valhalla 2 which is about 480mW at 600ohms.

The Alpha uses a driver that @tgx78 quite rightly identified for its imaging capacity and he has managed to implement it well. The stage height and depth make for an enveloping listen and the image has very little congestion. When driven well the meaty fundamentals and carefully captured harmonics gives a realism of tonality and timbre that's very hard to beat. It reproduces sound like a headphone but with the comfort and form factor we all love.

It's not the airiest listen but we have the Serratus for that, and nonetheless, all the detail is there. I know this is very hyperbolic, but it makes me wonder where I go from here, what's missing? If that question endures over the weeks to come that's how I will know I am in endgame territory. I can't wait to receive the final version of the Alpha. I'm holding back detailed impressions as I don't want to mislead anyone if the final production version is dramatically different.

The level of refinement we are getting from earbuds is making me reassess things. Planar IEMs don't have the ever so natural DD timbre, multi-driver IEMs are very rarely as cohesive nor as expansive and even single DD IEMs present sound rather oddly to my ear. I spent some time in the kilobuck IEM arena and then a very brief moment at the 'summit' with the Traillii and there were still tonal/timbre shortcomings (often appreciated in retrospect). I wish I had realised the value of the earbud earlier but also realise that a journey was necessary to find what I value most - timbre, coherency, tonal balance and plenty of organic texture.

Long live the earbud and long live the passion (or obsession) that drives us!

 

[dinodogJR]

They have been on a roll for the last couple of years. I have their Sony Linkbuds, which are actual flathead buds (with a hole in the middle) attached to BT TWS modules. They are actually really good, and I am very glad I decided to get them (though I didn't need them at all. I just saw that there were some actual earbuds (not what they all are calling earbuds) that were wireless.

Sony Linkbuds, how do you graded their sound quality to any earbuds? Is it certified as Mid-budget earphone sounds performance?
I am interested for outdoor activities usage.
Not sure its Sony going to upgrade this this innovative hole-earbud in near future. Many dislikes of its cumbersome fit. The sales is not as good as it is as the price deduction just a few months from released.

I am trying B&O EQ with the ANC. It is practically not a perfect ANC to block every sound frequency to dead air inside our ear canal. Anywhere i am using the memory foam tips.
Strangely how effective is the Sony Linkbuds ANC could against Noise blocking with a middle hole there?

 

[dinodogJR]

This reminds me of the KOSS KSC75 has anyone tried them here?

It's really good.. As good as a Grado SR60 mini version. Very closer to that kind of Bright & punchy sound signature.
There's Beyer Dynamic DT231 which sits well in term of sound quality between Grado Sr60 and Koss KSC75. It was my top favourite light-weight headphone.

I bought it for my dad. He enjoyed it until it failed after years as a daily gear.

 

[ttorbic]

@baskingshark I've not heard every earbud under the sun but TGXear has my vote, especially if you listen to any classical/jazz/blues/acoustic. I'm currently driving the Alpha (an early version) from the Valhalla 2 which is about 480mW at 600ohms.

The Alpha uses a driver that @tgx78 quite rightly identified for its imaging capacity and he has managed to implement it well. The stage height and depth make for an enveloping listen and the image has very little congestion. When driven well the meaty fundamentals and carefully captured harmonics gives a realism of tonality and timbre that's very hard to beat. It reproduces sound like a headphone but with the comfort and form factor we all love.

It's not the airiest listen but we have the Serratus for that, and nonetheless, all the detail is there. I know this is very hyperbolic, but it makes me wonder where I go from here, what's missing? If that question endures over the weeks to come that's how I will know I am in endgame territory. I can't wait to receive the final version of the Alpha. I'm holding back detailed impressions as I don't want to mislead anyone if the final production version is dramatically different.

The level of refinement we are getting from earbuds is making me reassess things. Planar IEMs don't have the ever so natural DD timbre, multi-driver IEMs are very rarely as cohesive nor as expansive and even single DD IEMs present sound rather oddly to my ear. I spent some time in the kilobuck IEM arena and then a very brief moment at the 'summit' with the Traillii and there were still tonal/timbre shortcomings (often appreciated in retrospect). I wish I had realised the value of the earbud earlier but also realise that a journey was necessary to find what I value most - timbre, coherency, tonal balance and plenty of organic texture.

Long live the earbud and long live the passion (or obsession) that drives us!

Very useful info, thanks for sharing! Looking forward to your thoughts on the production version of the Alpha

 

[yaps66]

Sony Linkbuds, how do you graded their sound quality to any earbuds? Is it certified as Mid-budget earphone sounds performance?
I am interested for outdoor activities usage.
Not sure its Sony going to upgrade this this innovative hole-earbud in near future. Many dislikes of its cumbersome fit. The sales is not as good as it is as the price deduction just a few months from released.

I am trying B&O EQ with the ANC. It is practically not a perfect ANC to block every sound frequency to dead air inside our ear canal. Anywhere i am using the memory foam tips.
Strangely how effective is the Sony Linkbuds ANC could against Noise blocking with a middle hole there?

I have the same Linkbuds that @samandhi has. I use them for taking phone and conference calls. These do not have any ANC. They essentially let all sound in. I do not use these out and about as I find them too soft on a noisy street environment.

 

[baskingshark]

I don't think anyone has heard them all.

Haha maybe king @WoodyLuvr may have very well caught and heard em all and collected all the earbud pokemon of the world!

 

[ian91]

Haha maybe king @WoodyLuvr may have very well caught and heard em all and collected all the earbud pokemon of the world!

Part of me secretly wants @WoodyLuvr to publish 'A Short History of Earbuds'.