You can message Riku here on head-fi. His thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/rikubuds-hangout.965014/Thanks for the tip, but no Instagram, Fakebook, Twatter or the likes for me. I'm an IT pro for some decades and I know how they operate and what they do with data...
Cheers
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Earbuds Round-Up
- Thread starter ClieOS
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FlacFan
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Thank you. Reading now.You can message Riku here on head-fi. His thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/rikubuds-hangout.965014/
Cheers
I love his Rider 1. Can't go wrong for 60 bucks! Going to get his Grand Rider2 soon.Thank you. Reading now.
Cheers
fooltoque
100+ Head-Fier
That is really too bad. It sucks to spend so much on a pair of earbuds and not have them to your liking.As I promised, a little report about RW-3000.
It will be very short : I let them burn in for 200 hours, then tested them. They feel, look, and sound premium.
Unfortunately for me, they are tuned rather on the analytical / detailed / bright side, and I am sure now I really prefer dark tuning...
So I put them in "classifieds" today, and will keep them in their box (no heavy comparing with my other earbuds) to keep them in their "brand new state"...
I love my rw-3000's. They are definitely not dark for sure, but they do not neglect the bass. I am always struck by the detail and texture in their bass. Since getting them, I'm kinda embarrassed to say that I don't listen to any other buds.
You can message @ValSuki here to enquire about his upcoming set too.Thanks for the tip, but no Instagram, Fakebook, Twatter or the likes for me. I'm an IT pro for some decades and I know how they operate and what they do with data...
Cheers
ValSuki
Member of the Trade: Valphonics
Yup! Im developing a set at the moment which is going to use a retro mx500 styled shell but with functional porting and customised speakers. I have plans for them to be sub 200usd and a totl, but not to be very competitive as I would like to do this as a form of artistic impression and a love letter to earbuds. I initially planned to do wooden shells, but those are very difficult to get made and sound good at the same time. Here's a little sneak peak of my shell!

I'd be interested in these.
assassin10000
Headphoneus Supremus
Yup! Im developing a set at the moment which is going to use a retro mx500 styled shell but with functional porting and customised speakers. I have plans for them to be sub 200usd and a totl, but not to be very competitive as I would like to do this as a form of artistic impression and a love letter to earbuds. I initially planned to do wooden shells, but those are very difficult to get made and sound good at the same time. Here's a little sneak peak of my shell!
![]()
Nice!
Makes me wish 15.4mm drivers fit my smallish ears comfortably.
The Nokia HDS-3 with a smaller shell that fits 15.4mm drivers is now available on ebay in the US.Nice!
Makes me wish 15.4mm drivers fit my smallish ears comfortably.
As you're a DIYer, go for it.

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I, personally, found the Lilliums to be pretty terrible. I will add that they'd be okay for FEMALE vocals as I think they leave male vocals or any vocals that dip below the upper mid/lower treble region sounding thin and without much body. That said, I didn't particularly like them for female vocals either.
The RW-2000s should be very much up your alley if you're a fan of the Rosemarys. They are kinda like a super refined and better made version in a lot of ways. You could also look at something like the Shozy BKs which are an all time classic bud around here that I think would be enjoyed by most Rosemary fans too. You could even look at the FF3s which have a nice powerful bass presentation and have a similarly relaxed treble, but they are less like the Rosemarys than the RW-2000 or the BKs.
I'll probably think of others I should have mentioned in a few so I may post again, but this should be a good start.
Sorry for replying to an old post.
But i wanna ask you about lilium.
Is it really that terrible?
I was planning on buying one but..
Would you tell me what is ti like compared to some earbuds?
Thanks.
imackler
Headphoneus Supremus
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It's a little tricky navigating the DIY/Small Business Earbud market. There are a lot of products in a short period of time and it's a little difficult figuring out what distingusihes one item from another. Sometimes, they just don't have a lot of information given. If I want a HD600 like sounds in a MX500 shell, it seem like I should look at TGXears (Serratus) or Rikubuds (?). But are there any non-DIY manufactures that would have something similar in the line up? I like how these guys are not relying on a lot of self-description but leaving it up to purchasers to advertise for them the sound signature and nuances, but it's a little tough to navigate the earbud world now. Maybe it always has been, because the sound is so based on ear shape. I know some of the TOTL lists don't have any DIY/Small Business stuff, others are exclusively purchasing DIY/Small Business buds. (I hope there is no offense calling them DIY, thus I'm also including small business.) I also am nervous about product variation, which I imagine less in mass produced buds... but actually the opposite may be true: There may be more quality control from TGXears or Rikubuds... Anyways, just trying to navigate the ever-expanding market, with a lot of new products coming out... Is there a mass-produced HD600-like earbud in a MX500 shell? Or should I go the Small Business route? Serratus? Or does Rikubuds have something similar to a HD600? Thanks all!
FWIW, I don't think of Serratus, which leans a bit bright, as a HD600 equivalent. Of the TGXear buds I've tried, Tantalus (or maybe Ripples) would be my pick for that kind of neutral-ish mid-centric signature. Having said that, I sold my HD600 a while ago, so my memory might not be accurate and others might have better recommendations. I have no experience with Rikubuds.It's a little tricky navigating the DIY/Small Business Earbud market. There are a lot of products in a short period of time and it's a little difficult figuring out what distingusihes one item from another. Sometimes, they just don't have a lot of information given. If I want a HD600 like sounds in a MX500 shell, it seem like I should look at TGXears (Serratus) or Rikubuds (?). But are there any non-DIY manufactures that would have something similar in the line up? I like how these guys are not relying on a lot of self-description but leaving it up to purchasers to advertise for them the sound signature and nuances, but it's a little tough to navigate the earbud world now. Maybe it always has been, because the sound is so based on ear shape. I know some of the TOTL lists don't have any DIY/Small Business stuff, others are exclusively purchasing DIY/Small Business buds. (I hope there is no offense calling them DIY, thus I'm also including small business.) I also am nervous about product variation, which I imagine less in mass produced buds... but actually the opposite may be true: There may be more quality control from TGXears or Rikubuds... Anyways, just trying to navigate the ever-expanding market, with a lot of new products coming out... Is there a mass-produced HD600-like earbud in a MX500 shell? Or should I go the Small Business route? Serratus? Or does Rikubuds have something similar to a HD600? Thanks all!
gooberbm
100+ Head-Fier
Riku has very specific, detailed descriptions for what he intended in the sound of each of his buds. It's not true at all that he doesn't self-describe the vision of his budsIt's a little tricky navigating the DIY/Small Business Earbud market. There are a lot of products in a short period of time and it's a little difficult figuring out what distingusihes one item from another. Sometimes, they just don't have a lot of information given. If I want a HD600 like sounds in a MX500 shell, it seem like I should look at TGXears (Serratus) or Rikubuds (?). But are there any non-DIY manufactures that would have something similar in the line up? I like how these guys are not relying on a lot of self-description but leaving it up to purchasers to advertise for them the sound signature and nuances, but it's a little tough to navigate the earbud world now. Maybe it always has been, because the sound is so based on ear shape. I know some of the TOTL lists don't have any DIY/Small Business stuff, others are exclusively purchasing DIY/Small Business buds. (I hope there is no offense calling them DIY, thus I'm also including small business.) I also am nervous about product variation, which I imagine less in mass produced buds... but actually the opposite may be true: There may be more quality control from TGXears or Rikubuds... Anyways, just trying to navigate the ever-expanding market, with a lot of new products coming out... Is there a mass-produced HD600-like earbud in a MX500 shell? Or should I go the Small Business route? Serratus? Or does Rikubuds have something similar to a HD600? Thanks all!
FlacFan
100+ Head-Fier
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From my list a couple of posts above I decided to get the FiiO FF3.
Thanks to Amazon magic they arrived today and their return policy is hard to beat.
Anyway, so far I am liking what I hear. Needed to add some low end though (using it with a Shanling M3 Ultra).
Earbuds have come a long way for sure.
One thing I cannot work out: Those silicone rings. Are they supposed to be used additionally to the foam or instead?
In the latter case it would leave the openings exposed to all the debris...ahem, don't you worry when you get older, you'll understand....
Cheers.
Thanks to Amazon magic they arrived today and their return policy is hard to beat.
Anyway, so far I am liking what I hear. Needed to add some low end though (using it with a Shanling M3 Ultra).
Earbuds have come a long way for sure.
One thing I cannot work out: Those silicone rings. Are they supposed to be used additionally to the foam or instead?
In the latter case it would leave the openings exposed to all the debris...ahem, don't you worry when you get older, you'll understand....
Cheers.
Ronion
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Absolutely Brilliant and kudos to you for your creativity and sharing!Basically any foam will cover your MX500 shell holes, no matter what manufacturer. I solve this by making holes in the full foams about this way.
I have posted measurements several times in this thread about earbud burn in. The drivers don't measurably change (at least not in an obvious/overt way), but the foams sure do. Your earbuds will sound different if you use them every day for 2 weeks--Bass gets deeper and pinna/canal gain reduce. This will tilt the perceived tonal balance dramatically. That said, just running them off of an amp without wearing them won't do a lot (measurably), but letting the oils and salt in your ear interact with the foams under pressure and heat sure will. This is why I tune my buds brighter than I would like at first listen. They'll warm up over time.
Anyway, sorry I haven't been able to keep up with the thread and I'm fairly sure I've skipped 20-40 pages and just skimmed what I could!