Earbuds Round-Up
Dec 24, 2023 at 5:22 AM Post #73,351 of 75,463
I can certainly try, though I don't feel like I have had quite enough time on them to be 100% with all the subtleties yet. :)

I find that the Draco and the Yinman have a lot of similarities, but their differences result in an overall much different presentation (to my ears).

Fitment is not the same between the two, though they are both very light (being made of wood). The Yinman seem to feel a bit bigger in my ears, though the Draco feel like they get a bit of a tighter fit. Doing the "press in with my fingers" test, the Draco don't change much, they only get louder overall; where the Yinman become super bassy by comparison.

The Draco have nothing offensive in their tuning to match the Yinman. If you have the power to drive them, you can crank them up quite a bit, and I have yet to find any frequency that reveals the Munson Curve (to my ears). This is common with all of @FranQL's buds (which I absolutely love about them). As an aside, this has to be both one of my favorite features of his buds, but at the same time baffling as to how he can accomplish and yet have many different presentations. They NEVER cross that line for my ears. Also, having mentioned the power issue, and ONLY going by volume, I actually think that the Draco seem to be a bit harder to drive (to the same volume) compared to the Yinmans; this not taking into account driver excitement or damping of course. Keep in mind though that this might only be due to the cable I am currently using causing this phenomenon. I am using the cable from the FiiO FF5 for now because I don't really have any spare cables that are straight down (all my spares are IEM cables). This might be important to my whole train of thought and might change all perceptions of this bud in the future with a "proper" cable.

So, for me I think that the overall difference that makes them sound (almost) completely different can be displayed in the mids (and to a lesser extent, though important as well, the lower end). Where the Yinmans have a very warm and full (thick) sound in the mids for both vocals and instrumentation, the Draco have somewhat recessed vocals, but instrumentation is up front and actually is the "star of the show" as reviewers might say. :) In my mind, this actually grants the Draco more perceived clarity where the mids are concerned. It also lends to the perceived technicalities as well, but more on that later.

So, let's talk about the lows a bit. The Draco are what seem to be less punchy, not having the same slam the Yinman have. This makes the overall note weight very different from the Yinmans. They also don't extend as deep but are also no slouch. Quality is very good, as well as texture. The overall quantity is also less than on the Yinman (but of course this doesn't matter too much). This never hampers the enjoyment of listening to these, and everything is there to hear. I have also noticed that they have a very similar (though a bit less in quantity) where upper bass is concerned, making their overall signature warm like the Yinmans are as well. It isn't quite as warm as the Yinmans though, and this is noticed in the overall tuning without trying to do a critical listen, or an A/B... This might be the easiest thing that one's ear picks up on that makes them different in general.

As mentioned earlier, the mids are very different on these two sets. This area is for me what make them so different and worthy of having both sets available. I just love how these sound as a contrast to the Yinmans. Even having a bit of a recess with the vocals, I still don't find them thin or anything like that. The warmth established by the upper bass makes them still pretty thick sounding, like the Yinmans.

The treble area is where I find the two to be VERY much alike. They are a bit relaxed, but are able to attain perceived clarity, and air in a way that is/has been perplexing to me. This could only be described as a "tube" like sound with my current vocabulary. Never veiled sounding, but also not considered bright in nature. The dB level of cymbals and mid and upper treble instruments is right up there with everything else, but it is so smooth that they don't give the impression that they are boosted or anything to that nature. I suppose it comes down to a tonal thing?!

The technicalities are another area that they are quite a bit different. Tone and timbre, macro and micro dynamics are very similar to each other, but that might be where the similarities end. The Draco have a much bigger sound stage and almost makes the entire sound seem, sort of far away sounding (in a good way). I suspect that that little boost in frequency that makes the instruments sound separate and louder than the vocals helps this tremendously. The Yinmans sound a bit flat in comparison IMO. Also, this probably helps separation and imaging and layering to be superior on the Draco. Resolution is, of course, top notch on both sets, and having an overall dark(ish) signature, it is pretty surprising (and has been one of the most loved qualities of the Yinmans to this point). The technicalities on the Draco make them stand out, and also contributes to the overall differences between the two sounds.

Bottom line is that they are very different sounding buds, while retaining a similar signature. The Yinmans have more slam, and might sound a bit more musical overall, where the Draco have some fantastic technicalities that remain fun sounding, while adding an ethereal quality on top of the mix. I know I have used a lot of words to try and describe what I am hearing, but I truly lack the words to describe it any better. :)

Not since August of this year, according to my order for the A-Bells...

WOW! I am sorry that this happened to you, but it is a good thing that you CYA though. :)

Congrats on your new shiny! :)

Fantastic looking buds! I like pretty much everything about the looks of those.

Congrats on your new (DIY) shiny(s)! :)

I love the look of the DP100 buds...
That's why Draco together with Blue Moon are my favorite drivers.
Merry Christmas hermano !
 

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Dec 24, 2023 at 9:56 AM Post #73,352 of 75,463
Lunson YE-02. The final version: the cable was replaced with graphene from XINHS (the original is not detailed enough). The earhooks are not cut off, so the fit is better, the earphones are quite large and often fall out. The ear pads were replaced with thicker ones (there was not enough bass).
IMG20231224130058.jpg
Congrats on your new shiny! :)

Do you have any impressions on the sound of these? They look to be a pretty nice set, and the cable looks like a very nice one as well. XINHS makes some really good cables for an affordable price as well.
That's why Draco together with Blue Moon are my favorite drivers.
Merry Christmas hermano !
Don't get me started on the Blue Moon. :heart_eyes: Those are a step up even from his other sets IMHO... Let's just call them "bottled lightning"... :wink:

Merry Christmas to you as well Hermano!
 
Dec 24, 2023 at 10:48 AM Post #73,353 of 75,463
Congrats on your new shiny! :)

Do you have any impressions on the sound of these? They look to be a pretty nice set, and the cable looks like a very nice one as well. XINHS makes some really good cables for an affordable price as well.

Don't get me started on the Blue Moon. :heart_eyes: Those are a step up even from his other sets IMHO... Let's just call them "bottled lightning"... :wink:

Merry Christmas to you as well Hermano!
See why we love DIY way?
You have 2 pairs there that cost together under $100 that can rival any TOTL pair
 
Dec 24, 2023 at 11:41 AM Post #73,355 of 75,463
For these holidays, I propose my favorite build for the best fun and all-rounder category :)20231124_205323.jpg
The legendary red dot driver + QKZ MDR shells.
Yes, it is possible to have an excellent pair for only $15
We both have one lol.:L3000:1697926021862.jpg
The QKZ MDR shell is pretty good acoustically it works similarly to Rivet mod MX500 shell in my experiences.
 
Dec 24, 2023 at 12:13 PM Post #73,356 of 75,463
I can certainly try, though I don't feel like I have had quite enough time on them to be 100% with all the subtleties yet. :)

I find that the Draco and the Yinman have a lot of similarities, but their differences result in an overall much different presentation (to my ears).

Fitment is not the same between the two, though they are both very light (being made of wood). The Yinman seem to feel a bit bigger in my ears, though the Draco feel like they get a bit of a tighter fit. Doing the "press in with my fingers" test, the Draco don't change much, they only get louder overall; where the Yinman become super bassy by comparison.

The Draco have nothing offensive in their tuning to match the Yinman. If you have the power to drive them, you can crank them up quite a bit, and I have yet to find any frequency that reveals the Munson Curve (to my ears). This is common with all of @FranQL's buds (which I absolutely love about them). As an aside, this has to be both one of my favorite features of his buds, but at the same time baffling as to how he can accomplish and yet have many different presentations. They NEVER cross that line for my ears. Also, having mentioned the power issue, and ONLY going by volume, I actually think that the Draco seem to be a bit harder to drive (to the same volume) compared to the Yinmans; this not taking into account driver excitement or damping of course. Keep in mind though that this might only be due to the cable I am currently using causing this phenomenon. I am using the cable from the FiiO FF5 for now because I don't really have any spare cables that are straight down (all my spares are IEM cables). This might be important to my whole train of thought and might change all perceptions of this bud in the future with a "proper" cable.

So, for me I think that the overall difference that makes them sound (almost) completely different can be displayed in the mids (and to a lesser extent, though important as well, the lower end). Where the Yinmans have a very warm and full (thick) sound in the mids for both vocals and instrumentation, the Draco have somewhat recessed vocals, but instrumentation is up front and actually is the "star of the show" as reviewers might say. :) In my mind, this actually grants the Draco more perceived clarity where the mids are concerned. It also lends to the perceived technicalities as well, but more on that later.

So, let's talk about the lows a bit. The Draco are what seem to be less punchy, not having the same slam the Yinman have. This makes the overall note weight very different from the Yinmans. They also don't extend as deep but are also no slouch. Quality is very good, as well as texture. The overall quantity is also less than on the Yinman (but of course this doesn't matter too much). This never hampers the enjoyment of listening to these, and everything is there to hear. I have also noticed that they have a very similar (though a bit less in quantity) where upper bass is concerned, making their overall signature warm like the Yinmans are as well. It isn't quite as warm as the Yinmans though, and this is noticed in the overall tuning without trying to do a critical listen, or an A/B... This might be the easiest thing that one's ear picks up on that makes them different in general.

As mentioned earlier, the mids are very different on these two sets. This area is for me what make them so different and worthy of having both sets available. I just love how these sound as a contrast to the Yinmans. Even having a bit of a recess with the vocals, I still don't find them thin or anything like that. The warmth established by the upper bass makes them still pretty thick sounding, like the Yinmans.

The treble area is where I find the two to be VERY much alike. They are a bit relaxed, but are able to attain perceived clarity, and air in a way that is/has been perplexing to me. This could only be described as a "tube" like sound with my current vocabulary. Never veiled sounding, but also not considered bright in nature. The dB level of cymbals and mid and upper treble instruments is right up there with everything else, but it is so smooth that they don't give the impression that they are boosted or anything to that nature. I suppose it comes down to a tonal thing?!

The technicalities are another area that they are quite a bit different. Tone and timbre, macro and micro dynamics are very similar to each other, but that might be where the similarities end. The Draco have a much bigger sound stage and almost makes the entire sound seem, sort of far away sounding (in a good way). I suspect that that little boost in frequency that makes the instruments sound separate and louder than the vocals helps this tremendously. The Yinmans sound a bit flat in comparison IMO. Also, this probably helps separation and imaging and layering to be superior on the Draco. Resolution is, of course, top notch on both sets, and having an overall dark(ish) signature, it is pretty surprising (and has been one of the most loved qualities of the Yinmans to this point). The technicalities on the Draco make them stand out, and also contributes to the overall differences between the two sounds.

Bottom line is that they are very different sounding buds, while retaining a similar signature. The Yinmans have more slam, and might sound a bit more musical overall, where the Draco have some fantastic technicalities that remain fun sounding, while adding an ethereal quality on top of the mix. I know I have used a lot of words to try and describe what I am hearing, but I truly lack the words to describe it any better. :)

Not since August of this year, according to my order for the A-Bells...

WOW! I am sorry that this happened to you, but it is a good thing that you CYA though. :)

Congrats on your new shiny! :)

Fantastic looking buds! I like pretty much everything about the looks of those.

Congrats on your new (DIY) shiny(s)! :)

I love the look of the DP100 buds...

Thanks for the comparisons between the Yinman and Draco, you've managed to paint a clear picture in my mind. Mine should be arriving in a week or so. I've not heard the Yinman but I'm familiar with the driver from other sets. Very interested to hear how Fran has brought out the low end on it. One of its strengths is instrument timbre in my opinion. Admittedly, it has some slower properties that might make it sound more 'tube'-like but I really dig that.

Merry Christmas @samandhi, congratz on your full compliment of Franbuds.
 
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Dec 24, 2023 at 12:31 PM Post #73,357 of 75,463
We both have one lol.:L3000:1697926021862.jpg
The QKZ MDR shell is pretty good acoustically it works similarly to Rivet mod MX500 shell in my experiences.
Wow... so nice.
You should try the red dot because is awesome with this shell.
I have tried several more expensive drivers but they are not like this one
 
Dec 24, 2023 at 2:11 PM Post #73,358 of 75,463
Thanks for the comparisons between the Yinman and Draco, you've managed to paint a clear picture in my mind. Mine should be arriving in a week or so. I've not heard the Yinman but I'm familiar with the driver from other sets. Very interested to hear how Fran has brought out the low end on it. One of its strengths is instrument timbre in my opinion. Admittedly, it has some slower properties that might make it sound more 'tube'-like but I really dig that.

Merry Christmas @samandhi, congratz on your full compliment of Franbuds.
You are very welcome! I only hope that the picture in your mind is true to the actual sound you will hear from them. Either way, I think you will really like them. I can definitely say that they are very unique sounding, and I have not heard anything quite like these (or any of his sets for that matter).

The Draco do indeed have a bit of slowness to them, but not in a negative way at all, nor are they so much so that things become muddy, or unclear. It is a very nice speed for both relaxed and fun listening experiences (bordering on classic sound). They are a really good all-rounder as well. Like the Yinmans, they are great for everything from the likes of jazz to heavy metal (IMO).

Merry Christmas to you too, and congrats on your new (incoming) shiny! :)
Wow... so nice.
You should try the red dot because is awesome with this shell.
I have tried several more expensive drivers but they are not like this one
There really does seem to be a "perfect synergy" between certain drivers and shells even before tuning takes place. :)
 
Dec 24, 2023 at 2:17 PM Post #73,359 of 75,463
For these holidays, I propose my favorite build for the best fun and all-rounder category :)
The legendary red dot driver + QKZ MDR shells.
Yes, it is possible to have an excellent pair for only $15
We both have one lol.:L3000:
The QKZ MDR shell is pretty good acoustically it works similarly to Rivet mod MX500 shell in my experiences.
Those are very nice looking!

With the open-back nature of those shells it certainly appears to have a lot more leeway to play with tuning over the rivot MX500 shells (though it certainly could be a bit more tricky to dial them in as well and for the same reason). :wink:
 
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Dec 24, 2023 at 9:33 PM Post #73,360 of 75,463
Wow... so nice.
You should try the red dot because is awesome with this shell.
I have tried several more expensive drivers but they are not like this one
Thank you! I'm surely going to try it after the holidays.😆
There really does seem to be a "perfect synergy" between certain drivers and shells even before tuning takes place. :)
This is very true; that's why I like collecting and trying out different shells, even though they might not fit my ears lol.
Those are very nice looking!

With the open-back nature of those shells it certainly appears to have a lot more leeway to play with tuning over the rivot MX500 shells (though it certainly could be a bit more tricky to dial them in as well and for the same reason). :wink:
Thank you! And yes, it's much more forgiving than rivet mod shells, mainly because you don't have to go to trouble making one lol. And there's also plenty of room in the back to add stuff, but it might not look as pretty because it's see-through. So basic tuning filters and maybe changing the grill on the back are the best options if you want to keep its aesthetic.
 
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Dec 25, 2023 at 12:46 AM Post #73,362 of 75,463
Hi how to mod mmcx for this shell ? Do have glue on stock qkz mdr for stick driver ?
Fortunately, this mod on this shell is very simple. The drivers are very easy to detach from the shell with the help of a bottle opener. We clean the inside of the canal where the cable enters with the help of a drill and attach the mmcx connectors which we stick them with glue.
Good luck and we are waiting for the result
 
Dec 26, 2023 at 3:45 PM Post #73,365 of 75,463
Are there any good tutorials for working on earbuds? A lot of what I'm finding on YouTube is about replacing the jack or splicing the cable. A lot of the stuff that does show how to work with drivers is in bad quality or isn't shot well. I can't really seem to find anything about opening or otherwise working with shells or tuning.
 

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