Earbuds Round-Up

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I'm trying to figure out if what I like so much about the OH Nightingale is related to staging, imaging, and layering or if it's simply highly detailed, tonally accurate, and distortion-free treble. Any song recommendations would be welcome, as I can't tell for sure with most of the songs I listen too. I have a feeling it's a combination of the former since the sound signature of the Nightingale is similar to the RW2K which is on Woody's stagehead list but I want to be more confident before diving off the deep end (Toneking Green Mamba... yeah...).

i would like to give my two cents about Yincrow RW-2000, at least in this soundstage regard.
I have made a post in the past about being hyped for getting them, as they were featured in Woody's earbud timeline under the Earbud's for StageHeads, though i never have updated about what i thought of its stage.

There's a openess to the stage of the RW-2000, it has (nearly) enough of all dimensions in my opinion, but is not as wide as some buds, though it has more depth than lots of them, still not enough for me to say it has enough depth though. In genral i think it has the most 3D-like stage of all store bought earbuds i had till present date (that statement was taken from memory, as i had not listened to any other store bought buds from a while, with the exception of the ones featured in this post).
DB1E is wider, and sounds more open, in some musics also more tall, but has less stage depth than RW-2000. As separation and positioning are better in DB1E, i generally use it for stage purposes instead of the previously mentioned, unless I need/want stage depth.
I don't think RW-2000 has the most impressive soundstage, but i think it is very good, and at the second place, after DB1E, that's on the first place. But it is very likely a preference matter.

In conclusion i would say that RW-2000 is warm, and a much more 'fun' bud, which sounds much, much more pleasing than DB1E, that is brighter and tinnier.

Now about your post:
I don't have the OpenHeart Nightingale, but by your descriptions of it, it seems that it is kind of v-shaped. So, if i am not not misunderstanding, i would like to point out that the Yincrow RW-2000 is warm, and have treble roll-off, or maybe just 'a lack of eventfulness in treble' (at least to me), so it may not be exactly what are you looking for. As for the Green Mamba its said that they are treble cannons with not much bass, so if you are looking for something bassy, maybe that's not the bud.

Song recomendations for imaging, layering and staging? Well, i generally use 'Yosi Horikawa - Letter' for everything above and 'Chico Buarque - Contrução' mainly for staging and timbre.

By the way, could you provide a link to OH nightingale?

 

[fooltoque]

Just to add to everyone else, I also jumped on the LREY train and ordered a W03 pro. If I like it, I would definitely consider ordering one of those beautiful custom wooden models. Those are pretty much the coolest looking buds I've seen, and I do like shiny stuff!

Several weeks until the W03 pro ships though. He (she?) is backed up on orders apparently.

 

[reflux0]

Hey all, I'm a very long-time lurker but want to say huge thanks for everyone who's contributed over the years. I've just gotten into earbuds in the last few months and am really enjoying them. My journey started with TWS (lots of chifi from Scarbir's recommendations back in the day), then I had a bit of an audiophile revelation with the Melomania touch and went through most of the top buds (favs are B&O EX for sound and and ATH TWX-9 for comfort + sound). However due to recurrent ear infections and a preference for an open sound, I've been trying earbuds. So far I have the Yincrow X-6 (first and last mx-500, not comfortable for me) , EB2S Pro and yesterday just got the Yinman 600 (great deal if you can buy directly from Taobao - 499 RMB for 4.4mm).

I actually thought I'd be blown away by the Yinman and while I appreciate its sub-bass, I find it sounds a bit "muddy" and prefer my EB2S Pro. I'm running it off of a FiiO KA13 and if I use portable mode it sounds very muddy (not enough power I guess). Desktop mode makes it sound less so. I wonder if it's still not enough power or if I should experiment with EQ? For the Yincrow's I use a V-shape EQ I found online and it sounded much better to me. Or is that basically the sound signature and I should look elsewhere? If so, what would be a better successor to the EB2S Pro?

 

[baskingshark]

Well blox earbuds are back if no one noticed, I've got tm11 coming

Is there a link?

The Yinman 600 out of the Enleum HPA-23RM current output sounds ridiculous. It's just insane to listen to these earbuds at full potential.

Yeah once you heard the Yinmans driven properly, it is quite hard to step down via a weaker source.

Hey all, I'm a very long-time lurker but want to say huge thanks for everyone who's contributed over the years. I've just gotten into earbuds in the last few months and am really enjoying them. My journey started with TWS (lots of chifi from Scarbir's recommendations back in the day), then I had a bit of an audiophile revelation with the Melomania touch and went through most of the top buds (favs are B&O EX for sound and and ATH TWX-9 for comfort + sound). However due to recurrent ear infections and a preference for an open sound, I've been trying earbuds. So far I have the Yincrow X-6 (first and last mx-500, not comfortable for me) , EB2S Pro and yesterday just got the Yinman 600 (great deal if you can buy directly from Taobao - 499 RMB for 4.4mm).

I actually thought I'd be blown away by the Yinman and while I appreciate its sub-bass, I find it sounds a bit "muddy" and prefer my EB2S Pro. I'm running it off of a FiiO KA13 and if I use portable mode it sounds very muddy (not enough power I guess). Desktop mode makes it sound less so. I wonder if it's still not enough power or if I should experiment with EQ? For the Yincrow's I use a V-shape EQ I found online and it sounded much better to me. Or is that basically the sound signature and I should look elsewhere? If so, what would be a better successor to the EB2S Pro?

Are you using the Yinman 600 ohm with 4.4 mm?

I think the KA13 cannot drive it properly even on desktop mode on single ended 3.5 mm due to the following 170 mW specs for the KA13:

- Output power (single-ended): L+R ≥170 mW +170 mW (32 Ω/THD+N＜1%)
- Output power (balanced): L+R ≥ 550 mW + 550 mW (32 Ω/THD+N＜1%)


But 550 mW on desktop mode for 4.4 mm (balanced) should be able to serviceably drive the Yinman in term of bass tightness and dynamics. However desktop based amps with greater head room will definitely do a far better job.

 

[jogawag]

Is there a link?

http://bloxearphone.com/

 

[InvisibleInk]

http://bloxearphone.com/

There appears to be a problem with HTTPS, possibly their web site certificate.

 

[Brillig]

There appears to be a problem with HTTPS, possibly their web site certificate.

I had no problem with the site. Does anyone have pricing, or feedback on past models (I did see a few reviews from some years ago).

 

[trevdawg94]

In all of the discussions about the Yinman 600 I've seen a lot about how well it handles bass frequencies but not much about how it handles other frequencies. I know that it's considered a warmer earbud, but do mids and treble suffer in pursuit of that warmth? And I haven't seen a lot about soundstage or imaging, though I have read that it isn't very wide yet it has a lot of height and depth but it was only mentioned once or twice so I'm not sure how accurate that opinion is. Layering is another consideration as well, are instruments and vocals well defined without being blurred together and possibly overshadowed or is everything smoothed out?

A lot of the earbuds on Woody's list under the stagehead section aren't available anymore and I've been struggling to even find basic info on some of them. One of the few on that list that's still available and has a decent amount of opinions on it is the Green Mamba but I'm worried if it will be too much based off what I've read here. Woody has used the spicy and fire emojis to describe its sound, and if I remember correctly he is a stagehead so if he can't handle how aggressive the tuning is in pursuit of that type of sound then I don't know whether I will be able to either. AFAIK @JAnonymous5150 is one of the few people that can stand and actually like the Mamba, and his experience with them either sounding great or not so much depending on the song matches my experience with the OH Nightingale which is the only reason I'm considering them in the first place. Are we talking Dunu Alpha 3 levels of brightness or is it closer to something like the KSC75? And does it struggle with sibilance or are highs just very pronounced and forward? From what I gather it doesn't have a lot of bass but are we talking Yincrow levels of bass or TRN EMX levels?

Any other suggestions for treble-forward earbuds with an expansive soundstage that also have some bass presence would be appreciated. A removable cable is preferred but not absolutely necessary. I know I'm basically asking for a Unicorn that's the King of Tonality (ha, not sure how it compares to the Green Mamba, any comments are welcome) but I figured if anyone can point me in the right direction it's the people in this thread. Much appreciation as always for the people in this thread and their opinions.

 

[Kyonnie]

In all of the discussions about the Yinman 600 I've seen a lot about how well it handles bass frequencies but not much about how it handles other frequencies. I know that it's considered a warmer earbud, but do mids and treble suffer in pursuit of that warmth? And I haven't seen a lot about soundstage or imaging, though I have read that it isn't very wide yet it has a lot of height and depth but it was only mentioned once or twice so I'm not sure how accurate that opinion is. Layering is another consideration as well, are instruments and vocals well defined without being blurred together and possibly overshadowed or is everything smoothed out?

The Yinman's have a warm midcentric and recessed treble tuning, but even though it lacks in quantity, it makes up for it with its quality; it's very satisfyingly detailed and crisp; it's not fatiguing at all. You can use donut foam if you find it too lacking, or EQ if you're okay with it.

A lot of the earbuds on Woody's list under the stagehead section aren't available anymore and I've been struggling to even find basic info on some of them. One of the few on that list that's still available and has a decent amount of opinions on it is the Green Mamba but I'm worried if it will be too much based off what I've read here. Woody has used the spicy and fire emojis to describe its sound, and if I remember correctly he is a stagehead so if he can't handle how aggressive the tuning is in pursuit of that type of sound then I don't know whether I will be able to either. AFAIK @JAnonymous5150 is one of the few people that can stand and actually like the Mamba, and his experience with them either sounding great or not so much depending on the song matches my experience with the OH Nightingale which is the only reason I'm considering them in the first place. Are we talking Dunu Alpha 3 levels of brightness or is it closer to something like the KSC75? And does it struggle with sibilance or are highs just very pronounced and forward? From what I gather it doesn't have a lot of bass but are we talking Yincrow levels of bass or TRN EMX levels?

@WoodyLuvr is known to be treble sensitive and sadly have a hearing damage which is why he stopped using earbuds.

Post in thread 'Earbuds Round-Up' https://www.head-fi.org/threads/earbuds-round-up.441400/post-17768504

I personally haven't tried it, but I've read quite a few Green Mamba users who enjoy listening to it. If you find it too spicy for you or any other earbuds for that matter, you can always use thicker full foams to mellow it down.

Any other suggestions for treble-forward earbuds with an expansive soundstage that also have some bass presence would be appreciated. A removable cable is preferred but not absolutely necessary. I know I'm basically asking for a Unicorn that's the King of Tonality (ha, not sure how it compares to the Green Mamba, any comments are welcome) but I figured if anyone can point me in the right direction it's the people in this thread. Much appreciation as always for the people in this thread and their opinions.

I'm more into DIY earbuds right now and have been so spoiled by them lol, so I can't really comment on that, but I hope someone more knowledgeable about commercial buds can chime in. But in case there's no other good option, you can always do DIY or commission someone to make one for you so that you can really customize every aspect of it to your liking.

 

[reflux0]

Is there a link?






Yeah once you heard the Yinmans driven properly, it is quite hard to step down via a weaker source.







Are you using the Yinman 600 ohm with 4.4 mm?

I think the KA13 cannot drive it properly even on desktop mode on single ended 3.5 mm due to the following 170 mW specs for the KA13:

- Output power (single-ended): L+R ≥170 mW +170 mW (32 Ω/THD+N＜1%)
- Output power (balanced): L+R ≥ 550 mW + 550 mW (32 Ω/THD+N＜1%)


But 550 mW on desktop mode for 4.4 mm (balanced) should be able to serviceably drive the Yinman in term of bass tightness and dynamics. However desktop based amps with greater head room will definitely do a far better job.

yep, using the 4.4mm with the KA13. Maybe I should just try eq then...any suggestions?

 

[ttorbic]

In all of the discussions about the Yinman 600 I've seen a lot about how well it handles bass frequencies but not much about how it handles other frequencies. I know that it's considered a warmer earbud, but do mids and treble suffer in pursuit of that warmth? And I haven't seen a lot about soundstage or imaging, though I have read that it isn't very wide yet it has a lot of height and depth but it was only mentioned once or twice so I'm not sure how accurate that opinion is. Layering is another consideration as well, are instruments and vocals well defined without being blurred together and possibly overshadowed or is everything smoothed out?

A lot of the earbuds on Woody's list under the stagehead section aren't available anymore and I've been struggling to even find basic info on some of them. One of the few on that list that's still available and has a decent amount of opinions on it is the Green Mamba but I'm worried if it will be too much based off what I've read here. Woody has used the spicy and fire emojis to describe its sound, and if I remember correctly he is a stagehead so if he can't handle how aggressive the tuning is in pursuit of that type of sound then I don't know whether I will be able to either. AFAIK @JAnonymous5150 is one of the few people that can stand and actually like the Mamba, and his experience with them either sounding great or not so much depending on the song matches my experience with the OH Nightingale which is the only reason I'm considering them in the first place. Are we talking Dunu Alpha 3 levels of brightness or is it closer to something like the KSC75? And does it struggle with sibilance or are highs just very pronounced and forward? From what I gather it doesn't have a lot of bass but are we talking Yincrow levels of bass or TRN EMX levels?

Any other suggestions for treble-forward earbuds with an expansive soundstage that also have some bass presence would be appreciated. A removable cable is preferred but not absolutely necessary. I know I'm basically asking for a Unicorn that's the King of Tonality (ha, not sure how it compares to the Green Mamba, any comments are welcome) but I figured if anyone can point me in the right direction it's the people in this thread. Much appreciation as always for the people in this thread and their opinions.

I think you should message Jim (TGXEAR) or look into RW4000

 

[openscape]

I'd recommend TGXEAR Red Serratus

I can't recommend the Snow Lotus enough. Nice open sound. I don't have the Rosemary yet. But the Faael "house sound" is really great. I don't think you can go wrong with either

Thank you for the "open-back like flat-head" recommendations! The Serratus seems to have a very good reputation, it might be difficult to drive though. Not sure if my BTR15 can do it - any ideas if this might be possible?

The Snow Lotus seems to be a great budget option and for 10$ I will try it out for sure. Still would not mind a "higher-end" option.

 

[baskingshark]

yep, using the 4.4mm with the KA13. Maybe I should just try eq then...any suggestions?

Yeah maybe EQ down the bass, seems you may not prefer warmer tunings?

Yincrow RW2000 is more balanced and not so bassy, you can read about it?

 

[samandhi]

For those asking about the Yinmans, I can say this of them. Yes, we DO speak of the bass a lot for these buds, but it is not because they are "bass-head" type of buds, nor do they impede on the mids. The reason that this set is so impressive in the bass department is because of the depths to which it can go, and the texture and imaging of all of those frequencies. When damped incorrectly, the sound will range from anything like horribly muddy and flat, with recessed treble, to good sounding. HOWEVER.... damp them correctly and now you actually have some sparkle to the treble (still very smooth, but never recessed IMHO, and I could ALMOST be considered a treble head; though not upper mids/lower treble). In general, I don't find them to have any more or less bass than the ST10S (B&W), or the FiiO FF3. It is what it does when triggered that is impressive to me.

While not the widest out there, it certainly isn't intimate either. I would say they are average to good (depending also on the source and the source material). They don't force width where there is none, put it that way. And if that isn't enough, adding some cross feed works well with them as well. As for imaging/layering, I am blown away by how well they do for an overall smooth sound signature. The other thing that blows most people away about this set is the smoothness. These sound like you took an aggressive set and gave them to a really good tube amp. They are a bit confounding in this way because how can something so smooth remain so clear?

They ae a bit mid centric but aren't "super in your face" like some mid focused buds/IEMs/headphones are. I find the mids to be fairly close to linear. The most important thing to me is that they are neither shouty (upper mids) with any volume, nor are they sibilant (mid to upper treble), also with any volume (well, until it hurts your ears in general, and then nothing is enjoyable anyhow ).

Speaking of the ST10S, I will have to agree that they are one of the bassiest (storebought) buds out there, even now. The reason that they don't really get the credit for this is because the upper mids are boosted enough to sort of drown out the bass a bit. Comparing the M4 & M5 with the ST10S 150Ω driver is apples to oranges. These three buds sound almost night and day different; though the M5 comes a bit closer because it has a similar (if not same) maze "bass" port in it. The fact that there is NO tuning going on at all for the M4 and M5 with any frequency above bass is the reason they sound so different. I would actually call the tuning in these "wild" or "uncontrolled"...

Actually, now that I think about it, the Rose Technics Maria II have the potential to have the most bass of ANY earbud I have heard. If you don't remember, they are the buds that have dual stacked DD drivers, and one of them is 16.xx mm (or is it more, I don't remember, it is huge). But, they weren't tuned to show this, so EQ is required, and also why they aren't mentioned as super bass buds often. That and the fact that they are now discontinued.

 

[samandhi]

The Yinman 600 out of the Enleum HPA-23RM current output sounds ridiculous. It's just insane to listen to these earbuds at full potential.

IKR?