Earbuds Round-Up

[droenald]

There are some, yes. But you are suggesting that $400 will get you sound that is better than $100 will. Those that love the Yinman 600 ($129) think that they sound better than $400 sets as an example; though neither are DIY. So when I said yes, I meant that there are DIY buds on here that fall into the TOTL tier ($80-400) where sonic properties are concerned, and if you are ranking them by price.

I would like to add something to this:
If you'd be buying a flathead for 400€ I think you are expecting a balanced sound. Sure it can have a certain specialty - vocals to die for or crazy good imaging or crazy good staging. Or great bass quality and texture. Or a specialist for orchestra or a specialist for acoustic music. I think you'd even expects it to succeed on all those fronts!
If you are looking for a basshead signature, I believe no one is really willing to pay that much. Let alone a fun V-shape.
So if you'd want to buy the sound of the Destiny in a storebought earbud or from a maker, even if this special signature could not be done any better the max. price for this can be max 200€, even when it comes with a fancy cable, quality looking metal shell and mmcx or better yet 2-pin.
If you'd read the description "great fun V-shape, massive bass with great extension, crisp vocals and even treble response", you'd instantly be: "whaaat 400€?!? That's way too much for that!
So I believe there is a certain hard price limit for bassy earbuds. Probably not so much for earbuds with a balanced or bright leaning profile.

 

[jeejack]

I meant a bud that sounds in the $400 range.

Our 10-50 usd DIY buds sound like this.
What should a $400 pair sound like?

 

[Pabsu]

Our 10-50 usd DIY buds sound like this.
What should a $400 pair sound like?

Show me those buds

 

[samandhi]

I would like to add something to this:
If you'd be buying a flathead for 400€ I think you are expecting a balanced sound. Sure it can have a certain specialty - vocals to die for or crazy good imaging or crazy good staging. Or great bass quality and texture. Or a specialist for orchestra or a specialist for acoustic music. I think you'd even expects it to succeed on all those fronts!
If you are looking for a basshead signature, I believe no one is really willing to pay that much. Let alone a fun V-shape.
So if you'd want to buy the sound of the Destiny in a storebought earbud or from a maker, even if this special signature could not be done any better the max. price for this can be max 200€, even when it comes with a fancy cable, quality looking metal shell and mmcx or better yet 2-pin.
If you'd read the description "great fun V-shape, massive bass with great extension, crisp vocals and even treble response", you'd instantly be: "whaaat 400€?!? That's way too much for that!
So I believe there is a certain hard price limit for bassy earbuds. Probably not so much for earbuds with a balanced or bright leaning profile.

I agree with you on this for the most part. But there ARE those that will pay high dollar for a set that is at "bass head" levels. Remember when Beats first came out? People were buying them up for WAY too much money and claiming that they sounded REALLY good. Now, in the flathead realm, I believe that you are correct in your assumption (especially where buying DIY is concerned). But, you also have to remember that some people might consider "bassy" signatures in earbuds to be "balanced", where you and I might not agree so much with that. It is pretty subjective as to what is considered which type of signature (when it is skewed one way or the other a whole bunch, it becomes less subjective though).

Having said that, in the IEM realm Fatfreq is known to sell their "bass head" IEMs for anywhere from $200(ish) to $500(ish), and apparently people are buying them. They even advertise as such (not using the exact term "bass head" though). Example here.

Show me those buds

Spoiler

or

or

or

or

or

 

[Pabsu]

I agree with you on this for the most part. But there ARE those that will pay high dollar for a set that is at "bass head" levels. Remember when Beats first came out? People were buying them up for WAY too much money and claiming that they sounded REALLY good. Now, in the flathead realm, I believe that you are correct in your assumption (especially where buying DIY is concerned). But, you also have to remember that some people might consider "bassy" signatures in earbuds to be "balanced", where you and I might not agree so much with that. It is pretty subjective as to what is considered which type of signature (when it is skewed one way or the other a whole bunch, it becomes less subjective though).

Having said that, in the IEM realm Fatfreq is known to sell their "bass head" IEMs for anywhere from $200(ish) to $500(ish), and apparently people are buying them. They even advertise as such (not using the exact term "bass head" though). Example here.

Spoiler

or

or


or

or

or

Which one is the best? Also how is the headstage on the blue and black buds?

 

[tOMZY]

If you are looking for a basshead signature, I believe no one is really willing to pay that much.

Are you saying that you would have to charge differently based solely on tuning even though your buds had the same shell and driver?

 

[jeejack]

Which one is the best? Also how is the headstage on the blue and black buds?

Huge on the blue.
In addition to what @samandhi showed you and which I also have, I'll leave a few more photos
Some have drivers that are hard to find or no longer available.

 

[samandhi]

Which one is the best? Also how is the headstage on the blue and black buds?

I don't mean to sound elusive in my response, but the best ones are the ones that are currently in my ears.

What I mean is that I am not one that has a certain preference in sound signatures for the most part (except that they cannot have an overly boosted upper mid/lower treble region, because of the pain that it causes my ears); I like all sorts of different tuning and technicalities. So, that means that they all are almost completely different from one another. There ARE a couple of sets that are similar (though different enough that they compliment each other rather than overlap in sonic properties). That said, they are all TOTL IMO. They all, in most cases sound better than store bought buds that are comparable in their signature (even those that are $400 or more, that I have heard).

So, the best sounding ones for me are the ones that fit my current mood for what signature I am looking for.

Having said all of that, which black ones are you talking about, the Destiny or the Aika?

Spoiler

Destiny

Aika

And which blue one, Caelum or Blue Moon?

Spoiler

Caelum

Blue Moon

Huge on the blue.
Just a few of mine.
Some have drivers that are hard to find or no longer available.

LOL.... I don't think they have enough HDD space on the server for you to post pictures of all of yours my friend.

 

[Pabsu]

I don't mean to sound elusive in my response, but the best ones are the ones that are currently in my ears.

What I mean is that I am not one that has a certain preference in sound signatures for the most part (except that they cannot have an overly boosted upper mid/lower treble region, because of the pain that it causes my ears); I like all sorts of different tuning and technicalities. So, that means that they all are almost completely different from one another. There ARE a couple of sets that are similar (though different enough that they compliment each other rather than overlap in sonic properties). That said, they are all TOTL IMO. They all, in most cases sound better than store bought buds that are comparable in their signature (even those that are $400 or more, that I have heard).

So, the best sounding ones for me are the ones that fit my current mood for what signature I am looking for.

Having said all of that, which black ones are you talking about, the Destiny or the Aika?

Spoiler

Destiny


Aika

And which blue one, Caelum or Blue Moon?

Spoiler

Caelum


Blue Moon

LOL.... I don't think they have enough HDD space on the server for you to post pictures of all of yours my friend.

Aika and caelum

 

[samandhi]

Aika and caelum

Both are outside the head, but the Aika is a bit more intimate (above average width, great depth, not much height), and the Caelum are pretty huge all around.

Technicalities are excellent on both sets.

 

[Pabsu]

Both are outside the head, but the Aika is a bit more intimate (above average width, great depth, not much height), and the Caelum are pretty huge all around.

Technicalities are excellent on both sets.

I definitely want to build a caelum for my self

 

[mt877]

I definitely want to build a caelum for my self

Go for it! Let us know when you finally built them. They will be your treasured buds because you will have tuned them to fit your sound preferences and at that point they will be worth more than just a measly $400, no they will be priceless, works of art to be treasured for your lifetime.

 

[jeejack]

I definitely want to build a caelum for my self

And if you like bass, you'll love them

LOL.... I don't think they have enough HDD space on the server for you to post pictures of all of yours my friend.

True hermano

Now i'm with my special old red dot drivers which is ... special . I'm glad that people are starting to appreciate DIY. A lot of work and R&D has been put into DIY thread

 

[samandhi]

Go for it! Let us know when you finally built them. They will be your treasured buds because you will have tuned them to fit your sound preferences and at that point they will be worth more than just a measly $400, no they will be priceless, works of art to be treasured for your lifetime.

That, right there is an excellent point.

And if you like bass, you'll love them

For sure. They aren't "overwhelmingly" bassy, but tasteful. What sets them apart is that the bass is very fast and punchy. Attack and decay or superb on these. They are also NOT dark, so you DO get a lot of clarity, detail, resolution with this set as well.

 

[Pabsu]

And if you like bass, you'll love them

True hermano

Do you have a parts list for it I can't seem to find it.