[flamesofarctica]

Hi, first post but lurking, reading (and spending) for a couple of months.

Started with the Monk+ and after trying all the similar budget ones have moved up the range a bit with my best being the Asura 2.0. It really is an awesome earbud, and I'm finding hard to see how much better something could sound to my ears (impressed with the Boarseman MX98s as well, but the Asura is just lovely). Listen to all sorts by the way, mostly classic rock / metal / power metal / the odd musical and a bit of Prince

So the logical next step to me feels like the Zen 2 (I'm a sucker for brand loyalty . My worry is over the level of amping required. DAP wise I have the Hidizs AP60 and the xduoo X3 (have ordered the Walnut as it seems intriguing and at that price worth a try). My only amp is a Fiio A3.

Any thoughts, would I need a new amp, and if so any recommendations?

Btw thanks to this thread and rediscovering earbuds, all the IEMs I bought over the last year are sat in a cupboard

 

[Willber]

  Got introduced back into the world of earbuds thanks to the Monk+.

Looking for more earbuds to try that may exceed the sound quality of the Monks.

I so far saw that the Qian39 and TY Hi-Z 1.0 are very popular around here.
Any other great low budget suggestions since the TY 1.0 are not available anymore?

This thread might be of interest to you:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/812853/absolute-best-budget-earbuds

 

[mochill]

Hi, first post but lurking, reading (and spending) for a couple of months.

Started with the Monk+ and after trying all the similar budget ones have moved up the range a bit with my best being the Asura 2.0. It really is an awesome earbud, and I'm finding hard to see how much better something could sound to my ears (impressed with the Boarseman MX98s as well, but the Asura is just lovely). Listen to all sorts by the way, mostly classic rock / metal / power metal / the odd musical and a bit of Prince

So the logical next step to me feels like the Zen 2 (I'm a sucker for brand loyalty . My worry is over the level of amping required. DAP wise I have the Hidizs AP60 and the xduoo X3 (have ordered the Walnut as it seems intriguing and at that price worth a try). My only amp is a Fiio A3.

Any thoughts, would I need a new amp, and if so any recommendations?

Btw thanks to this thread and rediscovering earbuds, all the IEMs I bought over the last year are sat in a cupboard

VE ra2 plus, just stick with VE

 

[Danneq]

Hi, first post but lurking, reading (and spending) for a couple of months.

Started with the Monk+ and after trying all the similar budget ones have moved up the range a bit with my best being the Asura 2.0. It really is an awesome earbud, and I'm finding hard to see how much better something could sound to my ears (impressed with the Boarseman MX98s as well, but the Asura is just lovely). Listen to all sorts by the way, mostly classic rock / metal / power metal / the odd musical and a bit of Prince

So the logical next step to me feels like the Zen 2 (I'm a sucker for brand loyalty . My worry is over the level of amping required. DAP wise I have the Hidizs AP60 and the xduoo X3 (have ordered the Walnut as it seems intriguing and at that price worth a try). My only amp is a Fiio A3.

Any thoughts, would I need a new amp, and if so any recommendations?

Btw thanks to this thread and rediscovering earbuds, all the IEMs I bought over the last year are sat in a cupboard

If you are willing to try other brands and want to go with high impedance earbuds, TY HiZ HP650 is a great option. Easier to drive than Zen 2, despite 650 ohm vs Zen 2's 320, and to me it sounds much more balanced with no treble roll off like Zen 2 has.

As for low impedance TOTL earbuds, the Indonesian trio Red De'mun (ca $70 + $35 in shipping), Edimun V3 (about the same as Red De'mun) and especially Cypherus CampFred ($150 + around $40 in shipping if you go with EMS) are all amazing (with my vote going to CampFred).

 

[JASru]

Hi, first post but lurking, reading (and spending) for a couple of months.

Started with the Monk+ and after trying all the similar budget ones have moved up the range a bit with my best being the Asura 2.0. It really is an awesome earbud, and I'm finding hard to see how much better something could sound to my ears (impressed with the Boarseman MX98s as well, but the Asura is just lovely). Listen to all sorts by the way, mostly classic rock / metal / power metal / the odd musical and a bit of Prince

So the logical next step to me feels like the Zen 2 (I'm a sucker for brand loyalty . My worry is over the level of amping required. DAP wise I have the Hidizs AP60 and the xduoo X3 (have ordered the Walnut as it seems intriguing and at that price worth a try). My only amp is a Fiio A3.

Any thoughts, would I need a new amp, and if so any recommendations?

Btw thanks to this thread and rediscovering earbuds, all the IEMs I bought over the last year are sat in a cupboard

Asked this question a while ago. A3 should be enough for 300Ohm IEM/earbuds if you are ok with medium volume.

edit:BTW Walnut can act as an amp and if I am not mistaken, quite a powerfull one.

 

[flamesofarctica]

VE ra2 plus, just stick with VE

Is that the more expensive of the two? There's a VE RA2 and a VE RA plus I can see on there. The £290 RA2 is pushing my budget a bit (think joint birthday and Christmas present for a couple of years :-D) Could stretch to the RA plus (£80) but if that's not enough to power the Zen 2 then I've got a bit of a wait

 

[flamesofarctica]

@JASru and @Danneq, cheers stuff to consider! Not sure how to multiquote so I won't try as I don't want to spam the thread :-D I did order the TY HP650 on 11.11 by the way, but like at least one other person here, it came to nothing

 

[Danneq]

@JASru and @Danneq, cheers stuff to consider! Not sure how to multiquote so I won't try as I don't want to spam the thread :-D I did order the TY HP650 on 11.11 by the way, but like at least one other person here, it came to nothing

Too bad you missed out! TY650 is my favorite high impedance earbud (I've also heard VE Zen 1 & 2, Asura 2, Yuin PK1 & K's 500 ohm).

Edit: if you want to multi quote, just click "multi" on the posts you want to reply to and then on "quote" on either of them. At least that's what I think I usually do...

 

[vapman]

Hi, first post but lurking, reading (and spending) for a couple of months.

Started with the Monk+ and after trying all the similar budget ones have moved up the range a bit with my best being the Asura 2.0. It really is an awesome earbud, and I'm finding hard to see how much better something could sound to my ears (impressed with the Boarseman MX98s as well, but the Asura is just lovely). Listen to all sorts by the way, mostly classic rock / metal / power metal / the odd musical and a bit of Prince

So the logical next step to me feels like the Zen 2 (I'm a sucker for brand loyalty . My worry is over the level of amping required. DAP wise I have the Hidizs AP60 and the xduoo X3 (have ordered the Walnut as it seems intriguing and at that price worth a try). My only amp is a Fiio A3.

Any thoughts, would I need a new amp, and if so any recommendations?

Btw thanks to this thread and rediscovering earbuds, all the IEMs I bought over the last year are sat in a cupboard

Walnut is powerful enough to power any high impedance earbud. It can drive my TY 650 to levels I could in the past only get with an amp.  so it is like a crazy deal for that reason.
 
Aside from that I can recommend either the Cayin C5 or Bengkel Macro bMac easily if you want an amp.
 
If you like Asura 2.0 but want a smoother and more relaxed version of it I would look into the Yinman 150 ohms.

 

[Fabi]

Is that the more expensive of the two? There's a VE RA2 and a VE RA plus I can see on there. The £290 RA2 is pushing my budget a bit (think joint birthday and Christmas present for a couple of years :-D) Could stretch to the RA plus (£80) but if that's not enough to power the Zen 2 then I've got a bit of a wait

I guess RunAbout Plus on 18V PSU would be enough to transport you to Zenitude 2.0.
And RA 2.0 on 24V would bring you even higher to Full Zenitude.
Am I right @mochill ? 

 

I did order the TY HP650 on 11.11 by the way, but like at least one other person here, it came to nothing

What happened?? 

Mine is still on the way..

 

[Thomas De Brito]

My Walnut is going to arrive next week I might go try them with high impedance headphones at the audiophile store in my city. I might let them try it out

 

[Danneq]

My Walnut is going to arrive next week I might go try them with high impedance headphones at the audiophile store in my city. I might let them try it out

Your avatar together with the fact that you bought a Walnut just kills me! :etysmile:

 

[vapman]

 
speaking about Vido, its been 3 weeks since i get this kz replacement cable for recabling my Vido, but my sheer amount of lazyness preventing me from going to hardware store and buy soldering tools. this buds deserve a better cable than the J-cord stock one(and of course so is the she3800).
 
also, from what i've heard in Earbuds lover Indonesia Group, seems like the mic version has a slightly different sound than the non mic one. but of course since i only have the non mic version, i don't know for sure and my sceptism telling me that it probably just sound the same like the multiple variation of monk plus. and also the non mic version seems to be more durable from the lack of volume slider thingy.
 
and surprising news, someone in tokopedia(indonesian marketplace) selling a bunch of benjie stock earbuds for less than $2(IDR 25k), i wonder how much it actually cost to buy it directly from taobao

Haha!!! I used the same cable, the KZ brand.
 
Where do you get the blue shell Vido though? I would love to try it , and only know where to get the white one with mic...
 
BTW I was thinking of compiling a list of all earbud drivers which "look" like the driver used on PT15, Vido, E100, etc etc etc (separate voice coil from driver, driver with small notch to allow voice coil to connect, metal back with small holes, green pcb)
 
edit: Just saw you didn't put on the KZ cable yet, be careful opening them, although you can do it with your fingers! and don't let them fall while the driver is exposed - that's how mine died! =( but I noticed a big improvement in fullness when I upgraded the stock wire to the KZ wire, the stock wire is crazy thin.

 

[Thomas De Brito]

Your avatar together with the fact that you bought a Walnut just kills me! :etysmile:

Ahaha nice catch, well it might taste pretty good. I'll have to try it. Is the case made of wood or plastic painted to look like wood?

 

[thekenta]

  think as monk+ as middle ground, TY 32 is brighter more accurate vocal (IMO), she3800 is darker, both has better mids (again, IMO) than monk+ but lack the airiness. I just recently re-appreciate she3800 after months untouched. I like it so much that I ordered another pair, and that leads to another purchase.. (qian) man I haven't bought anything in 3 months because I'm very satisfied with my TY 320ohm. But she3800 got meatier and heavier bass and better lower mid. surprisingly the bass never sound muddy or felt spilling. It also can handle a lot of amping. however the bass slam can be tiring sometimes.

Thanks, just odered the SHE3800 since they could be perfect for my favorite genre (Hip Hop).
Have you had a chance to listen to the Qian yet?
 
Also open to try out the PT15 ever since I read this thread.
 
And to think I only had one pair of headphones before I joined this forum.