Earbuds Round-Up
Oct 16, 2018 at 9:01 AM Post #36,601 of 75,146
The Ocean blue cable is also great for the ZOE, really cleans up the sound imo. Generally I find pure silver cables to work best with the ZOE, the thicker the better. Copper and spc can be rather finicky.
The options of trying with wires are endless with the Zoe .
That's what i like most in the Zoe .
But as usual with these detachable connecter ports, it tends to wear out and cause it to loose when changing wires frequently . that's one downside .



Imho , if looking at VE portable headphone amp , the most bang for bucks in the line up is the $200+ RA2.0 bal lite , power spec is impressive for its size and comes with balanced and single out , very hard to beat this one
Does the type of wire used in the interconnect between driver and 2 pin connector not effect the sound compared to a direct connection to the driver? (Like all nom detachable cables).

I know that in earbuds this wire lenght is very minimal but I've always wondered this for headphones too.

Buying expensive rare precious metal wires for your gear but having a cheap stock copper wire and different connector matieral in the signal path.
 
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Oct 16, 2018 at 9:03 AM Post #36,602 of 75,146
Does the type of wire used in the interconnect between driver and 2 pin connector not effect the sound compared to a direct connection to the driver? (Like all nom detachable cables).

I know that in earbuds this wire lenght is very minimal but I've always wondered this for headphones too.

Buying expensive rare precious metal wires for your gear but having a cheap stock copper wire in the signal path.

I guess it does, but to what kind of degree measurable or perceivable that is... :D

BTW have you already started with the DIY projects? See that you're warming up with the Masya cables first...
 
Oct 16, 2018 at 9:08 AM Post #36,603 of 75,146
I guess it does, but to what kind of degree measurable or perceivable that is... :D

BTW have you already started with the DIY projects? See that you're warming up with the Masya cables first...
That's exactly what I'm doing first :)

I'll do the bs1 next, then start on my project. Their was a few things with the masya that was good experience for my project. I think having a few recables/replugs done beforehand will help me when it comes to making my own buds.
 
Oct 16, 2018 at 9:17 AM Post #36,604 of 75,146
That's exactly what I'm doing first :)

I'll do the bs1 next, then start on my project. Their was a few things with the masya that was good experience for my project. I think having a few recables/replugs done beforehand will help me when it comes to making my own buds.

I think being able to fix the cable weight issue (metal chin slider?) of the BS1 will be great... Can't wait to see what you can achieve!
 
Oct 16, 2018 at 9:21 AM Post #36,605 of 75,146
I think being able to fix the cable weight issue (metal chin slider?) of the BS1 will be great... Can't wait to see what you can achieve!
I'm removing the slider, replaceing the splitter with heat shrink and as a final effort if the weight is still too much I'll take a few cm off the cable, but i really dont wanna have to do that because redoing an 8 core cable takes more time.

It will look a little more barebones, but at least it will be practical for use then.
 
Oct 16, 2018 at 9:30 AM Post #36,606 of 75,146
I'm removing the slider, replaceing the splitter with heat shrink and as a final effort if the weight is still too much I'll take a few cm off the cable, but i really dont wanna have to do that because redoing an 8 core cable takes more time.

It will look a little more barebones, but at least it will be practical for use then.

I have a strong feeling removing the metal splitter should be enough. I have a similarly styled 2 pin cable and could not use it because the downward force tugs on my IEMs a tad too much.

Having a shrink wrap for slider or split should be the best solution as it's the lightest, and the best way to maintain having the original cable as much as possible to retain the signature of the BS1.
 
Oct 16, 2018 at 9:50 AM Post #36,607 of 75,146
Does the type of wire used in the interconnect between driver and 2 pin connector not effect the sound compared to a direct connection to the driver? (Like all nom detachable cables).

I know that in earbuds this wire lenght is very minimal but I've always wondered this for headphones too.

Buying expensive rare precious metal wires for your gear but having a cheap stock copper wire and different connector matieral in the signal path.

For this question i have the same question and queries too , but if you ask me well i do not have a proper answer to it even there's a likely sonic difference made to the overall sound , i do not think that is something i could had pick up as my ears are not tuned specifically to pick up those micro sonically difference :dt880smile: as compare to pick up the overall listening experiences .
I'm only for the end result .

But i do believe a direct soldered to the driver is the best of all , but then even if it's a direct soldered on , the type of solder metal used may also have a effect on the sonic .

On a side note , the next iem VE were to introduce to the world is going to be based on a None-detachable design shell . a non detachable iem said to be a lot better than the current detachable Monk IE .
 
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Oct 16, 2018 at 10:26 AM Post #36,608 of 75,146
For this question i have the same question and queries too , but if you ask me well i do not have a proper answer to it even there's a likely sonic difference made to the overall sound , i do not think that is something i could had pick up as my ears are not tuned specifically to pick up those micro sonically difference :dt880smile: as compare to pick up the overall listening experiences .
I'm only for the end result .

But i do believe a direct soldered to the driver is the best of all , but then even if it's a direct soldered on , the type of solder metal used may also have a effect on the sonic .

On a side note , the next iem VE were to introduce to the world is going to be based on a None-detachable design shell . a non detachable iem said to be a lot better than the current detachable Monk IE .

That's also one I've been waiting for... since I haven't bought the current IE and wanted something with fixed cable...
 
Oct 16, 2018 at 11:19 AM Post #36,609 of 75,146
That's also one I've been waiting for... since I haven't bought the current IE and wanted something with fixed cable...
Apparently Lee thinks the new one will be much better than biggie/small. He wasn't satisfied with their performance apparently.

Anyone with the biggie or small gets a good discount on the new one, I think around 60% off approximately.
 
Oct 16, 2018 at 1:29 PM Post #36,610 of 75,146
I didn't had that plenty of cabling option at hand for me to played with the zoe except for the standard cable for zen 2.0 which comes with and the cardas golden ratio which i accidentally come across the listing for sale by one of my local communities .
I haven't even got the Zoe yet When i bought that cardas .
I was still planning and considering on the black or the Zoe edition which to order first at that time , but the decision making of which to order first came very easy and naturally when that cardas golden ratio suddenly appear out of the blue in the listing and the next thing i do was ping the seller and secured that cardas and ordered the zoe from VE straight away.

We understand that the cardas golden selection was used on the black edition , and from the memory with my many many months back brief demo on one of the black edition from my local communities playing both on my LG and with one of my QLS , i experienced the warmth and smoothie soundstage sig yet was detailing enough for my music and that was the kind of sig i had been looking and craving for in my music , i love lush warmth and smooth type of soundstage with earbuds , class A type of amplify tube like sound , because i like listening my music loud and those sig are able to let me turn up the vol without had that Sharpen knife like piercing through my ears with the highs .
That was my short experiencing on the black edition with my gears from my memory , and i really really love the black edition very very the much because it suits me and the music and most importantly the synergy between the black edition with the gears i had at hand was very good very satisfying.

As for the cardas golden ratio which i had pair with the zoes are not sound as fuller as compare to the black edition cardas in my memory , the cardas golden ratio which i had at hand is of a brighter , more clearer and lots of details , micro details to be specific .
Not warmth and smooth lush like , but was smooth enough for me to use it at loud volume with the RA2B headphone amp without that knife piercing through the ears type of experiences , i love it too with this one cardas , each has it own strength , and i loved both with what i had experience it with , the black edition Zen is coming in on my next VE order . it's a great opportunity for me to have 2 Zen in 2 different world of cardas .
I will have a better understanding the sonic difference between the 2 once i got the black edition in my next VE order .

Apart from the cardas wires above , lately not long ago i had also got a chance to short demo with a very pricey cooper litz in 4 wires with the zoe .
I been told and intro in which this is a custom designed wires made in japan by Furukawa , which the wires are originated comes from a famous brand in HK Rhapsodio .

The initial demo with this wires is of a very rush one , but the experience with it on the zoe soundstage wise is rich full add that with warmth and smooth , so for my taste that's sound very nice in that short demo ing , and to had a further taste of what actually would taste like when pairing up with my other gears is a thing I'm very interested to find out, and if the synergy is good between the gears i had and sound exactly what I'm looking for , i will request to demo a 8 wires instead of that 4 wire , to feel throughly about the difference between 4 and 8 wires with the Zoe .
If the final result is good , i will not hesitate to purchase another Zoe to pair up with this one cooper , just need another 1 stressfree type of quality demo session will do.

Actually there's another Zen with me atm with the oyaide silver wires.

It's marketed as the Zen white at VE . a very pricey TOTL earbud money could buy at this moment i believe .

This oyaide zen was loaned to me by a friend from the courtesy of my local community , it's a might wants to sell item as he's into big cans nowsaday so this piece is not much put into use after he switch over to really ex cans .
As it's of no use to him that's why he's ok to let me have a feel of what a Zen with Oyaide sound like and go have fun with it without any condition .

The Zen with the oyaide I'm experiencing is are on another lever , side by side sonic comparison with the cardas golden ratio i got is quite similar to the comparison made above with the black edition through my memory ,

With the oyaide and the golden ratio is kind of night and day differences between the two wires .
Firstly to noted is the golden ratio is of very very stiff wires , too stiff to be wear and used properly with iem or the zoe if i was to be very specific with it , i don't think many would like that stiff wearing and walking around because it just wouldn't work with walking or commuting around with the golden ratio wires .
For my case , that's ok and it's fine as i mainly used it at home , enjoying on the desk so i can live with that kind of stiffness .

Second to noted is , based on my memory with the black edition , this Zen oyaide sonically difference with the black edition cardas golden selection is not of a day or night difference as compared to the one cardas golden ratio i had ,
I found the zen oyaide soundstage like the black edition is of warmth ,smooth , rich , fuller and lot of details enough to be heard , not as bright or as clear compare to the golden ratio but i believe is certainly a upgrade to the black edition , i cannot confirm as i do not have the black edition placed side by side with the zen oyaide to experiencing the differences between both , but compare to the Zoe with cardas golden ratio , i preferred and leaned more towards to the zen oyaide , the reason is I like a warmth and smooth sound than any other , the Zen with the oyaide sound exactly what my preference was , so if i have to choose one among the above , i would bite the bullet to go straight directly for the best , which i will pick the zen with the silver oyaide .

Overall my experience with the Zen is , these zen are extremely good when drive with a powerful headphone Amplifier , i used the RA2B to drive them to heaven , regardless of which type of music genres I'm listening to , whether it's with the oyaide silver or the cardas golden ratio .
It's all very satisfying to me .

To me , after listening experiencing with the various zen , the zen earbud is not just a earbud to me anymore.

It's more than a earbud it can brings , it's a lifelike experience .

Sorry write so lengthy reply , no offence ya , and hopefully you understand what I'm writing .
Wow. Thanks for so much information and your experiences you provided in your reply.
I too often listening to music loud so I prefer buds with kind of smooth signature, as their mid don't become shouty to my ears.
I agree that the Zen really shine when proper amped, but as my most listening time is at work so I often use it with a dap like AR M2 and Hiby R6.
For me, the oyaide 102ssc is stiff enough that make me think twice to go with the Cardas cable or Zen Black.
I chose the Satin Griffin cable as it is pure occ copper litz cable (with cryogenic treatment) and it did not disappoint me. Smooth sound with more details on the mid and treb (without any harsh or piercings). The presentation is full and more proper placement.
I always hear that VE Amps is best choice for Zen so maybe it's time for me to get one.
 
Oct 16, 2018 at 2:31 PM Post #36,611 of 75,146
Wow. Thanks for so much information and your experiences you provided in your reply.
I too often listening to music loud so I prefer buds with kind of smooth signature, as their mid don't become shouty to my ears.
I agree that the Zen really shine when proper amped, but as my most listening time is at work so I often use it with a dap like AR M2 and Hiby R6.
For me, the oyaide 102ssc is stiff enough that make me think twice to go with the Cardas cable or Zen Black.
I chose the Satin Griffin cable as it is pure occ copper litz cable (with cryogenic treatment) and it did not disappoint me. Smooth sound with more details on the mid and treb (without any harsh or piercings). The presentation is full and more proper placement.
I always hear that VE Amps is best choice for Zen so maybe it's time for me to get one.

Np bro, after listening to various of Zen in different types or form , I really came to how to better appreciate these earbud than the others earbud , iem I had a chance to play with , the sound of the Zen earbud is really the best sounding I could had ask for ,
I like the sound in each of every I had experienced with .

As for the VE amp , the reason is I already had their balanced and single end at hand now both the RA2B and the RA2.0 , if not owning the both or if I were to make my first purchase of the VE amp , the $200+ RA2.0 bal lite is the one I would had grab it happily without consider too much , that's for sure , but since I had both the balanced and single end with me there's no reason for me to grab this portable little as much as I would like to , but having said that , maybe after I had done with the rest of the item in my Must Buy list , with extra cash in hand I might grab this portable little who knows ,
This portable little is really hard to be beaten consider its listed price and the all power output spec in balanced and single end .
Definitely bang for buck .
If you're considering in a VE portable all time powerful Amp for the Zen , even though myself had not experienced the power of this $200+ portable little , this will not restraint me of giving you the recommendation .
As a legit ve amp user and own 2 of the VE portable amp currently, I guess I am qualified to give you one .
that 200+ bal lite are the one I would strongly recommend you to purchase and go pair up with the amazing Zen.
 
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