[snowmind]

@robar

Your NiceHCK B40 unit has arrived. What are your impressions?

 

[jogawag]

Is that an accurate translation? I've no idea what the terms solid, glossy would mean in relation to frequency response. I'm guessing soft means less treble?

Google english translation is not well handled, so I corrected it.
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I have already purchased smabat ST10 from Amazon. Compared to ST10, the sound quality is softer, making it easier to hear vocals. Since the size is smaller than ST10, ears do not hurt even when worn over ears for a long time.
Since it is better than **** BK2 earbuds (Chinese earbuds + re-cable) that I use in the main now, the main will likely take turns.
I have the same impression as the product description, "The overall sound is soft and the vocals with warmth and ambience are good. And the sound field is spacious and clear.".
Since many people who purchased ST10 reviewed that "ST10 is super solid and has a very hard tone, so the vocal was a weak point", the manufacturer released this product that improved (changed the diaphragm?) at this timing, I think that.
Because of the good performance of the M1 pro, I would have fewer opportunities to use ST10.

 

[jogawag]

Edit: delete duplicates.

 

[seanc6441]

Google english translation is not well handled, so I corrected it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have already purchased smabat ST10 from Amazon. Compared to ST10, the sound quality is softer, making it easier to hear vocals. Since the size is smaller than ST10, ears do not hurt even when worn over ears for a long time.
Since it is better than **** BK2 earbuds (Chinese earbuds + re-cable) that I use in the main now, the main will likely take turns.
I have the same impression as the product description, "The overall sound is soft and the vocals with warmth and ambience are good. And the sound field is spacious and clear.".
Since many people who purchased ST10 reviewed that "ST10 is super solid and has a very hard tone, so the vocal was a weak point", the manufacturer released this product that improved (changed the diaphragm?) at this timing, I think that.
Because of the good performance of the M1 pro, I would have fewer opportunities to use ST10.

Ok thanks so I guess solid and soft are referring to the tonal balance of the mids and low treble like we refer to as warm or cold sounding.

I'd be curious to know if the bass has the same depth as the st-10 and what the quantity is like.

The shape/size of the M1 looks like the perfect size for smaller ears.

 

[robar]

@robar
Your NiceHCK B40 unit has arrived. What are your impressions?

Yesterday arrived the second unit of NiceHCK B40. Compared to the unit i have been using for two weeks and is still in the natural recording process, the new ones feature a small, impact-free sound. This way, i can assure friends that the burning process improves this bud.
This is new to me, because i didn't think a PK capsule and a smaller driver (14.8 mm) could provide adequate bass with good impact and extension, as there is here.
And about the war against the RY4S, Qian25, Qian69 and White Vido, i'm almost convinced that the best definition, image and soundstage is in the B40.

I was going to quote you but you were quick to notice my signature change So, I hope you're right with burn in… because I've been just listening to the B40 out of the box, and I would describe the sound exactly like you did with your new unit: small and impact-free. I would say my unit right now is very midcentric and lacks low bass entirely. Actually the bass starts to roll off around 200-250hz quite heavily and even at 100hz it's anemic, below that basically nonexistent. Mids are kinda smooth but they lack clarity and detail. I hope this will improve with burning because I don't wanna deal with two pk-shell lemons I'm quite confident that b40 shouldn't sound like this based on the reviews, again it's not a fit/foam issue or whatever. The box was somewhat dented and that little cloth purse is not the best protection ever, so I hope nothing got misaligned. :/ Keep me in check about your second unit, maybe we have the same problem.

 

[jogawag]

Ok thanks so I guess solid and soft are referring to the tonal balance of the mids and low treble like we refer to as warm or cold sounding.

I'd be curious to know if the bass has the same depth as the st-10 and what the quantity is like.

The shape/size of the M1 looks like the perfect size for smaller ears.

I can't tell whether the bass has the same depth as the st-10 and what the quantity is like, because I don't have this M1 Pro.
But perhaps the M1 Pro may have 85% depth and quantity of bass of ST-10 as @ClieOS says below.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/earbuds-round-up.441400/page-3000#post-15209152

 

[citral23]

I was going to quote you but you were quick to notice my signature change So, I hope you're right with burn in… because I've been just listening to the B40 out of the box, and I would describe the sound exactly like you did with your new unit: small and impact-free. I would say my unit right now is very midcentric and lacks low bass entirely. Actually the bass starts to roll off around 200-250hz quite heavily and even at 100hz it's anemic, below that basically nonexistent. Mids are kinda smooth but they lack clarity and detail. I hope this will improve with burning because I don't wanna deal with two pk-shell lemons I'm quite confident that b40 shouldn't sound like this based on the reviews, again it's not a fit/foam issue or whatever. The box was somewhat dented and that little cloth purse is not the best protection ever, so I hope nothing got misaligned. :/ Keep me in check about your second unit, maybe we have the same problem.

Don't underestimate brain burn-in. There's very little evidence such minuscule drivers change their response with time, from a science point of view it's really moot. However we adapt to the FR. I hated my EBX at first, for its lack of bass and very forward mids. After 3 days with them (8 hours per day) I now find my IEMs have too much bass, slow, bloated bass.

Nothing to do with burn-in, it's just the brain that adapted to the thin and very fast bass of the EBX, in comparison the others seem over the top and slow now.

 

[Willber]

Don't underestimate brain burn-in. There's very little evidence such minuscule drivers change their response with time, from a science point of view it's really moot. However we adapt to the FR. I hated my EBX at first, for its lack of bass and very forward mids. After 3 days with them (8 hours per day) I now find my IEMs have too much bass, slow, bloated bass.

Nothing to do with burn-in, it's just the brain that adapted to the thin and very fast bass of the EBX, in comparison the others seem over the top and slow now.

I have heard that argument many times and I disagree (in some cases). I use EQ on all my phones and often find that I have to adjust it as the bud gets more used. Also, I always A/B new buds with others in my collection to help me get the tuning right and can hear the changes over time and make suitable adjustments. Sometimes I buy duplicates and compare them with older versions and note the immediate differences.

This doesn't happen to all of them, but enough to know that burn-in is a real thing for some equipment. The SR2 is a prime example which others can attest to.

 

[robar]

Don't underestimate brain burn-in. There's very little evidence such minuscule drivers change their response with time, from a science point of view it's really moot. However we adapt to the FR. I hated my EBX at first, for its lack of bass and very forward mids. After 3 days with them (8 hours per day) I now find my IEMs have too much bass, slow, bloated bass.
Nothing to do with burn-in, it's just the brain that adapted to the thin and very fast bass of the EBX, in comparison the others seem over the top and slow now.

I'm not a burn-in guy, for the most part I appropriate the so called burn in effects to foam/shell wear-and-tear or change in humidity, even ear shape etc. But I find it possible to be a factor in certain cases so I won't exclude it out of the possibilites.
There is no way brain burn will solve this B40, bass is so severly rolled off that its basically inaudible under 100hz, the sound is basically mids and highs, sounds like a faulty earphone, bass is basically on the level of my sub 1usd earbuds that I bought for diy projects. I measured it and looks just as bad as I hear it. My faulty SR2 has similarly missing bass, but that bud sounds like a complete disaster while this is ok from the mids up. I'm afraid this is a lemon too as after 5 hours of playtime it still sounds the same.
And also when I compare earbuds, I put large effort in to be as objective as possible, I put them on a splitter and switch between them every 10-20seconds on repetitive parts of my testing tracks (which I know very well, listened to them hundreds of time with dozens of gear) to prevent brain burn in, plus check my impressions with frequency response measurement too.

 

[GREQ]

Old foam is bassier than fresh foam.

 

[mbwilson111]

.

 

[dharmasteve]

I'm not a burn-in guy, for the most part I appropriate the so called burn in effects to foam/shell wear-and-tear or change in humidity, even ear shape etc. But I find it possible to be a factor in certain cases so I won't exclude it out of the possibilites.
There is no way brain burn will solve this B40, bass is so severly rolled off that its basically inaudible under 100hz, the sound is basically mids and highs, sounds like a faulty earphone, bass is basically on the level of my sub 1usd earbuds that I bought for diy projects. I measured it and looks just as bad as I hear it. My faulty SR2 has similarly missing bass, but that bud sounds like a complete disaster while this is ok from the mids up. I'm afraid this is a lemon too as after 5 hours of playtime it still sounds the same.
And also when I compare earbuds, I put large effort in to be as objective as possible, I put them on a splitter and switch between them every 10-20seconds on repetitive parts of my testing tracks (which I know very well, listened to them hundreds of time with dozens of gear) to prevent brain burn in, plus check my impressions with frequency response measurement too.

It's quality control on many earbuds especially the cheaper ones. I've had quite a few QC failures.

 

[robar]

Are you joking?

I'm not sure about bass but I think what he means is that a well used foam should sound a bit different compared to a fresh one, my theory is that as it gets stretched, dirt/dust build up in the pores, get thinner by the pressure etc. Similar to different types of foam - density and thickness varies greatly which affects seal and dampening, and these properties can change in time as well by usage. Of course that foam need to get quite a bit of use to achieve that. Also I noticed that when I open up an earbud which was glued down, the frequency response changes slightly after I snap it back. If the plastic cover gets little cracks on the edge like some of my vidos it also affects sound. This can occur by tossing around, even the tuning foams can get dirty or weaker in time, one of old gear's biggest problem is that the tuning foams lose integrity or even turn into dust. I've recently cleaned up a vintage silver AKG K141 and I had to vacuum it out because the remnants of the foam inside become like sand and fall out of it constantly. Also the ears themselves can loosen up, I think if someone finds the mx500 shell slightly big but wears one for several hours every day, the tissue of the ear will get softer/looser and this will also affect seal.

 

[seanc6441]

I have heard that argument many times and I disagree (in some cases). I use EQ on all my phones and often find that I have to adjust it as the bud gets more used. Also, I always A/B new buds with others in my collection to help me get the tuning right and can hear the changes over time and make suitable adjustments. Sometimes I buy duplicates and compare them with older versions and note the immediate differences.

This doesn't happen to all of them, but enough to know that burn-in is a real thing for some equipment. The SR2 is a prime example which others can attest to.

I think burn in is real but over-exaggerated on many occasions. Also effects different drivers very differently. I do believe my sr2 changed with burn in but I don't believe ALL my ear buds show improvement with burn in.

I think brain burn in is a consistent factor. Our brains are always adjusting to new sounds. So whichever earbuds we've used last will have left its mark on what our brains expect to hear if the song is played on new gear.

That's why many people can tolerate very dark or very bright gear, why others find mid centric earbuds sound neutral, or maybe the find V shaped earbuds to be balanced.

That and the fact that everyone hears differently and at different sound levels even.

 

[Willber]

I think burn in is real but over-exaggerated on many occasions. Also effects different drivers very differently. I do believe my sr2 changed with burn in but I don't believe ALL my ear buds show improvement with burn in.

Yes, that's why I said "in some cases".
(This is from my personal experience using systematic comparisons.)