[superuser1]

That's sad! Could be the border dispute between China and India now that resulted in custom issues? It's sad though that the ordinary citizens and shops get drawn into politics and have to suffer for decisions beyond their control.

That is exactly what the main reason is for this trade embargo. I wholeheartedly agree about ordinary citizens being drawn into petty politics being totally unnecessary. Now it's almost next to impossible to get anything from AE as most of the shops have stopped shipping to India. Woe to the condition of the Indian audiophile.

 

[baskingshark]

That is exactly what the main reason is for this trade embargo. I wholeheartedly agree about ordinary citizens being drawn into petty politics being totally unnecessary. Now it's almost next to impossible to get anything from AE as most of the shops have stopped shipping to India. Woe to the condition of the Indian audiophile.

India is so big, do they have their own Indian-FI? Or at least local shops that sell CHIFI?

I remember reading somewhere that some Indian company makes BQEYZ OEMs?

 

[Sam L]

Is there anything better than VE Zen 2.0?

I'd love to

Yincrow RW-9 has stronger bass than NiceHCK ME80, so I think you can choose Yincrow RW-9.

​

However, since the bass of Yincrow X6 is emphasized more than that of Yincrow RW-9, I think it is better to select Yincrow X6.

And, Yincrow X6 has the same driver as Vido/NiceHCK Traceless, and only the cables and plugs have been refined, so the sound quality is almost the same.
So if you choose Vido/NiceHCK Traceless, you can add to buy the RY4S below.

The RY4S UE cable is also bass earbuds.
It is the first, second, and fourth options on the following pages.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32820438211.html

You can also enjoy re-cable with RY4S MMCX PLUS.
It is the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth options on the following pages.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33038850404.html

​

The HE150 is also highly recommended if you have willing to buy on taobao.
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=541083718151

if you have enough money(about $80), I recommend you SMABAT ST-10 most...

#Last but not least, thank you to the authors of FR Graph.

the tricky think about finding a bass-head bud is finding one where the lower end doesn't bleed and overwhelm the mids. I'm thinking that is hard to pull off coherently on an earbud. The me80's aren't bass light, in my opinion.

One thing you can try is double foams. I've only measured a couple different foams, but they have been consistent in affecting the Frequency Response with a gain of +3 to +7db in the bass region, without appreciably affecting treble.

 

[fonkepala]

So far it seems like the ME80 is the way to go for me then. I did find that code for the earbuds anonymous, thanks for the link by the way. How do those compare to the ME80? I'd assume they're better since even with the code they'd be about twice as expensive, but you never know.

I wouldn't say that the EA buds are better than the ME80. They're just different. More expensive gear don't necessarily sound better than cheaper gear. One of my favorite amp/dac is an obscure one that I got from Ali that has a vintage DAC chip inside for around $20. It has no case and is basically just a bare PCB with a 3.5mm jack, volume pot and exposed chips & transistors. Sometimes I prefer using it compared to my Mojo or iFi Zen DAC. Just goes to show that price isn't everything in this hobby. Anyway, back to the EA buds, going from memory they're more fun-sounding and warmer than the ME80. More V-shaped. The shells are more comfortable and the cable is marginally better than the ME80. If you want fun-sounding, then the EA is for you. If you want a bit more analytical/cold, then ME80. You might like one or the other....or you might not. Try both For science!

Which is the smallest and cheapest earbud you know around 10$? I listen to EDM and subgenres, but I would just rather pick a comfortable one sacrifying the bass if that's needed. I just want comfort while using them at home when I wanna take a break from IEMs.

To answer your question, for $10 my pick for comfort with good sound would be the B40. Not the best SQ and bass quantity, but they're comfortable. Another one that you should look into if comfort is your main consideration is the Monk Lite (the 120 has better SQ than the 40ohm). The Qian39 also uses the same shell, IIRC.

Quite surprised to hear that you find the NiceHCK EB2 too big because they are what I consider to be a small shell. I would suggest that you try the VE Monk Lite or the Qian39.

I second your Monk Lite suggestion (see above reply)

if you have enough money(about $80), I recommend you SMABAT ST-10 most...

May I know which version of the ST-10 that you're recommending for $80? I've heard so much about them but am still unmoved/uninspired to get one. Would you say they're better than the Rambo II?

Edifier-H180 FR Graph really good.

Graphs can be insightful at times but do keep in mind that FR graphs don't tell you the whole story. They don't give any info on timbre, coloration, etc. Also, as a side note, I didn't like the H180 at all. I found them to be shouty and too tiring to listen to for longer periods. At least the shells were comfy but that's about it. Its sibling the H185, which was much lauded in a local audiophile group, was probably my worst earbud purchase in recent memory. I couldn't sell them off to be rid of them fast enough.

So, looks like I'll be going a bit over the budget I originally set for myself. But what else is new, right? Currently in my shopping cart I've got:
For sure:
- NICEHCK ME80 12€
- KBear Marvel 4.5€
Maybe:
- NICEHCK DIY MX500 11€
- NICEHCK Traceless 5€

Since I don't really know exactly what kind of sound signature I'm looking for, I figured I might as well get at least 3, maybe 4 buds at once. I'm just not sure how similar the MX500 and Traceless are to the ME80, maybe they're similar enough that they're superfluous. Maybe I'd be better off grabbing something like the FAAEAL Snow-lotus instead, or some other earbud?

I'm sorry for your wallet I haven't tried the DIY MX500 so can't make a sound suggestion there. But the Traceless is probably close/near-identica in SSl to the newly released Marvel, so my suggestion is to get something else instead. The B40 has a different shell and a different enough tuning from the rest. Should be interesting to compare and see which you like more.

Are silver cable and copper cable different in sound?

Silver cable is known/touted to be bright sounding. Conversely, copper = warmer. I'm not experienced enough to tell a difference when I use both types, though. And I don't want to open a whole can of worms re: cable effects on SQ, cable rolling, snake oil (or otherwise), etc. One can spend as little or as much as one wants on cables. Ultimately, it's your call. For the most part, I use the cable that came with the gear that I bought with a few exceptions made with regards to comfort, quality and the like.

 

[superuser1]

India is so big, do they have their own Indian-FI? Or at least local shops that sell CHIFI?

I remember reading somewhere that some Indian company makes BQEYZ OEMs?

Sadly there ain't no Indian-fi
If at all BQEYZ is made by some company in India (i highly doubt it), they don't sell any in the local market. There is just one online shop where one can get audiophile stuff, including some chi-fi stuff however, the choice is pretty limited and the pricing is a bit on the higher side. AE was the lifeline for people like me for chi-fi buds, iems and cables. That dream run suddenly came crashing down. Amongst the few who deliver to India are Penon, but the downside is Indian customs charges anything between 50% to 100% as duty.

 

[abhijollyguy]

Is K's LBB's still the best choice under the USD50 budget when it comes to balanced sounding earbud?

 

[Braekfast]

I wouldn't say that the EA buds are better than the ME80. They're just different. More expensive gear don't necessarily sound better than cheaper gear. One of my favorite amp/dac is an obscure one that I got from Ali that has a vintage DAC chip inside for around $20. It has no case and is basically just a bare PCB with a 3.5mm jack, volume pot and exposed chips & transistors. Sometimes I prefer using it compared to my Mojo or iFi Zen DAC. Just goes to show that price isn't everything in this hobby. Anyway, back to the EA buds, going from memory they're more fun-sounding and warmer than the ME80. More V-shaped. The shells are more comfortable and the cable is marginally better than the ME80. If you want fun-sounding, then the EA is for you. If you want a bit more analytical/cold, then ME80. You might like one or the other....or you might not. Try both For science!

I'm sorry for your wallet I haven't tried the DIY MX500 so can't make a sound suggestion there. But the Traceless is probably close/near-identica in SSl to the newly released Marvel, so my suggestion is to get something else instead. The B40 has a different shell and a different enough tuning from the rest. Should be interesting to compare and see which you like more.

RIP my wallet indeed, I'm already getting the sinking feeling that this is only the beginnning.
So the ME80 and Marvel are in, Traceless and MX500 are out. The B40's sound interesting as well. I like the idea of more fun sounding earbud with the earbuds anonymous, but I'll have to message the penon store on aliexpress if they'll accept this coupon code I snagged off facebook, 44 euro is just a bit steep for me.
I also found the Snow Lotus 1.0 while browsing around here, any idea how they compare to the ME80 and/or the earbuds anonymous? The people who reviewed the snow lotus seemed really positive about it.

These are the last questions, honest. I swear I'll cut the knot soon and actually order something already

 

[Sam L]

Yincrow RW-9 has stronger bass than NiceHCK ME80, so I think you can choose Yincrow RW-9.

​

However, since the bass of Yincrow X6 is emphasized more than that of Yincrow RW-9, I think it is better to select Yincrow X6.

And, Yincrow X6 has the same driver as Vido/NiceHCK Traceless, and only the cables and plugs have been refined, so the sound quality is almost the same.
So if you choose Vido/NiceHCK Traceless, you can add to buy the RY4S below.

The RY4S UE cable is also bass earbuds.
It is the first, second, and fourth options on the following pages.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32820438211.html

You can also enjoy re-cable with RY4S MMCX PLUS.
It is the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth options on the following pages.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33038850404.html

​

The HE150 is also highly recommended if you have willing to buy on taobao.
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=541083718151

if you have enough money(about $80), I recommend you SMABAT ST-10 most...

#Last but not least, thank you to the authors of FR Graph.

Curious if you took that reading for the me80? If so, might want to calibrate sound card and mic. I saw similar curves until I found a more stable output (for now settled with using a qudelix 5k) and calibrating my USB mic interface, along with using calibrated mic settings.

 

[Sam L]

RIP my wallet indeed, I'm already getting the sinking feeling that this is only the beginnning.
So the ME80 and Marvel are in, Traceless and MX500 are out. The B40's sound interesting as well. I like the idea of more fun sounding earbud with the earbuds anonymous, but I'll have to message the penon store on aliexpress if they'll accept this coupon code I snagged off facebook, 44 euro is just a bit steep for me.
I also found the Snow Lotus 1.0 while browsing around here, any idea how they compare to the ME80 and/or the earbuds anonymous? The people who reviewed the snow lotus seemed really positive about it.

These are the last questions, honest. I swear I'll cut the knot soon and actually order something already

Regarding the Snow Lotus 1.0, make sure it is the commemorative edition. You will be severely disappointed otherwise. I can't find mine at the moment... wondering if one of my kids ran off with it. From memory, they are much warmer than the me80's, bass is more pronounced and slower than the me80. someone mentioned that the me80 are more analytical sounding -- as a comparative term within the buds space, I agree. They are not clinical sounding compared to clinical sounding iems (ie.re400), but compared to the majority of earbuds out there, the me80's are most definitely on the clinical/analytical side in terms of SQ.

 

[Sam L]

Regarding the Snow Lotus 1.0, make sure it is the commemorative edition. You will be severely disappointed otherwise. I can't find mine at the moment... wondering if one of my kids ran off with it. From memory, they are much warmer than the me80's, bass is more pronounced and slower than the me80. someone mentioned that the me80 are more analytical sounding -- as a comparative term within the buds space, I agree. They are not clinical sounding compared to clinical sounding iems (ie.re400), but compared to the majority of earbuds out there, the me80's are most definitely on the clinical/analytical side in terms of SQ.

oh, and, yes I heartily recommend the Snow Lotus 1.0+ commemorative edition. great earbud for the price.

 

[vygas]

RIP my wallet indeed, I'm already getting the sinking feeling that this is only the beginnning.
So the ME80 and Marvel are in, Traceless and MX500 are out. The B40's sound interesting as well. I like the idea of more fun sounding earbud with the earbuds anonymous, but I'll have to message the penon store on aliexpress if they'll accept this coupon code I snagged off facebook, 44 euro is just a bit steep for me.
I also found the Snow Lotus 1.0 while browsing around here, any idea how they compare to the ME80 and/or the earbuds anonymous? The people who reviewed the snow lotus seemed really positive about it.

These are the last questions, honest. I'll swear I'll cut the knot soon and actually order something already

I second the B40, I used to dislike them heavily but I've recently gave them another go and I actually really enjoy listening to them with music from the likes of Duster and some other rock bands, it's definitely something worth giving a go. About the Snow Lotus though, I only have a pair of the 1.0+ Commemorative Edition and they're pretty damn good. I usually bring them everywhere with me since they work with nearly anything I throw at it. Both are something I'd recommend, that is, if your wallet allows for a 1.0+ CE to creep into your cart .

 

[luckyeights]

Is this the snow lotus everyone keeps talking about?

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32966966924.html?spm=a2g0n.productlist.0.0.6f9c1968oQx319

 

[vygas]

Is this the snow lotus everyone keeps talking about?

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32966966924.html?spm=a2g0n.productlist.0.0.6f9c1968oQx319

That's the one.

 

[Carrow]

File under: things you love to see.

 

[vygas]

Also, has anyone else noticed a new variant of the Iris CE on FAAEAL's store recently? It's grey and the store description goes as follows :
>>The White Transparent Shell Edition -Bass, not too much. -Good Mid and high. -Clear vocal.Warmth and detailed. -Rich details -Good Sound field

>>The Gray Transparent Shell Edition -More balanced -Good Bass, better than white shell. Warmth,immersing and detailed -Good Mid and high. -Clear and warm vocal. -Soundstage: better than white

Here's the link : https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001270397403.html